A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine

CHAP. 1. The Design asserted from causeless Cavils.

§ • . BEing now by God's assistance to undertake the Description of Judea, my condition appears not unlike to the Israelites at Kadesh-Barnea, who were much pleased with the report that the Spies brought of the fruitfulness of the Country, until they told them of Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the three sons of Anak: which quite appaled their courage and deadened their desire thereof. In the like manner whilst I am invited with several pleasing considerations, and delightful motives, to adventure on this work, three Giantlike objections, which must be encountered, do in a manner dishearten me from further proceeding. For some will lay to my charge, that the description of this Country

• 1 Hath formerly been done by many.
• 2 Cannot perfectly be done by any.
• 3 If exactly done, is altogether useless, and may be somewhat superstitious.

§ 2. Yet we fear not, by God's blessing, and the Readers favor, severally to enter the lists against them all. For the first: Whereas it is objected, that many formerly have performed the same; this cavil is not planted particularly against my inde • vours, but is levelled against the industry of all Posterity, in any future design. Solomon saith, there is no new thing under the Sun. Except therefore men were God's to create new subjects to write upon, groundless is the first exception against us. It never disheartened S. Luke to write his Gospel, for as much as many had taken in hand to set it forth before. Yea the former endeavors of many in the same matter, argue the merit of the work to be great. For sure there is some extraordinary worth in that face, which hath had so many Suitors. Wherefore although we cannot with Columbus, find out another world, and bring the first tidings of an unknown Continent or Island, by us discovered, yet our labors 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 some both, (yet so that three tribes are joined in one Map) none have formerly in any tongue (much less in English) presented us with distinct Mappes and descriptions together.

§ 3. But in the second place it is objected, that certainty in this subject is unattainable; so that the most studious therein, after they have travelled the whole day, through many tedious difficulty • , must be fain to take their hard lodging at night on a bare uncertainty. The bowels of the best Mappes are puffed up with the humors of fancy, and a skeptical windiness, so that a conjectural Earthquake shakes the foundations of the strongest mountains, in the point of their exact situation. Such are the irreconcilable differences betwixt Geographers in their descriptions.

§ 4. For answer: I could wish that this objection also, lay only against the work in hand, and might not [almost] equally be enforced against other liberal undertakings: for he that holds a reed in one hand to mete the Topography, and an hour-glass 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 labor therein, justly merit commendation. If all conjectural results should be cast out for weeds, few herbs would be left in the Gardens of most Arts and Sciences. Saint Paul hath 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, Prove all things, hold fast that which is good; which is as good a spurr for our diligence. As for the differences betwixt Geographers, they ought not to make us careless to follow any, but careful to choose the best; except with the fluggards drowsy fancy, we tune the Alarums to our industry, to be Lullabies to our laziness.

§ 5. In the last place it is objected, that the design, if exactly finished, amounts but to a difficult trifle, hard to do, useless when done. And who will pity the aking of his teeth, who hath willfully hurt them, with cracking that shell, wherein he knew was no kernel? It matters not to any man's salvation, to know the accurate distance betwixt Jericho and Jerusalem; and he that hath climbed to the top of mount Libanus, is not in respect of his soul, a hairs breadth nearer to heaven. Besides, some conceive they hear Palestine saying unto them, as Samuel to Saul endeavoring to raise him from his grave, Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? Describing this Country is but disturbing it, it being better to let it sleep quietly, intombed in its own ashes. The rather, because the New Jerusalem is now daily expected to come down, and these corporal (not to say carnal) studies of this terrestrial Canaan, begin to grow out of fashion, with the more knowing sort of Christians.

§ 6. It is answered, though these studies are not essential to sal • ation, yet they are ornamentall, 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 blood 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 principal Ladies of honor, namely, skill in

• 1 Genealogies, concerning the persons of men and their Pedegrees, of one blood all nations.
• 2 Chronology, in the exact computation of the times afore appointed.
• 3 Geography, measuring out the limits of several nations, and the bounds of their habitations.

Our work in hand is a parcel of Geography touching a particular description of Judea; without some competent skill wherein, as the blind Syrians intending to go 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 Map, then the ear can learn in a day from discourse.

§ 7. But this last objection being forked, hath the sharper point thereof still behind, challenging this our subject to be guilty of superstition. A sin always detestable to God, but nowadays grown odious to man. And well it were if the edge of their Zeal were equally whetted against Profaneness. Sure if this our work were faulty in this kind, I myself would send it the same way with the Ephesian conjuring books. Not all the water of Kishon, of Jordan, 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 offense, and have only made choice of those, which the most precise approve useful for the illustration of Scripture.

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

§ 1. THis Country which we now come to describe, was successively called by several names.

• 1 The Land of Canaan, from the sons of Canaan that first possessed it.
• 2 The Land of Promise, which name after four hundred and odd years honourably ended, and was swallowed up in performance.
• 3 The Land of Judah and Israel, consisting of these two Kingdoms.
• 4 Judea, so called of Judah the most puissant Tribe of the twelve.
• 5 Palestine (from the Philistines. ) Herodotus being the first Author, which I find so terming it, and all Greeks and Latins after him.
• 6 The Holy Land, because our Savior's Passion was acted thereon. But fear makes me refrain from using this word, lest whilst I call the Land holy, this Age count me superstitious.

§ 2. In bounding this Land, 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 wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea, shall your coast be. This Land in full latitude was never peaceably possessed by the Jews as proper owners thereof any considerable time. Say not, God fell short of his promise. Oh no: the Jews fell short of his precepts, who being narrow hearted in piety, and straitened in their own bowels, contracted their soil by their sins; and obstructed the bounty of God intended unto them, by their ingratitude. For the Promise ran only conditionally, If ye shall hearken diligently to my Commandments. And had not God's 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 qualified sense, we may observe the Jews did stretch their dominion to the bounds aforesaid in a double consideration.

• 1 By victorious Salleys and Incursions. Thus the Children of Reuben having conquered the Hagarites, inhabited east-ward unto the entering in of the wilderness, from the river Euphrates.
• 2 Per Gentes in amicitiam receptas. By the nations which by amicable compliance (though having absolute command in themselves) accepted of the Jewish King to be honourary feodaries unto him. Thus where David took some Kings by conquest, as his Vassals, more took him by composition as their Protectour. And it is plainly said of 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 God's goodness 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 inconstancy of their service, vouchsafed only to the 〈◊〉 a cursory and unsettled 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 only by the Synecdoche of this one tribe) had pea •• ably possessed the large limits allotted unto them. And whereas now only David and Solomon (whom I may more fitly style Emperors 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, containing only 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, God commanded them to pro • fer peace, before they proclaimed war against it, in this lesser Canaan, they were finally to root 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 less pity, but more piety, which 〈◊〉 their • tter destruction: as the Jews were to serve the Inhabita •• s of this lesser Cana • n, without any ceremony of peace once tendered unto them.

§ 5. This lesser Canaan extended from the wilderness in the South to mount Lebanon in the North, and from Jordan on the East, to the Midland Sea on the West. The length thereof sixteen hundred furlongs (so far the blood ran out of the wine-press, 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 kingdom of Sihon and Og be added on the other side Jordan (parcels of Canaan the larger, and possessed by Re • ben, Gad and half Manasseh ) it will make up the breadth to eighty miles.

§ 6. Having thus a •• igned the small bounds of Canaan, some perchance will place their scorn, where they ought to plant their wonder; and will begin to contemn, what they should justly admire: because all Canaan seems but one 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 gross bodies; and the land may pass for the quintessence of fruitfulness itself. So that what it lacked in length and breadth, it had in depth, as if nature had heaped one acre upon another in the matchless fertility thereof. Our age barren in belief, affords not faith so easily to the story, as this land afforded food to thirteen hundred thousand men, besides women, children, impotent persons, and all the Levites and Benjamites left unnumbred. In general, it is charactered to be a country flowing with milk and honey, that is, having plenty of all things both for necessity and delight.

§ 7. More particularly it is described by Moses, A good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, and vines and figtrees, and pomegranates: a land of oil-olive and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it: a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dignity brass. For the further clearing of which description, we will exactly observe the several commodities of Canaan, which nature bountifully bestowed upon it. Only the land seems unhappy herein, that the fruitfulness 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 soil of the county of Armagh in Ireland is so rank of it self, that if any compost or artificial improvement be added unto it, it turns barren out of sullenness, and indignation, that men should suspect the native fruitfulness thereof: and Fat upon Fat is false Heraldry in husbandry. Lest in like manner we should offend this Country of Cannan with additional ornaments of Rhetoric, and lest all • lourishes of Eloquence be misinterpreted distrusts of the real 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, 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 far transcended her concealed substance, and yet we find some minerals therein of considerable value.

