Texts of Scripture Chaining the Holy Chronicle
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A17005.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
TEXTES of Scripture, Chayning the holy Chronicle until the Sun lost his light, and the Son brake the Serpentes head: dying, rising, and ascending.
John. 5. 39.
Imprinted at London, for Gabriel Simson and W. White: and are to be sold at their house in Fleetelane. 1591.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
I N human affairs (gentle Reader) of Princes reign, the years wherein things fall out, are noted of common necessity for distinction and certaynety arising by record of time. But this record hath not of ancientie continued to posterity. For the Lord, who altereth times and seasons, changeth states in such variety, that the true report of their memory perished with them. For Divine stories, times have more use then for human affairs: no less then heavenly things overmatch earthly. And as the work of God is perfect: so he beginneth and continueth times register, from the Creation to the Redemption. The golden Chayne which Solomon drew before the door of the most holy Debyr, hath not so much admiration as this Chayne: continued from since Paradise was shut to Adam, until the Lord opened the heavens unto the Thief, that craved remembrance in his kingdom. The Fathers in the noblest line, draw in their age these years, slyding by the Suns course, from the promise made to Eve, until one of those Fathers fell once away from hope of that promise. Terah was he that fell away: after whose death the Promise is revived to Abraham. Thence the Lynkes of this holy Chayne are fastened on other points: stately in story, to be sooner marked: few in number, to be easily remembered: deep in signification, to be carefully studied. These are, the Lamb and the Temple: fit stars to draw out the times, until the true Lamb buyldeth the Temple, raising up the temple of his body. For the distance from the Promise unto the Lamb, even the very day is by Moses set down. Likewyse the distance thence, until the buyldyng of the Temple by Solomon. Thence the whole years of Solomon's reign: and from the departure of ten Tribes unto the burning of the Temble. Ezek 4. How long the Temple lay without any decree of buyldyng it again, we may certainly gather by the whole Captivity which Judah suffered in Babylon. For Nebuchad-nezars house was to reign Seuentie years: and Judah so long to be in captivity. Wherefore the beginning of that Captivity must needs be, when Nebuchad-nezar took Jerusalem, in the first of his reign, and brought the noblest to Babylon. In the nineteenth year of Nebuchad-nezar the Temple was brent: and thereupon the third Captivity followed. Wherefore fifty full years are to finysh the Seuenty, when Cyrus came up, and made a decree to build the Temple again. Cyrus was not moved so to do, until Daniel was taught by an Angel, when Christ the true Temple would consecrate him self. That he was taught: for the very hour, when he prayed, at the time of the euenyng offering, how long it should be until the Lord did make himself the euenyng Offeryng, when the veil of the Temple rented. For this last part, the Lord hath taken special care, so long before telling the matter plainly: and ceasing further particulars beyond that age, that men should rest in the playnnes of his word, as his holy Prophets then taught of Redemption.
Holy writings touching these points, I have joined together. The playnnes whereof, if any strive to overthrow, I will no more yield to him, then Job would to Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad. Although many differ in their Chronicles, yet these places only being noted, all strife ceaseth. One, that after Terah’s death, Abraham at seventy and five years old, received the Promise: whereof I have disputed at large in the treatise of Melchizedek. An other, that three hundredth and ninety years. Ezek. 4. are from Jereboam's drawing Israel away to the burning of the Temple, with the third captivity: which time, both in particulars, many have cast aright: and for the general sum these agree: John Calvin upon Ezek 4. Gerard Mercator, Clement Schubert, Math. Beroald, Joseph Scaliger, Henry Bunting. An other is, that Nebuchad-nezars house reigned but seventy years: which the Talmud, wherein lieth all Country-Jews consent, expressly holdeth: also old Tatianus in Eusebius, and old Grecians commonly, no less of antiquity then the Apostles age: in him, and in Clemens, with late writers very many, from Dan. 1. and Ier. 25. and the common rate of ages, in such as were carried captive: and saw both the first Temple, and the seconde builded. The fourth knot is, the Seauens of Daniel: wherein the propriety, as Daniel understood it, and penned it, should suffice.
