Pilgrimage, Book 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The Preface of this Booke: and a Description of the Region of Palestina, since called Iudaea, and now Terra Sancta.
IN the former booke wee hauehave traced the foot-steps of Religion, following her in her wanderings from the truth, and her selfe through diuers Nations, till we came into this Land, sometime flowing with milke and hony, whose first inhabitants we last tooke view of. The Hebrewes were, by the Soueraigne Lord of all, made heires of their labours, and possessed both their place and wealth: Houses and Cities which they builded not, Vineyards which they planted not, and which is more, these were a type vntounto them of the true and heauenly Countrey, which, not by their merits, but by the meere merciemercy of the Promiser, they should enioy. These did GOD chuse out of all the kinreds of the Earth, to make vntounto himselfe aExod.19.5.6.a Kingdome of Priests, a holy Nation, and his chiefe treasure aboue all people, though all the Earth be his: He made them the keepers bRom.3.2.of his Oracles, bestowing on them cRom.9 4.5.the Adoption, and the Glorie, and the Couenants, and the giuing of the Law, and the Seruice of GOD, and the Promises: of whome were the Fathers, and of whome, concerning the flesh, CHRIST came, who is GOD ouer all, blessed for euer, Amen. These things were not onelyonly communicated, but appropriated to them: He dPsal.147.20.shewed his Word vntounto Iacob, his Statutes and his Iudgements vntounto Israel: He dealt not so with any Nation; neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes: Hee was their Prerogatiue, and they his peculiar: In ePsal.76.1.2.Iewrie was GOD knowne, his name was great in Israel: In Shalem was his Tabernacle, and his dwelling in Sion. And CHRIST himselfe ratified it, acknowledging himselfe fMat.15.24.sent to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel, *Rom.15.8.a Minister of the Circumcision, and said to the Cananite woman which besought him for her daughter, It is not good to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to dogges. Such, in spirituall reputation before God were all people, excluded (as vncleane dogges) out of his heauenly Ierusalem, till this gEphes.2.14. &c.partition wall was taken downe, and they which had beene farre off, were made neere by the bloud of CHRIST, who abrogated through his flesh that hatred, and made of twaine (Iewes and Gentiles) one new man in himselfe. So that the Gentiles (the name of all the world, excepting this people) which had beene without CHRIST, and aliants from the Common-wealth of Israel, strangers from the couenants of promise, had no hope, and were without GOD in the world; were now no more strangers and forreners, but citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of GOD : built vponupon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, IESVS CHRIST himself being the chiefe corner stone. Let it not be tedious to heare of this which the Angels reioyced to learne, hEphes.3.9.10.a mysterie which from the beginning of the world had been hid in GOD: and vntounto principalities and powers in heauenly places, was made knowne by the Church. But the word (whereby we hauehave fellowship in this mysterie) came out of Sion, and the preaching began at Ierusalem. This (and not Rome) by the confession of Espensaeus, a learned Papist, on 1. Tim.4. was Emporium fidei Christianae, & Ecclesiae mater: The mart of Christian faith, and mother of the Church. Yea it was iAct… 13.45.necessarie that the word of GOD should first be spoken vntounto them, which they by incredulitie put from themselues, and gaue place to the Gentiles. kRom.11.22.The fall of them became the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, as a glasse wherein we may behold the bountifulnesse and seueritie of GOD, and in both the deepensse of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of GOD, whose iudgements are vnsearchable, and his wayes past finding out. I may fitly compare them to Gideons Fleece, lIud.6.which receiued the dew, when all the earth besides was drie, and after, it was drie vponupon the Fleece onelyonly, when the dew couered all the ground. Sometimes they alone receiued those dewes, shewers, riuers, seas of Sauing bountie, and all the world besides was a parched wildernesse. Now mPsal.107.34, 35.he turneth the fruitfull land into barrennesse, for the wickednesse of the