§ 2. First, Salt, so necessary in itself, that without it neither sustenance is • avoury to man, nor Sacrifice acceptable to God. Yet had not the Jews 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 with fault. This was of two sorts in Judea▪ 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, at Mizrepoth-maiim near Zidon.

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

§ 4. Brimsto • e. How useful 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 Judea to be sovereign Bathes, and have other medicinal qualities. Marble also was digged up in great plenty in mount Lebanon, conducing much to the adorning of God's temple and many princely palaces in Jerusalem. 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 amiss to observe, that amongst the many maladies to which the Jews bodies were subject, I find 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 and Iron abounded in this Country. Moses blesseth Asher, Thy shoes shall be Iron and Brasse, prognosticating the plenty of those metals in that tribe. If any except, that brass is no original, but a compound metal of Copper and other ingredients; the answer is easy, by a frequent and familiar Metonymy, it being put for the materials whereof it was composed.

§ 6. As for the two principal metals, Judea may say of them as Saint Peter to the Cripple, Gold and silver have I none. And it will be no less pleasant, then profitable to recount the reasons thereof.

• 1 These metals are generally granted by nature in compensation to barren countries. Now whereas Judea had plenty of other commodities, it was too much that Leah's fruitfulness should shine with Rachel's fairness, and glister with the luster of gold and silver.
• 2 God would have his people look to the hills, from whence their help cometh: To lay up their treasure in heaven, where rust and moth do not corrupt: sursum corda, sursum oculos, and not that their eyes by a retrograde motion should be peeping and poring on the earth, where 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 Devil did there sit abrood to hatch them, cunningly pretending an unwillingness 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 encumbered with carrying such a burden. Let Ophir, and Tarshish, and Havilah have the place of Judas, to bear the bag for Judea.
• 4 Because there might be left unto the Gentiles an opportunity to gratify the Jews, and to testify their duty and service to God and his Temple. 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 Judea no novelty, and only presented her with such things, whereof she had plenty before.

And yet whosoever shall observe the abundance of gold and silver in Solomon's time in the city of Jerusalem, 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 Judea have the honor and credit, to use, expend, yea neglect, such glittering need-nots to human happiness. More minerals no doubt were in the land of Judea, and let not either our ignorance, or the Jews idleness be interpreted the lands barrenness, the upper fruitfulness 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 Judea, Balm, or Balsam most justly challengeth the principal place. For when Jacob advised his sons to provide a present for Joseph, Take (saith he) of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, a little balm, and a little honey, spices &c. 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 Judea. Whereas indeed her bringing of those into that Country, had been no better then carring of water to the fountain.

§ 2. Hear the judgment of Pagan writers altogether unconcerned in this business. Pliny saith, Balsamum uni terrarum Iudaeae concessum, understanding that Judea alone was the Primitive place where it grew, though afterwards colonies thereof were transplanted into Egypt and other countries. With him agreeth Theophrastus, Dioscorides and Galen, who professeth that he went on purpose to Judea, 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 Balsam 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 tears from the former, useful for men
  • Sound, making a most odoriferous and pleasant perfume;
  • Sick, being a sovereign salve for their wounds;
  • Dead, being an admirable preservative against corruption. So that their embalmed bodies seemed in some sort to typify the eternity of their soul.

§ 3. But this Balm was not so fixed to Gilead or any other part of Judea, but that it was moveable thence upon the sins of the people. For after some flittings of this plant to Jericho (whereof afterwards) it was first by Pompey, and finally by Vespasian carried captive to Rome. Where it thrived so well that it was never (saith Pliny) fairer or fruitfuller. Which passage may serve as a parable, whereof our Savior 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 vial with this precious liquor, would not complain of overmuch measure, I trust he will not be displeased with our larger description thereof.

§ 4. Oil-olive, so called to difference it both from seed, and train-oil. Hereof three kinds, or rather degrees. The coarsest employed 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. This was the Sugar, as Salt was the Pepper of the ancients. And although Sugar canes grew in Judea (whereof some considerable store at this day) yet the use thereof was either unknown to, or neglected by the Jews 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, was forbidden to be used in any sacrifice. Learned men trouble themselves about the reason of this prohibition. Some conceive voluptuousness thereby is forbidden; others, lip-lusciousnesse and hypocrisy in divine service; others, pride and ambition; (because honey turns into choler) 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 less for lights, because lamps were so much in fashion.

§ 6. Wheat. They are called the Kidneys of wheat, because the grains therein were so plump and swelling, as if all out of Pharaohs seven full ears. 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 itself. Say not, wheat was not so plentiful in this Country, because our Savior's constant fare was on barley loaves: this argues the humility of Christ, not the barrenness of the Country; otherwise by the same consequence it might be inferred, that there were no houses in Judea, because he wanted where to lay his head. These four aforesaid were the elemental Commodities of Canaan, whereof that Country had not only a self-sufficiency, but also sent plenty thereof to Tyre, thence to the whole world. Judah 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 may follow in the next place, whereof such plenty, that Jacob prophesied of Judah, that he should bind his foal unto the vine, and his asses colt unto the choice vine &c. That is, having occasion to dismount his Ass, and tie him for a time, vines should offer themselves as most obvious to fasten him unto; and those so great (Adjectives in other Countries, but Substantives here) that he might safely tie his beast to them, which with us are tied to other trees for their support. Nor were their grapes less good then great, as a Poet (the most competent Judge of the matter in hand) doth bear witness,

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 country of Palestine.

§ 8. 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 his flax again. The Jewish women were excellent houswives, and hereof made great profit, venting it into foreign parts.

§ 9. Wood of all sorts; so that Palestine was a continued grove of trees, covered over with straight Cedars, strong Oaks, shady Palms, 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 Rabbinical vaunt what one writes: A certain man of Shechem had bequeathed by his Father three boughs of Mustard, one of which was broken off from the rest, and it yielded nine Kabs of seed, and the wood thereof was sufficient to cover over the Potters house. One may also suspect an Hyperbole in what another saith, I had a stem of mustard in my garden, into which I could climb as into a Fig tree. However, our Savior's words of the extraordinary growth of this plant must needs be true; and by the same proportion (surely the Jews had not more sauce then meat) other trees must be allowed to be of unusual greatness.

§ 10. Here I omit to speak of the Dates, Almonds, Nuts, (at this day called Pistachioes, and most cordial in Physic) Figs, Pomegranates and other several fruits, whose particular description I pass 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 satisfy 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 other 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 country was no less 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 to serve tables, and such mistakes are none at all in Divines Secondly, we name only solid and substantial meat, whereon a cunning Cook (besides sawces and sallets) may with compounded and forced dishes descant to indefinitenesse. Lastly, know the Law forbad the Jews the feeding on several meats, so that their life was a Lent, to abstain from such food, to which Christianity allows us a license: Hogs-flesh, Conies, Hares, Swans, Herons, Lapwings, all fishes in armor, fenced with shells, recounted amongst the dainties of our diet, were prohibited unto them. Which very prohibition speaks their plenty in that country, otherwise the law had been needless to forbid such things which the land did not afford.

§ 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 Sarah dressed it) Beef of the bulls of Basan, or if that be too course, of the stalled Oxen; Lamb, Mutton and Kid, savoury meat, if Rebecca have the cooking thereof; Venison both red and fallow, for so we find in Solomon's bill of fare, Harts, Bucks and Bugles.

§ 3. Fowl of all sorts follow, Hennes, and Chickens. Capons I dare promise none, as uncertain whether mutilating of birds was then in fashion, to make them barren, that man's luxury might fructify the more upon them. Next plenty of Pigeons, the poor man's lambs; For such as could not go to the cost of the one, was to provide the other for a sacrifice. Quails in abundance; for though their plenty in the wilderness was miraculous, when a cloud of them tendered 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, only to fill up an empty place of the table, for otherwise none but the stomach of the mortified Baptist would feed on so course a fare.

§ 4. Fishes come in the next place, whose several sorts in Sea, Rivers, and lakes were so many, that only 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 had Finnes and scales were permitted the Jews to eat. Butter the sauce-general to fish, must not be forgotten. A staple dish of our Savior's whilst an infant, Butter and honey shall he eat. Cheese concludes all; such as David brought to his brethren, such as Barzillai provided for David. Let not any dainty dairy women object, that Jewish cheese must needs be course, where milk of sheep and goats was so much in use: For a mixture of such milk is in Parmizan itself, so delicious to the palate. And now for Grace before and after meat, might not Palestine thankfully say with David, 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 general, is most properly appliable to this Country, O Lord how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches.

