CHAP. I.

THat this subiect of the Scriptures sacred Ge­nealogies may appeare to bee both holy and vsefull: before we en­ter into the particulars, let vs view the frame of the whole; how that frō the Genes. 3. 15. seed of the woman in Paradice, where the first promise was made of our saluation, they leade vs to the Sonne of a Mat. 2. 1. Virgine in Bethlehem, where the first appearance [...]n our [Page 2] flesh was of him that wrought our saluation.

Betwixt which persons and times God himselfe was the Recorder, and with that Ex. 31. 18 finger that first writ the Law, led the hand of Moses to name from Genes. 5. father to sonne, the persons produced: euen from Adam, that fell from a pleasurable Garden of rest, vnto Ioshuah, that led and set the people in a pleasurable Ios. 13. 1. land of rest; being thirtie generations in a direct line, besides their collaterals.

In all which, the promises of God appeared, that was made to man in his Christ: In Ge. 5. 29. Noah, the comfort that the world in him should enioy. In Ge. 17. 4. Gen. 12. 3. Abraham, the Promise, that the world in him should be blessed. And in 2. Sam. 7. 13. Dauid, the sonne, and King, that should raigne euerlastingly.

All which things the Genealogies doe testifie, and we know that their testimonie is true: and how careful­ly their pedegrees haue been kept, wee see still recorded by the holy Ghosts writ.

In Moses, all of them euen vnto [Page 3] himselfe; and where Moses left, the Writer of Rut. 4. 20 Ruth doth continue thē vnto Dauid. And Dauids sonnes like­wise, both Kings and collaterals, are most exactly registred, and for the most part, with their matches, and mothers, out of seuerall Tribes na­med, whilest that stem of kings bare any branches.

And the care of preseruing the holy Genealogies, the holy Ghosts pen hath well shewed in the first 1. Cor. 1. &c. booke of the Chronicles, where the first nine Chapters doth affoord in a manner no other matter, besides the rehear­sall of the generations from Adam to those times. As the like is done for the present, by the books of the Chro­nicles, of Kings and the Prophets, vn­till the Captiuitie of Babylon cut off their Kings, and the glory of Iudah became thereby eclipsed.

Notwithstanding, in the times of the later Prophets, the like proui­dence is continued, by preseruing the Lights of the holy Genealogies a­ [...]iue, when the holy Spirit in the pens of Ezra 1. 2. Ezra the Scribe, & of Nehemiah [Page 4] the Prince, their memorials and pe­degrees were recorded vnto Nehe. 7. &c. Iaddua the High Priest, in the dayes of great Nehem. 12. 11. Alexander; where ended the Storie of the old Testament.

And in the New, the holy Genealo­gies are set euen in the frontispice thereof, and the first text read in the Gospel is, Mat. 1. 1 The Booke of the generation of Iesus Christ, the Sonne of Dauid, the Sonne of Abraham.

Which well considered, if nothing else could moue a reuerend desire to studie them, yet at leastwise should it moue a trembling feare to despise them; seeing that Christ is the sub­iect of that diuine text, the Apo. 1. 8. Alpha & Omega, through Rom. 11. 36. whom they were writ; and the Mat. 21. 24. Stone that bruseth his contemners to powder.

Genealogies then, being the first step laid in the new Testament, are for vse the first step that mounteth from earth vnto heauen, as Gen. 28. 12. Iacobs Ladder did reach, by which the great Archangell Christ from the top de­scended, vnto the lowest staffe, the Tabernacle of our flesh.

[Page 5] In them wee see the dispercions of Families in the peopleing of the World, and in them the gouernment of the World when it was peopled. In them the state of the holy and sin­cere worshippers of God; and in them the wicked Idolaters and pro­faners of all his waies. Briefly, in them we see both the builders and pullers downe of the walles of Sion; Gods mercy euer extended vpon his chosen, the blessed; and his wrath e­uer seuere vpon the reiected, the cursed.

For from Cain to Lamech, his seue­ritie Gen. 4. 11. continued; through Gen. 9. 25 Ham, Ca­naan, Gen. 10. 9 Nimrod, Exod. 17. 6. Amelek, Ge. 16 12 Ismael & Heb. 12. 17. E­sau, it followed; which last found no repentance, though hee sought it carefully with teares: and Acts 26. 28. Agrippa his last, was but almost perswaded to become a Christian.

Wheras cōtrariwise, the elect were led by Gods Angell through Canaan, Exod. 23 20. Egypt, the Red Sea, and the Wilder­nesse, vnto Canaan their rest; where Psal. 78. 68. Sion became the Lords delight, Ie­rusalem his chosen 2. Chron. 6. 6. Citie, and the [Page 6] Lords Temple, the very gate of hea­uen.

Vnto which, without respect of Countrey, Person, or Tribe, whether Iew or Gentile, they that looked with the eye of fauour, were againe of God fauoured; as 1. King. 8. Salomon prayed for.

Such were 1. Ki. 5. 7. Hiram king of Tyrus, that forwarded the building of the Tem­ple: the Lu. 11. 31 Queene of Sheba. that came from the vtmost parts of the earth, to heare the wisdome of Salomon: Ier. 38. 7. Ebedmelech the Black-more, that piti­ed Ieremiah, and drew him out of the Dungeon. Esa. 45. 1. Cyrus the Lords annoin­ted, that released 2. Chron. 36. 22. Babylons Captiuitie: and Ezra 6. 1. Darius, King of Persia, that fa­uored & forwarded the work of the second Temple. Againe, the healed 2. King. 5. 14. Naaman was a Syrian. the Luk. 4. 26 Widow of Sarepta was a Sidonian, the sup­plicant Mar 7. 26 woman was a Greeke, a Syro­phenician: Act. 8. 27. Candaces Eunuch was an Ethiopian: the clensed Luk. 17. 16: Leper was a Samaritan; and Acts 10. 4. Cornelius was Cap­taine of the Italian Band. And this made Peter to confesse and say, that [Page 7] God is no respecter of persons, but in euery Nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousnesse, is ac­cepted with him.

Search then the Ioh. 5. 39 Scriptures, for they testifie of Christ; and as hee is sought for, so is he found: but no where more fully, then in the sacred Genealogies; which through seuentie fiue generations shew him to be the seed promised to subdue Satan: the iust age of Ge. 12. 4 Abrahams life when he receiued the promise of seede, in whom the World should be saued.

He is the Ioh. 1. 9 Light and Life of the World: let vs seeke him therefore whilest it is day, for the night com­meth when no man can work Ioh. 1. 18.

Saul in seeking 1. Sam. 9. Asses, found a Crowne; and we in seeking the Mes­siah, shall find an immortall King­dome. Happy are they that so seeke, and so finde: for God is a rewarder of them that seeke him Heb. 11. 6.

CHAP. II.

MOses ready to goe the way of all flesh, in his last Booke, and leaue­taking of his brethren the Israelites, among many other documents to them de­liuered, gaue this precept continu­ally to be followed; Deut. 4. 32 That the chil­dren should aske their fathers concerning the Lords Couenants, euen since the day Moses his precept touching Gods coue­nant. that man was created vpon the earth. And the disputer in Iob, from the same text giueth the reason; Iob 8. 8. For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, be­cause (saith he) our daies are a shadow vpon the earth.

If then from the wise, wisdome is to be had, what truer can be gotten, then from the ancient Patriarkes, Fa­thers, and high Saints, both before and [Page 9] after the floud; they being the Pa­rents True wis­dome ga­thered srom the first Fa­thers. of Christ, and the patterns of all true holinesse. The former for length of dayes, and holy conuersations are best able to instruct vs, & ought chiefly to be knowne of vs, for the parents of all Nations vpon the earth.

Whose Religion and seruice to their God Iehouah, their sacrificing declareth, and the propheticall na­ming of their sonnes sufficiently sheweth, what hope they had of the other, and how vaine they held this transitory world.

For Adam no sooner had Gen. 4. Cain, a possession, but forthwith was borne to him Abel a vanitie, and therefore his third sonne in name was Seth, a setled foundation vpon the Rocke Christ. And Seth knowing the sinnes that should be wrought by the Sonnes of the holy Stem, whē they for beau­ties The Fa­thers were faithfull, and all of them Pro phets. sake should match with the pro­fane (but faire) daughters of Cains race, named his sonne Enos the sor­rowfull, as foreseeing the heauie re­lapse in religion, and Iude 1. the turning of [Page 10] the grace of God into wantonnesse: as vp­on the like stumbling blocke the Is­raelites fell, when Numb. 25 1. 9. twentie foure thousand fell vnder the plague of death, for the like wantonnes with the daughters of Moab.

Vnto Enos was borne Cainan the Contrite; and vnto him Mahalaleel the praise-God; whose sonne was Iared the lowly, and his sonne Enoch The resur­rection fi­gured. the Consecrated; a figure of the re­surrection, by the translation of his earthly body into heauen from the society of men, and the world. His sonne was Methuselah the speare­death; and his, Lamech the heart­wounded: who fore-seeing the ge­nerall deluge, named his sonne Noah the Comforter, that should restore the earth which God had cursed, and re-people the world, which for sinne was drowned.

And the like appellations had the Fathers after the Floud, when the yeeres of their liues were cut shorter by the halfe: for Sem the second son of Noah, was named Renowne, who in his name Melchizedek is renow­ned [Page 11] indeed, being the first King and Melchise­dech the first King and Priest in the world. Priest mentioned in the world, and the figure of Christ in them both. His sonne Arphaxad was a Healer, and his sonne Sale, a spoiler; his sonne Heber, a Pilgrim, and his sonne Peleg a Diuision, and so consequently of all the rest.

Where, by the very names of these Patriarkes and Fathers, an hystoricall All the Fa­thers leade vnto Christ. narration may bee made vnto the Messiah himselfe, who was Iesus the Sauiour, & the Emanuel, God with vs.

Then let vs not thinke, that these names of Christ his Parents (or o­thers vpon occasions giuen or chan­ged) fell from the mouthes of these Patriarkes, as lots fall from the lappe; but rather doe those Pro­phets fore-seeing Christ to come, All the Fathers by faith saw Christ. met him with their thankfull re­membrances, and saw his daies a farre off, and reioyced.

These Etymologies then leade vs vnto the Messiah, as the Starre did the Wise-men vnto Christ; wherein if our dull apprehensions fall too short (as who can comprehend the full [Page 12] mystery that God would become man in the flesh) where we vnderstand, let vs reioyce and bee thankfull; and where wee vnderstand not, let vs pray for his Spirit, that 2 Cor. 4. 6. our darknes may be made light in Christ.

CHAP. III.

AS then the names of these Fathers affoord great light to the sa­cred stories, and hea­uenly moisture to the thirsting Searcher: So are their dayes the bounds of the yeere, and their liues, the measure of time and of the Sunnes course: for neither by the mo­tions of the Planets, nor circle of the The motiōs of the hea­uēs knowen onely by the liues of the Fathers. Moone, the Sunne was obserued to passe the twelue Signes in the Zodi­ake: for two thousand eighty three yeeres continuance; but onely and altogether by the liues of those first Patriarkes for many generations suc­cessiuely. This glory God gaue to [Page 13] parents of his Son, that so long as they held him for their God Iehouah, and The holy Patriarks glory in the former ages. with true worship honoured him a­right, so long that most excellent creature the Sunne (the beauty of the heauens, and the delight of the world) gaue place for his measu­rings to these earthly men. For no o­therwise was the world calculated, The worlds calculation onely by the Fathers. then by this threefolde accounts of begettings, ages, and deaths of the first nineteene Fathers before, and after the floud: which account is of such strength, as the Eccles. 4. 12. threefold cord of Salomon is not so strong.

As for example, Adam at an hun­dred and thirty yeeres of his life be­gat Seth, and liued after his birth The tripple accounts of the Patri­arkes. eight hundred, and died aged nine hundred and thirty yeeres. Seth at an hundred and fiue, begot Enos, he liued after his birth eight hundred and seuen, and died aged nine hun­dred and twelue yeeres. Enos liued ninety yeeres, and begot Cai­nan, and liued after hee had begot Cainan eight hundred and fifteene yeers: so [...] dayes of Enos were [Page 14] nine hundred and fiue yeeres: and so of all the rest vnto Terah the Father of Abraham.

But Iosh. 24. 2. Terah falling to Idolatrie with the rest of the profane beyond the Riuer, besides that note of infa­mie, to be the first of the holy Lyne that serued strange gods; was the last The glory of the worlds computa­tion taken from the Fathers. of that Lyne that measured the Sunnes course, and had that honour for computation taken from him, as one vnworthy to direct the light of the world, being fallen into darke Idolatry himselfe: and God from that time tied the summe of times in holier bands; as from the promise to the Gal. 3 17 Law, from the Law to the building of the 1 Kings 6. 1. Temple, from thence to the Kingdomes diuision 1 Kings 11. 42., and their continuance, by Ezekiels Ezech. 4 2. 5. siege and sleep, to the destruction of the Tem­ple: thence to the end of Ier. 25. 11. Babels cap­tiuity: and lastly thence, to the eter­nall liberty bought with the bloud and death of our Dan. 9. 24. Messiah Christ.

But God in Iustice euer remem­bring mercy, hath not so eclipsed these holy Fathers renowne, as to [Page 15] stand naked for vse in the computa­tions following; but hath rather set them for Stones in times buildings, to giue the luster of truth in the The­ologicall Chronicle of his sacred de­crees, and hath made them Iudges, how the times set by himselfe, fell in number, weight, and measure.

For in the sweete promises to A­braham, that Gen. 15. 13. his seed should inherit the Land of Canaan, this pill of bitter di­gestion came in; that they Gen. 15. 13. should be afflicted in a strange Land, the space of foure hundred yeeres, and those expi­red, in the fourth generation they should be deliuered. Now the most noted affliction, was the thraldome of Egypt, vnder the burdens of brick and clay; and the deliuery from that The pro­mise for deliuerāce accompli­shed in the fourth generati­on. Iron furnace, was as faithfully accom­plished, and as mightily performed in the fourth generation of Israels sons. For of Iudahs tribe, Hezron was one that went downe into Egypt, and Nahshon the fourth in desent, was a Prince in the Wildernesse. So like­wise of Leui, Kohath was one of the seauentie soules: and his fourth E­leazer [Page 16] diuided the Land.

Againe, the Exod. 12 dwelling of the chil­dren of Israel in Egypt (as Moses to some seemeth to auerre) was foure Moses his meaning expounded. hundred and thirty yeers. But the Apo­stle Saint Paul, who wrote by the same spirit, to proue grace before workes, maketh the number no more betwixt Gal. 3. 17 the promise and the Law: now wee know that the Law was giuen immediately vpon the The promise 4 o yeeres before the Law. departure of Israel out of Egypt, in the wildernesse of Sinai: as also that the halfe of those yeeres were fully expired, before that Israel came to dwell in Egypt.

For Abraham at Gen. 12. 4. seuenty fiue re­ceiued the promise, and at an hun­dred of his life (which was twenty fiue yeeres after) Isaac Gen. 21. 5. was borne: Isaac at sixty Gen. 25. 26. begot Iacob, and Ia­cob was an Gen. 47. 9. [...]o. when he came be­fore Pharaoh all which added toge­ther, make but halfe the number, e­uen Polichro. lib. 2. cap. 12. two hundred and fifteene.

Thus then by the sacred Genealo­gies (the sure foundations of holy sto­ries Halfe the yeers of the promise was spent before the Israe­lites went into Egypt.) wee are taught how to reade [Page 17] Moses with vnderstanding, who in these foure hundred & thirty yeeres, doth include the peregrinations, af­flictions, and dwellings of Abra­ham, Isaac, and Iacob, in the Land of Canaan, with the Israelites soiour­ning in Egypt.

And so the Septuagints doe inter­pret the Text: The dwelling (say they) The Septu­agints ex­position of Moses. of the children of Israel which dwelt in Egypt, and in the Land of Canaan, both [...]hey and their Fathers, was foure hun­dred and thirty yeeres. And in the same words doth Aug. quest. 47. in Exodū. Augustine expound it, as Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 2. cap. 6. Iosephus likewise before him had done.

The mistaking of this, hath beene Gordius knot vnto many, and hath [...]oubled Genebrard not a little to vn­ [...]ose, who to defend the Latine bad [...]anslation, rather will haue Moses [...] omit some of his owne Ancestors [...] his Text, then that their Text [...]ould therein be faulty.

But neuer any Hebrew, Greeke, or [...]atine, euer set Moses further from Abraham, then the seauenth; nor is [...]is obiection of greater force of the [Page 18] impossibility, that from seuenty per­sons onely, sixe hundred thousand men, besides women and children, should bee proceated within the compasse of two hundred and fif­teene yeeres.

For if we consider the wonderful increase of Israel in Egypt, who aboun­dantly multiplied, and waxed exceeding many, so that the Land (saith the Text) was filled with them: and that from seauenty persons, all of them able, and apt for generation, we shal find it nothing so strange.

But stranger had it beene, if Isra­els abode had beene in Egypt, fully foure hundred and thirty yeeres, with no greater increase, God pro­mising to multiply that seede of A­braham as the starres of Heauen, and the dust of the earth. Gen. 22. 17.

For in the like space of foure hun­dred and thirty yeeres, the World from the floud was replenished one­ly by three persons, Iaphet, Sem, and Ham, with farre greater increase. For in Abrahams story we reade, of the preparation of nine Kings, and Gen. 14. [Page 19] of sixe Nations in Canaan, and the Countries adiacent.

And that the earth was peopled and replenished both continent, and Ilands long before, wee see, by the dispersions of Noahs sonnes through the world; neither doth the Text be­ing aduisedly read, inforce any such continuance in Egypt: for thus doth Moses write, and our last translation reade: The soiourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was foure hun­dred Exod. 12. 40. and thirty yeeres.

But that the Israelites dwelt not The Israe­lites dwelt not in Egypt 430 yeeres. in Egypt foure hundred and thirty yeeres, as Genebrard vnderstandeth Moses, a second foundation by the holy Genealogies is laid: for Gen. 46. 11. Kohath accompanied Iacob into Egypt, and his sonne was Exod. 6. 18. 20. Amram, and his son Moses.

Then seeing Kohath is the enterer, and Moses the departer, the time cannot extend to foure hundred and thirty yeeres: for Kohath liued but one hundred thirty three yeeres: Exod. 6. 20. Amram his sonne, but one hundred thirty seuen; and Moses his son was [Page 20] eighty at the departure. All which added together, make but three hundred and fifty, and yet some of them also must bee deducted where they liued together. These ages ther­fore are so sure and true witnesses of Moses his meaning, that Gene­brard mistaking it, affirmeth some betwixt Kohath and Moses to bee o­mitted. To such extremity Genealo­gies enforceth.

And yet further to illustrate the text for story, a weake woman may Iochebed the daugh­ter of Leui, and mother of Moses. serue to support the truth: namely, Iochebed the mother of Moses, who was the immediate daughter of Le­ui, borne vnto him in Egypt, by Eli­shebah his wife: Nom. 26. 59. Now the life of Leui extended but to one hundred thirty seuen yeeres; Exod. 6. 16. whereof forty three were spent before hee came into Egypt, which thus may be collected.

Leui was borne of Leah, in the third yeere of the second seuen, of Leui his age gathe­red by Io­sephs. Iacobs seruice with Laban; in the end of which seauen, Ioseph also was borne: Gen. 30. 25. & Chap. 31. 41. [Page 21] So that Ioseph is but foure yeeres yonger then Leui. Now Iosephs age at his expounding of Pharoahs dreame, was thirty: Gen. 41. 46. And thence the seauen yeeres of plenty, and the two of famine were expi­red; Gen. 45. 6. So that Ioseph was a­ged when his Father and bretheren came into Egypt, thirty nine yeeres, and Leui his elder, was at that Leui his age when he came in­to Egypt. time forty three: whose continu­ance then in Egypt must be ninety foure yeeres; for ninety foure added to forty three, make one hundred thirty seauen, his whole age to his death: before which time it is mani­fest Iochebed (his daughter) must bee borne, or be begotten.

Now if the abode in Egypt were fully foure hundred & thirty yeeres, then three hundred thirty six yeeres after Leui his death, must be the de­parture thence; but so long a time by Iochebeds age cannot be granted: for she being borne but ninety foure yeeres after the first entrance, and liuing to beare a sonne, but eighty yeers before the departure; the time [Page 22] betwixt the death of her father, and the birth of her sonne, must be the age of her owne life: for had shee beene borne the day of her fathers Iochebeds age disanul­leth the 430 yeeres abode in E­gypt. death, which is not likely, and had died the day of her sonnes birth, which wee know is contrary, yet must shee haue beene two hundred fifty and sixe yeeres old when shee bare Moses. A time by much too long for weomen to conceiue, and her age farre vnfit to giue sucke, or to bee chosen a fit nurse for a Kings daughters sonne.

And therefore it is certenly ga­thered by these holy Genealogies, that The Pere­grinations of the Pa­triarks, and the abode in Egypt together, make 430 yeeres. the peregrinations of the Patriarks, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, for the space of two hundred and fifteene yeeres, must be accounted with the time of the continuance in Egypt, both which together make the sum of foure hundred and thirty.

What lights therefore Genealo­gies are for history, let these here al­leaged stand for witnesses, wherein I appeale to the gaine-sayers them­selues, whether any text bee forced [Page 23] contrary to the true meaning.

CHAP. IIII.

THE like vse and vtility shall we find in the suc­ceeding times of the sacred Records: and most especially in that which concerneth vs most; namely, [...]he time mentioned in Daniel, which [...]oreshewed the death of the true Lambe Christ, vnto whom all the sa­crifices of the Law pointed, and in whom all the Leuiticall rites ended, [...]e being our high Priest, farre aboue Aarons order.

Now among many other male­ [...]ictions threatned for the breach of [...]he Law, this was one, Leuit. 26 34. that the Land should lie waste to pay her Sab­baths of rest. Which time of waste, [...]he Prophet Ieremy affirmeth to haue [Page 24] beene seuenty yeeres, and doth be­gin their account in Ier. 25. 1. 11. the first yeere of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, from whence Ier. 27. 7. all nations should serue him, his sonne, and sonnes sonne, the space of seuenty yeeres: which expired in the third of Belshazzar, and first yeere of King Cyrus, when the raigne of the Kingdome of Persia beganne, as it is in 2. Chron. 36. 20. 22.

Vpon which Text of Ieremie, Da­niel tooke his occasion of Prayer for Daniel his prayer vpon occasion of Ieremies prophecie. their deliuerance, and the Lord was as ready to accomplish his promise, who sending his Angell euen in the same moment, certified him, that whilest his supplications were in making, Dan. 9. 24. the Decree of deliuerance was in deter­mining; and that not onely from Ba­bels seuenty yeeres captiuity: but also thence after seuenty times seuen should bee a full deliuerance from spiritual thraldome, by the doctrine and death of the Messiah.

These seuenty seuens Gabriel diuideth Daniels seuens di­uided into three parts. into 3. parts, as followeth. 1. To the rebuilding of the City, and building the second Temple, seuen seuens. Se­condly, [Page 25] Sixty two seuens, wherein a si­lence for Prophesie, the want of fier from heauen, & the Vrim and Thum­mim should be had. And thirdly, one seuen, in the halfe whereof Christ should confirme the Couenant for many, and in the end thereof, should seale vp mans redemption by his death and passion.

Notwithstanding, this tripple ac­count, and plainnesse of Chronolo­gie (which the Angell aimeth at, as to the true period of times fulnesse) hath beene troubled with the vncer­taine computations both of Iewes and Christians, who haue both shrunke and tentered them from the iust number of foure hundred and Daniels se­uens miscast ninety yeeres; which seuenty seuens make in their owne propriety.

For some will haue them to con­taine no fixed certaine time at all, D. R. in M. S. but rather thinke they were spoken vnto Daniel; as Christ spake vnto Pe­ter in forgiuing his brothers offen­ces; Mat. 18. 22. I say not vnto thee vnto seauen times, but vnto seuenty times seuen times: or as his, that doth begin them fifty [Page 26] yeeres before Babels fall, and ends them towards the dissolution of the world, Hierom vpō Dan. 9. as Hierome citeth Hypolitus to haue done: or if any certainty be in them, yet such it is, as may rather dazell the eye vnto dimmer darke­nesse, then illuminate the vnderstan­ding Daniels seuens mis­taken. with brighter knowledge, if we will lend our eares vnto Origen; who vnderstandeth these weekes, not to be weekes of seauen yeeres, but of ten times seauen, Origen hom. 29. vpon Mat: for euery yeere taking ten, and doth beginne their reckoning from the beginning of the world; so that seuenty weeks should make foure thousand nine hundred yeeres from the creation vnto Christ: and some beginne them at the natiuity of Christ, and conti­nueth them vnto the end of the World, as Apollianus hath done.

Others that allow their certainty and propriety of the Angels speech, yet doe differ in assigning their be­ginnings and endings; because three other edicts are mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah, besides that of Cyrus: Ezra 6. 1. Ezra 7. 12. Nehem. 2. and yet wheresoeuer they beginne [Page 27] them, they still bring their endings, [...]ther at the birth of Christ in the [...]me of Herod. or at the death of Christ, in the raigne of Tiberius; as * True Re­ligion, chap. [...]9. Lord Plessie hath well obserued.

That they beganne when Babels Kingdome ended, is most manifest Daniels seuens be­gan in the first yeere of Cyrus. [...]y Ieremiah the Prophet, where hee [...]ith; Ier. 29. 10 Thus saith the Lord, after sea­ [...]nty yeeres bee accomplished at Babel, I [...]ill visit you, and performe my good pro­ [...]ises towards you, and cause you to re­ [...]rne to this place. And by the last Chapter of the second of Chroni­cles, where it is said; 2 Ch. 36. 22. 23. In the first yeere [...]f Cyrus, King of Persia, (when the word [...]f the Lord spoken by the mouth of Iere­miah was finished) the Lord stirred vp the [...]irit of Cyrus, King of Persia, and hee [...]ade a Proclamation through, all his Kingdome, and also by writing, saying; Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia, all the Kingdomes of the Earth hath the Lord God of Heauen giuen mee, and hee hath [...]mmanded mee to build him a house in Ierusalem, that is, in Iudah: who is a­mong you of all his people, with whom the Lord his God is, let him goe vp.

[Page 28] And the other Edicts made by Da­rius, The Edicts of Cyrus successors, but confir­mations of his. and Artaxerxes, successours t [...] Cyrus; are but confirmations of thi [...] his Edict, and not new Edicts made from which these seuens might hau [...] their beginnings: for so the Ezra 6. 1 Record layed vp in the Library at Babel, and searched at the command of Darius doth signifie, where in a volume i [...] was thus written as a memoriall: In the first yeere of King Cyrus, King Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Ie­rusalem, &c.

And that they ended at the death of Christ, when sinnes were sealed vp and iniquity reconciled by the annointing Daniels seuens en­ded at Christs death. of the holy of Holies, is manifest both by a definite and certaine number in themselues assigned, namely, se­uenty seuens: as also by a definite number multiplied from other Se­uens thus. Ieremiah had shewed the seuenty yeeres captiuity, wherein they were Ier. 27. 7. to serue the King of Babel, his sonne, and his sonnes sonne; which ex­actly fell so, and were expired at Daniels prayer; and thence, being multiplied ten times more, do bring [Page 29] vs to the certaine time of Christs death, and make foure hundred and Ninety yeeres.

Againe, those multiplied yeeres [...]eing diuided into parts definite, [...]pproue the whole certaine; and the [...]rst, and last falling accordingly, [...]ake that time, to point out his [...]ime, for whom time was ordained.

For the first Seuen. The Iewes ob­ [...]ction against Christ, that forty sixe [...]eers the Temple was in building; Ioh. 2. [...]0. and the three of hinderance since Syrus his Edict, make that number Foure Pas­seouers mē ­tioned in Iohn. The first in cha. 2. 13. the second in chap. 5. 1. the third in chap. 6. 4. the fourth in chapters 11. & 13. & 18. [...]ertaine, euen seuen Seuens, or forty Nine yeers, whereof more hereafter. And that the last were as exactly [...]ccomplished from the baptisme of Christ vnto his death, euen halfe a se­ [...]en of yeeres, by the foure Passeouers [...]lebrated by himselfe (in the last whereof hee died) is apparant by [...]e Euangelists records, and by the [...]ncient affirmed to bee the three [...]eers and a halfe of Christ his prea­ [...]ing to confirme the couenant; vn­ [...] the which time Reu. 12. 14. the Time, Times, [...]d halfe a Time in the Apocalips is [Page 30] alluded vnto by many Interprete [...] And had those seuenty seuens, or yee [...] of the Angels predicted for Chr [...] his preaching and death, beene v [...] certaine, the Iewes had not bee [...] so iustly taxed for more neglige [...] obseruer [...] of time, then were t [...] Esay 1. 3. Oxe, or the Asse, the Ier. 8. 7. Storke, t [...] Turtle, the Crane, or the Swallo [...] neither had beene so blame-worth of times ignorance for their ow [...] visitations.

Moreouer, had these Seuenty S [...] ­uens beene vncertaine, then the a [...] ­ceptable yeere of Iubile had not b [...] so certainely expected, as in Luk. 19 11. Lu [...] wee see it was: neither had any ce [...] ­taine Chronology continued from t [...] old, vnto the new Testament. A [...] Daniels Seuens the onely Chro­nicle to the new Testa­ment. what should moue the holy Gh [...] so carefully to keepe and contin [...] a true Chronology of [...]uery partic [...] ­lar story, from the first creation, v [...] to the first yeere of Cyrus, and the [...] breake it off; especially considerin [...] that all times led vnto Christ, Rom. 13. 36. whom, through whom, and for who [...] were all things writ that were writ, [Page 31] whom bee glory for euer and euer, A­men.

Thus much being spoken of their beginnings and endings, let vs now come to the accounts therein con­tained, and for the better vnderstan­ding, follow the yeeres of the King­domes In what Monarchies Daniels Seuens fell. wherein they fell, beginning at the last, and ascending to the first, in which, and whose raignes the most doubts fall.

The Roman Writers set Christs death in the eighteenth of the Em­perour Tiberius, and his birth in the Clem. A­lex. strom. 1. forty two of Augustus, whose whole raigne was fiftie sixe yeeres: so that by them Christ his age is made to be vpon thirty three yeeres. And both Romans and Greekes reckon betwixt the first of Augustus, and the last of Alexan­ders death 280. yeeres before Au­gustus his raigne. Alexander, two hundred and eigh­tie yeeres; namely, seuenty Olympi­ads: for Alexander died in the 114. Olympiad, and Augustus began his raigne in the 184. The Gre [...] an Monar­chy began at the slaughter of Darius.

But the Grecian Monarchy began sixe yeeres before the death of Alex­ander, by the slaughter of Darius, as [Page 32] all Authors acknowledge, and en­ded with the death of Cleopatra Queene of Aegypt, being the last of his successours, in the fourteenth yeere of Augustus; as by the raignes of the Ptolomies are generally gathe­red. Which number sixe before A­lexanders death, and foureteene like­wise after Augustus his beginning, being added to 280. make the num­ber The Greci­an Monar­chy continu­ed 300. yeeres. to bee compleat three hundred yeeres: the whole and exact time of the Grecian Monarchy.

And the Romans raigne from the fourteenth of Augustus, vnto the death of Christ the Messiah, (where the last Seuen of the Seuenty ended) by the remainder of Augustus his raigne (which was forty two yeeres more) and eighteene likewise expi­red vnder Tiberius, is most apparant that sixty yeeres of the Roman go­uernment Ro­mans 60490Gre­cians 300Per­sians 130 were spent; which being added to the three hundred of the Grecians, both together make three hundred and sixty. So that one hun­dred and thirty for the Persians time must remaine, to fill vp the number [Page 33] of Seuenty Seuens, or foure hundred [...]nd ninetie yeeres predicted in Da­ [...]iel.

Which time of the Persians, both The Persi­ans ragne most trou­ble Dani­els ac­counts. [...]n the diuision for those first Seuens, wherein the Citie was built, and [...]heir whole continuance vnto their [...]nd, hath bred the greatest distur­ [...]ance of Daniels propriety.

That their Monarchy began when [...]he word Dan. 5. 30. MENE was double writ [...]pon the Pallace wall, and Babels [...]ingdome ended by the slaughter of [...]elshazzar, the texts both of Daniel [...]nd the 2. Chro. 36. 22. Chronicles doe shew, and [...]hat it continued vnto Darius, whom [...]e surnameth the Nehem. 12. 22. Persian, Nehemiah [...]oth record, betwixt whom is no [...]reater disagreements for the num­ [...]er of their Kings, and their names, [...]en there is of yeeres for their [...]aignes and continuance: not any [...]ne of them from first to last, but [...]ath a differing number assigned, e­ [...]en by their best recorders. The num­ber of the Persian Kings not agreed vpon.

For the number of their Kings, [...]ab. Saadah will haue them but [...]hree, Aben Ezra saith, they were [Page 34] foure, and Rab. Moses alloweth Tertul. lib. aduers. Iudaeos. Isidor lib. 5. Etimol. them fiue: of Christian Writers, Tertullian, Isidor and Annius Viter­biensis accounteth them eight, Io­seph Scaliger will haue them nine, Bullenger ten, Beroaldus eleuen, and Hierome with the ordinary Glosse, no lesse then fourteene: and as in the men, so for number of yeeres they disagree.

For the Iewes generally to crosse the time, lest it should meete Christ to be their Messia, giue the Persians from the first vnto the last of their Rab. Zota. gouernment but onelie 52. yeres; though Aben Ezra is content to al­low them nin. more. Of Christians, Pererius extendeth their time to 23 2. Lyra to 230. yeeres Clem. Alexandri­nus The raignes of the Per­sian Kings vncertaine. giueth them 215. Dyonisius Hal­licarnassis 200. Lucidus 190. Isidor [...] 180. Beroaldus, Broughton, and other late Writers 130: differing in their totals, no lesse then 182 yeeres.

Whereby we may see, how the Esay 8. 6. smooth running waters of Shiloh are become a troubled Ocean vnto many, ouer which gulfe of disa­greeing [Page 35] accounts, were not the ho­ly The Genea­logies giue passage to Daniels propriety. Genealogies the bridge, it were vnpossible for vs to passe.

For in their first number, from the first yeere of Cyrus vnto the fi­nishing of the Temple, in the Ezra 6. 15 sixth of Darius, are added vnto the pro­prietie of those Seuen Seuens, fiftie seuen yeeres, making of forty nine, (which they properly import) no lesse then Iunius in his annota­tion vpon that text of Haggai in his last edition. an hundred and sixe yeeres. And in the like manner the time from that worke, vnto the end of the Persians raigne, is like­wise ouerstretched to bee aboue fourescore yeeres, more then the Sunne euer measured.