These four places ryghtly holden, ende the endless controversies. Read the texts, and understand them. The Lord teach us so to number our days, that we may bring the heart to wisdom.
H. B.
The chief points of the holy Chronicle.
- F Rom the first Promise of Christ, to restore life upon death, brought in by the Serpent: unto the seconde Promise made to Abraham upon the death of Terah: whom first of the Fathers the Serpent drew to Idolatry, are years.
- 2083. That space is recorded by the particular Fathers.
- From the Promise unto the Lamb, appointed to express the Lamb of God, are years.
- 430.
- From the Lamb, to the beginning of the Temple: a shadow of the truer Temple, are years.
- 480.
- From the buyldyng of it, unto the burning: or rather the captivity upon that, are years.
- 427.
- Thence to the end of the Captivity, where Cyrus mad a decree of building it again, are years full.
- 50.
- Thence, until the Temple of our Lord his body arose the third day, are years.
- 490.
- The whole sum is.
- 3960.
Texts of Scripture, chaining the Chronicle until the Sun lost his light, and the Son brake the Serpentes head: dying, rising, and ascending.
The Promise made to Abram, when his Father was dead.
Acts.
7.
ANd God said to Abram, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and from thy fathers house, unto the lande that I will show thee. And I will bless them that bless thee, & curse them that curse thee, and in thee all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And Abram went as the Lord commanded him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy and five years old, when he departed out of Haran. Then Abram toke Sarai his wife, and Lot his brothers son, and all their substance that they possessed, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan: and to the land of Canaan they came.
The departure from Egypt, or Passover, and Law.
SO the peregrination of the children of Israel, which were soiourners in Egypt, was four hundredth & thirty years. And when the four hundredth and thirty year were expired, even the self same day departed all the hosts of the Lord out of the land of Egypt. It is a night to be kept holy to the Lord, because he brought them out of the land of Egypt: this is that night of the Lord, which all the children of Israel must keep throughout their generations. This is y e law of the Passover. &c. The Law which was four hundredth and thirty years after, cannot disannul the Covenant that was confirmed afore of God in respect of Christ, that it should make the Promise of none effect.
The Temple of Solomon.
ANd in the four hundredth and fourscore year (after the childred of Israel were come out of the lande of Egypt ) and in the fourth year of the reign of Solomon over Israel, in the month Zif (which is the second month) he built the house of the Lord.
The whole time of Solomon, and the division of the kingdom.
THe time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel, was forty years.
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem, to make him king. And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (who was yet in Egypt, whither Jeroboam had fled from king Solomon, and dwelt in Egypt. ) And when all Israel had heard that Jeroboam was come again, they sent and called him unto the assembly, and made him king over all Israel: none followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day: and said. What portion have we in David? we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. Howbeit over the children of Israel, which dwelt in the cities of Judah, did Rehoboam reign still.
The Captivity of seventy years, nineteen years before the burning of the Temple. This captivity must needs begin with the first year of Nebuchad-nezar, seeing his house reigned but 70. years, and so the Hebrews continually, and most ancient Greeks have held it: Greeks, both the profane and Christians.
IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, came Nebuchad-nezar king of Babel unto Jerusalem, & besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the house of Shinar, to the house of his God, & he brought the vessels into his gods treasury. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his Eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, of the kings seed, and of the princes: children in whom was no blemyshe, but well favored, and instruct in all wisdom, and well seen in knowledge, and able to utter knowledge, and such as were able to stand in the kings Palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them provision every day of a portion of the kings meat, and of the wine which he drank, so nourished them three years, that at the ende thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were certain of the children of Iudab. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And Daniel was unto the first year of king Cyrus.
The burning of the Temple shown in a vision, and performedin story: and the last captivity of. 50. years.