§ 5. Besides cattle for food, there were others for labor, Asses, Mules, Camels, Dromedaries, whereof in due place. Birds also and beasts of prey, Eagles, Hawkes, Lions, Bears, Boars &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 country. But let such know, that by these beasts continued of purpose, God kept his people in an awful dependence upon him; whilst they feared God, these beasts dreaded them; and man's piety muzzled up the mouth of these ravenous creatures. Otherwise when these Jews rebelled against their Master, the beasts (one of God's four sore judgments) were let loose, and became the just executioners of divine vengeance on a wicked nation. To conclude, such the variety of cattle herein, that from hence Noah might have fraught his Ark with a couple of most creatures, some few only excepted (useless for mankind, save for rarity and fancy) as Apes and Peacocks, (perchance rather Parrats ) which Solomon's navy fetched in, and supplied from Tarshish.

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

BUt seeing we live in so unbelieving an age, that some have brought the happiness even of heaven itself 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 Judea. The first sort of their objections are taken from some passages scattered from pagan pens, slighting Judea as an unconsiderable country. Thus Strabo speaking of Moses, winning it from the first inhabitants, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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 country.

To which we answer first in general. Heathen writers knew little, and spake less good of the Jews, because of the grand distance of Religions betwixt them. My people (saith God) are like a speckled bird; and therefore being of a different feather from other fowl in point of divine worship, no wonder if their neighbors flocked about them, to flout at them, hooting at their strange devotion: though such mocked at by men for Owls, may be made of by God as Nightingales. Excellently Josephus in his book against Apion the Grammarian doth prove that no credit is to be given to Pagan reports against the Jews. And as they loved not that people, so they liked not their place, causelessly raising slanders upon it. More particularly Strabo, in his rash censure counting Judea 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 Jerusalem cost them, paying an ounce of blood for every inch of ground therein.

2 Object. It is said in the Scripture itself, 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 instead of feeding the dwellers therein, fed upon them.

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) certainly their words intend not any barrenness in that country, having formerly (verse. 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 inconstant liars 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 believed, before their second character of this Country, when infected with popular discontentments, they studied cavils against the same. Besides, if the meaning of their words, [a land eating up the inhabitants thereof] be, as it is generally interpreted, a land whose inhabitants by civil wars mutually destroy one another, it tends more to the credit, then disgrace of the Country. It is no fault in that rich pasture, if the grass thereof, be Provender in goodness, so that the horses fed therein, wax so wanton as to fight one with another.

3 Object. Water is a staple commodity for man's support, whose life, lame in itself, soon falls to the ground, if not held up by the Staff of bread in one hand and water in the other. Now Judea had great want of this Element, a Well being counted such a treasure amongst them, that great strivings have happened about it.

Answ. Judea wanted no water, though dry in comparison of England. We northern nations are ready to suspect the southern parts as afire with a Feaver; whilst southern Countries may fear lest our lands be drowned with a Dropsy; such the superfluity of rain and Rivers amongst us. Let Judea be compared with her neighbors in the same Climate, and she would be found not only to equal, but to exceed them in conveniency of water. The Scripture describes it a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills &c. And because many nowadays will believe the Maids word before the Mistresses, I mean, human before divine testimony, hear how Strabo speaks to this point, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Country it self indeed was well watered, but the coasts about were base and ill watered. Besides Rivers Judea had constantly (save when the windows 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 Judea, and to have fed it at eating hours with set meals of water, whereas other countries 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. Ammianus Marcellinus reports, that therein were no navigable • ivers, which must needs be a great hindrance of commerce in the Country.

Answ. The term navigable must be distinguished on. Confess we that Judea had no vast streams in it, like Nile or the Dan • w, whose channels are capable of Boats, ships f • llows; yet wanted it not Rivers to carry vessels of considerable burdens. Every Tribe therein did border on the Mid-land sea, or on the river of Jordan, up which river, even against the stream, they used to sail, in vessels bearing burdens (not unlike our western Barges) by the confession of other authors.

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

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 barrenness▪ especially seeing these mountains in Judea did not swell with a mock-mother Tympany, but were pregnant with special commodities. Some cattle, as Go • tes; and plants▪ as Vines are never more triumphant on their throne, then when advantaged on the sides of such hills. The Geographer speaking of Trachonitis, the coarsest list, and most craggy ground about the country of Judea, acknowledgeth there were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , grassie and fair fruitful hills; which as they afforded a delightful prospect, so they conduced much to make the cities impregnable which were built amongst them.

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

Answ. Indeed the word Desert sounds hideously to English ears: it frights our fancies with the apparitions of a place full of dismal shades, salvage beasts, and doleful desolation, whereas in Hebrew it imports no more then a woody retiredness from public 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 sadness of solitariness.

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

Answ. The instances alleged argue not the barrenness of the country, being extraordinary Punishments inflicted immediately by divine Justice. This we confess, 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. Saint Jerome, who lived himself long in Palestine, and must be acknowledged so skillful 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 mountains, and suffereth the penury of thirst, so that it preserveth rain water, and supplieth the scarcity of wells by building of cisterns.

Answ. Saint Jerome 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 Judea, (as the heretical Sycophant doth belie • me) or to take away the truth of the history, which is the foundation of spiritual understanding, but to beat down the pride of the Jews, which enlarge the straits of the Synagogue, further then the breadth of the Church. This Father did de • ry the literal, to raise the mystical Canaan; and they that know Saint Jerome, know that when he intends to praise or dispraise, he will do it to the purpose.

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

Answ. Who can guess what Naomi was by what Marah is? The stump indeed stands still, but the branches are withered; the Skeleton remains, but the favor and flesh thereof is consumed. Judea 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 skillful husbandry. The Rose of Sharon is faded, her • eaves lost, and now nothing but the prickles thereof to be seen. See what sin can do, or undo rather, and the guilt of our Savior's blood: A fruitful land maketh he barren, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. As therefore the clear and lovely complexions, the handsome and proper persons, the bold and valiant Spirits, the comely and courtly behavior of the ancient Jews, are not to be measured by the suspicious and louring looks, the low and crooked statures, the slavish and servile conditions, the base and sordid demeanour of the Jews nowadays; 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 to Jacob's share, had strakes or speckles scattered here and there in their skins: so, granting the generality of Judea barren, yet by the confession of Travelers some spots and parcels of ground transcendently fruitful, are everywhere to be found, retaining and transmitting to posterity the memory of the universal fruitfulness of Judea, before God had justly cursed it for the sins 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 Country, we come now to the serverall divisions thereof; which thing seriously considered conduceth much to the right understanding of the Scripture. In several ages the land fell under different divisions.

• 1 In Abraham's time it was parted betwixt the seven Nations of Canaan.
• 2 Afterwards the same was subdivided into one and thirty petty Kingdoms.
• 3 By Joshua it was parcelled into twelve portions, betwixt so many tribes.
• 4 In Rehoboams reign it was rent into two kingdoms, Judah and Israel.
• 5 After the Captivity it was divided into three Provinces, Judea, Samaria, and Galilee.
• 6 In Christ's and his Apostles time it was carved into four Tetrarchies, and some other appendent dominions.

We will first survey it in the original condition thereof, as it consisted of a Heptarchy, or seven ruling nations of Canaan, whose number, names, extraction, and several 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. six, Exod. 3. 8. 17. seven, Josh. 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 Auditor to state their account? It is answered, that seven was the complete and solemn number, whereon God himself emphatically insists when repeating his favors to the Jews, Seven nations greater and mighter then thou. And perchance the beast in the Revelation 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 implied 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 country was promised too, but never peaceably possessed by the Israelites, as we observed before. We find three several Editions (as I may call them) of the nations of Canaan, whereof the most authentic and common is Deut. 7. 1. which we will principally peruse, as followeth.

CHAP. 8. The second solemn division of the land of Canaan into thirty one Kingdoms.

§ 1. NExt to the distinguishing of this land into seven nations, we must observe the division thereof amongst one and thirty Kings. Strange, that their scepters (except very short) did not justle one another, in so narrow a Country. 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 sin of young men, covetousness of old folk. The world in the youth thereof, more affected honor, 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 Sovereigns in their own small territories.

§ 2. Let us consider, how these one and thirty kingdoms were afterwards disposed of, and how they were shared amongst the several Tribes. In reckoning up their names, we observe the method in Joshua, as he marshalls them upon order following;

Kingdoms of
• 1. Jericho.
• 2. Ali.
• 3. Jerusalem.
• 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. Judah.
• 4. Judah • .
• 5. Judah.
• 6. Judah.
• 7. Judah.
• 8. • phraim.
• 9. Judah.
• 10. Judah. Sim • on.
• 11. Simeon.
• 12. Judah.
• 13. Judah.
• 14. Judah.
• 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. Naphtali.
• 23. Zebulon.
• 24. Asher.
• 25. Manas. cis I • r.
• 26. 〈◊〉 cis • or.
• 27. Naphtali.
• 28. Zebulon.
• 29. Manasseb. Issachar.
• 30. B • nja • in
• 31. Ephraim.