The maine cause of whose diffe­rences, are the variable accounts of the Heathen, and the vncertaine computations of the vncertaine O­lympiads. And therefore to direct these times, the holy Genealogies are as the Reede in the Angels hand, that measured the Apoc. 11. 1. Temple and Al­tar of the holy City, and the men then liuing, a cloud of witnesses to cōfirme the Times certenty vnto vs.

[Page 36] For, seeing that the sacred Scrip­tures (for story) at the rebuilding of Ierusalem and second Temple did cease: the disagreements of profane No account to be made of profane Writers for Daniels Seuens. Writers, in Times computation so manifestly apparant, and the euer erring Olympiads (the onely Chroni­cle of the Heathen) so vncertaine of beginning, and neglect for continu­ance, no sure foundation can be laid vpon so sandy or soft a ground.

Nor may those profane authori­ties bee held fit pillars to support The cause too waighty for the he a­then to witnesse the waight, of the waightiest speech of times measure, and promise of mans Redemption, reuealed in the old testament of God: but are to be reiected in this holy computation, as the vnmeasured Court was to be cast out and giuen to the Gentiles. Apo. 11. 12 And yet wee deny not, but where the Gentiles agree with Gabriels ac­count, The Hea­then Wri­ters may serue as handmaids to the Scriptures text. they may be brought as wit­nesses to the truth, and God by them iustified in his promises, when he is iudged. Therefore to approue the proprietie of Daniels Seuens, let vs trauerse them by the Scriptures al­lowance, [Page 37] both in the ages and liues of men.

That the first diuision of Gabriels Seuens (which was from the going forth of the Edict, to the Dan. 9. 25. rebuilding of Ierusalem) fell accordingly, and were forty nine yeeres to the finish­ing of the worke, the answer of the Iewes to our Sauiour Christ, doth so A certenty in the first diuision of Daniels Seuens. much import, when demanding by what authoritie he droue the mar­ket out of the Temple, and what signes hee shewed to testifie his au­thoritie, Destroy (said he) Ioh. 2. 18 this Tem­ple, and in three dayes I will raise it vp: speaking of the Temple of his bo­dy. But they ignorant of his mea­ning, replied thus: Forty sixe yeeres this Temple was in building, and wilt thou reare it vp in three dayes.

And whereas Bullin­ger. & Sca­liger. some are of opi­nion that the Iewes vnpremeditated made this answere, as they did of Christs age, Thou art not yet fifty, and hast thou seene Abraham: yet seeing the account falleth according to the assignement, we may wel think they spake vpon an Historicall [Page 38] knowledge: for three yeeres added thereunto, which were the yeeres from Cyrus his Edict, vnto the hin­drance of that Ezra 4. 24. worke by his suc­cessors, and for which Daniel mour­ned three weekes of dayes, Chapter 10. 2. make the number to be fortie nine, euen seuen times seuen yeeres; vnto which certenty some are so confident, that they auouch these forty sixe yeeres did forefigure Christ his age vpon the earth, and doe draw the yeeres of his life, vn­to the like number of Alleaged by D. Wil­let vpon Dan. 9. fol. 304. forty sixe, because as they imagine, the body should answer the shadow, the sub­stance the figure, and the true Tem­ple the materiall in euery degree; albeit herein they are much decei­ued: for that the dayes of Christ vpon earth, came not fully to thirty three yeeres, as by the yeeres of his birth and death vnder the raignes of the Romane Emperours Augu­stus and Tiberius is seene.

But that fifty seuen more should be added, and the yeeres tentured vnto an hundred and sixe, betwixt [Page 39] the first of King Cyrus, and the buil­ding of the Temple, the ages of di­uers men in those daies will not permit; and therefore by the holy Scriptures let vs see how the holy Genealogies stay them from rouing too farre.

First it is manifest that Zerubabel Zerubba­bel of yeers sufficient to gouerne the returned. of Iudah, was a Prince of yeeres and actiuenesse, fit to leade and command the people in their re­turne from captiuitie, in the first yeere of Cyrus: and so hee is euer named in the catalogue amongst the returned, and that in the Ezra 3. 8 second yeere and second moneth after their com­ming to Ierusalem, he began to set for­ward the worke of the house of the Lord, Zerubba­bel laid the Temples foundation. and to lay the foundation of the Temple, is by Ezra recorded, and as mani­festly was it promised, that hee should see that his worke finished, for said Zechariah from the Lord, Zech. 3. 9 Zerubbabel laid the foundation of this house, and his hands shall finish it. What age Zerubbabel was of when he vn­derwent that Gouernment, wee know not, but must coniecture, he [Page 40] was of yeeres fit for that charge: but to liue from that age, to an hun­dred and sixe yeeres more, is more then without warrant can bee cre­dited, and yet for any thing knowne The Scrip­tures must warrant, where we must credit. to the contrary, he might liue long after the worke was finished.

Another witnesse wee haue as a­ged (if not more) as Zerubbabel, and a principall man also, who with him Nehem. 12. 1. returned from Babylon in the first yeere of Cyrus, euen Ezra the Scribe, the sonne of Seraiah the high Priest, whose ancestors both in the seuenth chapter of his booke, and in the first booke of the 1. Chro. 6. Chronicles are reckoned vp vnto Aaron. Now the same Seraiah father to Ezra 2. King. 25. 8. 18. was carried to Riblah, in the land of Hamah, and there slaine, by Ne­buehadnezzar King of Babel in the nineteenth yeere of his raigne. So that had Ezra been begot but the Ezra borne before the nineteenth yeere of Nebu­chadnez­zar. day of his fathers death (which is not likely) yet must he haue been fif­tie yeeres aged at the returne from captiuitie in the first yeere of Cyrus: since when, had there been one hun­dred [Page 41] and sixe yeeres, as some ac­count, to there building of the Tem­ple, then must Ezra haue been at that time, one hundred fifty sixe yeeres old, an age by much too long to retaine actiuenesse, or to stand (as hee did) Nehem. 8. 3. from morning till mid­day, to reade, and expound the Law to the people.

But to liue a long time after, as it is said he did, euen to the end of the Ezra his age will not admit the Persians raigne a boue 130. yeeres. Persians raigne, which was eightie yeeres more, his life must haue seene more yeeres then that shortned age of mans life could attaine vnto. And therefore the vncertaine ac­counts of the Heathen must be mea­sured by those men, whom the scrip­tures haue made their measuring [...]eedes.

And seeing God hath ordained, [...]hat Deut. 9. 15. by the mouth and testimonie of two [...]r three witnesses, the truth shall bee esta­blished: Let Mordecai, an eminent man of Beniamin stand for another. This Ester 2. 5 Mordecai was carried away captiue into Babylon with Ieconiah King of Iudah, in the eighth yeere of [Page 42] Nebuchadnezzar, and nourished Est. 3. 7. E­ster in the dayes of Ahashuerosh, King of Persia, vnto the twelfth yeere of his raigne.

And that this Ahashuerosh was Darius Histaspis holden to be Aha­shuerosh. Darius Histaspis, besides Lyra and o­thers ancient, the moderne Writers, Beroaldus, Broughten, Willet, More, the Geneuian Annotation, and many more affirme: and Herod. lib. 3. Herodotus in his third booke nameth Atossa to bee the wife of Hystaspis, sounding so neere to Adassa (the other name of Ester is called Atossa. Ester) as without preiudice we may call Ester his Queene. And the ra­ther, for that the said Author repor­teth she could preuaile in any thing with the King her husband: which the Scripture confirmeth, euen Est. 7. 3. to the halfe of his Kingdome.

And likewise Hellani­cus. Hellanicus another Heathen Author reporteth, that A­tossa Queene of Persia, was the first inuenter of Epistles, which vndoub­tedly was ministred vpon the Let­ters by her procured, and sent vnto one hundred and twenty seuen Pro­uinces, for the sauing of her people, [Page 43] whom Ahashuerosh had condemned at the sute of Est. 8. 9. wicked Haman.

But that this Ahashuerosh could be Xerxes, and he eighty foure yeeres after Cyrus, as he hath been set; the Mordecai his age will not admit so many yeeres from the re­turne. age of Mordecai may not admit: for had Mordecai been but eight yeeres of age, when hee was carried away captiue with Ieconiah in the eight yeere of Nebuchadnezzar, yet must he haue been seuenty at the returne from Babylon, but to adde almost a hundred yeeres more, neither huma­nitie could require his so aged knees to bow, nor nature afford his body to bee of such agilitie as it was for State affaires: mans terme of life, as Solon told Croesus (men of the same Herod. l. 1 time) to be onely threescore and tenne yeeres.

I am not ignorant, that some will haue the relatiue (which) to be refer­red to the antecedent Kish: which (say they) the text doth import in these words: Mordecai, the sonne of Est. 2. 5. Ioseph. Scalliger de men. tem. lib. 6. Iair, the sonne of Shimei, the sonne of Kish: and this Kish they will haue the man that had been carried captiue [Page 44] vnto Babilon with Ieconiah.

But if the words of Esters Apocry­pha may be herd, it was not Kish, but Mordecai; for there Mordecai, a No­ble man that dwelt in Susis, and bare of­fice in the Kings Court, was he that had the dreame, and was the man which Nebuchadnezzar brought captiue from Ierusalem, as Chap. 2. 4. Which Esters A­pocrypha. booke, though not Canonicall, yet is it ancient, and may well be a wit­nesse in a well knowne historie.

Besides, we see that the intent of that story is not to relate of Kish his captiuitie (if any such had been, the miseries of those times now ouer­blowne) but rather the meanes that God then wrought to saue his Church by this his instrument Morde­cai, that had seene the deliuerance both of himself and others from that Captiuitie of Babylon, and now was an acter to blunt the edge of wic­ked Hamans sword:

And that the time could extend to those yeeres thus inlarged betwixt Cyrus his Edict, and the building of the Citie, Nehemiah doth bring a [Page 45] whole Iury of witnesses against it, who in his catalogue of twenty two men that returned with him, and Ze­rubbabel from Chaldea vnto Iewrie, [...]ameth twelue of them to be liuing [...]n the daies of his gouernment, after that the walles of Ierusalem were fi­nished; which were, Seraiah, Ama­ziah, Twelue witnesses against the ouerlong raignes of the Persi­ans. Malluch, Hattush, Sebaniah, Ha­ [...]im, Merimoth, Ginnethon, Abbiiah, Miiamin, Bilgai, and Shemaiah, as in the tenth and twelfth Chapters of Nehemiah apparantly is seene. But from these particulars let vs come to the generals.

That many of the same persons Many of the retur­ned, aliue at the Tem­ples buil­ding. which had been caried captiue vnto Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, were returned and aliue at the building of the second Temple, in the second yeere of Darius, is manifest by this speech of Haggai, Hag. 2. 4. 10. who is left (saith [...]e) among you that saw this house in her first glory, and how doe you see it now, is it not in your eies in comparison of it as no­thing? Whereby it is apparant, that many of the returned, had seene the great beauty of Salomons Temple, [Page 46] and were seated againe in Ierusalem according to the Vision of the goo [...] figges seene by Ieremy, concernin [...] the captiuitie of Ieconiah, whom th [...] Lord had promised to bring again to Iudah, Ier. 24. to build them, and not destro [...] them; to plant them, and not to root the [...] out.

And albeit that Zecariah told the [...] that Zach. 8. 4. old men, and old women shoul [...] walke the streetes of Ierusalem vpon the [...] staues through decrepit age; ye [...] such exceeding old age could not b [...] retained in that age of the world: fo [...] had an hundred and sixe yeeres bee [...] expired from the first yeere of Cyrus to the rebuilding of Ierusalem, an [...] the Temple, then should the returne [...] each of them haue been at that tim [...] an hundred sixty seuen yeeres aged had they been but ten when Salo­mons Temple was destroyed; an [...] ten yeeres is the least age that ca [...] bee allowed to retaine memory, o [...] obseruation of the Temples curiou [...] building and passing great beauty.

Wherefore those tentured time [...] of Daniels Seuens, must bee again [Page 47] shrunke vnto the staple of the sacred The Persi­ans scante­lized almost to halfe their time. accounts, and the Persians raigne shortned vnto halfe the number (al­most) that some ouer-lauishly haue giuen them. For the chaine of Chro­nologie linked together by the liues of the holy line, and sacred stories assigned, euen from the first creati­on, vnto the first yeere of the first Persian Monarch, are as strong for continuance, and as glorious for ac­counts, as was the 1. King. 6. 21. golden chaine that Salomon drew before the dore of the holy Oracle. But in the link of the The holy Genealogies is a chaine as glorious as Salo­mons. Persians time is so broken a sunder by the vncertaine records of vncer­taine authorities, as it may rather seeme a vexing of the truth, then to leade vs to the true time of Christ his sufferings: therefore to measure the stone by the square, and the Per­sians whole continuance by the li­mits of life, let vs see yet further how the sacred Scriptures do direct vs therein. Nehemiah saw both the begin­ning and ending of the Persian Monarchy.

Nehemiah, a Captaine in Iudah, fa­mous in his booke canonicall, saw both the beginning and ending of the [Page 48] Persians Monarchy, as the text appa­rantly sheweth, for in the first yeere of Cyrus, among the sonnes of the pro­uince that went vp out of captiuitie (ac­cording to the Edict) this Nehemiah is said to accompany Ezra 2. 2 Zerubbabel the Prince, together with Ieshuah, Seraiah, Mordecai, and others. And that this was the same Nehemiah, who with large grants from King Nehem. 2. 1. Artaxerxes came again to Ierusalem in the twentieth yere of his raigne, is further confirmed by himself, where he saith; I Nehem. 7. 5. found a booke of the Genea­logies of them which came vp at the first with Zerubbabel, Ieshua, Nehemiah, Mordecai, and others.

And againe, the same man retur­ned to Nehem. 13. 6. Ierusalem, in the two and thir­tieth yeere of the said Kings raigne: whereby we see, that this Nehemiah was in the first yeere of Cyrus, and thirty two of Artaxerxes. For to ad­mit (as Petrus Galatinus hath done) Petrus Gal. con­tra Iud. lib. 7. c. 12. two Nehemiahs, two Zerubbabels, and two Mordecaies, seeing the Scrip­tures approue them not, were to make two Moses, two Samuels, and [Page 49] two Dauids.

And that Nehemiah liued to see the end of the Persians raigne, appeareth by his mentioning of the high Priest Iaddua, and of Darius the Persian.

And that this was the same Dari­us whom Alexander ouercame, and the same Iaddua before whom Alex­ander fell downe to worship that God, whose name he saw ingrauen in the golden plate of his High Priests Mite [...] (besides many Christian Wri­ters) Iosephus the Iew in his eleuenth Ioseph. Ant. lib. 11 booke of their Antiquities, doth e­uidently declare, whereby the sup­posed long continuance of the Persi­ans time is bounded within the li­mits of one mans life, and some part of that also spent, before they aspi­red to their Imperiall Crowne.

But against this, some obiect, that Nehemiah in his old age might liue [...]o see Iaddua borne heire to the high Priest-hood, and so record him. And [...]hat Iaddua likewise might be very [...]ld, when he met and told Alexan­der, that Iosephus antiq. Iu­de. lib. 11. cap. 8. he was the man of whom Daniel their Prophet prophecied, [Page 50] that should destroy the estate of the Per­sians.

But to the contrary we see by Ne­hemiah himself, who in the thirteenth Chapter, and twenty eight verse of his booke saith, that one of the sonnes of Ioiada the sonne of Eliashib, the High Priest, was sonne in Law to Sanballat the Horonite, whom he chased from him.

And who that sonne was, Iosephus in the foresaid eleuenth book of An­tiquities, tels vs to bee Manasses bro­ther vnto Iaddua the High Priest, who had married Nicazo the daughter of Sanballat; for which marriage (saith he) he was expulsed by his brother from the Altar. Whereby we see, that Ne­hemiah saw not only Iaddua of yeers capable for the dignitie of High Priest-hood; but also his younger brother Manasses, a man married, and of yeeres sufficient to serue at the Altar, which must bee twenty fiue at the least, as the law for the Leuit en­ioyned: Numb. chap. eight, vers. twen­tie foure.

And that Sanballat likewise (though Psal. 55. 23. the wicked come not to half [Page 51] their dayes) might see both the begin­ning & ending of the Persians raigne is apparant; for he being of policie both able to hinder the Neh. 4. 1. worke of of Ierusalems building, and to Chap. 6. en­trap Nehemiah the builder, must bee of age answerable to his designes, and therefore of like yeeres vnto him.

And the same Sanballat liued to assist Alexander in his surprise of Ga­za, after he had ouerthrowne Darius in the last battell. And that Nehe­miah and Sanballat were of like age and equall yeeres, the said Ioseph. antiq. Iud. bel. lib. 11. cap. 5. & cap 8. Iosephus seemeth to auerre, testifying of Ne­hemiah, that he was laden with age, and that Sanballat two yeeres after the taking of Gaza died, being very old.

But to conclude, that no longer continuance then foure hundred and nintie yeeres, may in these seuentie seuens bee granted, let vs measure them from the first to the last, by the liues of the high Saints mentioned by the Euange­list Saint Matthew: where wee [...]ind Ioseph, the husband of Mary, to Matth. 1. [Page 52] be the tenth in discent from Zerub­babel, a Prince of Iudah, in the first yeere of Cyrus: and that Ioseph liued to the Luk. 2. 24 twelfth yeere of Christ as ap­parant, yea, to the thirtieth by the testimony of Suidas; who saith, that Ioseph was but newly deceased, when Iesus was chosen a Priest in the Tem­ple.

The many yeeres then, and the few successions therein contained, inforce the times continuance no longer then foure hundred and nine­ty yeeres. For euen in that num­ber, each of these ten generations must successiuely haue their Sonnes borne vnto them at fifty yeeres of age, or not much lesse.

Now in like manner, the like Genealogies in the new Testament do confirme the time by the old. number of yeeres (euen foure hun­dred and ninety, by the Scriptures sure account) were expired betwixt the gouernment of Samuel. and the captiuitie of Ieconiah. in the eight of Nebuchadnezzar, Babels King. And in those yeeres we find recorded by our Euangelist Luke 3. Saint Luke, twenty generations from Nathan, the sonne [Page 53] of Dauid, vnto Neri, the father of Sa­lathiel in the dayes of Ieconiah, King of Iudah: but to giue these latter ten generations, more yeeres by many, then the former twenty did passe through in their liues, standeth nei­ther with course of nature, nor hath example in those last times of clo­sing vp the Scriptures records:

These ten Fathers therefore so en­force Daniels seuenty Seuens limitati­on, that some (who extend them to more yeeres) haue thought the Euangelist Saint Matthew hath omit­ted certaine discents in his record. And In his tree-like Genealo­gie, printed in Anno 1555. Tilemanus Stella aduentureth to faine fiue men more into that Catalogue, whom he nameth Ha­nanias, Phaltias, Iesseiah, Raphaia, and Arnaim, onely to draw those yeeres to a longer account. But wee must not admit any such fainings, lest in giuing that liberty against the sacred Record, the authoritie thereof be in­fringed, and the literall text turned to serue any turne.

Thus then the holy Genealogies, The vse of the holy Genealo­gies. are as the key of Dauid to open the [Page 54] truth of Story: and as Salomons pillar to support the waight of times pro­ceeding, without which it is impos­sible to reade the Scriptures with true vnderstanding.

Let this then suffice for their vses in the sacred Chronicle: wherein I vrge them no further, then the Text it selfe doth inforce; and againe ap­peale to the consciences of their op­posers, whether any of these, are the vaine Genealogies, whom Saint Paul condemneth, and so proceede for­ward to their further vses.

CHAP. 5.

IT is the saying of an an­cient Father, that the Scriptures are a Sea, wherein the Grego­rie in Pre­face in Iob. Lambe may wade, and the Ele­phant swimme: God so ordering his word, as it is made sufficient for all; For vnto the humble and meeke, therein is meate giuen to feede vnto life, and vnto the wise, wisdome to vnderstand. But to the high concei­ted, and naturall man, for reach is so deepe, as he hardly can compre­hend Psal. 10. 5. what a spirituall motion is, ac­cording to the demand of In his an­swere to Hiero King of Syracu­sa. Tul. lib. 1 de natur. Deor. Symoni­des, [Page 56] who still doubled the time to make answere what God was.

How plaine, or profound soeuer, this is commanded, that the Iosh. 1. 8 booke of the Law, bee meditated day and night, and the Iohn 5. 39. Scriptures searched to finde eternall life; for God in slug­gards takes no delight.

Among the search then of the sa­cred Word, none seemeth more plaine, then doth the frequent suc­cession, or naturall generation of man: and yet in them such pro­found deepenesse is found, as may make vs with the Apostle to cry out and say; Rom. 11. 33. O the depths of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God, how vnsearchable are his Iudgements, and his wayes past finding out. I meane not onely in that mystery, that God would become man in the flesh, and be Heb. 2. 14. made like vnto vs, & cap. 4. 15. sinne onely ex­cepted: but in them also, which were procreated according to naturall course, and breathed their beings as all others did.

For if we looke into the Kingly line of Christ, or into the other col­laterals [Page 57] of Iudahs and other Tribes, Profound deepenesse in the sa­cred Genea­logies. we shall find such diuersities of Fa­ther-hoods, as may cause vs with Iob, to Iob 21. 5 lay our hands on our mouthes, and admire the purpose whereunto God worketh.

Not to mention then the first age or long life of man, wherein some saw fiue hundred yeeres before they were Fathers (though the peopling of the World stood then more vp­on necessity) Iudah is the person of eminent note: who in the space of forty three yeeres saw himselfe (af­ter a sort) a great Grandfather in his fourth descent. The fathers from Iudah to Hezron, allowing Shelah ma­riageable, were not a­boue [...] 3. yeeres old when they were Fa­thers, ac­counting the birthes of Er, O­nan, and Hezron.

For Phares might haue beene the sonne of Shelah, as is seene by Tha­mars discontent, for that shee was not made his wife, he then being of yeeres sufficient for mariage. And Phares we know was the Father of Hezron, who was one of the seuenty that went with Iacob into Egypt: and from the yeere of Iudahs birth vnto this of the descending into Egypt, were no more then forty three, as before is proued by Iosephs age; ac­counting [Page 58] two yeeres more for the births of Gen. 38. Er and Onan, that died in their sinnes. A matter strange, and yet is againe exemplified in For so by their births and raignes may be ga­thered. Salo­mon, Achaz, and Amon, Kings of Iu­dah, each of them fathers at as yong yeeres.

But let vs obserue the next gene­rations following, namely, Hezron, Aram, Aminadab, and Naasson, the Hezron, Aram, A­minadab, & Naassō, saw each of them three­score yeeres before they were Fa­thers. last three of these being borne in E­gypt, and the time no lesse then two hundred and fifteene yeeres, by which account, they could not bee fathers, before each one of them at­tained vnto threescore yeeres of age, though Naasson, (as truth is) was aboue twenty at his comming out of Egypt: Num. 1. 3. 7. And that he died in the Wildernesse, is mani­fest by the Text, where it is saide; Num. 26. 64. Among them that were to enter Cana­an, there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron numbred, when they numbred the children of Israel in the Wildernesse of Sinai: for the Lord had said of them, they shall surely die in the Wildernesse.

[Page 59] Now from Naasson let vs conti­nue Salmon, Boaz O­bed, and less were each of them an hundred yeeres old before they were Fa­thers. the succession thorow Salmon, Boaz, Obed, and Iesse, all of them Fa­thers, not much younger then A­braham was when Isaac was borne, and Brough­ton in his consent so placeth Ra chab, as she is 830 yeers aged at Bo­az his birth. Rachabs brest as drie to giue sucke, as were Saraes when she bare her sonne.

For from the first yeere in the Wildernesse, vnto Salomons Temple, were yeeres foure hundred and eighty: 1 Kings 6. 1. And Dauid was borne but seuenty foure before the foun­dation thereof was laid: for he 2 Sam 5. 4 was thirty when he began to raigne, and raig­ned forty. And in 1 King. 6. 1. Salmon was borne in the wil­dernesse, for in Egypt he could not, all dying that came thence: nor could hee be born in Ca­naan, for he married Rachab in the first yeere of their entrance, and Rachab mar­riageble then, must be an old mother when shee bare her sonne. the fourth yeere of Salomon that worke was begun; by which Texts, these foure were each of them Fathers at an hundred yeeres old: for among these foure, foure hundred yeeres were runne.

Which so long a time, and but foure generations betwixt, hath moued Fasciulus Temporum, to imagine that Saint Mathew hath made a leape of two hundred seauenty two yeeres, [Page 60] betwixt Boaz and Obed; and Lyra to thinke that there were more Boazes then one: the Grandfather, the Fa­ther, and the Sonne, in Ruth. cap. 4.

Gods purposes therefore tou­ching The purpose of God in these vnu­suall beget­tings must be conside­red. the vnusuall courses of beget­tings in these ten generations, must be admired, and the depths of Scrip­tures therein searched, according to the precept of Ioh. 5. 39 Christ, who affir­meth, that Mat. 5. 18. Heauen and Earth shall passe, but not a iot of his Word euer perish.

In the search whereof many lear­ned haue diligently laboured to vn­fold the mysteries in the sacred Ge­nealogies, as Iacob did to vncouer the Gen. 29. 10. well in Haran; and doe make these (as all others are) a meanes to with­draw the Exod. 34. 33. vaile from before Moses 2 Cor. 3. 13. his face, that Christ in them may be seene a Sonne of promise, aboue all na­turall No appa­rant pro­mise was made of Christ to a­ny father betwixt Iu­dah and Dauid. meanes or hope.

For none of the Fathers betwixt Iudah and Dauid, receiued such preg­nant promises of the Messiah, as the former Patriarkes before them had done: neither was there any of [Page 61] Christ his Parents, either Prince, Cap­taine, or Iudge, in that first establi­shed gouernement, that might al­lure expectation: wherby the world might perceiue a farre greater glo­rie was to proceede through them, then either worldly pompe, or meanes of naturall procreation could beget. The mothers of Christ cōmended.

Which thing also was not more manifested in these his Fathers, then it was made apparant in most of his Mothers according to the flesh; who beyond expectation, receiued their fruit, and Gen. 32. 26. wrestled (as Iacob did) to obtaine that blessing.

Such were Lea and Rachel, who Gen. 30. 15. stroue for their husband, for no wanton dalliance doubtlesse, but Rab. Si­meon cited by D. Wil­let vpon Gen. 38. to be faithfull Mothers of that bles­sed Seed. So likewise S. Am­brose of these mo­thers saith, They onely desired to haue issue by that cho­sen Family. Ruth left her Countrey, and abandoned her kin­reds, to be a Mother of the Messiah. And in the rest, wee may see nature (as it were) both oppressed, and quite dissolued: for did not the drie wombes of Gen. 17. 17. Sara and Rachab (as hopelesse of conception) force na­ture? [Page 62] the acts of Gen. 38. 14. Thamar, and 2 Sam. 11. 2. Ber­sheba (as they were cōmitted) offend Nature for­ced offen ded, and broken. nature? And the conception of the most blessed Luk. 1. 31. Virgin, wholly dissolue and breake nature when her most happy wombe was made the Ta­bernacle of GOD, and Cradle of Christ?

Vpon whose conception & birth, learned Erasmus paraphraseth thus; As Christ in the first time was promised The Vir­gins Euah and Mary compared. to the Virgin Euah in Paradise: so Christ in the fulnesse of time was borne of the Virgin Mary in Beth-lechem: which signifieth the house of bread. And that hee was the Ioh. 6. bread of life, that came downe from Heauen, himselfe decla­reth, and was broken for our sinnes, the whole Scriptures sheweth: Lord therefore giue vs beliefe, that wee may eate with him in his kingdome of glory.

Againe, in the line of Iudah, and Catalogue of the Fathers of Christ, ariseth a waighty consideration, and no greater then is needfull of a con­siderate resolution: namely, that in the new Testament, by Saint Luke is Luk. 3. 36. [Page 63] added, a man more then the old, or Moses hath.

For in the Greeke, and third of his A Cainan more then Moses hath. Gospel, a Cainan is set betwixt Ar­phaxad, and Sala, contrary to the ori­ginall Hebrew by Moses, who nameth Sala, to be the immediate sonne of Arphaxad, without all mention of a­ny such man.

And albeit Iansenius, and Gene­brard, Gene­brard in 1 Chro. 3. doe account this disagreement but a small slip in History, and Mer­cerus but a matter of Genealogies, not much to be stood vpon; yet shall we see an vnsufferable absurdity fol­low, had Moses omitted any gene­ration in his Catalogue: for so both the successions of the Fathers of Christs humanity had beene vncer­taine, and the chaine of Chronologie broken asunder, the Worlds com­putation of those times, being onely calculated by the ages of those Fa­thers.

But that Moses is free from any o­mission, Moses doth not omit. we must confesse; for who can supply, if he doe omit. And that the Euangelist writ by the same spi­rit, [Page 64] we must acknowledge, for that both Testaments were breathed from one, and the same God.

The resolution then of this que­stion, resteth vpon the certainty of the Septuagint now extant, whether it be the same that the seauenty two Doctors of the Iewes translated in­to Greeke, or no.

That it is not the same, the testi­mony of Iosephus (who wrote after most of the new Testament was writ) doth strongly enduce: for ap­prouing the truth of that, their tran­slation saith, that it was most agree­able to the originall Text of Moses: for (saith he) It being finished, and openly read in the audience of the learned Priests and Elders of the Iewes, was Ioseph. an­tic. lib. 12. cap. 2. found to be so exact in all points, as they desired it might bee enacted, that the said Translation should neuer bee altered, nor in one iot changed, but continue inuioalable for euer.

But the saide Iosephus himselfe, in his rehersal of the Fathers, from Ar­phaxad, Iosephus followeth a true Copy. vnto Abraham, doth name no such Cainan in the saide Cata­logue; [Page 65] whereby it appeareth, that the first and true Septuagint which he followed, had no such man. And the Chalde paraphrast, (of all comments the most antientest) gathered by Io­nathan of the Apostles times, vpō that Text of Moses, nameth no other son to Arphaxad, then Sala, nor no other father to Sala, then Arphaxad, with­out all mention of any such Cainan, which hee would neuer haue done, had the first Septuagint inserted that man.

Nay, that Translation it selfe, in the first Booke of Chronicles, where euery particular Father is rehersed from Adam, to Iacobs Tribes, and in all agreeing with Moses; of this last Cainan, no mention at all is made. And yet there want not some, that will haue Moses to omit this Cainan, Lippomā. Canus, li. 2. de loc. Theo. cap. 18. only to make the number of the la­ter Patriarkes (from Sem vnto Abra­ham) to be equall to the ten Fathers before the floud.

Nauclerus, and Lucidus, to carry an euen hand betwixt both Testaments, will not haue two seuerall, but one­ly [Page 66] one man to be meant, affirming The opiniōs of the lear­ned. that the said Cainan, bare the names both of Cainan, & Sala, vnto whom the Tables formerly annexed to our largest Bibles seeme to leaue. O­thers, with the like reuerence to both, thinke that Cainan and Sala, were brethren, and that Cainan the elder died issulesse; and therefore is by Moses left out, and Sala the youn­ger, (in whose loynes Christ as then lay, is recorded, as in like case Pe­daiah (a Father of Christ) is by Saint Luke omitted.

Lyra is of opinion, that Cainan was Nichol. Lyra vpon S. Lukes Gospell. a legall or an adoptiue Father vnto Sala, but that Arphaxad was his na­turall begetter, for which cause hee saith, the Septuagint did record them both. And Engubinus the Ro­manist, goeth further, and chargeth both the Septuagint with error, in inserting of Cainan, and Saint Luke with remisnesse in giuing way to the time, lest in departing from their Translation, in great esteeme with the Gentiles, the credit of his Gos­pel would be hindered. And learned [Page 67] Iunius (though not approuing the er­ror) somewhat inclineth that way: in saying it was a faultlesse confes­sion in respect of the time, and not a slip or fault of memory, as some would haue it.

Vnto all these allegations, suffici­ent answers might be made: but not any so fully as Saint Augustine, Bero­aldus, and Beza, haue made. Saint Augustine, in saying, that the error was August. ciui Dei. lib. 15. ca 13. committed in transcribing the copy from Ptolomies Library. Beroaldus, that some Iewish impostor put Cainan into the Text of the Septuagint, to depraue the new Testament of truth, in varying from Moses. And Beza saith, that Cainan was put into the Text of Saint Lukes Go­spell, by the ignorance of some, that tooke vpon them to correct it according to the Septuagint: for among many Greeke Copies, hee found an antient manu­script of his Gospell, that had not the man Cainan inserted; vpon which authority, he also leaueth him out, in the new Testament published by himselfe.

Yet doe I wish that a tender re­gard, [Page 68] and a reuerend respect be had of those sacred Texts, lest in our too curious searching, we sinne, in en­tring into the hid things that apper­taine Deut. 29. 29. vnto God: but rather in behol­ding the glorious order of that book, laid in the Chest, where Cheru­bins attend, we couer our feete and faces (the imperfections of our ap­prehensions and iudgements) as did Isaiahs Seraphins, and with the wings Esay 6. 2. of the body with reuerence & feare, flie betwixt the Texts of both Testa­ments, euer crying as they did, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole Earth is full of his glory.

Another hard knot, vpon the sa­cred Seuenty fiue for se­uenty. Genealogies is cast, betwixt the speech of Moses in the Hebrew, and Saint Stephen in the Greeke, touching the number of soules that descended into Egypt: for whereas Moses in the old Testament, writeth that seauenty soules with Iacobs, went into Egypt, and expresly nameth euery particu­lar person, proceeded from his four wiues; Saint Luke in the new, doth Acts 7. 14. thereunto adde fiue more, saying, [Page 69] that Ioseph caused his Father to bee brought into Egypt, and all his kindred, euen threescore and fifteene soules. This addition as the former, resteth onely vpon the credit of the Septuagint Translation: and therefore let vs here further examine their truthes and certainties, without preiudice I hope either of persons, or cause.

Their time was in the dayes of Ptolomy the second, sirnamed Phila­delphus, Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 8. King of Egypt, who to grace his famous Library in Alexandria, sent to the Iewes for sufficient men to translate their Lawes into the Greeke tongue, whereupon seuenty two persons, which were sixe the best learned of euery Tribe were sent.

These comming to Alexandria, The Bible translated. entred vpon the Translation, taking each of them a part of the old Testa­ment, amounting about foureteene chapters (as wee now distinguish them) for a man, as saith the learned Hebrecian, Master Broughton. But In his Epi­stle to the Nobility. well knowing the Kings desire was more to adorne his famous Library, [Page 70] then any deuotion hee had to their Lawes, they many times hid their minds in translating: and being a­mong themselues different in gifts, left the rellish of their vaines in a differing degree, as by their parts in translating doth euidently appeare.