inhabitants; but that wildernesse he turneth into pooles of water, and the drie land into water-springs. Hee hath nRom 9.24:called them his people, which were not his people, and her beloued which was not beloued; and where it was said, yee are not my people, there they are now called the children of the liuing GOD. Thus hath the oRom.11.3….shut vp all vnderunder vnbeleefe, that he might hauehave mercy vponupon all, that his free election might appeare (not of workes, lest any should boast themselues but) of grace. Behold therefore, all Atheists, and wonder! The Iewes branded with iudgement, wander ouer the world, the contempt of Nations, the skumme of people, the hissing, derision, and indignation of men, for refusing him whom they expect, denying him whom they challenge, hating him whose name is in life and death vntounto them, the sweetest tune, and most melodious harmony, still waiting for, and glorying in that Messias, whom (vnknowne) they crucified and slew: and still pursue with the deadliest hatred in all his followers: God they please not, and are contrarie to all men. Yet such is Gods manifold wisedome in his deepest iudgements, that his enemies shall fight for him, euen against themselues: the Midianites pIud.8.shall sheath their swords, which they hauehave drawne out against God, in their owne bowels, and Christian Truth shall preuaile, and let our qDeut.32.31.enemies themselues bee iudges. Out of their premisses which they maintaine, as earnestly as thou (O Atheist) securely deridest, which they will seale with that which thou makest thy heauen, thy God; we will and do conclude, against thee and them, that, in which, with which, for which we will liue and die. Let the old Testament yeeld the Proposition in prophecie, and the new Testament will Assume in Historie, and euen be thou the iudge, if that Reason, which thou hast as a man, and peruertest as a Diuell, will not by force of their Scriptures, which they preferre before their liues, necessarily in the Conclusion demonstrate the Christian Truth. Neither (I appeale vntounto our common Reason) canst thou more wonder at vsus for Beleeuing, things in thy seeming incredible, absurd, and impossible, then at them (vponupon such grounds which with vsus they hold) not rThe Iew is a witnes against the Atheist, that we faine not those prophecies of Christ, seeing the Iew holdes the prophecies dearer then his bloud, and yet hateth Christianitie more deadly then the Atheist.beleeuing.
For what beleeue we but, for the maine and chiefe points of our faith, are as plainly in their Euangelicall Prophets, as in our propheticall Euangelists? All the Historie of Christ, in a more Diuine way, seemeth rather told then foretold, a Historie, not a Prophecie: as is casie by conference of both to shew, and thou, if thou beest not idle, or wilfully malicious, mayest find. That then which thou seest come vponupon them, a spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and eares that they should not heare; which yet hauehave the light of the first Scriptures (had they not a veile ouer their hearts) the same see in thy selfe, that when greater light doth offer it selfe, willingly shuttest thine eyes, as though there could be no light, because thou liuest in, and louest, thy darknes. It is the same hand that giueth vp both thee and them, s2.Thess.2.because yee will not beleeue the Truth, to be saued, to strong delusions, that yee might beleeue lies, and be damned. To me, and all Christians, let the Iewes be both reall and verball teachers of the Truth, which they let fall, and we take vp; the one in their Oracles of sacred writte, the other in their exemplary iudgement. And to them, Let (O thou LORD of all heare and grant it) let all Christians be that which Moses prophecied, tDeut.32.21.a prouocation to emulation, not of enuy and hatred, which hitherto hath beene in these, amongst all the Christian enemies, the most implacable and despitefull, but of imitation, that as uRom.11.their casting away hath been the reconciling of the world, their receiuing may be life from the dead, which Paul seemeth plainly to fore-signifie.
THus much being premised as a preparation to our Iewish historie, which, as of more importance then any other, deserueth more ample view: let vsus in the next place suruey that countrey which their progenitors had with those priuiledges, and their posteritie (together with those priuileges) hauehave lost.