By the King of the nations of Gilgal, understand a Sovereign over a miscellaneous company of people, the master-be of a swarm not yet fixed in an hive, having a sufficient territory for his men, but no considerable Metropolis of his kingdom. In this Catalogue, Sihon and Og are not reckoned, whose dominions lay • ast of Jordan, 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.

• 1 In the southern circuit of Canaan, Adoni-bezek King of Jerusalem seems to be chief of this knot, at whose sending the Kings of Hebron, Iarmuth, Lachish, Eglon &c. assembled themselves against Joshua, and were destroyed by him.
• 2 In the northern Association. There I • been the King had the precedency, with whom the Kings of Madon, Shimron, and Achshaph &c. confederated themselves against Joshua with the same success.

Had all at once engaged against Joshua, 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 month in their number, how many years would they have made up in their resistance? Whereas now divine providence fitting the strength of Joshua'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, as it was in the days of Abraham, and continued till the time of Joshua; 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 Joshua, 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 favor 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 Countries.

It will be objected, that though age and accidents may alter the old, and induce new lineaments in men's faces, yet the Simile holds not in the description of Countries, where the same channels 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 to 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 material world, and the several countries therein, 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 happening in the land of Canaan, lands afterwards transposed for water, and water for land; one is most remarkable, namely, when the pleasant vale of Siddim nigh the banks of Jordan, was turned into the salt-sea, or noisome Asphaltite-lake. This was the work of the Lord, and it may justly seem marvelous 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.

CHAP. 9. The third division of the land into twelve Tribes, some of all which Tribes remained until, at, and after the time of our Savior.

§ 1. THe third solemn division of Palestine, was made by Joshua into twelve Tribes, of whose several bounds largely in our ensuing discourse. This partition remained until Shalmaneser carried ten Tribes away captive, and in exchange, brought in his own colonies to possess their conquered Country. 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 country, even until, 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, there was none left but the Tribe of Judah only. Understand it, that Judah only remained in the flourishing condition of a kingdom. That only was the visible standing-corn, amongst which, others of Israel, like loose ears were scattered. But to the point, that some gleanings of these ten Tribes, remained in their country, after the Assyrian captivity, may be proved;

• 1 From the very nature of a general calamity, which lighting on a populous nation, cannot so particularly apply itself to every individual person, but that some will escape. The hired razor made not such clean work, as to shave every hair, but that some small down might creep under the edge thereof. That Besome of destruction swept not so clean, but that some dust may be presumed left behind in the small crevices of the country. Some (no doubt) by timely flight, casual absence, especial favor, secret concealment, might escape; and others, through age and sickness unable to travel, might be permitted to remain behind.
• 2 Mention is made of a remnant which escaped out of the hands of the King of Assyria. And when • iezekiah kept his solemn passover, he sent messengers to Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, Asher, some of whom made a mock at his courtesy, and others thankfully embraced his gracious invitation.
• 3 Josiah in his passover (celebrated in the eighteenth year of his reign, ninety and odd years after the banishment of the twelve Tribes) assembled there all Judah and Israel that were present, or found.

§ 3. Such remnants of the ten Tribes, being afterwards carried captive with Judah 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, A sin offering for all Israel, twelve he-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 to forty two thousand three hundred and threescore. Now, whosoever shall be pleased, to cast up the particular sums, of the several families of Judah 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 Savior's time) resolves this question; Surely, they were made up of those who came up from Babylon to Jerusalem, of other Tribes.
• 3 The Scripture saith, after the captivity of Babylon that there dwelt in Jerusalem (besides those of Judah and Benjamin) of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Nor is the testimony of Josephus to be slighted herein, though Ios. Scaliger causelessly condemns it, affirming that the King of Egypt employed seventy two Jews to translate the Bible into Greek, taking six out of every Tribe, which complete 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 Judah and Benjamin were restored to their ancient, entire, and distinct possessions. Yet there is some probability, that some of Zebulun and Naphtali in our Savior's time had recovered part of their ancient patrimony. Otherwise the force of Isaiah's prophecy, and Matthews application is much impaired: The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali &c. The people that sat 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 Judea, plainly appears,

• 1 By Anna the Prophetess, which was of the Tribe of Asher.
• 2 By Saint Paul's expression, 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 Paul's 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. James his Epistle, To the twelve Tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. Being Christian Jews probably, dispersed from Jerusalem, after the martyrdom of Saint Stephen.

§ 6. To conclude, what in the Law God prescribed concerning the fields, he was pleased graciously to practice upon the persons of the Israelites. Thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape in thy vineyard. He suffered a small racemation to remain, still preserving 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and not wholly discomposing the solemn Jury of the twelve Tribes, which until Christ's time were made the thinner, but not the fewer, by all their calamities. For, although thorough continuance of time, sudden and great changes in their condition, laziness and neglect, casual losing, and spiteful embezeling of their Records, mixed marriages with heathens, and many other accidents the entireness of their Pedegrees was much perplexed and interrupted; yet by tradition from their parents, they knew in general their extraction from those Tribes, though unable particularly, to clear the immediate series of their descents.

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

§ 1. THe next solemn division, the land of Canaan fell under, was, when it was cloven by the ten Tribes defection, into the kingdoms of Judah, and Israel.

§ 2. The kingdom of Judah consisted chiefly of the Tribe of Judah, which alone was so powerful, and populous, that the men thereof, in the muster made by King 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, whose inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the Tribe of Judah.
• Dan, part of whose possession was taken out of what originally was assigned to Judah.

These must be presumed, to bear a State-sympathy to the kingdom of Judah, engaged thereunto by the position of their country. Yea, we find it expressed in Scripture, that Beersheba a City of Simeon; and Gath, Zorah, and Ajalon, Cities of Dan, did belong to, and were fortified by the Kings of Judah.

§ 3. Besides these, two thirds of the Tribe of Benjamin, pertained to the same kingdom; as also all the Levites which 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 kingdom. Add hereunto all the well-affected, which out of all the Tribes of Israel resorted to Jerusalem. For, the by-ditches of Dan and Bethel, did not so drain the people's devotion, but that much thereof ran in the right channel to the Temple; and no doubt, many violently kept at home, had their hearts at Jerusalem, and their bodies in Israel, to which kingdom 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 Kingdoms, which of them exceeded in puissance: Herein we shall carry an impartial hand; and indeed, though the controversy 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 honor of a King, 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 numbered, the result will be this, Judah had the Sun, Jerusalem; Israel had the Moon, Samaria, and most Stars of the first magnitude, Ieri • ho, Jezreel, Mahanaim &c.

§ 8. Fourthly, if their ports, and naval power be considered, neither will be found very active that way, contentedly yielding their sea-trading to the Phoenicians. Yet Israel had the advantage of havens, and marine accommodations, bordering most on the Mediterranean; Judah also (to hold the scales even) had Ezion-Gaber, a considerable port on the Red-sea, as may appear by Ahaziahs request to Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships; plainly importing, that the men of Judah were the Cape-merchants and prime mariners in those seas, by whose courtesy 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 Judah. The Kings whereof in administration of justice (or rather revenge) often exercised arbitrary power, making use of their prerogative above law. As appears by Solomon's proceedings against the lives of Shimei, Joab, and Adonijah; and more plainly in Jehoram's executing his own brethren, by his peremptory pleasure, without legal conviction of them. Whereas no monument is extant, of such arbitrary proceedings in the kings of Israel, more confining themselves to legal courses. Yea, the very murder of Naboth carried the face of a judicial process, wherein legal ⁿ formalities of witnesses, though suborned, were observed in a solemn Session. The reason why the Kings of Judah were more unlimited in their power, was, say they, because they derived their title immediately from the God of heaven, confirmed in David's family by several 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 seldom above three of the same stock in a direct succession) were fain to ingratiate themselves, with remitting much of that royal rigor used by the Kings of Judah. And this is assigned by a judicious Author as a principal cause why Israel never returned to their former subjection to David's family, because the scepter of Judah was too heavy for them, and they lived under more liberty in their own kingdom.

§ 10. Sixthly, if their foreign 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 less fortunate the fights of some Kings of Judah against the Ethiopians, and other enemies. And as the kingdom of Moab, till the death of Ahab, was tributary to Israel: so Edom, until the end of the reign of Jehoshaphat, was in subjection to the crown of Judah.

§ 11. Seventhly, if their home-achievements each against other, be recounted, (the truest touch-stone of their several strengths) God often made them alternately hold up one another, whilst he whipt them both for their sins. But although Abijah once got a remarkable conquest of Jeroboam, yet generally Israel worsted Judah, overpowering them with multitude of men. Thus Baasha cooped up Asa in his own land; Joash overcame Amaziah, and took Jerusalem; and Pekah almost utterly consumed Ahaz, and his kingdom.