For the Translaters of Moses were very eloquent, so were they who The Sep­tuagint Transla­ters. delt with the stories, and they that translated the Psalmes and Prouerbs. The Grecian on Iob (saith hee, was a Poet reader, and cared not to yeeld euery saying strictly, but what might be to Greekes familiar: The Translaters of Ecclesiastes, was yon­ger in Hebrew then in Greeke: he of Amos not the best; he of Ezekiel ve­ry learned: so that the diuersities of The gifts of the Sep­tuagint. their gifts telles vs, that all, did not all.

Oftentimes they rather abridge, then translate, as on Hester, and infi­nitely in the Prophets: and some­times they enlarge the Text, more like free commenters, then bound Translaters. In misteries and hard phrases, often they deale exceeding [Page 71] well, but their now hitting, and now missing, shewes, that they followed copies, which were neither vowel­led, nor accented, which without exceeding great skill and paines, could not bee truly translated nor vnderstood: and the neerenesse in forme of many of the Hebrew Cha­racters, might cause a mistaking, e­specially in them, that saw no rea­son of exact care, when their labour was required onely for a braue Li­brary.

Besides, Iesus the sonne of Syrac Syra in the Prologue of his Booke. (who was a child when these Doc­ters translated) telles how hard it is to translate Hebrew into another Language, whose words (saith hee) carry another force in themselues, then when they are translated. But wee must acknowledge, that neuer since their time, any age afforded so learned, through all the Prophets Emblemes, Hebrew subtilties and None more learned thē the Tran­slaters. Greeke elegancy, as these seauenty two Translaters were: notwithstan­ding, they liued in those disquiet times of the poore Iewes oppressi­ons, [Page 72] and the Hebrew tongue for dai­ly vse lost fiue hundred yeeres be­fore.

But how this narration of their o­uerslips and variances doe agree with Iosephus, for their exactnesse vnto Moses, I see not; onely doe I say, though an errour be admitted, to haue beene committed by these Septuagints: yet in the holy Euan­gelist can be none, the Spirit of truth being the only inditer: Or that these Hebrew Doctors should mistake the Hebrew Characters, they being so learned, is not like; either so god­lesse, as to alter, and adde vnto Mo­ses, knowing it death so to doe. Why Deut. 4. 2. then may we not rather with Austin thinke, that the first Septuagint hath beene corrupted, both in matter and meaning, seeing they haue beene so infinitely maymed by the Transla­tions of Aquilas, Symmachus, Theo­dotion, and the namelesse interpretet Paginne Isag. ca. 9. The Septu­agint much maimed. Hierome in Ezek. chap. 5. called the fifth Edition, with them of Origens, named the Octaplun.

Yea, and Hierome thinketh, these seuenty two Doctors translated but [Page 73] only the fiue books of Moses: which howsoeuer had been approoued be­fore his time, yet in his time stood farre differing, and was much cor­rupted from the Hebrew phrase, and therefore not like to be theirs.

Againe, in those bookes of Mo­ses, wee see that translation to differ in it selfe: for albeit both in Genesis and in Exodus it accounteth seuenty Gen. 46. Exod. 1. fiue persons to descend into Egypt; yet doth it in Deuteronomy reckon Deut 10. 22. but seuenty, saying, Thy fathers went downe into Egypt with seuenty persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the Starres of the heauen in mul­titude.

And againe, their departing from Moses his text, is apparant: for wher­as he recordeth by name all the seed of Rachel, and rekoneth the number to be fourteene, they translate them to bee eighteene: and for the two soules borne vnto Ioseph in Egypt, they translate fiue: and not as bound Translaters, but as free Commen­ters, from the first book of the Chro­nicles, adde Shuthelah, and Tahan, the 1. Chro. 7. [Page 74] sonnes of Ephraim, and Eden his ne­phew; Fiue per­sons added from the booke of Chronicles. and Machir, the sonne of Ma­nasseh, and Gilead his nephew, to bee the fiue persons that filled the num­ber of seuenty fiue that descended into Egypt.

And surely this moued Saint Au­stin to conceiue some great and hid miserie to be contained therein: for so reuerend an opinion hee hath of the first Septuagint, as hee holdeth firmely, that the same Spirit that spake Aug. ciuit. Dei. lib. 18 cap. 43. in the former Prophets, spake also in these Translators: and where they dissent from the Hebrew, we must (saith he) hold it their Propheticall depth: for that which was not originally in the Hebrew, it plea­sed God in them to supply. But he might haue done well to haue added this saying withall; 1. Cor. 7. 12. It is I that so speake, and not the Lord, who hath so perfit­ed his Word, that it is eternal death to adde, or to diminish Apoc. 22 18..

Of the like opinion is Ioseph Ben Gorion, who will haue these Septua­gints likewise indued with the Spirit of the Prophets: For (saith ^d he) they Ben-gor. in estate of the Mac­cabes. being separated into diuers chambers [Page 75] apart, and not permitted to see each others copies; notwithstanding agreed exactly in phrase and in words, and in thirteene pla­ces of Scripture, of purpose altred the text with so vniforme consent, as if it had been done by one man and one pen.

Vnto the which likewise S. Chry­sostome and Saint Augustine do agree, but Saint Hierome nothing at all. Nor the famous Iosephus Ben-Mat­thias Hier. prae­fat. in Pen­tateuth. maketh no such miracle, vnlesse it bee in saying, that the translation was finished in 72. dayes according to the Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 2. number of the Translaters. But touch­ing the number descending into E­gypt, hee saith, they were seuentie soules, and accounting Iacobs seede by his foure wiues, summeth vp each particular, as Moses hath done.

Which is a great inducement vn­to me to thinke, that the first Septua­gint was not corrupted before Iose­phus The First Septuagint not corrup­ted. wrote, nor that the Euangelist Saint Luke followed the faultie, but the faithfull copie of those learned Rabbins done in the dayes of Phy­ladelphus King of Egypt: yet will I not herein preiudice any opinion of the [Page 76] learned Fathers, ancient and mo­derne, who haue diligently laboured to vnclaspe this great doubt.

Some thinking, as Augustine & Pe­rerius, that the Septuagint (& S. Stephen The diuers opinions of the lear­ned. speaking from them) are inno error, but that the fiue thereunto added (being borne in Egypt while Ioseph li­ued) are added by way of anticipati­on. And Eugubinus the Romanist will admit no fault in the originall, but that it was rather corrupted by some ignorant pen-man in transla­ting the copie. And so Beza the Protestant coniectureth, that the word Pantes (all) by the ignorance of the transcriber was writ pénte (fiue) contrary to the Text of Moses.

Iunius iudgeth, that Iacobs foure wiues, and Iudahs two sonnes, Er and Onan (Iacob himselfe being de­ducted) make the number to bee se­uentie fiue: but Rachel, Er and Onan were dead before, and Iacob Gen. 46. 8 is in­cluded in that account. Master Brought. consent. Broughton will haue the corruption purposely done by the first Transla­ters themselues, who knowing that [Page 77] Ptolomies intent was no further, but to furnish his stately Library with choise and cost, to preuent his flouts and fury (lest in pretext of Religion hee should surprize them, as his Fa­ther Lagi had done) altred their text both in Chronologie and Genealogie, Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 1. (the two speciall pillars of truth and of knowledge) & obseruing this ca­ueat, Cast not holy things vnto dogs; hid their diuine mysteries frō his profane Egyptians, whom they held accursed.

And long before him was Saint Hierom of the same mind, who saith, that these seuenty Translaters to con­ceale Hieroms opinion not to be aproo­ued. the secrets of their faith from the Heathen, did omit the speciall principals of faith vnto the Egyptians, whom they held to be a cursed Nation, and not worthy of their sacred Lawes. But hereunto may bee answered, that these reuerend Translaters were religious, and knew by the Prophets, that the Gen­tiles should be called, and the meanes of their calling to bee the Word of God; which had they hid or altered, then had they been resisters of God in his ordinary course of saluation. [Page 78] From which they are so free, as in many places they adde to the texts of their callings, more then the ori­ginals haue; as in Fsay, where it is said, The roote of Ishai shall stand vp Isai. 11. 10 for a signe vnto the people, the Nations shall seeke vnto it, and his rest shall bee glorious, they adde this saying, And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust: whom Paul in that text followeth; Ro. 15. 12. and in many others, both he and the holy Euangelists doe: which must mooue an holy opinion of those re­uerend men.

But Caietan hath a further conceit, Caietan. in Gen. 11 namely, that the Iewes enuying to haue their holy lawes made knowne to the Gentiles by a transcript into a­nother A meero conceit without shew of truth. tongue: did of set purpose alter diuers things in their translati­on; so that the Hebrew (saith he) hath the defect, but the Septuagint the truth. Vnto whom, and whose opi­nion, let Saint Austin giue answere, though he hath allowed those tran­slater to ranke with the Prophets.

Whether doth it seeme more probable (saith he) that the Iewes, so large an na­tion, [Page 79] and their bookes so farre dispersed Aug. ciuit. Dei. lib 15 cap. 13. through the whole world, could falsifie theirs; or that the Translators being but seuenty, and in one place assembled; them­selues also Iewes, and enuying that the Gentiles should enioy their Scriptures: did put in these errors by a common assent, and which is easier to effect, who seeth not. But God forbid (saith he) that any wise man should thinke, that either the Iewes of purpose corrupted their bookes, or the translators with assent concealed the truth from the Gentiles: one may easier be­leeue, that the error was committed in the transcription of the copie from Ptolomies Augu­stines an­swere to the conceit. Liberary, and that to haue a successiue propagation through all copies dispersed. And thereupon concludeth.

That it was neither the corruption of the originall, nor the ouersight of the Translators, but rather the Transcribers error, that copied it first from Ptolomies Liberary. But howsoeuer (saith he) see­ing both cannot bee true, it is better to be­leeue The origi­nall is safest to trust too. the originall, then the translation.

A like (if not a more difficult) knot, is cast vpon the Genealogies, recorded by Saint Matthew: who in casting [Page 80] his Catalogue into three fourteene Saint Mat­thewes three four­teene gene­rations. generations: in the second doth omit certaine descents of Iudahs Kings; and in the last doth differ from the number that himselfe assig­neth: which here wee will assay to vnloose, not preiudising any former opinion, nor inforcing ours further then the Word will allow.

It is Austins opinion, that the num­bers set in the holy Scriptures (though to Ciuit. Dei. some they seeme barren, or of little vse) are most fruitfull, and to singular purposes penned, containing in them many both excellent and diuine matters.

If this be thus obserued of the ge­nerall, then is this particular of a Abraham the first of Promise, and Dauid the first King by Couenant. speciall regard; that from Abraham the first father that had promise of a King and Kingdome, vnto Dauid, who was the first King that had his suc­cession established by God, the Euan­gelist recordeth them that were pro­duced betwixt.

And Dauids heires likewise, by Salomon, through his naturall line vnto Ieconiah the last, and his legall Line vnto Ioseph, the supposed father [Page 81] of Iesus, who was the most lawfull, and last King of the Iewes, he conti­nueth the succession: and for the The double vse of Saint Matthew his Cata­logue. more ease of memory and state of the matter, diuideth them into three fourteene generations, amounting to forty two persons of that Kingly Line, from Abraham vnto Christ. Of which diuisions and number, many coniecturs haue made, and many of them fetched farre beyond likeli­hood or reason.

In the search of which seeming vnsoundable depth, thinke not that I derogate from others, when I dis­sent from them in their diuers and many expositions: for euery mans sa­crifice 1. Cor. 3. 13. must bee tried by the fier of Gods Altar. Neither that I affect singula­ritie in mine owne: for I know that a three-fold cord is strong, and a woe is to Ecclesi. 4. 10. him that is alone: but rather by the sacred text it selfe, doe approue the Truth re­specteth no persons. most pregnant and neerest the truth. And yet doe not so vrge what I write, as to force a consent, without the freedome of thy further exami­nation; and if better be found, doe [Page 82] cleaue to the best.

First then, for the number two and forty inclusiuely gathered, but not so named by the holy Euange­list, the Ethiopian translation (therein ouerbold) doth ad a sentence more to his text, then hee euer wrote, in saying, that all the generations from A­braham Ethiopian Translation in Mat. 1. Glose or­dinary vp­on Mat­thew 1. to Christ were two and forty.

Which number the ordinary glosse will haue to be mystically set in the entrance of the Cospell, for a remem­brance of the two and forty Stations in the Wildernesse, before the en­trance into Canaan. And that as sixe seuens were neerely spent, vnder the leading of Moses, and vnder Ioshuah a Sabbath, when he set the people in rest, so these sixe seuen generations were the Stations of hope, till Christ, the true Sabbath, by his death brought his, into his eternall rest.

Which allusion is more tollera­ble, then the Gloser hath made vpon the numbers assigned in the diuisi­ons: for by those three, he will haue the Trinitie signified: who as they are three in one, so this number is [Page 83] made three of one. And as misticall is this; that as ten and foure, make the summe to bee fourteene; so the Law in the ten commandements, and The mysti­call appli­cations of the ordina­ry Glosse. the Gospell in the foure Euangelists, are tipically shewed in each of these fourteene generations.

And of the like kind is that which Iohannes Ferus, and others concei­teth, namely, that by these fourteene Iohn Ferus in Mat 1. generations, the state of the world from the creation through all gene­rations succeeding are contained. And Piscator will haue them to sig­nifie the generations before the Law, vn­der the Law, and in the time of grace.

And to the like purpose Marlo­rat speaketh, that will haue them meane, the politicall estate of the Iewes common wealth vnto Christ. Whereof the first, from Abraham to Dauid were vnder the gouern­ment of Iudges; the second from Da­uid Three e­states of the Iewes. vnto the captiuitie were vnder the subiection of Kings; and the third were ruled by the power and polli­cie of the High Priests: not obseruing in this his second number, saith he, a [Page 84] lineall succession of Kings, as they were produced and raigned; but rather accounting it sufficient, to set the order of that fourteene, from the beginning vnto the end of that Kingdome.

Vnto the former, or Ferus his o­pinion, we see no reason to answere, seeing there is no reason so to con­iecture; neither vnto Marlorat, the later, wherein no resemblance can bee made betwixt the politicall estate of the Iewes, and the numbers assigned: the one being a succession of Patriarkes and Princes, and the o­ther an estate often broken, and no face of a Common-wealth many times seene.

And to what purpose should holy Mathew remember those dead times of sinne, seeing his pen was set vpon Mat. 6. 16. another subiect, and his text the for­bidding of worldly state, pompe, and vaine riches, to the attaining of that Kingdome which Christ came to preach. But the same Author from others alleageth, that Saint Matthew Augustine Marlorat vpon Mat­thew 1. in his daies followed an order and manner of bringing and placing genealogies and [Page 85] pedegrees, which now is vnknowne vnto The text intangled with vaine conceits. vs: and recordeth in his Catalogue diuers men by other names, and yet they the same that Saint Luke hath in his.

And others more intollerable, to affirme, that the Euangelist by obliuion A dange­rous asser­tion, and not to be granted. omitteth those, that elsewhere are named in the bookes of the Kings and the Chro­nicles; grounding their coniecture vpon the many, and farre more ge­nerations, recorded in the catalogue of S. Luke, then S. Matthew hath in his.

For Luke from Zorubbabel vnto Marie the Virgin, hath ten more in his role, then Saint Matthew from Zorubbabel vnto Ioseph her husband Differences in families. hath laid downe: whereby they iudge, that some men by him are o­mitted, and account it neither sinne, nor absurditie to reckon lesse of the legall, as Saint Matthew doth, then of the naturall, as Saint Luke in fol­lowing the lineall hath done: the one of them taking liberty of omissi­on A libertie assumed without warrant. (say they) to cast his fourteenes into equall numbers: but the other tied by [Page 86] a requisite order, to record the naturall successors to their naturall parents.

To the first and difficult order of the Euangelist, we answere; it is so farre from all likelihood, that wee euidently see the contrary by Saint Matthew himselfe: for from Abra­ham Saint Mat­thew most plaine in setting downe his pedegrees. to Dauid, and from Salathiel to Ioseph, his manner and order is so plaine, as nothing can be more. And so farre are the double names from meaning the same persons, that not any one of them in either of the E­uangelists are one and the same, ex­cepting onely Salathiel, Zorobbabel, and Ioseph the husband of Marie.

And to the second we say, it is so Saint Mat­thew is more fre­quent in alleaging the Pro­phets, then any other of the Euan­gelists. farre from obliuion or ignorance in the Euangelist, as that hee confirmes by other Scriptures what himselfe writes; and is most frequent in ap­plying the Prophets to the purpose of his text, both in the Parents and person of Christ.

As Isaiah Esay 7. for his stem, and sonne of a Virgin; Micah Micah. 5. 2. for his Tribe, and place of his birth. Hoshea Hosh. 11. 1. for his calling out of Egypt. Zachari Zach. 9. 9 [Page 87] for his lowlines and contempt. Da­uid Psal. 22. for the maner of his death: and Ionas Ion. 1. 17 in the Whale, for a signe of his graue and buriall: and all of them concurring to that Babe in his text.

And that it is not vnusuall in the holie Scriptures for generations in Some fami­lies exceed others in long life. some families to exceede others in numbers, we see: for not only Sem liued through ten generations, euen to the fiftieth yeere of Isaac, but also in other ages following, great diffe­rences doe appeare.

For the Patriarch Iudah saw him­selfe in a sort, a great grand-father in his fourth descent, when as Leui his brother was but an immediate father in his first. In the Priests line 1 Kin. 2. 27 likewise, from Abiathar, whom Sa­lomon expulsed, vnto Seraih, whom Nebuchadnezzar slew, were but 2 Chr. 25. 18. twelue generations: whereas in the Kings from Salomon to Ieconiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar captiuated, there were twenty.

Nay, what more is; fiue onely of Fiue of Iu­dahs, saw seuenteene of Leui. Iudahs Tribe, namely, from Naasson in the wildernesse, vnto Iesse the Fa­ther [Page 88] of Dauid, liued and saw no lesse then seuenteene of Leui his Tribe, that is, from Korah that perished in Num. 16. 1 Sam. 16. the Wildernesse, vnto Samuel the Prophet, that annointed Dauid. Thus then the obiection of the vne­qualitie of Families is taken away by the text of Scriptures that allow the like, or more, in more places then one. But from these generals, let vs come to the parts, and consi­der the diuisions by Saint Matthew assigned, of fourteene, fourteene, and fourteene generations.

The first whereof we find by Mo­ses, and by the writer of the Booke of Ruth, both in number, and in Ruth, 4. 18. names to be most exact, and there­fore thereof we need not to speake: But of the secōd we are to examine.

First, how many there be, and who they are that are omitted, and the How many, and who they are that are o­mitted. reasons or causes of their omissions. And in the last, to cōsider by whom, and how the number fourteene is made compleat, when as but thir­teene are nominated by the Euan­gelist himselfe.

[Page 89] For the number that are omitted in Saint Mathewes second diuision, some account them to be three, and some to be foure, according to the How many Saint Ma­thew omit­teth. diuers readings found in the Greeke Copies, either including or exclu­ding Iacim the last. But if it may be determined by most voyces, then hath Iacim no place in that holy ca­talogue. For Robert Stephens, that most learned Printer, in the sixteene seuerall Copies, which he conferred for the edition of the Greeke Testa­ment, onely one (of his number the fourteenth) hath Iacim: but in all the rest, no such man is found.

Againe, of forty seueral editions since conferred, and most of them printed in Paris, Geneua, Basil, Lon­don, Antwerpe, Leyden, and Rome; one­ly eight of them haue Iacim, where­of sixe of that number haue beene printed in London: so that but two of forty impressions, haue recorded his name, howsoeuer he hath beene in­sreted in ours. And how Saint Ma­thewes Onely two of forty E­ditiōs haue Iacim. Text is translated into diuers languages, see here as followeth.

[Page 90] And Iosias begat Iechonias, and his Greeke. brethren in the captiuity of Babylon.

Iusia begat Iuchonia, and his brethren, Syriac. in the captiuity of Babel.

Iuschia begat Iuchonia, and his bre­thren, Arabick. in the captiuity of Babell.

Ioshia begat Iuchoniah, and his bre­thren, Persian. in the captiuitie of Babell.

Iosias begat Iechonias, and his bre­thren, Saxon. in the captiuitie of Babylon.

Iosias begat Iechonias and his bre­thren, Latin. in the transmigration of Babylō.

And Iosias begat Iechonias and his Our Kings Bible. brethren, about the time they were car­ried away to Babylon.

So hath Hierom, Augustine, and the None al­most hath Iacim. ancient: so hath Mountanus, Beza, and the moderne, and indeed so haue all that haue their names prefixed to a­ny Impression (those former excep­ted) without any mention of Iacim at all.

[Page 91] Concerning then the persons o­mitted, wee see they were foure Kings of Iudahs Throne. Three of Foure kings omitted by S. Mathew them in a direct line of succession, and the fourth, nine discents follow­ing: which were Ahaziah, Ioash, and Amaziah: and the last Iacim, the son of Iosiah.

For whereas Saint Mathew saith, that Ioram the sonne of Iehoshaphat, begat Ozias, it is most manifest by the Bookes of the Kings, and of the Chronicles, that Ioram begat Aha­ziah, and not Uzziah: and Ahaziah begat Ioash, and Ioash begat Amazi­ah, and Amaziah Vzziah, 68 yeeres after the death of King Ioram.

But why these foure particular persons aboue the rest should be o­mitted, is questionable: some think­ing that it was the mistaking of S^t Mathew, in writing Ozias for Uz. ziah, A dange­rous opiniō. and by obliuion left that line of Ioram vnto his third descent, which in no case may be admitted.

For God forbid that the first writer of the new Testament should be ignorant of that which the olde [Page 92] wrote, whose pen though his, and he a man, yet was the Inditer the Spirit of Truth, and farre from all imperfections of men.

Some likewise alleage, that for the Iewes weaknesse, Christ would not haue his holy publican Mathew, to name In an Epi­stle sent for that defēce. the wicked Ahaziah, the Cain-Ioash, the foolish Amaziah, nor the Atheist Ie­hoiakim, in that catalogue vnto which himselfe was the onely heire, but as the scumme of the World, vn­worthy of remembrance, leaues them vnnamed, as though they had neuer beene.

And some again iudge these foure to be omitted for their many impie­ties, both in their liues and raignes: and for their euill ruling, to be left out of that holy Text, as worthlesse of names, or remembrance.

Whereunto we answere, that the Iewes were not weake in the Texts of their stories, we see by their ma­ny Comments, though in the appli­cations The weake­nesse of the Iewes no immediate cause. many times they missed: but especially in the line of their Kings were most ready, from whom they [Page 93] expected their potent Messiah. And had they beene ignorant, yet Christ the truth, would not haue smothered the truth, in regard of their follies.

Neither doth their silence for bad The wic­kednesse of the Kings not the on­ly cause. life and euill ruling onely, satisfie: for many other Kings as wicked, or more, are notwithstanding by the Euangelist recorded: as Ioram that compelled Iudah vnto Idolatry, for which his guts by peece-meale dai­ly fell out, and his life so loathed, as it is said of him; He liued, not being de­sired. 2 Chr. 21. 20.

Ahaz, that shut vp the doores of the Lords House, and made him Al­tars in euery corner of Ierusalem, and high places in euery City of Iudah, to burne incense vnto other gods, and to sacrifice vnto the gods of Aram. 2 Chr. 28.

The periured Zedekiah, whose eyes were pluckt out, himself bound 2 King. 25. in chaines, and carried to Babel, where hee died a naughty figge, as Ieremiah calles him. And Ieconiah so Ier. 24. naught, that hee is called a despised I­dol, a vessell wherein was no pleasure, and the Signet pluckt off from Gods right Ier. 22. 24. hand.

[Page 94] Saint Augustine in his questions, Quest. 85. why of seuenteene Kings, three are left out, answereth; It may be thought (saith he) that the Euangelist followed the mea­ning S^t Augu­stines opi­nion of the three Kings omissions. of the Law, and therefore not vnwor­thily were they taken from the number of the rest: for their iniquities so continued that it had no intermission, for the wic­kednesse beginning in [...]oram, so continued in Ochozios and the rest, so that none of these, either for any respect due to them­selues, or for any good desert of their fa­thers, ought to be accounted in the num­ber of the Kings.

To this may be answered, as E­zekiel doth the prouerbe: The Fathers Ezek. 18. haue eaten sower grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge As I liue saith the Lord, all soules are mine, both the soule of The answer the father, and the soule of the sonne, and that soule that sinneth, that soule shall die, the sinner for his owne sinnes, and not for his fathers.

And the Gospell preaching saluati­on in Christ, regardeth the sinnes nei­ther of Father nor sonne, though ne­uer The persons not respec­ted. so many: but beginneth with the saluation of sinners, in such of the [Page 95] Mothers as were most tainted with sinne. And if the goodnesse of the Father be regarded in the Son, why was not wicked Iehoiakim the sonne recorded for his fathers sake good Iosiahs. And therefore we may think some other cause moued the Euan­gelist to omit their names.

Saint Ierome likewise from the let­ter of the Law doth gather the rea­son of the thre [...] first omissiōs, name­ly, from the threats therein contai­ned against Idolatrous posterities, where it is said; The Lord is a iealous God, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers Exod. 20. 4 vpon the children, vnto the third, and fourth generation.

And these (saith he), being the seede of most wicked Parents, vnto the fourth S^t Hie­romes o­pinion of omission. generation, are omitted by the holy Pen of Grace. For Ioram King of Iudah, had to wife Athaliah, the daughter of A­hab, King of Israel, and of Idolatrous Iezebel, the Zidonian worshipper of Baal. And of Athaliah, was borne A­haziah, who begat Ioash and hee A­maziah, the fourth in descent from that wicked bed of marriage.

[Page 96] To this collection of Ierome I could well assent, if it did likewise include the fourth man Iehoiakim. But hee being the twelfth in descent of the bloud of Iezebel, is notwith­standing omitted; whereas nine be­twixt them, and Iechoniah after him, are in Saint Mathewes Catalogue re­corded, and therefore this his obser­uation fitteth not well: for the same cause that moued their omissions, moued his, but that did not, there­fore that was not the cause.

Neuerthelesse, wee know Ahabs seed by Iezebel, had a manifest curse of vtter destruction, that his house should be swept from the earth, as dung 1 Kin. 21. 21. from the dung-hill, (as were the Hou­ses of Ieroboam, and of Baasha) till all 1 Kin. 14. 20. were gone.

If then these exceptions may be iustly taken against these diuers ex­positions, by diuers men alleaged, let vs yet heare further what may be saide was the cause, though not vrging consent without further exa­mination.

It is most apparant, that the E­uangelist [Page 97] Saint Mathew to answere this demand of the Wise-men, Where is hee that is borne King of the Iewes: Math. 2 2 sheweth the babe Iesus of Iudah, Da­uid & Bethlehem to be the said King▪ confirming his assertion by his tribe, The cause that moued S. Mathew to omit four Kings. parents, and place of birth, from the Prophets that spake it, and the most lawfull right hee had, vnto Iudahs Kingdome, from those lawful Kings that without debarre of title, or ex­ceptions of the people, had sate v­pon Indahs throne.

And that the affections of the peo­ple, is to ioyne with his title at a Kings inauguration, the most lear­ned King of all the Worlds Kings, our Soueraigne Lord King Iames, hath set it for a speciall obseruation in his Maiesties Dedicated to Prince Charles his royall Sonne. Booke so intituled: for saith he, though Monarchies, or he­reditary kingdomes cannot iustly be de­nied to the lawfull successor, whatsoeuer the affections of the people be: yet it is a great signe of the blessing of God, when he enters in it with the willing applause of his subiects, and raignes by the loue and acknowledgement of his people.

[Page 98] But it seemeth so had not Aha­ziah, The foure that are omitted. Ioash, Amaziah, nor Iehoiakim done, but had exceptions against, ei­ther in their owne titles, or in the af­fections of the people, or both: and therefore Saint Mathew spareth to record them among the Catalogue of Salomons other successors, that so the title of Iesus to the Kingdome might stand firme, without any de­barre or exceptions howsoeuer.

First then of Ahaziah the first, it is said that he was the youngest sonne of Exceptions against A­haziah. his father: for the Philistines and Ara­bians that were neighbours to the E­thiopians, had carried away King Io­rams 2 Ch. 22. 1. wiues, and his other sonnes; so that there was not a sonne left him▪ sauing A­haziah the youngest: 2 Chro. 21. 17. And albeit in the next Chapter it be said, that the Philistines with the Ara­bians had slayne all the eldest sonnes; yet before their slaughter, which was in Ethiopia, (for thither they were brought) the Inhabitants of Ierusa­lem had made Ahaziah the youngest sonne King: contrary to the Law or­dained Deut. 21. 16. in Deuteronomy, which giueth [Page 99] the royalty alwayes to the eldest. And Ahaziah himselfe being as wic­ked 2 Chro. 22. 3. 7. as any, walked in the wayes of the house of Ahab: for his mother Athalia counselled him to doe wickedly; for which and his other defects, hee was lastly slaine by Iehu King of Israel, when hee executed Gods threats vpon the House of Ahab.

Ioash the second in Saint Mathews Exceptions against Ioash. omission, after the slaughter of Aha­ziah his father, and of other his kins­men the Princes of Iudah, of himselfe 2 Chr. 22. 8. 9. was vnable, saith the Text, to re­taine the Kingdome, and for six yeers space was neither acknowledged King, nor vulgarly knowne to be a­liue.

For in the rage and vsurpation of 2 King 11. Athaliah, he was hid in the Temple by his Aunt Iehoshabeath: and lastly, preferred to the Throne by Iehoiada her Husband, which kindnesse he re­quited with the slaughter of Zecha­riah 2 Chr. 24. 21. their sonne, slaine at his comman­dement in the Court of the Lords house: for which, and for the bloud he had spilt, his seruants conspired against [Page 100] him in his house at Millo, and slew him, his body not permitted to haue the honour of buriall in the Sepul­chers of the Kings, and therefore vn­worthy of name, or of future re­membrance.

Amaziah the third, was not a pre­seruer Exceptions against A­maziah. of the Commonwealths state (as Kings ought to be) but rather the destroyer of state & Kingdome, as by his raigne is seene.

For besides his Idolatry to the I­dols of Edom, and the prouoking thereby of Gods wrath; in his head­strong rashnesse hee prouoked Ioash, King of Israel, to fight against Iu­dah: 2 Chr. 25. 17. wherein himselfe was taken, the treasures of the Temple and of the Kings house carried away, and the wall of Ierusalem broken downe, in length foure hundred cubits, and afterwards he liued in dislike with­out loue: in so much as his people pursued him from Ierusalem vnto Amaziahs death vn­reuenged. Lachish, & there slew him, his death not reuenged, but his murtherers escaping all condigne punishments.

And after his death, for the hatred [Page 101] the people bare him, his Crowne for Broughtō in Consent. an eleuen yeeres space was helde from Vzziah his sonne, and an in­terregnum in Iudah betwixt the death of the father, and the raigne of the sonne so long: for by the pa­rerellizing raignes of the Kings of Iudah and Israel, Amaziahs death fell in the fifteenth of Ieroboam, King of 2 Kin. 14. 1 2 Kin. 15. 1 Israel, and Uzziah beganne not to raigne, til the twenty seuen yeere of the same King. These things conside­red, might wel moue an omission of his name by Saint Mathew.

And in Iehoiakim the last, some di­sliked defects were knowne: for that the people of the Land reiected him for their King, and annointed Iehoahaz his yonger brother by two yeeres in his stead, contrary to the vsuall custome of succession.

And Iehoiakim himselfe being made King by Necho King of Egypt, his title standeth litigious, for the Law commanded by Moses, thus speaketh: From among thy brethren Deut. 17. 15. shalt thou make a King ouer thee; thou shalt not set a stranger ouer thee, which is [Page 102] not thy brother.

If then a stranger must not be per­mitted Exceptions against Ie­hoiakim. a King to raigne ouer Gods people, then by the same Law a stranger could not impose his sub­stitute ouer them, as Iehoiakim was. And Iehoiakims title it selfe seemeth to stand in a double defect.

The one is, that he did assume the title and authority of King, his bro­ther aliue, annoynted, and establi­shed: whereas Dauid, though chosen of God, and annoynted by Samuel, acknowledged Saul for his Soue­raigne; neither seeking to shorten 1 Sam. 16. 13. his life, nor disquiet his raigne. And the other is, the vnlawfull meanes hee had to the Crowne, which was by the strong hand of Necho of the cursed Egyptians, the ancient ene­mies to Israel Gods people.

And Iehoiakims life as wicked as any, in cutting of Ieremiahs Role, was cut off by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel; and his carkasse cast out of the gate of Ierusalem, to the heate of Ier. 36. 30 the day, and frost of the night, was lastly, vnlamented, buried as an Asse Ier. 22. 19. [Page 103] is buried; so contemptible was his life, death, and buriall.

These I assume were the causes of The cause of the foure Kings omis­sions. these foure Kings omissions, that is to say, the first and last, not lawfully succeeding in the Throne, were o­mitted; and the other, the one of them not able to attaine the Crown for the space of sixe yeeres after his fathers death, did not raigne King; and the sonne of the other, for the space of eleuen yeeres after his fa­thers death, was not admitted to be King: so vnwilling were the people that his issue should raigne.

It is Augustines obseruation, that August. Quest. 85. Salomon was reckoned for Dauid his fathers sake, and that Rehoboam was recorded for Assa his sonnes sake. If so in them such respect was had for the goodnesse of the father and the son, then in these such contempt was had for the badnesse both of fa­ther and sonne, as they are omitted and vnnamed: and themselues slaine by their seruants and subiects, doth confirme the cause of their omissi­ons more strongly.

[Page 104] And albeit that bad Ammon, and Ammon and Iosiah slaine, and yet are re­corded. good Iosiah were likewise slaine, the one by his seruants, and the o­ther by Necho King of Egypt: and that Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar a stranger, was likewise made King, and all of them notwithstanding re­corded by Saint Mathew; yet are not their estates alike.

For Ammons death was reuenged 2 Kin. 21. 24. by the people of the Land, and Iosi­ahs death lamented both by the peo­ple, 2 Chr. 35. 24. and the Prophet, neither of which the other were.

And Nebuchadnezzar made the great Ier. 27. 6 Monarch of the World, euen by Dan. 2. 37. God himselfe, had thereby a lawfull power, both to set vp, and to depose Kings, which Necho had not; and therefore Zedekiah his title is not to be called in question as Ie­hoiakims is.

