A Letter to a Friende, touching Mardochai his age;
Which helpeth much to holde the trueth, for that chiefe Prophecie of our saluation in Gabriels Seuenties: which shew, that most exactly 490, yeares after the Angels speach, Christ the most Holy should be killed, to giue life. Dan. 9.23.
The foolishnesse of God is wiser then men.
Imprinted at London by Wil. VVhite, in Cow-lane. 1612.
The Printer to the READER.
THAT the Letter following might better be vnderstood, I requested the Authour, that one speciall Text might be set before it, as hee had translated it. Daniel, 9.24. I heard him affirme, that none, for skill in Hebrew, would blame that Translation: and though many differ, it was not for ignoraunce of the tongue; but by their conceite touching the matter, drawing the words as they iudged of the whole cause. Thus he translated that poynt, which was Gabriels speach; who came to Daniel, praying at the time of the Euening offering, or three of the clocke, or ninth houre by Scripture phrase: (For so he writeth in the letter. at which houre 490. yeares after most exactly, our Lord gaue vp the Ghost, and told, that at the beginning of hisSo the author taught. that euen the faythles Iew Aben Ezra vpon Dan. 9. beginneth the time from the word that came forth at Daniels prayer, and endeth it when Christ is sealed. And that the Iew though he could not cast the times particularly, nor knew Christ to be the most Holy, yet durst not depart from the proprietie of plaine wordes, to peruert the speach of the liuing God; & be wished others that circumspection. Such as begin & end to that effect, may not make here a certaine number, for an vncertaine. Prayer, came foorth the word (or answere from God) which he came to shew, and sayth [Page]thus. Seauentie seauens (of yeares) are cut out, for thy people, and for thy holy Citie; to consume wickednesse, and to abolish sinnes, and to make reconciliation for iniquitie, and to bring righteousnesse euerlasting, and to seale Vision and Prophet, and to shew Christ, the Holy of Holy. Know and marke; from the out-going of the Word, to returne and to build Ierusalem, vnto Christ the Gouernour, shalbe seauen seauens (of yeares,) and sixtie and two seauens: (in th'other) it shall be restored and built, Street and Wall; and troublous shall these times be. In that after the sixtie and two seauens, Christ shall be killed; and not for him selfe: thereupon the Citie and Holy place shall he destroy, the Gouernours owne people to come, & their end shalbe with a Flood: and at the end of Warre, it shall haue a finall iudgement to desolation. But hee shall confirme the Testament for many the last Seauen; when in Halfe that Seauen, hee shall end the Sacrifice and Oblation. Afterwardes, by an Armie abominable, hee shall make a desolation, euen till vtter destruction, and finall iudgement flow vpon the desolate.
And thus much for the Readers preparation, to vnderstand the Epistle following.
To his good friend A. T. of Mardochai his age: a light to Gabriels Seauenties.
YOV desire to know of mee, in what age Mardochai lyued; because you hold his times, to helpe much the truth of Chronicle, whereby sundry Bookes of the holy Prophets may better be vnderstood. Your request is reasonable; because you rightly iudge of the profite arysing by that knowledge: For whereas the chiefe Prophecie in all the old Testament, touching the time of saluation, is obscured, that of Dan. 9.24. and also Dan. 11. Ester, Ezra, Nehemiah, Aggi, Zachary, by reason that men attribute neare 100. yeares more then common likelihood can suffer, or some writers old and late, will graunt to these men after Babel was taken; I meane to Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius Histaspis, and Xerxes. They who hold Assuerus to be Xerxes, (who be the chiefest Patrons of that excessiue time) if it can be shewed that Mardochai was in Captiuitie 63. yeeres, must needes graunt that from Cyrus Some giue Cirus but three yeeres, & that vnder Cambyses 7. to Darius Hystaspis 12. y. as Sedcrolam, and Xerxes bu [...] 10. alnoe: some more, as in Clem. Alex. Cyrus hath y. 30. Cambyses 19. Darius Hystaspis 46. Xerxes 26. Their times before the surprising of Babilon, & viceroigne, might well haue so much as other abridge from this: but from Babylons fal 30 yeere must be their most. surprysing of Babel, to Assuerus end, when yet Mardochai was somewhat actiue: 30. yeeres agreeth more with the common course of life, then 12 [...]. And that being setled, touching yeares thence to Tiberius 18. yeare: Some old Greeke accompt [Page]will very well agree with vs for Daniels Seauens, to make vp 490. yeares. Wherefore your iudgement, carefull to know his times, must be allowed: and endeauour to satisfie your request, must be vsed.