§ 12. To conclude, if their lasting and continuance be measured, herein Judah clearly carrieth away the preeminence. Grant, Israel beat Judah at hand, yet Judah beat Israel at length, even out of distance. For, whilst the Babylonish captivity did only snuff Judah, 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 Country.

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

§ 1. WHen these two kingdoms 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 Savior, 1. He left Judea. 2. And departed again into Galilee. 3. And he must needs go through Samaria. It being denied to our Savior himself, to travail per saltum, à termino ad terminum sine medio, so that he could not ordinarily pass from Judah in the south, to Galilee in the north, without traversing Samaria, which lay in the midst betwixt both.

§ 2. To begin with Judea, or Jury; it is not taken here in that large acception, wherein it contained the whole Country, and entire subject of this our book (in which sense Herod the great is styled King of Judea ) but is taken, as elsewhere it is termed, the Province of Judea, for a third part of the whole land, consisting of the ground formerly belonging to Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, Dan, and Reuben. For, that this Province reached eastward, beyond the River, plainly appears in the Evangelists, affirming, that Christ came from Galilee into the Coasts of Judea beyond Jordan. A spacious Country it was, and in our Savior's time, the proper habitation of the principal Jews. 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 him assigned to Judea, in reward of the friendship, and faithfulness of the Jews 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 Judea.

§ 3. Samaria succeeds, whereby we understand not, the City of that name, for a long time, Metropolis of the kingdom of Israel; but a country (formerly pertaining to Ephraim, and Manasseh, and Gad ) peopled after the Assyrian captivity, with colonies brought thither from 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; until a Priest of the Israelites was remanded, to teach them the 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 only Jereboam's divinity (as appears by their 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 to 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 practice; 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, and patched up a religion amongst themselves, wherein,

• 1 They adored one Deity, but him so erroneously, that Christ flatly told them, ye worship that which you know not.
• 2 They acknowledged only the five books of Moses for Canonical.
• 3 They had a Temple on mount Gerizim, stickling for the honor and holiness thereof to equal, yea exceed that at Jerusalem
• 4 They expected a Savior, believing him as able, so willing to resolve all important difficulties; When Messiah is come, he will tell us all things.
• 5 They falsely accounted themselves extracted from the ancient Hebrew Patriarchs.

Thus the Samaritan woman had it rise in her mouth, our Father Jacob, 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 married to the other. Hear what Josephus hath to this purpose; The Samaritans, says he, are of this nature, that when the Jews are high in fortune and success, presently they embrace society with them, and deduce the series of their own descent from the Patriarch Joseph, and his sons Ephraim and Manasseb: But when the Jews are depressed and low in estate, then they disclaim all kindred, defy 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 Jews. The former persecuting every face that did but look towards Jerusalem; on which bare account they churlishly denied our Savior entertainment in their town, because his behavior was as though he would go to Jerusalem. Nor came the Jews behind them in hatred, so far from familiar conversing with them, that a Jew 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 Jews meant mortally to wound our Savior's reputation, they said, he was a Samaritan and had a Devil. 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, who alone returned to give him thanks; & another no less commendable for his charity to man, being Physician, Surgeon, Host, and in a word, neighbor to the unknown traveler wounded by thieves in his journey to Jericho.

§ 6. Galilee remains, so called (as 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, Naphtali, and Manasseh beyond Jordan.
• The Lower, formerly belonging to the tribes of Zebulun, and Issachar.

The upper Galilee is also called Galilee of the Gentiles, or, Galilaea Gojim, whereof many reaasons are rendered by learned men. These two most considerable, either that it was so called, because very populous, in which consideration it is termed by Josephus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; affirming, that the least 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 village therein had fifteen thousand inhabitants. So that, Galilea Gojim, or of the Gentiles, is the same with populous Galilee. (If any except that Gojim in Scripture is only taken for Heathen, never for the people of the Jews, may he be remitted to learned 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 journeyed to the Gentiles. Thus the gate of Ephraim in Jerusalem got the name thereof, not that it stood in, but led toward the Tribe of Ephraim.

§ 7. The Galileans were high spirited people, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , fighters from their infancy, impatient of wrong, lovers of liberty, and prone to revenge. Much of their nature may be read in their country-man Saint Peter, forward (not to say furious) in hot blood, to draw his sword though at great disadvantage, and after, at leisure 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 Pilate was too quick and cunning for them, who subduing them, mingled their blood with their sacrifices. They were distinguishable by their Dialect from other Jews, speaking a broader, or (as I may say) a Dorick Syriac, whereof the maid minded Saint Peter, Thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereunto. They were accounted courser, and less refined Jews, as appears by the expression of the Evangelist, The Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went up unto the feast. Where those words, for they also, though they admit the Galileans to the communion of the same Religion with the Jews, yet set them at a second table, as inferior to the other. Yea, the Jews called our Savior 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 shown before.

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

For

• Antiquity; Galilee the first, (mentioned in Joshua) Judea the next, Samaria the youngest.
• Extent; Judea the greatest, Galilee the next, Samaria the smallest.
• Honor; Judea the highest, (because Jerusalem therein) Samaria the next, Galilee the meanest.
• Safety; Samaria the first (best secured in the middle) Judea next, Galilee last, and most exposed to enemies.
• Fruitfulness; Galilee the first, Samaria second, Judea mountainous, and less fruitful, by the testimony of Saint Jerome.

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.

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

§ 1. MUch about the time of our Savior's birth, this land was divided into four Tetrarchies. A Tetrarchy is conceived by some to be a dominion, wherein are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : i.e. four squadrons and sixty four men. Others, with Pliny, take it to be a country, with four Cities therein. But learned Salmasius, to whom we refer the reader, confutes these for erroneous, where he proveth a Tetrarchy to be a fourth part of a kingdom; be the men, or Cities therein more or less. These Tetrarchies in Judea, took their original from the Testament of Herod the great, who leaving several Sons, bequeathed unto them parcels of his Kingdom.

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

• 1. Hereby they had the advantage four to one, to gratify and engage more friends, with Princely honor; seeing one kingdom 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 wisdom to venture too much power, in one and the same person.
• 3 The restless nature of the Jews required many overseers; and a small territory amongst them, would yield the Governor thereof plentiful employment.

In Saint Luke, we find the number and order of these Tetrarchies, namely, when John the Baptist began to preach,

Pilate was Governor of Judea.

Herod was Tetrarch of Galilee.

Philip was Tetrarch of Iturea, and Trach • nitis.

Lysanias was Tetrarch of Abilen • .

Pilate is styled Governor, having precedency of the rest, as residing in Jerusalem the principal City, and (perchance) had a superintendency over the other Tetrarchs, by virtue whereof he suppressed the rebel • lious Galileans, which were otherwise of Herod's dominion. Howsoever they observed their distinct jurisdictions; for, Pilate hearing that Christ was of Galilee, sent him to Herod, to be tried before him: either out of civility, because he would not encroach on another's jurisdiction; or out of policy, to decline so distasteful, 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 Judea and Galilee (Samaria being so swallowed up betwixt them, that the southern part thereof belonged to Judea, the northern to Galilee ) largely in the last Chapter. Of Iturea hereafter more fully in the Description of Naphtali. As for Abilene, we are less 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 exotic, and foreign territory, out of the pale of Palestine; let them know, it was done out of the over abundant exactness of the Evangelist, for these reasons:

• 1 The more exquisitely to notify the particular time of his history, not only by the date of the Governors of Judea, 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 Jews, equally concerned in Christ, and the benefit of the Gospel, 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 coins 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 Jews; yet it was within the bounds of the larger Canaan, that Country once belonging to the Archites, and Arvadites the sons of Canaan.

§ 4. Now whosoever shall with a Compass in his hand, survey the extent of these Tetrarchies, will find them to fall out very uneven in their dimensions, some much larger then others. Indeed they were measured with no other scale, then the favor and friendship of the Emperor, 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 equal in their primitive institution, for number of men) seeing we count threescore and eight hundreds in Kent, and but six in Lancashire, accounted little less in the compass thereof. Nor was the Revenues of these Tetrarchies, less unequal then their extent, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or yearly income of Trachonitis, with the appurtenances belonging to Philip, amounting, as Josephus computeth it, but to an hundred talents; whilst Galilee, with its appendents, returned two hundred; and Judea, advantaged with the friendly City of Jerusalem, yielded four hundred talents yearly to the Governor.

§ 5. Indeed exactness in observing the bounds of these Tetrarchies, 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 Authors in Palestine, seeing as Salmasius informs us, the word Tetrarchy in afterages was negligently taken, for a part or parcel of dominion, without relating to the exact proportion of a fourth part. Thus it is usual for barbarous tongues, to seduce words (as I may say) from their native purity, custom corrupting them to signify things contrary to their genuine, and gramatical notation. Who knows not, but that the word Moity, both in 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, of the several divisions of this land, mentioned in Scripture, (for on such only we insist) it will not be amiss to mind the Reader, that besides the foresaid partitions, we find some other territories in Judea, 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 part of Judea; sometimes more largely (as always in the old Testament) for the land of Edom, and the adjacent Dominion.
• 2 Perea, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to cross the water is frequent in the travels of our Savior) being a country containing all the land once belonging to Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh on the east of Jordan.
• 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 authority over ten Cities.

