Take my brethren, the Prophets, who have ſpoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of ſuffering affliction and of patience.
Behold, wee count them happy which endure. ye have heard of the patience of Job, etc.
THE HOLY LIVES OF GOD'S PROPHETS.
By J. H.
LONDON, Printed for Wil: Hope at the blew Anchor on the North ſide of the Royall Exchange. 1654.
S Ʋch and ſo extraordinary are your Favours, and ſo freely conferr'd upon me, that I muſt needs acknowledge I am in a ſtrict manner oblig'd to all opportunities of humble Gratitude. Whereupon (not without ſome praemeditation) I have thought ſit to take this, and have adventured to publiſh to the world the Lives of theſe HOLY MEN under your Patronage, who indeed for a kind of ſympathy between you and them, doe the rather owne you for their Patron: For if you pleaſe but ſeriouſly to peruſe them, you may in many things read your ſelfe, and find wherein you have made them the pious Preſidents of your own good Works. Of thoſe, as you well know, my ſelfe have had no little experience, a Theame too on which I might well inlarge my ſelfe; but indeed ſuch is my unhappineſſe, I want thoſe abilities, either by more excellent Art of Language to expreſſe them, or any other way of ſervice or reſpects to teſtifie ſufficient thankefulneſſe. What need I then adde more, ſeeing this little already ſaid, though but meane, and according to my duty, is I am confident above your expectation, ſo little doe you delight in the reſitall of your kindneſſes, or deſire they ſhould bee thus brought to your Remembrance: your expectations as in a ſutableneſſe to your Chriſtian Vertues, await higher Rewards with thoſe Pious Men before mentioned, that as you have endeavoured to imitate their Lives ſo you may alſo partake with them in their Eternall Happineſſe; for the fruition whereof, hee ſhall daily pray, who in all duty ſubſcribes himſelfe, Sir,
THe Prophet Job, who was alſo called Jobad, as the ſeventy Interpreters relate in the end of the Book of Job, or that book which is writ concerning Job, was head of the fifth Family from Abraham, as the ſame Interpreters deliver in the ſame place. For Abraham begat Iſaac, Iſaac Eſau, Eſau Zara of his wife Baſemath the daughter of Iſhmael, Zara Jobad, who alſo is Job.
This man although he lived amongſt wicked and lewd people, and dwelt in that Country called A•…ſotis, or Hus, in the borders of Idumaea, yet was he not infected with any vice or lewdneſſe from them, but even from his childhood he eſchewed vice and2 followed vertue with that reſolution of ſpirit, that he would never do otherwiſe than he ought, even when he had loſt all thoſe things which mon eſteeme moſt deare, his Fotranes, and Children, and his whole body was ſo peſtered with ſores, that his very friends could not endure to looke upon him: which things becauſe they be ſo excellent, and make for his greater commendation than if he had moderately behaved himſelfe only in proſperity; I reſolve to declare all ſeverally, that all men in adverſity and miſery may have a notable example ſet before them of this man.
And becauſe it is no great matter of praiſe, nor any ſuch rare vertue for a man to loſe but an indifferent Eſtate, and to beare out that misfortune gallantly, we muſt underſtand this, that Iob was no meane perſon, nor one that had but a poore or ſlender Fortune, for he was the ſecond King of the Land of Edom, inaſmuch as he ſucceeded in the roome of Bela, or Balach the firſt King; And he was very rich for thoſe times, wherein mens wealth conſiſted much in flocks and heards; it is therefore recorded in the Scriptures, which mention that he was a wealthy perſon, how that he had ſeven thouſand Sheepe, three thouſand Camels, five hundred yoake of Oxen, and five hundred ſhe Aſſes, and a very great Family. Now before I tell by what meanes all theſe things were taken from him, and with what mind he bare the loſſe of them, I will relate how he demeaned himſelfe in his proſperity.
Though he was a King and a Prince, as I have ſaid, and one that had ſuch a great Eſtate, yet did he never miſuſe his Soveraignty or Authority to the injury of his Friends or Strangers, like a proud man, nor his goods to the ſatisfying of his luſts; for in judgement he decided matters with ſuch equity, that when he went to the Gate of the City, and had his3 ſeat prepared him in the Court,The Courts were kept in the Gates of the Cities. all that heard and ſaw him (foraſmuch as the Aged ſtood up to him, and the Princes and Nobles forbore, out of reverence, to ſpeake in his preſence) thought him happy, and gave witneſſe to him that he delivered the poore which cried, and the fatherleſſe which had none to help them; the Cauſe which he underſtood not he ſearched out diligently, leſt, if he ſhould have paſſed ſentence whilſt the cauſe was unknown, he might both have done wrong to another man, and diſhonour to himſelfe.
And how he behaved himſelfe towards his equals or betters, either in Sutes and Controverſies which he had with them, or in other dealings, we may hence conceive, in that he never refuſed a triall with his man or maid ſervant, if at any time they would go to law with him; beſides, in his whole life he was ſo full of liberality and pitty, which had grown up with him from his infancy, that he never eate a piece of bread alone without the fatherleſſe; he never denied poore people what they requeſted; he never wearied out the people with delays; he never ſaw men periſh for lack of cloathing, or any poor man to be without a covering: Laſtly, he never ſuffered a ſtranger to tarry without doors, but was willing to have his houſe lie alwayes open to the traveller, ſo that he was an eye to the blinde, a foot to to the lame & a father to the poor; which though they be great matters, yet ſhall we ceaſe to wonder at them, if we doe but conſider that contempt of riches which was in him. For he neither placed his ſtrength, or confidence and hope in gold, nor did he rejoyce in much wealth when he had got it.
Let me now ſet forth his other vertues; He did not love his friends onely, but his foes alſo, and enemies ſo, as that he never rejoyced at their4 adverſity, he never ſpake againſt them, he was ſo modeſt and chaſt, that if ever woman had deceived his heart, or if ever he had laid waite at his neighhours doore, he did not refuſe that his wife ſhould be falſe to his bed. ch. 31. And of ſuch integrity of heart, ſuch innocency of life, and of ſuch an even behaviour was he towards all men, that if ever he had ſtept aſide out of the way, or had ever ſeen that which was anothers, ſo as to deſire it, or had taken any thing from any bodie, he did wiſh, that what he ſowed might become other men's, and that his family might come to ruine. And theſe things he wiſhed; or, rather he propounded this condition to them, that would taxe him of any injuſtice, not in his youth or middle age, or in his proſperity, but now that he was aged and in his adverſity, wherein men that are ſpitefull deviſe many things, becauſe now they need fear no power: Nor did he meane this touching his by paſt life, and alter his purpoſe for the remainder, but even as he lay in miſery, he profeſſed with a ſetled reſolution, that he would never forgoe his innocency of life, that a lie ſhould never enter into his thoughts, nor a wicked word-proceed out of his mouth, whileſt breath was in him, and thus did he carry himſelfe toward his neighbours. Now muſt we relate how he behaved himſelfe towards God.
Amidſt ſo much and ſo great proſperity, which is often wont to turne rich and potent perſons from Gods feare, worſhip and ſervice, he never worſhipped the Sun, Moon and Starres, as they uſed to doe, with whom, and amongſt whom he lived; but the onely and true God, with ſo great devotion, that when he married an Arabian Wife, by whom he had ſeven ſons and three daughters, and his ſons having invited their ſiſters, did feaſt one another every one his day; he fearing leſt they might have ſinned againſt God in any thing, or curſed5 him in their heart, was wont when the dayes were gone about, to ſend for them, and ſanctifie them, and early in the morning to offer burnt offerings according to their number.
It may now in order ſeem requiſite that wee ſpeak concerning the miſeries into which God ſuffered him to fall (not for his wickedneſſe, but to prove his patience, and to manifeſt it to others, and ſet it abroad to be imitated) ſo great miſeries, as ſcarce any man is able to imagine them. Sathan indeed bare ſuch hatred towards him, and was ſo blinde with a deſire to doe him harm, that he would not beleeve God, when he bare teſtimony to innocency, vertue and religion, but having extenuated theſe his ſo great vertues, as though they were not true, but practiſed meerly for the times ſake; that is, becauſe of proſperity, he ſaid, that God himſelfe ſhould at laſt prove it to be ſo; If the wealth wherein Job abounded, might be violently taken from him, and he of a happie man become miſerable: God who had knowne and tried the manlineſſe and valour of his Champion, gave Sathan power to take away his goods by force, and kill his children. He having this leave given him, inſtantly ſtirred up the Sabaeans; that when the eldeſt of Jobs children entertained the reſt at a dinner, having made an inrode, they tooke away the Oxen plowing, and all the ſhee Aſſes in the fields, and ſlew all the heardsmen, except one who came to bring him newes of that calamitie; whom when he was hearing, another commeth ſuddenly in who told him that the ſheep were burnt up with lightning, and the ſervants conſumed with the fire; who whilſt he was yet ſpeaking, there came in another who brought newes that the Camels were all taken away by the Chaldeans, and the ſervants all ſlaine but himſelfe; and he had not made an end of ſpeaking when a fourth brought him heavier newes then the6 former, touching the death of all his children, who when they were eating and drinking in their eldeſt brothers houſe, were ſlaine with the fall of it; what doe wee think that Job did or ſaid among ſo many and ſo great and ſo crowding calamities, or, with what mind he endured them? he underwent them with a conſtant ſpirit, proſtrating himſelfe upon the ground, with his garments rent, and his head ſhaven he worſhipped God, and with great conſtancy ſaid, Naked came I out of my Mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne thither; the Lord, hath given, the Lord hath taken away; bleſſed be the name of the Lord. This is a gallant example, and remarkable to poſterity, of a manly and patient Spirit: but that which followeth, is farre more excellent and glorious.
Sathan, who had done all theſe miſchiefes to Job, was not content (for he thought that he might been driven from his ſtability of Spirit, by ſome miſeries, and ſo might poſſibly be overcome) but procured far more grievous) for when God had asked him (after his brags, that he had gone about the world) whether he had conſidered his ſervant Job, an honeſt and religious man, and one that retained his innocency; whom notwithſtanding at his motion, he had made very miſerable without cauſe: He anſwered according to his malice, which cannot be ſatisfied but in deſtruction, that a man is wont to part with another mans skin for his owne, and his owne meanes to preſerve his life, which ſeeing Job had done in his goods and children, it was not to be accounted as any great commendation for him, or wonder, if he had not denyed God and curſed him. But if he would but touch his body with a diſeaſe, then at laſt he ſhould heare him curſe him to his face. God, who knew that his champion would not be overcome by bodily harmes, but that he would7 foile his adverſary, yielded his body to the Divels will, forbidding him to attempt any thing either againſt his minde, which is at his owne liberty, or againſt his life. He having received this power, preſently infected and vexed Jobs whole body with ſuch boyles, that no part of him remained ſound. It is worth our labour to conſider and take notice of what he did or ſaid in the calamity.