The Scripture wherevpon disputation of late groweth, is this. Ester 2.5. In the Citie of Shushan, there was a certaine Iew whose name was Mordochai, the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Shimei, the sonne of Kish, a man of Jemini,The question herevpon ariseth, whether Mardochai or Kish was of the Captiuity. which had been caryed away from Ierusalem with the Captiuitie that was caried away with Iechoniah king of Iudah, whom Nebuchadnezar king of Babel had caried away; & nourished Hadassa, that is Ester, his Vncles daughter: for she had neither father nor mother; and the Maide was fayre & beautifull to looke on: and after the death of her father & her mother, Mardochai tooke her for his owne Daughter. To this text I thinke good to ioyne immediatly, another touching them, who were captiued with Iechoniah, to shew that not only valient Men, but also Women and Babes, were then caryed captiue: of which Babes, Mardochai might be one. Thus it is written, 2. King. 24.14. And he caryed away all Ierusalem, and all the Princes, and all the strong men of Warre, euen ten thousand into captiuitie, and all the Workemen & cunning men: so none remayned, sauing the poore people of the land. Now if none were left but the Poore of the earth, Noble-women & Children must needes be in the reckoning of the Captiuitie. But let vs returne to the first text Ester 2.5. vpon which Scripture, we must weigh what hath bin thought,Of old time it hath bin holde [...], that Mar [...] was of [...] [...]as cap [...]. and may be. I hold it doubtlesse, that Mardochai by this text, was in the Captiuity. The same held also the most auncient; [Page]that it may appeare, this opinion not to be new, but holden constantly of long time, the Father of TRVETH.
The Greeke additions to Ester, plainely shew, that in auncient time, Mardochai was holden to be of Iechonias captiuitie for thus it is written Ester 11.2. Mardocheus the sonne of Iairus, the sonne of Semei, the sonne of Kish, of the tribe of Beniamin, had a Dreame; a Iew dwelling in the citie of Susis, a Neble man, that bare office in the kings Court, Hee was also one of the Captiuitie which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon brought from Ierusalem with Iechonias. That those Greeke additions be very old, it appeareth by Ios. Ben-gorion, whom Drusius thinketh to be Flanius Iosephus: For Ben-gorion in his Hebrew storie followeth them; and the Greeke Church stifly enough held them. Wherefore, if that age were now aliue, and called to an after reckoning for the Persian continuance, I iudge by Mardochais age, they would willingly cutte off about a hundred yeares, for their ouerreaching Chronicle; and reioyce not a little, to haue Daniels times brought to plainnes. They did not onely of auncient dayes allow of the Greeke additions for Mardochais times;The auncient Greekes by their owne graunt, would shorten much their accompt for the Persians yeares. but in their owne writinges doe the like. Iosephus sayth, that Mardochai had been at Babylon. Clemens sayth, that he was in the Captiuitie. So doth Athanasius in Synopsi in Hester. Codrenus placeth Assuerus in the beginning of Darius, and Cy. Monarchy. Zonarus much followeth Iosephus. Pagnins carefull translation is voyde of doubt, that by it, Mardochai is of Iechonias captiuitie. These mens testimonies against their owne negligent accompt, should seeme to be voyde of partialitie.
The like I may speake of the Latines. Pagnin his skil [Page]in Hebrew, giueth place to none Italian, former nor later. In his translation of Ester, out of doubt Mardochai is a man of Beniamin, which was caried captiue with Iechonias. The French glory of Vatablus, and his iudgement, by our learned Fathers, who put before the Bible his briefe summe touching it, hath been greatly esteemed.Vatablus agreeth With Pagnin, & further speaketh of Kish: Whom he holdeth him to be. Vatablus remoueth the doubt further, sheweth that Kish there is named, to shew Mardochai to come of the Kinges seede. Now where some doubt why obscure Kish father to Saul, rather thē Saul, should be recorded: for them a certaine Hebrew yeeldeth a reason that satisfieth me. As Mardochai taught Ester to hide her kindred: so the other Iewes endeuored to doe,Why Kish rather then Saul is named. and kept the memorie of Mardochais nobilitie rather by Kish, famous amongst them, and obscure to strangers, then by Saul, whō Haman of Ameleck might haue heard of. If any despiseth the Hebrewes reason, let him bring a better. With Pagnin and Vatablus agreeth Arias Montanus: Arius Montanus, & Tremebus translatiōs. whose like if Spaine had bred many, the Pope should haue been closely bitten to the heart. Though he follow the common Chronicle, yet he made conscience of wresting holy Scripture. Tremelius likwise, whose translation giueth place to none (whom I could wish for many speciall poynts, not to be altered by following the Heathen) he translateth the Hebrew so,The common iudgement of Italy, France, Spaine, and Germany. as speaking, that Mardochai was of Iechonias captiuity. This Italy, Fraune, Spayne, & Germany held.