Whereupon wee conclude, that the Euangelist Saint Mathew, to shew the right that Iesus had vnto Iudahs Crowne, recordeth his title onely from those Kings that were without all exceptions estated vnto [Page 105] Iudahs. Throne: and omitteth those, Christs title without ex­ceptions. against whom any exceptions are found, that so Christ who came to fulfill all Lawes, might haue a law­full succession vnto that Kingdome whereunto he was borne: for other materiall reason of omission we find none. And this being said of the se­cond, we come to the third.

The third and last diuision of the The third diuision of S. Mathew. Euangelist, is from the captiuity of Babylon, vnto Iesus Christ, wherein onely thirteene generations and no more, (Iesus himselfe being also in­cluded) are nominated, though in the summe they are accounted to be fourteene.

To fill vp which number. 1. Some 1. will haue two Iechoniahs, and them to be the father and sonne. 2. Some 2. but one Iechoniah, and he to be twice accounted. 3. Some that the Virgin 3. Mary is to be reckoned for a gene­ration among them. 4. And some that the Text is therin faulty, which 4. assertion is most vnsufferable.

That there were two Iechoniahs, is the opinion of Isidore, who will 1. Isidors o­pinion. [Page 106] haue the one in the end of the second di­uision, and the other in the beginning of the third: and that they were the fa­ther and the sonne, Rabanus affir­meth; the father and sonne (saith hee) both of them bearing one and the same name, you haue the one in the end of the second, and the other in the first of the third diuision. And with him Epipha­nius agreeth, who saith, that Ioachim Epiph. Cont. He­res. lib. 1. the sonne of King Ioachim, had the same name that his sonne Iechoniah had: and checketh them for ouerbold and vnlearned, that put out his name in the second place. Vnto them both let Ie­rome answere, who hath very well obserued, and noted, that the father is euery where written Iehoiakim, with The father and the sons names dif­fering in Character. K & M. but the sonne Iehoiachin, with C H & N.

That Iechoniah must be twice ac­counted, is the collections of our la­ter 2. Augus marl. vpon Mathew 1. Writers, who know not how to make vp the number to bee foure­teene, except Iechoniah should be put twice, that so in him (say they) the head of the third generation might be appoin­ted. But there is no reason so to ima­gine, [Page 107] seeing no honour from him a­ny wise accrued vnto them, to bee the head of that holy generation, himselfe being a cast-off Signet from Gods right hand.

It is Augustines saying also, as that S. Augustin which is bowed in a corner ends, on the one side, and beginnes on the o­ther: so is Iechoniah put in the end of the former, and in the beginning of the last; wherein the ordinary Glosse Gloss. or­din. Ma­thew 1. vnderstandeth a great mistery.

For by the one, which was his transmigration into Babylon, he will haue signified the transmigration of A misticall interpreta­tion. the Apostles among the Gentiles, and by the other, in writing him the first af­ter the captiuity, The resurrection of our Lord vnto life: and in them both, a figure of Christ, who is the corner stone of the building, the resurrection and life. But that is ouer farre fetched, and forced to an vnfit application: for neuer is Christ figured by a cast­away, Ier. 2 [...]. [...]4 as Iechoniah is called a Signet pluckt from Gods finger.

The third, is the opinion that Ma­rie 3. the Virgin for her sanctity, is of [Page 108] her selfe to be accounted a genera­tion among her holy Fathers: But a­gainst The Virgin Mary is not in account among the generations. that the whole streames of generations doe flow, who are euer accounted from the man, and neuer from the woman. And Iesus him­selfe, who was to fulfill all Scrip­tures, wee see in the catalogue of both the Euangelists, to be brought from Ioseph the man: and Ioseph to be of Nazeret, of Bethlehem, of Iu­dah, and of the lineage of Dauid, all the adiuncts attributed vnto Christ.

And Mary ioyned with Ioseph in Ioseph & Mary make but one ge­neration. mariage, both together make but one generation: for man and wife are one house, one family, and one flesh; and therefore not two genera­tions, else had the former foure­teenes beene each of them twenty eight, for each of them had his wife.

But that the blessed Virgin had no enumeration of family among those Fathers of Christ, is apparant: for that shee hath neither place of birth, tribe, nor family distinctly named, otherwise then the wife of Ioseph: that so Iesus her sonne might come [Page 109] in the flesh, and be heire of all righ­teousnesse, as all other heires for in­heritances from the man had beene euer accounted.

Lastly, that the Text is faulty, is the collection of Marlorat from o­thers 4. A dange­rous posi­tion. vpon Mathew 1. vers. 8. where they say: Where as in some Bookes thir­teene are onely read, it is likely that it came to passe by the fault and negligence of the writer of the Booke. Which in no wise may be granted, for to charge the sacred writ with any imperfec­tions, is to open a way to any inter­pretation, against which the Masso­rites Massorites preseruers of the text. haue most diligently laboured in preseruing euery letter in the bo­dy of the holy text, so that not any one can be missing, much lesse any word or sentence.

If then neither Ieconiah, nor the Virgin Marie bee contained in this last fourteene generations, how shal the number thereof bee made com­pleate, and the Euangelist Matthew to agree in his owne account. The answere is:

Howsoeuer men haue failed in [Page 110] their many coniectures, and dissen­ted in their diuers opinions; yet in this last diuision are fourteene gene­rations found to bee full and com­pleate; beginning in Salathiel the first of this last, and ending in Christ the Omega of the Scriptures Genea­logies. For apparant it is by the first of the Chronicles, Chapter the third, and ninteenth verse, that Pedaiah was by nature the sonne of Salathiel, and the father of Zorobabel, and is to Pedaiah supplieth the number of four­teene. be verily accounted among the na­turall fathers of Christ. Yet because he was borne, and died obscurely in Babylon, before his father Salathiel was declared the childlesse Ieconiahs successor, he is euer in all other texts of both Testaments omitted. And where Zorobabel is named from his parant, he is euer called the sonne of Salathiel, as heire vnto him, that was made heire vnto the Crowne, & not of Pedaiah that was neuer interested therein.

If then the old Testament bee si­lent for Pedaiah (excepting his once naming in the Catalogue of Iudahs [Page 111] Genealogies) Saint Matthew in the New, was to omit his name in the Catalogue of them that stood esta­ted Pedaiah had no e­state in the Crowne. for the Crowne: but not his number among his generations pro­duced: that man then being inclu­ded, maketh this last diuision to be exactly fourteene generations, ac­cording to the Euangelists words & account. And how these are and may be reckoned, see here their diuisions, as the holy Ghost hath assigned.

[Page 112] Thus then Pedaiah being (as most apparant it is) a father of Christ, must be in numeration among the fathers of Christ, though not to bee named a successor vnto Salomons throne: nor is the Euangelists omission of him, The cause of Peda­iahs omis­sion. more against order, then was the o­mission of the three former, in the former diuision of three Kings, in a direct line: and all to shew (as is said) the lawfull succession that Ie­sus had vnto Iudahs Crown.

This last collection I see not how to be excepted against, it hauing so sure a warrant by the holy Scripture it selfe: for heauen and earth shall passe, ere the word perish, Salathiel Luk. 16. 17 1 Chro. 3. 17, &c. his Sonne Pedaiah, and the sonne of Pe­daiah Zorobabel.

But why Pedaiah is not recorded for a naturall father of Christ, in the Catalogue of his naturall fathers by the Euangelist Saint Luke, where all vnto Adam are nominated; is hid from me: and therefore with Na­zianzen will I say, Where I vnderstand I will thankefully praise thee; and where I vnderstand not, I will fall downe and [Page 113] admire thee. And with Dauid pray, Psal. 119. 105. that thy word may be a lanterne vnto our feete. And with Paul, that our darknes may be made light in Christ.

Another meditation ariseth in o­ther families of Iudahs tribe, so deep and doubtfull, that Hugo de S. vict. Hugo de Saint Victor, thinketh it a question vndis­soluable, and without further search so leaueth it; which is, how Caleb of Hezron at forty yeeres old, could be either great Grand-father vnto Beza­leel the skilfull workmen in the Ta­bernacle, or the searcher of the Land at the same yeere and time: He be­ing the fifth in an equall equipage pararellising Bezaleel; and both of them borne in Aegypt from Hezron of Iudah, and actiue men together in the wildernesse: the one in ordering the curious workes from the pat­terne shewed by God himselfe vnto Moses, and the other a Captaine that descried the riches of Canaan by his owne trauaile: whose dissents for more plainnesse I haue here set downe to sight.

[Page 114]

[Page 115] In this descent then, whether the first Caleb, the sonne of Hezron, and great Grand-father vnto Bezaleel, or the last Caleb, paralelising Bezaleel through so many degrees; were the Lands-searcher, both of them come from the same Hezron, and actiue men together at one time in the wil­dernesse, hath been much controuer­sed, and many opinions maintained with variable iudgements.

That the Lands-searcher was the The vn­warranta­ble reconci­liation of the Rab­bins. great Grandfather vnto Bezaleel, Rab­bi Salom, a great Doctor of the Iews, bringeth a strange & vnexemplified descent vnto Bezaleel: for (saith hee) Rabbi Solomoh cited by D. Willet vp­on Exod. chap. 31. Caleb at eight yeres old married his first wife Azuba, who died the first yere of her mariage, & in his ninth, he took Ephrath, otherwise called Miriam, the sister of Mo­ses, for his second wife; of whom in his tenth yeere was borne Hur: and Hur in the tenth yeere of his owne life begot Vri, when Caleb was twenty one yeeres old: and Vri in his ninth begat Bezaleel, Caleb then being thirty, and Bezaleelten, when hee began to frame the Tabernacle; at which time Caleb was forty yeeres old.

[Page 116] But how many ouersights are in these his sayings, is soone perceiued: first, that Caleb should haue (not a The Rab­bins opini­on confu­ted. child, but) children, as hee is said to haue by Azuba, 1. Chron. 2. 18. he be­ing but eight yeeres old, is vncredi­ble: secondly, that Azuba should be a mother of children, she dying the first yeere of her marriage, vn­lesse they were twinnes, which is not apparant, is vnpossible: thirdly, that Caleb, aged but nine, should take to wife Miriam the sister of Moses, she being about nintie, is not agreeable: for shee was elder then Moses, and of discretion to call her mother for his nurse, when the Her name was Ther­muthis, saith Iose­phus. Ant. lib. 2. ca. 5. daughter of Pharaoh found him in the Arke of Bull-rushes; since when, we know fourescore and one yeeres to bee fully expired. To make her then a mother at ninty, and to beare a Sonne in that age of her life, is so vnlikely, that Ioseph. Anti. lib. 2 cap. 2. Iosephus will haue her not to be the mother of Hur, but the wife of Hur, and mother vnto Vri, his son, which is far more probable, their yeres agreeable, & fit for mar­riage.

[Page 117] For Hur was in the same degree Miriam the wife, and not th [...] mother of Hur. from Hezron of Iudah, who went with Iacob into Egypt, as Miriam was from Kohath of Leui, one of the seuenty that descended also: for Kohath begot Amram, and Amram, Miriam; so Hezron begot Caleb, and Caleb, Hur.

Fourthly, that Hur and Vri should bee either of them Fathers at tenne yeeres of age, is vnexemplified in Scripture, though Genebrard allow, that Haran might bee father vnto Sara at eight.

And lastly, that Bezaleel should haue the aduantage of Christ by two yeeres, to be as skilfull at ten in the worke of the Tabernacle; as Luke 2. 46. Christ was at twelue to build the true Temple, when with admiration hee opposed the Doctors, and expounded the Law.

These impossibilities therefore our ancient Lyra well perceiued, but in seeking to redresse them, hee fell into as great an error himselfe; in saying, that these men, Hur, Vri, and Bezaleel, mentioned in the first of [Page 118] Chronicles, chap. 2. 20. were not the same that were spoken of in Exod. chap. 31. but Lyra herein not to be fol­lowed. were other men of the same name, & of the same tribe. But so to expound the text, is dan­gerous, lest a liking liberty loose thereby the ioynts of the holy scrip­tures frame, and to giue the water that passage, the breach will bee great.

Vatab. Anotat. vpon 1. Chr. 4. 15. Vatablus in his annotations, and Cumanus Flinspach in his Arca Dei, doe take Hezron to be Iephunneh, & so consequently, the first Caleb the sonne of Hezron, to be the same Ca­leb the sonne of Iephunneh, and the great Grand-father vnto Bezaleel. But therein then must bee followed all Rabbi Solomoh his errours, for Ca­lebs forty yeres age wil inforce it so.

But that Hezron could bee either Iephunneh, or the Father of Caleb the Lands-surueyour, is by the text mani­festly contradicted: for Hezron was borne vnto Phares before that Iacob went downe into Egypt; and in E­gypt, Hezron begot his sonne the first Caleb, when he was threescore yeers [Page 119] of age, as 1. Chron. 2. 21. by which ac­count, The first Caleb could not be the Lands searcher. that Caleb must needes haue been an hundred fiftie fiue yeeres old in the first yeere of the wilder­nesse: for in Egypt the abode was two hundred and fifteene, as before we haue shewed. But 1. Chron. 2. 18. Caleb, the sonne of Iephunneh, the lands-searcher, was then but Iosh. 14. 7 forty yeeres old; wher­by it is euident, these Calebs could not be one and the same, but two se­uerall men.

Now as it is impossible for the first Caleb, the great Grand-father vn­to Bezaleel, to be the lands-searcher; so the last Caleb being the seuenth in descent from him, and the fifth in de­gree after Bezaleel, ministreth mat­ter of much seeming difficultie; for that both of them at one time were imployed in most serious affaires.

As touching Calebs successors, I know there are many doubts made, Tostatus. some making but two Calebs, some three, and some foure: and the first and last, hauing either of them a daughter called A [...]hsah, doth no whit lessen the doubt.

[Page 120] Again, whether Ezer mentioned in this pedegree, was the immediat son Doubts made in the pedegree of Hezron. of the second Caleb, or the immediat father vnto the third, may seeme doubtfull: As also Kenaz hauing no such pregnant testimony, either of predecessor, or successor, as may in­force (it may be obiected) there is no certaine descents betwixt the Lands searcher, and the equalising of the skilfull workman Bezaleel.

To which may be answered, that although Ezer bee not so precisely Doubts an­swered in the pede­geee of Hezron. 1. Chron. 4. 4. named a sonne, as some others are, yet is he said to bee of the sonnes of Hur, in the first of the Chronicles, the fourth Chapter, and the fourth verse, and neerer to him by any of his sonnes he cannot bee, then of Caleb, who was his eldest sonne, as verse fiftie: so that the many descents, in so short a time, will warrant him to be Calebs sonne.

And for the other obiection of doubt, thus I answere: If the Kene▪ zite, Numb. 32. vers. 12. be not the immediate sonne of Caleb, and the immediate father vnto Iephuneh, [Page 121] then more of his families must come betwixt, and so the last Caleb should be further remooued from Bezaleel, and a more impossibilitie imagined.

But to vnloose this seeming hard knot, and to approue the truth of a continued succession, let it be allow­ed to suppose the ages of these men when they were fathers, and especi­ally of him vpon whom resteth the greatestdoubt; so shall wee force nei­ther breach of successiō, nor find such impossibilities as haue bin alleaged.

Admit then Hur to bee twentie yeeres old when he begot Caleb, and Caleb twenty when he begot Ezer; Ezer twenty when he begot Caleb, Caleb twenty when he begot Kenaz, Kenaz twenty when he begot Iephu­neh; Iephuneh twenty when he begot Caleb; and Caleb we know was Iosh. 14 7 for­ty, when hee searched the land; all which yeeres being added together, make one hundred and sixty.

Returne to Hur in his other issue, and admit Hur to be seuentie when he begot Vri, Vri to be sixtie when when he begot Bezaleel, and Bezaleel [Page 122] thirty when hee wrought vpon the Tabernacle: which yeeres likewise being summed together, come also to one hundred and sixty.

Thus then you see this rough way made smooth, and nature no whit How Ca­leb and Bezaleel were men in one age. forced in neither line; for that sons were begotten both at younger, and elder yeeres through many descents in those times, as we haue alreadie seene. And that Bezaleel should bee thirtie, is most agreeable to the Law of the Leuites, who at Num. 4. 3 thirtie were chosen for seruices in the Ta­bernacle; and therefore most likely that at those yeeres hee was chosen to worke in the Tabernacle.

Now seeing wee haue the true Hob. 8. 2 Tabernacle which is not made with hands, and are heires of that Canaan whose rest is perpetuall; let vs stu­dy to enter therein, and with thanks offer our sacrifices vnto him who is the first, and the last, in euery leafe and line of the Law. For Rom. 11. 36. of him, and through him, and for him, are all things that are written, to whom be all glory for euer. Amen.

CHAP. 6.

IT resteth now to shew, that through these holy God becāe man. Genealogies, GOD be­came Man, and that Christ (the word before all things) was in mans loynes inclo­sed, till the Galat. 4. 4. fulnesse of time came, that God sent his Sonne to bee made of a Wo­man.

This blessed fruit therefore in whom our election was sealed, Eph. 1. 4. be­fore the foundation of the world, was first promised to our first parents in Paradise, after their taste of the for­bidden fruit of death, when likewise the Serpents malice was quailed by this sentence, Gen 3. Was promi­sed to the fathers. I wil put enmity between thee and the woman, and betweene thy seed and her seed. He shall breake thine head, and thou shalt bruse his heele. And [Page 124] that this her seed then promised, was the very Messiah to come, both Iewes and Gentiles haue acknowled­ged, the [...]athers looked for, and the Patriarkes beleeued in.

The Scriptures thus beginning Reueiled in the Scrip­tures. with a Messiah, the onely Alpha of al our happinesse, aimeth at no other marke besides him, the onely Omega of all our hopes. For leauing the state-affaires of the world, as the breeding of Kingdomes, Principali­ties, and the like, they directly leade vs to the birth and of-spring of A­braham, whereof Christ was to bee borne: and vnto him eight seuerall times was promise made, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should bee blessed And vnto Isaac his sonne the same promise was confirmed in the same words.

Vnto Iacob he was the Num. 24 17. 19. star that should haue dominion; and vnto Iu­dah the Gen. 49. 10. Lion that should weld the Scepter; to Dauid, he was the Sonne that was his Ps. 100. 1 Lord; and to Esay the Isay 9. child vpon whose shoulders the go­uernment was laid: To faithfull Ahaz [Page 125] he was the Isay 28. 16. sonne of a Virgin; and to the backe-sliding Iewes a signe that Iere. 31. 22. a woman should compasse a man. Brife­ly, vnto his elect, he was, and is the Rocke of Saluation, and vnto his Zion the 1 Pet. 2. 6. the corner stone tried and precious. These and infinite more promises of the Messiah, are most frequent in the Scriptures of God, which were all accomplished in Christ the Immanuel with vs, whose naturall fathers were as great a cloud, and as many wit­nesses Being in­nūber. 74. Luk. 10. 1. to shew the truth of his huma­nity, as were the Euangelists & Dis­ciples that wrote, and were sent to preach his Deity, being fitted forthat worke, as was the golden crowne­work vpon the edges of the incense Alter, and leade our paths into that way of truth, as the fiery Pillar did light the Israelites remouings.

But our ouer-much negligence in these holy Genealogies, as also in the Ignorance in the sa­cred Ge­nealogies, hath hurt the cause of Christianity double discents legall and naturall; of Iesus our Lord and Messiah, hath greatly hurt both our owne cause, and hindered the Iewes from embra­cing the Gospell.

[Page 126] Our hurt in bringing him natural­ly from Salomon, whose line was en­ded long before: their hinderance by our entangling the text of the old Testament in Ioash, and Ieconiah, and in the new, in Iacob, Ioseph, and Eli; whereby they daily obiect, that we are not able by Scriptures to re­concile our owne Euangelists, Saint Mathew and Saint Luke.

That he is of Dauid, both they and we agree, but whether by Salomon or Wherein the Iewes and Christians differ tou­ching Christs na­ture, & his right to the Kingdome. Nathan resteth the question. They hold him from Salomon by birth and naturall succession: wee naturally from Nathan, & by a legall right, the next heire to Salomons Kingdom, his own posterity being vtterly extinct.

But this not obserued, that Saint Mathew recordeth Christs legall de­scent S. Mathew recordeth the legal, & S. Luke the natural pa­rents of Christ. from Salomon, whereby he was the lawfull King of the Iewes; and that Saint Luke bringeth his naturall line from Nathan, thereby to shew him to be the Seed of the promise, hath bred many intricate (and some of them dangerous) expositions.

In the mentioning whereof, let it [Page 127] bee farre from mee to blot with the It is no ble­mish to the godly to haue their errors re­formed. least imputation, the faire remem­brances of any paineful father gone before vs in the Scriptures explana­tion, from whose bright torches we must confesse our dim candles haue beene much enlightened, and by whose labours our studies are inri­ched, both with Arts and wisdome; but rather with the Bee, let vs worke the hony out of euery flower, and according to the precept of the A­postle, 1 Cor. 3 13. try the worke by the fier of Gods word. The Romanist Iohn Lucidus, deceiued by a forged Philo and Ni [...] cholas Lyra, our Country-man, cor­rupted by study of malitious Rab­bins, together with Annius, Eusebius, Africanus, and many others, haue in Glosses verie much intangled the truth of these pedegrees.

For Lucidus allowing that Vtopian Lib. breui [...] ariae. A wrong receiued o­pinion, that Salomons house ended in Ocho­zias. Hebrician, from him doth end the line of Salomon in Ochozias, other­wise called Achaztah, the seuenth King succeeding, and vnto Ieconiah the last King of Iudah, doth name al the Kings mentioned by Saint Ma­thew, [Page 128] to bee the same men whom S: Aug. Mar­lorat: vpon Mat. 1. 12. Luke recordeth from Nathan, whose words thus follow.

The like fainings of double names, he continueth from Zoroba­bel through the line of Rhesa vnto E­li, the father of Mary, though to lit­tle purpose, and lesse explanation.

Eusebius likewise, citing the E­pistle Africanus ad Aristidē Epistola. of Africanus to Aristides, as an­cient as Origin, in these descents of Christ his parents, both by legall ma­riages, and in double venters of sons, Inuentions trouble the truth. so troubleth the truth with vnwar­rantable [Page 129] inuentions, as may dazell the eies of the best sighted sear­cher; his words somewhat abridg­ed, I will here insert.

The Eus Eccl hist. l. 1. c. 8 kindred (saith he) of Salomon and of Nathan is so knit together, by re­uiuing of the deceased without issue, by se­cond mariages by raising of seede, so that not without cause, the same persons are posted ouer to diuers fathers, whereof some were imagined, and some others were their fathers indeed, both the allegations being properly true, though in Ioseph di­uersly, yet exactly by descent determined. And that that which I go about to proue, may plainely appeare, I will declare the orderly succession of this Genealogie, making a recitall from Dauid to Salo­mon. The third from the end is Mat­than Math 1. Luke 3. found, which begat Iacob, the fa­ther of Ioseph, but from Nathan the son of Dauid, decending according to the Gospell of Luke, the third from the ende is Melchi, whose sonne is Hely, the fa­ther of Ioseph. For Ioseph is the son of Hely, the sonne of Melchi. Ioseph being the proposed marke to shoote at, wee must shew how either is termed his fa­ther [Page 130] deriuing the pedegree of Iacob from Salomon, of Heli from Nathan. And first how Iacob and Heli, being two bre­thren, then their fathers, Matthan and Melchi, borne of diuers kindreds, may be prooued grandfathers to Ioseph. Mat­than therefore and Melchi, marrying the same wife, begat brethren by the same mother, the law not forbidding a Widow either dismissed from her Hus­band, or after the death of her husband, to be coupelled vnto another man. First, therefore, Not so, for Salomon hath none of his race so named, & Mutthā was of A­biud, as Melchi al­so was, and both of thē of Zoroba­bell from Nathan. Matthan descending from Salomon, begat Iacob of Estha, for that is said to be her name. After the death of Matthan, Melchi (which is said to haue descended from Nathan) beeing of the same Tribe, but of another race, hauing maried this widow to his wife, be­gat Hely his sonne. Thus doe wee finde Iacob and Heli of a different race, but by the same mother to haue bin brethren. Of the which, Iacob taking to wife his sister the wife of Heli, his brother beeing deceased without issue, begat on her the third, to wit, Ioseph: by nature and the order of generation vnto himselfe, where­upon it is written, Iacob begat Ioseph, [Page 131] by the law vnto his brother Heli decea­sed, whose sonne Ioseph was. For Iacob being his brother, raised seede vnto him: wherefore, neither that Genealogie which concerneth him, is to be abolished, the which Mathew the Auangelist re­citing; Iacob (saith he) begat Ioseph: and Luke of the other side; which was the sonne (saith he) as it was supposed (ad­ding this withall) of Ioseph, which was the sonne of Heli, which was the sonne of Melchi. And the word of begetting hee ouer skipped with silence vnto the end, with such a recitall of sonnes, making re­lation vnto Adam, which was of God: nor is this hard to proue, or to small pur­pose proposed.

In this tedious speech of Eusebius, you may see how Ioseph is forced to bee naturally from Salomon, and a­doptiuely from Nathan, but by ima­gined fathers, as himselfe confesseth. and Mary, whose parentage con­cerneth Christs humanity most, not once spoken of in this Epistle: how weake a reconciliation therefore is made of our holy Euangelists, let the vnsatisfied Christian iudge; and yet [Page 132] in these fainings, he hath beene fol­lowed In the Bi­bles of the largest vol­lume in En­glish. in the labours of those that o­therwise haue done wel; which their pedegrees to shew the present de­fect, is here from them presented to thy sight.

[Page 133] In this intricate Labirinth who can but lament; where neither Scripture is followed, nor propaga­tion allowed: and how farre from truth Eusebius hath straied in this his pretended reconciliation, is e­uidently seene; namely, in making Melchi to be the immediat father of Heli, and the third from the end in S. Contrarie­ties. Lukes catalogue; when by the said Euangelist it is most apparant that he was the fifth from the end; and not the father, but the great grandfather of Heli: for Melchi begat Leui, and Leui begat Matthat, and Matthat be­gat Heli, whose sonne in law Ioseph was.

Then could not Melchi be the na­turall and next immediate father of Heli, two generations comming be­twixt, howsoeuer Eusebius vnder­standeth his ranke from the end.

Nor could the issues of double mariages so begot and borne, bee brothers of one venter, twines: as Iacob and Heli are said to bee by the A Conceit without ex­ample. said Estha, and by two seuerall men, Matthan and Melchi; a thing strange [Page 134] in nature, and the like in Scripture neuer seene.

And though Lyra from Africanus and Hierome allow of the double mariages, for the raysing of seed to the issulesse deceased, yet he ioyneth Matthat and not Melchi vnto Estha, for her second husband, and maketh Heli her sonne by the same man.

But in following these Rabbins too neerely, that bring Christ from Salomon: Nicolas Lyra in his annota­tions both vpon the first booke of Chronicles, and the Gospell of Saint Mathew, ouerrunneth the truth into a most dangerous error.

For he would haue Nathan to bee but the adopted sonne of Dauid, and the naturall sonne of Vriah the Hit­tite, borne vnto him by Bathsheba his wife, before Dauid tooke her for his. For vpon Dauids sonnes borne in Ie­rusalem, and 1 Chro. 3. 5. thus he com­menteth. Onely Salomon was Dauids Lyra anno­tation vpon 1 Chr. 3. 5 & in Mat. 1. naturall sonne, the other three were Vri­ahs, whom Dauid made his by adoption. So our Lord should come, and take flesh, not of blessed Sem, and beloued [Page 135] Dauid, as by the Prophets was pro­mised; but of cursed Cham, and irre­ligious Heth, without all warrant of the sacred Text.

But vnto these their assertions, let vs assay further the answer, to cleere our Euangelists from the least touch of disagreement.

First then, though Lucidus bee greatly deceiued in the ending of Salomons line in Ahaziah, yet tou­ching The opini­ons exami­ned, with their reso­lutions. Nathans right and families, he hath spoken well, in bringing Ioseph, Mary, Zorobabel, and Salathiel, from Nathan, and Nathans issue to be suc­cessours vnto Salomons Crowne.

But in following his forged Phi­lo, he erreth exceedingly, in saving Iohn Luci dus decei­ued by a forged Philo. that the Kings of Iudah, recorded by S. Mathew, are the same men whom Saint Luke recorded by other names. But that Kings should lose the Maiesty of their names knowne at their coro­nation, and afterward be called by other names of their inferiour sub­iects, no necessity constraining, as Lucidus affirmeth twelue of Iudahs Kings to haue done, is not againe ex­emplified [Page 136] in the world, and is so far from credit, that neither Turke nor Iew will belieue the Texts of the old Testament are so to be vnderstood.

But to encrease the error, he go­eth further, and endeth Salomons line in Ahaziah or Ochoziah, without a­ny apparāt shew of truth: For hard­ly shall be found in Scripture a sonne oftner named from his father then Ioash in e­uery text where he is named, is called the sonne of O­chozias. Salomons house did not end in Ochozias. Ioash is from Ahaziah, as these sixe seuerall Texts approue. 2 Kings 11. 2 2 Kings 13. 1. 2 Kings 14. 13. 1 Chro. 3. 11. 2 Chro. 22. 11. 2 Chro. 23. 3.

The dissolution then of Salomons house was not at Ahaziah, in the se­uenth generation, as Philo and his followers dreame, but continued vnto the eighteenth, to Ieconiah the childlesse, as the Prophet pronoun­ceth him, whose pedegree from Sa­lomon to himselfe, both in the bookes of the Kings, and also of the Chroni­cles is apparantly laid downe.

Neither hath any Iew the most diligent searchers of the Kingly line, ended that of Salomons, in the said Ahaziah: but rather haue assai­ed [Page 137] to continue it long after the birth of Iesus, lest our Christ should be their King.

That Salomon sinned, we know by his story, & that his successours were wicked, we see by their acts, but that God wil bring his house sosoone to a period, is not manifested either Gods pro­perty is to warne be­fore he doth strike. by speech or by prophecy. And the property of God is, to warne the pu­nishment before he doth strike: for so saith Amos; Amos 3. 7. the Lord will doe no­thing, but he reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets. But where was heard the sound of that threat, that Salomons issue in Ahaziah should end; and the glory of his kingdome should be giuen to Simeon, a poore subiect, and of another family?

And why should it end in Ahazi­ah, rather then in Ioram his father, who sought the vtter destruction thereof, by murthering his sixe bre­thren, 2. Chro. 21. 4. all the sonnes of Iehoshaphat King of Iudah: & many other Prin­ces of Israell, and was himselfe so di­seased in his bowels, as to mans seeming his naturall fecundity was [Page 138] altogether hindered.

Againe, this is a generall obser­uation, that when God for sinne ta­keth Gods man­ner of dea­lings. his blessings from the offender, hee doth bestow them vpon the more worthy, as hee did the birth­right from prophane Gen. 27. Esau, & gaue it to Iacob that preuailed with God: when he reiected disobedient 1. Sam. 15. 28. Saul, he chose Dauid a man after his own heart, and when the rebell 1. Kings 2. 35. Abiathar was put from the Priest-hood, the faithfull subiect Zadock was set in his place.

But in this change of state and of persons, we find no such differences: For Ioash, whom they faine from Nathan, continued the like wicked­nes, as they from Salomon had done; and with Cain is compared in shed­ding (as he had Abels) Mat. 23. 35. the blood of Zachariah betweene the Temple and the Altar, euen the blood of him▪ 2. Chro. 24 21. whose father had both preserued his life, and raised him to his Kingly estate; which his sinne, the Rabbins amplifie (in the Treatise of Penance) in this manner.

[Page 139] In seuen In Ie [...]u­saleme Treat. of pe­nance al­ledged by M. Brogh­ton. transgressions Israell sinned that day, they killed a [...]riest [...] a Pro­phet, and a Iudge, & she [...] [...] blood, and polluted the [...] betwee [...] the Tem­ple and the Altar vpon the ex [...]ation day; and when Nabuzaradan came thither, he saw the bloud vpon the pauement, and asked whose it was: they said; the bloud of a sacrificer, a Prophet, and a Iudge which prophecied against vs, all that thou hast done vnto vs, and we stood vp against him, and killed him, Then he caused eighty thousand you [...]hs of the sacrificers race, to be slaughtered for him. A wic­ked beginning verily to be brought into good Nathans line, and no bet­ter continued in most of the Kings following.

For did not ^u Amaziah set vp the Idols of Seir for his God? King 2 Chr. 28 Ahaz made molten Images for Baalim, and after the abo [...]ation of the Heathen, burnt his children [...] the valley of Hin­non, and sacrificed vnto the Gods of Damascus. Wicked Manasses built high places for all the host of Heauen, e­uen in the Court of the house of the Lord, caused his children to passe through the [Page 140] fier, and shed much innocent bloud 2 Chr. 33, whose sinnes so prouoked the Lords wrath, that they are remembred for destruction, vnto his fourth genera­tion, 2. Kings 24. 3. Amon sacrificed vnto the carued Images, that his father Manasses had made, and 2 Chr. 33 22. augmented his sinnes daily more and more.

Iehoahaz 2. Kings 23. 34. was euill the short time of his raigne, and by Necho was carried prisoner into Aegypt, where he died. Periured Ier. 36. 23. Iehoiakim burned Ieremy his Roule, was captiuated by Nebuchadnezzar, drawne and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem, and buried with the burial of an 2. Chro 36. 6. Asse. Ieconiah, a despised and Ier. 22. 19. broken Idoll, was kept 2. Kings 24. prisoner in Babell all his life, and by a solemne proclamation was pronounced Iere. 22. 30. childlesse, as the last of that race that should beare rule in Iudah. A wicked generation surely for him that Psal. 45. 7. hated wickednesse, to proceed from, or the Scepter of his righteousnes to bud from such rootes.

For albeit that Christ came of sin­ners (as from Adam he could not o­therwise doe) yet hee honoured his Christ came of sinners, to saue sinners [Page 141] earthly fathers with such notes of graces (especially such of them as were noted with outward imper­fections) as that their saluations are manifestly seene.

For Gen. 3. 20 Adam was faithfull, and be­leeued the Promise; Gen. 8. 21. Noah was righ­teous, and his sacrifices accepted; Gen. 11. 31. Terah remoued with Abraham from Idolatrous Vr; Iacob was bles­sed, Iudah praised, and Dauid belo­ued; & from Nathan to Mary not any one blamed of any impiety, neither from Abiud to Ioseph in that line, but are all called the Dā. 7. 22 The Mo­thers of Christ, all blessed ves­sels. In the Gospell none of the weomen are taken into Christs Ge­nealogy, but those whom the Scrip­tures do reprehend, to shew that he came to saue sin­ners, being himselfe borne of sinners, saith Aug. high Saints of God, that should possesse a Kingdome for euer.