As ſoon as he felt the evill, like a man repulſed from his City and home, he ſat him down upon a dunghill, and ſcraped off the filthy matter with a potſheard: now his wife, which alone ſeemed to have been left him of ſo great a family to comfort him, when ſhee perceived him ſuffer this extreame calamity with ſuch ſtedfaſtneſſe of minde, not imputing this to his valour, but a ſtupidity, and ſenſleſſe dulneſſe, ſhee chid him, becauſe he yet retained his integrity, and adviſed him to curſe God and dye, or, as others interpret, to deſire humbly of God that he might dye, and not linger any longger. He, who had litted himſelfe to endure adverſities with a manly courage, Did mildly, ſhee had ſpoken like one of the fooliſh women, for they had received good things from God, why ſhould they not endure evill: Which word if we ſhould make uſe of in the like caſe, we ſhould not be ſo nice and effeminate, nor ſhould we ſo cry out againſt Gods providence; and indeed there is no queſtion but that ſaying of his wife did increaſe his ſorrow. For when we are in griefe and miſerie, if they who ſhould comfort us, I doe not ſay forgoe their duty by leaving it undone, but doe or ſay ſomething not agreable to what they ought, then truly, then I ſay, by this very thing the former griefe is increaſed.
But his three friends, Eliphaz the King of Theman, Baldad King of the Suhites, and Sophar8 King of the Naamathites, did more mightily ſet it on; for when they having received the newes of that ſo great a calamity, had come very long journeys together to comfort him at a day appointed, from the place which they had agreed upon for their common ſetting forth, and having beheld him afar off, ſo ſore afflicted, did not at the firſt know him, afterwards comming nearer, had lift up their voices and wept, and having their garments rent, had ſprinkled duſt upon their heads to expreſſe, their ſorrow, and had ſate with him ſeven dayes and ſeven nights, and were not able to bring out a word, for the griefe which they ſaw him ſuffer. Yet when he had begun to ſpeake, and they anſwering by turnes, or diſcourſing, had firſt objected that what he ſuffered, he ſuffered for his wickedneſſe; moreover they termed him audacious and•…aſh that would compare himſelfe with God, and abide the triall with him: Laſtly, they ſaid he was preſumptuous, becauſe he ſpake of himſelfe, and aſcribed ſo great vertues to himſelfe, which they ſaid might be found to be either none or falſe, by the things which he did endure: He againe for his part, did refute their opinion with ſuch weighty ſentences, telling them that they which were come to comfort him and caſe his ſorrow, did ſeem heavier then ſ•nd unto him. They having nothing to ſay, at laſt held their peace, and ſaid not one word more: But when they held their peace, Elihu partly excuſed Job, and tooke his part, and partly he accuſed him.
Which judgement of theirs concerning Job, God two wayes ſhewed how much it diſpleaſed him: firſt in that he ſaid he did not puniſh him for his wickedneſſe, but that he might get glory by conquering Sathan, and beſides in that he rebuked Eliphaz the King of Theman, becauſe he had not ſpoken right, as Job, and for that reaſon to make ſatisfaction9 for their wickedneſſe, he and his two companions ſhould take ſeven bullocks and ſeven rams, and goe to Job, whom he would accept, praying to him for them, when they had offered ſacrifice: Which when they and Job had done, God being moved by Jobs prayers pardoned them. In which thing, both the love and charity of Job appeared, who prayed for them, that thought badly of him, and ſpake againſt him: and his exceeding great renowne, who being contemned not onely by ſtrangers, but alſo by his friends, was accounted worthy with whom God would enter into diſcourſe.
Nor did ſuch a ſufferance and patience procure him this credit alone, but all things which Sathan (by Gods permiſſion) had taken ſingly from him, were reſtored double to him, Sheep, Camels, yokes of Oxen, and ſhee Aſſes, he lived alſo after theſe miſeries, a hundred and fifty years, happie and proſperous, and begat ſeven ſonnes and three daughters. In which doubled plenty and aboundance of things, he was not proud or rigorous againſt them that had neglected and ſcorned him in adverſity, deeming them unworthy to come at him or to ſpeake with him, or to aske him how he did, or objecting their omiſſion of what they ſhould have done, or threatning that he would be revenged of their injuries, but retaining ſtill his gentle behaviour, hee courteouſly entertained his brothers and ſiſters, his kindred and all them that were known to him upon any occaſion as they came to him, (when they knew that al things were changed to him ſort be better) and received ſmall preſents from them, from every one a Sheep, and one golden ear-ring, which then he might have been without; but he received them leſt he might ſeem to be pult up with proſperity and ſlight them.
The diſcourſe which he had with his10 friends, becauſe it is written in the book intituled by his name; I need not ſet it downe in this. It will be enough but to conceive this, that he made it for the moſt part concerning the miſeries of mans life, concerning the providence and power of God, concerning his former life, how excellently and devoutly he had ſpent it, concerning the puniſhments of the wicked, concerning the rewards and glory of the Godly, he propheſied many things touching the generall reſurrection of mens bodyes: which part of his diſcourſe hath eſpecially moved me, that reckoning him amongſt the number of the Prophets, I ſhould write his life, amongſt the lives of the Prophets. Which I have therefore placed the firſt, becauſe he was many ages before the reſt.
SAmuell the Seer or Prophet, was the ſonne of Elkanah and Hannah his Wife. Elkanah having two Wives, a thing which was then lawfull, Hannah and Peninnah: Peninnah which had borne children, reproached Hannah becauſe ſhee was barren. Hannah who was ignorant of Gods purpoſe, being much11 moved with the taunts and bitter ſpeechees of her adverſary, burſt out into teares, nor did ſhee eate yeare by yeare at thoſe ſet times, wherein Elkanah with his Wives and children went ordinarily from his houſe, from mount Ephraim, to Worſhip and Sacrifice in Shil•, where the Ark of God was placed, Sam. 5. He having ſound out the ground of Hannah's griefe and ſadneſſe, begun to comfort her ſaying, that he was better to her then ten children; now though ſhe felt ſo much oaſe of her griefe by this comfort her Husband gave her, that ſhe fell to meat, yet, knowing it was God alone that could fully releaſe her of her ſorrow, making a vow with teares, ſhee beſought him within her ſelfe, that he would pleaſe to looke upon her and vouchſafe her a Sonne, whom ſhe would devote his ſervant all the days of his life. Haeli (who becauſe he ſaw her moving the lips and did not heare her voyce, thought that ſhee was drunk) partly rebuked her, and partly admoniſhed her to put away the wine wherewith ſh•e was overtaken; whereas ſhe denyed that ſhe had drank any wine to that time of the day, for that, ſhe poor woman, made her prayer unto God with a ſorrowfull Spirit. Now when Haeli having bleſſed her had ſo ſent her away, as that ſhee might obtaine what ſhe deſired and asked, they both, having worſhipped God, returned home; and a little while after, Hannah by Gods bleſſing conceived and brought forth this Samuell, whoſe life we write.
Some three years after, when he was weaned, ſhee both remembring the vow wherewith ſhee had ingaged her ſelfe, and the benefit ſhe had received from God, preſented him to God with ſolemne ſacrifices, and told Haeli that ſhe was the Woman, which had lately beſought God for that Sonne, and that therefore ſhee would lend him to God; nor did ſhe only conſecrate the child to God, but alſo ſhe12 gave him many thanks, and extold him exceedingly with true praiſe, and having left the childe to miniſter before the Lord, ſhe returned home with her Husband. There Samuels Miniſtry became ſo acceptable to God, that he called him to the office of divining and foretelling things to come, which we call Propheſie, even from the beginning of his childhood, after this manner.
Haeli the Prieſt, becauſe he was old, had made his two ſons, Ophni and Phinees, Prieſts, which office then had the chiefe power and ſoveraignty amongſt the Jews by Gods appointment, 1 Sam. 2. They in that office took to themſelves, the things that were offered contrary to Gods Command, and beſides, they uſed to lye with the women; which when Haeli their Father came to know of, he chid them, but did not correct them for it, ver. 24, 25. Therefore God ſo diſliked and deteſted his indulgency toward his children, that he let him know by a Prophet, whoſe name is not written, that it ſhould come to paſſe that his two ſonnes Ophni and Phinees ſhould dye in one day, ver. 34. becauſe he had honoured them more then him, and that he would raiſe up unto himſelfe a faithfull Prieſt, that ſhould be obedient unto him in every thing he did. Samuels ordination ſhortly after enſued upon this praediction of the Prophet; for when he being but a child, lay aſleep in the Temple, ſomewhat nigh unto Haeli the Prieſt, God called him thrice, and when being awakened, he thought Haeli had come to call him, he made anſwer three times, that he was there at hand. Haeli who underſtood not the matter, ſent him three times back againe to ſleepe, but when he perceived the third time that God had called him, he bad him ſay to God that he was ready to heare, and that he ſhould therefore ſpeake; When Samuell had ſaid ſo, God rehearſed all thoſe things touching Haeli, which he had foretold13 him; as I have ſaid already, by a Prophet God gave him no command that he ſhould tell Haeli all thoſe things; but being (as I may ſay) adjured by him in certaine words which had in them the power of an oath, he told him.
Hereupon a report went farre and wide that Samuell was Gods faithfull Prophet, and when Haeli dyed, a little while after, he became moreover Prieſt and Judge, which was the ſupreame magiſtracy amongſt the Hebrewes. This he diſcharged with exceeding great integrity by the confeſſion and teſtimony of all the people. For when, having made a King as they deſired, he had given them leave to ſpeak freely, that, if any one would witneſſe, he had taken away any mans Oxe or Aſle, or had defrauded, or oppreſſed any one, or had received a bribe from any man, he would make reſtitution; they all ſaid no, and produced God as a witneſſe of that matter; which ſpeech indeed as it is befitting all that performe any publike charge or buſineſſe, ſo I would to God they could truly uſe it with the Peoples teſtimony and confeſſion joyned thereunto. The ſame did he ſhew himſelfe in managing and diſcharging the Prieſts Office; for, whereas it belongs to the Prieſt to offer ſacrifice, and to pray unto God for the people: The people ever thought his prayers ſo acceptable to God, and profitable for themſelves, that at the laſt when he had told them how grievouſly they had offended God, deſiring a King ſhould be given to them, then the people carneſtly beſought him, that he would pray to God for them, that they might not dye; and he having cheared them up with many words, ſpake thus, moſt becomming a Prieſt. God forbid that I ſhould ſin ſo fore againſt him, as that I ſhould ceaſe to pray for you, or to teach you the good and right way. But of theſe things we muſt ſay ſomething ſeverally.