This countrie was first xThe name of the Countrie.called the Land of Canaan, after that the posteritie of Canaan, the sonne of Cham, had possessed it. Moses and Ioshua conquered it to the posteritie of Iacob, of whom it was called the Land of Israel: after the diuision of the ten Tribes from the house of Dauid by Ieroboam, in the time of Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon, the name of Israel was more particularly appropriated to those ten rebellious Tribes, and the other two were knowne by the name of the kingdome of Iuda. Yet Israel remained in a generall sense the name of them all, especially in the new Testament. Paul of the Tribe of Beniamine yRom.11.1. & 26.calleth himselfe an Israelite, and all Israel, saith he in that Chapter, shall bee saued. After the Babylonian zIos.Antiq. 11.5.captiuitie they were called Iewes, of the chiefe and royall Tribe, and their countrie Iudaea: It was also called Palaestina, of the Philistims, which inhabited the sea-coast. And after in the times of the Christians it was generally called the Holy-Land, Phaenicia also being vnderunder that name comprehended. It is situated betweene the Mediteranean sea, and the Arabian Mountaines, Ptolomie aPtol.lib.7. cap.16.calleth it Palestina Syriae, and Iudaea, abutting it on the North with Syria, on the East and South with Arabia Petraea, on the West with part of Egypt, and the sea. Adrichomius, who hath bestowed a large volume on this subiect, which he calleth the Theater of the Holy-Land, on the East confineth it with Syria and Arabia; on the South the desert Pharan, and Egypt; on the North Mount Libanus; on the West, the Sea. Maginus placeth a part of Phaenicia on the North; on the North-east Libanus; on the South, and part of the East, Arabia; on the West, part of the Mediteranean sea. It is extended from the South to the North, from the one and thirtieth degree, to the three and thirtieth, and somewhat more. Others set it downe in other words; but these and they agree for the most part, in substance. It is commonly holden to be an hundred and sixtie Italian miles in length from Dan to Bersebee, and sixtie in breadth. An exact diuision thereof into twelue shires or shares, Ioshua setteth downe at large, with their bounds and Cities, from the thirteenth Chapter of that booke, to the one and twentieth, as they were by lot and Diuine dispensation allotted to the twelue Tribes, the posteritie of Iacobs twelue sonnes; onelyonly Ephraim and Manasses, the sonnes of Ioseph, constituted two Tribes, and therefore had the double portion, descending of Iacobs eldest sonne, by Rachel his first intended wife: and Leui had no portion, but was scattered in Israel, to keepe Israel from scattering, and to vnite them in one religion, to one God, who disposed that curse vntounto a blessing.
Ruben, Gad, and halfe the Tribe of Manasses, had their portion on the East-side of Iordan: the other halfe of Manasses, with Simeon, Iuda, Beniamin, Ephraim, Naphthali, Aser, Dan, Izachar, Zabulon, had their portions assigned betwixt Iordan, and the Westerne sea. They which would be fully acquainted with their seueral diuisions, may finde in Ioshua himselfe to satisfie them, and in the Commentaries which diuers hauehave written on that Scripture. More, Stella, Adrichomius, and Arias Montansus hauehave in Maps presented them to the eye. Neither in the whole world beside is there (I thinke) found any region hauing more Cities in so small a space, then this sometime had, except we beleeue that which is told of the thousands of bSee lib.6. cap. 2.Egypt. Some reckon cA…chom. P…at.in each Tribe, these, as royall Cities: in Aser. Achsaph, besides Sidon and Tytus: in Beniamin, Bethel, Gabaa, Ierusalem, Iericho: in Dan, Lachis, besides Acaron and Gath: in Ephraim, Gazer, Samaria, Saron, Taphua: in Gad, Rabba: in Isachar, Aphec: in Iuda, Arad, Bezee, Eglon, Hebron, Lebna, Maceda, Odolla, Taphua: in Manasse, 1. Dor, Galgal, Iezrael, Mageddo, Tanac, Thersa: in Manasse, 2. Astaroth, Edrai, Gessur, Machati, Soba, Theman, and Damascus: in Nepthalim, Asor, Cedes, Emath: in Ruben, Heshbon, Madian, Petra: in Simeon Dabir, Gerara: in Zebulon Ieconan, Semeron. The like Catalogue hee maketh of Episcopall Cities in this Land, while it was Christian. My purpose is not to write of all, but especially of such as are in some respect eminent.