And least any should take aduantage by the relatiue (Which,) to referre it to Kish, & not to Mardochai, they translate the last antecedent before it;Vir, not Viri. that is, (MAN of Beniamin) in a case ioyned to Mardochai, and disceauored from Kish. Two reasons mooued [Page]them to that, (as I thinke): one, because in the Hebrew vpon the word Kish, lyeth a stay of a King-accent, in force and forme like a Comma in Latin.Tipheha the King-accent, vsually distinguisheth. An other was, because a Sentence is ioyned on a Copulatiue; which cannot be remoued from Mardochai, who was caryed captiue, and nourished Ester. Also it seemed to them senseless, to admit in the middest, a long Narration touching Kish, where the speach began of Mardochai, and afterward to make a sodaine steppe againe to Mardochai: and so would I thinke. These who commend vpon Ester, follow the sameLyra. Brentius, Bullinger, and Lauaterus vpon Ester. Lyra, Brentius, Bullinger, Lauaterus. The argument in the Bible translated at Goneuah, before the Booke of Ester, draweth in the same yoke. And on the Latin Ioh. Benedictus. So the French doth, and many more. And whereas expresselyMardochai is named Ezra among them who gaue their names to returne (if occasion best serued so) in the 1. of Cyrus. Mardochai is named amongst them who did, or might returne from Babylon in the first of Cyrus. I see no reason why the many of them who affyrme euen that Mardochai there, to be Esters cosen, should be reiected. I will not soone beleeue, that the prouidence of God would in Scripture so place names, that thousandes of the painfullest and the wisest, should be deceiued, as holding them the same men, when they are other. As Nehemias Ezra 2.2. is holden of the most, to beR. Symeony there vpon Neh. 12.3. The authour of Ezra 4. was watchful to folow the common opinion to make Ezra to be of the captiuitie, as immediate sonne to Saraia [...] killed at the third captiuitie. 52 y. before the. 70. ended. Or Nehemias and Ezra, seuerall treatises are purposed. the same who is Artaxast his Cup-bearer. And Ezra Nehe. 12. comming home in Cyrus first, is holden of the Hebrewes, to be the same who wrote the Booke named so; and liued to the last times of the Persians; and by 4 Ezra 3. may very well be. So no more will I admit two Mardochaies, then I will heere two Nehemiahs and two Ezras, seeing I see no reason why obscure men should be chiefe in catalogue of personages, [Page]and famous men be left vnreckoned, who in open dealing haue the next glory to Zorobabel and Ioshua. But of the other two, Nehemias and Ezra, I may take some other time of a longer Discourse. I will returne to Mardochai. They who hold of the Pope, notwithstanding their errour in giuing the Persians too long a cōtinuance, yet would not in the perticular deale here agaynst their conscience: for their table in Apparatu Bibliorum holdeth Mardochai Esters kinsman, to be of the captiuitie of Iechonias, and also to be the same that is mentioned Ezra. 2.2. So Schubertus, and Lyra, rather hold Mardochai much aboue. 100. yeere, then with Burgensis deny him to be of Iechonias captiuitie. And Iohn Benedictus noteth (from Philo) that he lyued 198. yeeres. Likewise some of our owne countrey, who haue by authoritie written in notes simply enough, gathered frō Codomanus, place Mardochai so, that wel he might be of the captiuitie of Iechoniah. Codomon & his translater simply ouerseene. Notwithstanding that some who haue trauayled more in this kinde, would soone conclude that thereupon they must cut neare 100. yeeres from their owne accompt. The testimony of any against them selues, should haue some force. Bucholcherus bringeth it as a most common opinion, that he liued in the dayes of Euilmerodach and Balsasar.