And the like wee may affirme of those his mothers, which are set euen in the frontispice of his Gospell, where, not any one of the vnblame­able are named, as the beleeuing E­uah; the obedient Sara, the faithfull Rebecca, nor the louing Leah; for these were graced by text sufficient in the old Testament: but euen they whose conuersations were marked with some touch of infirmity, as Thamar in deceiuing, Rachab in in­continency, [Page 142] Ruth from incestuous Moab, and Bathsheba with w [...]onging Vriah his bed.

And yet these also lest their liues should staine the holy line, are noted by the pen of grace vnto saluation: For Thamar by Iudah his own testi­mony, was m [...]e righteous then Marlorat. vpon Mat. 1. 6. himselfe▪ Rahab acknowledged the God of Israell, to be the Iosh. 2. 11. God of Hea­uen aboue, and of the Earth beneath. Ruth (as Abraham) forsooke kindred and Countrey, protest [...]ng that Ruth. 1. 16. Is­raels people should bee her people, and Is raels God her God. And that penne which wrote the last of the Pro­uerbs, makes Bathsheba a mirrour of weomen, and a worthy Pro. 31. Counsellor to Salomon the wise.

Thus through these bright Clouds, we see the Son of righteousnes shine vnto the world, & frō this holy stem the Ier. 23. 5 Branch of Dauid to grow in beauty as the Hos. 14. 7 Oliue tree, & in smell like vnto Lebanon, & spices of Salo­mō Can. 3. 6: set vs Lord vnder the Cant. 2. 3 shadow these sweet leaues, and let vs eate of this tree of life, in the Garden & Pa­radise of God.

[Page 143] Now seeing that this beautifull Esa. 11. 1 Rod of Iesse (as Isaiah cals him) tooke no sappe from the bitter roots of Iudahs Kings, wee must bring the growth thereof from another Stem Christ cam [...] not of Salo mon, but of Nathan. vnto Dauid, euen from the branch Nathan, as our Euangelist Luke hath recorded. But vpon this Stone the Iewes haue stumbled, and haue made it Esay 8. 14. the rocke of offence, the ginne and snare to both the houses of Israel, as their Isaiah hath prophecied, and our 1. Pet. 2. 8. Peter hath spoken.

For they seely men in reading the old Testament, haue their mindes blinded, and the 2. Cor. 3. 14. vale of Moses vnta­ken away from before their hearts euen vnto this day, dreaming of a pompous kingdome, which they thinke to possesse, and of a potent Messiah Tal. in Treat. Sā ­hedrim. ca. Helec., that should triumph and make subiect vnto them the Gentiles on euery side, and promise to them­selues as much voluptuous pleasure vnder that earthly Monarch, as the Turkes doe after death in dalliances with Virgins, and great eyed weomen in Paradise; and that this their daily Alcaron. [Page 144] expected Messiah should come of Salomon, they hold it for a principall article of their faith, and accurse them that affirme the contrary: for thus standeth the twelth Article of their Creede.

A man must beleeue that Christ the King shall haue Rab. As­ser vpon Sanedrim Arti. 12. cited by Ma. Bro. excellency, and dignity, and glory, aboue all the Kings that euer haue beene, as of him is prophecied of all the Prophets from Moses, & who so doub­teth of him, or holdeth his honour small, denieth the law: for so it testifieth of him in the meaning of Balaams prophecy, and in the meaning of this section; You stand all here this day before the Lord your God, Deut. 29. 10. and cap. 30. And this is a rule of foundation, that Israell shall haue no King but of the house of Dauid, and of the seede of Salomon; and who so maketh a schisme touching that fa­mily, denieth God, euen the blessed God, and the words of his Prophets.

And vpon this opinion of rule and gouernment, Christians also haue been ouermuch affectionated, when they bring Christ naturally from those Kings that gouerned of Salo­mons [Page 145] line, and make Rhesa the youn­ger sonne of Zorobabell, and his suc­cessors to gouerne (when al gouern­ment was taken from those Holy In a Table by some prefixed before the new Testa­ment. High Saints) the space of two hun­dred ninety sixe yeeres: and this no doubt wrought deeply in Lyra to speake as he did of Dauids sonnes.

For hee being by nation a Iewe, though by birth English and baptis­ed, stood much vpon the outward letter for the glory of his nation. And Nathan, obscure in comparison of Salomon, he makes more obscure to come from Vriah, as his note hath thus gone vpon the 1. Chroni [...]. 3. 5. A dange­rous anno­tation. Only Salomon was Dauids naturall Son, the other three were the sonnes of [...]riah, whom Dauid made his by adoption. His reason is taken from the fourth of the Prouerbs, where Salomon saith; Prou. 4. 3. I was my Fathers sonne, tender and only be­loued in the sight of my Mother: which thing I take was rather spoken of Salomons election to the kingdome, whom God had chosen, and Dauid to Bersheba had 1 Kin. 1. 29. sworne, that Salomon her Sonne should succeed him in the

[Page 146] Lyra thus infected with malitious Iewes studies, and partly following Christians that brought Christ from Salomon, held the Iewish Article tou­ching the Crowne: but otherwise in most of his paines spent in com­menting vpon al the bookes of both Testaments, he was an excellent Or­gane, sounding alowd the verity of Lyra com­mended. Christian Religion, against the er­ring opinions of the Rabbins, in whose Schooles hee had so profited (by the testimony of Tritemeus) as that he had the Hebrew language ad vnguem.

But that Christ should come from Dauid by Nathan, and his obscure successors, whereof neuer any bare rule, but onely Zerubbabel, and he no longer then the Temple was in buil­ding, he could not conceiue: neither that Ieconiah should beget Salathiel, but for his successor, seeing he is cal­led his 1. Chro. 3. 17. sonne indeed, he could not easily yeeld vnto, the Rabbines so ex­pounding it, and their Creed so infor­cing it; and being a frier Minor, and liuing in none of the cleerest daies of [Page 147] the Gospell, the man is the more to Lyra ex­cused. bee borne with, whose paines were spent (as Bale hath it in his Centuria) when the vnfortunate, our second Ed­ward Bale▪ Cen­tur. 5. fol. 391. ware the English Crown. Ano. 1327.

And now the assertions of Africa­nus, Africanus and Euse­bius their opinions. cited by Eusebius, (which are, that Ioseph, the husband of Mary, was naturally descended from Salomon, and by intricate mariages, made the legall sonne of Nathan) remaineth to be answered. I cal them intricate, for that Iacob and Eli are made bre­thren, and In a Ta­ble once printed with the great Bible. twinnes of one venter by Est­ha, wife vnto Matthan of Salomon, and vnto Melchi of Nathan: and those halfe brethren likewise mary­ing one woman, Iacob by her is said to raise vp seede vnto Eli deceased, whereby Ioseph was sonne vnto both.

A strang inuention truly, to bring Ioseph from Ieconiah and Salomon; who with lesse paines, and more truth, might haue beene found from Zerubbabel, Neri, and Nathan: and stranger it seemeth, that such search should be made, to shew how Christ [Page 148] by nature is the sonne of Dauid: and yet neuer to make knowne his natu­rall Parents from Dauid: neither can I perceiue what necessity constrain­eth Ioseph to bee the proposed marke of Ioseph can be no pro­posed mark for Christs humanity, seeing hee tooke not flesh of him that aime, seeing he is but the suppo­sed father of Christ, vnto whom (ex­cepting his title to the kingdome) his humanity no whit appertaineth.

Either to bring Iosephs naturall de­cent from Salomon, and his legal from Nathan, seeing he enioyed no posses­sions appertaining to Salomons Crowne, nor Mary his wife an inheri­trix of any patrimony in Iudea. For which end only, that law of marying the brothers wife was ordained, and at this aimed, that no Deu: 25. 5, 6. family should be extinguished in Israell.

It was the case of the Num. 27 Iptahs daughter not burned in sacrifice, but made a Vestall. Daugh­ters of Zelophehad; and the debar of mariage, and not the death of the daughter of Iphtah, was the cause of the Iudg. 11. yeerely lamentations of the Dauid Kimchi in Thanah. Virgins of Israell, that a family was to faile by her in the Tribe of Manasses.

But for brethren by the Mothers [Page 149] side onely, no such law was either or­dained, No law for brethren only, by the mother to inherit. Baba Batra. or practised; for the son by the man, and not by the woman, euer succeeded in the inheritance, and in the name of the family (excepting such as inherited by the line of the mother, as 1. Chron. 2. 22. Iair did twenty two cities in Gilead), and therefore Iacobs sonne by that law could not be the sonne of Eli.

Howsoeuer▪ then Eusebius fauou­reth that reconciliation, and wisheth others to preferre the same for the a­greement of our Euangelists, yet seeing it standeth vpon no firmer ground than that himselfe hath built vpon, we may without preiudice mistrust the foundation. For (saith he) Euseb. Eccles. hist. lib. 1. ca. 8. Herod burned the Jewes re­cords. He­rod the sonne of Antipater, pricked in mind for the basenesse of his birth, bur­ned the ancient Records of the Iewes Ge­nealogies, supposing thereby to deriue him­selfe of noble parentage. But certaine men of the affinitie and kindred of our Sa­uiour trauelling from Nazarites and Co­choba (castles of the Iewes) into other Re­gions, expounded the foresaid Genealogies out of books of Chronicles, as farre as they extended.

[Page 150] But who those trauellers and ex­pounders were, or what authentike warrant those bookes bare, he nameth not, and therefore such testimonies suffice not. Where, to manifest Io­sephs sonneship vnto Eli, let vs insert the sayings of Rabbi Haccanas, the son of Ne [...]umiah, a Doctor of great esteeme among the Iewes.

The testi­monie of the Rabbins touching Maries parentage. How Io­seph the sonne of Iacob is made the sonne of Eli. There was a Maide (saith hee) in Bethlem of Iuda, whose name was Mary, the daughter of Heli, of the kinred of Zerubbabel, the sonne of Salathiel, of the tribe of Iuda, who was betrothed to Io­seph of the same kinred and tribe. Where by him we see, that the virgin Mary was the daughter of Eli, and by her Ioseph is his sonne; and not by a se­cond marriage, or seede raised to the deceased, but rather by the law of matrimony, as Exo. 3. 1. Moses of Leui, was the sonne of Iethro the Madianite, and 1. Sam. 24. 17. Dauid of Iudah, was sonne to Saul of Beniamin.

And the same law that made Ioseph How Iesus is made the sonne of Ioseph. to be the sonne of Eli, made Iesus like­wise to be the sonne of Ioseph; and that he was so reputed and taken, let the [Page 151] testimonie of the latter Iewes wit­nesse, whereof Suidas reporteth in a conference happening betwixt Theo­dosius an eminent Iew, and one Philip a Christian Merchant, in the dayes of Iustinian the Emperour, whose words to this effect are thus:

Suidas vpon the word Ie­sus. In the Temple of Ierusalem (quoth the Iew) therewere two and twenty ordi­narie Priests: and as soone as any of them died, the residue chose another in his place. Now it hapned that IESVS for his singu­lar godlinesse and doctrine, was chosen by them: and to the intent they might know the name of his father and mother, and inregister it according to the custome, they sent for them; and Mary came thither alone, because her husband Ioseph was then dead. And shee being asked the name of the father of Iesus, answered vp­on her oath, that she had conceiued him by the holy Ghost, and reported to them the words of the Angell. Moreouer, shee told them the names of the women that came to her labour vnlooked for: and vp­on due inquisition thereof, when all things were found to fall out true, they registred his name in the Register of the Priests in [Page 152] these words, IESVS THE SONNE OF THE LIVING GOD, AND OF THE VIRGINE MARIE. Which Register was saued at the sacking of Ierusalem, and was afterwards kept in the Citie Tiberias, and I being one of the chiefe among the Iewes (saith The­odosius) haue there seene it: so that it is not ignorance that holdeth mee in the Iewish Religion, but the honour I haue among my Countrimen.

By which, and others their owne testimonies, is euident how Ioseph was the sonne of Eli, by the mariage of his daughter; and how Iesus was the sonne of Ioseph by the marriage of his mother: both which were ac­cording to the law, and not by any naturall descent.

CHAP. VII.

THat Christ tooke any of his bloud or humane na­ture, Christ tooke no flesh from Leui. either by father or mother from Leui, is more then the Scrip­tures doe warrant, God so distinctly seperating the Genealogies of Iudah and Leui, for the Crowne and the Mi­ter, that not any could claime both, by any due descent. Yet Ranul. Cestrensis in Poli­cron▪ lib: 3 cap. 44. some with­out proofe haue imagined, that An­na the mother of the virgin Marie, was the daughter of a Leuite, wher­by CHRIST IESVS (as they affirme) was both King and Priest, in a lineal descent from either Tribe. In which opinion, Suidas is so confident, that Suidas faulty in his opinion. he saith: Christ in the right of Leui, was chosen a Priest into the seruice of the Temple, and that he, by that authoritie [Page 154] in the Sinagogue at Luk. 4. 16 Nazareth, expoun­ded the Prophecie of Isaiah, and at Luk. 19: 47. Ierusalem taught daily in the Temple. Therein following those, that thinke Marie by the mothers side of Leui, because Elizabet the wife of Zacha­rie, was of the daughters of Aaron, and by the Angels testimonie, Luk. 5. 34. 36. cosin vnto Marie. But that Marie there­fore should be of Leui, it prooueth hot.

For albeit that daughters which Why the law of mar­rying into their owne tribes was ordained. were inheriters, were to bestow themselues vpon men of the same Tribes, lest their Numb. 36. 8. possessions should be transferred, or in the yeere of Iu­bile reuerted vnto the inheritance of others; yet in others, and especially those of the Kings and Priests line, we find the practise contrary, and that vertuous women, without breach of this law, did marrie into other tribes.

For so did Exod. 6. 23. Elisheba of Iudah, match with Aaron of Leui; and Mi­riam of Leui, with Hur of Iudah: 1. Chron. 2. 21. Hezron of Iudah, matched in the tribe of Manasses, and 1. Sam. 18. 27. Dauid tooke [Page 155] Michal the daughter of Saul to wife. The mother of Hiram, a daughter of 2. Chron. 2 [...]4. Dan, married her second husband out of the tribe of 1. King. 7. 14. Naphtali▪ and Ie­hoiada the high Priest, of Leui, marri­ed 2. Chron. 22. 11. [...]ehoshabeah, the daughter of King Iehoram o [...] Iudah: which thing ha [...] it been vnlawfull, these godly per­sons would neuer haue done it. And the oath had been needlesse which the Israelites made in Mixpah, that Iudg. 21. 1. none of them should giue their daughters to marry with the Benia­minnites, if the law of God had de­barred tribes from mixtures before.

Vpon this warrant therefore Eli­sabet must be held a branch from Iu­dah, Elizabet was from Iud [...], and not Mary from Leui. and not the blessed Marie to bee a bud from Leui: whose parents were all of them knowne to be from Z [...]rubbabel, Dauid, and Iudah by the Rabbins owne testimonies.

And albeit that Tribes matched into Tribes, and Iudahs many times into that of Leuies, yet so distinctly hath the holy Ghost separated Iudah from Leui, in the catalogue of Christ, that of those mothers, whereof hee [Page 156] came and tooke flesh, none are re­corded to come from Leui, nor in­deed from any other tribe knowne of, then from Iudahs. Excepting Thamar, Rahab and Ruth, who were of Canaan and Moab.

And they by diuine prouidence into Iudahs Tribe were conioyned, that so by them the Gentiles might haue interest with the Iewes in the Humanity of Christ, who is the spiri­tuall Temple, as they had been inte­rested in the materiall Temple, whose foundation was laid in the threshing floore of Ornan the Iebu­site a Canaanite. 2. Chron. 3. 1.

The Scepter and Censer thus be­ing seuerally seperated, that Christ from Iudah might bee certainely knowne; his immediat parents are accordingly recorded from Dauid and Bethlehem, the one of them in expresse words by the Euangelist; and the other so acknowledged by the Iewes themselues; and lastly, the Apostle so confirmes it, when hee saith, that hee of whom these things are spoken, appertained to another Heb. 7. 13. [Page 157] tribe, whereof no man serued at the Altar Neither did the Pharisees, who daily waited occasions against Christ, euer cauill at his kindred or trib [...], otherwise then calling him the sonne of a Carpenter, a Seducer, and Matth. 11. 19. a friend to publicans and sinners.

But to satisfie Suidas, and such as think that by his grand-mothers line he might supply the office of a Leuite in the Temple, let vs heare what Ram­bam Rambam a conuerted Iew vnto Christia­nitie. writeth concerning their Cu­stomes, who recordeth the Canons that the Iewes obserued in their Sy­nagogues thus: 1. Onely a The Cu­stomes of the Jewes recorded in their Ca­nons. Leuite must offer the Sacrifice. 2. But any of Is­rael might expound the law. 3. The ex­pounder must be an eminent man, and of great estimation. 4. He that expounded, might not leane vpon any pillar, deske, or board. 5. Neither must any reade, vntill the Master of the Sinagogue had com­manded him. 6. He that was to reade, was to open the booke, to reade the text, and to roule vp the booke againe. These obseruances done, the people with silence attended the exposition; vp­on which customes doubtlesse, Saint [Page 158] Iames spake, when hee said, Acts 15. 21. that Moses of old time had in euery city them that preached him, being read in the Si­nagogue euery Sabbath day. And ac­cording to that custome Saint Luke recordeth the actions of our Sauiour in these words:

Luke 4. 16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought vp, and as his cu­stome was he went into the Sinagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood vp for to reade. And there was deliuered vnto him the booke of the Prophet Esaias: and when he had opened the book he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me, because hee hath annointed me to preach the Gospell to the poore, he hath sent me to heale the broken hearted, to preach deliuerance to the cap­tiues, and recouering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are brused. To preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord. And he closed the booke, and he gaue it a­gaine to the Minister, and sate downe: and the [...]yes of all them that were in the Sina­gogue were fastned on him. And he be­gan to say vnto them; This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares. And all [Page 159] bare him witnesse, and wondred at the gracio [...] words which proceeded out of his mouth: And said, is not this Iosephs sonne?

Note here how many things of the Hebrewes traditions our Lord then obserued; he stood vp to reade; the booke was deliuered to him; he opened the booke, and found the place; hee closed the book; and the eyes of all that were in the Sinagogue Christ ac­cording to the Canons, read in the Synagogue, as any Is­raelite might reade. were fastned on him. Thus wee see by many circumstances that our Lord read, as any of Israel might, as well as Leui. So Paul and Barnabas, the one doubtlesse of Beniamin, though the other were of Leui, both at Antioch, and neither of them knowne for Apostolike calling, were desired by the Acts 13. 15. Rulers of the Syna­gogue to speake words of exhortation after the reading of the Law.

If Suidas then had obserued this text, or had knowne this practise in the Iewes Sinagogue, he would neuer haue thought that a man by the line of his mother, might bee accounted a Leuite, or by that right, vse the functi­on [Page 160] on of a Priest. And whether Hismeria the mother of Elisabet, that bare the Baptist, and Anna the mother of the blessed Uirgin, that bare Christ, were Sisters; and both of them the daugh­ters of Issachar a Leuite, (as Ranul­phus C [...] ­strensis in Polychro. lib. 3. c. 44. some af­firme) is not canonicall and therfore I hold it no Article of faith.

For Christ, that was to fulfill all righteousnesse, so came, and carried himselfe in his office and actions, as in that searching age Iohn 14. 30. the Prince of the world could finde nothing amisse in him; and the seuere punishments shewed vpon them, that assaied to beare both the Scepter and Censer in one hand, might haue staied their pennes, that make this Prince of Iu­dah to be a sacrificer from Leui.

For see we not the death of 2. Sa. 6. 6 Uz­zah, only for touching the Arke; and the leprosie of 2. Chro. 26. 19. Vzziah for attemp­ting to burne incense; both of them of Iudah, and not consecrated to mi­nister before the Lord, as they of Aaron were. And contrariwise, when the Ioseph. Antiquit. lib. 13. & 14. & 15. Leuites Machabees lastly vsurped the Scepter of Iudah, and set [Page 161] his Crowne vpon their owne mitred heads; they not onely made way by emulations and slaughters each of others, vnto an Ioseph. bel. Iud. lib. 1. ca. 15 Idumean Herod, to obtaine the Kingdome; but also be­came Saduces themselues in Religi­on, which Ioseph. Antiquit. lib. 18. cap. 2. Sect [...] [...]he Resur­rectio [...] of the b [...]y▪ [...] that the soules of men perished w [...]h their bodies, and that there was neither Act. 23. 8 Angell nor Spirit.

But that Christ was a Priest, wee denie not; yea, our great high Priest, which 1. Iohn made a reconciliation for the sinnes of the whole world, we acknow­ledge him; yet after another order then Aarons was, and of another Tribe, then that of Leui, euen of the Tribe of Iudah, and order of Heb. 7. Mel­chisedeck: for it is euident, saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes; that our Lord sprang out of Iudah, concerning which Tribe Heb. 7. 14. Moses spake nothing tou­ching the Priesthood: In which his of­fice hee continueth a Priest for euer, and in whom likewise the gouerne­ment of his peace was prefigured: so as in his person alone is accom­plished [Page 162] the attributes that Isaiah & Dauid giue, the one prophecying of his Priesthood, and the other of his Kingdome thus:

Touching his Priest-hood, saith Isaiah; Esay 61. 1 The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me, because hee hath annointed mee to preach good tydings to the meeke, he hath sent me to bind vp the broken hearted, to proclaime liberty to the Captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. And of his Kingdome, saith Dauid; Ps 45. 6. Thy throne O God, is for euer and euer: the Scepter of thy Kingdome is a right Scepter; thou louest righteous­nesse, and hatest wickednesse: Therefore God▪ thy God, hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes: Lord seale them both by thy Spirit in our hearts, that with thee wee may raigne Apo. 1. 6 Kings and Priests, as himselfe the true witnesse, hath promised.

CHAP. VIII.

WHen Dauid was fully established vpon his Throne, had brought vp the Arke to the prepared Taberna­cle, and intended to haue built that more faire and con­uenient: this message was brought him by the Prophet Nathan from the Lotd.

1. Chro. 22. 8. Thou shalt not build a house for me to dwell in; for thou hast shed much blood, and hast made great warres. But when Dauid for­bidden to build Gods Temple. thy dayes shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers: I will set vp thy [Page 164] seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy Bowels: Hee shall build an house for my name; and I will establish the throne of his Kingdome for euer. 2. Sam. 7. 14. I will be his father, and hee shall be my sonne; if hee sinne, I will chasten him with the rodde of men, and with the stripes of the chil­dren of men: but my mercy shall not de­part away from him, as I tooke it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

And albeit this house and King­dome Christ the spir [...]tuall Temple. in their spirituall meaning, were built, and established in, and by Christ; yet litterally they were performed in Salomon, whose works were so glorious, and peace so fa­mous, as they were figures of the true substances following.

But that Salomon sinned, is mani­fested He had 700. wiues, and 300. concubines. by his story: for his 1. King. 11. 3. wiues turned away his heart after other gods; when hee suffered the worshipping of Ashteroth the Goddesse of the Zido­nians, Milcom, the abomination of the Amorites, Chemo [...]h, the Idoll of Moab, and Molech the Diuel of the children of Ammon. For which cause God did chastise him, by the rebellions of [Page 165] 1. King. 11. 14. Hadad the Edomite, of 1. King. 11. 23. Rezon King of Damascus, and of his seruant 1. King. 12. 16. Ieroboam, that rent his Kingdome after him, and carried away ten Tribes.

These in part were the Rods in Gods hand, that corrected his offen­ces, but his 2. Sam. 7. 15. mercy hee tooke not from him, as he had promised; whose sal­uation, notwithstanding these his Salomon saued, not­withstan­ding his great sins. great sinnes, is confirmed by these many, and more testimonies of Scriptures: He loued the Lord: 1 King. 3: 3: and is likewise called, the Lords beloued: Nehe. 13. 26. His Iedidiah: 2 Sam. 12. 25. He pleased the Lord: 1 Kings [...]. 10. was a true Prophet: 1 Kings 8. 48. a figure of Christ: Luke 11. 31. and a repentant King, as his Booke Ecclesiastes sufficiently sheweth.

His sonnes after him for the most Salomons posteritie extremely wicked. part were extreamely wicked; for of nineteene Kings of Iudahs throne, from his loynes descended, twelue are noted to bee extreamely impi­ous, who often prouoked, and last­ly procured, the vtter subuersion [Page 166] of that glorious Kingdome, which whilst it stood, was the glory of the earth, and a figure of the Celestiall that is to come. The want of issue then which failed in Ieconiah, was the Rod of Salomons line, wherewith God scourged him and his King­dome: and how that fell out, let vs see the seuerall rents that therein were made.

The first rent of Salomons King­dome, may bee said to beginne in his owne life time, when Ahijah the Shilonite rent the new garment that 1. Kings 12. 30. Ieroboam wore into twelue peeces, re­taining onely two, and deliuered him tenne: by which was signified, the tenne Tribes that God would take from Salomons Throne and Son, Salomons kingdome rent by his seruant. and giue them vnto this Ephrathite, the Sonne of Nebat.

Who no sooner was made King, but that he set vp two golden Calues, the one at Dan, and the other at Be­thel, for his people to worship; lest in returning to Ierusalem, 1. Kings 12. 27. their harts should returne to the Lord, and their subiection vnto Rehoboam. With this [Page 167] his sinne all the Kings of Israel were All the Kings of Israel in­fected with Ierobo­ams sins. August. in ciui. Dei l. 17. cap. 23 polluted, onely Shallum, and Ho­sheah excepted; for with that sinne they are not charged, though other­wise they were as wicked as the rest. And this was the cause that moued the Prophet Hosheah to say; Hosea 8. 3▪ Thy Calfe, O Samaria hath cast thee off.

Another rent was threatned to The second rent of Sa­mons kingdome. Salomons issue and Kingdome, when his house ioyned with Om [...]ies in Io­ram, the sonne of Iehoshaphat, King of Iudah; and in 2. Chro. 21. 6. Athalia, the daugh­ter of Ahab, King of Israel.

For Ahabs whole house (that is, both male and female) must 2. King. 9. 8. vtter­ly perish, according to the threats of the Lord by Elijah the Prophet: 1. King. 21. 21. Behold (saith he) I will bring euill v­pon thee; and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab, him that pis­seth against the wall, as well him that is shut vp as him that is left in Israel. And I will make thy house 1. King. 15. 29. like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahiiah, for the prouocations wherewith thou hast [Page 168] prouoked, and made Israel to sinne. The dogges shall eate him of Ahabs stocke that dieth in the City, and hee that dieth in the fields, shall the Fowles of the ayre eate.

And that the whole houses of Ie­roboam, and of Baasha, were both of them extinct, and their remnant 1. King. 14. 10. swept away as dung from the dung-hill, and all gone; is most apparant by the holy Text: and so must the whole house of Ahab be, hauing the like threats of destructiō from the same Spirit that did not repent: which presently beganne in Ahab, and Ie­zebel themselues.

Hee wounded to death 2. King. 22. 34. at Ra­math Gilead, by the King of Syria: and shee throwne out of her win­dow, 2 King. 9. 33. was dashed to death in Iez­reel by her Eunuchs: Ahaziah their first sonne, was 2. King. 1. 2. brused to death by a fall through his lettice window in Samariah: And Ioram their se­cond, with all his brethren 2 King. 10. 11. the sons of Ahab, and his Kinsmen, were all slaine in Iezreel by Iehu, vntill hee left none remaining (saith the Text) [Page 169] of the whole House of Ahab.

And as Gods wrath followed A­hab in his sonnes vnto destruction, so did it in his daughter Athalia, the mother of most of the Kings of Iu­dah, and most of them following her sinnes, were also swept away till they were all gone.

For the three first Kings that suc­ceeded of her descent, were all of them slaine 2. Chro. 22. 9. 2. Chron. 24. 25. 2. Chron. 25. 27. in battell, and in con­spiracy: And Vzziah the fourth, put from the peoples presence, died a leaper. Bad Ahaz distressed by 2. Kin. 16. Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel, made himselfe seruant to Tiglah Pi­leser, King of Ashur, who carried his treasures away vnto Damascus: And good Hezektah was told Esay 39. 6. that his substance and seed (foreshewing his treasures) should be carried cap­tiue vnto Babel.

The blood shed Ier. 15. 4 by Manasseh called (as Abels) for Babylons punish­ments; and Amon 2. Chro. 33. 23. for seruing strange gods, was slaine by his ser­uants. The godly Iosiah was told of captiuity, curse, and destruction of [Page 170] people and place, which yet was deferred all his owne life, because 2. King. 22. 26. his heart melted at the words of the then found Booke of the Law: but his sonnes succeeding soone, pulled those plagues (by his life kept back) vpon themselues and Iu­dahs estate.

For Iehoahaz, the first inthroned, was captiuated 2. Kings 23. 34. by Necho, carried to Aegypt, and there died; and Ie­hoiakim his successor made subiect to 2. King. 24. 1. Nebuchadnezzar, was for his re­bellion slaine, and his carkasse left vnburied to the heate of the day, and the frost of the night. Zedekiah was made blinde, chained, and car­ried to Babel, where he died, the Ci­ty Ierusalem sacked, the Temple ^t burned, the Priests ^u slaine, the peo­ple, pillars, and holy vessels trans­ported to Babylon, and all of them polluted and subiected to the Chal­deans, that bitter, furious, and terri­ble Nation, as by the Prophets they are termed.

For Ioel saith Ioel 1. 6., that their teeth were like the teeth of Lyons, and that they had [Page 171] the iawes of a great Lyon; and Ieremy calles them a mighty and very strong Nation, Ier. 5. 16 whose quiuer was an open se­pulcher. Ezekiel saw the tops Ezek. 17 3. of the Cedars of L [...]banon broken off, and car­ried into the Land of Merchants by the Eagle of Babel: and Daniel Dan. 7. 4 [...] Ba­bels King like a Lyon with wings, being himselfe carried thither captiue, in the first captiuity, with periured Ie­hoiakim.

But the last and greatest rent of Salomons Kingdome was, when the earth was commanded to take knowledge, that his successour and sonne Ieconiah should die childlesse, and that none of his seede should sit vpon Salomons Throne any more, as by Ieremy was proclaimed, and to Iechoniah told: I wil giue thee (saith he) Ier. 22. 25. into the hand of them that seeke thy life, and into the hand of them, whose face thou fearest, euen into the hand of Nebu­chadnezzar, King of Babel, and into the hand of the Chaldeans: And I will cause them to carry thee away, and thy mother that bare thee, into another coun­trey, where ye were not borne, and there [Page 172] shall ye die. But to the I and whereunto they desire to returne, thither they shall not returne. Is not this man Coniah as a despised and broken Idoll, or as a vessell wherein is no pleasure? wherefore they are cast out into a Land which they know not. Thrice is the earth named, to warne at­tention that Ieco­niah should die child­lesse. O Earth, Earth, Earth, heare the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord, write this man childlesse, a man that shall not prosper in his dayes: for no man of his seede shall prosper, to sit vpon the Throne of Dauid, or to beare rule any more in Iudah.

Of whose successor, Crowne, and Kingdome, the Prophet Ezechiel further speaketh, when Nebuchad nezzar (after he had captiuated Ie coniah in Babylon) had set his Vncle Zedekiah vpon Iudahs throne. Ezech. 21. 25. Thou Prince of Israel (saith he) polluted and wicked, whose day is come when iniquity shall haue an end; Thus saith the Lord Thrice is proclaimed the ouer­turning of Salomons Crowne, & reuersing it to another family. God, I will take away the Diademe, and take off the Crowne: this shall be no more the same: I will exalt the humble, and will abase him that is hie. I will ouer­turne, ouerturne, ouerturne it, and it shall be no more, vntill hee come whose right [Page 173] it is, and I will giue it him.

And for the reuersing of that Crowne into another Family, the words of the Prophet Ieremy, and Haggai doe witnesse. The one spea­king thus: Ier. 22. 24. As I liue, saith the Lord, though Coniah the sonne of Iehoia­kim King of Judah, were the signet of my right hand, yet would I plucke thee thence: i [...] not this man Coniah, as a de­spised and broken Idoll? And the other thus, Hagg. 2. 23. In that day, saith the Lord of Hosts, I will take thee O Zerubbabel my seruant, the sonne of Salathiel, saith the Lord, and I will make thee as a Sig­net: for I haue chosen thee saith the Lord of Hosts.

If seuen thunders of wrath should sound the period of any posterity, how could they be lowder or plai­ner, then these vniuersall speeches pronounced against Ieconiah; O Nothing plainer then the speeches of the en­ding of Sa­lomons posteritie. Earth, Earth, Earth, heare the word of the Lord, write this man childlesse: Or the change of state in any Kingdome, then this of Zedekiahs crowne; I will ouerturne, ouerturne, ouerturne it, it shall be no more the same. Or what could [Page 174] be more distinctly said, who should be cast off, then this of Iechoniah by name, a vessell without pleasure: and who chosen Gods Signet, then Zerub­babel, that built the Lords Temple, and brought forth the head Zach. 4. 7 stone thereof with shouts, crying, grace, grace. Let vs then that haue eares to heare, heare what the Spirit hath spoken of Iudahs temporall Crowne; and speaketh of him vnto whom it spiritually belongeth.

Ier. 23. 5. Behold, the dayes come, saith the Lord, I will raise vnto Dauid a righte­ous Branch, and a King shall raigne and prosper, and shall execute iudgement and iustice in the Earth. In his dayes Iudah shall be saued, and Israel shall dwell safe­ly: and this is the name whereby he shall be called; THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESSE.

Which speech of Ieremy is farre milder, then that which was thun­dered out before, and not much vn­like vnto the still voyce that spake to 1. King. 19. 11. Elijah, after the tempest of winde, earth-quake, and fier, had rent the rockes and mountaines in peeces.

[Page 175] This righteous Branch then, must Iudahs Kings from Salomon, had no pro­mise that Christ should come of them, much lesse Israels wicked Kings, as Achab and his wife I [...]za­bel that spirituall fornica­trix. not be brought from Salomons Stem of wicked Kings, nor from the halfe bloud of Achab, by his daughter Athaliah that died in their sinnes, seeing that both roote and branch were cut off in Iechoniah, and all threats of destruction, as well to the house of Israel as Iudah, accom­plished, when the want of issue in him was declared to the World.