God indeed, as oft as he perceived his people Iſrael (having contemned him) to be turned to the worſhip and ſervice of falſe Gods, to recall and withdraw them therefrom, was ever wont to provide them enemies that might oppreſſe them, that being conſtrained, as it were by the ſmart, and neglecting and deſpiſing the ſervice of falſe gods, they might crave his ſuccour; a thing which I have often evidenced in the Book which I have writ of the lives of the Patriarkes. And even for this reaſon, while Haeli was Prieſt, God raiſed the Philiſtines againſt them, becauſe they worſhipped and retained ſtrange gods, and eſpecially that, that it is called Aſlaroth: And they by Gods permiſſion, for ſuch a fault, ſlew thirtie thouſand foot, and the two ſons of Haeli, Ophni and Phinees, the arke of God alſo being taken, which that it might protect them, they had taken order to have fetched from Silo into the place where they were to fight. But in the twentieth yeare after the Arke was taken, the Philiſtins brought it back, by reaſon of the deſtruction that came upon them, when they conveyed it into any place of theirs whatſoever. Samuell, who underſtood the cauſe of the calamitie which they received in the warr, told all the people, that if they would all truly and entirely return unto God, they ſhould now take away their ſtrange gods, and Aſlaroth from amongſt them, and prepare their hearts for God, and worſhip him alone. For ſo it ſhould come to paſſe, that he would deliver them from the malice and power of the Phliſtines. Sam. 7. They all yielded to Samuell, and when they had thrown downe, and put away their ſtrange gods, in the number of which was Baalim and Aſlaroth; they worſhipped God onely. After this he commanded them all to meet together in Mizpeh, that he might pray to God for them, when they were come thither, they drew water and powred it down before God, and15 having faſted that day, they confeſſed openly to God, that they had ſinned; as ſoon as the Phyiliſtians had heard that the Jews were there aſſembled, their Lords came againſt them with a cruell Army, and ſuch a trembling thereupon fell among the Jews, that they preſently intreated Samuell, that he would never ceaſe praying for them, till they were ſaved from the Philiſtines. He firſt offered a whole ſucking Lamb for a burnt offering unto God, and then he prayed unto him for Iſrael, and God heard him openly. For when the Philiſtines whileſt he ſacrificed, fell violently upon the Jewes, God delivered them, being diſcomfited with a thunder-clap into the power of the Jewes to be ſlain; they were ſo ſubdued and ſcattered with this overthrow, that they durſt never after break into the Coaſts of Iſraell whilſt Samuell lived. After this, being enforced by miſerie, that they might make peace with the Jewes, they reſtored the Cities which they had taken.
Theſe offices he himſelfe executed as long as he could for age; Now when being aged, he could not execute the office of a Judge; he made his ſons Joel and Abiah Judges, whereas they did not doe as their father had done, but took mony and gifts for judging: the lilders of the Jewes came to Samuell, and deſired, that foraſmuch as he was grown ancient, and his ſonnes did not walke in his waies, hee would grant and appoint them a King, whom they might make uſe on for a Judge; that ſaying diſpleaſed Samuell, and therefore he thought it beſt to adviſe with God. God bade him doe as they had deſirod, for that they had not rejected and caſt off Samuell, but himſelfe, that he might not rule over them; And he ſhowed him Saul, the ſonne of Kiſh, whom he ſhould annoint and ordaine King, 1 Sam. 10. when he had found him, becauſe he was taller then any man by the ſhoulders, he bad all the people ſee, how that16 none was like him whom God had choſen: and when they had cried God ſave their new King, verſe 24. after he had told them the Law of the Kingdome, and writ it, and laid it up in the Tabernacle, he bleſſed the people. After this, by recitall of Gods benefits which they and their fathers had alwayes neglected, he made knowne to them what a grievous ſin they had committed when they asked a King: Which, that they might the better underſtand, there were thunderclaps heard, raine poured downe at his requeſt, as he had told them aforehand it ſhould come to paſſe; at which ſo ſtrange and uſuall a matter being much affrighted, they ſpeake to him that he would beſeech God that they might not dy, foraſmuch as they confeſſed they had grievouſly ſinned in asking a King. Samuell exhorted them at large to be of good courage and not to fear, 1 Sam 12.3. for that they indeed had ſinned exceedingly, yet ought not to forſake God, but ſerve him with all care & earneſtnes of Spirit, ſcorning and neglecting the worſhip of ſtrange Gods, who ſeeing they were vaine and unprofitable, could not be able to deliver from evill. For thus it ſhould come to paſſe, that God would not forſake them for his great name, ſeeing eſpecially he had made it good with an oath, that he would make them his people; but it they ſhould goe on to ſin, that both they and their King ſhould periſh.
Saul being King, had offered Sacrifices ſhortly after, contrary to Gods command, becauſe Samuell came not within the 7 days, 1 Sam. 13. in which time he had ſaid that he would come, and the Jewes ſlipt away for feare of the huge company of Philiſtines that came to battell, when as Samuell coming in the mean while rebuked him ſharply, and foretold that the end of his Kingdome was at hand, and that in his ſtead there ſhould ſucceed a man that ſhould be pleaſing to God, ver. 13. A ſecond time as Gods Propher,17 he told Saul of the end, or downfall of his Kingdome for the very ſame cauſe. 1 Sam. 13. The Amalekites had made reſiſtance to the Jews as they came out of Aegypt, whoſe wrongs when God had purpoſed to revenge by Saul, he ſent Samuel to him to charge him, that he ſhould raiſe a mighty Army, and utterly deſtroy Amaleck, and all things that belonged to them; But he ſpated King Agag when he was taken, and reſerved the Heards, and the Flocks, and all the things that were of any value; Hereupon God told Samuel that he was diſpleaſed, and that he repented that he had made Saul King, who ſet light by his Commandements, 1 Sam. 15. Upon theſe words of God, and the thing which Saul had committed, Samuel took ſuch griefe that he ſpent the reſt of the night in crying, and praying, and carely in the morning he haſted by long journeys to Saul, whom when he had ſoundly chid, having reckoned up Gods benefits towards him, becauſe he had not againe obſerved God, and he on the contrary maintained that he had obeyed him, and the people only had reſerved the richeſt of the ſpoile that they might offer it to God; he ſaid, that God did not deſire ſacrifices, but willed rather that men ſhould obey and keep his Commandements, for obedience is better than ſacrifice. Therefore he ſhould know and perſwade himſelfe thus much, that he had rejected God, and that he alſo was rejected by God from being King. When Saul confeſſed that he had ſinned againſt God and him for feare of the people, and entreated him that he would alſo beare with his fault, and go back with him to worſhip God, and Samuel ſaid he would not do ſo, becauſe God had deſpiſed him, that he ſhould not now be King over Iſrael, he caught hold on the skirts of his mantle, as he was going away, with ſuch a force as that it rent; by which paſſage, as by a token aforehand, Samuel told him that God had rent away his Kingdom and given18 it to one better than he; when againe he confeſſed that he had ſinned, and entreated Samuel that he would do him honour in the ſight of the Princes, and of his people, and that he would returne with him, that he might worſhip God, he followed him and cut in peeces King Agag, who was a corpulent man, with theſe words, As thy ſword hath made mothers childleſſe, ſo ſhall thy mother be childleſſe amongſt women.
After that Samuel went to his houſe in Ramath, neither did he from that day forward ſee Saul, whoſe chance and misfortune nevertheleſſe he was ſorry for. 1 Sam. 16. God rebuked him when he ſorrowed, and asked how long he would mourne for him whom he had put from his Kingdome; And therefore he ſhould fill a horne with oyle that he might ſend him to Jeſſe the Bethlehemite, whoſe Son he had choſen King; when he asked how he could go but he ſhould be quickly killed by Saul when he knew it, he ſhewed a way and a meanes how he might eaſily avoid his fury. Thus at the laſt, being very conſident, he went diligently and dutifully to execute what God had commanded him, and he annointed David King, whom God had manifeſted and ſhewed to him.
Samuel after all theſe famous and holy performances, dyed in a good old age at his own houſe in Ramath, 1 Sam, 25. which when the Jews knew of, they all met and mourned for him, and buried him there; if we follow the Scries of thoſe things which are written in the firſt booke of the Kings, he will ſeeme to have dyed before Sauls death, and the beginning of Davids Raigne, or his taking upon him the Government and Kingly Office; but if we reſpect thoſe things which are written in the firſt booko of the Chronicles, how that David and Samuel the Seer, that is, the Prophet, choſe two hundred and twelve Porters which are there reckoned, a thing which doth19 not ſeem to ha have been done whilſt Saul was living, he did not die till after Sauls death.
NAthan was Prophet, when David was King, of the kindred of Thot, as Epiphanius ſaith, who who alſo writeth that he was a man of Gabath, and that he knew beforehand that grievous ſin which David was to commit with Berſheba, and that as he came a long journey to keep the King from ſuch an evill act, he was hindred by a villaine, who had ſlaine a man, whom when he found lying naked upon the ground, he tarried there to bury him, leſt he ſhould be eaten up of wild Beaſts, and that he knew that very ſame night that David committed that foul Act, and that therefore he went back with ſorrow to Gabath, and that as ſoone as ever David had killed Ʋriah the Husband of Berſhebah, God ſent him to him to reprove him: And this is that which Epiphanius writeth concerning Nathan. Now will I tell what is writ of him in the Scriptures.
King David had taken order, that the ark of God ſhould be brought with exceeding Pompe and reverence; all ſorts of Muſicall inſtruments being made uſe of, and 3000 choſen men made to attend it firſt to the Houſe of Obed-Edom, becauſe of the ſudden20 death of Ʋzza who had touched it, 2 Sam. 6: and after to his own houſe; when he perceived that al things went well with Obed-Edom for the Arkes ſake. A little while after he conceiving it unſit for him to dwell in houſes of Cedar, and the Arke in skins, viz. in the Tabernacle, he asked Nathan his adviſe, and told him the thing; Nathan at the firſt, who yet knew not Gods intent, thought that he might doe what he was reſolved, as touching that matter. The night following, God commanded him to go to David and tel him that he ſhould not build the Houſe which he had in his thoughts, but his ſonne, whoſe Throne he would eſtabliſh, after his deceaſe: which when Nathan had told him, he ſorbare the worke which he had reſolued to doe, and gave God hoarty thanks, as he was bound, for his eſpeciall favour towards him.
A ſecond time God ſent him to David, in a caſe altogether differing from this; for when he, having committed adultery with Berſheba, had ordered that Ʋrias her Husband ſhould be ſlaine in the battell, God did by Nathan tell him in this Parable the hainouſneſſe of his crime ſo home, that he not underſtanding the drift of it, condemned himſelfe before he was aware. Nathan at Gods bidding told him, that there were two men in one City, whereof he that was rich, and had ſtore of Sheep and Oxen, had taken from a poor man a Sheep, which was all he had, and had ſet it before a ſtranger to eat, and that he was come to him, to know what judgement he would have to be paſſed upon him. David being moved with anger towards him, who as he thought had done this, ſaid, he deſerved to die, and be made to reſtore four-fold: Nathan affirmed him to be the man, becauſe he had taken * Berſheba [* Bathſhebah] whom he had defiled to Wife, and had killed Ʋrias her Husband, and that therefore evill ſhould never21 depart from his Houſe: And he foretold all thoſe evils and adverſities which befell him ſhortly after. Then at the laſt, David confeſſed that he had grievouſly ſinned againſt the Lord; which Repentance of his, God knowing to be true, he bad Nathan tell him, that for that reaſon his ſin was put away, and that he ſhould not die; but the child which ſhould be borne to him, becauſe the enemies being moved by this his wickedneſſe, did ſpeak evill of God and diſhonour him: which when Nathan had ſpoken, he went home, and all thoſe things which he had foretold, fell out accordingly.