The Hebrewes are not least regarded for commenting as touching the Story, conteyned in proper speaches of the Prophets. Of them I haue seene twelue seuerall Writers touching Ester: By which all, it may be learned, that the Iewes helde Mardochai to be of Iechonias Captiuitie; as the Talmud in Megillath Ester, two Chaldy Paraphastes. Aben-Ezra, Solomoh-Iarchi: [Page]which are ioyned in Bonbergius Bibles; seauen Commentaries printed in litle Bookes alone. Adde Midras Rabbah, who passing it ouer, as touchng plaine words, in the whole Discourse sheweth what the Authour thought. And seeing the Iewes euer since Mardochais time, yearely in the moneth Adar, celebrate a Feast for the deliuerance by him. It would be too rash to affirme so many thousandes, now 2000. yeares, not to vnderstand his story: but in aWhether Kish or Mardochai should be of the captiuitie. tricke of Grammer, all to be ouerreached. Moreouer, closely they giue a bitter frumpe to some Christians in Sepher Iuchasim in the word Ezra, when they sayne Mardochoi to liue 400. yeares teaching their children thereby, how vnskilfull many of our side are in the story of Scripture:The Iewes floute Christians ignorant of Mardochaies times. for if this be true, that no Male were caryed with Iechonias but fitte then for warre, and vnder the tearmes of, All Ierusalem, 2. Kin, 24. Women and Babes be not conteyned: If also from Zedekias captiuitie the seauentie yeares must begin, and Mardochai liue in the end of the Persians: and if Eusebius times, and Ieromes holde: then by our assertions must Mardochai be holden towardes 400. yeere olde. But iustly is Eusebius blamed of Iohannes Benidictus, and Marianus Soctus. And Ierome may not be cited for them that would haue Mardochai borne in the fourth age after the captiuitie. For Scaliger, and such as leane vpon him, hold that Darius (who buylt the TempleSo S. Jerome thinketh, as do som Hebrewes and G [...]yn. vpon Ag. 17. yere after Cyrus first) was after Mardochai: So that he will of force haue Mardochai neare Cyrus times. And Eusebius may be confuted by himselfe, citing Hellanicus out of Celemens, who writeth thus: Atossa the Queene of the Persians first inuented Epistles.Hillanie us of Atossa. Though Epistles were vsed of [Page]olde, as in Iuda and Israel: Jl. zeta in Bellero phontes. also in Homer II. yet when Heathen skant vsed written recordes, the letters sent by Hester Adossa to 127. Prouinces, might well be the most ancient for famous & fresh memory in Helianicus dayes, whom Thucidides nameth as his former. And herein the antiquitie,Thucidides dyed in the times of Peloponnesas warres. who had followed the games of Olympia, to teach of mans redeemer against expresse word in Daniels ninth, controll themselues, and call times to as short a reckoning, as trueth hereafter much by Heathen accompt wil require. An Hebrew disputeth learnedly,An Hebrewes reason of Esters tymes. to teach vs that Esters stories fell out soone after the captiuitie: because many of rare godlynesse must needes then be amongst them, that God should in sundry places, giue them so great glory. It is not commonly seene, that the age vnafflicted, should be of more godlynesse, then they who before, had felt Gods hand. Ioshuahs elders and their posteritie teach vs so to thinke: likewise Dauids age, & Robeames. Moreouer, the Apostle giueth that company a singuler testimonie, Hebr. 11.24. who by fayth auoyded the edge of the sword. I doubt not, but that of them it is spoken there. Ouer & besides, the prophecie of Ieremy touching the good Figges, may very well haue accomplishment in Mardochai. And Lyra would thinke, that in Mardochaies story, mention is made of Iechonias captiuitie,Lyra vpon Ier. 24. to shew, namely in some, that fauour of God performed, which in the good Figges was shewed. Heere I may for the helpe of the Reader, abridge Ieremies wordes, from Ier. 24. To him God shewed Two basket of Figges: one of good Figges, the other of naughtie Figges. After Iechonias, the Nobles and Artificers of Iudah were caried daptiues: As the good Figges, would [Page]God know those captiues, and bring them home: and as the naughty Figges, would God giue Zedekias and his Princes, for a terrible plague.
Lastly, this I thinke, and hold, that none euer denied Mardochai to be of Iechonias captiuitie, but such asEyther of themselues, or led by others. follow the reckoning of Olympia Games. All this considered, I iudge it will not soone take place, that some would teach this opinion to be new, or vntrue, that Mardochai is sayd to be of the Captiuitie of Iechonias. And this of Mardochai being graunted, my sharpest combaters (I trust) will not deny, but that Daniel might well vnderstand his owne wordes: and the Seauenties, from the houre of their vtteraunce, and first yeare of Darius and Cyrus, in propriety of speach, draw vs vnto the yeare wherein our Lord by death, brought light and life to the world. Thus I thought good, though as fast as my Pen could run, to write my minde touching Mardochai: that you might be better confirmed to hold the trueth of Daniels seauens: the plainnes & propriety whereof, many Christians striue more to make vncertaine, then did the Iewes; whom your selfe heard at Franckfurt and Wormes.
