A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, Book 1

A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine · Book 1

p. 1THE GENERALL DESCRIPTION OF JUDEA.

CHAP. 1. The Designe asserted from causlesse Cavils.

§ …. BEing now by Gods assistance to undertake the Description of Iudea, Three grand objections against this subject.my condition appeares not unlike to the Israelites ataaNumb. 13. 23, & 28.Num 13:23Num 13:28 Kadesh-Barnea, who were much pleased with the report that the Spies brought of the fruitfulnesse of the Countrey, untill they told them of Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the three sonnes of Anak: which quite appaled their courage and deaded their desire thereof. In the like manner whilest I am invited with severall pleasing considerations, and delightfull motives, to adventure on this work, three Giantlike objections, which must be encountred, do in a manner dishearten me from further proceeding. For some will lay to my charge, that the description of this Countrey

1 Hath formerly been done by many.

2 Cannot perfectly be done by any.

3 If exactly done, is altogether uselesse, and may be somewhat superstitious.

§ 2. Yet we fear not,No disgrace to adventure on the same work after many others. by Gods blessing, and the Readers favour, severally to enter the lists against them all. For the first: Whereas it is objected, that many formerly have performed the same; this cavill is not planted particularly against my inde…vours, but is levelled against the industry of all Posterity, in any future designe.bbEccles. 1. 9.Eccl 1:9 Solomon saith, there is no new thing under the Sunne. Except therefore men were Gods to create new subjects to write upon, groundlesse is the first exception against us. It never disheartened S. Luke to write his Gospell, for as much as many had taken in hand to set it forth before. Yea the former endevours of many in the same matter, argue the merit of the work to be great. For sure p. 2there is some extraordinary worth in that face, which hath had so many Suitors. Wherefore although we cannot with Columbus, finde out another world, and bring the first tydings of an unknown Continent or Island, by us discovered, yet our labours ought not to be condemned as unprofitable, if setting forth an old subject in a new edition enlarged and amended. This I dare say, though many have written discourses without Mappes, and more Mappes without discourses, and ccAdricom. puts Zabulun Issachar & Manasses in one Mappe, Ephraim, Dan & Benjamin in another.some both, (yet so that three tribes are joined in one Mappe) none have formerly in any tongue (much lesse in English) presented us with distinct Mappes and descriptions together.

§ 3. But in the second place it is objected,2. Object. that certainty in this subject is unattainable;Certainty herein not to be obtained. so that the most studious therein, after they have travelled the whole day, through many tedious difficultie…, must bee fain to take their hard lodging at night on a bare uncertainty. The bowels of the best Mappes are puffed up with the humours of fancy, and a scepticall windinesse, so that a conjecturall Earthquake shakes the foundations of the strongest mountains, in the point of their exact situation. Such are the irreconcileable differences betwixt Geographers in their descriptions.

§ 4. For answer:2. Answ. I could wish that this objection also, lay onelyonly against the work in hand,This should not quench but quicken our industry. and might not [almost] equally be enforced against other liberall undertakings: for he that holds a reed in one hand to mete the Topography, and an houre-glasse in the other to measure the Chronology of the Scripture, shall meet with as many, if not more uncertainties, in the latter as the former. And yet the learned pains of such-as labour therein, justly merit commendation. If all conjecturall results should be cast out for weeds, few hearbs would be left in the Gardens of most Arts and Sciences. Saint Paul dd1 Cor. 13. 9.1 Cor 13:9hath a passage, We know in part, and prophecy in part; which is a good curb for our curiosity: And the same Apostle hath a precept,ee1 Thes. 5. 21.1 Thess 5:21 Prove all things, hold fast that which is good; which is as good a spurre for our diligence. As for the differences betwixt Geographers, they ought not to make us carelesse to follow any, but carefull to choose the best; except with the fluggards drowzie fancy, we tune the Alarums to our industry, to be Lullabies to our lazinesse.

§ 5. In the last place it is objected,2. Object. that the designe, if exactly finished, amounts but to a difficult trifle,It is a difficult trifle. hard to doe, uselesse when done. And who will pity the aking of his teeth, who hath wilfully hurt them, with cracking that shell, wherein he knew was no kernell? It matters not to any mans salvation, to know the accurate distance betwixt Iericho and Ierusalem; and he that hath climbed to the top of mount Libanus, is not in respect of his soul, a haires breadth nearer to heaven. Besides, some conceive they heare Palestine saying unto them, as Samuel to Saul endevouring to raise him from his grave,ff1 Sam. 28. 15.1 Sam 28:15 Why hast thou disquieted p. 3me to bring me up? Describing this Countrey is but disturbing it, it being better to let it sleep quietly, intombed in its owne ashes. The rather, because theggRevel. 21. 10.Rev 21:10 New Ierusalem is now daily expected to come down, and these corporall (not to say carnall) studies of this terrestriall Canaan, begin to grow out of fashion, with the more knowing sort of Christians.

§ 6. It is answered,3. Answ. though these studies are not essentiall to sal…ation, yet they are ornamentall,It is ornamentall to divinity. to accomplish men with knowledge, contributing much to the true understanding of the History of the Bible. Remarkable is that passage of the Apostle, Acts 17. 26. And hath made of one bloud all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation: wherein we may see Divinity the Queen waited on by three of her principall Ladies of honour, namely, skill in

1 Genealogies, concerning the persons of men and their Pedegrees, of one bloud all nations.

2 Chronology, in the exact computation of the times afore appointed.

3 Geography, measuring out the limits of severall nations, and the bounds of their habitations.

Our work in hand is a parcell of Geography touching a particular description of Iudea; without some competent skill wherein, as the blind Syrians hh2 King. 6. 19.2 Kgs 6:19intending to goe to Dothan, went to Samaria; so ignorant persons discoursing of the Scripture, must needs make many absurd, and dangerous mistakes. Nor can knowledge herein, be more speedily and truly attained, then by particular description of the tribes, where the eye will learn more in an hour from a Mappe, then the eare can learn in a day from discourse.

§ 7. But this last objection being forked,No danger of superstition in this subject. hath the sharper point thereof still behinde, challenging this our subject to be guilty of superstition. A sinne always detestable to God, but now adayes grown odious to man. And well it were if the edge of their Zeal were equally whetted against Profanenesse. Sure if this our work were faulty in this kind, I my self would send it the same way with the EphesianllActs 19. 19.Acts 19:19 conjuring bookes. Not all the water of Kishon, of Iordan, of the Red, of the Dead, of the Middle-Land Sea, described in these Maps, should serve to quench the fire, but all should be burnt to ashes. But no such haste I hope, to condemn this innocent book, wherein studiously we have abstained from all such pictures as come within the bounds of danger, yea borders of offence, and have onelyonly made choice of those, which the most precise approve usefull for the illustration of Scripture.

p. 4CHAP. 2. The different names and bounds of Judea.

§ 1. THis Country which we now come to describe,Six generall names of Iudea. was successively called by severall names.

1 The Land Gen. 12. 5.Gen 12:5of Canaan, from the sons of Canaan that first possessed it.

2 The Land of Promise, which name after four hundred and odde years honourably ended, and was swallowed up in performance.

3 The Land of Iudah and Israel, consisting of these two Kingdomes.

4 Iudea, so called of Iudah the most puissant Tribe of the twelve.

5 Palestine (from the Philistines.)llIn Clio. cap. 105. & in Thalia cap. 5. & 91. & Polymnia cap. 8. Herodotus being the first Author, which I find so tearming it, and all Greeks and Latins after him.

6 The Holy Land, because our Saviours Passion was acted thereon. But fear makes me refrain from using this word, lest whilest I call the Land holy, this Age count me superstitious.

§ 2. In bounding this Land,The bounds of the larger Canaan. a necessary distinction must be premised, the neglecting (or at least not observing) whereof hath engaged many in inextricable difficulties.

Cannan was twofold,

1. The Larger.

2. The Lesser.

The Larger is described Deut. 11. 24. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread, shall be yours: from the wildernesse, and Lebanon, from the mmExod. 23. 31.Exod 23:31river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea, shall your coast be. This Land in full latitude was never peaceably possessed by the Iews as proper owners thereof any considerable time. Say not, God fell short of his promise. Oh no: the Iews fell short of his precepts, who being narrow hearted in piety, and straitned in their own bowels, contracted their soil by their sinnes; and obstructed the bounty of God intended unto them, by their ingratitude. For the Promise ran onelyonly conditionally, If ye shall hearken diligently to mynnDeut. 11. 13. & 22.Deut 11:13Deut 11:22 Commandements. And had not Gods mercy to them been more then their obedience to him, their country had been narrowed to nothing, and shrunk to an indivisible punctum: or at the best and biggest had been but a prison, fit for the punishment of so rebellious a people.

§ 3. And yet in somemanner in a qualifyed sense,In what sense the Jews possessed it. we may observe the Iews did stretch their dominion to the bounds aforesaid in a double consideration.

1 By victorious Salleys and Incursions. Thus the Children of Reuben havingoo1 Chro. 5. 22.1 Chr 5:22 conquered the Hagarites, inhabited east-ward unto the entring in of the wildernesse, from the riverpp1 Chron. 5. 9.1 Chr 5:9 Euphrates.

2 Per Gentes in amicitiam receptas. By the nations which by amicable compliance (though having absolute command in themselves) p. 5accepted of the Jewish King to be honourary feodaries unto him. Thus whereqq2 Sam. 8. 3, &c.2 Sam 8:3 David took some Kings by conquest, as his Vassals, more took him by composition as their Protectour. And it is plainly said ofrr2 Kin. 4. 24. 2 Chron. 9. 26.2 Kgs 4:242 Chr 9:26 Solomon that he had Dominion over all the region on this side the river from Tip…sa… even to Azzah, over all the Kings on this side the river: and …e had peace … all sides round about.

See we here an Essay of Gods goodnesse made to the Israelites. That froward people worshipped him by fits and girds, starting aside like a broken bow: and therefore God to admonish them of the unconstancy of their service, vouchsafed onelyonly to the … a cursory and unsetled Tent…dwelling to Euphrates. Whereas, had that people solidly and seriously set themselves constantly to serve God; no doubt, their Incursions had been turned into fixed Habitations, and the whole Nation (not onelyonly by the Synecdoche of this one tribe) had pea…ably possessed the large limits allotted unto them. And whereas now onelyonly David and Solomon (whom I may more fitly style Emperours then Kings of this larger Canaan) rather commanded then possessed to Eupbrates, God, no doubt, had extended their full Dominions to the same dimensions.

§ 4. But the lesser Canaan was contented with na…rower bounds,The limits of the lesser Canaan. containing onelyonly those Nations which God had designed for utter destruction, and is described, Gen. 10. 19. …, and Admah, and Zebojim, even unto …. And whereas in the larger Canaan, when the Israelites besieged any City, GodssDeut. 20. 10.Deut 20:10 commanded them to pro…fer peace, before they proclaimed war against it, in this lesser Canaan, they were finally to rootttDeut▪ 7. 24.Deut 7:24 them out. And where God commands men to destroy people, (but first let us be sure that God commands us to destroy them) the foulest quarter is too fair for them, and those have not lesse pity, but more piety, which … their …tter destruction: as the Iews were to serve the Inhabita…s of this lesser Cana…n, without any ceremony of peace once tendred unto them.

§ 5. This lesser Canaan extended from the wildernesse in the South to mount Lebanon in the North,The length th…reof 1600. furlongs. and from Iordan on the East, to the Midland Sea on the West. The length thereof sixteen hundred furlongs (so far the bloud ran out of the wine-presse, Revel. 14. 20.) which, allowing ten furlongs to the mile, according to the Eastern account, (whereof largely hereafter) amounts to an hundred and threescore miles. The breadth thereof generally fifty; to which if the kingdome of Sihon and Og be added on the other side Iordan (parcels of Canaan the larger, and possessed by Re…ben, Gad and half Manasses) it will make up the breadth to eighty miles.

§ 6. Having thus a…igned the small bounds of Canaan, The matchlesse fertility of the land.some perchance will place their scorn, where they ought to plant their wonder; and will beginne to contemn, what they should justly admire: because p. 6all Canaan seems but oneuuGen. 19. 20.Gen 19:20 Zoar; Is it not a little one? Yea, some proud Geographer will scarce stoop to take up so small a Ragge of land into his consideration. But let such know, that extracted Spirits, and Elixars are small in bulk in comparison of great and grosse bodies; and the land may passe for the quintessence of fruitfulnesse it self. So that what it lacked in length and breadth, it had in depth, as if nature had heaped one acre upon another in the matchlesse**Ezek. 20. 6.Ezek 20:6 fertility thereof. Our age barren in beliefe, affords not faith so easily to the story, as this land afforded food to**2 Sam. 24. 9.2 Sam 24:9 thirteen hundred thousand men, besides women, children, impotent persons, and all the**1 Chron. 2…. 5, 6. See also 2 Chron. 13. 3.1 Chr 2:51 Chr 2:62 Chr 13:3 Levites and Benjamites left unnumbred. In generall, it is charactered to be a countrey flowing with milk and honey, that is, having plenty of all things both for necessity and delight.

§ 7. More particularly it is described byyyDeut. 8. 7, 8, 9.Deut 8:7Deut 8:8Deut 8:9 Moses,Moses his caracter thereof. A good land, a land of brookes of water, of fountaines and depths that spring out of vallies and hills, a land of wheat and barly, and vines and figtrees, and pomegranates: a land of oile-olive and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eate bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lacke any thing in it: a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou maist digge brasse. For the further clearing of which description, we will exactly observe the severall commodities of Canaan, which nature bountifully bestowed upon it. OnelyOnly the land seems unhappy herein, that the fruitfulnesse thereof must come under our barren style to describe it. And yet on second thoughts I perceive, lean pens are fittest to describe fat Count…es. The soile of the county of Armagh in Ireland is so rank of it selfe, that if any compost or artificiall improvement be added unto it, it turns barren out of sullennesse, andzzCamb. Brit. in comitat Armach. indignation, that men should suspect the native fruitfulnesse thereof: and Fat upon Fat is false Heraldry in husbandry. Lest in like manner we should offend this Country of Cannan with additionall ornaments of Rhetorique, and lest all …lourishes of Eloquence be misinterpreted distrusts of the reall worth of this Country, a plain style and simple relation best becomes our present subject.

CHAP. 3. Of the underground wealth of Canaan.