David was very aged, inſomuch, as when he was covered with cloaths, he could get no heate, 1 Kin. 1. Adonijah his ſonne by Haggith, who by this concluded that his Father could not live long, had, unknown to him, ſeiſed on the Kingdome, nor did his Father blamed him when he knew it; yet Nathan would not ſide with him, and therefore he perſwaded Bathſheba, Solomons Mother, that if ſhe would take order for her, or her Sonnes ſafety, ſhe ſhould goe to the King, and put him in minde, that it was Adonijah, who whilſt he was alive, and whether he would or no, had uſurped the Kingdome; whereas he had ſworne that Solomon ſhould ſucceed him, and he promiſed her that he would come in the interim, and helpe her out with what ſhe had begun to ſay, ſhe being firſt let in, acquainted the King with matters to that purpoſe; when withall newes is brought to the King, that Nathan is there, he comming in, doth aggravate the hainouſneſſe of the matter at large, and giveth his judgement that Solomon ſhould rather be preferred as he had heard him ſay. Which when it liked the King, againe, he gave order to Nathan and Zadock the Prieſt, and other three, that they ſhould ſet Solomon upon his Mule and bring him to Gihon, and that there Zadock ſhould22 him with oyle; which thing was done as faſt as could be, every man ſhouting, God ſave the King. And theſe things are all that I have found concerning his life; now, he dyed very ancient, and was buried in Gabath, his owne Country, as Epiphanius writeth.
THE Prophet Gad had beſtowed upon him, and diſcharged the Office of a Prophet at the ſame time almoſt that Nathan. Although I finde that God ſent him to David once before Nathan; for when David ſlying from Sauls ſight to avoid preſent death, was come to Achiſh King of the Gothites, and he lied neglected him, ſeeing he counterfeited himſelfe mad, to preſerve himſelfe. And eſeiping thence into the Camp of Adullam, was choſen the Commander over five hundred men, that were indebted, and going thence into Maſpha, which was under the Authority and power of the King of Moab, had intreated the King, that he would ſuffer his Father and Mother to abide with him, till he knew what God would doe for him, which when he had obtained he might remaine in the hold. This Prophet God, his opinion was, that he ought to goe thence, and come into that part of Judea, which at the dividing fell to Judah and his poſterity: whoſe adviſe and command (or23 Gods rather) he obeyed, and betook himſelfe into the Forreſt of Haveth.
Another time God ſent him to David; David had given order that Ioab the Captaine of the Hoſte ſhould number all his Subjects that could beare Armes, in which when he found he had offended God by putting him upon this ſervice, both acknowledged that he had done amiſſe, and beſought God that he would remove his ſin; when he was got up very timely God ſent the Prophet Gad (who, as it is written, did uſe to propheſie of all things to David) that he might offer the choiſe of three things, either of ſeven yeares famine in his own Dominion, or to fly before his enemies who ſhould purſue him for three mōths together, or at leaſt the Peſtilēce for three daies in his Kingdome; which when he had told him, he deſired him to make anſwer which of thoſe three he would rather have, that he might beare word back againe to him that had ſent him; when he had made choiſe of the Peſtilence, ſaying, that he had rather fall into the hands of God than of men, becauſe God was very mercifull, threeſcore and ten thouſand men died within the time limited. God cauſed him to ſee the Angel deſtroying and killing, at which time he ſpake moſt like a King; for he ſaid, it was he that had ſinned, but they that were ſheepe and were ſlaine had committed no wickedneſſe, and therefore he beſought him that he would turn his hand againſt him, and againſt his Fathers houſe; with which words of his God being moved, ſent the Prophet Gad unto him to command him to build him an Altar in the ſloore of Areana the Jebuſite; when, having made an Altar, he had ſacrificed to God, both the anger of God ceaſed and the Plague ſtayed.
AHias was a Shilonite, he, as Epiphanius ſaith, foretold Solomon that it ſhould come to paſſe that he ſhould ſin againſt God, and that women ſhould withdraw him and turne him away from God. He alſo, as the ſame Author writeth, reproved Hieroboam, becauſe he would ſerve God hypocritically and feignedly if once he ſhould come to the Soveraignty, and he foretold him that he ſhould oppoſe God with two Calves, and that his ſeed ſhould be kept in ſervitude. But we will relate thoſe few things which are mentioned in the Scripture concerning him.
King Solomon had ſet Hieroboam the Ephrathite, having obſerved him to be of a good diſpoſition, over the Tribute of all the Family of Ioſeph. This Ahias being clad with a new garment met him on the way as he came out of Hieruſalem, and when he had taken his mantle and rent it in twelve parts, he adviſed Hieroboam that he would take ten peeces to himſelfe, for that God would divide Solomons Kingdome and give him ten Tribes, but one Tribe ſhould be left him for Davids ſake, and that theſe things ſhould betide to Solomon, becauſe he had worſhipped ſtrange Gods, and had not obeyed Gods Commandements, doing like to his Father David. If in his reigne, after25 Solomon was dead, (for he ſhould not rule over the ten Tribes whileſt Solomon lived) he would obey Gods Commandements, as David had obeyed them, that he would not be wanting to him upon any occaſion.
Now after that Hieroboam was King, when his Son Abia was ſick, he remembred what Abias the Prophet had foretold him, and therefore he gave order to his wife, that, having changed her apparell leſt ſhe ſhould be known, ſhe ſhould go to him in Shilo to enquire what ſhould betide the Child; ſhe having provided her ſelfe of all things neceſſary took her journey. But God both made known to Ahias, that could not ſee for age, that it was Hieroboams wife that came to aske him about her Son, and told him what he ſhould ſay, therefore ho called her by her name as ſhe came in, and chid her much becauſe ſhe came in a diſguiſe; he alſo foretold her the death of her Son, and the ruine of her Family for the ſins of Hieroboam her husband; the Child indeed died (as Ahias had foretold) at her entrance in at the doore; and when Aſa was King of Iudah, Baaſa having killed Nadab the Son of Hieroboam, ho deſtroyed his Family. Now Ahias died in Shile, as Epiphanius ſaith, and was buried neare an Oake which was there.
VVHen the ten Tribes did fall off from Roboam to Hieroboam, as Ahias the Prophet had fore-propheſied, and Roboam was therefore gone to Hieruſalem and had raiſed a great Army that he might reduce them, God ſent Semeias to tell Roboam, and all the people that attended him, that they ought not to go to war with their Iſraelitiſh brethren, and therefore they ſhould go every man to his houſe, becauſe this thing was from the Lord, and they obeying Gods command went back againe without doing any thing at all:
EPiphanius calleth that Prophet Ioam, whom the Scriptures mention to have come out of Iudah to Bethel at Gods Command at ſuch time as Hieroboam ſtood before the Altar to burne Incenſe; he indeed27 at his firſt comming had begun to cry out againſt the Altar, as God had commanded him, O Altar, Altar, thus ſaith the Lord, there ſhall ariſe up a ſonne or David, Joſias by name, and he ſhall ſacrifice in thee the Prieſts of the high places, who now burne incenſe on thee, and the bones of men ſhall he burn on thee, and this ſhould be known by this, that the Altar ſhould then cleave aſunder, and the aſhes that were upon it, be powred out. Hieroboam could not abide thoſe words of the Prophet, or of God rather, but ſtretching out his hand from the Altar towards him, he commanded thoſe that were about him to lay hands on him, when on a ſuddaine his hand dryed up, ſo that he could not pull it in to him, and finding that to be the power of God, he intreateth the Prophet to pray for him, that he would reſtore unhim his hand ſafe and ſound; which when he had done, and his hand was reſtored, in thankfulneſſe for the favour, he intreateth him to goe to his houſe to dinner with him, where he ſhould be requited for his charitable kindneſſe: He ſaid he could not doe ſo, although he ſhould give him the one halfe of his Kingdome, for God had charged him, that he ſhould not return by the way by which he came, and therefore he returned another way.
But when he had gone a part of his journy, a certaine old Prophet, whoſe ſonnes had told him what he had done; riding upon his Aſſe found him ſitting under a turpentine tree, and when upon the ſame reaſon he had denyed his requeſt, to goe with him and cate bread, at the laſt, giving too much credit to him, when he ſaid he was a Prophet alſo, whom God had commanded to doe this, he aſſented to his own hurt; for as he ſate with him at the table, the Prophet that had brought him back foretold him, (as God had bid him) that becauſe he had not obeyed Gods word, his carkaſſe ſhould not28 be brought into the Sepulchre of his Fathers; and therefore, ſhortly after a Lyon ſlew him as he went away thence; which, when the old Prophet had newes of, he went preſently, and laying the whole carkaſſe on his Aſſe, brought it to his houſe, and buried it with all honour, ſpeaking to his ſounes that when he ſhould dye they ſhould bury him hard by him.
IEhu the ſonne of Hanani was Prophet, when Aſa was King of Judah. God ſent him to Baaſa King of Iſrael to foretell him, that foraſmuch as being exalted out of the duſt as it were, and made Prince over Iſrael, he followed the way of Hieroboam, and made Iſrael to ſin by his example and command, it ſhould come to paſſe that his eſtate and memory ſhould be utterly taken away: Now, Baaſa did not onely refuſe to entertaine theſe words as he ought, but alſo he killed Jehu the Prophet and meſſenger of God he alſo greatly blamed Joſaphat the King of Juda, when he came back from the battail, wherein he had aſſiſted Ahab, and told him, that for ſo doing, he had deſerved Gods wrath, but with all that there were good things found in him.
THis Prophet came by Gods appointment, to Aſa King of Judah, in the fifteenth year of his Raign (when having overthrown the Altars of ſtrange gods, taken away their worſhip, and taught his people to ſeek and ſerve the Lord, and with prayer obtained Gods aſſiſtance, 2 Chro. 14.11. by an army of his owne ſubjects, he had overthrowne a huge multitude of Arabians that had invaded him) to tell him, that, becauſe he and his people had been with God, God alſo had been with them, and to foretell him, that for a long time together the people of Iſrael**This is ſpoken as a thing paſt in the 2 Chro. 15.35. ſhould be without the true God, without a teaching Prieſt, and without the Law; but when in adverſity they ſhould ſeeke the Lord and return to him, he ſhould be found of them, and that then there ſhould be no peace to him that went out or came in. But great feare and terror upon all the inhabitants of the Land; Therefore that they ſhould be ſtrong, and not hang downe their hands, for their worke ſhould be rewarded. Upon theſe words of Azariah, Aſa took courage to goe on in putting downe the Worſhip of ſtrange Gods every where, and reſtoring the ſervice of the Lord, and ſetting his people in the ſame.
HAnani (Father of Jehu the Prophet) ſerved in the**Cajetan ſays it ſhould be 26. thirtie ſixt year of the Raign of Aſa K. of Iudah. Now this was the cauſe of his ſending. Baoſha King of Iſrael, came with an hoſtile Army againſt Judah, and fortified Ramah, that none might come in or go our of the Kingdome of Iudah. When this was told Aſa, he took all the treaſures out of the Lords houſe, and out of his own houſe, and ſent the ſilver and gold to**Benhadad. 2 Chr. 19. Benhadab King of Syria, who had ſeated his Palace-Royall at Damaſcus, deſiring aid of him. Hereupon the King of Syria ſent his Princes with a great Hoſt, which deſtroyed many fenced Cities of Iſrael. When this was told Baaſha, he left worke at Ramah; and ſo Aſa called all his people together, and pull'd downe what Baaſha had ſet up. But God abhorring this deed of Aſa's, ſent Hanani the Prophet unto him, to tell him, that becauſe he had put his truſt in the King of Syria, and not in his God, who had delivered into his hand the Hoſte of the Aethiopians, which was greater then that of the Aſſyrians. Therefore was the Army of the Syrians eſcaper out of his hands, and to foretell him, that thence forward he ſhould have wars. Aſa who I ſaid before did better and better at the words of Azarias the ſon of Hanani, was ſo far from recovering his former degree of goodnes, by the words of Hanani his Father, that he caſt the Propher into priſon.