To this I will ioyne a particuler reckonig, agreeable to Daniels Seauens: euen from such as for the whole, agree not wholly with that, which I steadfastly hold to be the trueth.
Cyrus 3. yeare: Schubert. Well may he haue reigned 27. yeare before.
Cambyses Artaxast. 7. yeares: Herodot. But be reigned in his fathers life 2. yeares of them, at the least: as appeareth by conferring Ezra 4. with Dan. 10.
Assuerus holden most commonly to be Darius Hystaspis, By arguments drawen frō Ester al through compared with Heathen, it may well be prooued that Assuerus is Darius Histaspis, & by Hester 3.7. compared with cha. 10. [...]. we may wel thinke that he reigned nothing neare 36. yeers Monarch, as some Heathen think. 12. yeeres in Seder Olam.
Xerxes, of whose sole gouernment Ezra maketh no mention: onely Dan. 11. He is sayd to be the rich King, that should styrre all against Grecia. Some hold him to be Assuerus in Hester. Vpon their assertion I desputed in Mardochai: Schubertus graunteth him 10. yeeres of sole gouernement: but Tremelius ioyneth them to his fathers raigue, and maketh him but viceroy: and all 20.
And these be the chiefe Kings whose accompt troubleth Commenters vpon Daniel, Hester, Ezra, Nehemias, Aggai, and Zachary, against the playne simplicitie: which those bookes processe do require. Of them I purpose to write other seuerall Mreatises, to confirme this accompt in effectThe shortnes of the tyme from Cyrus. to Neh. gouernment is seene by the age of these men, Seraia, Ieremy, Esdras, Amaris, Hattus, Shecaniah, Malluc, Rehum, Meremoth Abiah, Miamin, Bilga, Sema [...]ai: which came with Zerobabel, Neh. 12. and after the Anylding of Ierusalem helped Nehemiah Neh. which others Iewes and Gentiles holde, and to ouerthrow that excessiue reckoning, which the Games of Olympia cause to more harme for Iewes, then the Idole Iouis Olimpij was lothsome in their Temple in olde time. Now marke other Kinges hence from Clemens 1. Strom.
Artaxerxes 41. His 20. yeere finisheth seauen seauens to the buylding of Ierusalem, and full finishyng of the Temple, as writeth Aben Ezra, Tremelius, Beroaldus, Wolphius: & the French notes before Ezra touch it. The Greekes Iosephus, Clemens, Eusebius, Cedrenus, ending the Temple in that time, had relation to the seauen seauens Dan. 9. though the Olympiades carry them somewhat aside; but by a friendly censure, one might cite them to that textes meaning, wherevpon they stayed; specially seeing otherwise they are litle [Page]constant, or worthy credite, but when many confirme the matter with them. [...] [...]allis [...] resister, ly [...]g to Alexanders dayes sheweth that it was but a short time afterward betwixt both.
Darius 8. yeares.
Artaxerxes 42. yeares. In this Kinges dayes, Xenophon and Ctesias liued, and wrote of him, Plutarch wrote also, and many Grecians more. The more impudent be the wicked Iewes, which leaue him out, to shorten the time, and disanull by all other extreamitie, Daniels Seauens.
- Ochus 3. yeares.
- Darius 6. yeares.
Their yeares in all, are 130.
- Alexander 6. Herein I somewhat mende Clemens from all other Grecians.
- Ptolomy Lagi 40. yeares.
- Pto. Philadelphus 27. y. rather. 37.
- Pto. Euergetus 25. yeares.
- Pto. Philopater 17. yeares.
- Pto. Epiphanes 24. yeares.
- Pto. Philometor 35. yeares.
- Pto. Phiscon 29. yeares.
- Pto. Lathurus 36. yeares. Strabo would place Lathurus before Physcon.
- Pto. Dionysius 29. yeares.
- Cleopatra 22. yeares.
The whole summe is 300, yeares.
From Cleopatras ouerthrow by Augustus, to 18. of Tiberius 60. yeares,Form Augustus 15. who is [...]gned 56. to 18. further. 60. y. by accompts of the old and the later.
And this I haue layde downe, that you might better know, where the Iewes helpe the Gentiles to hold the trueth, for what times the Scriptures fully helpe vs and where the Iewes may easily be confuted, and the Gentiles agree commonly. This being well weighed, you may see that in Mardochai, Antiquirie and Noueltie must both agree, to cast Daniels Seauens: as I shewed in the Consent of Scripture, which I wrote.
This one Treatise of Mardochas well considered, will make men more capable of trueth, in sundry arguments, for manifesting of Daniel.