§ 1. SHips when sailing are generally conceived to have one moity of them invisible under water,Iudaea's invlsible treasure. and some countries in like manner are counted to have their wealth equally within the earth as upon it. But the proportion holds not exactly in Canaan; whose visible wealth farre transcended her concealed substance, and yet we finde some minerals therein of considerable value.

§ 2. First, Salt, Sa…t.so necessary in it self, that without it neither sustenance p. 7is …avoury to man, noraaMar. 9. 49. Levit. 2. 13.Mark 9:49Lev 2:13 Sacrifice acceptable to God. Yet had not the Iews more use, then plenty thereof. It seems it was a very cheap commodity, when Abimelech (not hoping to reap any harvest thereby) sowed the city of Sech…m withbbJudg. 9. 45.Judg 9:45 falt. This was of two sorts in Iudea▪ sal fossilis, which was digged out of the earth, whereof great store about the dead, otherwise called the Salt Sea, and sal coctilis, which was boiled out of water, atccJosh. 11. 8. & 15. 62.Josh 11:8Josh 15:62 Mizrepoth-maiim neare Zidon.

§ 3. Secondly, materials of Glasse, Materials of glasse.whereof the best in the world, almost to the purity of crystall, is found in theddPlin. nat. hist. Cendevian lake, and river Belus, whereof largely hereafter in the tribe of Asher. And yet we read not in Scripture that the Iews ever used glasse for drinking vessels, either because the invention of them was not so ancient, or because of the plenty of cups they had of purer metall. We in England know that glasses are but the seconds, which succeed on the Cupboard, when Plate the principall is otherwise disposed of.

§ 4. Brimsto…e. Brimstone and lapis Iudaicus.How usefull this is in Physique and fire-works I need not relate. It is one of the parents of most metals and inclined the waters of Iudea to be soveraign Bathes, and have other medicinall qualities. Marble also was digged up in great plenty in mountee1 King. 5. 17, 18.1 Kgs 5:171 Kgs 5:18 Lebanon, conducing much to the adorning of Gods temple and many princely palaces in Ierusalem. Precious stones they had none, except Lapis Iudaicus be counted for one, commended by Galen, and is prescribed as excellent to cure the Stone. Where by the way it will not be amisse to observe, that amongst the many maladies to which the Iews bodies were subject, I finde not the Stone mentioned in Scripture, though I dare not ascribe it to the plenty of this stone, as a preservative against it.

§ 5. Brasse andffDeut. 8. 9.Deut 8:9 Iron Brasse & Iron.abounded in this Country.ggDeut. 33. 25.Deut 33:25 Moses blesseth Asher, Thy shooes shall be Iron and Brasse, prognosticating the plenty of those metals in that tribe. If any except, that brasse is no originall, but a compound metall of Copper and other ingredients; the answer is easie, by a frequent and familiar Metonymie, it being put for the materials whereof it was composed.

§ 6. As for the two principall metals, Iudea No gold in Iudea, and why.may say of them as Saint hhAct. 3. 6.Acts 3:6Peter to the Cripple, Gold and silver have I none. And it will be no lesse pleasant, then profitable to recount the reasons thereof.

1 These metals are generally granted by nature in compensation to barren countries. Now whereas Iudea had plenty of other commodities, it was too much that Leahs fruitfulnesse should shine with Rahels fairenesse, and glister with the lustre of gold and silver.

2 God would have his peopleiiPsal. 121. 1.Ps 121:1 look to the hills, from whence their help cometh:kkMat. 6. 19.Matt 6:19 To lay up their treasure in heaven, where rust and moth doe not corrupt: sursum corda, sursum oculos, and not that their eyes by a retrograde motion should be peeping and poring on the earth, p. 8where the treasures concealed, are by Poets consigned to Pluto King of hell: and modern authors avouch, that malignant Spirits haunt the places, where these metals are found. As if the Devill did there sit abrood to hatch them, cunningly pretending an unwillingnesse to part with them; whereas indeed he gains more by one mine minted out into money, then by a thousand concealed in the earth.

3 Because it stands not with the State of a Prince to be his own purse-bearer. God would not have this Lordly land of Canaan to be incumbred with carrying such a burden. Let Ophir, and Tarshish, and Havilah have the place of Iudas, to beare the bagge for Iudea.

4 Because there might be left unto the Gentiles an opportunity to gratifie the Iews, and to testifie their duty and service to God and his Temple.llPsal. 72. 10.Ps 72:10 The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents, the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts. Now these natitions would have been wholly disheartened if they could have brought Iudea no novelty, and onelyonly presented her with such things, whereof she had plenty before.

And yet whosoever shall observe themm1 King. 10. 27.1 Kgs 10:27 abundance of gold and silver in Solomons time in the city of Ierusalem, will conclude this Country not to be the cistern, but fountain of those metals. As if divine providence had so divided it, that other lands should be at the care & cost to bear, dig out and refine, and Iudea have the honour and credit, to use, expend, yea neglect, such glittering need-nots to humane happinesse. More minerals no doubt were in the land of Iudea, and let not either our ignorance, or the Iews idlenesse be interpreted the lands barrennesse, the upper fruitfulnesse of whose soil made them the more negligent in digging into the bowels thereof as those need not to play beneath board, who have all the visible game in their own hands?

CHAP. 4. Of the wealth accruing to Judea from the vegetables therein.

§ 1. AMongst the native and proper commodities of Iudea, Balm, Balm a property of Iudea.or Balsam most justly challengeth the principall place. For when Iacob advised his sonnes to provide a present for Ioseph, Take (saith he) of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, a littleaaGen. 43. 11.Gen 43:11 balme, and a little honey, spices &c. bbIos. hist. Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 2.Hereby appears the improbable error of such as report how amongst other rich presents the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon, the first plants of Balsam, which afterwards grew in Iudea. Whereas indeed her bringing of those into that Countrey, had been no better then carring of water to the fountain.

§ 2. Heare the judgment of Pagan writers altogether unconcernedCommended by heathen writers. p. 9in this businesse.ccPli…. nat. hist. lib. 12. cap. 25. Pliny saith, Balsamum uni terrarum Iudaeae concessum, understanding that Iudea alone was the Primitive place where it grew, though afterwards colonies thereof were transplanted into Egypt and other countries. With him agreeth Theophrastus, Dioscorides andddGal. de Antid. li. 2. ca. …3. Galen, who professeth that he went on purpose to Iudea, to observe the distilling thereof, and carried a small portion of balm about him, by comparing thereof to discover and confute the frequent impostures of such as counterfeit the same. This Balsame was principally twofold.

1 Xulo-balsamum, being the parent, namely the shrub, (or in complement call it the tree) out of which it proceeded.

2 Opo-balsamum, being the daughter, which trickled like teares from the former, usefull for men

Sound, making a most odoriferous and pleasant perfume;

Sick, being a soveraign salve for their wounds;

Dead, being an admirable preservative against corruption. So that their embalmed bodies seem'd in some sort to typifie the eternity of their soule.

§ 3. But this Balm was not so fixed to Gilead or any other part of Iudea, but that it was moveable thence upon the sinnes of the people. For after some flittings of this plant to Iericho (whereof afterwards) it was first by Pompey, and finally by Vespasian carried captive to Rome. Where it thrived so well that it was never (saithccA…lor … & procerior. Plin. nat. hist. l. 12. c. 15. Pliny) fairer or fruitfuller. Which passage may serve as a parable, whereof our Saviour himself is the sense. Who being formerly confined to Palestine alone, did afterwards effectually extend himself for the good of all nations. But enough hereof, if not too much. Yet seeing the reader, if being to fill his viall with this precious liquor, would not complain of overmuch measure, I trust he will not be displeased with our larger description thereof.

§ 4.ffDeur. 8. 8. Oil-olive, Oil-olive.so called to difference it both from seed, and train-oile. Hereof three kindes, or rather degrees. The coursest imploied for lamps; a finer sort used for meat, and the most refined of all compounded with various spices; whereof ointment was made, wherewith great Persons on solemn festivals used to anoint themselves, and upon other occasions, many others.

§ 5. Honey. Honey.ggExod. 3. 8. & 1 Sam. 14 25. 26.Exod 3:81 Sam 14:251 Sam 14:26This was the Sugar, as Salt was the Pepper of the ancients. And although Sugar canes grew in Iudea (whereof some considerable store at this day) yet the use thereof was either unknown to, or neglected by the Iews in Scripture, preferring honey in their daily diet. And it may seem strange, that honey being so delici…us in taste, and a staple commodity in Canaan, washhLevit. 2. 11.Lev 2:11 forbidden to be used in any sacrifice. Learned men trouble themselves about the reason of this prohibition. p. 10Some conceive voluptuousnesse thereby is forbidden; others, lip-lusciousnesse and hypocrisie in divine service; others, pride and ambition; (because honey turnes into choler)iiHugo Gro…ius in locum praedictum. others, that it is forbidden in opposition to the Persian sacrifices, wherein honey was principally offered. And whereas the varieties of fancies herein are infinite, some soberly rest themselves on no other reason; but divine pleasure. As for Wax, the cask of honey, it was used the lesse for lights, because lamps were so much in fashion.

§ 6. Wheat. Wheat.They are called thekkDeut. 32. 14.Deut 32:14 Kidneys of wheat, because the grains therein were so plump and swelling, as if all out of Pharaohs seven full eares. Yea our modern Merchants will tell you (provided they be first out of the Turkish dominions; otherwise it is death to be caught in the manner) that even at this day they carry much wheat out of Palestine into Italy it self. Say not, wheat was not so plentifull in this Countrey, because our Saviours constant fare was on barly loaves: this argues the humility of Christ, not the barrenness of the Countrey; otherwise by the same consequence it might be inferred, that there were no houses in Iudea, because he wanted where to lay his head. These four aforesaid were the elementall Commodities of Canaan, whereof that Countrey had not onelyonly a self-sufficiency, but also sent plenty thereof tollEz…k. 27. 17. Tyre, thence to the whole world. Iudah and the land of Israel they were thy Merchants, they traded in the market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and Honey, and Oil, and Balm.

§ 7. Wine Wine.may follow in the next place, whereof such plenty, that Iacob mmGen. 49. 11. Numb. 13. 23.Gen 49:11Num 13:23prophecyed of Iudah, that he should binde his foal unto the vine, and his asses colt unto the choice vine &c. That is, having occasion to dismount his Asse, and tye him for a time, vines should offer themselves as most obvious to fasten him unto; and those so great (Adjectives in other Countreys, but Substantives here) that he might safely tye his beast to them, which with us are tyed to other trees for their support. Nor were their grapes less good then great, as annSidonius. Poet (the most competent Judg of the matter in hand) doth bear witness,

Vina mihi non sunt Gazetica, Chia, Falerna,

Quaeque Sareptano palmite missa bibas.

I have no Gaza, Chios, Falern wine,

Nor any flowing from Sarepta's vine.

Thus making a quadripartite division of good wine, two members thereof, that of Gaza and Sarepta, the one falls in the tribe of Simeon, the other of Asher, both in the countrey of Palestine.

§ 8.ooJosh. 2. 6.Josh 2:6 Flax. Hereof great plenty. And pity it was so good a commodity should be prostituted to idolatry, which caused God to threaten that he would rescue and recover hisppHose. 2. 9.Hos 2:9 flax againe. The Jewish women were excellentqqProv. 31. 13.Prov 31:13 houswives, and hereof made great profit, venting it into forein parts.

p. 11§ 9. Wood of all sorts; so that Palestine was a continued grove of trees, covered over with streight Cedars, strong Oakes, shady Palmes, sweet Firres &c. If the body of Hercules may be guessed from his foot, take the Mustard, the little Toe of trees, into consideration, and thence collect the vast proportion of great woods. Some perchance may count it a Rabbinicall vaunt whatrrRab. Ioseph. in the Babylonish Talmud, Ketab. fol. 3. 6. one writes: A certain man of Sichem had bequeathed by his Father three boughs of Mustard, one of which was broken off from the rest, and it yeelded nine Kabs of seed, and the wood thereof was sufficient to cover over the Potters house. One may also suspect an Hyperbole in whatssJerusalem Talmud. another saith, I had a stemme of mustard in my garden, into which I could climbe as into a Figtree. However, ourttMat. 13. 31, 32.Matt 13:31Matt 13:32 Saviours words of the extraordinary growth of this plant must needs be true; and by the same proportion (surely the Iews had not more sawce then meat) other trees must be allowed to be of unusuall greatness.

§ 10. Here I omit to speak of the Dates, Almonds, Nuts, (at this day called Pistachioes, and most cordiall in Physick) Figs, Pomegranates and other severall fruits, whose particular description I passe by on purpose, lest our book should light on some hungry man or longing woman to read, whose appetites I may unhappily raise, but cannot satisfie again. And to leave a good sent behind at the close of the chapter, we must not forget the great store of Frankincense, Myrrh, and otheruuGen. 43. 11.Gen 43:11 Spices which were plentifully afforded in Palestine.

CHAP. 5. Of the store of beasts for food, service, and pleasure in Palestine.

§ 1. WE step now a stair higher from vegetable to sensible creatures: wherein this countrey was no lesse happy, such was the variety it afforded therein. Which will appear, first, if we furnish forth a feast of the flesh, fish, and fowl in Palestine; these particulars being premised. First, that no exception be taken at our false ranking of dishes. The Apostles said, it was not their office toaaAct. 6. 2.Acts 6:2 serve tables, and such mistakes are none at all in Divines Secondly, we name onelyonly solid and substantiall meat, whereon a cunning Cook (besides sawces and sallets) may with compounded and forced dishes descant to indefinitenesse. Lastly, know the Law forbad the Iews the feeding on severall meats, so that their life was a Lent, to abstain from such food, to which Christianity allows us a licence:bbLevit. 11. 4. 5, 6. &c.Lev 11:4Lev 11:5Lev 11:6 Hogges-flesh, Conies, Hares, Swans, Herons, Lapwings, all fishes in armour, fenced with shels, recounted amongst the dainties of our diet, were prohibited unto them. Which very prohibition speakes their plenty in that country, otherwise the law had been needless to forbid such things which the land did not afford.

p. 12§ 2. Fetching Salt, Bread and Wine from the former chapter, (all of the Quorum to every feast) first Veale is brought in, (food for Angels when ccGen. 18. 6, 7.Gen 18:6Gen 18:7Sarah dressed it) Beef of the bulls of Basan, or if that be too course, of the stalledddProv. 15. 17.Prov 15:17 Oxen; Lamb, Mutton and Kid, savoury meat, ifeeGen. 27. 9.Gen 27:9 Rebecca have the cooking thereof; Venison both red and fallow, for so we find in Solomons bill of fare,ff1 King. 4. 23.1 Kgs 4:23 Harts, Bucks and Bugles.