MIchaiah, ſon of Imlah, was famous for his gift of Propheſie in the Raign of Jehoſaphat King of Judah. And this was the cauſe of one of his propheſies: Jehoſaphat being joyned in Affinity with Ahab King of Iſrael, was alſo perſwaded by him to joyne with him in the war againſt Ramoth Gilead, and when Jehoſaphat and his forces were come up to him, he deſired that the Lord might be conſulted whether it was meet for them to go thither or no; Ahab ſent for foure hundred falſe Prophets to adviſe with about the ſeat of war, who when they anſwered All, Go thither & proſper; Ichoſaphat not truſting them asked if there was not there a Prophet of the Lord of whom they might alſo ask directions; Ahab told him, there was indeed one Michaiah the ſon of Imlah, but he was alwais wont to propheſie ſome evill or other unto him. And when Ichoſaphat ſaid, Let not Ahab ſay ſo, an Eunuch (or Officer) was ſent to call Michaiah, who having found him, ſaid thus to him, Behold all the Prophets with one aſſent declare good ſpeed to the Kings deſigne, I pray thee let thy words be like unto theirs; But Michaiah ſwore ſadly, that whatſoever God ſaid, that he would ſpeake; And when he was come the King asked32 him whether they ſhould go to Ramoth Gilead to battell, or ſhould they forbeare? He anſwered, they ſhould go and proſper! Then ſaid Ahab, How often ſhall I adjure thee in the name of the Lord that thou ſay nothing but the truth to me? Then Michaiah anſwered, I ſaw all Iſrael ſcatered upon the Hils as ſheepe that have no ſhepheard, and the Lord ſaid, Returne every one to his own Houſe, theſe have no Maſter, Then ſaid Ahab to Ichoſaphat, Said I not true before, that this man would propheſie no good to me, but only evill? But Michaiah not terrified with his words, ſeeing alſo that Ahab beleeved him not, went on, and told Him, that he had ſeen the Lord ſitting on his Throne, and all the Hoſte of Heaven on his right hand and on his left, and when he asked who will go, and deceive, and make Ahab go to Ramoth Gilead and fall there? And one ſpake after this manner, and another after that; then came there forth an evill Spirit and deſired that that buſineſſe might be left to Him; and when God asked him how or wherewith he would deceive him; He anſwered, I will go and ſit a Lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets; Then Zedekiah (one of Ahabs talſe Prophets) ſtroke him on the Face, asking him, What way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee? Michatab told him, he ſhould know that to his coſt when he run from chamber to chamber to hide himſelfe. Hereupon Ahab commanded him to be carried to Amon the Governour of the City, and Ioas**The Kings Son. the ſon of Amelech, 2 Chron. 18. who ſhould put him in priſon, and feed him with bread and water till the King came back ſafe, and had diſpatched his buſineſſe according to his mind. But Michaiah knowing aſſuredly that God had revealed this unto him, anſwered. If thou returne in peace God hath not ſpoken by me, and bad all that heard heare witneſſe what he had ſaid. So went Ahab and Ichoſaphat with their Armies to Ramoth33 Gilead. In the way Ahab diſguiſed himſelfe, but Ichoſhaphat kept on his Robes. Now the King of Syria had charged his Chiefetaines only to make at the King of Iſrael; They therefore gueſſing by the Robes, fell all upon Ichaſhaphat with might and maine; He ſeeing himſelfe in ſuch eminent perill of death, cried unto the Lord, who heard him; For the Spians ſeeing their miſtake, forbore and left him; yet one of the common Souldiers ſhooting an Arrow [at Rovirs, or] at adventure wounded Ahab in the ſhoulders ſo that he d•ed that Evening.
IN the Raigne of Ahab King of Iſrael (which began on the thirty eighth yeare of Aſa King of Iudah, and Laſted twenty two yeares) was Elijah glorious both for Propheſie and working of miracles. Him God ſent to Ahab firſt with this Prediction. There ſhall be no raine (for a**Three years and 6 months. ſpace of time) but according to my word; during which time he betooke himſelfe to the 1 Kings 17. brooke Cherith which is before Iordan: out of which he drunk, where God alſo had promiſed that the Ravens ſhould feed him. And when he was come thither the Ravens brought him bread and fleſh, morning and evening conſtantly, and water he drew, and drank out of the Brook; which when it was dryed34 up (by roaſon of the drought,) God ſent him to Sarepta a City of Zidon, to a widow whom he had commanded to feed him there. Elijah was no ſooner come to the gate of the City, but he light upon that very widow gathering ſticks; And calling her, he deſired her to bring him a little veſſell of water, and as ſhe was going to fetoh that, he call'd and intreated her to bring a cruſt of bread with her alſo, ſhe anſwered that ſhe had no bread at all, only a handfull of meal ſhe had, which ſhee was about to bake for her ſelfe and her child, which when they had eaten, they ſhould goe and die: He bad her not feare, but goe and doe as ſhee had ſaid, yet firſt make a cake for him, and then for her ſelfe and her ſon; for God had ſpoken it, the barrell of meale ſhall not waſte, nor the cruſe of oyl faile, till the day he ſent raine upon the earch. The woman believed him. So Elijah and the woman and her childe, did feed upon that bread; and from that day the barrell of meale waſted not, neither did the cruſe of oyl faile.
The power and excellency of Elijah, was moſt apparent & conſpicuous in this, but it burſt out more gloriouſly, in this that followes. It came to paſſe that the ſonne of that widow fel into ſo ſore a ſickneſſe, that there was no appearance of life in him; ſhe came and complained to Elijah, that his comming to her houſe had brought death along with it to her ſonne: Then Elijah tock her ſonne out of her boſome, and carrying him up into the loft where himſelfe kept, laid him upon his bed, cryed unto the Lord, and ſtretcht himſelfe upon the childe three times, and prayed that the childes ſoul might return to him againe. God heard his prayers, raiſed the childe, and Elijah delivered him to his mother, who conſeſſed her faith, ſaying, by this I know thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord is true in thy mouth.
In the third year of this drought, God bad Elijah ſhew himſelfe to Ahab, for now he would ſend raine upon the earth. Now the Famine was ſo ſore in Samaria, that Ahab was faine to ſend Obadiah (governour of his houſe, and one that feared God) into one quarter of the Land, and himſelſe to go into another, to ſeek proviſion about the ſprings and brooks, to ſave the horſes, mules and carrell from ſtarving; in the way, whom ſhould Obadiah meet with all but Elijah? whom he well knew, and falling upon his face to the very ground, ſaid, art thou my Lord Elijah? when he ſaid I am he, and bad him goe and tell Ahab his maſter, that Elijah was here, Obadiah asked him, what ſin it was, for the puniſhment of which, lie would deliver him to Ahab to ſlay him, for there was no Nation or Kingdome, whither he had not ſent to ſeek him: And when they ſaid, he is not there, he took an oath of them that ſo it was; And yet thou biddeſt me (ſaid Obadiah) go tell thy Lord that Elijah is here. And whilſt I am going, the ſpirit of the Lord will carry thee to ſome other place, and when Ahab comes and findes thee not, for certaine he wil ſlay me. Yet when Elijah ſwore he would ſhew himſelfe to Ahab that day, then upon his word, Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah was there, and out came Ahab to meet him, and as ſoone as he ſaw him, thus he entertained him; Art thou he that troubleſt Iſrael? Elijah denyed himſelfe to be the troubler of Iſrael? telling Ahab that it was he and his fathers houſe had done it, in that they had forſaken the commands of the Lord, and ſerved Baalim. And with like confidence he bad him ſend for the 450 Prophets of Baal, and the people to meet him at Mount Carmel, and when they were all met together, he came and asked the People once, how long they would halt betwixt two opinions? if the Lord was God, they ſhould doe well to follow him; but if Baal, then let them goe36 after him, when they all ſtood ſilent, he ſpake againe after this manner: I am here left alone, the onely Prophet of the Lord, but lo, the Prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty: yet am I content to make this overture; let here be brought us now two Oxen, and let Baals Prophets take their choyce of one, cut him in pieces, and lay him on wood, but pat no ſire under, the other will I take and cut in pieces, but put no ſire under. When the people jointly applauded this propoſition, he bad them doe as was agreed, and call upon their gods. When all was done according to agreement, (and no fire put under) they called upon Baal from morning till noon, O Baal heare us, but there was neither voice, nor any one that anſwered. At noon Elijah mocking them, bad them ſtraine their voices a little higher to rouze up Baal, for ſure and ſooth he was a God, but perhaps was bufie talking, or was in a journy, or at his Inne, or he might be aſleep in bed. And for this purpoſe they ſtretcht their voices louder, and gaſht themſelves with knives and lances till the blood guſhed out; when noone was paſt, and ſtill they continuedvaticinantibus, Raving, till the ſolemn time of the evening Sacrifice approached, and yet no voice was heard, nor any one that anſwered or regarded: Elijah called the People to him; and when they were come, the firſt thing he did was to repaire the Altar of the Lord that was pulled downe, which he built up with twelve ſtones (according to the number of the ſonnes of Jacob) and with ſuch other materialls as he thought ſit, then when he had the third time commanded them to poure ſtore of, water into the trench, and the time of the Sacrifice was come, and the wood ordered, he came without fire, and addreſſed himſelfe to God by prayer, in theſe words: O Lord God of Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob, manifeſt thy ſelfe this day to be the God37 of Iſrael, and that I thy ſervant have done all theſe things at thy command. Heare me O Lord, heare me, and let this people learne that thou art the Lord God, and that thy ſelfe haſt converted their hearts. Theſe words were ſcarce out of his mouth, ere the ſire ſent from Heaven burnt up the Sacriſice, and the wood, and the ſtones alſo, and the duſt, and the very water that was in the trench. After this, the people ſtrucke with admiration, fell on their faces, crying out once and againe, the Lord he is God. Then commanded Elijah, that the Prophers of Baal ſhould be laid hold on, and carried to the brook Kiſhon, and there he ſlew them every one.
After this, Ahab bad Elijah come eate and drink, for there was a noiſe of much raino, ſo Ahab came, and Elijah went up to the top of Carmell, and caſt himſelfe upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, and bad his ſervant go ſeven times, and look towards the ſea, which when he had done, there ſeemed a little cloud to riſe out of the ſea; when he beheld this, he warned Ahab to prepare his Charior, and haſt downe, leſt the rain ſhould ſtop him; and immediately there ſell raine in great abundance.