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

PlinyNat. 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.

BrochardItin▪ ab Achone versus Eurum. his account.
• 1 Tiberias.
• 2 Sephet.
• 3 Kedesh-nepthali.
• 4 Hazor.
• 5 Capernaum.
• 6 Cesarea Philippi.
• 7 Iotopata.
• 8 Bethsaida.
• 9 Chorazin.
• 10 Scythopolis.

The 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, the division of Judea into the Hill-country, and the Low-country; because this distinction is not appropriate to Palestine, but usual, and obvious in all other kingdoms. I remember whilst I lived in the West of England and confines of Summerset-shire, hearing a laborer speak much of his long living in the low-countries, 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-countries he meant, namely the flat and level of Summerset-shire, under Quantock-hills, according to the language of the people in those parts. Thus when the Tribe of Judah is said to conquer the Can • anites in the low-country, we understand the champion and plain-field in Judea, which lay at the foot of the mountains.

§ 8. We meet in Scripture with many other petite tracts of ground, honored with names of lands; as, the land of Hepher, the land of Dor, the land of Zuph, the land of Shual &c. and in the new Testament the land of 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 Kingdoms, or Counties at least, whereas surveyed by the sight, and scale of miles, they appear like the aforesaid lands in Palestine, very small, and little parcels of ground, whereof largely as we light on them hereafter in our several descriptions.

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

§ 1. THe Hebrews distanced their places by several measures, some arbitrary, casual, and uncertain; others certain, as reduced to a constant standard. Of the former was their measuring of land by paces, for we read, when David solemnly brought the Ark into Jerusalem, 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 Geometrical pace, and then how vast the difference herein? For Saul being higher from the shoulders 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 off, as it were a bow-shoot; which if at rovers, or random, 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. Moses in the name of his country-men requested Pharaoh, that they might go three days journey into the wilderness, 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 traveler on horse-back, or on foot: not to speak of the goodness, or plainness of the way, (by which advantage, Ahimaaz beat Cushi ) the speed and diligence of the traveler. For instance; Jacob being in the prime of his youth, sole and single with God, and his staff, travelled in a day from Beer-sheba to 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 Sun 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 employment 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 Jacob, when he returned from Padan-Aram, bringing with him flocks, children, and the impediments of a family, found 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: amongst which the cubit challengeth the preeminence, as most common and current in all Judea, yea and in other eastern countries. For we find even in Persia, that the gallows provided by Haman for Mordecai (but hanselled by himself) was fifty cubits high. Except any will say, this was extraordinary, that in the greater scorn and derision, that the gallows might the better fit a Jews 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 the 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 showing, that the least parcel of so fruitful a land, was of conside • able valuation. Thus precious drugs are not weighed out by hundreds, or pounds; but by drams, scruples, and grains; so sovereign is the smallest particle thereof.

§ 4. A cubit (in the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Amah ) is so called from cubitus the elbow (as that from cubo to lean, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to bow) because properly the space betwixt the elbow, and tip of the middle finger. It was twofold, the great, and the less, which may be cleared out of Scripture, against such as level all cubits alike, and conceive this distinction lieth not in the thing itself, but men's bare opinion. For, 2 Chron. 3. 3. we find cubits according to the first measure, and the Prophet expressly 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 on Ezekiel assigns 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, but once mentioned in Scripture (and then in the Adriatic sea) because only 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 Lord's have large lands in a continued champion-country, 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 find 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 in 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 several • 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, whence in Latin 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 (saith Montanus ) is always rendered by the Rabbins; namely, when Jacob is twice said, to want but a Berah to come to Ephrath; and when Naaman is said, to have departed a Berah from the Prophet Elisha. In all which places Tremellius 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, will have ten to concur to the completing thereof.

§ 7. But, be a mile more, or less; longer, or shorter; the sense, rather then the sound, is to be heeded in our Savior's precept, And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Not that hereby he meant to make Christians the lackeys to every man's insolence, but only to beat down in them vindicative dispositions, to gain on their oppressors, by submission, not violence, seeing resistance would invite ruin 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 only at the first giving thereof. Yea, they compare this, and the like prudential counsels, rather then positive commands, to the shells of birds, which when they are hatched fall off of their own accord, conceiving only infant Christianity obliged to the keeping thereof. Whereas an eternal tie 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 remains, and great difference there is amongst good authors about the proportion thereof. Some count it so much as was betwixt each man's proper habitation, and the next Synagogue, or place of public worship, to which he was to repair; Others, that distance, which one might go 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; Then returned they to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath-days journey. By the Mount here we understand not the verge, or bottom; but the summity, top, or ridge thereof, whence our Savior 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 Jerusalem about 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 leisurely, 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, seeing this was flatly against the letter of the Law, (if not only meant for the gathering of Manna ) positive, and negative; Abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day: Whence then did this indulgence, or dispensation arise? Some ground it on Joshua 's ordering, that the Ark should in its removal 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 offense. But others conceive this equity included in the very words of the Ordinance. For, surely God intended not, that the Sabbath should nail the Jews as fast to their houses as the darkness did the Egyptians when none arose from their place; seeing such a sedentary stupidity had been a rack, not a rest; and a poor refreshing to the Jewish servants, that those who had been laborers 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 Sabbath-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 go on that day, custom and tradition had decided it, about the days of our Savior.

§ 10. For in the age of Elisha the nice restriction of a Sabbath-days journey was unknown. For when the Shunamite requested of her husband, to 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 rejoined, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? It is neither new Moon, nor▪ Sabbath. Intimating, that had it been Sabbath either weekly or annual, it was her duty, and had been her custom to repair to the place where the Prophet lived; though Carmel, where Elisha resided, was from Shunem at least fifteen miles. As for the Jews in our Savior's time, they persisted in the rigorous observation of the Sabbath, even till, and after the destruction of the Temple, insinuated in our Savior's counsel, 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 Jews, 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, the light and life of all great Maps, we have only observed them in our general descriptions of Palestine and Egypt, omitting them in the draughts of particular Tribes, whose smallness 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, not any two of them agreeing together. Nor doth this discord only arise from the different meridians, whence the ancients and moderns do 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, as hereafter God willing we shall give the Reader a particular account thereof.

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

§ 1. WIthout a Scale of miles, (or degrees equivalent) the livelyest draught of a Country is no regulated Map, but a paper full of names of places. However, vast is the difference betwixt the miles in several Countries. An Italian mile containeth seven, an English eight furlongs. A French is equal 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 country, travellers have a double disheartening, the worst of ways, and longest of miles. Yea upon the Alps 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 Christendom.

§ 2. Come over into England, 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: whilst the well mounted Rank-riders in the northern country, 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 authors, giving allowance according to the standards of the several countries whereof they were.

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

§ 4. Now as Jury-men, when several witnesses swear point-blank one against another, make bold to believe his testimony who appears most credible unto them, such power we have assumed to ourselves in these differences, to follow those, who we conceive have the best authority. Herein having a special 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 believed before the ears of a man.

§ 5. Where both authors appear of equal authority in themselves, and number of followers, we have umpired the difference by pitching on a middle number betwixt both. For instance, 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) whilst Vadianus makes it two hundred furlongs, or twenty miles. Here to part the difference equal, we have insisted on 17 miles.

§ 6. However when this, and much more caution is used by us, our Scale of miles is so far from pretending to the exactness of those left-handed Gibeonites to hit the mark at an hairs-breadth and not miss, that a large and charitable latitude must still be allowed us in a subject so hard and full of uncertainty. Yea the holy Spirit itself speaks not positively of distances of places, but with words of qualification. About threescore furlongs from Jerusalem to Emmaus; 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 favor may be but allowed our scale of miles, I doubt not but it will acquit itself 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 general I undertake nothing in defense or excuse of those pictures, to be done according to the rule of Art, as none of my work, ornamentall, not essential to the Maps: only 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 only 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, 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 presumed placed according to exactness, but only signify them there, or thereabouts. Nor is this without precedents in the best Geographers, so in their maps to make the general continuation of neighbouring countries clearer thereby.

§ 9. If any difference, on accurate comparing, arise in the distances betwixt the same places presented in several 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 favor 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 those 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 only 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 several Characters.

§ 1. MAy the Reader be pleased to learn the language of the several Characters of the places used in our Map, which speak much in little, and are very useful for the clearing of the history.