§ 3. Fowl of all sorts follow, Hennes, andggMat. 23. 37. & 26. 24.Matt 23:37Matt 26:24 Chickens. Capons I dare promise none, as uncertain whether mutilating of birds was then in fashion, to make them barren, that mans luxury might fructifie the more upon them. Next plenty ofhhLevit. 14. 22.Lev 14:22 Pigeons, the poor mans lambs; For such as could not goe to the cost of the one, was to provide the other for a sacrifice.iiNumb. 11. 31, 32.Num 11:31Num 11:32 Quails in abundance; for though their plenty in the wildernesse was miraculous, when a cloud of them tendred themselves to be taken by the hands of the Israelites, yet ordinarily there was store of them in Palestine. Let Locusts for their wings sake be ranked amongst the fowl, onelyonly to fill up an empty place of the table, for otherwise none but the stomach of the mortifiedkkMat. 3. 4.Matt 3:4 Baptist would feed on so course a fare.

§ 4. Fishes come in the next place, whose severall sorts in Sea, Rivers, and lakes were so many, that onelyonly Adam, whose memory was the Nomenclator of the names of all creatures by him imposed, can summon them by their proper denominations. Of these all that hadllLevit. 11. 9.Lev 11:9 Finnes and scales were permitted the Iews to eat. Butter the sawce-generall to fish, must not be forgotten. A staple dish of our Saviours whilest an infant, ooIsa 7. 15.Isa 7:15Butter and honey shall he eat. Cheese concludes all; such asnn1 Sam. 17. 18.1 Sam 17:18 David brought to his brethren, such asoo2 Sam. 17. 29.2 Sam 17:29 Barzillai provided for David. Let not any dainty dairy women object, that Jewish cheese must needs be course, where milke ofppDeut. 32. 14.Deut 32:14 sheep andqqProv. 27. 27.Prov 27:27 goats was so much in use: For a mixture of such milk is in Parmizan it self, so delicious to the palat. And now for Grace before and after meat, might not Palestine thankfully say with rrPsal. …3. 5.Ps 3:5David, Thou dost prepare a table before me in the sight of mine adversaries, thou dost anoint mine head with oil, and my cup runneth over? Yea, what is said of the earth in generall, is most properly applyable to this Country, O Lord howssPs…l. 104. 24.Ps 50:104Ps 50:24 manifold are thy works! in wisdome hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches.

§ 5. Besides cattell for food, there were others for labour, Asses, Mules, Camels, Dromedaries, whereof in due place. Birds also and beasts of prey, Eagles, Hawkes, Lions, Beares, Boares &c. Some will say this was a mischief in Palestine, whose inhabitants might be said to dwell daily like Daniel in the Lions den, such the store of ravenous beasts freely roaving up and down the countrey. But let such know, that by these beasts continued of purpose, God kept his people in an awfull dependence upon him; whilest they feared God, these beaststtGen. 9. ….Gen 9 dreaded them; and mans piety muzled up the mouth of these ravenous creatures. Otherwise p. 13when these Iews rebelled against their Master, the beasts (one of Gods uuEzek. 14. 21.Ezek 14:21four sore judgments) were let loose, and became the just executioners of divine vengeance on a wicked nation. To conclude, such the variety of cattell herein, that from hence Noah might have fraught his Ark with a couple of most creatures, some few onelyonly excepted (useless for mankind, save for rarity and fancy) as Apes and Peacocks, (perchance rather Parrats) which Solomons navieww1 King. 10. 22.1 Kgs 10:22 fetched in, and supplied from Tarshish.

CHAP. 6. Objections against the fruitfulnesse of Judea answered.

BUt seeing we live in so unbeleeving an age, that some have brought the happiness even of heaven it self into question, no wonder if such as doubt of the truth deny the type, and (though Scripture be positive in the point) flatly argue against the fruitfulness of Iudea. 1 Object.The first sort of their objections are taken from some passages scattered from pagan pennes, sleighting Iudea as an unconsiderable countrey. Thus aaLib. 16. fol. 523.Strabo speaking of Moses, winning it from the first inhabitants, foreign, easily (saith he) he obtained it, being a land of which none need be ambitious, and for which none would studiously engage themselv… to fight: for it was a stony countrey.

To which we answer first in generall.Answ. Heathen writers knew little, and spake less good of the Iews, because of the grand distance of Religions betwixt them. My people (saith God) are like abbIer. 12. 9.Jer 12:9 speckled bird; and therefore being of a different feather from other fowl in point of divine worship, no wonder if their neighbours flocked about them, to flout at them, hooting at their strange devotion: though such mocked at by men for Owles, may be made of by God as Nightingales. Excellently Iosephus in his book against Apion the Grammarian doth prove that no credit is to be given to Pagan reports against the Iews. And as they loved not that people, so they liked not their place, causlesly raising slanders upon it. More particularly Strabo, in his rash censure counting Iudea not a prize worth the contending for, is confuted by the course of history. Let the Romans (too cunning Merchants to venture on worthless ware) tell how much the City of Ierusalem cost them, paying an ounce of bloud for every inch of ground therein.

2 Object. 2 Object.It is said in the Scripture it self, Numb. 13. 23. that it was a land which eateth up the inhabitants thereof. It seems it was a very lean, hungry, and barren land, which in stead of feeding the dwellers therein, fed upon them.

Answ. Answ.It is said so indeed, but by whom? The false spies whose tongues were no slander. Now (whatsoever they meant by this their expression) p. 14certainly their words intend not any barrennesse in that countrey, having formerly (vers. 27.) confessed the transcendent fertility thereof. Except any will say, that these Spies did now revoke their former witness; and if so, we look no longer on the land of Canaan as devouring her inhabitants, but on these unconstant liers as eating their own words. However their first testimony (when, untampered with by the people, they spake their own sense, and gave in their true verdict, of the Land) is to be beleeved, before their second character of this Countrey, when infected with popular discontentments, they studied cavills against the same. Besides, if the meaning of their words, [a land eating up the inhabitants thereof] be, as it is generallyccSee the Geneva note on the text. interpreted, a land whose inhabitants by civill warres mutually destroy one another, it tends more to the credit, then disgrace of the Countrey. It is no fault in that rich pasture, if the grasse thereof, be Provender in goodnesse, so that the horses fed therein, wax so wanton as to fight one with another.

3 Object. 3 Object.Water is a staple commodity for mans support, whose life, lame in it self, soon falls to the ground, if not held up by the Staffe of bread in one hand and water in the other. Now Iudea had great want of this Element, a Well being counted such a treasure amongst them, that greatddGen. 26. 18.Gen 26:18 strivings have happened about it.

Answ. Answ.Iudea wanted no water, though dry in comparison of England. We northern nations are ready to suspect the southern parts as afire with a Feaver; whilest southern Countreys may fear lest our lands be drowned with a Dropsie; such the superfluity of rain and Rivers amongst us. Let Iudea be compared with her neighbours in the same Climate, and she would be found not onelyonly to equall, but to exceed them in conveniency of water. The ScriptureeeDeut. 8. 7.Deut 8:7 describes it a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills &c. And because many now adays will beleeve the Maids word before the Mistresses, I mean, humane before divine testimony, hear howffLib. 16. fol. 523. Strabo speaks to this point, foreign. The Countrey it selfe indeed was well watered, but the coasts about were base and ill watered. Besides Rivers Iudea had constantly (save when the windowes of heaven were miraculously shut up) the former and the later rain, which like Trade winds on some seas, came at set seasons, at Seed-time and before Harvest. So that heaven may be said to have kept an Ordinary for Iudea, and to have fed it at eating hours with set meales of water, whereas other countreys have no such standing Table kept for them, being left at large to the uncertainty of weather, and not always drinking when they were athirst, but when they could get moisture.

4 Object.4 Object. AmmianusggLib. 14. …. 7. Marcellinus reports, that therein were no navigable …ivers, which must needs be a great hindrance of commerce in the Countrey.

Answ. Ausw.The term navigable must be distinguished on. Confesse we p. 15that Iudea had no vast streames in it, like Nilus or the Dan…w, whose chanels are capable of Boats, ships f…llows; yet wanted it not Rivers to carry vessells of considerable burthens. Every Tribe therein did border on the Mid-land sea, or on the river of Iordan, up which river, even against the streame, they used to sail, in vessells bearing burdens (not unlike our western Barges) by the confession of otherhhforeign. Strab…, lib. 16. p. 7…5. authors.

5. Object. 5 Object.It was full of mountains, which gener…lly are conceived destructive to the fruitfulness of a countrey.

Answ. Answ.Such dwarf-mountains or Giant-hills made the land insensibly larger in exten…, no whit lesser in increase. Was ever a great belly brought for an argument of barreness▪ especially seeing these mountains in Iudea did not swell with a mock-mother Tympany, but were pregnant with speciall commodities. Some cattell, as Go…tes; and plants▪ as Vines are never more triumphant on their throne, then when advantaged on the sides of such hills. TheiiStra…o, li. 16. p. 755. Geographer speaking of Trachonitis, the coursest list, and most craggy ground about the countrey of Iudea, acknowledgeth there were foreign, grassie and fair fruitfull hills; which as they afforded a delightfull prospect, so they conduced much to make the cities impregnable which were built amongst them.

6. Object. 6 Object.Mention there is in Scripture of many deserts in Iudea, as if the countrey were nothing else but a heap of wildernesses hudled up together.

Answ. Answ.Indeed the word Desert sounds hideously to English eares: it frights our fancies with the apparitions of a place full of dismall shades, salvage beasts, and dolefull desolation, whereas in Hebrew it imports no more then a woody retirednesse from publick habitation; most of them in extent not exceeding our greater Parks in England, and more alluring with the pleasure of privacy, then affrighting with the sadnesse of solitariness.

7. Object. 7 Object.Frequent famins are mentioned in this land, and some most prodigious. In the siege ofkk… King. 6. 28. Samaria a woman eat her own child, unexampled almost in other histories, and all things were sold at excessive rates.

Answ. Answ.The instances alledged argue not the barrenness of the countrey, being extraordinary Punishments inflicted immediately by divine Justice. This we confesse, that as merry men, when sad, are very sad; so this pleasant land, when God frowned upon it, was extremely dejected, and the famins therein were famins with a witness.

8. Object. 8 Object.SaintllOn Isaiah cap. 44. v. 14.Isa 44:14 Hierome, who lived himself long in Palestine, and must be acknowledged so skilfull in this matter, that others could not deceive him, & so honest, that he would not deceive others, speaketh very meanly thereof. It is ragged with craggy mountaines, and suffereth the penury of thirst, so that it preserveth rain water, and supplieth the scarcity of wells by building of cisterns.

p. 16Answ. Answ.Saint Hierome in the same place (and none fitter or abler to do it) answers himself, Neque hoc dico in suggillationem terrae Sanctae, sed ut decutiam supercilium Iudaeorum. &c. I say not this to disgrace the land of Iudea, (as the hereticall Sycophant doth belie… me) or to take away the truth of the history, which is the foundation of spirituall understanding, but to beat down the pride of the Iews, which enlarge the straits of the Synagogue, further then the breadth of the Church. This Father did de…ry the literall, to raise the mysticall Canaan; and they that know Saint Hierome, know that when he intends to praise or dispraise, he will doe it to the purpose.

9 Object. 9 Object.Modern travellers which have lately surveyed the countrey, report it to be a bare surface of sand at this day.

Answ. Answ.Who can guesse what Naomi was by whatmmRuth 1. 20.Ruth 1:20 Marah is? The stump indeed stands still, but the branches are withered; the Skeleton remains, but the favour and flesh thereof is consumed. Iudea is, and is not, what it was before; the same in bulk, not blessing; for fashion, not fruitfulness; the old Instrument is the same, but it is neither strung with stock, nor plaid upon with the hand of skilfull husbandry. The nnCant. 2. 1.Song 2:1Rose of Sharon is faded, her …eaves lost, and now nothing but the prickles thereof to be seen. See what sinne can doe, or undoe rather, and the guilt of our Saviours bloud: A fruitfull land maketh he barren, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein. As therefore the cleare and lovely complexions, the handsome and proper persons, the bold and valiant Spirits, the comely and courtly behaviour of the ancient Iews, are not to be measured by the suspicious and louring looks, the low and crooked statures, the slavish and servil conditions, the base and sordid demeanour of the Iews now adays; no more are our judgments to contract the former fruitfulness of their soil to the present sterility thereof. And yet as the sheep which fell toooGen. 30. 35.Gen 30:35 Iacobs share, had strakes or speckles scattered here and there in their skins: so, granting the generality of Iudea barren, yet by the confession ofppBrocard de terra sancta, & M. George Sands. Travellers some spots and parcels of ground transcendently fruitfull, are every where to be found, retaining and transmitting to posterity the memory of the universall fruitfulness of Iudea, before God had justly cursed it for the sinnes of the people.

CHAP. 7. Of the ancient division of the land betwixt the seven Canaanitish Nations.

HAving done with the description of the commodities of this Countrey, we come now to the serverall divisions thereof; which thing seriously considered conduceth much to the right understanding of the Scripture. In severall ages the land fell under different divisions.

1 In Abrahams time it was parted betwixt the seven Nations of Canaan.

p. 172 Afterwards the same was subdivided into one and thirty petty Kingdomes.

3 By Ioshua it was parcelled into twelve portions, betwixt so many tribes.

4 In Rehoboams reigne it was rent into two kingdomes, Iudah and Israel.

5 After the Captivity it was divided into three Provinces, Iudea, Samaria, and Galile.

6 In Christs and his Apostles time it was carved into four Tetrarchies, and some other appendent dominions.

We will first survey it in the originall condition thereof, as it consisted of a Heptarchy, or seven ruling nations of Canaan, whose number, names, extraction, and severall habitations require much care and diligence to rank and order them aright.