From thence went Ahab to Jeſabell, and told her all Elijah had done, and how he had ſlaine the Prophets alſo; with which report ſhee was ſore troubled, and ſo onraged againſt Elijah, that ſhee ſent one to him to let him know, that ſhee wiſht the gods might confound her, if ſhe made not him like one of thoſe Prophets, by the morrow that time. Elijah afraid at the threats of Jeſabell, went for his life as he thought beſt to Beerſheba of Judah, but himſelfe went went on a days journy into the wilderneſſe, and ſitting under a Juniper tree, he even wiſhed for death; at length falling aſleep there, an Angell of the Lord came to him and bade him riſe and eate, ſo hee did38 and lay to reſt againe, then the Angell came againe and bade him up and eat, for the journey he was to goe was very great. When he had eaten the cake which the Angell had ſet by him, and drunk the water, he aroſe and travailed forty dayes and forty nights, in the ſtrength of the food, till he came to Horeb the mount of God; where, as he was private in a Cave, the Lord appeared to him, asking what he did there in that place. Elijah anſwered that he had been very earneſt in Gods behalte (in ſuch things as he had done) for that the wicked had ſcorned Gods Lawes, pulled downe his Altars, and ſlaine his Prophets with the ſword, ſo, that he alone was left, and faine he was to flye for his life, for it they ſought to take away alſo. Hereupon, God commanded him to ſtand upon the mount, where he ſhewed him ſome ſignes of his approach, which ſo frighted the Prophet, that he covered his face with his mantle, and ſo went out, and ſtood in the door of the Cave, where he heard a voice, ſaying, what doſt thou here Elijah? To which he anſwered juſt as before. Then God commanded him to goe to Damaſchus, and there to annoint Hazael King of Syria, and Jehu (ſon of Ninſhi) King of Iſrael, and Eliſha (the ſon of Shaphat) Prophet in his owne roome, for it ſhould come to paſſe, that, him that eſcaped the ſword of Hazael, Jehu ſhould ſlay, and him that eſcaped Jehu, ſhould Elijha ſlay, yet (ſaid God,) I have left me ſeven thouſand men in Iſrael, that have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thence went Elijah after that, and found Eliſha at plough, upon whom he had no ſooner caſt his mantle, but he under ſtood the buſineſſe, and asked his leave but to go and take leave of his parents, and he would returne to him with ſpeed; ſo Elijah bad him go, and come to him againe, and ſo he did, when he had diſpatcht what he went for, and from that time forward he attended on Elijah.
Ahab had a great mind to buy a vineyard of Naboth the Jeſrcelite, which he refuſed to ſell, as comming from his fore-fathers by inheritance: But Ahab tooke this anſwer ſo ill, that for wrath and griefe he caſt himſelfe upon his bed and for ſooke his meate. But Jeſabell the Queen, as ſoon as ſhe knew the cauſe why he was vext, bad him riſe, eat, and chear up, ſhe would order the matter ſo, that Naboth's Vineyard ſhould ſoon be his. To this purpoſe ſhee writ letters in Ahab's name (ſealed with his ring) to the Elders and Nobles of Jezreel, exhorting them to ſuborne witneſſes to accuſe Naboth of high treaſon, condemn him, and ſtone him; this they doe punctually, and ſend word to Ieſabell of the ſame; ſhe tels Ahab what is done, and he being rid of that which grieved him, haſtes to the vineyard, where by Gods appointment, he meets with Elijah, who rebuked him very fore, for killing and taking poſſeſſion, for which abominable wickedneſſe, he foretels him, that, in that very place where the dogs lickt the blood of Naboth, they ſhould lick his. Ahab thought that Elijah ſpoke thus without cauſe, of his owne head, and out of malice, and therefore asked him, what, or wherein he had found him his enemie? Elijah anſwered, he had found it by experience, in that he had ſo greedily ſinned againſt God, who therefore would deſtroy his houſe, as he had done the houſe of Ieroboam and Baaſha. Ahab wrought upon by theſe threats, rent his cloaths, went in ſackcloth, obſerved a faſt, and lay in ſackcloth, and walked drooping, and dejected, to appeaſe the wrath of God. And this repentance moved God to tell Elijah, that becauſe Ahab had humbled himſelfe in that manner, thoſe evils which he had foretold, ſhould not come in his life time, but be deferred, till his ſonnes dayes.
When Ahab was dead, Ahazia his ſonne who raigned in his ſtead, fell through the latteſſe of40 his upper chamber and got a hurt: He doubting whether it was mortall, conſulted (not the Lord but) Baalzebub, whether he ſhould recover or no. God offended with this deed, commanded Elijah to goe meet theſe Ambaſſadors of Ahazia, and to ask them firſt, whether there was not a God in Iſrael, that they went to adviſe with Baalzebub, God of Eckron, and next to bid them tell their maſter, that, for that very cauſe he ſhould not come downe from the bed whereon he lay, but ſhould ſurely die. When Ahaziah heard the anſwer which his meſſengers brought him, and their anſwer (upon queſtioning what a man he was that told them this) that is was an hai•ic man wearing a leatherne girdle, he concluded by his habit and garbe that it was Elijah: He ſent therefore a Captaine and fifty men to fetch him. The meſſengers calling Elijah man of God, tell him that Ahazia King of Iſraell, had ſent them to him with a command to come to the King. Elijah hearing their meſſage, anſwered; If I be a man of God, let ſire come downe from Heaven and conſume you all; and ſo it did. The King then ſent as many the next time, who uſing the ſame words, were diſpatcht in the ſame manner that the former were, Elijah calling fire downe in the ſame wo•ds he did before. Then the King ſent a third company; but that Captaine kneeling downe, beſought Elijah that he would pirty him and his fifty, and not ſuffer them to periſh as the former did. Upon this the Angell of the Lord incouraged Elijah, ſo that he went to Ahazia, who died ſoon after Elijah had told the ſame words which he had before delivered to the Ambaſſadors.
Elijah having done al theſe glorious acts, was afterwards taken up into Heaven (yet dyed he not) that he might be a witnes & Preacher (or proclaimer) of the ſecond comming of Chriſt: And when God revealed to him, that he ſhould be taken up, as they41 went together, he ſpake to Eliſha his ſervant to ſtay behind, for God had ſent him to Bethel, but he ſwearing he would not leave him, followed him to Bethel; there, ſonnes of the Prophets askt him, if he was aware that h•s maſter ſhould be taken up that day by a whirle wind into Heaven, he told them he knew it well, they might hold their peace. Then againe Elijah bad him tarry there, but he refuſed as before. So they two went to Jordan, fury ſonnes of the Prophets following them at a diſtance; when Elijah came there, he took his mantle and wrapt it together, and ſmote the waters therewith, which parted, ſo that they two went over dry ſhod: When they were on the other ſide of the River, Elijah bad El•ſha aske ſomething of him before he was taken from him; whereupon he deſired a double portion of his ſpirit to be given to him. Elijah told him he had asked a hard and difficult thing, yet if he ſaw him when he was taken from him, he ſhould obtaine his deſire, but it not, it ſhould not be ſo. And it came to paſſe, as they walked on and talked, that a Chariot of ſire and horſes of fire, carried Elijah into Heaven by a whirle-winde, and Eliſha ſaw it, and cryed, my Father, my Father, the Chariot of Iſrael and the**Auriga. Horſeman thereof. And when he ſaw him no more, he took up his mantle that fell from him and ſinote the waters and they divided.
Epiphanius writes, that Elijah was a Levite of the Tribe of Aaron, and that when he was born, there appeared to Sobac his Father, men in white cloathing, that ſaluted him and wrapt him in the fire with ſwadling bands, and put the flame into his mouth: Which thing when he reported to the Oracle of God at Jeruſalem, it was anſwered, feare not, for fire ſhall be the habitation of the childe.
Eliſha the Prophet, was the Sonne of Shaphat, a man of the Tribe of Reuben, in the Village of Abelmehola: He was eminently famous, both as a man and as a Prophet, for his wonderfull and ſtrange workes. Epiphanius writeth of an ominous accident that ſeemed to foretel his fortune, greatnes, and excellency. For when he was born in Gilgall, a Cow which was in Shilo lowed ſo loud, that ſhe was heard at Jeruſalem, and hereupon the Prieſt ſaid, that it was evident, a Propet was born that day, who ſhould both throw downe the graven images of the gods, and the moulten ones. Elias at Gods command called him from the plough when he was but a boy, fuſt, to waite upon him, and afterward to take part of his office; of which becauſe I have ſpoken in the life of Elias how it was done, I will begin to ſpeak of him from that time when Elias was taken into Heaven in his ſight. Elias indeed had bidden him ask what he would, before he was taken away from him; And Eliſha had deſired a double portion of his Spirit, whereas Elias ſaid he had asked a hard thing, nevertheleſſe he ſhould obtaine it upon this condition, if he ſaw him when he was taken away. Eliſha made it43 appear that he ſaw him, when he was carried into Heaven in a fiery Chariot and fiery Horſes, in that he cryed, my Father, my Father, the Chariot of Iſrael, and the Chariot man thereof. And therefore that he might receive what he had requeſted, when he would paſſe over Jordan againe, for triall ſake, he ſmote the waters, as his maſter had done with Elias cloak which was fallen from him as he went up: which when they were not divided, he began to cry where was the Lord God of Elias, but when he ſmote them the ſecond time, they divided into two parts, and afforded him ready paſſage: which when the children of the Prophets which were at Jericho had taken notice of; from that time they ſaid, that the Spirit of Elias reſted upon him. Therefore they went out to meet him, and throwing themſelves with their faces on the ground did him reverence. After this, they tell him that there were fifty ſtout men with his ſervants, who might doe well to goe and ſeek his Maſter, if perchance the ſpirit had carried him into ſome mountaine or vally; when he forbad, or intreated that they would not ſend, they reſted not, till they had wreſted from him a conſent. So theſe fifty men went and returned the third day, having loſt their labour: Eliſha when he underſtood ſo much, ſaid, did not I forbid you to ſend?
His dwelling was at Jericho, in which City the water was ſo unwholeſome, that it was death to him that drunk it; and moreover the earth was very barren. Which when the men of his City made known to him (or rather made complaint of) he bad them bring him a new cruſe and ſome ſalt, this he threw in, and ſaid, God hath healed theſe waters, ſo that they ſhall neither cauſe death, nor barrenneſſe ſhould be upon the earth: Which kindneſſe of his the men of Jericho were better for a long time after.
As he went thence unto Bethel, the children of the City came forth and mocked him, ſaying, come up thou bald pate, come up thou bald pate, he taking notice of them, curſed them from God, whereupon, two beares came out of the Forreſt, and tore two and forty of them; ſo effectuall was his curſe. But how much his prayers availed with God, may eaſily be knowne by that which followeth: Joram King of Iſrael the ſonne of Ahazia had ſtirred Joſaphat King of Judah, and the King of Edom, to warre againſt the Moabites, who denyed tribute after Ahab was dead, when they had marched ſeven dayes there wanted water for the Army and Cattell; when Jehoſaphat knew by Ioram, who murmured againſt God, that Eliſha the Prophet was neare at hand, hee thought it beſt to goe to him. Eliſha firſt bad Ioram got and ask counſell of his Fathers Prophets. Yet after when he demanded, why God had called three Kings together, to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites, El•ſha told him, that had it not been for the revereace he bare Iehoſaphat, he would not have come at him; laſtly, he bad that a minſtrell ſhould be ſercht, upon whoſe playing, hee being inſpired, gave order that gutters ſhould be made in the vally before them, wherein, without wind and raine, they found ſuch an abundance of water, as ſufficed them and their beaſts and families; nor was lie content with this good turne, but he foretold alſo that they ſhould obtaine the victory.