But against this proclamation of Ieremy, the Iewes haue their answere; namely, that these words are not meant for a childlesse posterity, but for a Seed that should not inherit the fa­thers possession: for thus Dauid Kimchi comments vpon this Text; Write him childlesse: If Ieconiah had sonnes (saith he) they died in his lifetime; The Rab­bins se [...]ke starting holes to a­uoide the text. if hee had none, then should hee haue none to gouerne: for not Salathiel his sonne, but Zerubbabel his Nephew, ruled in Iudah after him.

And the threats in the Law of a childlesse posterity, they expound in the same sence: for where it is said; Leui [...]. 20. 20. He that lieth with his Ant, or with his bro­thers wife, to vncouer their nakednesse, [Page 176] shall di [...] childlesse. That is meant (say they) that a seede so begot shall not inhe­rit the patrimony: whereas in truth it infor [...]th a farre greater defect.

For [...] in the Hebrew, from the roote [...] is [...] which * In Gen. 15. 2. & Leuit. [...]0. 20. & Leuit. 20. 21. & Ier. 22. 30. word is vsed some times in the old Testament, and signifieth one rooted vp, o [...] one who hath not in himselfe a roote for heires of his owne body. A dee per signification by much, then the want onely of an heire for inheri­tance; as in the answer of Abraham to God is apparant; Ge. 15. 2 Abrahams complaint was the want of is­sue of his body, [...]d not for want of an heire to succeed him. What wilt thou giue me (saith he) seeing [...] goe [...] childlesse? and the Steward of mine house is this Eliezer of Damascus: behold, to me thou hast giuen no seede; and lo, one borne in my house is mine heire. Here it is most manifest, that his speech was a complaint for want of issue from his body, and not for want of an heire, which we see hee had ordained and prouided; and so must [...] in Ie­remy, be taken against Ieconiah, that childlesse man.

And no otherwise can the mali­cious Iewes force it, but by forcing [Page 177] a glosse vpon Gods decree, saying: that Ieconiahs repentanc [...], altered Gods purpose and oath: for in their Gemera or Babylonian Talmud, thus they write; [...] maketh reconciliation for three things spoken of by Ier. 21. 9. Ieremy, Rabbi Iochanan cited by M. Brogh­ton in manuscript the sword, hunger, and plague, which they that abode in the City should suffer: but hee that did yeelde to the Caldeans, should haue his life for a prey. Na [...], saith Rabbi Iochanan; [...] maketh re­conciliation for all things; for though it be written: Write Ieconiah childlesse, yet was it afterwards written, the sonne of Ieconiah was Salathiel, and his sonne Zerubbabel a Signet vpon Gods fin­ger.

Ex [...]od. [...]th. Rambam also in his Treatise of Repentance, bringeth in Ieconiah for an example, who (saith he) was a Sig­net pluckt off, and in Zerubbabell was a Signet placed againe. And Kimchi the Spanish Iew▪ is so farre from hauing him die childlesse, that hee will haue the word Assir in 1. Chro. 3. 17. to be the propper name of a man, & that man Ieconiahs sonne.

But let vs see how Esay 9. 21. Ephraim here­in [Page 178] fighteth against Manasses, and Manasses against Ephraim: for this was a principall point held of the Rabbin a­gainst Rab­bin. ancient Rabbins, that repentance could not put back a decree made with an oath. And the Babylonian Thalmud in Sa­nedrim, expoundeth Assir for an ad­iectiue bound vp, or hard kept, re­straint or prisoner, and not for the proper name of a man. Moreouer, their Sedar olam zuta, affirmeth, that it was but the Rabbins report, that Sala­thiel was the naturall sonne of Ieconiah. And Kimchi, with Salomoh Iarchi, vpon the twelfth of Zacharie, con­fesse, that Nathan there named, was the sonne of Dauid, who should not haue been mentioned as a principal man to Zerubbabel, vnlesse he were of his family.

But as touching, that it could not put backe a decree made by oath; Did that of Zedekiah, and them that were carried away with him, make them the Ier. 24. 8. bad figges that could not bee eaten, any better? Could that of Deut. 3. 26. Moses (notwithstanding his ear­nest prayer, preuaile for his en­trance [Page 179] into Canaan? or the Israelites, whereof no doubt many were re­pentants, to enter the Rest, when God had sworne the contrary? Nay, if Ezek. 14. 20. Noah, Daniel and Iob, should not be heard against Gods decree, of fa­mine, pestilence and sword, shall wee thinke that Ieconiah (whose repen­tance is not read of, and whose cap­tiuitie remained thirty seuen yeeres in Babylon, euen all his life long) could alter Gods oath, as touching posteritie? And yet these misera­ble God alte­reth not his oath. men seeke to continue a succes­sion from this childlesse man.

For Aben Ezra in his preface to Salomons Song, calleth the Messiah, Salomon, because (saith he) hee should be the sonne of Salomon, as from Dauid he is called Ezek. 37. 25. Dauid, the Prince euerla­sting. But had that Rabin conside­red, that no such promises were spo­ken concerning Salomons sonnes, nor that Prince Dauid there named, was named before that Salomons House failed in Ieconiah: hee might haue knowne how Christ had been Salo­mons sonne. His sonne he was indeed, [Page 180] as a King and Successor, but not as a man; as his heire to his crowne, but not of his loynes.

And I could haue wished, that For Au­gustine Marlorat saith, that Assir, Sa­lathiel, Melchi­ram, Ph [...] ­daia, Sen­neser, [...]e­chinas, Ho [...]amia, and Nada­bia, were the sonnes of Ieconi­ah in Mat. 1. 12. The word begeting, in S. Mat­thew, vr­ged some­what too naturally. Christians also had not been so for­ward in following the Rabbins here­in, and in vrging the text of Saint Matthew in Ieconiahs begetting of Sa­lathiel, somewhat too naturally; as Lyra, Lucidus, [...], Messeus, and many others haue done: who leane so waightily vpon the outward phrase of begetting, that the maine prop of Diuinitie is thereby ouer­burdened.

For they by Saint Matthew, and the first booke of Chronicles, would make a line all and naturall succession from Ieconiah to Salathiel▪ as the Rabbins haue done; and would con­tinue Salomons line vnto Ioseph, the husband of the virgin Marie, with­out breach of succession The words of either texts are these, in the Chro­nicles thus; And the sonnes of Ieconi­ah, Assir, Salathiel h [...] sonne 1. Chron. 3. 17. And in Saint Matthew thus; And after they were brought into Ba­bylon, [Page 181] Ieconiah begat Salathiel. Matth. 1. 12.

But if speeches here spoken must be taken in a procreating sense, then was Zedekiah, as well as Salathiel, sonne vnto Ieconiah: for in the first of Chronicles, chap. 3. vers. 16. thus it it standeth; And the sonnes of [...]oakim, Ieconiah his sonne, Zedekiah his sonne. Which Zedekiah in the verse imme­diately before, is said (as truth is) to be the Ier. 37. 1. sonne of Iosiah. But in the se­con [...] of Chronicles hee is called the brother of Ieconiah Chap. [...]6. 10. And yet in the second of the booke of Kings▪ he is said to be the brother of Ieconiah his father▪ 2. Kings 24. 17. So that by these places, h [...] is both vncle, brother▪ and sonne to Ieconiah, and yet all of them t [...]ue, either in nature inheritance, or succession. And if these seeme not strange in him, nor that line, why should Salathiels sonneship bee so naturally vrged in Matthew, whom Saint Luke cleareth to be the Sonne of Neri: and so doth Zachariah in naming Zach. 12. 11. Nathan for a chiefe family of Dauid.

[Page 182] And that Saint Matthew meant The purpose where unto Saint Mat­thew dri­ueth, [...]ust be conside­red. no otherwise of begetting then of heires to Salomons Crowne, appeareth by himselfe, who in recording his successors, followeth neither a na­turall succession, nor an exact descent. For he maketh Ioram to beget Ozi­as, whereas the Chronicles tels vs, that Ozias was the immediat sonne of Amaziah, and was foure descents after Ioram, his great Grandfather, who died 69. yeeres before Ozias was borne.

So likewise he saith, that Iosias begat Ieconias; who notwithstan­ding was his Grand-child, and sonne vnto Iehoiakim, the second sonne of Iosiah.

Whereby we see no naturall suc­cession vrged by the Euangelist, but rather such as makes a Successor, a sonne to the childlesse, or an heire of what consanguinitie soeuer, to bee a sonne to the issulesse possessor. So Iose [...]. An­tiq. lib 2. cap. 5. Deut. 3. 14 Moses was meant the sonne of Pha­raohs daughter. So Iair of Iudah was the sonne of Manasseh. And so 2. Kings 20. 34. Baasha was father vnto Ahab, [Page 183] though sauing the Throne, he was no kin vnto him: for Baashas house en­ded in his sonne Elah. So that ano­ther intent moued Saint Matthew to continue a continuall succession from Ieconiah vnto Salathiel.

And that the Euangelist spake of the heires of the Crowne, and not of the kindreds in bloud, it further ap­peareth, in that he ascendeth by the S. Mat­thew as­cendeth no higher then Abraham, who first had promise of the king­dome. But S. Luke vp to Adam, vnto whom the promise of Christ was made. legall line, through Ioseph, Abiud, Ieco­niah, and Salomon, no higher then vn­to Abraham, who first of the Fathers had promise either of King or King­dome: whereas Saint Luke, our other Fuangelist, in the naturall line, by Ma­rie, Eli, Rhesa, and Nathan, ascendeth vp vnto Adam the first man, to whom the promise was made of Christ his humanitie.

And how from Adam (to omit the other collaterals, that in a­nother kind leade vnto Christ) let vs here insert, that so the whole ge­nerations of his Manhood may ful­ly appeare: so carefully recorded in all former ages by the holy Ghost himselfe: and in the later time con­tinued [Page 184] by the same Spirit of truth in his Instrument Saint Luke our holy Euangelist, vnto his Mother the Vir­gin Marie her selfe.

The first Table endeth at Dauid as the Writer of Ruth doth. And the other from Dauid (by Salomon) to Ie­coniah are recorded, by the books of the Chronicles, & where they end, are againe continued by the same spirit vnto Ioseph the Husband of Marie by the Euangelist Saint Matthew. Both which their descents from Dauid downeward, that the eiemay witnesse, what the purpose of the holy Ghosts pen was in the hands of these Scribes, is here in this ensuing Table expressed to sight so plaine, and for truth so strong, that a man running may reade, and imbrace it with faith. Hab. 2. 2.

• [Page 185]ADAM.
• Seth.
• Enos.
• Cainan.
• Mahalaleel.
• Iared,
• Enoch.
• Methuselah.
• Lamech.
• Noah.
• Sem.
• Arphaxad.
• Salah.
• Eber.
• Peleg.
• Reu.
• Serug.
• Nahor.
• Terah.
• Abram.
• Isaac.
• Iacob.
• Iudah.
• Pharez.
• Hezron.
• Aram.
• Aminadab.
• Naasson.
• Salmon.
• Booz.
• Obed.
• Iesse.

• [Page 186]DAVID.
• Salomon.
• Roboam.
• Abia.
• Asa.
• Josaphat.
• Ioram.
• These with Joakim are omitted by S. Matthew
  • Achaziah.
  • Joash.
  • Amaziah.
• Ozias.
• Ioatham.
• Achaz.
• Ezechias.
• Manasseh.
• Auion.
• Josia [...]
• Ioakim.
• Jeconiah, dying child Jesse, his sonne is,Note: Write this man CONIAM, childlesse Jere. 22.30.
• Salathiel Note: In these two only the Euangelists agree.
• Pedaiah.
• Zerobabel
• Iesu Christ supposed, and by law, is son vnto these, The Saints of the most High, Dan. 7
  • Abiud.
  • Eliakim.
  • Azor.
  • Sadoc.
  • Achim.
  • Elihud.
  • Eliazar.
  • Matthan.
  • Iacob.
• Ioseph the husband of Mary.
• JESVS CHRIST,

• DAVID.
• Nathan.
• Matthathi.
• Menan.
• Melea.
• Eliahim.
• Ionan.
• Joseph.
• Iuda.
• Simeon.
• Leui.
• Matthat.
• Jorim.
• Eliezer.
• Jose.
• Er.
• Elmodan.
• Cosam.
• Addi.
• Melchi.
• Neri.
• Salathiel Note: In these two only the Euangelists agree.
• Pedaiah.
• Zerobabel
• Iesus Christ by nature is Son vnto these The holy Seed, the Substance, Esa.6.
  • Rhesa.
  • Ioanna.
  • Iuda.
  • Joseph.
  • Semel.
  • Matthathias.
  • Maath.
  • Nagge.
  • Essi.
  • Naum.
  • Amos.
  • Matthathias
  • Joseph.
  • Ianna.
  • Melchi.
  • Leui.
  • Matthat.
  • Heli.
• Ioseph the husband of Mary.
• JESVS CHRIST,

CHAP. IX.

SAlomons House ending in Ieconiah, according to the Christ his right to Sa­lomons Crowne is diuersly in­serted. Prophets, and Zerobbabel of Nathans familie made Prince of Iudah, the right that Christ had to Dauids Throne, is diuersly from them, by our holy Euangelists inserted: for Mat. 1. Saint Matthew from Salomon, Ieconiah, Abiud and Ioseph, legally interesteth Iesus vnto Dauids Crowne: but Saint Luke naturally from Marie, Eli, Rhesa, and Nathan, as [...]ndeth to the first man Adam, to shew him the Immanuel according to the promise of God in Paradise: both of them breathing from one and the same spirit, that Christ is Da­uids [Page 188] sonne, and Iudahs King. And with No d [...]sgree­ment be­twixt our Euange [...]sts. the former Prophets agreeing, that in his person alone met al the promi­ses that Go [...] had made for his sonne Christ: and so carrie themselues in making him heire of all; as no dis­cord is heard in their heauenly sounds.

But that the 1. Cor. 14. 32. spirits of the Prophets may be subiect to the Prophets, and the text not forced to a 2. Pet. 1. 20. pr [...]uate inter­pretation; let vs see how Salathiel is brought to be a sonne to Ieconiah by law, and by Saint Matthew; whom Saint Luke mak [...]th to be, by nature, the sonne of Neri: vpon which see­ming disagreement, rests the sup­posed difference betwixt our Euan­gelists.

The affirmation of Saint Mat­thew is, (taking his record out of th [...] first booke of the 1. Chron. 3. 17. Chronicles) that Mat. 1. 12 I [...]coniah begat Salathiel, with this addition annexed, After they were brought into Babylon. In which place, as Ier. 52. 31 Ieremie tels vs, Ieconiah liuing, Ass [...]r a captiue the space of thi [...]tie se­uen yeeres, euen to the last of Nebu­cadnezzar, [Page 189] was in the first of Euil­merodach, King of Babel taken out of prison placed amongst his Princes, and maintained in Kingly estate to the day of h [...] death.

When hauing no issue of his owne body begot, Salathiel his neerest kinsman must needs be his heire, as the law required: for thus by Mo­ses it standeth written; Numb. 27 8. If a man d [...]e and haue no sonne, then yee shall turne his inheritance vnto his daughter; and if he haue no daughter, [...]ee shall giue his inh [...]ritance vnto his brethren; and if hee haue no brethren, ye shall giue h [...] inheri­tance The next of kin must inherit by the Law. vnto his fathers brethren; and if his father haue no brethren, [...]e shall giu [...] his inheritance vnto h [...]s kinsman, that is next to him of his family: and this shall be vnto the children of [...]srael a statu [...]e of i [...]dgement.

In this state then stoo [...] Ieconiah, without son, without daughter, with­out brother, without vncle, or fathers brother: & [...] by [...] was pro claimed a childles man. When, accor­ding to the prescript of the law, Sala­thiel his neerest kinsman was declared [Page 190] successor, and in that sense is hee cal­led his sonne, who was by nature the sonne of Neri, as Saint Luke in recor­ding the naturall line hath laid downe.

Salathiel thus made a sonne in suc­cession, his owne successor likewise is said to be his sonne: which was Ze­rubbabel his grand-child, the sonne of Pedaiah, as 1. Chron. 3. 19. But the said Pedaiah dying in Babylon before his fathers adoption; and Zerubba­bel Pedaiah omitted in most texts. made Prince ouer the people re­turned, hee is therefore called the sonne of Salathiel: and in the bookes of Ezra, Nehemiah and Haggai, where the gouernment is touched, Pedaiah is euer omitted, and with the like silence, for that cause is o­uerpassed by both the Euangelists. Lyra vp­on Mat. c. 1 Lyra vpon Matthew iudgeth, that his mention was smothered with the roles of Genealogies which Herod consumed, Du Ples­sie in veri. Christ. Re­lig. cap. 29. citing his sayings from Phy­lo. when he burnt all the prince­ly pedegrees of the Kings of Iudah, in­tending thereby to deriue himselfe of some great parentage; as (saith he) by the same combustions, the old Te­stament [Page 191] is silent from Abiud to Ioseph, either for names or actions: onely the bookes of the Macchabees are some stay for stories of those times.

This silence then ouershadowing Abiud and Rhesa, by those names vnknowne in the old Testaments record, are notwithstanding by the learned, iudged to be 1. Chro. 3. 19. Meshullam & Hananiah the sons of Zerubabel ther­in mentioned, whose Genealogies, as now they stand in our Euangelists, The Cata­logues by which Matthew and Luke wrote, sa­ued from Herods flames of destructi­on. escaping the flames of Herods de­struction, were preserued, they thinke, by some faithfull Iew, or else were receiued from God by holy re­uelation, as many other things were at the comming of Christ. Which la­ter opinion liketh some well, who make a symptome betwixt the first age, and this last, thus; As the first Fathers were reuealed by Gods owne ora­cle vnto Moses, without president of writ: so the last Fathers, by the same Spirit, were reuealed vnto the Euange­lists, without any prescrit of record: which notwithstanding seemeth ra­ther a shadow then any shew of truth.

[Page 192] But by what warrant soeuer A sinne in Christians to doubt of that, which the enemies Iewes haue granted. they w [...]ot, this is most certen, that their Records were neuer contra­dicted by any Pharise, Scribe, or Priest, then liuing, who daily wai­ted occasions to impugne their Doctrines: which thing in that age then yeelded vnto by the most malicious Iewes, may not now with out offence be called in question a­mong vs the beleeuing Christians.

And that the sonnes of Zerubba­bell continued a race of posterities, the Rabbins themselues doe auerre; who in their Commentaries (as some haue obserued) auouch that Dauid Aug. Mar orat. vpon Mat. cap. 1. (in case of succession) ordai­ned, if Salomons issue failed then the po­sterity of Nathan, his other son by Ber­sheba should succeed; which in Sala­thiel it did: and those great Doctors, daily expecting their King that should come with such power, vn­doubtedly kept the Du Ples­sie in true Relig. c. 29. Genealogies as carefully for the times following, as they had been diligent obseruers of the families before. But to the purposes of the Euangelists.

[Page 193] Saint Mathew recording the heires of Iudahs Crowne, ascendeth, as is said, no higher then Abraham, vn­to whom the first promise either of King or Kingdome was giuen: for when God meant to make him the glory of men, and had Gen. 17. 8. called him from Vr of the Chaldeans, had shew­ed and giuen him the Land of Cana­an, this further he assured, that his Seede should be in number to the Gen. 15. 5 starres of heauen, and in multitude as the dust Gen. 13. 16. of the earth: and that Kings should pro­ceede out of his loynes, & Sara his wife should bee a mother to kings of people. Now, as in Rom 9. 7 Isaac the seede was called, so in Gen. 49. 10. Iudah the Scepter was esta­blished, which whilst it stood vp­right with God, was the glory of the Earth, and their Temple the very gate of Heauen.

But when all Religion was tur­ned to an outward worship, and Salomons Throne made a Mat. 21. 13. denne of theeues, looke what was done to Iere. 7. 14. Shilo, must be done to Ierusalem: for Christ his Iohn 18. 36. kingdome was not of this world. And therefore vnder Nebu­thadnezzer [Page 194] (the Caldean Daniel 7 Lion) the glory and maiesty thereof fell. From Zerubabell, Gods signet (by the Persian Beare) the right was retained; and the high Saints the Esa 6. 13. holy Seede (the onely substance of the downe-cast gouernment) by the Grecian Leo­pard, and double-king'd Of Syria and Egypt. monster (all fuell for Esay 30. 33. Tophet) were so afflicted, as none were left to stand for the Crowne, saue onely Ioseph a poore Carpenter, and Iesus his supposed Sonne, whilst an Arma­chanus saith, that Christ did worke with his hands vnder Io­seph his father in law, in lib. Defenso­rium Cu­ratorum. Idumean stranger vsurped their rights.

To this purpose then Saint Ma­thew wrote, that the King promised to Abraham, and found of the Wisemen, was IESVS, of Beth-lehem, of Iudah, and Dauid; the sonne of Salomon tou­ching succession, but taking no flesh of his impious successors:

But the drift of S. Luke, our other Euangelist, was to shew that God be­came man in Iesus the Immanuel, accor­ding The purpo­ses and drifts of the two Euan­gelists. to the promise made of him in Paradise, beleeued in, and looked for of all the Fathers, figured in the law, prophecied of by the Prophets, & [Page 195] now in the last time, euen in the Gal. 4. 4. fulnesse of time, was made man of a woman.

The Scriptures are full of a pro­mised How Christ was reuea­led vnto the Prophets. Messiah, and as fully speake that from Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Ia­cob, Iudah, and Dauid hee should come: To Gen. 3. Adam he was promi­sed the Seed of life; to Abraham, the Gē. 15. 4. heire of the Couenant; to Isaac, Gē. 26. 4 the Seede in whom all should bee blessed; to Iacob, the Num. 24 Starre and Scepter of Israel; to Iudah, the Gē. 49. 9 Lion that none might stir vp; and to Dauid, the Psa. 45. 2 Sonne that was fairer then the children of men.

His offices were figured in the per­son of Heb. 7. Melchisedec: of him Moses meant, when he spake of the Deu. 18. 15. Pro­phet, and Iob 19. 25. Iob acknowledged him for his Redeemer; Ioshuah saw him a Ioshua 5 Captaine of the Lords Host; Gideon, the Iudg. 6. 14. Angel that promised deliue­rance; and vnto Samuel, 1. Sam. 3. 21. he reuea­led himselfe: and in all the ensuing Prophets is so cleereiy foreshewed, as the Sun shews no greater bright­nesse in his greatest strength: Vnto whom (saith Peter) 2. Pet. 1. 19. Wee doe well to [Page 196] take heede, as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place, vntill the day dawne, and the day-star arise in our hearts. There­fore let vs heere behold, how God hath reuealed his Christ vnto them, and how they haue reuealed him vn­to vs, the frame of Saluation stan­ding so ioynted, as Heb. 11. 40. they without vs cannot be made perfect.

First then, Isaiah saw him the Em▪ manuel, and Esa. 7. 14 Sonne of a Virgine Efay 53. woun­ded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities, vpon whom the chastise­ment of our peace was laid, and by whose stripes we are healed.

Ieremiah calleth him the Ier. 52. 5. Lord our Righteousnesse, the King that should execute iustice, & the Righteous Branch raised to Dauid.

And Ezekiel tearmes him the Ezek. 34. 23. Shepheard that should feed, and the Prince that should raigne, euen the ser­uant Dauid.

Daniel saw him a Dan. 2. 34. Stone cut with­out hands, a finisher of sins, a Dan. 9. 24. maker of reconciliation, a bringer of euerlasting righteousnesse, and a Sealer vp of vision and prophecie; and expresly nameth [Page 197] him Messiah, Prince most holy.

Hosheah calleth him Hos. 3. 5 Dauid their King, whom Israel should seeke, & should finde his goodnesse in the latter dayes.

Ioel sheweth, That the Io. 2. 23. Spirit in his daies should be powred out vpon all flesh, that their sonnes and their daugh­ters should prophecy, their old men should dreame dreames, and their young men should see visions.

Amos prophecied, that in the daies of this Messiah, the Amos 9. 11. Taber­nacle of Dauid that was falen downe, should bee raised vp, and the Breaches thereof built, as in the daies of old.

Obadiah telles vs that Oba. 1. 21. They who shal be saued, shal come to Mount Zion, & that the Kingdom shall be the Lords.

And Ionas in the Whale, was a signe of Io. 1. 17. Christ in the Graue.

Micah foreshewed whence the Mi. 5. 2. Ruler of Israel shuld come, whose goings forth had beene from the beginning, and from euerlasting.

Nahum bids vs behold vpon the Mountaine Nah. 1. 15. the feet of him that pub­lisheth peace.

Habakkuk telles vs, that Hab. 3. 3 13. Salua­tion [Page 198] came by the Annointed whose glory couereth the Heauens, and the Earth is full of his praise.

Zephaniah saith, that hee Zeph. [...]. 11. shall starue all the I dols of the Earth; and e­uery man shall worship him from his place, euen all the Iles of the Heathen; and with pure language they shall call Chap 3. 9. vpon his Name, and shall serue him with one consent.

Haggai sheweth, that the Hag. 2. 8 10. Lord would fill his last house with greater glo­ry then the first: wherein should be peace; and vnto whom the desire of all Na­tions should come.

Zechariah sheweth Zech. 9. 9 Christs tri­umphs to be poore, riding vpon a Co [...]t, the foale of an Asse: and his chap. 11 12, 13. wages as poore, euen thirty peeces of siluer: a goodly price (saith he) to be valued at by them▪ for him whom they had pierced, and for whom euery family should mourne apart, as one that mourneth for his only Son.

And Malachi the last Prophet, closeth vp the Old Testament for Christ with this saying; Mal. 4. 5 Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet, befor [...] the comming of the great and fearefull [Page 199] day of the Lord. And he shall turne the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, le [...]t I come and smite the earth with c [...]rsing.

And with this Elias the Euange­lists The Euan­gelists begin where Ma­lachi lea­ueth. doe begin the New Testament in the birth of the Baptist, whose office was fore-shewed by the Ange [...] be­fore his birth, that in the spirit and power of Elias he should goe before, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Which in the fifteenth of the Em­perour Tiberius, Pilat, Herod, Philip, and Lysanias being Gouernours, and Luk. 1. 17 Annas & Caiph as high Priests, accor­dingly he did: when in preaching the Baptisme of Repentance, his voyce (from Isaiah) Esay. 40. [...]. cryed in the wildernesse, prepar [...] yee the way of the Lord, make his paths straight: euery valley shall bee fil­led, and euery mountain shall be brought low, the crooked shall bee made straight, and the rough waies shal be made smooth, and al flesh shall see the saluation of God.

And that this Baptist was the Eli­jah Iohn Bap­tist the E­lijah. there meant, Christ himself wit­nesseth, [Page 200] that the Mat. 11. 14. Law and the Pro­phets spake vnto Iohn, and that Iohn was the Elias which was to come. Who more to manifest his function in many things resembled the for­mer Elijah.

Their 1. King. 17. 6. Diets were strange, and both in the Mat. 3. 4. wildernesse; their 2 Kings 18. Gar­ments hairie, and their Mat. 1. 6 Girdles of Lea­ther; their 1. Kin. 18 reprehensions free, with­out respect of Mat. 14. 4. person; and 1. Kings 19. 8. both con firmed by Math. 3. 16. voyce from Heauen.

This Ambassador Iohn then, begin­ning his function at the Baptisme of Christ, declareth him to bee the Iohn 1. 29. Lambe of God, that taketh away the sinnes of the world. Testifying of him­selfe, that he was the forerunner vnto him, that should Baptise them with the Luk. 3. 16. holy Ghost, and with fier.

And with this Lambe of God, Iohn the Euangelist beginneth his Gospell: shewing him to be the Ioh. 1. 1. Word, that was with God in the beginning, by which the World was made, and without which, Christ begā his functiō at his Bap tisme. was made nothing that was made. In it was Life, and the Life was the light of men. This Word (saith he) was made [Page 201] flesh, and dwelt among vs, & we saw the glory thereof, as the glory of the onely be­gotten Sonne of the Father, full of grace and truth.

This Sonne of God, Saint Lukes pen sheweth to be Iesus, the Seed promi­sed in Paradise▪ to the espoused Virgin Eua, and borne at Beth-lehem of the betrothed virgin Mary, according to the Prophets, recording betweeene them, all his naturall Fathers, from Eli to Adam, whom he calleth the Sonne of God. By which tearme Son, through them all, he proueth that Iesus was the Christ of whom Mo­ses wrote, and the Prophets spake.

The purposes therefore of the The recon­ciliation of S. Mat­thew & S. Luke two Euangelists being thus obserued, their reconciliation is easie; namely, that Saint Matthew, following the right that Iesus had by law vnto Salo­mons Crowne, recordeth his title ther­unto from such Kings and persons, as (excepting his legall right of successi­on) he in no wise tooke flesh of, or by nature came: and in that sense of Succession, bringeth Christ to bee the sonne of Salomon. But Saint Luke, [Page 202] purposing to prooue Christ h [...] hu­manity, registreth his naturall descent from euery particular Father, and among them, bringeth him by Na­ture from Nathan, the brother of Sa­lomon.

Saint Matthew by a legall right, bringeth Christ from twelue as wicked Kings as the Earth bare, when they ware Iudahs Crown. But Saint Luke, by his naturall parentage, deriueth him from the Esay 6. 13. holy seed, and Dan. 7. 18. high Saints of God, that should possesse Gods Kingdome for euer.

Saint Matthew, in his legall right of Succession, bringeth Christ from Ie­coniah, that neuer had child, nor a­ny of his seed euer sate vpon Iudahs Throne. But Saint Luke, by his Na­tural fathers deriueth him from Zoro­babell, made the Ruler of Iudah, and Signet vpon Gods finger.

Saint Mathew bringeth Ioseph the sonne of Iacob, to be the lawfull heire of Iudahs Crowne, from Abiud the eldest sonne of Zorobabell. And Saint Luke recordeth Mary the daughter of Heli, to descend from Rhesa, a yonger sonne [Page 203] of Zorobabell, who ioyning in mari­age Of Zoro­babel [...] sons, came both the fa­ther & mo­ther of Christ. with Ioseph, he became the sup­posed (but indeed was) the legall father of Iesus, and Mary was made blessed among women, when her virgins wombe was made blessed, and the Word was incarnate in that sanctified Taber­nacle.

Thus our two Euangelists, vncoue­ring the Arke wherein this Manna was kept, by shewing the Messiah in his Nature and Office, looke face to face, as did the two Exo. 25. 20. Cherubins vpon the Heb. 9. 5 Mercy seate of the holy Oracle, both of them sounding the same thing, that Iesus was the Immanuel: & with their well tuned Apo. 5. 8 Harps (set to the straine of the Patriarks and Prophets) shew Christ to be the Lambe of God slaine, to take away the sinnes of the world; and the Lion of Iudah, Cant 3. 11. crowned with Salomons Crowne: who hath ob­tained a more excellent ministery, then that of the Tabernacle, by how much hee is the Mediator of a better Couenant. Heb. 8. 6.

Great therefore is the 1. Tim. 3 16. mysterie of Saluation, That God was mani­fested [Page 204] in the flesh, iustified in the spirit▪ s [...]ne of Angels, preached to the Gen­tiles, beleeued on in the world, and recei­ued vp into glory. Psal. [...]. 12. Happy are they that beleeue in him: And blessed are they that are not Luke 7. 23. offended in him.

CHAP. X.

HAuing thus by Gods most gracious assi­stance, shewed Christ Iesus to bee the true sonne of Dauid, and from the Euangelists declared his parentage, naturall and in common reputation; it remai­neth now to proue, that the same Iesus, the sonne of the Uirgine, both from Ioseph, and Mary, was the only heire of Dauids terrestiall kingdom [Page 205] of Canaan: and in that right, is euer called King of the Iewes: to manifest which, shall be obserued:

First, That it was an earthly kingdome that was promised to Abraham, and by his seed possessed.

Secondly, That the generall ex­pectation of the Iewes, was set vpon a terrestiall, and powerfull King and Kingdome.

Thridly, That none other by a­ny descent, kindred or estate, had a­ny right, title▪ or claime to the king­dome of Iudah.

Fourthly, That Christ Iesus alone, and none but hee, was the lawfull King of the Iewes, the seed and sonne of Dauid that sits vpon his Throne, for euer. Prepare my heart O Lord, Psal. 45. to indite this good matter, and make my hand the pen of a readie writer, to proclaime that King which is fairer then the children of men.

For the first, That it was an earth­ly Kingdome, wee will begin with the promise made to Abraham, & lay that as the foundation of a ter­restriall, [Page 206] before wee build vpon the mysticall, as Salomon did the mate­rials 1 King. 1. of his Temple, whose beauty was a figure of that which is to come.

The beginning then of this earth­ly kingdome, was, when God began to make Canaan a Kingdome, which was at his calling of Abraham from Mesopotamia, vnto the plaine of mount Moreh, where hee bad him lift vp his eies, and looke North­ward and southward, eastward and west­ward, Gē. 13. 14. and to walke through the breadth and length of the land: All which hee would giue vnto him, and to his seed after him to inherit; with pro­mise, that Kings from his loynes proceeding, should rule and possesse Gē. 17. 8. all the land, from the Riuer of Egypt vnto the great Riuer Euphrates. Here we see the foundation of a terestri­call kingdome laid, whereof Abra­ham had the promise, and his seede after him the possession.

Of whose state and continuance, old Iacob prophecied, that the Scep­ter should not depart from Iudah, nor a Gē 49. 10. [Page 207] law-giuer from betweene his feete, vntill Shilo should come, and vnto him the people should be obedient.

That by the Scepter is meant an earthly gouernment, or a regall authority, both the Septuagint, and the Chalde paraphrase doe auouch; and that Iesus Christ, was the Shiloh from the wombe of the Virgine, the Talm. Se­nad. in cap Rabbins themselues confesse, and the successe sheweth, because at the comming of this Shiloh, or birth of Christ Iesus, the gouernment of Iu­dah M [...]lec. was taken cleane from them, and their Crowne worne by Herod an Idumean stranger.

Vntill which time, the line of the lawfull Kings of the Tribe of Iudah had beene exactly and distinctly re­corded and kept. But in one gene­ration following, were so confoun­ded, scattered and shufled together among other Tribes, and the Tribes each amongst others so mixed, as to this day there is not a Iew knowne De Ples. in verit. Chist. Re­lig. cap. 29 in the world, that can distinctly shew of what tribe he is descended: And their faire Dominions with [Page 208] such desolations ouerrunne, that all hope is lost of any recouery: and for the obedience prophecied vnto him, the preaching of the Gospell, hath gotten that through the world.