And first let me dippe my pen in Iordan. This, saith Pliny, dPlin lib. 5. cap. 15.is a pleasant Riuer, and as farre as the situation of places will permit, ambitious; prodigally imparting it selfe to the inhabitants, and (as it were vnwilling) passeth to that cursed Lake Asphaltites, of which at last it is drunke vp, losing his laudable waters, mixed with those pestilent. As soone therefore as the valleyes giuegive opportunitie, it spreadeth it selfe into a Lake called Genesara, sixteene miles long, and six broad, enuironed with pleasant Townes; Iulias and Hippo on the East; on the South, Tarichea; and Tiberias on the West, made hole some with his hot waters. The fountaines of this Riuer are two, called eEx sontis no…ac atque d…clius dis…en…a Iarden d…tas. Ar. M…ntan.Ior, and Dan, which compounding their streames, doe also compound their names, as Tame and Isis with vsus bring forth (happie parents) our Tames or Thamisis. This is the beginning of the aparent streame: But the true fIu….Ed Iud.lib. 3. 18. Brocard.and first conception of it is in Phiale, one hundred and twentie furlongs from Caesarea, a fountaine of vnsearchable depth, which yet (like some miserable Churle) alwaies containeth the waters in it selfe, till sincking, and as it were buried in the earth, those treasures being by Natures stealth conueyed vnderunder ground, vntounto Dan or Paneas, who is liberall of that vsurers wealth (for into that Phiale powre as much as you will, it neuer encreaseth or decreaseth) and thence it becommeth a riuer. Philip the Tetrarch of Trachonitis, by casting chaffe therein, which was paid him againe at Dan, first found out this vnderunder-earth passage. The Saracens call that Phiale, in this respect, Medan, that is, the waters of Dan. Before it maketh the Lake of Genezareth, it maketh another called Samachonitis. This is especially filled, when the snowes on Libanus are melted, which causeth gWeissenburg. & T…em. 1.C …o. 12.15.Iordan then to swell, and ouer-flow his bankes, in the first monethmonth, yearely, (and made the miracle in Ioshuas hIosh.3.passage thorow it the more miraculous) but in Summer it is almost drien vp. It is called the waters of Meron, halfe-way betweene Caesarea Philippi, where the mariage between Ior and Dan is solemnized, and the lake of Genezareth. Elias, and after his assumption, his cloke, diuided these streames: Naamans Leprosie was heere cleansed; and a greater Leprosie then Naamans is daily cleansed in the Church by the lauer of Regeneration, first sanctified to that vse in this streame, where the holy Trinitie iM…lth.3.did first yeeld it selfe in sensible apparition to the world, thereby to consecrate that Baptisme, whereby we are consecrated to this blessed Trinitie, the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost. In which respect, kAdrichom. Timberley.Pilgrimes in memorie thereof, do still wash themselues in this Riuer, spotting themselues further (I feare) by this washing with some mire of superstition.