Now how liberall, or mercifull rather, he was to thoſe in want, 2 Kings 4, the following example will ſhew, a woman, one of the wives of the Prophets, had told him, that her husband who feared God was dead, whoſe creditor was come to take her children from her, and make them ſlaves: He pitying her, asked her what ſhe had at home, when ſhe anſwered, nothing but a little oyle, wherewithall45 ſhe did anoint her ſelfe, he perſwaded her to borrow of her neighbours many veſſels, into which ſhee alone with her children, having ſhut the doors, ſhould poure in ſome oyl, which when they were full, ſhee ſhould take away. Shee being full of hope, got ſtore of veſſels together, poureth ſome oyl into them all: it would ſeem incredible, what I ſhall tell, unleſſe it were recorded in Scripture, thoſe drops of oyl ſo increaſed by Gods power at Eliſha's prayers, that the woman ſaw the veſſels preſently full with a great deal of joy, and no leſſe admiration, when ſhe had told Eliſha of the thing ſo wonderfull, and never the like heard of, he bad her ſell the oyle, and when ſhe had got her ſelfe out of debt, to provide things neceſſary for the maintenance of her ſelfe and children, out of that which was left. This ſo abundantly multiplying of the oyle, did not ſo much declare Eliſha's kindneſſe as his power.
But that which followeth will evidence both theſe his vertues more abundantly. An occaſion had happened, that as he haſted to another place he went by the City Shuna: There a great woman intreated him, that he would lodge at her houſe; from that time forward when he travelled that way, he uſed to goe thither to lodge. The woman who underſtood by his manners, deeds and ſpeeches, that he was a great Prophet, perſwaded her husband that he would furniſh an upper Chamber with all neceſſaries for ſtrangers and travellers. When ſhe had prevailed with her husband, and every thing was fi•…ted, Eliſha lodged there, as he had occaſion afterward to come that way; he conſidering the ſtrange free heartednes of the woman, that he might not ſeeming rateful, he thought good to ſend for her by his ſervant, when ſhe was come, he gave his ſervant in charge, that he ſhould aske her with what good turne he ſhould requite her ſo extraordinary bounty; whether ſhe had any buſineſſe46 and would have him to ſpeak for her to the King, or to the Generall; when ſhe had returned anſwer, that ſhe dwelt amongſt her own people and friends, that would look to her occaſions, if ſhee had any with the King, or with the Generall: he enquired of his ſervant, what then ſhee expected from him; his ſervant anſwered ſhee had no child, and that her husband was old; then he had told her before the chamber doore, that at that very returne of time, and at the ſame houre, if ſhee lived, ſhee ſhould bring forth a ſonne. Which thing (although ſhee thought that he mocked her) fell out at the time appointed. The childe was now grown up, when going to his Father that was gone to ſee his reapers, he complained of the head-ache; therefore his father took order to ſend him to his mother as ſoon as might be. He dying within a little while after upon his mothers lap, was laid in Eliſha's chamber. Then the mother ſendeth for her husband, tels him the death of the childe, and perſwades him that ſome ſervant might go with her upon an Aſſo to Eliſha; the Aſſe is ſad led, ſhee goeth her journy & commeth to Eliſha to Mount Carmel; he, when eſpying her, ſent his ſervant to meet her, and to aske her whether ſhee, her husband, and her child, were well or no; ſhee anſwered it is well, but after ſhe was got up the hill, caſt her ſelfe at his feet, lamenting like a woman, and bewailing her ſon. Eliſha gave his ſtaffe to his ſervant, that he ſhould lay it upon the face of the dead child, and charged him to ſalute none that met him, nor anſwer any body that ſaluted him; ſo away went he with his errand, but the woman ſaid, ſhe would not leave Eliſha, he therefore followed her, and met his ſervant comming back again, who ſaid he had been there, but had done no good at all. Eliſha therefore went to the houſe, and threw himſelfe upon the childe, yet ſo, as that he covered the childes hands with his hands, the childes eyes with his eyes, and the47 childes mouth with his mouth: And this he did once or twice, the firſt thing he perceived, was the childs fleſh to wax warme, and then after he had walked a little up and downe, and had laine upon the child, hee ſheeſed ſeven times and opened his eyes. Then at the laſt when he had ſent for the mother, he reſtored her child unto her ſound and alive, ſhe falling downe at his feet, did him reverence, and gave him thanks.
A ſore Famine was upon the land, and the ſonnes of the Prophets dwelt with him, 2 Kin. 4 & 38. when as he gave charge to one of his ſervants, that he ſhould make a great pot ful of pottage; one of them not knowing what was in it, had put into the pot (amongſt other herbs) ſome Colocyntidae which he had gathered of a wild vine; when every one had his ſhare poured him our of the Pot, they all when they taſted the pottage felt it ſo bitter, that they cryed out death was in the pot; Eliſha took and caſt meale into the pot, and bad that pottage ſhould he ſet before them al, and after that, no bitterneſſe at all was to be taſted.
I have ſpoken already of his increaſing of the oyle; now will I ſpeak of his multiplying of the bread, which will appeare to be no leſſe a wonder. A man of Baalſhaliſha had brought him twenty barly loaves of his firſt fruites, and new corne in the huske; Eliſha gave order that all this ſhould be ſet before the people, his ſervant would not, but ſaid that it was too little or nothing for the eaters, an hundred men; whereas he againe commanded that they ſhould be ſet before the people, aſſuring them by the Spirit of God, that they would eat enough, and leave to ſpare. And ſo it came to paſſe, for when they had eaten ſufficient there was ſomewhat left. Hitherto I have declared thoſe workes which manifeſted his exceeding great power and his Propheticall Office: Ho divided the waters of the48 river into two parts; he called water not from Heaven, but out of the bowels of the earth, when an Army of an innumerable multitude of men and their beaſts were ready to dye for thirſt; he ſo increaſed the oyle, which was but a very little, as it never failed afterwards; he multiplyed the loaves: and laſtly, he raiſed a child from the dead. Now will I mention his other workes, which joyned with the former, will evidence, that the Spirit of Elias was double upon him.
Naaman the Generall of the army of the King of Syria, was very well beloved of his Maſter, both for his warlike valour, and becauſe, that either by his meanes, or for his ſake God had given deliverance unto Syria. 2 Kings 5. But he was ſore afflicted with an Elephantiaſis or leproſie. The King of Syria had underſtood by Naaman (what he had learned from a wench brought captive out of Iſrael into Syria, and then waited on the wiſe of Naaman) that there was a Prophet in Samaria that could cure the leproſie, gave him a letter to the King of Iſrael, wherein he wrote, that he had ſent his ſervant Naaman unto him, and intreated him to cure him of his diſeaſe. Naaman took his journy, and with him ten talents of ſilver, and ſix thouſand pieces of gold, and ten ſuirs or appatell, which were got ready, and made for change, and comes to Samaria. When he had delivered his letter to the King of Iſrael, and he had read it, being fore diſpleaſed and angry, rent his cloaths, crying that the King of Syria mocked him, and ſought occaſion of a quarrell by this very thing, that he had ſent a leper to him to be cleanſed, as though indeed he were a God: when the report of that matter (through many folkes talk as it fals out) was come to Eliſha, he ſent on a ſudden to the King of Iſrael, rebuking him, firſt, becauſe he had rent his cloaths, and then adviſing him to ſend Naaman to him, for he ſhould49 know that there was a Prophet in Iſrael. Naaman came with horſes and Chariots, and Eliſha preſently ſent his ſervant to him at the door, to bid him goe to Iordan, and waſh himſelfe ſeven times with the water thereof, and then at laſt he ſhould be made whole; he being angry becauſe Eliſha came not down to him, (nor craving the helpe of God) had touched the place of the leproſie with his hand, and healed him as he hoped, departed without any thing done, alledging this alſo, that the waters of Abana and Phaphar, rivers of Damſacus, were better and more wholeſome; but his ſervants ſhewed him, that the thing which Eliſha had preſcribed was eaſie, and that if he had enjoyned a thing harder to be done, yet he ought to have done it, much more a thing ſo eaſie. Naaman who had ſlighted the Prophets word, yielding to his ſervants advice, waſht himſelfe ſeven times according to Eliſha's appointment, and was perfectly cured; and he who thought he was much holden to the Prophet (having received ſuch a curteſy) went back again him with al to his train, and firſt ſaid that he knew there was not any other God, except the God of Iſrael, and afterwards intreated him to receive his gifts; when he had denyed to receive them, he diſmiſſed him. But Gehazi Eliſha's ſervant, who had ſeen that his maſter refuſed the preſents, following his attendants privily, when he overtook them, ſaid he was ſent by his maſter to deſire of Naaman one talent and two ſuites of apparell Naaman gave him two talents, becauſe he thought he ſpoke the truth. This villany of Gehazi was not unknown to Eliſha; for when he hoped that he could have concea-from his maſter, and kept it to himſelfe all that he had taken, being called unawares, and asked whence he came, and denying that he had gon any whither, Eliſha told him that he was preſent with him in ſpirit, when the man came to meet him out of his Chariot,50 and that he ſhould know that the leproſie of Naaman ſhould never depart from him and his poſterity, who had received mony and cloaths to buy Vineyards and Oliveyards, and other things; he had ſoarce made an end of ſpeaking this, when a leproſie as white as ſnow ſeiſed on him.
The ſonnes of the Prophets complained to Eliſha, that they were pent up from room, 2 Kin. 6.1. and therefore thought it would be requiſite for them to goe to Jordan to fell ſome timber, he liked the matter well, and at ſome of their intreaties went thither himſelfe, there it hapned, that as one was cutting downe a tree, his axe head ſlipt off and fell into the water; when he had told Eliſha the matter with teares, and ſhewed him the place, Eliſha threw a piece of wood (that himſelfe cut downe) in thither; whereupon the iron contrary to its nature, did riſe from the bottome and ſwam on the top; ſo he that loſt it, put out his hand, as Eliſha bad him) and took it up againe ſafe; this is a work of wonder: But that which followeth will appear farre more wonderfull.
The King of Syria made war with the K. of Iſrael, 2 Kin. 6.8. he having called his ſervants to a Councell told them that he would ſet ſome of his men in ambuſh in a certaine place, that the Iſraelites might unawares fall into their hands. Now before this was but in execution, Eliſha knowing it by revelation, told it aforehand to the K. of Iſrael, the K. of Iſrael preſently ſent his men thither; when the King of Syria knew this, in great fury he demanded why no body would tell him, who was that traitor, which revealed all his counſels to the King of Iſrael? at laſt one made anſwer that it was Eliſha the Prophet, who told the K. of Iſrael al that he ſaid, or reſolved upon in his bed-chamber or cabinet. He being angry, or rather furious, charged his men, that they ſhould look diligently51 where he was and tell him, that he might goe and take him; at length ſome body found that he was in Dothan, and ſo he told the King, who immedrately ſent thither horſes and Chariots, and the ſtrength of his army: they coming thither by night, preſently begirt the City, Eliſha's ſervant going out as ſoon as it was light, eſpied, & ran trembling to tell this to his maſter: He bad his ſervant nor feare, for more were with him, than with thoſe other, and prayed God that, he would open his ſervants eyes, that he might ſee it, as be ſoon after ſaw the mountaine full of horſes and fiery Chariots about his maſter. When the enemies were come up neer to Eliſha, he prayed God to ſtrike them with blindneſſe; which when he had obtained of God, he told the Syrians that that was not the way to the Towne which they enquired for, and that therefore they ſhould follow him, he would bring them to the man they ſought for; ſo theſe blind ones followed him, and he brought them directly to Samaria. In which place he ſhewed extraordinary great pitty and elemencie towards them. For when the King of Iſrael asked him whether he ſhould kill them all or no, he did not onely forbid that, becauſe they were not taken in war, but he commanded that all manner of neceſſaries ſhould be given them and ſent them away ſatisfied.