1 THou son of man, take thee a Brick, and lay it before thee, and pourtrey upon it the city, even Jerusalem, and lay siege against it, & build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it: set the campe also against it, & lay engines of war against it round about. Moreover, take an iron pan, & set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city, and direct thy face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it: this shall be a sign unto the house of Israel. Sleep thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days, that thou shalt sleep upon it, thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, even three hundredth and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplyshed them, sleep again upon thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee a day for a year, even a day for a year. Therefore thou shalt direct thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophecy against it. And behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege. Thou shalt take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, & Beanes, and Lentiles, and Miller, and Fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof according to the number of the days, that thou shalt sleep upon thy side: even three hundredth and ninetic days shalt thou eat thereof. And the meat whereof thou shalt eat, shall be by weight, even twenty fhekelles a day: and from time to time shalt thou eat thereof. Thou shalt drink also water by measure, even the sixth part of an Hin: from time to time shalt thou drink. And thou shalt eat it as Barly cakes, and thou shalt bake it in the dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.
The story of the Vision.
2 ANd in the ninth year of Zedekiahs reign, the tenth month and tenth day of the month, Nebuchad-nezer king of Babel came, he & all his host against Jerusalem and pitched against it, and they built fortes against it round about it. So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. And the ninth day of the month the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night, by the way of the gate, which is between y e two walls that was by the kings garden: now the Chaldees were by the city round about: and the king went by the way of the wilderness. But the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and took him in the desartes of Jericho, and all his host was scattered from him. Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babel to Riblah, where they gave judgment upon him. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, & carried him to Babel. And in the fifth month, and seventh day of the month, which was the ninteinth yere of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, came Nebuzar-adan chief steward and servant of the king of Babel to Jerusalem, and burnt the hause of the Lord, and the kings house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the great houses burnt he with fire. And all the army of the Chaldees that were with the chief steward, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. And the rest of the people that were left in the city, and those that were fled & fallen to the king of Babel, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan chief steward carry away captive.
The last captivity of. 50. years, complete.
3 THey that were left by the sword, carried he away to Babel, and they were servants to him and to his sons, until the kingdom of the Persians had rule, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had her fill of her Sabbaths: for all the days that she lay desolate, she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
The Babylonians fall by Cyrus, who sendeth the Jews home, after Daniel was taught, the year of our Lord, his death, and the decree for building the Temple.
1 IN the first year of Cyrus king of Persia (when the woroe of the Lord, spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, was finished) the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he made a Proclamation through all his kingdom, and also by writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me, and he hath commanded me to build him an house in Jerusalem, that is in Judah. Who is among you of all his people, with whom the Lord his God is? let him go up.
For when King Belshazzar made a great feast to a thousand of his Princes, and drank Wine before the thousand: At the same hour appeared fingers of a man's hand, which wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the kings palace, and the king saw the palm of the hand that wrote. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his Princes were astonied. Then Daniel said before king Belshazzar, This is the writing that God hath written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL VPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing, MENE, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it. TEKEL, thou art weighed in the balance, and art found too light. PERES, thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Then at the commandment of Belshazzar, they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. The same night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldees slain: and Darius of the Medes cook the kingdom, being threescore and two yere old. But not alone: for the Persians and they had a felowshyp in the division: as expressed. words show.
Daniel's Seuens.
2 IN the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, even in the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the Lord had spoken unto Jeremiah the Prophet, that he would accomplysh Seuentie years in the desolation of Jerusalem. And I turned my face unto the Lord God, and sought by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. And while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and did present my supplication before the Lord my God, for the holy Mountain of my God: yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen before in a vision, came flying, and touched me about the time of the euenyng oblation: and he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee knowledge and understanding. At the beginuyng of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter and consider the vision. Seuentie seuens (of years) are cut out for thy people, and for thy holy City, to consume wickedness, and to abolysh sins, and to make reconsiliation for iniquity, and to bring in righteousness everlasting, and to seal vision and prophet, and to show Christ the Holy of Holy. Know then and mark: From the outgoing of the Word, to return and to build Jerusalem, unto Christ the governor, shall be seven seuens (of years) and sixty and two seuens: in the other, it shall be restored and builded, street and wall: and troublous shall these times be. In that after the sixty and two seuens Christ shall be killed: and not for him self: thereupon the City and holy place shall he destroy, the Governors own people to come, and their ende shall be with a Flood: and at the ende of war, it shall have a final judgment to desolation. But he shall confirm the Testament for many the last seven, when in Halfe that Seven he shall ende the Sacrifice and Oblation. Afterwardes by an army abominable he shall make a desoliation, even till utter destruction and final judgment flow upon the desolate.