The first difficulty we meet with, is in the number of these nations, so variously reckoned up. They are counted up thus: two, Gen. 13. 7. three, Exod. 23. 28. five, Exod. 13. 5. sixe, Exod. 3. 8. 17. seven, Iosh. 3. 10. ten, Gen. 15. 19. eleven, Gen. 10. 15. & 1 Chron. 1. 13. and seventeen, if a collective number of them all be cast up. Now how come they to be so differently computed where one and the same Spirit is the Auditour to state their account? It is answered, that seven was the compleat and solemne number, whereon God himself emphatically insists when repeating his favours to the Iews,aaDeut. 7. 1.Deut 7:1 Seven nations greater and mighter then thou. And perchance the beast in the RevelationbbRevel. 13. 1.Rev 13:1 with seven heads, beareth some allusion thereunto. Wherefore when these seven nations are summed up defectively, under that number, we must conceive such of them as are omitted to be implyed under the Genericall name of Canaanites. But on the other side, when above seven are brought, then the inhabitants of the larger Canaan, are cast into the account: whose countrey was promised too, but never peaceably possessed by the Israelites, as we observed before. We finde three severall Editions (as I may call them) of the nations of Canaan, whereof the most authentick and common is Deut. 7. 1. which we will principally peruse, as followeth.

1 Hittites.

These come forth first as if it were to usher and make room for the rest; as well they may, being Giants of such strength and stature, the Anakims being descended from them: so formidable to their foes, that ccSam. Bochartus Geog▪ sacra. lib. 4. cap. 35.some conceive them named from foreign hittah, which signifies to scare and frighten: such the terrible impression of them on their enemies. As stout their men, so their women were notable domineering dames, witness Rebecca's complaint, that she was weary of her life for theddGen. 27. 46.Gen 27:46 daughters of Heth which Esau had maried. They lived about Hebron and Beersheba, and their countrey was afterwards possessed by Iudah and Simeon.

p. 182 Girgashites.

It is hard to determin their exact habitation. Wise Agur confesseth that he knew not the way of a eeProv. 30. 19.Prov 30:19Serpent upon a stone, so invisibly he slides away on a smooth place. Such the clear conveyances of the Girgashites going into Africa, as the Iews ffTalmud Hie…os. tract. de …uram. cap. 35.will have it, after Ioshua's, time▪ that they cannot be traced by any memory left behind: except some reliques of them remain in the countrey of the Gergesens (whose swine the devills ggMa…. 8. 28.drawned by Christs permission:) whencehhSir Walter Raleigh la ca. 8. pa. 138. Authors collect them to have lived on the east of Iordan near the Sea of Cinnereth, afterwards in the juncture of the tribes of Gad and Manasseh.

3 Amorites.

These sometimes are taken by a Synecdoche of eminency for all the seven nations: The sins of theiiGen. 15. 16.Gen 15:16 Amorites are not yet full. Here we behold them as a particular people, so called, askkGrego…iu… G…gorii in verbo. some conceive, from foreign Amar, to speak, as confident talkers, such as thellPsal. 12▪ 4.Ps 12:4 Psalmist describes, We ought to speak, who is Lord over us? Yea some carnall cause they had to boast, being compared by themmAmos 2. 9.Amos 2:9 Prophet to Cedars for their height, and Oakes for their strength. Their originall habitation was in the mountainous Countrey, which fell afterwards to the lot ofnnJudg. 1. 34.Judg 1:34 Dan, and the west part of the possession ofooIudg. 1. 35.Judg 1:35 Ephraim. Hence they made a …ally over Iordan, and setled themselves under Sihon their King eastward in the countreys which they had gained from Moab and Ammon, afterwards possessed by Reuben and Gad.

4 Canaanites.

These also generally taken include all the seven nations, growing from the root of Canaan. Consider we them here as one branch of that tree. Now though the false report of the spies was in some respect but a libell of this land, yet they may be beleeved for the situation of the people therein, that the Canaanites dwelt by theppNumb. 13. 29.Num 13:29 Sea, and the coast of Iordan, that is, all the breadth of the Countrey northward, which came afterwards to be possessed by Asher, Nephthali, Zebulun, and Issachar.

5 Perizzites.

By interpretation Villagers, as dwelling in dorps and Hamlets, not walled towns. Which as it abated their civility, so it advanced their manhood. Their habitation not far fromqqGen. 13. 7.Gen 13:7 Bethel, where the children of Ioseph afterwards received their portion; whose land byrrIosh. 17. 15.Josh 17:15 Ioshua was bestowed upon them, in case the country allotted proved too little for them. **Judg. 1. 4.Judg 1:4Some of them also were dispersed in the northern part of the Tribe of Iudah.

6 Hivites.

Their name in Hebrew signifieth Serpents. So called, as the learned conceive, from their delight to live under-ground in caves, whereof plenty in the sides of mountains. I find two Colonies or plantations of the Hivites. One in the center of the land, where afterwards the tribes of Benjamin, and Ioseph met together. For the Gibeonites (who put a new p. 19cheat on the Israelites, with their old clothes) weressIosh. 9. 7. & 11. 19.Josh 9:7Josh 11:19 Hivites, as also the inhabitants of Sichem were of the samettGen. 34. 2.Gen 34:2 nation. Their other plantation was under mountuuIosh. 11. 3.Josh 11:3 Hermon, or in mount Lebanon, aswwIudg. 3. 3. Iosh. 11. 17.Judg 3:3Josh 11:17 severall Scriptures doe place them. Now rather then any difference should arise herein, Hermon will humbly confess it self parcell of Lebanon, and so the seeming contradiction is reconciled.

7 Iebusites.

Their abode is notoriously known to have been in, and aboutxx2. Sam. 5. 6.2 Sam 5:6 Iebus or Ierusalem, where they defied all Davids power to dispossess them, and yet at last by Ioabs valour were ejected.

So much of the heathen Heptarchy in Canaan. Come we now to consider a second edition of these nations, as God gave in a list of their names toyyGen. 15. 19.Gen 15:19 Abraham, promising withall to give his posterity their countrey in possession. Here we find them tenne in number, the Hivites being omitted, and four more added, namely,

8. 1 Kenites.

Of these no mention ever after in Scripture. For the Kenites descended from Iethro (part whereofzzIudg. 4. 11.Judg 4:11 flitted from the South of Iudah to the North of Nephthali) were a different nation from these Kenites the subject of our enquiry: we conceive therefore one of these two things most probable.

1 Either after Abrahams and before Ioshua's time, by famine, sword, and pestilence they were utterly deleted, and their land shared betwixt the former seven nations of the Canaanites.

2 Or within the term aforesaid, being perchance too few and feeble alone to maintain the dignity of a distinct nation, they lost their names by listing themselves under some other people.

9. 2 Kenizites.

As deep silence of these in holy writ as of the former; as if they had lived inaaPsal. 88. 12.Ps 88:12 the land where allthings are forgotten. And probable it is, that betwixt Abrahams and Ioshua's time (if a day may bringbbProv. 27. 1.Prov 27:1 forth much, what alterations may four hundred years produce?) they were extinguished. All flesh is grasse, and not onelyonly particular men, like single blades, may be mowed down by death, but even whole nations plucked up by the roots, never to grow again, being buried without other monument over or epitaph upon them, then that of the Psalmist,ccPsal. 9. 6.Ps 9:6 their memoriall is perished with them.

10. 3 Kadmonites.

That is, by the notation of the word, men of the east, or Easterlings if you please. These a learnedddBochartus G…og. Sac. l. 4. c. 36. p. 347. man with great likelyhood conceives to be the Hivites; both because (as aforesaid) the Hivites are omitted in this Catalogue, and because they lived in the eastern part of Canaan, under mount Hermon. As for the opinion, that Cadmus the Phenician with Hermione his wife were Hivites (Serpents their name sounds in Hebrew, p. 20as we observed before) and therefore fabled by theeeOvid. Met. lib. 3. Poet, to be turned into Dragons; such as exclude it their judgment, because no solid truth, may admit it into their fancy as a pleasing conceit.

11. 4 Rephaims.

Their position is undoubtedly known, living about AshtarothffGen. 14. 5.Gen 14:5 Carnaim in the half tribe of Manasseh beyond Iordan. But though here was their principall nest, we find some of their feathers scattered in other places, in agg2 Sam. 5. 18.2 Sam 5:18 valley near Ierusalem of that name, and another in the tribehhJosh. 17. 15.Josh 17:15 of Ioseph, whither perchance they fled, when smitten at home by iiGen. 14. 5.Gen 14:5Chedorlaomer.

But the last and largest volume of these nations of Canaan, is Gen. 10. 15. where sixe more are added, dwelling in those parts of Canaan which the Israelites never fully possessed. The former nations were as I may say under the first qualification kkDeut. 7. 2.Deut 7:2to dye without mercy, but these had more favour afforded them, according to the honour of Martiall proceeding. These latter were never Servants in ordinary to the Israelites, never wholly subdued by them, but were onelyonly retainers at large, doing them homage at great solemnities, and high festivalls: understand thereby all the victorious reignes of David and Solomon. We take them in order.

12. 1 Zidonians.

Eminently known by their famous City, whereof largely hereafter.

13. 2 Archites.

These dwelt at Arca, or Arce, a City in Libanus over against Tripoly, whereof mention in Ptolomeus.

14. 3 Sinites.

In searching after their proper place, we are at a losse, like Ioseph when sent to seek his brethren; onelyonly he, when wandring,llGen. 37. 15.Gen 37:15 met with a man to direct him, we with many to distract us. Some place them near the mountain of Sinai. But that barren desert affords no more livelyhood, then the Law there delivered could give life unto men. Others seat them neare Sin (by Ptolomy Simyra) in the northern bound of the land. And a thirdmmBochartus ut priùs. sort, whom we will follow, in the very south point thereof, at the entrance of Egypt, near Pelusium, called Sin in thennEzek. 30. 15, 16.Ezek 30:15Ezek 30:16 Scriptures, whence the desert of Sin hath its nameooExod. 16. 1.Exod 16:1.

15. 4 Arvadites.

These lived north of the Zidonians, whereof largely in the description of mount Libanus.

16. 5 Zemarites.

More uncertain for situation then the former, because no more mention of them. Had the land whereon they lived, like the floor of Bels ppHistor. Bel. ver. 14.Temple, been strowed with ashes, some print of their footsteps would have remained, whereas now no marks, to discover p. 21them. Learned men thus groping in the dark, some seek (for lack of other light) to light a candle from a glow-worm; their conceit being no better, who from the vicinity of the sound, make these Zemarites inhabit mount Shemir (afterwards, Samaria) which is confuted by the Hebrew Orthography. More probably they may be placed atqqJosh. 18. 22.Josh 18:22 Zemaraim, a City afterwards of Benjamin.

17. 6 Hamathites.

As formerly we had too little, here we have too much direction, finding two eminent places equ…lly probable for their habitation▪ Hamath on the north of Nepthali, and another many miles off, called Hamah the great, and afterwards Antiochia. And perchance they might remove from the one to the other. So much of the nations descended from Canaan, amongst whom the Philistims are not reckoned, (whose five Satrapies possessed the South-west part of the land) because they came not from Canaan, but from Mizraim his elder Brother, of whom God willing largely hereafter in the descriptions of the tribes of Dan, and Simeon.

To conclude▪ Let the reader beware lest deceived with the similitude of sounds, he condemne the generation of the righteous, and mistake true Israelites by birth, to be Canaanites by descent; as namely,

1 Caleh therrJosh. 14. 14.Josh 14:14 Kenite, undoubtedly of the tribe ofssNum. 13. 6.Num 13:6 Iudah, onelyonly his grandfathers name was Kenaz.

2 Vriah the Hittite

3 Ornan the Iebusite

so loyal

so liberal

to David:

The first might be a Proselyte Hittite, but more likely an Israelite whose Father was called Heth; and the latter of the tribe ofttIosh. 15. 63.Josh 15:63 Iudah oruuIudg. 1. 21.Judg 1:21 Benjamin, who lived promiscuously with the Iebusites in the City of Iebus or Ierusalem.

4 Hushi the Archite, who out-achitophelled Achitophell in his policy, was probably an Ephraimite of thewwJosh. 16. 2.Josh 16:2 borders of Archi, otherwise unlikely that David would have chosen a stranger to have been his Cabinet counsellour.

5 Simon thexxMat. 10. 4.Matt 10:4 Cananite, Christs Disciple, certainly a Iew, (otherwise our Saviour would not have entertained him in so near a relation) born it seems inyyJohn 2. 1.John 2:1 Cana of Galile.

So much for caution, lest Demetrius who was wellzz3 Iohn 1, 2.3 John 1:2 reported of all men, suffer for Demetrius, Diana's silver-smith; and these reall Iews be misrepresented under the notion of heathen extraction.

p. 22CHAP. 8. The second solemn division of the land of Canaan into thirty one Kingdomes.

§ 1. NExt to the distinguishing of this land into seven nations,Anciently an A…my of Kings in Canaan. we must observe the division thereof amongstaaIo…h. 12. 9. one and thirty Kings. Strange, that their scepters (except very short) did not justle one another, in so narrow a Countrey. But, we must know, that the Genius of that age, delighted not so much, in scraping much together, as in having absolute authority in that little, which was their own. Pride is commonly the sinne of young men, covetousness of old folk. The world in the youth thereof, more affected honour, then wealth, high titles, then large treasure. And these Royolets contented themselves, that their crowns (though not so big) were as bright, their scepters (though not so great) were as glistering, as those of the mightiest Monarchs, being as absolute Soveraignes in their own small territories.

§ 2. Let us consider,The 31 kingdomes how dispensed to the severall Tribes. how these one and thirty kingdomes were afterwards disposed of, and how they were shared amongst the severall Tribes. In reckoning up their names, we observe the method in bbIosh, ibid.Ioshua, as he marshalls them upon order following;

Kingdomes of

1. Iericho.

2. Ali.

3. Ierusalem.

4. Heb…o….

5. Iarmuth.

6. La…hish.

7. Eglon.

8. Gezer.

9. D…ber.

10. G…der.

11. Hormah.

12. Arad.

13. Libnath

14. Adulla….

15. Makkeda….

16. Bethel.

17. Tappuah.

18. Hepher.

19. Aphek.

20. Lasharon.

21. Mad…n.

22. Ha…or.

23. Shimr…n-M…ron.

24. Achshaph.

25. Ta…a…h.

26. Megiddo.

27. Kedesh.

28. I…eam of Ca…mel.

29. Dor in the coasts of Dor.

30. The nations of Gilgal.

31. Tirza.

allotted to

1. Benjamin.

2. Benjamin.

3. Ben…amin. Iudah.

4. Iuda….

5. Iudah.

6. Iudah.

7. Iudah.

8. …phraim.

9. Iudah.

10. Iudah. Sim…on.

11. Simeon.

12. Iudah.

13. Iudah.

14. Iudah.

15. Be…jamin.

16. Benjamin.

17. Manasseh cis I…r.

18. M…nas…cis I…r.

19. As…er.

20. Zebulon.

21. Neph…hali.

22. Nephthali.

23. Zebulon.

24. Asher.

25. Manas. cis I…r.

26. … cis…or.