After thoſe things Benhadad King of Syria having got a great army, beſieged Samaria, and beſieged it ſo long, that when all things neceſſary for food were ſpent, there grew ſuch a dearth of proviſion, that an Aſſes head was ſold for fourſcore pieces of ſilver. 2 Kings 24. In this ſo great ſcarcity of proviſion, two women conſtrained with hunger, had made a covenant betwixt themſelves, to eat their children by turnes; now when one of them had given her childe to be eaten, and the other would not ſtand to agreement, but on the day after hid her52 child; That woman pined with hunger, beſought the King of Iſrael with cryes and teares; that he would help her, and take ſome order for her life, and told him this ſtory of the children, hereupon, he rent his garment in all their ſight, ſwore bitterly that Eliſha ſhould die that day. And for that end he diſpatched away an executioner, but before he came to the houſe of Eliſha, Eliſha told the Elders that ſate with him, that purpoſe of the King, and charged them that they ſhould not open the door to the meſſenger, becauſe the ſound of his maſters feet followed. He had not yet made an end of ſpeaking thoſe words, when as the King prevented the meſſenger, and ſaid; Behold this evil is of the Lord, what ſhould I wait on the Lord any longer? 2 Kin. 6.33. The Prophet at Gods appointment, foretold that the next day about that very hour, a meaſure of fine flower ſhould be ſold fora ſhekell, and two meaſures of Barlie for a ſhekel in the gate of Samaria; 2 Kin. 7.1. the matter ſeemed ſo incredible to a certaine Lord, (upon whoſe hand the King leaned) that he ſaid that could not be, although God ſhould open Heaven; whereas the Prophet aſſured him, that it ſhould come to paſſe, that he ſhould ſee the thing, but ſhould not eat thereof. At that time, four Lepers conſtrained with hunger, going into the enemies campe, in ſuch apparent danger of death, when they were come to the entrance of the Campe, they found no body, for God had cauſed the enemies to heare a ruſhing and a noiſe of Chariots, and horſes, and of a great army, which when they heard, they left their luggage and ran away. Now when the Lepers had told theſe things in the City, the King at the firſt interpreted it to be a Stratagem, afterwards having ſent two horſes (of the ſix that were onely left) when the ſcouts had found it to be ſo, all the people came thither for bootie, and when the tents were ſpoiled, that cheapneſſe of proviſion followed53 which Eliſha had foretold, and then that Lord of whom I made mention before, to whom the King had given charge of the Gate, was trod to death by the multitude.
The Prophet had perſwaded that woman whoſe Son (as is ſhewed before) 2 Kings 8.1. he raiſed from death when he foretold the ſeven yeares famine, that ſhe ſhould go ſome whither elſe and ſojourne with her Family to avoide it; She followed his counſell, but at the ſeven yeares end, when ſhe came back, ſhe found her houſe and land ſeized on, therefore ſhe petitioned the King that ſhe might recover her owne. King Ioram then opportunely at that nick of time commanded Gehazi Eliſha's ſervant to relate the great and ſtrange workes that his Maſter had done; for beſides other things which he told him, he affirmed that this was the woman whoſe ſon (that was alſo preſent there) he had raiſed from the dead. Thereupon when ſhe, being asked, had affirmed that it was ſo, the King commanded an Officer, or Eunuch, to reſtore her not only all her Land, but all the profits of it alſo. And no doubt but the woman avoided the inconveniencies of the Famine, and recovered her own eſtate through Eliſha's goodneſſe.
When Benhadad King of Syria was ſick, Eliſha was at Damaſcus, 2 Kings 8.7. of whoſe comming when the King was certified he ſent Hazael to him, who was one of his chiefe ſervants, with preſents, to aske of him whether he ſhould recover from his diſeaſe, he anſwered that he indeed ſhould recover, but nevertheleſſe God had told him that he ſhould die ſhortly, whereupon whileſt Hazael ſtood in his ſight Eliſha began to weepe. And when Hazael asked him why he wept; He anſwered, that when he ſhould be King of Syria he would afflict the Iſraelites; therefore the next day after he had brought his Maſter Benhadad newes of recovery, he ſmothered him and54 ſeized upon the Kingdome, and ſoone after he oppreſſed the Iſraelites with many ſad overthrowes; the ſame Eliſha tooke order to anoint John King of Iſrael, 2 Kings 9. (who ſhould root out the Family of Ahab with Iezabel his wife, as Elias had foretold) after this manner; he bad one of the ſons of the Prophets, which he had called, take a boxe full of oyle and go to Ramoth Gilead, and when he had found Iohn there to conſecrate him with oyle, according to Gods command, in an inner Chamber where no body was by, that he might afterwards utterly deſtroy the whole Family of King Ahab together with Iezabel; when he had done as Eliſha bad him, Iohn being King, lid execute all thoſe things which Eliſha had appointed him by Gods command. After theſe ſo excellent uncouth and unheard of things were done, Eliſha fell into the diſeaſe of which he died, 2 Kings 13. when he was ſick Ioas King of Iſrael came to viſit him, and perceiving the danger of his diſeaſe he wept before him with theſe words, My Father, my Father, the Chariot of Iſrael and the Chariot man thereof. He firſt commanded the King that he ſhould bring his bow and arrowes, and afterwards that, when they were brought, he ſhould lay his hand upon the bow being bent, and laſtly, that when his hand was laid upon the Kings he ſhould ſhoot out of a window which he had towards the Eaſt, which when he had done, he ſaid, that was the Arrow of Gods deliverance, even the Arrow of ſalvation againſt Syria, whom he ſhould ſmite till he had deſtroyed them in Aphet. Againe, he commanded him that he ſhould take an Arrow and ſtrike the ground; Now the King when he had ſtruck the ground three times gave over, whereupon he being angry foretold him, that if he had ſtruck five, ſixe, or ſeven times, it ſhould have come to paſſe that he ſhould utterly deſtroy Syria: But becauſe he had only ſtruck the ground three times, he ſhould only ſmite it three55 times: Epiphanius writeth, that he was buried in Sebaſtopolis a City of Samaria; Now he, that when he was alive had raiſed a dead man (as I have ſhewed) after he was dead alſo raiſed a man from the dead; for when ſome were burying a dead man, and for feare of ſome free-booters Moabites, who that yeare in which Eliſha died had thrown the Corpes into Eliſha's Sepulchre, as ſoone as it touched his bones the man revived and ſtood upright. He died the fourteenth day of Iunè, as Oſwald writeth.
AMos the Prophet was, as he ſaith himſelfe, a Tek•aite, and the Father of Eſaias the Prophet in the Judgement of Epiphanius, although the Hebrews deny it by reaſon of the difference in**Amoz, Eſ 1 ſpelling the names,**Amos, Am. 1 he of a Shepheard became a Prophet, and was called and choſen by God from feeding Flocks of ſheepe to feed and teach the Flock of Iſrael; he executed the Office of Prophet when Ozias (or Azarias) was King of Iudah, and Ieroboam ſon of Ioas was King of Iſrael, and that was when Sardanapalus ruled over the Aſſyrians, and Procas Sylvius over the Latines. I cannot ſind in what yeare of Azarias, who ruled over Iudah two and fifty yeares, he began to propheſie, or to what yeare of Hieroboam, who Raigned two and twenty yeares, his miniſtry of Propheſie laſted. But I am ſure of what I ſay,56 ſeeing that**Ʋzziah. Ozias ſucceeded his Father Amazias in his Kingdom in the twenty ſeventh yeare of Hieroboam King of Iſrael; and Amos himſelfe ſaith, that he propheſied when Azias and Hieroboam were Kings, that he ended his propheſie within the remaining two yeares of Ieroboam, when the ſon of Amazia the Prieſt ſlew him, as I will ſhew you by and by. And this I was willing to premiſe that all may underſtand that I had a good cauſe why I writ the Life of Amos before the Lives of Eſaiah, Hoſea, Zachary, and others who propheſied when Achas was King of Judah, ſeeing I reſolved to follow the order of the times in which every one lived. Becauſe then Amos fulfilled his Office of prophecying within the two remaining yeares of Hieroboam King of Iſrael, that is, the twenty eighth, and twenty ninth, when as in one of thoſe yeares, by Gods Command, he fortold in Samaria the deſtruction and captivity of Iſrael, and Amazias, Prieſt of the Gods of Bethel, accuſed him to King Hieroboam; for he ſent to tell him how that Amoz endeavoured to make a change and innovation in Government, and that he oppoſed and openly rebelled againſt the King, and that he ſpake ſuch words as no man was able to beare; for he ſaid thus openly, that Hieroboam ſhould dye by the ſword, and that Iſrael ſhould be led Captive. It is not ſet down in the Scripture, neither have I read in any Writer what anſwer Hieroboam made to thoſe things which are written in the book of Amos, or what affection he carried towards Amos becauſe of them. But this is written in the Booke of Amos, that Amazias the Prieſt, when he had ſent thoſe that ſhould tell theſe things to Hieroboam, went to Amos and charged him with threats that he ſhould go out of Samaria and fly into Iudah, and there propheſie, and that he ſhould not foretell any thing as a Prophet in Bethel, becauſe there the Golden Calfe was worſhipped after the manner of their57 Anceſtors, and the Kings Court was ſetled there; To theſe words Amos made anſwer, that, when he was not a Prophet, not the ſon of a Prophet, but an heardſman who gathered Sycamore fruit, he was called by God, who commanded him, that, as a Prophet, he ſhould tell his people Iſrael things to come. And that therefore he bad Amaziah hear the word of the Lord, who told him, that becauſe he had forbad him to tell Iſrael and the Family that worſhipped ſtrange Gods things to come, his wife ſhould be made an Harlot in the City, and his Children dye by the ſword, and that the Enemies ſhould divide amongſt themſelves the Land that he poſſeſſed, and that he ſhould dye in a polluted Land, and that Iſrael ſhould be led Captive out of their own Land; nor have I found this written what anſwer Amazias the Prieſt made to theſe things; But this Epiphanius writes, that Amaziah's ſon ſlew him (knocking Amos in the head with a club) becauſe he had proved that he cloſely ſtole two golden Heifers: and that Amos was carried into his own Countrey, being yet alive, where he dyed, and was buried amongſt his Anceſtors. Oſwald, who writ a book, called, The ſtory of Martyrs in the daies of Clantes the Great, ſaith, that he was ſtruck through the Temple, with a Leaver by Ʋzziah King of Iſrael the laſt day of March, and that being halfe dead he was carried into his own Country and there buried.
OBadiah the Prophet was a Sichemite of Beththaca, neare the ſea, as Epiphanius writeth; he alſo hath leſt upon Record, that he was the third Captain of the fifty men who were ſent to Elias by Abazias King of Iſrael. For when Abazias had fallen through a Latice, and by that fall had got a hurt, not knowing whether he ſhould recover from