The decree of building the Temple.
3 ANd there was found in a coffer (in the palace that was in the province of the Medes ) a volume, and therein was it thus written, as a memorial: In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Jerusalem, Let the house be built, even the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the walls thereof be joined together: let y e height thereof be threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof three score cubits, three orders of great stones, and one order of timber: and let the expenses be given of the kings house. And also let them render the vessels of the house of God (of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the Temple which was in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babel ) and let him go unto the Temple that is in Jerusalem to his place, and put them in the house of God.
The Jews Temples fall, an others arysing.
IEsus went out, and departed from the Temple, and his Disciples came to him, to show him the buyldyng of the Temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be here left a stone upon a stone, that shall not be cast down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, his Disciples came to him a part, saying, Tell us when these things shall be, & what sign shall be of thy coming, and of the ende of the world. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, standing in the Holy place: (let him that readeth, consider it. Therefore, when ye see Jerusalem besieged with Soldiers, then understand that the desolation thereof is near. Then let them which are in Judea, flee to the Mountaynes: and let them which are in the mids thereof, depart out: and let not them that are in the country, enter therein. For these be the days of vengeance, to fulfill all things that are written. But woe be to them that be with child, and to them that give suck in those days: for there shall be great distress in this lande, and wrath ever this people. And they shall fall on the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Jesus said unto them, Destroy this Temple, and in three days, I will raise it up again. Then said the Jews, Fourtie and six years was this Temple a buyldyng (from the third of Cyrus, Dan. 3. Ezra. 4. until Nehemiah's obtained the kings letters to Asaph for timber, to build the gates of the Cloister Palace, hard by the house of God) and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the Temple of his body.
Then there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this Temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another, made without hands: But their witness yet agreed not together.
At the dispensation of the fullness of time, when the time of the promise was come, then spake Jesus, & said.
Father, the hour is come: glorify thy Son. &c. Then Pilate on the preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour, said unto the Jews, Behold your king. But they cried, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The high Priests answered, We have no king, but Caesar. Then delivered he him unto them, to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bare his cross, and came into a place named of dead men's skulles, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the middes. It was (I say) about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour: and the Sun was darkened.
The time of the evening offering.
Dan.
9.
ABout the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lamasabachtani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elias. And straight way one of them ran, and took a Spondge, and filled it with Uineger, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. Other said, Let be: let us see if Elias will come and save him. Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice, & yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the Temple was rent in twayne, from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the stones were cloven, and the graves did open themselves, and many bodies of the Saints which slept, arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Christ is king
Dan.
9
ANd Pilate wrote also a title, and put it on the Cross, and it was written, Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified, was near to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Then said the high Priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The king of the Jews, but that he said, I am king of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written. And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (who was a Disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews ) besought Pilate that he might take down the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him lycence. He came then and took Jesus body. And there came also Nicodemus (which first came to Jesus by night) and brought of Mirrhe and Aloes mingled together, about an hundredth pound. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wrapped it in linen clothes with the odors, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. And in that place where Jesus was crucified, was a Garden, and in the Garden a new Sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid: there then laid they Jesus, because of the Jews preparation day, for the Sepulcher was near. Now the first day of the week came Marie Magdalene early while it was yet dark, unto the Sepulcher, and saw the stone taken away from the Tomb. Jesus saith unto her, Marie. She turned her self, and said unto him, Master. Jesus said unto her, Fasten not so upon me: for I go not yet up to my Father, &c.
Also he presented him self a live after that he had suffered, by many infallible tokens, being seen of them by the space of forty days, and speaking of those things which appertain to the kingdom of God. And when he had gathered them together, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye have heard of me. For John in deed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the holy Ghost within these few days. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said, It is not for you to know the times, or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power: but ye shall receive power of the holy Ghost, when he shall come on you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up: for a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, Why stand ye gasing into heaven? This Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as ye have seen him go into heaven.