27. Nephthali.

28. Zebulon.

29. Manasseb. Issachar.

30. B…nja…in

31. Ephraim.

By the King of the nations of Gilgal, understand a Soveraign over a miscellaneous company of people, the master-bee of a swarm not yet fixed in an hive, having a sufficient territory for his men, but no p. 23considerable Metropolis of his kingdome. In this Catalogue, Sihon and Og are not reckoned, whose dominions lay …ast of Iordan, and they make up thirty three Kings in all. So much of these Cities for the present; whereof largely hereafter in those respective Tribes to which they belong.

§ 3. Amongst these Kings one may visibly discover two distinct combinations.Two distinct combinations of thes… Kings.

1 In the southern circuit of Canaan, Adoni-bezek King of Ierusalem seems to be chief of this knot, at whoseccIosh. 10. 3.Josh 10:3 sending the Kings of Hebron, Iarmuth, Lachish, Eglon &c. assembled themselves against Ioshua, and were destroyed by him.

2 In the northern Association. ThereddIosh▪ … 1, 2, 3.Josh 1:2Josh 1:3 I…bin the King had the precedency, with whom the Kings of Madon, Shimron, and Achshaph &c. confederated themselves against Ioshua with the same success.

Had all at once ingaged against Ioshua, the task had been hard; had he fought them all severally, the work had been long to subdue them. For, these thirty and one Kings, who made up a full monethmonth in their number, how many years would they have made up in their resistance? Whereas now divine providence fitting the strength of Ioshua's arm, parcelled his foes into two bundles, that he might the more easily at two blows, strike through both of them.

§ 4. And here we present the Reader with a draught of the land,Necessary difference betwixt the two maps of Canaan. as it was in the days of Abraham, and continued till the time of Ioshua; not well satisfied, whether more properly to term it old, or new Canaan. If we count from the beginning of the world downwards, it was young or new Canaan, because nearest the creation; if we reckon backwards from our time, the old Canaan. If the Reader discover any difference betwixt this, and the next Map of the same land, as it was constituted after the days of Ioshua, let him consider,

1 How the same face is disguised by different dressing. Palestine afterwards (when divided betwixt the twelve Tribes) being tricked and trimmed with many new Cities, had the favour thereof quite altered.

2 How the pictures drawn by the same exact Artist, of the same person, first when a youth, afterwards when an old man, must have much difference betwixt them; and the distance of some hundreds of years, causeth a necessary variation in the descriptions of the same Countreys.

It will be objected, that though age and accidents may alter the old, and induce new lineaments in mens faces, yet the Simile holds not in the description of Countreys, where the same chanels of sea, courses of rivers, falls of vales, flats of plains, ridges of hills, must remain. As for mountains, time, for want of carriage, must be forced p. 24to leave such luggage behind her; and therefore that such land, and water-marks, must always continue, without any considerable alteration. But it is answered, that even these seeming Standards of nature, are moveable with time and casualty, inundations, tempests, and earthquakes; in the last (being the earths violent cough) sometimes she spits up her own lungs, casting up great hills where never were any before. What the Apostle speaks in an higher sense, is true of the materiall world, and the severall countreys therein,cc1 Cor. 7. 31.1 Cor 7:31 The fashion of this world passeth away; so that to the very view of the eye, the shape, form, and garb thereof is metamorphosed. Besides, other Anagrams hapning in the land of Canaan, lands afterwards transposed for water, and water for land; one is most remarkable, namely, when the pleasant vale offfGen. 1…. 3.Gen 1:3 Siddim nigh the banks of Iordan, was turned into the salt-sea, or noisome Asphaltite-lake. This was the work of the Lord, and it may justly seem marvellous in our eyes. But of the cause, time, and manner of this alteration, largely God willing hereafter.

Here the Map of old Canaan it to be inserted.

p. 29CHAP. 9. The third division of the land into twelve Tribes, some of all which Tribes remained untill, at, and after the time of our Saviour.

§ 1. THe third solemn division of Palestine, was made by Ioshua into twelve Tribes, of whose severall bounds largely in our ensuing discourse. This partition remained untill Shalmaneser aa2 King. 17. 6.2 Kgs 17:6carried ten Tribes away captive, and in exchange, brought in his own colonies to possess their conquered Countrey. However, although the main body of the ten Tribes were thus transplanted, without any hope to return to their native soil, yet some competent representation of every Tribe, remained behind in their own countrey, even untill, at, and after the time of Christ, and his Apostles.

§ 2. Alledge not to the contrary, that it is said, after Shalmaneser's carrying them away captive,bb2 King. 17. 18.2 Kgs 17:18 there was none left but the Tribe of Iudah onelyonly. Understand it, that Iudah onelyonly remained in the flourishing condition of a kingdome. That onelyonly was the visible standing-corn, amongst which, others of Israel, like loose eares were scattered. But to the point, that some gleanings of these ten Tribes, remained in their countrey, after the Assyrian captivity, may be proved;

1 From the very nature of a generall calamity, which lighting on a populous nation, cannot so particularly apply it self to every individuall person, but that some will escape. TheccIsai. 7. 20.Isa 7:20 hired rasor made not such clean work, as to shave every hair, but that some small down might creep under the edge thereof. ThatddIsai. 14. 23.Isa 14:23 Besome of destruction swept not so clean, but that some dust may be presumed left behind in the small crevices of the countrey. Some (no doubt) by timely flight, casuall absence, especiall favour, secret concealment, might escape; and others, through age and sickness unable to travell, might be permitted to remain behind.

2 Mention is made of aee2 Chr. 30. 6.2 Chr 30:6 remnant which escaped out of the hands of the King of Assyria. And when …iezekiah kept his solemn passover, he sentff2 Chron. 30. 10. 18.2 Chr 30:102 Chr 30:18 messengers to Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, Asher, some of whom made a mock at his courtesie, and others thankfully embraced his gracious invitation.

3 Iosiah in his passover (celebrated in the eighteenth year of his reign, ninety and odde years after the banishment of the twelve Tribes) assembled theregg2 Chr. 35. 18.2 Chr 35:18 all Iudah and Israel that were present, or found.

§ 3. Such remnants of the ten Tribes, being afterwards carried captive with Iudah to Babylon, returned thence with the rest of their brethren; as probably is insinuated,

1 By the sacrifice at the dedication of the second Temple,hhEzra. 6. 17.Ezra 6:17 A sin p. 30offering for all Israel, twelve hee-goats according to the number of the Tribes of Israel. In expression (no doubt) of gladness, of some of every Tribe present thereat.

2 By the number of such as returned, amounting toiiEzra 2. 64.Ezra 2:64 forty two thousand three hundred and threescore. Now, whosoever shall be pleased, to cast up the particular sums, of the severall families of Iudah and Benjamin set down there, will find them fall short twelve thousand of the foresaid number. Where therefore shall we supply the account? Hear how the great Jewish-Chronicle (set forth not long after our Saviours time) resolves this question; kkVbi …rgo sunt 12000? in iis sanè qui ascenderunt dereliquis tribubus. Seder olam Rabba. cap. 29.Surely, they were made up of those who came up from Babylon to Ierusalem, of other Tribes.

3 Thell1 Chron. 9. 3.1 Chr 9:3 Scripture saith, after the captivity of Babylon that there dwelt in Ierusalem (besides those of Iudah and Benjamin) of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Nor is the testimony of Iosephus to be slighted herein, though Ios. mmIn Animad ver. in Euseb. numero. 1734.Scaliger causlesly condemns it, affirming that the King of Egypt employed seventy two Iews to translate the Bible into Greek, taking six out of every Tribe, which compleat that number.

§ 4. That such fragments of the ten Tribes returning from Babylon, were reestated in their ancient possessions, I dare not affirm, but rather believe the contrary. For there was no inducting them into their former inheritances, because no vacancy or avoidance therein; terra plena, the land was still full with the plantation of Medes and others brought in by Shalmaneser. So that this remnant of the ten Tribes, were (for the main) fain promiscuously to make their habitations where they might, whilst Iudah and Benjamin were restored to their ancient, intire, and distinct possessions. Yet there is some probability, that some of Zebulun and Nephthali in our Saviours time had recovered part of their ancient patrimony. Otherwise the force of Isaiahs prophecy, and Matthews application is much impaired:nnMat. 4. 14. &c.Matt 4:14 The land of Zebulun and the land of Nephthali &c. The people that sate in darkness saw great light. That is in a genuine and unstrained sense, their posterity had the day of deliverance first dawning unto them, whose ancestors were first overtaken with the night of affliction.

§ 5. That in the time of Christ, and his Apostles, some pious people of all Tribes, were extant in Iudea, plainly appears,

1 ByooLuk… 2. 36.Luke 2:36 Anna the Prophetess, which was of the Tribe of Asher.

2 By Saint Pauls expression,ppActs 26. 7.Acts 26:7 Unto which promise, our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. This cannot be meant of those departed this life, before Saint Pauls time, (which were past hope and in possession of the promise) but of such as served God then, when this speech was uttered.

3 By the superscription of S. Iames his Epistle,qqJames 1. 1.Jas 1:1 To the twelve Tribes p. 31which are scattered abroad, greeting. Being Christian Iews probably, rrActs 11. 19.Acts 11:19dispersed from Ierusalem, after the martyrdome of Saint Stephen.

§ 6. To conclude, what in the Law God prescribed concerning the fields, he was pleased graciously to practise upon the persons of the Israelites. ssLevit. 19. 10.Lev 19:10Thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape in thy vineyard. He suffered a small racemation to remain, still preservingttActs 26. 7.Acts 26:7 foreign, and not wholly discomposing the solemn Jury of the twelve Tribes, which untill Christs time were made the thinner, but not the fewer, by all their calamities. For, although thorough continuance of time, suddain and great changes in their condition, laziness and neglect, casuall losing, and spightfull embezeling of their Records, mixt mariages with heathens, and many other accidents the intireness of their Pedegrees was much perplext and interrupted; yet by tradition from their parents, they knew in generall their extraction from those Tribes, though unable particularly, to clear the immediate series of their descents.

CHAP. 10. Of Palestine rent into two kingdomes, under Rehoboam; and their severall strengths balanced.

§ 1. THe next solemn division, the land of Canaan fell under, was, when it was cloven by the ten Tribesaa1 King. 12. 19.1 Kgs 12:19 defection, into the kingdomes of Iudah, and Israel.

§ 2. The kingdome of Iudah consisted chiefly of the Tribe of Iudah, which alone was so powerfull, and populous, that the men thereof, in the muster made by Kingbb2 Sam. 24. 9.2 Sam 24:9 David, amounted in number to moe, then the half of all the other Tribes there expressed. Besides the body of this Tribe, very considerable were the appurtenances thereof, namely,

Some of

Simeon,ccJosh. 19. 1. 9.Josh 19:1Josh 19:9 whose inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the Tribe of Iudah.

Dan, part of whose possession was taken out of what originally was assigned to Iudah.

These must be presumed, to beare a State-sympathy to the kingdome of Iudah, ingaged thereunto by the position of their countrey. Yea, we finde it expressed in Scripture, thatdd1 King. 19. 3.1 Kgs 19:3 Beersheba a City of Simeon; andee2 Chr. 11. 8.2 Chr 11:8 Gath, ff2 Chr. 11. 10.2 Chr 11:10Zorah, andggIbidem. Ajalon, Cities of Dan, did belong to, and were fortified by the Kings of Iudah.

§ 3. Besides these, two thirds of the Tribe of Benjamin, pertained to the same kingdome; as also all the Levites hh2 Chr. 11. 142 Chr 11:14which left their Cities in Israel, and clave to the house of David. These, though properly the eyes of the land, had hands also, and contributed to the strength of the kingdome. Adde hereunto all the well-affected, which out of all the Tribes p. 32ofii2 Chr. 11. 16.2 Chr 11:16 Israel resorted to Ierusalem. For, the by-ditches of Dan and Bethel, did not so drain the peoples devotion, but that much thereof ran in the right chanel to the Temple; and no doubt, many violently kept at home, had their hearts at Ierusalem, and their bodies in Israel, to which kingdome all the rest of the Tribes did belong.

§ 4. Here it will be richly worth our pains, to enter on a comparative estimate of these two Kingdomes, which of them exceeded in puissance: Herein we shall carry an impartiall hand; and indeed, though the controversie be betwixt two Kings, there is nothing to be got by flattering of either.

§ 5. We will compare them first in that, wherein Solomon placeth the honour of a King,kkProv. 13. 28.Prov 13:28 the multitude of their subjects. And here any clear judgment will find for the Kings of Israel.

§ 6. Secondly, if the extent of their dominions be surveyed, and our eye in the Map made umpirer therein, the case is clear in view without measuring, that Israel was the greatest.

§ 7. Thirdly, if their Cities be numbred, the result will be this, Iudah had the Sun, Ierusalem; Israel had the Moon, Samaria, and most Starres of the first magnitude, Ieri…ho, Iezreel, Mahanaim &c.

§ 8. Fourthly, if their ports, and naval power be considered, neither will be found very active that way, contentedly yeelding their sea-trading to the Phenicians. Yet Israel had the advantage of havens, and marine accommodations, bordering most on the Mediterranean; Iudah also (to hold the scales even) had Ezion-Gaber, a considerable port on the Red-sea, as may appear by Ahaziahs request to Iehosaphat, ll1 King. 22. 49.1 Kgs 22:49Let my servants goe with thy servants in the ships; plainly importing, that the men of Iudah were the Cape-merchants and prime mariners in those seas, by whose courtesie the subjects of the Kings of Israel, were admitted to trafique there. However, Ezion-Gaber on the Red-sea was but a key to the back-door (little of the East-Indies being then known, and less traded to) whereas the havens on the Midland-sea opened the broad gates of commerce to the most and best frequented parts of the world.