• 1 All Cities marked with Coronets were anciently the Royal seats of the thirty one Kings of Canaan, at and before the time of Joshua
• 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, show the conjectural 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 merely appellative.
• 5 Places which have both flags and Asterisks upon them, are as I may say doublehatcht with uncertainty, not only their position being doubtful, but it is questionable whether they be proper names or no.
• 6 Places mentioned only in the Apocrypha are signed with a Crescent or half-moon inverted, in some allusion to the difference of Arms of younger brethren, such books being accounted of the Fathers but of a second rank, and reputed but Deutero-canonical 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 John the Baptist ) never written in Hebrew, never owned by the Jews, God's people, for Canonical, to whom the oracles of God were committed, (and, which is mainly material, Christ reproved them not for this neglect) never prophesied of Christ to whom all the Prophets bear witness, never solemnly quoted by Christ and his Apostles; yet because ancient, and because it may be said of them as of Abijah the son of Jeroboam, 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 only in human writers, Josephus, 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 essential 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 do 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 several 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 expense, we leave such men's 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 Paul's advice to the Corinthians, Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ: my humble request to the reader is, that while I go 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 Travelers who have been eyewitnesses of the country.

To the Right Honorable HENRY LORD BEAVCHAMPE, Son to the Right Honorable WILLIAM MARQUES OF HARTFORD.

AMongst many other meditations, my serious thoughts have made enquiry, concerning Government and Nobility, whence each of them derived their original.

For the first, I find it as ancient as Man, and extracted from God himself. Who because he was a Spirit, (and therefore invisible) the better to try what Tribute of obedience, Men out of Conscience would pay unto him, stamped a character of dominion, as his own visible Image (in the infancy of mankind) on the Father of the family, that so honor and duty might be given to God in yielding subjection to him who represented him. These first Governors were termed Patriarchs, that is, Father-Princes, their compounded name, speaking their mixed authority. And Josephus writing of the death of Methuselah, saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He left, or passed over his principality to Lamech his son; and this Prince-ship continued in the Primogeniture for many Ages, till the method thereof was discomposed, partly by the numerosity of mankind, partly by their far dispersed habitations.

Thus was Government the Mistress, first born in the world, whilst Nobility her Maid came in not long after to attend her. For such Persons, whose virtuous dispositions commended them to the special favor of Princes in Power, had in reward of their worth; marks of Honor fixed upon them: which afterward by succession descended unto their posterity.

Of these, some imitating their Ancestors goodness, continued in the splendor of their Nobility, whilst others degenerating by their vicious courses, invited neglect and contempt upon themselves. Insomuch that in some the valor and spirit of their Progenitors (which advanced them by the sword in time of war ) evaporated all into empty air; turning into a wild and riotous animosity; And in others, the gravity and wisdom of their Grandfathers (which promoted them by the Gown in the days of Peace ) settleth into feculent earth, leaving nothing but a tame and unactive stupidity behind it.

Herethe Nobility of such had expired, save that some of them seasonably perceiving the desperate Consumption thereof did follow the prescription of Physic, and returned into the Native air which first gave Honor her birth and being; and did so repair their lost reputation by practicing the Primitive virtues of Piety, Courtesie, Hospitality; Valour, Wisdom, and Learning; thus going home to the Climate wherein Nobility was first conceived.

But thanks be to God, your Lordship is none of those personally guilty of any decay of dignity; whose virtues preserve your Honor in the perfect health and strength thereof, which hath been the main motive to make me so desirous to present my book to your Honor, as a proper Patron, even to the height, for all purposes and intents. Whose Judgment can examine the whole, Clemency Pardon what is amiss, and Greatness Protect the rest in defiance of opposition.

Indeed Sir, besides desire to shelter myself under your Patronage, gratitude obligeth me to tender my service to your Honor. For all my Books, being my nether and upper millstone, (and such by the Levitical Law, might not be taken to pledge, because a Mans life ) without which I had been rendered unable to grind any Grist for the good of my self or others, had been taken from me in these civil wars, had not a Letter from your Lady-mother preserved the greatest part thereof. Good reason therefore that the first handful of my finest meal should be presented in thankfulness to your family.

And now my Lord, bethinking myself of a blessing for your self and worthy Lady, that she-pattern of Meekness, Modesty Piety, and Patience; no fitter can be found then what the Psalmist pronounceth, that you may see your children's children, and Peace upon Israel. Here is the finest of wares, and withal the largest of measures, length of days, to enjoy them. Well may this prayer be read at Marriages, there being a marriage in the Prayer, wherein Long-life coupleth Posterity and Peace together. Otherwise it is woeful to multiply for war to subtract; and only to be fruitful for the Sword or Famine. May this Benediction of the Psalmist light on you and yours in the highest performance thereof: which is the desire of

Here followeth the Map of Reuben.

THE TRIBE OF REVBEN. The second Book.

§ 1. REuben eldest Son of Jacob by Leah, forfeited his Birthright by defiling his Fathers bed. For which fact he was cursed, that he should not excel. Whereupon came such a dearth of eminent Persons of this Tribe, that neither King, Judge, Priest, nor Prophet descended thereof. Yea, few men of fame, only two notoriously infamous, Dathan and Abiram, Generalls of the mutineers against Moses: haply in hope, because of their extraction, to recover the lost Birthright unto their Tribe. Yet these Reubenites, though not springing high, spread broad; little puissant, very populous, counting no fewer then forty six thousand five hundred at the general muster in mount Sinai: all which dying in the wilderness for their infidelity, their children descended from them, being forty three thousand, seven hundred and thirty, possessed this land, east of Jordan.

§ 2. A land, that five times exchanged her owners in the Old Testament. First, her original inhabitants were the Emims, a younger house of the Anakims: accounted Giants, being great in stature and many in number. Secondly, Moabites, who, though less and lower, yet advantaged by divine assistance, did overtop and overcome these voluminous Emims, and possessed themselves of their land. Thirdly, Amorites, under Sihon their King who (somewhat before Moses conducted the Israelites hither) acquired the sovereignty of this country, beating out the Moabites, and banishing them south of Arnon. Fourthly, Reubenites: on whom Moses bestowed it, after Sihon was conquered and killed. Fifthly, Moabites again. For it seems after the captivity of the Reubenites by Tilgath Pilneser 1 Chron. 5. 26. they made a re-entry on their old possessions: seeing those cities (formerly inhabited by the Reubenites ) are prophesied against by Isaiah and Jeremiah, under the notion of places belonging to the people of Moab, to be destroyed by Shalmaneser, and Nebuchadnezzar.

§ 3. This Country had Jordan on the west, (dividing it from Ephraim and Benjamin ) the River Arnon on the east and south (parting it from the kingdom of Moab ) and on the north confined on the Tribe of Gad. The extent thereof from east to west may be allowed forty two miles, not exceeding thirty five from north to south. A Country excellent for grazing, not as if defective in corn and wine, wherein it shared with the rest of the Tribes, (besides the benefits of some Mineralls, and medicinal waters, whereof in due place) but because exceeding in conveniencies for Cattle: Pastures to feed, Woods to shade, and Rivers to wate • them. Therefore was it bestowed upon the Tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, which much abounded in cattle. In which three we may observe some shadows of Primogeniture, (which might embolden them to petition to be first served) Reuben the eldest of Jacob by his wife; Gad eldest by Zilpah his concubine, and Manasseh first born of Joseph. But these Tribes as first planted were first plucked up. God carved unto them the first cut of the Land, and after called for the Voider to take it first from them. For they falling from the house of David, and following Jeroboam through rebellion to Idolatry, and not being warned with the terrible blow Hazael gave them, shroudly shrubbing their branches, God rent them up by the roots in the days of Pekah, by the hand of Tilgath-Pilneser King of Assyria; some twenty years before the general captivity of their brethren, at the end of the reign of Hoshea, 2 Kings 17. 6.

§ 4 Leaving the people, come we to survey the places, and memorable actions in this Tribe. In the north • east corner thereof, near the banks of Arnon, we find the tract or territory of Aroer. For though Aroer the City was undoubtedly entire in the Tribe of Gad; yet it plainly appears, that at least a Moity of the country adjacent (so called from the city) was possessed by the Reubenites. A populous place it was, the Prophet mentioning the cities of Aroer, though their names or number is not expressed. Probably Arnon one of the principal, Tell ye it in Arnon ( says Jeremiah: ) surely not to the fishes in the River, but to a City seated on the brink thereof, and thence denominated: as Hull in York-shire, so commonly called from the Rivolet running by it.