I cannot blame this sacred streame, if it seeme loath, as Pliny saith, to leaue so fertile a countrey, and lingreth as long as it may in lakes by the way, not onelyonly for that Salt sea or hellish lake, which shuteth vp his guiltlesse waues in perpetuall imprisonment, but also for those pleasures in the passage the fruits of the earth without exaction freely yeelded, as Roses, Sage, Rue, &c. of the trees, in Oliues, Figges, Pome-granats, Dates, and Vines (which last the Mahumetan superstition doth not cherish, and the westerne Christians did so husband, that one Vine lErocard.by their art and industrie, yeelded three Vintages in August, September, October.) The Grapes of Eshcol, which could lade two men with one cluster, were not so famous, as mNum.13.24. I…rem. 8.22. & 46.11. Gen.37.25. Trem.Ios.Antiq. 15.5.the Balme of Gilead, which the first Merchants we reade of, from that mart, vented to other parts of the world. These Balme-trees grew in the vale of Iericho, which being cut, yeelded this precious liquor; whereof, besides the admirable effects in Cures, other wonders are told by ancient and later Writers, too long heere to relate. Bellonius nBellon lib.2. cap.39.will do it for me, if any list to reade his obseruations. He is not of their mind, which thinke there is now no true Balsam in the world (these in Iudaea being perished) but thinketh in Arabia-Faelix it groweth naturally, from whence some shrubbes he saw in Cairo. But I should be too tedious if I should insist on this argument: That instance of such a world of people, in such a patch of the world, doth sufficiently declare the fertilitie, when as Dauid o1. Chron. 21. See Tr…mel. notes on 2.Sam.249.numbered them, 1100000. Israelites, and of Iuda, 470000. or as in 2. Sam.24.9. 500000. which drew sword; and yet Beniamin and Leui were not reckoned in this number: and in the dayes of Ieroboam, p2.Chron. 13.Abija King of Iuda brought into the field 400000. and Ieroboam 800000. and on this part were slaine in one battell 500000. all choice men; which Historie cannot be matched with the like in all ages and places of the world: that a Countrey, an hundred and sixtie miles long, and not aboue sixtie in breadth, should nourish at once, or lose in a battel such multitudes, not to speake of impotent persons, women and children. But this multitude by eiuill warres and inuasions of enemies decreased, till first the reliques of Israel, and after, the remnant of Iuda, were by the Assyrians, and Babylonians led captiue, and the Land enioyed her Sabbaths.
For the Kingdome of Israel consisting of ten Tribes (some reckon Simeon also to Inda, because of his portion mixed with Inda's as Beniamins was adioyning thereto, to whom the Leuites q2.Chron.….14.likewise, and Priests forsaking their Cities, and all the religious Israelites annexed themselues) forsooke rA great part of Beniamin, and Simcon was subiect to Dauids postetitie.not the house of Dauid only, but the house of the Lord, and set them vp Calues (Egyptian superstitions) at Dan and Bethel, and made Priests for their Idolatrous purpose. This their rebellion and Apostacie God plagued with ciuill dissension and forren hostilitie, vntill at last the Assyrians s2.Reg.17.remoued them altogether, and repeopled those parts with new Colonies. Such is the end of Religion, which hath not God for the beginning, but is grounded on humane policie, a sandie foundation. Iuda could not take warning, but prouoking God by Idolatrous courses, at last was carried to Babel, and thence, after seuentie yeares, returned. The historie of these things, so fully related in Scripture, I should but marre in the telling.
After this their returne the Land was not, as before, named after the portions of the seuerall Tribes: but was called by a generall name, tIos. Antiq. 11.5.Iudaea, and the people Iewes, because the Tribe of Iuda had before inhabited those parts, or at least the principall of them, dilating themselues further, as they increased in number and power. But more especially Iudaea was the name of one uPalaestina diuided into 3. parts Galilee samaria Iudaea.third part of the countrie, by that name distinguished from the other two, Samaria, and Galilea, which two last are sometimes referred to Phoenicia.
Galilaea was the most Northerly, confining on Libanus and Antilibanus toward the North, Phoenicia Westerly, Coelesyria on the East; and Samaria, with Arabia, inclosing her Southerly borders, Iordan parteth it in the middest. It was diuided into the higher and lower Galilee: the higher called also Galilee of the Gentiles, containeth the springs of Iordan, and those Cities which Salomon gaue to Hiram. The lower was also called Galilee of Tiberias, that Citie giuing name both to the lake and region: in which Nazareth was famous, and the hill Thabor.