§ 9. Fifthly, if the absoluteness of their Kings power be stated in their respective dominions, here in the opinions of some the upper hand must be adjudged to Iudah. The Kings whereof in administration of justice (or rather revenge) often exercised arbitrary power, making use of their prerogative above law. As appears by Solomons proceedings against the lives of Shimei, Ioab, and Adoniah; and more plainly in Iehoram's mm1 King. 21. 13.1 Kgs 21:13executing his own brethren, by his peremptory pleasure, without legall conviction of them. Whereas no monument is extant, of such arbitrary proceedings in the kings of Israel, more confining themselves to legall courses. Yea, the very murder of Naboth carried the face of a judiciall process, wherein legall ⁿ formalities of witnesses, though suborned, were observed in a solemn Session. The reason why the Kings p. 33of Iudah were more unlimited in their power, was, say they, because they derived their title immediately from the God of heaven, confirmed in Davids familie by severall descents. But the Kings of Israel, being Creatures of their own subjects, made by popular election, on condition to remit their taxes and burdens, (and seldome above three of the same stock in a direct succession) were fain to ingratiate themselves, with remitting much of that royall rigour used by the Kings of Iudah. And this is assigned by a judiciousooSir Walter Raleigh Hist. World 1 part. 2600. cap. 19. Sect. 6. Author as a principall cause why Israel never returned to their former subjection to Davids family, because the scepter of Iudah was too heavy for them, and they lived under more liberty in their own kingdome.

§ 10. Sixtly, if their forain impressions, made by them on neighbouring Princes be considered, the balance is so even, it is hard to say, on which side the beam breaketh. For, as memorable were the victories of the Kings of Israel against the Syrians, so no lesse fortunate the fights of some KingsppAsa, 2 Chron. 14. 13. & Ichosaphat, 2 Chron. 20. 232 Chr 14:132 Chr 20:23 of Iudah against the Ethiopians, and other enemies. And as the kingdome of Moab, till the death of Ahab, wasqq2 King. 3. 5.2 Kgs 3:5 tributary to Israel: so Edom, untill the end of the reignrr2 Chr. 21. 8.2 Chr 21:8 of Iehosaphat, was in subjection to the crown of Iudah.

§ 11. Seventhly, if their home-achievements each against other, be recounted, (the truest touch-stone of their severall strengths) God often made them alternately hold up one another, whilst he whipt them both for their sinnes. But although Abijah once got a remarkabless2 Chr. 13. 19.2 Chr 13:19 conquest of Ieroboam, yet generally Israel worsted Iudah, overpowering them with multitude of men. Thus Baasha tt2 Chron. 16. 1.2 Chr 16:1cooped up Asa in his own land; Ioash uu2 Chr. 25. 23.2 Chr 25:23overcame Amaziah, and took Ierusalem; and Pekah almost utterlyww2 Chr 28. 6.2 Chr 28:6 consumed Ahaz, and his kingdome.

§ 12. To conclude, if their lasting and continuance be measured, herein Iudah clearly carrieth away the preheminence. Grant, Israel beat Iudah at hand, yet Iudah beat Israel at length, even out of distance. For, whilst the Babylonish captivity did onelyonly snuffe Iudah, for seventy years, (blazing the brighter when they returned from banishment) the Assyrian conquest utterly extinguished Israel, from ever appearing again, in a formed Common-wealth, in their own Countrey.

CHAP. 11. Of the partition of the Land into the Provinces of Galilea, Samaria, and Judea.

§ 1. WHen these two kingdomes had determined, & the division of the twelve Tribes was out of date, Palestine began to be distinguished into three Provinces, whose number and posture we find in the Evangelists, being traced in order by the feet of our Saviour, p. 34aaJohn. 4. 34.John 4:341. He left Iudea. 2. And departed again into Galilee. 3. And he must needs goe through Samaria. It being denied to our Saviour himself, to travail per saltum, à termino ad terminum sine medio, so that he could not ordinarily pass from Iudah in the south, to Galilee in the north, without traversing Samaria, which lay in the midst betwixt both.

§ 2. To begin with Iudea, Iudea with the appurtenances thereof.or Iury; it is not taken here in that large acception, wherein it contained the whole Countrey, and entire subject of this our book (in which sense Herod the great is styledbbLuke 1. 5.Luke 1:5 King of Iudea) but is taken, asccEzra 5. 8.Ezra 5:8 elsewhere it is termed, the Province of Iudea, for a third part of the whole land, consisting of the ground formerly belonging to Iudah, Benjamin, Simeon, Dan, and Reuben. For, that this Province reached eastward, beyond the River, plainly appears in theddMat. 19. 1. & Mark 10. 1.Matt 19:1Mark 10:1 Evangelists, affirming, that Christ came from Galilee into the Coasts of Iudea beyond Iordan. A spacious Countrey it was, and in our Saviours time, the proper habitation of the principall Iews. Nor is it amiss to observe, that a portion of land (with the governments of Lidda and Ramah) lying in the juncture of Benjamin and Ephraim, was in the time of the Maccabees, taken from Samaria, by King Demetrius, and by himee1 Macc. 11. 34.1 Macc 11:34 assigned to Iudea, in reward of the friendship, and faithfulness of the Iews in his service; which gore, or gusset of ground, was called Apherema, that is, a thing taken away, because parted from Samaria, and pieced to Iudea.

§ 3. Samaria succeeds,Samaria peopled with colonies of Medes &c. whereby we understand not, the City of that name, for a long time, Metropolis of the kingdome of Israel; but a countrey (formerly pertaining to Ephraim, and Manasseh, andffSo D. Heyly…. Gad) peopled after the Assyrian captivity, with colonies brought thither fromgg2 King. 17. 24.2 Kgs 17:24 Babylon, and the neighbouring Dominions. At first this land did not fadge well with these new inhabitants, Lions sent by God disturbing their quiet possession; untill a Priest of the Israelites was remanded, to teach them hh2 King 17. 272 Kgs 17:27the manner of the God of the land. But, what betwixt an ignorant Master, and indocible Scholars, nothing was learnt to purpose. He taught them no true worship, but onelyonly Ieroboams divinity (as appears by theirii2 King. 17. 32.2 Kgs 17:32 appointing out Priests of themselves for their high-places) and they jumbled together their own numerous Idols, with the service of God. In so much, as they are said tokk2 King. 17. 34.2 Kgs 17:34 fear the Lord, and in the next verse, not to fear the Lord: not that there is any contradiction in the text, but an open opposition, betwixt their pretence, and practise; seeing such as fear God otherwise, then his will in his Word prescribes, fear him not in effect.

§ 4. However, afterwards the Samaritans quitted their multitude of Idols,The Articles of the Samaritan Creed. and patched up a religion amongst themselves, wherein,

1 They adored one Deity, but him so erroneously, that Christ flatly told them,llJohn 4. 22.John 4:22 yee worship that which you know not.

2 They acknowledged onelyonly the five books of Moses for Canonicall.

3 They had a Temple on mount Gerizim, stickling for the honour p. 35and holiness thereof to equall, yea exceed that at Ierusalem

4 They expected a Saviour, beleeving him as able, so willing to resolve all important difficulties;mmJohn 4. 25.John 4:25 When Messiah is come, he will tell us all things.

5 They falsly accounted themselves extracted from the ancient Hebrew Patriarchs.

Thus the Samaritan woman had it rise in her mouth,nnJohn 4. 12.John 4:12 our Father Iacob, though in very deed, he was no more her Father, then the man she kept company with, was her husband, being neither lineally descended from the one, nor lawfully maried to the other. Hear what Iosephus hath to this purpose; The Samaritans, says he,ooAnt. Ind. lib. 11. sub sinem, pag. 386. & lib. 12. ca. 7. pag. 410. are of this nature, that when the Iews are high in fortune and success, presently they embrace society with them, and deduce the series of their own descent from the Patriarch Ioseph, and his sonnes Ephraim and Manasseb: But when the Iews are depressed and low in estate, then they disclaim all kindred, defie all affinity with them, professing themselves (as indeed they are) to be originally Medes and Persians.

§ 5. Generally great was the Antipathy betwixt the Samaritans and Iews. The Antipathy betwixt the Samaritans and Iews.The former persecuting every face that did but look towards Ierusalem; on which bare account they churlishly denied our Saviour entertainment in their town, becauseppLuke 9. 53.Luke 9:53 his behaviour was as though he would goe to Ierusalem. Nor came the Iews behind them in hatred, so far from familiarqqIohn 4. 9.John 4:9 conversing with them, that a Iew would rather contentedly endure thirst, then, to quench it, crave drink of a Samaritan, lest such hands should defile the water, with the very drawing of it. Yea when the malice of the Iews meant mortally to wound our Saviours reputation, they said, he was arrJohn 8. 48.John 8:48 Samaritan and had a Devill. However, the deluge of sin did not so generally drown all the Samaritans, but that some dry Islands, some good men were found amongst them. One eminent for his gratitude to God, being the tithe of the lepers cleansed by Christ, whossLuke 17. 16.Luke 17:16 alone returned to give him thanks; & another no less commendable for his charity tottLuke 10. 33.Luke 10:33 man, being Physitian, Surgeon, Host, and in a word, neighbour to the unknown traveller wounded by theeves in his journey to Iericho.

§ 6. Galilee remaines, so called (asuuGalilee twofold, why one of them surnamed of the Gentiles. Melanchthon will have it) because in Hebrew signifying a bound or limit, lying in the northern marches of the land. It was twofold,

The Upper formerly belonging to the tribes of Asher, Nephthali, and Manasseh beyond Iordan.

The Lower, formerly belonging to the tribes of Zebulun, and Issachar.

The upper Galilee is also calledwwIsa. 9. 1. & Mat. 4. 15.Isa 9:1Matt 4:15 Galilee of the Gentiles, or, Galilaea Gojim, whereof many reaasons are rendred by learned men. These two most considerable, either that it was so called, because very populous, in which consideration it is termed byxxBell. Ind. li. 3. ca. 4. pag. 833. Iosephus foreign; affirming, that the least foreign village therein had fifteen thousand inhabitants. So p. 36that, Galilea Gojim, or of the Gentiles, is the same with populous Galilee. (If any except that Gojim in Scripture is onelyonly taken for Heathen, never for the people of the Iews, may he be remitted to learnedyyEx…cit. 114. … 25. c. …. Rivet, by instances to the contrary to have his judgment rectified herein) or else, it was called Galilee of the Gentiles, because it bordered on them, and lay in the passage through which travellers journied to the Gentiles. Thus the gate ofzz2 King. 14. 13.2 Kgs 14:13 Ephraim in Ierusalem got the name thereof, not that it stood in, but led toward the Tribe of Ephraim.

§ 7. The Galileans were high spirited people,The character of the Gali…eans foreign aaIosephus ut pri…s.foreign, fighters from their infancy, impatient of wrong, lovers of liberty, and prone to revenge. Much of their nature may be read in their countrey-man Saint Peter, forward (not to say furious) in hot bloud, to draw hisbbIohn 18. 10.John 18:10 sword though at great disadvantage, and after, at leasure to repent it. Apt they were to raise tumults against the Romans, but always with ill success. Witness especially, when they pretended sacrifice to cloak their Rebellion, but Pilat was too quick and cunning for them, who subduing them, ccLuke 13. 1.Luke 13:1mingled their bloud with their sacrifices. They were distinguishable by their Dialect from other Iews, speaking a broader, or (as I may say) a Dorick Syriack, whereof the maid minded Saint Peter, ThouddMar. 14. 70.Mark 14:70 art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereunto. They were accounted courser, and less refined Iews, as appears by the expression of the Evangelist,eeIohn 4. 45.John 4:45 The Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Ierusalem at the feast, for they also went up vntounto the feast. Where those words, for they also, though they admit the Galileans to the communion of the same Religion with the Iews, yet set them at a second table, as inferiour to the other. Yea, the Iews called our Saviour in disgrace, at least wise in diminution, a Galilean. Might I presume to interpose my opinion, I should conceive these Galileans were chiefly extracted from the remainder of the ten Tribes, left behind in the land, after the Assyrian captivity, as we have shewed before.

§ 8. If these three Provinces be in severall respects,The three Provinces how compared. compared together, they behave themselves as followeth,

For

Antiquity; Galilee the first, (mentionedssIosh. 20 7.Josh 20:7 in Ioshua) Iudea the next, Samaria the youngest.

Extent; Iudea the greatest, Galilee the next, Samaria the smallest.

Honour; Iudea the highest, (because Ierusalem therein) Samaria the next, Galilee the meanest.

Safety; Samaria the first (best secured in the middle) Iudea next, Galilee last, and most exposed to enemies.

Fruitfulness; Galilee the first, Samaria second, Iudea mountainous, and less fruitfull, by the testimony of Saint Hierom.

This distinction of these three Provinces lasted till the destruction of the second Temple, but abated in the solemnity thereof, by the ensuing partition into Tetrarchies.

p. 37CHAP. 12. Of the division of this land into four Tetrarchies, and some other small territories.

§ 1. MUch about the time of our Saviours birth,The originall and nature of Te…rarchies. this land was divided into four Tetrarchies. A Tetrarchy is conceived by aaSuidas & Stephanus in Thesa…ro.some to be a dominion, wherein are foreign bb… co…ors, ….foreign: i.e. four squadrons and sixty four men. Others, with Pliny, take it to be a countrey, with four Cities therein. But learnedccPlinian. exercit. …ol. 576. Salmasius, to whom we refer the reader, confutes these for erroneous, where he proveth a Tetrarchy to be a fourth part of a kingdome; be the men, or Cities therein more or less. These Tetrarchies in Iudea, took their originall from the Testament of Herod the great, who leaving severall Sons, bequeathed unto them parcells of his Kingdome.

§ 2. Afterwards,Why … Romans continued Tetrarchies. with some alteration of their limits, these Tetrarchies in Iudea were continued by the Romans (as also elsewhere in the Countrey of Galatia) on very politick considerations;

1. Hereby they had the advantage four to one, to gratifie and ingage more friends, with Princely honour; seeing one kingdome thus thriftily managed, afforded four Tetrarchies; as he may be charitable to moe, who changeth his pence into farthings.

2 As they gratified moe; so they trusted less, it being no wisdome to venture too much power, in one and the same person.

3 The restless nature of the Iews required many overseers; and a small territory amongst them, would yeeld the Governour thereof plentifull employment.

InddLuke 3. 1.Luke 3:1 Saint Luke, we find the number and order of these Tetrarchies, namely, when Iohn Baptist began to preach,

Pilate was Governour of Iudea.

Herod was Tetrarch of Galilee.

Philip was Tetrarch of Iturea, and Trach…nitis.

Lysanias was Tetrarch of Abilen….

Pilate is styled Governour, having precedency of the rest, as residing in Ierusalem the principall City, and (perchance) had a superintendency over the other Tetrarchs, by vertue whereof he suppressed the rebel…liouseeLuke 13 1.Luke 13:1 Galileans, which were otherwise of Herods dominion. Howsoever they observed their distinct jurisdictions; for, Pilat hearing that Christ was of Galilee, ffLuke 23. 7.Luke 23:7sent him to Herod, to be tried before him: either out of civility, because he would not incroach on anothers jurisdiction; or out of policy, to decline so distastfull, and dangerous employment; at leastwise to divide the Odium betwixt them, that Herod should have his share, if not his half thereof.