§ 5. Going south-west, having the stream of Arnon for our guide, we leave Kedemoth, not far from the north bank thereof. The Septuagin • read Kedson for Kedemoth, and the Vulgar, without any warrant, read Iethson for Kedson: so procreative is one error of another. This Kedemoth was one of the four Peculiars of the Levites, wherein they were accommodated with Safety, Pleasure, and Profit. Safety, in the City itself, within whose walls they dwelt in secure habitations: Pleasure in their suburbs, reaching a thousand Cubits from the wall round about, (little less then an English mile) where they had houses of retirement, with stalls and stables for their cattle: Profit in their glebe land, extending two thousand Cubits from their suburbs on every side, improved for pasture, tillage and vineyards. For thus the survey of the Levites lands, Numb. 35. 4, 5. (though the difficult place is capable of several senses) is expounded by learned Rabbi Maimonie, and we in our Maps have described them accordingly. Now though herein we have given the Levites lands the largest and most favorable bounds (seeing I am unable to endow them, they shall lose nothing by my restrictive measuring thereof) yet know that narrower limits are assigned them by Tremellius, as shall hereafter be presented in Diagram we have prepared for that purpose.

§ 6. Behold here Levi's curse turned into a blessing, Divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. Now the dividing of them proved the disposing of them, for their own and others advantage. Their scattering was their ranking for the best behoof of the people, for whose instruction they were intended. They were the Salt of the earth, and therefore God sprinkled them here and there, the more conveniently to season the whole nation. Insomuch that some English Parishes are more remote from their Mother-church, then most places in Canaan were distant from the Cities of the Levites. We must not forget that in Jereboam's apostasy, the religious Levites forsook their Cities and fled to Jerusalem, preferring voluntary exile before wealthy homes, on the condition of an Idolatrous compliance. It appears not in Scripture, how these Cities and lands thus left were disposed of. Whether Jeroboam himself seised on them, converting them into demeans of his Crown, or whether he suffered them to revert to those respective Tribes, from whom they were taken: so fastening his subjects affections unto him with nails of gold of their own profit. Either course may be conceived a cause to hasten the captivity of the people; it being just that those, who swallow God's morsels, should be spewed out of their own possessions.

§ 7. Round about this City, is the wilderness of Kedemoth, not wholly abandoned to solitariness, but as the rest of this kind, more thinly inhabited. It abounded with wild beasts, Lions, Bears, Bores, Wolves, Foxes, where the pleasure in hunting the game, did not recompense the pains and dangers of the shepherds lying constant Perdues in defense of their flocks. From this wilderness, Moses sent messengers to Sihon King of the Amorites, for peaceable passage through his country. But Sihon (path-wise and land-foolish) by denying a civility, drew destruction on himself and subjects. For seeking in fight to traverse it, for their pedibus ambulando, he was by a firm Ejection outed of his whole kingdom.

§ 8. To return to Arnon. Hereabouts the children of Israel passed over it, miraculously with dry feet, saith Adricomius. But the miracle seems rather of his, then God's making, the Scripture being silent therein, and the river not of that depth or breadth, but that it was fordable, especially with the help of Camels, Mules, and Asses. Many miles hence this river solitarily runs on as sensible of its sad fate suddenly to fall into the dead-Sea, at Ashdoth-pisgah. Where all his comfort is, to have the company of two other Brooks: whereof the eastermost runs near to Betzar or Bozra: A City of refuge belonging to the Levites Merarites, whereof there were six in the whole Country of Canaan, with a provision that they should add three more (man's mercy must increase proportionably with his means) if God enlarged their coast; though we read of no such addition, either in David's or Solomon's time. The Cities were so conveniently distanced by God's appointment, that in half a day (men for their lives will take wide and thick strides) someone of them might be recovered from the remotest corner of the land. Let Historians relate the Laws of such Sanctuaries, whereof these most fundamental.

• 1 ^t . Strangers and sojourners in Israel were capable of the privilege thereof, as well as native Jews.
• 2 ^lie . Any murderer that could, might fly thither without any hindrance or interruption; Thou shalt prepare thee a way: Otherwise such obstructions would have frustrated, and defeated the main intent of such privileged places.
• 3 ^lie . If the murderer could but reach the border of such cities of refuge (the very hem of Christ's garment had sovereign virtue in it) distant as is aforesaid from the City itself, it was a sufficient protection for him till his cause was examined before the Judges.
• 4 ^lie . Upon examination, those were denied the benefit of refuge, and delivered up to Justice, who had committed murder out of malice prepense, or had killed one (as we may say) with a malicious weapon: namely, if the bigness or sharpness thereof, be it iron, wood or stone, was mortal in view, carried death in the sight thereof, as probable, enforced with ones hand, to kill a man.
• 5 ^lie . Others, who casually had killed their neighbor, might live safely in the City, till the death of the High-priest: typifying the suffering of our Savior, whose execution is our gaol-delivery.
• 6 ^lie . If the murderer wandering out of the suburbs, was found by the avenger of blood, he forfeited his protection, and might be killed with indemnity.
• 7 ^lie . After the High-priests death (say the Rabbin's without Express from Scripture) the party was remitted to his innocence, not honor; restored to his liberty, not luster; clouded the remnant of his life, because of the scandal that came by his hand.

Forget we not here, that besides these six Cities, the Altar in the Tabernacle or Temple, was reputed the seventh and paramount place of murderers protection.

§ 9. The brook from the west, begins at Machaerus: one of the strongest inland Forts in the world, nature having prevented Art therein, so impregnable is the City and Castle upon the top of a steep hill, with a deep valley round about. Hither Josephus saith, Herod the Tetrarch sent John the Baptist to be beheaded. For which fact, his great army was af • terwards overthrown by Aretas King of Arabia. Hereabout, two springs arise of contrary natures. One hot and sweet, the other cold and bitter. Both which meeting together make a most excellent Bath, cordial for several diseases. As if nature thereby would lesson us, that moderation, wherein extremities agree, is the best cure for all distempers. These waters are approved excellent for the contraction of the nerves, either inwardly taken, or outwarldly applied. Herod the King being sick, (newly come out of a Bath of blood, of the innocent Bethlehem-babes ) was hither directed in vain by his Physicians, the water refusing to be guilty of such a Tyrants recovery. On this stream stood Lasha mentioned Genesis 10. 19. afterwards called Callirrhoe or the Fair stream. And now what pity is it that such percious water should presently be spilled into the the Dead Sea! But what remedy? Fair and foul faces must meet together in the grave.

§ 10. As for the Dead sea, which only peeps into a corner of this Tribe, but steadfastly faceth a whole side of Judah more properly thereof hereafter. And as for Josephus his valley of Baaras, with the strange growing, gathering, & working of the famous root therein, we mention it, not to seem wholly ignorant thereof; and but mention it, not to seem over credulous therein. Hereabouts is plenty of Alum and Brimstone, the latter probably some straggling drops of that direful shower, which was rained on Sodom, and Gomorrah, leaving some tincture in the adjacent Country as a remembrancer of so great a Judgment.

§ 11. It is now high time that we survey the west of this Tribe, which Jordan (as we have said) divideth from Ephraim, and Benjamin. This is the true meaning of Deborah's complaint, uttered and repeated, for the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart, namely because that Tribe separated by Jordan from the western continent of Canaan, could not come seasonably to the succor of Barak, and subduing of Sisera. This River used to overflow all his banks in the first month. 1 Chron. 12. 15. (parallel to the end of our March, and beginning of April ) or, as it is said Josh. 3. 15. at the time of harvest. Which vast distance in our English Climate (as much as betwixt Spring and Autumn) is easily reconciled and made to meet in Judea; where the Harvest • t large is dated from the first fruits, and those ripe in April in that hot country. Let Naturalists discuss the cause, whence this inundation of Jordan proceeds; whether from the violence of winds, then blowing on its stream, and angering it beyond his banks; or from the influence of the Moon, Commandress over moist bodies, and their motions; or from the confluence of Snow dissolved from the mountains. But my discourse like Jordan overflows, it shall return within its banks.

§ 12. In the northwest corner of this Tribe, Jordan first entering into it, is fordeable at Bethbara or Bethabara, that is, the house of passage. For Gideon having the Midianites in chace, sent messengers to all in mount Ephraim, (a service most proper for them, cause in their confines) to take before them the water unto Bethbara and Jordan, which there with good guides and high Camels might be waded over; but more southward the river is fenced by its own breadth and depth against all Passengers. And here afterward did John baptize our Savior. As for Aphek hard by, we place it here rather in conformity to others, then convinced in our own judgment of the true situation thereof.

§ 13. The altar Ed, or witness, was hereabouts erected by the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Tribe of Manasseh, returning from the conquest of Canaan. This Altar was a bridge in effect, to conjoin these divided Tribes with the rest; severed by water, the same in worship; on the other side Jordan in position, on the same side with the other Tribes in Religion. But though there was a noon-day of Innocence in their intentions, yet because (though not a night of guiltiness) a twilight of suspicion obscured their actions, it occasioned jealousies in their brethren, as if they had hatched some idolatrous design. But when the matter came to be disputed in a military way, the controversy was ended by the right stating of the question, and a seasonable distinction well applied, that it was an Altar only of memorial, and