It was the faire land that Moses from mount Nebo did behold, that Deut. 32. 49. Ioshuah from mount Hermon, to mount Hor, did conquer; At first diuided among the twelue Tribes, and after established a kingdome vnder Saul, of whom the spirituall could not be intended, neither was it in him figured: And that kingdome pos­sessed, and crowne worne by him, was taken from Beniamin, and giuen to Iudah; and in Dauid setled with promise, that a sonne out of his loynes should sit vpon the throne thereof, and should raigne King for euer and euer, which none euer did or could doe, but onely his Sonne Iesus, the Prince Messiah; to whom be praise for euer and euer: and that he alone is the heire vnto that right, is witnessed by the sacred Texts, and shall be our paines heere to declare.

[Page 209] First then, this terrestriall King­dome was seated (as saith the Pro­phet Ezek. 5. 5.) in the midst of nations; & did containe the Prouinces of Iury, Samaria, and Gallely: the Land of Gilead also without Iordan, was a portion of the twelue Tribes. The Num. 32. 1 whole so rich in earthly blessings, as it is often in Scriptures called, A Land flowing with milke and hony: and so pleasant for situation, as of some it is held, to haue been Adams Pa­radise.

And as the Kingdome was glo­rious, so were many of her Kings, such were Dauid, Salomon, Asa, Io­hoshaphat, and others godly, that ru­led well their owne, and ouer-ruled others; till their successors became godlesse, and prouoked the ruine of both; as when Nebuchadnezzer King of Babell captiuated the Land, and led away Ieconias prisoner, who was the last man that wore that glorious Crown. After whom, the Persians with-held it from Zoro­babel, the most lawful heire thereof. And the Grecians and Syra-Grecians, [Page 210] from Abiud, and his successors, vnto Ioseph the husband of Mary.

These being as foure beasts, tooke this earthly Kingdom, (for the hea­uenly Dan. 7. they could not) from those the high Saints of God, that should pos­sesse a Kingdome for euer and euer, with such desolation of that goodly Land, till lastly the Romans made conquest of all, and placed the Idu­mean Herod vpon Iudahs throne, Gen. 49. where Iacobs prophecy had the full euent. And thus we see no tempo­rall Crowne worne of any of Iudah from the captiuity of Babylon, till Christ Iesus with thornes was crow­ned, shewed, and acknowledged King of the Iewes; the abhomi­nation of desolation, set in the holy place, and the place neuer called holy after Christs death.

And thus much of the earthly Kingdome promised to Abraham; and the first point: the second fol­loweth.

That the expectation of the Iewes, was set vpon an earthly The 2. Obserua­tion. Kingdome, and powerfull King, wee [Page 211] may see by the practise of the com­mon multitude: who hauing fedde vpon the fiue barley Loues, and two small fishes, acknowledged Iesus to bee the Prophet expected, Ioh. 6. 14 but withall presently assaied to haue him their King.

Againe, when he told them, that the sonne of man was come to seeke Luk. 19. 10. and to saue that which was lost, their apprehension was of a tempo­rall restauration of their down-cast estate. The expec­tation of the Iewes, set vpon an earthly Kingdome.

And vpon that opinion the Apo­stles themselues as it seemeth were set, when they demanded whether Act. 1. 6. at that time Christ would restore the Kingdom of Israel. And againe, we trusted that it had been he, that Luk. 24. 21. should haue deliuered Israell.

And to the same purpose were the answeres of the ignorant wo­men of Samaria, Ioh. 4. touching the Messias; and the learned Nicodemus of Gallile Iohn 3. touching mans new birth, both of them aiming as we see on­ly at outward things.

And indeed so generall was the [Page 212] opinion of an earthly and powerful Monarchie, as that euen the com­mon people expected it, and had a A pro­phecy of a potent king prophecy touching the same a­mong them, which was, That a King out of Iury, should Sueton. in vit. Aug. rule the whole world

Which so terrified the Romans (included in that prophecy) as that they denied aide to their supplicant Ptolomie King of Egypt, and so trou­bled The Romās durst not place a King in Egypt. the assembly of the elders in Ierusalem, that their high Priest Cai­aphas, gaue counsell to kill Iesus, lest the Ioh. 11. 49. Romans should come and take a­way their Kingdome, which was none otherwise meant then of the tem­porall.

And a temporall King, and ter­restriall kingdom it was, that Herod Herod feared a temporall King. so feared and sought to retaine, when Christ Math. 2. was sought after, by the stile of King of the Iewes.

And of that earthly kingdome likewise, Pilat gaue Iesus the Ioh 19. 19. title, though to the preiudice of Caesar his Emperour. Neither meant the Scribes and Pharisees more then of the temporall, when themselues ex­pounded [Page 213] Moses without all spiritu­all vse, the cheife Priests so igno­rant, that they knew not whether the Baptisme of Iohn was from Heauen or of men Mat. 21. 25.: nor none of them, how Dauids sonne could be Dauids Luk. 20. 42. Lord: And the Sadduces taught that there was no Resurrection of the body, neither Angell, nor spirit, so farre were they The Saddu ces acknow ledged nei-Angell nor Spirit. from that which is eternall.

Finally, all of them apply euery Text in the Prophets, touching the calling of the Gentiles, of Christ, and The Rab­bins appli­cations. his Kingdome, to be meant of a pow­erfull, terrestriall Monarch & Mo­narchie, and promise themselues conquests attendance, & pleasures, as in another earthly Paradise, all Nations yeelding them seruice and obedience. And now wee come to speake of Christ, his title vnto Iu­dahs Crowne; the third point.

Iesus legally descending from The 3. Obserua­tion. Iechoniah, and lineally from Zoroba­bel, by his ancestor Salathiel, (who was made a sonne to a childlesse man) is borne the next in bloud and Iesus his right to the kingdome. succession, to sit vpon Dauids [Page 214] throne, and by that right is often Iesus his right to the Kingdome. called by each of the Euangelists, King of the Iewes.

For the right of Zorobabel, resting in Ioseph the husband of Mary, and (he dying issulesse) in Mary her selfe; Christ Iesus their Sonne, then must bee heire vnto both, and by Father and Mother haue the iust title to Iu­dahs Crowne.

That Ioseph then in his dayes, was the next successour to Salomons Jesus the next in suc­cession [...]nto Salomon. Throne, is apparant by Saint Mat­thew, in whose Catalogue (without any colaterall) he is brought downe from Salomon, among his successors. And by Saint Luke, is recorded to be of Iudah, of Bethlehem, Luk 2. 4 of the house and lineage of Dauid: vnto which Tribe and person, the Crown was intaled euen by God himselfe: neither was there any before him besides, or with him, that could be No compe­titor w [...]th Ies [...]ss. his competitor in that right; though himselfe was no King, but a poore Carpenter: nor had hee any after him from his lovnes descended, or of his kindred, that could de­barre [Page 215] Iesus to bee his heire.

The opinion therefore of one Eusebius l. 5. cap. 8. Iraeneus and others, is not to be ap­proued, Ieraen. lib. 3 cap. 25. who suppose that Ioseph had children of his owne body begot and wil haue Iames, and Ioses, Iudah, and Simon, to bee the naturall bre­thren of Christ, either by Father, or Mother, or both.

And Heluidius the Heretick, with the Ebionites, vrgeth that Iesus was not the onely sonne of Mary his Mother, because (saith hee) his bre­thren Mat. 13. 55. and sisters are so particular­ly named in the Euangelists.

Others, from the words of the A­postle Saint Paul, Gal. 1. 19 who calleth S. Iames the Lords brother, doe take Iames to bee the brother of Iesus in­deed: and doe iudge him to bee borne vnto Ioseph, by a former wife.

Vnto which conceit Eusebius Euseb. eccle. hist. l. 2. c. 1. see­meth to leane, and Polich. l. 3. c. 44. Iames not the natural brother of Christ. Cestrenfis allea­geth, but not alloweth, for then had Iames the eldest son, both by birth­right and parantage beene King of the Iewes, and the title vsurped and [Page 216] impropper to Iesus, who was but the Legall sonne of Ioseph, by whom the claime came.

For the right resting in Abiud, the eldest of Zorobabels sonnes, must likewise descend to Iosephs eldest sonne, otherwise the Deu. 21. 17. Law debar­reth the claime: and Christ was to accomplish euery iot of the law. And how the law intaled it to his person alone, let vs heare the Euangelists for his title speake: where wee shall finde three Ma­ries Three Ma­ries are mo­thers. recorded to bee Mothers vnto Christ & his Apostles; which were, Mary the Uirgin Mat. 1. 18, Mary surna­med, Mar. 15. 40. Salo [...]e, and Iohn. 19. 25. Mary Cleopas; for other Maries not to this pur­pose, of purpose we omit.

Mary the Virgin and Mother of Christ, neither by Saint Mathew, nor by Saint Luke, hath her Parents ex­presly Why maries parents are not direct­ly set down recorded. For the Euange lists setting downe the Lineage of our Sauiour, they doe not by the line of Mary from whom he tooke flesh, but from Ioseph, by whom hee was to deriue the Kingdome.

[Page 217] Therefore it is consequent that the Euangelists in that point, did principally intend to set forth our Sauiours Kingly right.

That so Christ might bee accoun­ted from the man, and not from the woman, according to the vsuall manner of the Scriptures: for which cause, Ioseph is called the sonne both of Iacob his begetter, and of Eli her Ioseph is called both the son of Iacob and of Eli father, by the mariage of her his daughter.

And that shee was the daughter of Eli, the Rabbins themselues doe acknowledge, and so tearme her; and doe bring her from Dauid, from Rab Haca­nas the son of Nehu­mia. Iudah, and from the Towne Bethle­hem, as the Euangelists haue done Io­seph her husband: neither haue wee The Rab­bins proue what wee desire. Christians euer seene any contra­ry record, and so it must be.

For Christ could not truely be the seed of Dauid, vnlesse Mary (whose seede he was immediatly) were truely the seed of Dauid: But Christ was truely the seed of Dauid; there­fore Mary (whose seed he was im­mediatly) was truly the seed of Dauid.

[Page 218] This Mary then the daughter and sole heire of Eli her father, hath her fathers right in the title of Iu­dah, for so saith the Law, If a Num. 27 man haue no sonne, his daughter shall inhe­rit: And by matching with Ioseph, The Law maketh a woman ca­pable of in­heritance. in whom the right lay from Abiud the eldest of Zorobabels sonnes, af­ter his decease, is also his heire.

For shee being descended from Rhesa, the younger brother, and A­biuds house failing in Ioseph her hus­band, Abiuds house ended [...]n Ioseph. Abiuds inheritance was to descend vnto Rhesa his line, and Mary then of Rhesa, was heire vnto Abiud, for so doth the same law e­stablish; that if a man haue neither sonne nor daughter, as Ioseph had not the neerest of his kindred shall in­herit.

And Mary the neerest by any record, (though many descents pas­sed betwixt) must be the only heire Mary is heire vnto Eli her fa­ther; and Ioseph her husband. of Ioseph her husband, he dying issu­lesse as hee did: and of Eli her Fa­ther, he hauing no other child to in▪ herit. And none suruiunig either Ioseph or Mary in that royall line. [Page 219] Christ Iesus, who was knowne and Iesus his right vnto Iudahs Crowne. reputed to bee the onely sonne of them both, by that double right, and most inst title, is stiled and cal­led King of the Iewes.

Mary surnamed Salome▪ in Marke 15. 40. by In Ar­cano dei Tabula. 18. Mary Sa­lome is not the sister of Ioseph. [...] Flinspachio, in his draughts of the Scriptures Genealo▪ ­gies, is set to be the daughter of Ia­cob, and the sister of Ioseph the Car­penter, but without any proof for his so doing alledged, or warrant of any before him. And so to admit [...]er were to intitle both her selfe & sons, to be next heires vnto Iudahs Crowne.

For Iosephs title standing from Abiud, and dying [...] as he did: had shee beene his sister, and from the same stem, shee then had beene inheretri [...] vnto Ioseph her brother Mary Sa­lome was not heire to vnto Io­seph. deceased; and must haue inioyed his rights, by the same law before alledged. And so her sons, Iames & Iohn, had stood in estate before Ie­sus: and the Euangelists too farre o­uerseene, to annihilate them the next in bloud; and [...]uer to in­title [Page 220] Iesus, King of the Iewes.

But antiquity hath brought this Mary Sa­lome from whom des­cended. Mary Salome, from Anna the mother of the blessed virgin Mary: and how from Anna, let me here insert, from Authors worthy of credit Saint S. Hierō. vpon Saint Mathew. Hierom, and others besides him af­firme, that this Anna had three hus­bands, and by each of them, had a daughter, and each of the daugh­ters An [...]a had three hus­bands, and three daughters. named Mary.

The first Mary say they, was borne by Anna vnto Ioachim or E [...] her first husband, who was of the Tribe of Iadah, & lineage of Dauid Mary the virgin, daughter of Eli. and this his daughter, a wife, and a virgin, was made most blessed in bearing of Christ.

Annaes second husband was Sa­lome, of whom, or from whence is Mary Sa­lome the se­cond daugh ter. no where recorded that I haue seen. Vnto him shee bare the second Ma­ry, for so in the vulgar translation shee is named: but by the later, is called onely Salome, and is as it see­meth, so called from Salome her fa­ther.

This Mary was the wife of Ze­bedee, [Page 221] as is inferred by Saint Mat­thew, Mary Sa­lome the wife of Ze­bedees. chap. 27. 56. where shee is cal­ [...]ed the mother of Zebedees sonnes: and those were Mat. 4. 21. Iohn and Iames, the beloued Apostles of our Lord, who for their zeale were called the Mark. 3. 17. sons This Iohn, writ the A­pocalips. of thunder: and may well bee ac­counted the kins-men of Christ, but [...]o wise interested vnto Dauids Crowne.

The third and last Mary, is cal­ [...]ed Mary Cleopas, being borne vnto Mary Cle­opas the 3. Daughter. Cleopas, the third and last husband of Anna. But of this Maries sur­ [...]ame resteth some doubt: for some [...]o call her from her father & birth, and some from her husband and mariage.

That shee had the surname Cleo­ [...]as, from her father, Saint Hierom, Her sur­name doub­full. and many ancient manuscripts of the Scriptures Genealogies so af­firme: but the text in Iohn, Chap. 19. 25. as it is translated, doth call her the wife of Ioh. 19. 25. Cleopas, and so by consequence, shee should from her husband beare that surname: But whether from father or husband, [Page 222] most certen it is, by the Euangelist Iohn, shee was the sister of Ma­ry Mary Cle­opas, was sister to Mary the virgine. the Virgin, and that by the mo­ther, and not by the father.

And that shee had either beene, or then was, the wife of Alpheus, S. Mary Cleopas was the wife of Alpheus. Mathew doth inferre, Chap. 10. 3. for Alpheus was the father, and she the mother of Mar. 15 40: Iames the lesse, as also of Ioses,. Math. 27. 56. vnto whom Iudah was brother; Luke 6. 16. and Simon is reckoned a brother among them: Mat. 13. 55.

But this Simon the sonne of this Mary, and Bishop of Ierusalem (saith Aegesip­pus. Aegesippus) was of the kindred & lineage of Dauid, for which and for his Christianity, hee was accused vnto Traian the Emperour, and pa­tiently Simon Bi­shop of Ie­rusalem, saffred vn­der Atti­cus. suffered death vnder Atticus the Consull, as likewise many o­thers of Iudahs Tribe for the same occasion of kindred vnder him, and other Emperours did, & had done. So as (it may be obiected) Iesus stood Obiect. not sole heire vnto Dauids Crown, but that this Simon, and others also were interested therein.

[Page 223] But thereunto may be answered, Answ. that albeit these and many others in those daies, also were of Iudahs Tribe, and Dauids kindred, yet that prooueth not they were of the chil­dren, either of Abiud or Rhesa, the sons of Zorobabel, from whō the right is deriued by both the Euange­lists.

Nor were these men Zebedee, and Zebede; Alpheus, Cleopas, vnknowne to be of Iudah. Alpheus, (the husbands of these Maries) nor Cleopas, whether hus­band or sonne, knowne to bee of Dauids line, or of Iudahs Tribe, by any apparancy of text: and there­fore, neither themselues nor sonnes could be heires vnto Dauids throne, and Iudahs Kingdome.

But Christ being the sonne of the first borne Mary, and himselfe the Col. i. 15 first borne of euery Creature, is therefore before any of these Sons or parents in title to the Crowne; the law hauing established Deut. 21 17. the first borne to inherit.

For if in al things he was to haue the Col. i. 18 preheminēce, then most espe­cially in that of Iudahs Crowne, it [Page 224] being reserued for him, vnto Ezek. 21 27. whom it most rightfully belonged, and hee the onely rightfull heire vnto Da­uid, as wee haue said.

Neither had Mary Cleopas, the mother of Iames, Ioses, Iudah and Simon, beene a former wife vnto Io­seph the Carpenter, as consequently shee must, had Ioseph been father to any of these her borne sons.

For it is euident, that shee liued after the death of Ioseph the Car­penter, for with Mary her Iohn 19. 25. sister she beheld Christ vpon the Crosse, wherby is most manifest, that with Mary Cle­opas, could not be wife vnto Io­seph, her sister being aliue. Mary her sister shee could not haue beene a wife vnto Ioseph, nor Ioseph haue beene a iust man (as Saint Ma­thew records him) had hee enioyed two sisters at once, but rather a transgressour of the law which saith, Le. 18. 18 Thou shalt not take a wife with her sister, during her life to vex her.

And that Iames the lesse, the son of this Mary, was the sonne of Al­pheus, Iames the lesse, was not the na­turall bro­ther of Ie­sus. we haue shewed, and how hee and the rest were called the bre­thren of Iesus, wee may soone per­ceiue, [Page 225] if wee consider that the vsu­all custome of the Iewes was, to call not onely any of their kindred brethren, but them also of their Countrey and Tribe, as Moses, did the Act. 7. 26 Striuers; and as they of 1. King. 12 24. Is­raell were brethren to them of Iu­dah: And in that sense did the Iewes call them the brethren of Iesus? when seeing his person, his wisedome, and workes, and know­ing his parents, kindred, and edu­cation in the trade of a poore Car­penter, with great admiration they obiected and said, Mar. 6. 3. Whence hath hee this learning? is not this the Carpen­ter Maries sonne? the brother of Iames and Ioses, and Iudah and Simon? and are not his sisters here with vs?

And Iames the lesse, being the son of Mary, who was the sister Ioh 19. 25. of Ma­ry the Virgin, was then the Cosen­german (as we speake) vnto Iesus, euen his Ants sonne: and from that Iesus and Iames were Cosen-ger­mans. his neere consanguinity, was called the Lords brother; and not from Ioseph by a former wife, as some haue imagined, nor any similituder [Page 226] likenesse, that he had vnto Iesus, as Lyra saith, he was of, both in face * Lyr. an­nota vpon Gal. 1. 19. and lineaments of body.

But much more propperly was Iesus euer taken, and reputed to bee Iesus brought vp vnder Io­seph the space of twenty nine yeeres. the sonne of Ioseph, for that Ioseph was his bringer vp in the trade of a Carpenter, and his maintainer of liuelihood the space of twenty nine yeeres. And hauing no father vp­on earth amonst men, but Ioseph the Carpenter, is therefore commonly called Mat. 13. 55. Ioh. 6. 42. the sonne of Ioseph the Car­penter.

And Ioseph likewise for the fore­said causes, is often reputed, and called the father of Iesus: and so Ioseph is commonly called the father of Iesus. doth Mary her selfe call him, when finding Iesus among the Doctors in the Temple disputing, shee said, Luk. 2. 46. Sonne, why hast thou thus dealt with vs, behold thy Father, and I haue sought thee sorrowing.

And vpon the same ground that Ioseph had no issue of himselfe be­got, is built the Perpetuitie of Ma­ries Maries perpetuall virginity confirmed. Virginity: who being blessed a­boue women, doubtlesse had not [Page 227] been subiect to the curse of barren­nesse, had Ioseph euer knowne her as his wife.

And the childe so begot and [...]er virgi­nity proued by conse­quence. borne, had beene heire to Iudahs Kingdome in the right of the Fa­ther; Iesus being but sonne to the mother (nor shee any wise inter­rested vnto Salomons Crown) whilst Ioseph her husband liued, or any childe from him.

But Ioseph being a iust man, and beleeuing the Angell that told him his wiues conception was by the holy Ghost, forbare to touch by ma­riage Why Io­seph for­bare the bed of ma­trimony. knowledge, that her Virgins blessed wombe, wherein the Sonne of righteousnesse had been incarnate.

For as the outward Eastgate of Eze. 44. 2. Ezekiels glorious Temple, was commanded to stand shut, and no more to bee opened, and no man to enter in by it, because the Lord God of Israell had entred in that way: so that sancti­fied Virgins * blessed body remain­ed See * S. Hi­erom and Lyra vpon Exeliel. chap. 4. vnknowne by man for euer, be­cause the Prince of Princes Christ Iesus her Sonne, had entred the pas­sage [Page 228] vnto his humanity, through that holy gate of his Tabernacle Ma­ry, of all weomen the most blessed.

And as the Exo. 30. 37. Spices confection compounded in the f [...]st Taberna­cle, was onely to bee imployed vp­on, and in the first Tabernacle, where God did make his Couenant with Moses, so the sweete composition Ma [...]ies wombe the holy Taber­nacle. of the eternall deity, with the then assumed hamanity, in the wo [...]b of that Cāt. 2. 1. Ros [...] or Lilly of Zion, was no more to bee attempted in that san­ctified Tabernacle, wherein Gods co­uenant was performed in becom­ming the Immanuel, for the saluation of man; which wrought no doubt in Ioseph the husband a reuerend fo [...] bearance, though He. 13. 4 the bed of mari­age be holy and vndefiled.

These things being so, as by the Scriptures we find them not other­wise; Iesus his title stands firme for Iudahs Crowne; for hee hauing nei­ther Iesus solely heire vnto Dauids Crowne by his double line. brother nor sister, vncle nor kinsman by any descent, either from Abiud, or from Rhesa, any kindred at all; is himselfe then the only imme­ate [Page 229] and next heire vnto them both, both by Ioseph his father, and by Mary his mother: And by that do [...]ble line is by Saint Mathew, and Sai [...]t Luke, deriued from Abraham, Iudah, and Dauid; and by the foure Iesus is twenty eight times stiled and called king of the Iews Euangelists in that his double right, is [...] times foure times record­ded, stiled, and called King of the Iewes.

An [...] thus much of the third point. Now remaineth the last in the ac­knowledgment The 4. Obserua­tion. of that title, to rest onely in the person of Iesus, the ex­pected sonne of Dauid, whose raign doth continue for euer.

The first acknowledgment then of this promised King, was obser­ued by the Gentiles, when by his The Gen­tiles first sought a [...] ­ter Christ. Starre they were led vnto the new­borne Babe, King of the Iewes▪ which was in the forty two yeere of Luk. 2. 2. Au­gustus Caesar, when Cere [...]ius was Gouernour of Syria: and when in Avniuersal Peace, w [...]e Christ was borne. token of a vniuersall peace, the Temple of Ianus stood shut in Roome.

Which peace was so famous, as [Page 230] the mostfamous among the heathen Writers, found matter enough to enlarge their wits vpon: as Virgil in his Virg. Ae­neid. sib. 1. Christs cō ­ming in the flesh, obser­ued by the heathen. Aeneidos, and speech of Iu­piter, doth make him a Prophet, to foreshew the peace, that should be enioyed, when as Mars his Tem­ple should bee neglected, and his hands bound in chaines of brasse. And in his Eclog speeches, of Eclog. 4. an vnspot­ted Maide, a blessed Babe, and of golden daies.

And Marcus Tullius Cicero (as himselfe reporteth) saw in his dreame, A Childe of an en­genius and beautifull countenance, let downe from Heauen by a golden chaine. And In vit. Aug. Sec. 94. Suetonius after him, from Iu­lius Marathus obserued, that euen then, Nature was about to bring forth a King, that should raigne ouer the whole World.

And albeit these men in their flatteries, did appropriate these their speeches, either to the Em­prour Augustus himselfe, or vnto The Scrip­tures con­firmes what the hea­then spake. some of his fauourites, yet Micah tels vs, that in these daies the wea­pons [Page 231] of Warre should be made the instruments of Peace; for saith he, in the last daies Mich. 4. 3, & 4. Swords shall bee broken into mattockes, and speares into Sithes, and that euery one should sit vnder his owne Vine, and vnder his Fig-tree, and none should make them af­fraid.

And Isaiah speaking to the same purpose, particularly applieth it vnto Christ: for (saith he) Esa. 9. 6. The attru­buites of Christ. Vnto vs a Childe is borne; vnto vs a Sonne is giuen, the gouernment is vpon his shoul­der, and his Name is wonderfull, Coun­seller, the mighty God, the euerlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Which Peace was declared to the world by the Angels from Hea­uen, in this last age of the Iewes common wealth, when the Dan. 2. 41. When the gouernmēts fel of which Daniel spake. Daniels prophecy written in Chaldea, was the cause that the Chalde­ans first sought af­ter the king of Iewes. Stone cut without hands, fell vpon Daniels I­mage, that then stood but vpon his toe of Clay.

Euen then and at that time, the wisemen of the East comming from Chaldea (in whose language Daniels vision was writ) followed his Star into Iury, and in Ierusalem inquired [Page 232] for him, that was borne ^x King of Mat. 2. the Iewes.

Which title was acknowledged without any contradiction, & con­firmed by the Priests and Scribes themselues, both in affirming the place of his birth, & in acknowled­ging his office, to be a Ruler in Israel.

And the malicious Iewes to hinder his right to that kingdome, could name none, but Ioh. 19. 15. Caesar a stranger, and that contrary to their own law enioyned by Moses; which said, Deu. 17. 15. Thou shalt not set a strāger, which is not thy brother, to be King ouer thee.

And that Iesus was the acknow­ledged King of the Iewes, these spee­ches and demands of Pilat the Go­uernour doth manifestly shew; Ioh. 19. 14. Be­hold Iesus ac­knowledg­ed to bee king of the Iewes. your King: Will yee that I release vnto you the King of the Iewes? Mar. 15. 9. 12. What shall I doe vnto him whom yee call King of the Iewes? Shall I crucifie your King? and the like.

Yea, and the holy Ghost enforced his own wicked hand, to subscribe his most iust title thus: Ioh. 19. 15. 22. IESVS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE [Page 233] IEVVES, which he wrote in Hebrew, Pilat for­ced to testi­fie the truth. Greeke and Latine, that all might reade, and fixed it ouer his head vpon the Crosse, and that all might see, as himselfe had said, behold your King.

And being admonished, by the Iewes States-men to alter the in scription, as too much derogatory vnto Caesars title, and no lesse then a matter of high treason in himself, answered: What I haue written, I Pilat his resolu­tion of what he had writ. Christ ac­knowled ged himself a King. haue written, euen to the danger of his owne life.

And Christ himselfe that needeth no testimony of men, answered Pi­lat to his question, Ioh. 18. 37. Art thou a King? thou sayest that I am a King: To this end was I borne, and for this cause came I into the World, that I should beare wit­nesse vnto the truth, and euery one that is of the truth, heareth my voyce.

And the same opinion of his kingly title after his resurrection, it seemeth the Iewes in Thessalonica had; when they accused Iason be­fore the Rulers, that against the de­cree of Caesar, hee subborned them [Page 234] that taught, there was no other King, euen one Iesus.

Thus then we conclude, that this Iesus the Sonne of the Virgin, was the Act. 17. 7. expected King of the terrestriall Kingdome; the reall King without a­ny Competitor to that Crowne. And the acknowledged King of the Iews; both by the Gentiles, and by the Iewes themselues.

But because in Dauid and in the rest, there was a figure of a Priestly or spirituall King and Kingdome, as­well as of a reall and earthly. Some haue thought, the figured only (and not the real) did belong vnto Christ, for that himselfe disclaimed all re­gall authority vpon earth.

But if we well consider that he a­lone is the Apo. [...]. 8. Alpha, and Omega Rom. 11 36., Christ is heire of al. through whom, and for whom, all that is writ, was writ; & in whom, all the 2. Cor. 1 20. promises of God, are vea, and Amen: wee must then include as much vnto him the substance, as was propper vnto Abraham, and Christ the substance in nothing in­ferior to his figures. his other figures, else was not Christ the heire of all, and the [Page 235] first among Brethren.

Therefore as we began in Abra­ham for the Terrestriall, let vs like­wise begin in him for the Celestial: who in his daies was both a King, and a Priest, and in them both a true figure of him, his seede that was to come.

That Abraham was a King, his kingly authority, in his leagues o­fensiue, Abraham a King in power. and defensiue, made with the Kings of the Canaanites, doth sufficiently shew: For as a King he bare himselfe among those his con­ [...]ederates, both in the victory, and deuision of the spoiles, gotten and taken at Gen. 14. Sodom in the recouery of his brother Lot.

And a Priest likewise he was, for Abraham a Priest in sacrificing. he built Altars, and sacrificed vnto the Lord; and would haue done his owne sonne Isaac, had not his hand beene stayed by Gen. 22. 11. an Angell from heauen: so that in both, hee was really a King of that earthly Canaan, and personally a Priest in Abraham was both King and Priest. his ministeriall Sacrificings; and in them both, was tipically a true [Page 236] figure of Christ.

To both these functions, Isaac was his heire, Iacob his, and Iudah his; for the three brethren Ruben, Simeon, and Leui, were disinerited both of kingly Priesthood, and Lay Kingdome vpon their Gen. 35. 22. trespasses a­gainst Iacobs bed, and in Gen. 34. 25. Sh [...]chems slaughter.

But the ministeriall setled vpon 1. Chro. 23. 13. Leui Iudah possessed not, for these were seperated when Moses wa [...] the messenger, & Aaron the mouth, to worke and denounce great Exo. 4. 14. plagues vnto Pharoah, and were neuer turned and ioyned againe.

But the state standing in a set­led pollicy in Dauids daies, Daui [...] stood in state both of King an Dauid in state, both a King and a Priest. Priest, from his fathers Abraham, I saac, and Iacob; and was both a kingly Priest, and a priestly King in the land: for the Scepter of Iudah hee bare, whereunto all were obedient▪ and the Leuites of Aaron, he ordered for their [...]. Chro. 14. ▪ seruices in the Temple, (though the ministeriall still lay in Leui.)

[Page 237] So did Salomon in assembling the Salomō in state both of king and priest. Priests, to bring the things of the Tabernacle into the Temple, and [...]. King. 8. 2. in praying for, and blessing the peo­ple.

This kingly authority and priestly dealings, to remooue the defects of Church and commonweale, we see in Ezekiah, by the reforming the land of their Groues, and grauen Ima­ges; Ezekiah in state of a king and priest. and in breaking to peeces the 2. King. 8. 4. Brasen Serpent that Moses had set vp, when the people thereunto bur­ned incense, and committed Ido­latry.

And by the yong king [...]. King. 2 [...]. Iosiah, in his care for the Temple, and conti­nuance of the Passeouer, which hee commanded to be kept. Iosiah in state of king and priest.

And this power of Scepter and Censer, made the whole throne of Dauid, wherein Christ the true sub­stance Christ was the sub [...]ce of these his figures. was to sit for euer, as had beene promised to Dauid of Iudah, that he [...]e 33. 17 should not want one to sway the Scepter, nor Leui a Sacri [...]cer to stand and minister before the Lord for euer, which none could doe, but Iesus the [Page 238] sonne, who liueth blessed for euer and euer.

And that Iesus in these things Christ Iesus the heire in all things vnto these his fore­goers. was heire to Abraham, Isaac and Iacob: to Dauid, Salomon, Ezekiah and Iosiah; and in truth to all the Patriarkes & Promises in the law, is witnessed by the Apostle, who cal­leth him the Heb. 1. 2 Rom. 4. 13 Heire of all things, the Heire of the World.

And in the person of Melchize­dek proueth his function, both of Christ figu­red in Mel chizedeck. King and Priest. A King of Peace, without beginning of daies, or ende of time; and a Heb. 7. 3 16. Priest, not made after the Law, but after the power of the endlesse life, that continueth for euer.

Dauids Psa. 110. 1 Lord he is called by Da­uid himselfe, greater then Mat. 12. 42. Salomon in his wisdome and workes: and for zeale to the Lords house, exceeded both Ezekiah and Iosiah, cleansing the Temple of prophane Luk. 19. 45. marchan­dizings, and instituting for the Pas­ouer, the Mark. 14 22. Sacrament of the Lords Supper: and for the Lambe of the Law, (the figure) his owne body (the substance) The Ioh. 1. 29 Lambe of God [Page 239] that taketh away the sinnes of the world: and raigneth after death, Dauids Lord for euer.

But the date of that earthly pol­licy, now neerely expired, Christ The end of Christs com­ming. came not to continue it further, but as a better Ioshuah, to bring the peo­ple into a better rest, then that tran­sitory Canaan was: euen into that kingdom of glory, which was appoin­ted vnto him by his Father, and which himselfe Luk. 22. 29. appointed to his Apostles: where they shuld sit vpon Mat. 19 28. twelue Thrones, and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell. Christs re­fusal of Ma gistracy, no impediment to his au­thority. Why Christ refused Magistracy

And therefore to draw their mindes from the one, and to fix them on the other, he vsed neither worldly pomp, nor worldly power; but refused al offers of magistracy, yet to no preiudice of his right, but rather as impedimēts to his functiō.

For surely had he executed any tē ­porall authority among them, then temporal strength had bin imputed to his spirituall actions, so forward were the people to outward things.

For preuention whereof, wee see [Page 240] all outward meanes failing. His father was a poore Mat. 13. 55. Catpenter, & of small esteeme (read of) among the people: his mother noted by Christ Pa­rents poore. the pen of the Euangelist, to bee of the meanest estate, as appeareth by the offering for her purification, which was but a Luk. 2. 24. paire of Turtle Doues, or two yong Pigions; the obla­tion enioyned for the poorest sort of weomen, as the Law had said: Leuit. 12. 8. If shee bee not able to bring a Lambe, shee shall bring two Turtle Doues, or two yong pigions, vnto the Priest, which Mary did.

And in the person of Iesus him­selfe, all outward appearance were Christs po­uerty. likewise preuented: For his first entertainment was poore, his birth Chamber Luk. 2. 7 a Stable, and his Cradle a Crach, for there was no roome for his Parents in the Inne: The pro­uision for his liuely-hood, were scanter then the world affoorded vnto vnreasonable Creatures, for the Mat. 8. 20. Foxes had holes, and the birds nests, but the Sonne of man, no place to lay his head.

[Page 241] And in the short passage of his kingly triumph, when with con­course he was followed, and with shouts of Luk. 19. 42. Hosanna, saluted King of Israell; his reioycing was teares, with sighes for Ierusalem, that knew Christs tri­umphs was teares. not of that her visitation.