§ 3. Concerning the bounds of Iudea and Galilee (Samaria being so swallowed up betwixt them,Why Abilene mentioned by Saint Luke. that the southern part thereof belonged to Iudea, the northern to Galilee) largely in the last Chapter. Of Iturea hereafter more fully in the Description of Nephthali. As for Abilene, we are p. 38less solicitous in assigning the accurate bounds thereof, because it lay wholly out of the land of Canaan, the proper subject of our discourse. Abilene, called by Ptolemy Abilene Lysaniae, being a fair City in Coelosyria, where the dominions thereof ranged far on the north of Libanus. If any demand, why the Tetrarchy of Abilene is mentioned by Saint Luke, seeing it was an exotick, and forain territory, out of the pale of Palestine; let them know, it was done out of the over aboundant exactness of the Evangelist, for these reasons:

1 The more exquisitely to notifie the particular time of his history, not onelyonly by the date of the Governours of Iudea, but also of contemporary neighbouring Princes. And the harmony in chronology is the sweeter, the more are brought into the consort.

2 Because many dispersed Iews, equally concerned in Christ, and the benefit of the Gospell, lived scattered in Abilene.

3 Because having formerly mentioned three Tetrarchs, the number had not been perfect, and entire, without adding the fourth. Thus some English coines being quarter-pieces, cannot be put away in payment without loss, except four of them be joined together.

4 Because, though Abilene was not within the compass of the lesser Canaan, possessed by the Iews; yet it was within the bounds of the larger Canaan, that Countrey once belonging to the Archites, and Arvadites the sons of Canaan.

§ 4. Now whosoever shall with a Compasse in his hand,The inequality of these Tetrarchies in extent and revenue. survey the extent of these Tetrarchies, will finde them to fall out very uneven in their dimensions, some much larger then others. Indeed they were measured with no other scale, then the favour and friendship of the Emperour, so that the best befriended at Rome, got most dominion in Palestine. Yet were these Tetrarchies as justly divided, as our English Hundreds, (and those perchance equall in their primitive institution, for number of men) seeing we count threescore and eight hundreds in ggSee …peeds Maps.Kent, and but six in Lancashire, accounted little less in the compass thereof. Nor was the Revenues of these Tetrarchies, less unequall then their extent, the foreign or yearly income of Trachonitis, with the appurtenances belonging to Philip, amounting,hhDe B…ll. Iud. lib. 2. cap. 9. as Iosephus computeth it, but to an hundred talents; whilest Galilee, with its appendents, returned two hundred; and Iudea, advantaged with the friendly City of Ierusalem, yeelded four hundred talents yearly to the Governour.

§ 5. Indeed exactness in observing the bounds of these Tetrarchies,The word Tetrarchies variously taken. is not to be expected; which, in process of time, passed under all parts of numeration; Multiplied, Subtracted, Added to, new Divided, made moe, made fewer, made other then in their primitive establishment. Let not therefore the Reader be moved, if sometimes he find moe Tetrarchies, sometimes fewer then four, mentioned by good Authours p. 39in Palestine, seeing asiiSalmasius ut prius. Salmasius informs us, the word Tetrarchy in afterages was negligently taken, for a part or parcell of dominion, without relating to the exact proportion of a fourth part. Thus it is usuall for barbarous tongues, to seduce words (as I may say) from their native purity, custome corrupting them to signifie things contrary to their genuine, and grammaticall notation. Who knows not, but that the word Moity, both inkkLittle…on …ol. 135. & Cowels interpr. in litera C. law, and true language▪ importeth the just midst, and true half of a thing? though small moity in ordinary discourse is taken for any Canton, or small portion. And in a more proper instance, though the Cinque Ports are notoriously known to be five, as the name signifieth; yet reckoned up with their members they make seven, as I doubt not, but six, yea moe Tetrarchies, may sometimes be told in Palestine.

§ 6. And now to take our farewell,Idumea, Per…a, & Decapolis. of the severall divisions of this land, mentioned in Scripture, (for on such onelyonly we insist) it will not be amiss to minde the Reader, that besides the foresaid partitions, we finde some other territories in Iudea, having proper names and bounds to themselves, but the latter so excentricall, that they fall out neither even with any one Tribe, nor adequate to any of the Provinces, or territories formerly described. Such are,

1 Idumea, sometimes taken more strictly, for the south partllMark 3. 8.Mark 3:8 of Iudea; sometimes more largely (as always in the oldmmIsay 34. 5. & Ezek. 35.15.Isa 34:5Ezek 35:15 Testament) for the land of Edom, and the adjacent Dominion.

2 Perea, (foreign to cross the water is frequent in the travels of our Saviour) being a countrey containing all the land once belonging to Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh on the east of Iordan.

3 Decapolis, that is, a land with ten Cities therein; the just proportion of command given to the good servant, who improved his five to ten pounds, Take thou authoritynnLuke 19. 17.Luke 19:17 over ten Cities.

However, such is the variety even betwixt good authors, that amongst them the ten Cities of Decapolis, are almost ten severall ways reckoned up. We will onelyonly set down two, the most authentick computations of them.

PlinyooNat. Histor. lib. 5. c. 18. his account.

1 Damascus.

2 Opoton.

3 Philadelphia, once Rabba.

4 Raphana.

5 Seythopolis, once Bethsan.

6 Gaddara.

7 Hippon.

8 Pella.

9 Galasa, for Gerasa.

10 Canatha.

BrochardppItin▪ ab Achone versus Eurum. his account.

1 Tiberias.

2 Sephet.

3 Kedesh-nepthali.

4 Hazor.

5 Capernaum.

6 Caesarea Philippi.

7 Iotopata.

8 Bethsaida.

9 Chorazin.

10 Scythopolis.

p. 40The reason of their great difference may be this, that in continuance of time, some of these ancient Cities fell into decay, or disfavour to forfeit their franchises, whilst later places might succeed to their lost immunities.

§ 7. Here we pass over in silence,Hil-countrey, and low-countrey in Iudea. the division of Iudea into the qqLuke 1. 3….Luke 1:3Hill-countrey, and therr2 Chr. 26. 10.2 Chr 26:10 Low-countrey; because this distinction is not appropriate to Palestine, but usuall, and obvious in all other kingdomes. I remember whilest I lived in the West of England and confines of Summerset-shire, hearing a labourer speak much of his long living in the low-countreys, I demanded of him, whether he had ever been at Amsterdam? He answered, that he had never been there, but often at Taunton. Whereby I plainly perceived, what low-countreys he meant, namely the flat and levell of Summerset-shire, under Quantock-hills, according to the language of the people in those parts. Thus when the Tribe of Iudah is said to conquer the Can…anites in thessJudg. 1. 9.Judg 1:9 low-countrey, we understand the champion and plain-field in Iudea, which lay at the foot of the mountains.

§ 8. We meet in Scripture with many other petite tracts of ground,Petite lands in Palestine. honoured with names of lands; as, the land oftt1 King. 4. 10.1 Kgs 4:10 Hepher, the land ofuu1 King. 4. 11.1 Kgs 4:11 Dor, the land ofww1 Sam. 9. 5.1 Sam 9:5 Zuph, the land ofxx1 Sam. 13. 17.1 Sam 13:17 Shual &c. and in the new Testament the land ofyyMat. 14. 34.Matt 14:34 Gennesareth, with many other. These may be compared to our Gilsland in Cumberland, Cleveland in York-shire, Marishland in Norfolk, Lovingland in Suffolk, Portland in Dorset-shire: places which sound so big, that if measured by the ear, and length of syllables, they would be accounted Kingdomes, or Counties at least, whereas surveyed by the sight, and scale of miles, they appeare like the aforesaid lands in Palestine, very small, and little parcells of ground, whereof largely as we light on them hereafter in our severall descriptions.

CHAP. 13. How the Hebrews measured places. Of their cubits, furlongs, miles and Sabbath-days-journeys.

§ 1. THe Hebrews distanced their places by severall measures,Hebrews distanced places, by paces, & bowshoots. some arbitrary, casuall, and uncertain; others certain, as reduced to a constant standard. Of the former was their measuring of land by paces, for weaa2 Sam. 6. 13▪2 Sam 6:13 read, when David solemnly brought the Ark into Ierusalem, when he had gone six paces he offered oxen and fallings. But here we are left at a loss in point of certainty, taking it rather for an ambulatory, then a Geometricall pace, and then how vast the difference herein? For Saul being higher from the shouldersbb1 Sam. 10. 23.1 Sam 10:23 upward, then the rest of Israel, by the symmetry of parts, his pace must be presumed proportionably longer then other men. Nor more certain was the Hebrews measuring their land by a bow-shoot, as Hagar is said, to set her son I…hmael a good way p. 41off, as it wereccGen. 21. 16.Gen 21:16 a bow-shoot; which if at rovers, or randome, admits of variation, according to the strength of the bow, might or sleight of the archer, weight or fashion of the arrow.

§ 2. As little certainty is also to be had, by measuring of ground by days-journeys.And by days-journeys. Moses in the name of his countrey-men requested Pharaoh, that they might goeddExod. 5. 3.Exod 5:3 three days journey into the wildernesse, and sacrifice unto the Lord their God. And I have seen some Dutch-maps, in their Scale, in stead of miles, measured by days-journeys. A computation most uncertain, especially when it is not agreed, whether the day be in Summer, or Winter; the traveller on horse-back, or on foot: not to speak of the goodness, or plainness of the way, (by which advantage,ee2 Sam. 18. 23.2 Sam 18:23 Ahimaaz beat Cushi) the speed and diligence of the traveller. For instance; Iacob being in the prime of his youth, sole and single with God, and his staffe, travelled in a day from Beer-sheba toffGen. 28. 10.Gen 28:10 Bethel, no less then sixty English miles; a tough journey, and yet the wonder is lessened, if we observe,

1 No doubt, he set forth early (probably in the dark to prevent discovery) and travelled till after the SunggGen. 28. 11.Gen 28:11 was set.

2 He fled from his brother Esau; and fear makes good foot-men.

3 He went to fetch a wife; and so welcome an imployment made him mend his pace.

Thus early up, and active in himself, and assisted by God, and driven with fear, and drawn with love, and freed from any luggage; no wonder, if he went fast and far in a day. But the same Iacob, when he returned from Padan-Aram, bringing with him flocks, children, and the impediments of a family, foundhhSee the Map of G…d. fifteen miles from Mahanaim to Peniel (if he went so far in one day) to be a sufficient journey. However, I deny not, but perchance anciently, the foresaid paces, bow-shoots, and days-journeys were reduced to a certain proportion, though now to us unknown. And yet hence no imperfection in Scripture-History is justly inferred, because the point is of no such concernment, and the holy Spirit intended not exactness therein, as not important to the truth of the story.

§ 3. Come we now to their certain measures of ground:Cubits the current measure of the Hebrews. amongst which the cubit challengeth the preheminence, as most common and current in all Iudea, yea and in other eastern countreys. For we finde even in Persia, that the gallowes provided by Haman for Mordecai (but hanselled by himself) was fiftyiiEsther 7. 9.Esth 7:9 cubits high. Except any will say, this was extraordinary, that in the greater scorn and derision, that the gallows might the better fit a Iews body, it was framed and fashioned according to a Jewish dimension. By cubits they were commanded, to measure the suburbs and lands of the Levites, which were to reach from thekkNumb. 35. 4.Num 35:4 wall of the City, and outwards, a thousand cubits round about. Say not this was a long and tedious work, to mete by so small a measure, God hereby shewing, that the least parcell of so fruitfull a land, was of conside…able valuation. Thus precious drugs are not weighed out by hundreds, p. 42or pounds; but by drams, scruples, and graines; so soveraign is the smallest particle thereof.

§ 4. A cubit (in the Hebrew foreign,Two kinds of C…bus. Amah) is so called from cubitus the elbow (as that from cubo to lean, or foreign to bow) because properly the space betwixt the elbow, and tip of the middle finger. It was two-fold, the great, and the lesse, which may be cleared out of Scripture, against such as levell all cubits alike, and conceive this distinction lyeth not in the thing it self, but mens bare opinion. For, 2 Chron. 3. 3. we finde cubits according to the first measure, and the Prophetaa… 41 8. expresly mentioneth a full reed of six great cubits. The lesser cubit generally is adequate to our foot and half, or half yard, the great double as much, commensurate to our full yard or three foot. But Rabbi Cam…i in his comment onbbCap. 46▪ v. 2. cited by Arias Montanus de Mensur. Sac…. Ezekiel assignes the great cubit a larger proportion, so that a thousand Emoth, or cubits make a mile, whom we have followed in laying out the bounds of the Levites suburbs.

§ 5. Forbear we here to speak of fathoms, Furlongs how long.but once mentioned in ScriptureccActs 27. 28.Acts 27:28 (and then in the Adriatick sea) because onelyonly used to sound the depth of water, nor measure the length of land. A furlong comes next to be considered, so called quasi furrowlong, being so much as a teme in England plougheth going forward, before they return back again. I say in England, otherwise in the east parts of Poland, where Lords have large lands in a continued champion-countrey, uninterrupted with inclosu…es, they make but two …urlongs (and those some miles in length) in a whole day, the one going forth, the other coming back, so to save time and toil of often turning. We finde no mention of furlongs in the old Testament, and indeed the Grecian sheers first cut the land of Canaan into the fashion of furlongs, after Alexander and the Asian Kings became Masters thereof. Hereupon we first meet with them indd2 M…c. 12. …. Macca…ees, which afterwards in the new Testament, became the constant computation of distances, both by sea and land. Now although some difference be in the dimension of severall …urlongs, the Italian is concluded to contain an hundred and five and twenty paces, and to be the eight part of a mile.

§ 6. A mile consists of a thousand paces,A R…man m…le made the sam… wi…h▪ … H…brew B…rah. whence in Latine it takes its denomination, and is a measure of pure Roman extraction. However some learned men conceive, that the Hebrew Berah, answereth to the proportion of the Roman mile, and so (saitheeIn m…suris sac…is. Montanus) is always rendered by the Rabbins; namely, when Iacob isffGen 35. 16. & 48. 7.Gen 35:16Gen 48:7 twice said, to want but a Berah to come to Ephrath; and when Naaman is said, to have departedgg2 King. 5. 19.2 Kgs 5:19 a Berah from the Prophet Elisha. In all which places Tremelius hath it exiguum terrae spatium, whom our translation following, readeth it, a little way. A mile is said to contain eight furlongs, though others in these eastern parts,H…w … Saviours precept …s to b… understood. will have ten to concurre to the compleating thereof.