Samaria is seated betwixt Galilee and Iudaea much lesse then either of them. Iudaea is the most Southerly; betweene the Mediterranean and Dead seas, Samaria, and Idumea. Pliny maketh Galilaea a part of it, and Peraea another part, separated from the rest by Iordan. The rest he diuideth into ten Toparchies; Ierico, Emaus, Lidda, Ioppe, Acrabatena, Gophnitica, Thamnitica, Betholene, Tephene, Orine, in which was Ierusalem farre the fairest of the Cities of the East, not of Iudaea alone: Herodium, with a famous towne of the same name. He addeth vntounto these the Region of Decapolis, so called of the number of the Townes, and the Tetrarchies; Trachonitis, Pancas, Abila, Arca, Ampeloessa, Gabe. Those ten Townes of Decapolis were Caesarea, Philippi, Asor, Cedes, Neptalim, Sephet, Corozain, Capharnaum, Bethsaida, Iotapata, Tiberias, and Bethsan, otherwise called Scythopolis, and before Nysa, where Bacchus buried his nurse. But these are parts of those former parts aboue mentioned; and so may we say of the rest, sustaining, in diuers respects, diuers diuisions, best fitting to the present polities, and little to our purpose.
Those things which of old were famous in those places, are mentioned in the Scripture: Those things which since hauehave been more remarkable; I purpose in the next part of this Worke, of Christian Religions, to handle, and especially the rarities of Ierusalem, sometimes the holy Citie, and Citie of the great King, now a den of theeues; a habitation of Mahumetans, or rather now not at all: for this which is now, is a new Citie, called by the Founder, Aelia Capitolina, built by Aelius Adrianus, who caused the plough to passe thorow, and Salt to be sowne in the old, as testifying her eternall desolation; and fulfilling Christs Prophecie to the vtmost, not leauing a stone vponupon a stone, if Titus had not fully accomplished the same before. Arias Montanus in his Nehemias affirmeth, that Ierusalem was founded on three hilles; to wit, Sion, on which the Iebusites built their Tower; and which in Dauids time was further builded on, and called the Citie of Dauid. The second hill was Mount Moriah, which Dauid bought of Aranna, to erect thereon the Temple. The third was the higher Acra, called the Suburb. These were compassed with one wall without; and within diuided with three walles, by which the Citie of Dauid, and Moriah, and the higher Acra were diuided: In the circuit of the walles were nine gates. He that desireth further to reade, or rather to see the old Ierusalem, with her holy fabriques, let him resort to Arias Montanus his Antiquitates Iudaicae, where he both relateth, and in figures presenteth these things. It is supposed that Melchisedech built it about the yeare of the World, 2023. and called it Salem. The Iebusites after possessed it (and of them some deriue the name Ierusalem, quasi Iebussalem) till Dauid expelled them: who had before reigned in Hebron (called Cariatharbe, the Citie of foure men, say some, because of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, both dwelling and buriall there; yet Adam, others say, was buried in Mount Caluarie, with other speculations curious and vncertaine.) He translated the highest seat both of spirituall and temporall regiment to Ierusalem, where he raigned after, three and thirtie yeares, to whom succeeded Salomon, and the rest in order. It then contained in circuit fiftie furlongs, compassed with a great ditch sixtie foot deepe, and two hundred and fiftie broad. Nabuchodonosor destroyed it, Nohemias reedified it, three and thirtie furlongs in circuit: The Macchabees, Herod, and others added to her excellence, till Titus besieged and tooke it; in which siege are said to hauehave perished 1100000. people; and being now a sepulchre of dead carkaffes, was made a spectacle of Diuine vengeance, for murthering the LORD of Life. But those strugling spirits, and small remnants of life which remained in this forlorne carkasse of the sometime Ierusalem, breathed a new rebellion, in the time of Adrian and thereby breathed her last, as before is said. The Historie of this Citie the Scripture hath recorded; and where Diuine Historie endeth, Iosephus and Hegesippus (that I speake not of late Writers) hauehave largely supplied, especially concerning her latest fates, and, as I may terme it, in her funerall Sermon. xIustin.lib.36. Strabo lib.16.Strabo, Iustine and others hauehave written of this people, but not sincerely. But the fountaines are cleare enough to acquaint vsus with their true originall, which commeth next to be considered.