Neither after his death had hee the preheminence (as most of them had) to bee buried in the graues of Christ poore after death their fathers, but was laid in the Mat. 27. 60. Sepulchre of another man, and at a­nother mans charge intombed: such fauours the world affoorded vnto this great king.

And therefore as it hath been of him prophesied, that he Isay. 53. should be a man despised, without forme or beautie, meeke, & lowly, as a Sheep to the slaugh­ter, Christs ap­pearance according to the Pro­phets. a iust and a poore King; so was it expedient that all these parts, in the person of Iesus should bee ful­filled. And so himselfe taught in the way to Emaus, when hee Luk. 24. 27. began at Moses and all the Prophets, and by them proued, that Christ ought so to haue liued, & so to haue suffered as he did.

[Page 242] And therefore the obiection made by Iulian and others, that had Christ beene really king of the Iews, than had he exercised the authority really of King of the Iewes; deserueth no answeare.

For as he was called, and verily Christ caled the son of man, yet had no man to his father. was the Sonne of Man, although he had no immediate father among men vpon the earth: so was he cal­led, and verily was, king of the Iewes, though he vsed no kingly authori­ty among men on the earth.

And why should that be obiect­ed more against Iesus, then against all his Ancestors the high Saints, The ances­tors of Christ kept from the crown, which Christ came not to reco­uer. from Abiud to Ioseph, who by birth, were the vndoubted heires to that Crowne, which notwithstanding was vsurped vpon by the Gentiles, aboue the space of 400. yeeres.

Neither had they any promise, that they should euer recouer that that terrestriall kingdome; but ra­ther, that they should possesse the e­ternall, which Dā. 7. 17 none could take from them.

And that Christ Iesus was King [Page 243] of that Kingdome promised: and that Sonne, that should sit vpon 2. Sam. 7. 16. Da­uids Throne for euer: (which none besides him could euer doe, wee may further proue by his life after death.

For as hee assumed the flesh of Dauid, and in the same flesh was the vndoubted heire of Dauid to the Christ had the title of King of the Iewes in his death. very instant of his death; and in his death also had the same title de­vulged to the open view of all, which hee caried with him to his graue; so after his sleepe (for his death was but a sleepe vnto him) in his person onely it remained as be­fore, and in his person onely shall remaine for euer.

For the same humane body that was borne King of the Iewes, (so cal­led Christ body resuming life, had the same facul­ties as be­fore. and acknowledged) liuing after death; the same humane body (though being also glorified) had the same faculties, preheminence, and prerogatiues of life, and rights thereunto belonging, as be­fore in his body was subsisting.

For death hauing no Act. 2. 24. power to [Page 241] retaine him in the graue, his hu­mane body after his resurrection, was againe verily a humane man among men vpon earth the space of forty daies. In which at sundry times hee was seene both (saith the Apostle) of the Apostles; and at one time, 1. Cor. 15 6. of aboue fiue hundred brethren at once: All of them being faithfull witnes­ses of his presence in the flesh, for The many witnesses of Christs re­resurrecti­on. of the vnfaithfull after his resurrec­tion, hee was neuer seene in his flesh.

And now Dauids Kingdome come to the full period, and Eph. 2. 14. the wall of seperation betweene Iew and Gen­tile puld downe, when the Mat. 27. 51. vaile of the Temple was rent assunder, Christ Iesus then that was heire of of all, before all beginnings, is thenceforth King ouer all, vnto all Christ the accomplish­er of what was fore­told. eternities. For being the Seede, the Shiloh, and the Sonne promised, to sit on Dauids throne for euer: Acccor­dingly came of Abraham, of Iudah, Dauid, & of Mary, in the town Beth­lehem, as the Prophets had tould; [Page 245] and by the title of King of the Iewes, was sought for, acknowledged, and so stiled, as the onely next heire to Salomons Crowne, as we haue shew­ed.

But that earthly Canaan vsurped by Herod, and the Caesars; hee came Christ came not to di­sturb peace. not by strength to recouer, the terme of that tennor so neerely ex­pired; but rather taught that Luk. 20. 25. Caesar should haue Caesars, paid tribute as a subiect, though himselfe the Mat. 17 26. Sonne was free, and would not Ioh. 8. 11 giue iudg­ment of death for Adultery, when it was not lawfull for the Iewes (his nation) to Ioh. 18. 31. put any man to death.

For his comming as the Angell tould Daniel, was to a farre more heauenly intent, namely, to expiat sinne, to abolish Dan. 9. 24. iniquitie, to establish righteonsnesse, to seale vp vision and pro­phecie, and to annoint the most holy: But of the earthly he shewed, that both City and Sanctuary should bee Saint Ste­uen Angel­like, spake the words of an An­gell. destroyed. And so much Sain Ste­phen (whose face shone Angel-like) affirmed vnto the cheife Priest of [Page 246] the Iewes, when he said, that Iesus of Nazareth should destroy that place, and change the Act. 6. 14. ordinances that Moses had giuen them.

Which most manifestly hee did, when his body the true Ioh. 3. 14 Serpent, was lifted vp betwixt Heauen and Earth, to make an Attonment be­twixt Col. 2. 14. heauen and earth: his bloud, as the Lambes sprinkled vpon the Altar of his Crosse, making H [...]. 9. 13 cleane the conscience of the offender: and lastly, his voyce vttering this last Period of people and state, it Ioh. 19. 30. is fi­nished, when ended the Ceremonies and holinesse of the place?

And hauing conquered Sathan, Sinne and the Graue, is entred into his Kingdom of glory, is set in Ma­iesty and power at the right hand of God his Father, and Heb. 1. 13 his enemies made his foot-stoole for euer.

O thou that hast the Key of Da­uid, that openeth and no man shut­teth, open our hearts to beleeue in thee the King of glory, and the Gates of thy Kingdome, that wee may enter in the day of thy Ma­riage, [Page 247] and behold thee our King, crowned Cant. 3. 11. with Salamons Crowne.

CHAP. XI.

HAuing thus shewed some principall vses of the sacred Genea­logies, for Story, for Christ, and for his Kingdom; & there­in haueing vrged no more then the Scriptures inforce: it followeth by order and desired satisfaction, that some-what bee spoken of their for­ced abuses, falling vnder the check of the holy Ghosts pen.

That there are G [...]nealogis endles, which with fables breed questions, Vaine Ge­nealogies. rather then godly edifying, the A­postle she [...]eth: and among foolish [Page 248] 1. Tim. 1 4. Questio [...]s, Contentions, and Wrang­lings about the Law, ranketh Tit. 3. 9. Gene­alogies that are vnprofitable and vaine. And vpon these texts some pre­sume so farre, as they thinke them­selues freed from the search of all Genealogies: and others demand, whether saluation consisteth vpon their pregnant knowledge, or dam­nation vpon the ignorance therein.

That wee are not freed from the search, the commandement of Christ doth inforce, who enioyneth the Ioh. 5. 39 search of the Scriptures, and the The Gene­alogies of the Scrip­tures not forbid. reading of Moses, in whose writ, and whose pen, wee finde all the Patriarks recorded from Adam in Paradise, to Ioshua the Captaine that placed the Tribes in the Land. Genealogi­es recorded through the whole scrip­tures. Whence the writers of the Chroni­cles, of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Ruth, continue their memorials vnto Zorobabel: and thence likewise by the same Spirit, they are recorded to Ioseph and Mary, and euen vnto Christ Iesus himselfe.

That Paul therefore should con­tradict Moses, being brought vp in [Page 249] his lawes Act. 22. 3 at the feete of Gamaliel, S. Paul di [...] not contra­dict Moses and should condeme those for foo­lish, which he maketh the pillars of his stories, may not bee consented vnto; neither that in his Apostle­ship, hee should account the search and knowledge, how Christ was come in the flesh, for vaine: seeing among the many graces of the Iewes, for Rom. 9. 4 Adoption, Glory, Couenants▪ the Law, seruice of God, and the promises, him­selfe she weth, that Christ from those Fathers Rom. 1. 3 came and tooke flesh, vr­ging the doctrine of his humanity in most of his Epistles, and putting his Disciple Timothy in minde, To remember that Iesus Christ was made of the 2. Tim. 2 8. Seede of Dauid.

And that the Scriptures are of an equall esteeme, the Rabbins (in that thing onely commendable) affirme, who hold these words in Genesis, Gē. 10. 6. The sonnes of Cham were Cush and Mizraim, with the like wisedome from God, as these words in Deu­teronomie, Deu. 5. 6. Each text of Scripturs of equall authority. Heare Israel, Iehouah our God, Iehouah is one; being both of them breathed from the same Spirit. [Page 250] And Rambam witnesseth, that Ma­nasses was of old time condemned, because he held, that the Families of Rambam cited by H. Bro. M. S. Ishmael, Esau, and such like, had not the like vse for histories, as the others had; and therefore hee forbade the reading of Moses, as bookes not pen­ned by the wisdome of God.

But how true so euer this accusa­tion is of Manasses, most certen it is, that the Rabbins, and others their like, haue fained many and so false The Rab­bins fei­nings too too grosse. Genealogies, as might very wel moue the Apostle to forbid their abuse.

For vnto our first Parents, the faire foure children to be begotten and borne of Adam and Eue, in the Ioseph. lib 1. cap. 4. first day of their Creation. And in the first world they say that Giants were begotten, by the falne Angels vpon the faire daughters of men. Noah the righteous, they make vn­righteous, in faining him to take to wife Naamah, the daughter of the double wiued Lamech, and sister to Tubalcain: so should that holy Patriarke, not onely sinne with the Gen. 6. 2 Sonnes of God, in choosing a wife of [Page 251] the daughters of men, but the latter world also, should bee replenished from a branch of that cursed roote, Cain.

Dinah the daughter of Iacob, ha­uing Dinah. no husband in the Scriptures record, they Baba. Ba­tra. H. B. in consent placeth Iobs af­flictions at Moses birth. marry to Iob, the great man in the East, though shee was el­der then his afflictions by an hun­dred and seuenty yeeres.

And more obsurdly they marrie her to Simeon her brother, naming her the Canaanit & mother of Saul. Iacob, they faine to haue had a twin daughter borne with euery of his sons, as Adam by them is fained to haue had. And good Thamar that Thamar. got Iudah vnto her bed, they make to be the daughter of Melchisedeck king of Salem, who died ninty seauen yeeres before Iudah was borne.

So likewise Ruth the Moabite, ha­uing Ruth. no father named in Scripture, nor Eglon king of Moab any daugh­ter, Rabbi Iarchi and others, faine Ruth therefore to bee daughter to King Eglon.

Keturah likewise, the second wife Keturah. [Page 252] of Abraham, the Rabbins will haue to be the same Hagar that had b [...] him Ishmael, Saith Po­lycro. lib. 2 c. 11. lest incontinency should be imputed vnto him, for marrying another woman, hauing knowne Hagar before. And from the sonnes of the said Keturah, they bring both Balaam the Gentile Pro­phet, and 1. King. 10 Queene Sheba, that came to heare the wisedome of Salo­mon.

As also doubtlesse from the Rab­bins, the Christians, Origen and Chry­sostom, Balaam. from the said Balaam doe bring the Lege hi­stor. mag. Colonia. wise men, that from the East followed the Starre vnto Christ: and so Dorotheus and Epiphanius, make Ionas the Prophet to bee the Ionas. widowes sonne of Sarepta, whom Elias raised from death.

In like sort, when some great personages are but once named in the Scriptures, they make them to be some other famous men, by o­ther names. So Ethan the Ezrathite, the Author of the 89. Psalme, Kimchi & Iarchi, affirme to be Abraham, be­cause Abraham. that Psalme goeth before [Page 253] the Psalme of Moses the man of God; and because Ezrathite may be translated Orientall.

So 1. King. 4. 31. Chalcol and Darda, whose wisedome Salomon is commended to exceede, they feine to be H. B. in M. S. Moses and Aaron: Elihu the Buzite, to bee Balaam; Ibsan to bee Boos: and Moles. Aaron. Putiel to be Iethro. So likewise the forenamed Rabbins, Kimchi and Iar­chi, Iethro. Vriah. make Uriah mentioned in Esa. 8. 2 E­say, to be the same man that Iere. 26. 23. Ieho­iakim slew, though there were an hundred & twenty yeers betwixt. And Zechariah mentioned in the same Prophet, to be the same Zecha­riah that with Haggai prophecied after the returne from Babylon, be­twixt whom were aboue two hun­dred yeeres.

But the writer of the Booke To­bit, falleth into farre greater sinnes, Zachariah Tobits Raphel made a man. in making an Angell to bee of the seede of man; as hee affirmeth Raphael to acknowledge his kinred from Tob. 5. 12. 13. Azarias and Ananias, men well knowne vnto Tobit; contrary to the Doctrin of the whole Scrip­tures, [Page 254] which teach, that Christ Iesus, the great Archangel, Heb. 2. 6. tooke onely mans nature vpon him; and that the Luk. 24. 39. Angels haue neither flesh nor bones, but are ministring Spirits, to attend his Elect.

Which blasphemie, the blasphe­mous Rabbins further teach, in affir­ming, that there should come two Rab. Mo­ses vpon Iudges, cited by De [...]lessio in true Reli. chap. 30. The Turkes Alcaron. A dange­rous positi­on. Christs, the one of Dauid, and the other of Ioseph: vpon which ground they build, who say, that Hee whom the Iewes crucified, was not the same man that had beene borne of the virgin Mary; but another in his similitude and likenesse.

In the contrary extreamity, I would to God Christians had not offended, in denying Christ to bee the Messiah mentioned in Daniel the ninth, a text most pregnant, shewing his office of Redemption, in abolish­ing Sinne, and the effecacie of his Death, in ending Sacrifice and obla­tion in the place once holy.

For whereas the Angell Gabriel in the first yeere of Cyrus, and last of Babels seuentie, was sent vnto [Page 255] Dan. 9. 24 Daniel to declare the present liber­ty for his people decreed, and to as­sure a future, and fuller by the death of the Messiah determined, after the expiration of seuentie times seuen yeeres: they deny the words to bee meant of Iesus the sonne of Mary, and Daniels text wron­ged. [...]abbinically apply the text to o­ther purposes and persons; whereby a stumbling blocke is laid before the blinde Iewes, and an vnchristianlike testimony left of Christian Iuda­ [...]sme. For more to shew contētion, [...]hen truth or Religion, in a booke of that kind, thus it stands writ­ten.

Liuelie in Persian Monarch. pag. 236. Of all the places in the old Testa­ment, touching the comming of Christ, whereof there is great store, that verse [...] Daniel, (meaning the 24. of the ninth Chapter) is most excellent and [...]leere: yet withall, I deny (saith the Author) that by the Name of Messiah in the verses following, Christ our Saui­our A strang as­sertion ve­rily. is vnderstood; for neither the true account of yeeres will suffer it, nor pag. 230 the text of holy Scriptures beare it.

Two strong supporters verily if [Page 256] the foundation be sure; but seeing hee setteth the one vpon the vncer­taine Olympicks, and the other vpon a priuate and vnchristian interpre­tation, wee may safely deny what he doth affirme.

Concerning the first then, or cre­dit of the Olympiads to the disabling of other Chronologies, the iudgment of Marcus varro. tou­ching the certenty of Olympi­ads. In Censueri­nus de die natali. Marcus Varro, the learned Ro­man is brought: who will haue all vncerten before the first Olympiad: for from the beginning of men to the first flood, for the ignorance of things therein happening, he calleth obcure or vnknown. From the first flood to the first Olympi­ad, for the vaine tales contained therein, hee calleth false or fabulous. But from the first Olympiad to his owne age, for the truth and certenty of things therein recorded, he calleth Historicall, proui­ded alwaies by master Liuely, that yee seeke them no higher then Liuelie in his Per­sian. mon. pag. 31. Ip­hitus their restorer.

And these Olympicks, doth that ho­ly tongues reader make the onely computators of the Suns course, in incirculating the earth, for the [Page 257] space of 530. yeeres: and by them doth order that time, which is of most moment in the Scriptures of God.

For by them hee will haue the Angels speech (for the death of Olympiads vainely made the stay of Chronologie Christ) accounted: by them the raignes and yeeres of the Persian Kings, from Cyrus to Alexander numbred; and by them the time from the rebuilding of Ierusalem by [...]he returned, to the finall destructi­on thereof by Titus the Romane, cal­ [...]ulated.

Affirming them to bee of a sure Bulwark for Chronologie, warran­ [...]ed by the pag. 70. mouth of Heauen it self [...]y the Astronomicall eclipses ther­ [...] happening, and the only pag. 82. Key to A verie widemouth of him the speaker. [...]nlocke the shut and hid meaning [...]f Daniels oracles, without which pag. 36. [...]y Scriptures alone (saith hee) can [...]euer be opened: whereunto wee [...]nswere. Varro ne­uer read Moses as it seemeth, else would he not haue said as hee did.

That Varro was a heathen, and [...]ad not read Moses, who seeth not? whose writings notwithstanding were extant of things done from [Page 258] the first Creation, vnto the entrance into Canaan, nor the sacred Histo­ries from his death, by others con­tinued vnto Nebuchadnezzar the great King (else would hee not haue made these times obscure, that are most plaine, nor that the plainest, which is most ob­scure.

And if wee shall throughly exa­mine those his so highly commen­ded The one halfe of them are fabulous, as Du. Ples­sie. from Diodorus hath obser­ued. Olimpicks either of beginning continuance, restoration or agree­ments; wee shall finde them to be but a Babel of confusions, an [...] the truth of time by them as har [...] to be trased, as Pro. 30. 19. is the way of a Sh [...] in the waues of the Sea, or the flight [...] an Eagle in the ayre, the tract of neither can neither be followed nor found.

For their beginning is but roue [...] at, from Hercules that aimeless [...] marke: their neglect remained t [...] Olimpiads vncerten of beginning. the daies of Licurgus, the tenth from the founder, their restoration was by Iphitus of Elis (but set th [...] centers in the circles of these time [...] [Page 259] where yee can find them) and their celebration superstitiously begun in honour of the Idoll of Iupiter Olym­pius; and againe, restored to cease [...] contagious pestilence, (if not to [...]fect the world with their pestife­ [...]ous accounts)

Their counsellour was Appollo, Olimpiads why begun, and their reward. [...]e instrument of Sathan; there prise [...]as a Garland of a Spiders Webbe, [...]ouen in the boughes of a wilde [...]liue and fruitlesse tree; and their [...]ownes the crowne of vaine-glory, [...]nd not that of immortality, for [...]hich the Apostle councelleth the Corinthians to striue) may well bee [...]mpared to the houses of Iob 8. i4 Spiders, in 1 Cor. 9 25., wherein was no confidence, and to [...]e Isa. 59 9 Webbes in Isaiah, that made no [...]arments to couer from cold.

Are these gaimes (then the in­ [...]ntion Prophane heathen no fit witnes­ses of Christs death. of Sathan) fit linkes to li­ [...]it an Angels speech and account, [...]r the saddest action that the [...]orld euer saw? and shall more cre­ [...]t bee giuen them for the time of [...]e Suns course in the heauens? then [...]nto the heauenly Oracle of an An­gell [Page 260] from God, for the time of his Sons death on earth.

Or shall those men, whose charge is to teach all Nations that Luk. 10 9 the Kingdome of God is come in his Christ, take their authority for the time of his comming from such hea then recorders as neither knew God, nor were Act. 17. regarded of God, in the time of their ignorance as the A­postle witnesseth?

The Apo. i1. i City and holy Altar (wee see) were measured by the reede that the Angell gaue vnto Iohn, and by the same reede (the direction o [...] God) did Daniel from Dan. 9. 2 Ieremy mea­sure the yeeres of captiuity, and from their expiration was taught by an Angel from God, the time o [...] Diuine Chronology needeth no prophane helps. Christs sufferings, without all help of any secular learning, or accoun [...] of heathenish Olimpicks, but rather by farre more holier bands, tied with the accounts of three mo [...] certen euents, as of seuen seuens, sixt [...] two seuens, and one seuen in the halfe whereof Christ should die.

And whereof Gabriel confesseth [Page 261] that he was sent from God, Da. 9. 22. to teach Daniel the certaine knowledge: and Daniel himselfe acknowledged that [...]he vnderstood the thing, and had Dan. i0. 1 vn­derstanding of the vsion: which was vnlocked vnto him by no key of [...]humāe litterature, but by the Da. 10. 21 Scrip­tures of truth, as the angell affirmed.

Neither Saint Paul the greatest humanist among the Apostles, Act. 22. 3. brought vp at the feete of Gamaleel, and spake 1. Cor. 14. 18. more Languages then all [...]is opposers, euer relied vpon the O­limpicks, or other secular learning, touching the knowledge of Christ and his passion: But contrariwise confessed, that hee had 1. Cor. 15. 3. deliuered vn­to the Corinthians, that which hee had receiued; which was, That Christ died for our sinnes, that he was buried, and The Scrip­tures onely teach Christ to be the Messi­ah. rose the third day: and that hee did according to the Scriptures of God, without other helps of Olimipcks, or secular learning.

And as touching humane littera­ture (that any wise were oposit to the Gospell) hee admonisheth his Disciple Timothy 1. Tim 6. 20. to auoide prophane [Page 262] oppositions of Sciences falsly called, which while some professe, they haue erred con­cerning the Faith.

And commendeth him for his knowledge in the holy 2 Tim. 3. 16. Scriptures, which are able to make him wise, being giuen by inspiration of God, and are suf­ficiently profitable to teach, to improoue, to correct, and to instruct, that the man of God may bee absolute.

And that 2 Pet. 1. 19. Light which Saint Peter willeth vs to guide our steps by, is the sure word of the Prophets: to The diuine Scriptures is the onely light to guide our Faith by. the which (saith he) yee doe well that yee take heede, as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place, vntill the day dawne, and the day-star arise in your hearts.

But that the Olimpicks could bee the Light to leade to that Starre, or to enlighten the sacred stories by their accounts, is so farre from ef­fect, as they rather much darken the Olimpiads falsifie the true Chro­noligie of Scripture. true Chronologie of the one, and con­found the mutuall agreements of the other: nor haue they a­ny assured truth for time in them­selues.

For Phlegon for their beginning [Page 263] in pisus, Pelops, and Hercules, ap­points no time. Pausanias, saith hee; must record, but will not credit them. and Plutarke in the life of Numa, condemneth all gatherings of time from the Olimpiads. And such are The varia­ble begin­nings of the Olimpiads. their disagreements in Thalu [...]s, Ca­stor, Phlegon, Plutarke, Dionisius, and others in assigning their accounts, as the supporters of that tottering foundation, must beare as great a weight (if nor greater) as Ouid. Metam. lib. 2. Atlas is fained to doe, in supporting the world.

To giue an assay then, how their accoūts agree with the holy Scrip­tures of God, wee will but touch two among many, that by them the credit of the rest may be iudged.

Master Liuelie setteth King Cy­rus Liu. pers. mon. pag. 47. and p. 155. in the fiftie fiue Olimpiad: And Titus the Emperour, in the ond hun­dred & twelfth: betwixt whom he accounteth no lesse then six hun­dred twenty nine yeeres and odde moneths: more by one hundred then the Sun euer measured.

But that Cyrus his first, could [Page 264] meete with the Olimpiad 55, the di­uers See D. Wil­lets Hexa­pla in Dan. chap. 9. quest. 36. beginnings of them by diuers men assigned, doth make very doubtfull: for Bibliander doth be­gin them in the thirteenth of Io­tham King of Iudah, and Paulus Phrygio in his twelfth: but Africa­nus, Bullinger, and Functius, set them in the second yeere of Iotham the same King.

Glarean [...], will haue the first O­impiad to be in the fiftieth yeere of Azariah king of Iudah, and Eusebi­us in his forty nine; but Pererius be­gins them in the eight of King A­haz, which is twenty fiue yeeres af­ter. So that the first yeere of Cy­rus The fifty fiue Olym­piad cannot be the first of King Cyrus. (most certenly fixed in the di­uine Chronologie, as the pole is in the North) cannot fit the fifty fiue O­limpiad, for their diuers begin­nings.

The other proofe is taken from the destruction of Ierusalems Temple which Stro. 1. Clemens Alexandrinus saith, happened in the last of the forty seuenth Olimpiad. Now wee know by the holy Text, that the destruc­tion [Page 265] of the Temple was in the 2. King. 25. 8. nineteenth yeere of Nebuchadnez­zer King of Babell, from whence to the end of the captiuity, or first of Cyrus, fiftie one yeeres more were to ensue, to make vp the Ie. 25. 11 seuentie of the captiuity.

But from the last yeere of the forty seuenth Olympiad, to the first of the fifty fiue, are but twenty nine yeeres: whereunto adde nineteene more from Nebuchadnezzers first yeere, in the which the Ier. 25. captiuity began, vnto the Temples destruction in his ninteenth; and yet there will wāt of the seuēty, twenty two yeers to the end of the captiuity. Wherby we see, that the first yeere of Cyrus Cyrus his first yeere cannot be in the fifty fiue Olim­piad. must bee pulled backe, and set in the fiftieth, and not the fifty fiue Olympiad: so far differing are these prophane Olympiads, from the sa­cred Chronologie of the holy text.

That a most certen and exact Chronologie was registred from A­dam the first man, vnto the first yeer of King Ezr. 1. 1. Cyrus, the holy Scriptures plainely declare: and that all that [Page 266] is writ, was writ, to and for Christ Ro. 11. 36., the Apostle doth affirme.

But how shall that fulnesse of time be knowen, for the ending of the Ceremonies by the death of the Mes­siah, (which was then taught to the beloued Daniel, and now much be­hooueth all men to know) if from Cyrus downward, the chaine of Chronologie in Daniels seuens, be bro­ken off, for the space of 144. yeeres, Table Olimpiad. 89. as Liuely doth them in his Olym­picks table.

Where from the fiftie fiue, to the eighty nine Olympiad, (in which, and not before he beginneth to account Daniels weekes) a Vacuety is left for so long a time. Whereas contrari­wise we see that Daniel beganne his Dan 9. 1 v. 20. & 23 Daniels prayer for their deliuerance im­mediately at the expiration of the seuenty yeeres captiuity: and at Prayer was at the expiration of the seuē ­ty yeeres of captiuity, and thēce to Christs death were 77. the beginning of Daniels prayer, the Angell Gabriel was sent from God, to shew him, that the Com­mandement for the deliuerance of the people was come forth; and from that comming forth of the [Page 267] Commandement, to the death of the Messiah seuenty seuens, were determined for a full deliuery from the captiuity of sinne, by the sacri­fice of the Messiah, Christ the Lamb figured in the Law.

And that this Commandement came forth in the first yeere of Cy­rus, the writers of the Chronicles and the booke of Ezra doe plainly de­clare; both of them affirming and saying, that in the 2 Chr. 36 22. first yeere of Cyrus, when the Word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Ieremiah was finished, the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia, and hee made a proclamation through all his kingdome, and also by writing, saying:

Thus saith Ezr. 1. 2. Cyrus King of Persia, all the kingdoms of the earth, hath the Lord God of heauen giuen mee, and hee hath commanded mee to build him a house in Cyrus his decree for the Iewes deliuerāce. Ierusalem, that is in Iudah. Who is a­mong you of all his people, with wbom the Lord his God is? let him goe vp.

And of this commandement made by Cyrus, for the returne of the Iewes, to build their Citie and [Page 268] Temple, the Prophet Isaiah fore­tould aboue an hundred yeeres be­fore Cyrus was borne; for saith he, Isa. 44. 28. He saith to Cyrus, thou art my Shep­heard & he shal performe all my desire: saying to Ierusalem, thou shalt be built▪ and to the Temple, thy foundation shal be surely laid: By which words of the Prophets wee conclude; That not a linke of the sacred chaine of Chronologie, is either bro­ken or opened, betwixt the com­mandement giuen by Cyrus the Lords Shepheard, and the death of Christ the great Shepheard, when hee gaue his Ioh. 10. 11. life for his Flock.

For as time is chained linke vnto linke from Adam to Cyrus; so is it chained linke vnto linke from Cyrus, to the death of Christ by the speech of an Angel, without al helps of the disagreeing Olympicks: who in The Olim­piads can­not let Christ to be Christ. this diuine Chronologie, do but trou­ble the waters of Shiloh, and can be no let for time, but that the Messiah in Daniels text, is Christ Iesus, our Lord and Sauiour.

And therefore let vs measure [Page 269] vnto him the true Temple and Altar, with the Apo. 1. 1 Reed of Gabriel, as Iohn did the Temple and Altar with the Reed of the Angel; and in this case cast out the accoūts of the heathe­nish Olympiads, as Iohn did cast out and not measure the Court, for that was giuen to the Gentiles. And so come we to his other Assertion, which is, that the text of holy Scrip ture in Daniel, will not Liuely in Pers. mon. pag. 203. permit the name Messiah to be referred vnto Christ Iesus our Sauiour.

That Christ Iesus (saith hee) could The second assertion. be the Messiah mentioned in Daniel, the hebrew word, [...] doth not proue, it being an attribute giuen to pag 169 King, Priest, and Prophet, must there be so taken, and not appropriated to any one particular person, which the text will not beare.

So that the word Messiah in Dani­els text, he will haue, not to be meāt of Christ, as it is in Ioh. 1. 41 Iohns Gospel, and in the second Psa. 2. 2. Psalme; but rather a succession of gouernors both Iewes and Romans, that ruled in Ierusa­lem, from the rebuilding thereof by [Page 270] Nehemiah; vntill the finall destru­ction both of Citie and Temple by Titus the Emprour.

And those that referre the word Messiah in that place vnto Christ Ie­sus (saith hee) cannot so doe pag. 201. without Liuelie Persian Monarch. straining or wresting of the text, which they who so vnderstād it are driuen vnto. For as the Chronologie here fitteth not for Messiah to be vnderstood of Christ our Lord, so the very text it selfe is against it.

And therefore, he pag. 170 pitieth that the Message of an holy Angell contai­ning a most excellent prophecy from Gods owne mouth, should be so peruerted I pitie that the vale of Iudaisme is so drawne before a Christians heart. and depraued, as it hath beene by those that picke out that sense.

But is it not a greater pitie, that learning should thus turne edge vp­on Diuinity, to depraue vs of one of the most pregnant prophecy, for Christ his passion reuealed in the The matter is too sad to be thus da­ [...]ied with. whole Scriptures of God? or that this most holy message of the An­gell, should be appropriated onely vnto prophane Gouernours, peo­ple, and place, whose period had [Page 271] beene prophecied, and whose ten­nor was shortly to be determined; rather then vnto him, who by that his foreshewed death, was to bring an estate of euerlasting life, and whose Kingdom should neuer haue end.

Therefore to free the text from any such interpretation, let vs take the consent of all almost, those ma­licious Iewes excepted, that either speake against their owne know­ledge and conscience, or haue the The best learned Rabbins ac­knowledge the Messiah in that text of Daniel. vaile of Moses as yet vndrawne from before their hearts.

But the best approued Docters among them, as Rabbi Saadias, Rab­bi Nahman, and Rabbi Hadarson, ex­pounding that text of Daniel, agree rhat the Messiah there spoken of, is Christ, the very annointed of God: so farre are they from attributing that name to any other besids him, though God hath giuen them the spi rit of slumber, not to insee what themselues say:

And of Christian expositers, wee take the testimony, euen of the ad­uersarie himselfe who saith, that [Page 272] Liu. Pers. Mon. the most part, and best learned of those who haue laboured for the vnderstan­ding of this Prophecy, haue vnderstood pag 201 and 179. the Messiah here spoken of, to bee Iesus Christ. Very good witnesses against a nouell opi­nion.

And how generally true that o­pinion is, and hath beene, the wor­thy instrument of Gods truth, the learned Du. Plessie, in his truenesse of Christian Religion doth testify, where he saith, Du Ples. in tru. of Christian Relig. c. 29. That this text is meant of the Messiah (Christ) is so euident and absolute, that it is a starke shame to de­ny it.

And Lyra our Countryman, a­gainst the resisting Iewes, from the adiunct giuen vnto the Messiah, frameth this argument, Nicho­las Lyra his argumēt for Christ. The Messi­ah in Daniel (saith he) is called Messi­ah Prince, for so the word [...] doth signifie; but none is called Messiah the prince but only Christ; therefore is Christ the very Messiah spoken of in Dvniel.

Neither doth that Prophet speake of many, but of one and the same Messiah, and he to bee slaine to con­firme the Couenant, and to take a­way Sinne, which none did nor [Page 273] could doe, but onely Christ by his death, and therefore Christ is the Messiah there slaine.

And surely the efficacie of his death doth very strongly confirme the same, both in sealing his coue­nant of mercie in each beleeuing heart, through the power of his Gospell, and in ending the Act. 6. 14 cere­monies of the place once holy.

And therefore we conclude, that in this text of Daniel (as Phillip did in Ioh. 2. 45 Iohns) we haue found the Messiah, of whom Moses wrote, and the Prophets spake. And that Christ Iesus alone, vnto whom al the scrip­tures leade), was the onely accom­plisher of that diuine Prophecy, who in halfe the last seuen, that is, after his baptisme; in preaching and in miracles confirmed the Co­uenant for many: and lastly in the end of the last seuen, and yeere of of Iubile by his death & passion, fi­nished wickednesse, restrained sin, reconciled iniquitie, and sealed vp Vision and Prophecie, vnto whō be ascribed our saluation, and his glo­rie [Page 274] for euer. Amen.

But against this opinion of Lyra, Liuelie is confident, and will haue the appellatiue, Gouerner, Captaine, or Prince, to be of no force in argu­ment against his exposition: but ra­ther by the word Nagid it selfe, would proue the contrary, and ma­keth it wholly a supporter of his conceited opinion of a double go­uernment, and no whit to apper­taine vnto Christ the Messiah. For (saith he) the Hebrew word [...] signifying any Ruler or Gouernour, is vsed sometime of Kings, as Saul is called the Gouernour of the Lords inhe­ritance, 1. Samuel 10. 1. Dauid is cal­led the Ruler of Gods people, 2. Sam. 7. 8. And King Hezekiah is called, the Captaine of the Lords people, 2. Kings 20. 5.

And sometime it is giuen to other inferiour Rulers or Gouernours, such as Rehoboam placed in his strong holds, 2. Chron. 11. 11. and Iehosha­phat ouer the House of Iudah, 2. Chro. 19. 11. in all which places the word Nagid is vsed. And therefore (faith [Page 275] he) Liuel. in Pers. Mo. pag. 170. there is no let by the force and sig­nification of the word, but that it may be well referred to the chiefe Ruler of the Iewes commonwealth in Ierusalem, after the building thereof. And to that pur­pose doth applie the word, in his Coment vpon the Come Gouernour.