§ 7. But, be a mile more, or less; longer, or shorter; the sense, rather p. 43then the sound, is to be heeded in our Saviours precept,hhMat. 5. 41.Matt 5:41 And whosoever shall compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twain. Not that hereby he meant to make Christians the lackeys to every mans insolence, but onelyonly to beat down in them vindicative dispositions, to gain on their oppressours, by submission, not violence, seeing resistance would invite ruine upon them, during their present condition. Indeed, clothes are straitest when first put on, which afterwards widen with wearing; and so some think the strictness of this precept, was onelyonly at the first giving thereof. Yea, they compare this, and the like prudentiall counsells, rather then positive commands, to the shells of birds, which when they are hatched fall off of their own accord, conceiving onelyonly infant Christianity obliged to the keeping thereof. Whereas an eternall tye is therein contained; but, with what circumstances it is to be observed, comes not within the Scale of miles in our Maps to determine.

§ 8. The Sabbath-days journey remaines,A Sabbath-days journey how much. and great difference there is amongst good authors about the proportion thereof. Some count it so much as was betwixt each mans proper habitation, and the next Synagogue, or place of publick worship, to which he was to repair; Others, that distance, which one might goe after the Morning, and return before the evening sacrifice was offered. But let us attend to the text which directs us to some certainty therein;iiActs 1. 12.Acts 1:12 Then returned they to Ierusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Ierusalem a Sabbath-days journey. By the Mount here we understand not the verge, or bottome; but the summity, top, or ridge thereof, whence our Saviour made his ascension. Secondly, both going thither, and returning thence are computed in the compass of the journey. Now, Bethany which was on mount Olivet, is elsewhere said to be nigh to Ierusalem kkJohn 11. 1….John 11:1about fifteen furlongs, two miles on the matter; all which put together, the result is, that four miles, or there-abouts, make up a Sabbath-days journey. Provided, it was leasurely, and moderately paced, coming under the notion rather of recreation, then toil; a walk, then a work, both to man and beast; otherwise the day might be broken as well in going too fast, as too far.

§ 9. It will here be demanded,Whereon Sabbath-days journeys were grounded. seeing this was flatly against the letter of the Law, (if not onelyonly meant for the gathering of Manna) positive, and negative;llExod. 16. 29.Exod 16:29 Abide yee every man in his place, let no man goe out of his place on the seventh day: Whence then did this indulgence, or dispensation arise? Some ground it on Ioshua's**Josh 3. 4.Josh 3:4 ordering, that the Ark should in its removall be distanced from the people about two thousand cubits by measure; which space is presumed, might be gone forward and backward by any on the Sabbath-day without offence. But others conceive this equity included in the very words of the Ordinance. For, surely God intended not, that the Sabbath should nail the Iews as fast to their houses as the darkness did the Egyptians mmExod. 10. 23.Exod 10:23when none arose from their place; seeing such a sedentary stupidity had been a rack, not a rest; and a poor refreshing p. 44to the Jewish servants, that those who had been labourers six days, should be prisoners the seventh. Some necessary motion therefore must be allowed. And when the Disciples walked th…ough the corn on the **Mat. 12. 2.Matt 12:2Sabbath-day, the Pharisees found fault, not with their feet, but their hands, not with their going, but gathering ears of corn as they went. As for the Pars quota, how far people might goe on that day, custome and tradition had decided it, about the days of our Saviour.

§ 10. For in the age of Elisha the nice restriction of a Sabbath-days journey was unknown.Unknown in the age of Elisha. For when the Shunamite requested of her husband, aa2 King. 4. 22.2 Kgs 4:22to send her one of the young men, and one of the asses, that she may run to the man of God, and come again, he rejoyned, Wherefore wilt thou goe to him to day? It is neither new Moon, nor▪ Sabbath. Intimating, that had it been Sabbath either weekly or annuall, it was her duty, and had been her custome to repair to the place where the Prophet lived; though Carmel, where Elisha resided, was from Shunem at least fifteen miles. As for the Iews in our Saviours time, they persisted in the rigorous observation of the Sabbath, even till, and after the destruction of the Temple, insinuated in our Saviours counsell,ooMat. 24. 20.Matt 24:20 Pray that your flight be not in winter, nor on the Sabbath-day. Christ in the latter pitying that conflict, which would happen in the scrupulous conscience of ceremonious Iews, betwixt their love of saving their lives, and keeping the law; lest that, while the one spurred them to fly, and the other bridled them to stay, they would be at such a stand, that their enemies might easily knock them down in that stound of amazement, and their life be determined in this world, before the question decided in their conscience.

§ 11. As for latitudes and longitudes,Difference in the longitudes and latitudes. the light and life of all great Maps, we have onelyonly observed them in our generall descriptions of Palestine and Egypt, omitting them in the draughts of particular Tribes, whose smalness render them incapable thereof, without very much pains, and with very small profit. In the latitudes we may attain a tolerable certainty, but so different are good Authors in assigning the longitudes, that they accord no better in their testimonies, then the witnesses brought against Christ,ppMa…. 15. 29. not any two of them agreeing together. Nor doth this discord onelyonly arise from the different meridians, whence the ancients and moderns doe start their computations, because this being easily arbitrated according to just proportion, the difference almost remains as much as ever before. However, we have followed authors of the best authority, asqqIn our answer to the objections of the Map generall of Pales…ine. hereafter God willing we shall give the Reader a particular account thereof.

p. 45CHAP. 14. Directions for the use of the Scale of miles in our Maps.

§ 1. WIthout a Scale of miles, The vast diff… rence between miles of severall countr…ys.(or degrees equivalent) the livelyest draught of a Countrey is no regulated Map, but a paper full of names of places. However, vast is the difference betwixt the miles in severall Countreys. An Italian mile containeth seven, an English eight furlongs. A French is equall to two, a vulgar Dutch to three English miles, the large Dutch to four, the miles in Swizerland to five, not to say six of our English computation: so that, in that mountainous countrey, travellers have a double disheartning, the worst of ways, and longest of miles. Yea upon the Alpes in the juncture of Germany and Italy, in the self same mountain, on the north side the miles are the longest, on the south side the shortest in Christendome.

§ 2. Come over into England, And betwixt miles of the same countrey.and what difference is there betwixt a Middlesex and a Yorkshire mile? The former the shortest, because (as some will have it) every London-Lady when weary with walking, concludes the space though never so short to be a mile: whilest the well mounted Rank-riders in the northern countrey, insensible of the length of the way, because of the swiftness of their horses, make miles of the largest proportion. Our scale of miles presented in all these Maps, is according to the English mile containing eight furlongs; to which we have reduced (a task rather troublesome then difficult) the measures of other authours, giving allowance according to the standards of the severall countreys whereof they were.

§ 3. Here (if my complaint might finde any pity, and that pity give me any ease) I would complain of the irreconcileable difference betwixt Authors (proceeding on one and the same scale of miles) in making their distances betwixt their severall places. We read of Saul that he so scattered the army of the Ammonites so thataa1 Sam. 11. 11.1 Sam 11:11 two of them were not lest together▪ Such a dispersion we finde in the judgment of learned men, not two of them generally concurring in the measuring of miles betwixt eminent places.

§ 4. Now as Jurie-men, when severall witnesses swear point-blank one against another, make bold to beleeve his testimony who appears most credible unto them, such power we have assumed to our selves in these differences, to follow those, who we conceive have the best authority. Herein having a speciall regard to those that lived upon the place, and preferring their judgments above others, though otherwise of greater learning, because in matters of fact done in his presence, the eyes of a child are to be beleeved before the eares of a man.

§ 5. Where both authours appear of equall authority in themselves, and number of followers, we have umpired the difference by pitching p. 46on a middle number betwixt both. For instance,bbPatest. Seig. f. 19. Seiglerus makes it fourteen thousand paces or fourteen miles betwixt Zidon and Tyre (eminent Marts, and therefore the distance betwixt them might be notoriously known) whilstccVadian. Phax. f. 271. Vadianus makes it two hundred furlongs, or twenty miles. Here to part the difference equall, we have insisted on 17 miles.

§ 6. However when this, and much more caution is used by us, our Scale of miles is so farre from pretending to the exactness of those left-handed GibeonitesddJud. 20. 16.Judg 20:16 to hit the mark at an haires-breadth and not misse, that a large and charitable latitude must still be allowed us in a subject so hard and full of uncertainty. Yea the holy Spirit it self speaks not positively of distances of places, but with words of qualification.eeLuke 24. 13.Luke 24:13 About threescore furlongs from Ierusalem to Emmaus;ffJohn 6. 19.John 6:19 About five and twenty or thirty furlongs they had rowed on the Sea; as if five in thirty made no considerable difference. If the same favour may be but allowed our scale of miles, I doubt not but it will acquit it self against all just exception.

§ 7. Now for the further managing of our Scale of miles we request the Reader not to extend it, therewith to measure all the properties, or History-pictures in our Map (for then some men would appear Giants, yea monsters, many miles long) expecting him rather to carry a scale in his own eyes, for surveying such portraitures. Yea in generall I undertake nothing in defence or excuse of those pictures, to be done according to the rule of Art, as none of my work, ornamentall, not essentiall to the Maps: onelyonly this I will say, that eminency in English Gravers, is not to be expected till their Art be more countenanced and encouraged. Nor would I have the Scale applied to Cities drawn in Prospective, as to Rabbah in the Tribe of Gad &c. which then will fall out bigger then indeed they were; desiring the Reader onelyonly to understand them to be fair and populous Cities, and therefore made more large and conspicuous then the rest.

§ 8. Such Towns as stand (as one may say) on tiptoes,Townes on the upstroke how to be accounted. on the very umstroke, or on any part of the utmost line of any Map (unresolved in a manner to stay out or come in) are not to be presum'd placed according to exactness, but onelyonly signifie them there, or thereabouts. Nor is this without precedents in the best Geographers, so in their maps to make the generall continuation of neighbouring countreys clearer thereby.

§ 9. If any difference,What Maps most to be credited in matters of difference. on accurate comparing, arise in the distances betwixt the same places presented in severall Maps, (some such will escape in defiance of all diligence) we hope the same will appear inconsiderable, & such moats (not being before the sight, but in the corner of the eye) will little, if at all, hinder the light of a Geographical truth. Surely as in the strictest laws of Horse-racers, some wast of weight is allowed to the Riders: so me thinks some favour ought to be afforded an Author, in measuring and making many Maps, were it but for the shaking of his weary hand in so tedious a work. But if such differences appear somewhat great, let p. 47those be relied on as the truest, where such places are set down datâ operâ, of set purpose; so that it is the very work of that Map to describe them: let those I say be credited before the distances in other Maps, where such places come in onelyonly of complement, or are brought in by the by, to fashion and fill up the (otherwise empty) borders thereof.

CHAP. 15. How the different qualities of places in our Maps, are distinguished by their severall Characters.

§ 1. MAy the Reader be pleased to learn the language of the severall Characters of the places used in our Map,How places are known by their s…verall characters. which speak much in little, and are very usefull for the clearing of the history.

1 All Cities markt with Coronets were anciently the Royall seats of the thirty one Kings of Canaan, at and before the time of Ioshua

2 All Cities surrounded with double circles (the reason whereof hereafter) belong to the Tribe of Levi.

3 All Cities having banners or flags placed upon them, shew the conjecturall position thereof, when we have no assurance of their exact situation. One side of which flags humbly confesseth our want of certainty, the other as earnestly craveth better information.

4 When places are noted with Asterisks it imports difference of Divines, some making them proper names, others meerly appellative.

5 Places which have both flags and Asterisks upon them, are as I may say doublehatcht with uncertainty, not onelyonly their position being doubtfull, but it is questionable whether they be proper names or no.

6 Places mentioned onelyonly in the Apocrypha are signed with a Crescent or half-moon inverted,The b…dge of Apocrypha Cities. in some allusion to the difference of Armes of younger brethren, such books being accounted of the Fathers but of a second rank, and reputed but Deutero-canonicall by learned Romanists. Say not that a Barre of bastardy better befitted them being taken out of Apocrypha writings. For what though those writings were never penned by Prophets (of whom none betwixt Malachi and Iohn the Baptist) never written in Hebrew, never owned by the Iews, Gods people, for Canonicall, to whom the oracles of GodggRom. 3. 2.Rom 3:2 were committed, (and, which is mainly materiall, Christ reproved them not for this neglect) never prophesied of Christ tohhActs 10. 33.Acts 10:33 whom all the Prophets beare witness, never solemnly quoted by Christ and his Apostles; yet because ancient, and because it may be said of them as of Abijah the sonne of p. 48Ieroboam, ii…King. 14. 13.in them there is found sone good thing toward the Lord, they deserve from unprejudic'd judgments a reverent respect.

7 Places noted with … cross in a circle, are such whereof no mention in Scripture, but onelyonly in humane writers, Iosephus, Pliny, and the like.

8 Such as have on them an half-moon with the points upward are modern places in the possession of the Turk.

Of these very few, and those either of high note in themselves, or because seated on high rodes. We confess these no essentiall part, but conceive them a fit copartment for our subject in hand. And thus among the flock of cities in our Map, by looking on their brand, their owner and nature are quickly known.

§ 2. Some will conceive these had better been thrown together without any distinction, seeing the learned doe not need, and the unlearned will not heed the differences aforesaid. However we had rather offend on the right hand, and be censured for overmuch caution. Others will adjudge it fitter, that the severall towns had been set forth in sundry maps, not putting the new piece to the old so to make the rent the worse, not mingling modern with ancient places, but presenting them apart in entire descriptions. But this being a matter of great expence, we leave such mens judgments to be rectified by their purses, when they seriously consider the price thereof.

§ 3. And now what remaineth, but that we humbly beg a measuring reed out of the Sanctuary to be lent us, that so by heavens assistance we may be enabled to perform this survey of the land of Canaan? This in the first place implored, we proceed to our task. It was Saint Pauls advice to the Corinthians,kk1 Cor. 1…. 11.1 Cor 1:11 Be yee followers of me, as I am of Christ: my humble request to the reader is, that while I goe before him in this my description, he would follow me in his own pace, at his own pleasure, so fast, and so far as I follow the truth, at least the most probability grounded on Scripture, ancient Authors, and modern Travellers who have been eyewitnesses of the countrey.

Finis Libri primi.