The Yearl before CHRIST 415. The Per- pire. An INDEX to the HOLY BIBLE. The Maeedon an Empire. 330. 323. Jofeph. Ant. and Zachary did; but the temple 332. being now built, he reproves thofe diforders which Nehemiah at his fe-" Neh. XIII. cond return with a new commiffion from Babylon, faith he found in his abfence to have crept in among the Jews; as marriage with ftrange women, withholding of tithes, and abules in the worthip of God. And because a fucceffion of prophets was Mal. IV. 4. not to be expected, as before, he exhorteth the people conftantly to adhere to the law of Mofes, till Chrift the chief prophet fhould appear; whofe forerunner John the Baptift thould come in the fpirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers unto their children, and the difobedient to the wisdom of the just. See 1 Mac. IV. 46. and IX. 17. Luke I. 17. Matth. XI. xvit: 12. 335. Jofeph. Ant. A Lexander the Great, king of 332. lib. 8. Id. ibid. Jofeph. Ant. lib. 1. c. 8. Macedonia, paffeth out of Europe into Afia, and begins to lay wafte the Perfian empire. Manaffes, brother to Jaddus the high-prieft, refufing to put away his ftrange wife, is driven from the facrifice; Sanaballath his father-in-law, governor of Samaria, revolteth from Darius, obtains leave of Alexander to build a temple on mount Gerizim, and makes Manaffes high - priest thereof: To which resort all fuch as are entangled in unlawful marriages, with all fuch offenders as think not themfelves fafe at Jerufalem. This was the rife of that fchifmaticál conventicle of the Samaritans. See John IV. 20. Alexander marcheth toward Jerufalem, intending to befiege it: Jaddus the high-priest hearing of it, putteth on his priestly ornaments, and, accompanied with the people all in white, goeth out to meet him: Alexander feeing his habit, falls proftrate before him, faying, that whift he was in Macedonia, a man appeared unto him in the very fame habit, who invited him to come into Afia, and promised to deliver the Perfian empire into his hands. After this he goes to the temple, and offers facrifice according to the high-prieft's direction. They fhew him the propheDan.VIII.7.cy of Daniel, That a Grecian fhould come and deftroy the Perfians: whereby he is mightily confirmed in his perfuafion, that he himself is the XI. 13. 320. Jofeph. Ant. The Sixth Age of the World. man: laftly, he beftoweth on the Jews whatever favours they defire, and departeth. The Perfians are overcome, Darius flain, and Alexander remains univerfal monarch of the eastern world. Alexander, having reigned fix years and ten mon hs, dieth; his army and dominions are divided among his captains. Antigonus makes him elf governor of Alia, Seleucus of Babylon, and the bordering nations; Lylimachus hath the Hellefpont; Caffander, Macedon; and Ptolemeus the son of Lagus gets Egypt. Ptolemeus, furnamed Soter, makes lib. 12. c. 1. himself mafter of Jerufalem by a ftratagem; for he enters the city upon a fabbath-day, under pretence of offering facrifice and whift the Jews fufpect nothing, but spend the day in eafe and idlenefs, he furprifeth the city without refiftance, and maketh the citizens captives. He fendeth feveral colonies of Jews into Egypt, and puts great confidence in them. 277. Jofeph. Ant. Ptolemeus Philadelphus, fon of Ptolemeus Soter, being a great favourer of learning, builds a most magnificent_library at Alexandria. Demetrius Phalereus, to whom he had committed the care of procuring al foris of books, and out of a'l countries, perfuades him to employ 72 Jews in tranflating the Holy Scriptures out of the original Hebrew into the Greek tongue, which was done in he feventh year of his reign. The king alo di miffeth many cap'ive Jews, and dedicates many prefents to the temple of God at Jerufalem. One Simon, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, governor of the temple, falling out with Onias the highprieft, goes to Apollonius the governor of Coelofyria, and informs him, that there is a vaft treasure in the temple: Apollonius acquaints king Seleucus his master with it, who prefently fends his treasurer Heliodorus to Jerufalem, to bring this money away. Heliodorus entering the temple, is by angels ftruck down in the very place, and carried from thence half dead; but by the prayers of Onias, he is foon after reftored to his health; returning to Seleucus that fent him, he magnifies the holiness of the temple, and the power of God dwelling in it. Antiochus The Year 176. The Ma- 175. 172. 170. I Mac. I. 10. 2 Mac. IV. 7, 23, 24, 27. I Mac.I. 21, 22. An INDEX to the HOLY BIBLE. The Sixth Age of the World. Jafon, by corrupting king Antio- Menelaus, brother to Simon the Menelaus not paying the money Antiochus taketh Jerufalem, and Perfeus having made war upon King Antiochus, by a publick edict, Matthias a pricft, with his five The Yea 167. The Ma- 166. I Mac. III. * Mác. III. Mac.III.13. 165. Mac.III.27. 164. IV. The Sixth Age of the World.. take themselves to the defert. They Matthias dies, and Judas Macra-1 Apollonius, governor of Samaria,, Seron alfo governor of the lower Judas Maccabeus defeats a grea I Mac. VI. Antiochus is taken with a violent An INDEX to the HOLY BIBLE. The Sixth Age of the World" Demetrius, at the inftance of Al cimus, fends Nicanor with a great army against Judas Maccabeus, whom he endeavours to furprize. They join battle, and Nicanor is flain. Here ends the continued hiftory of the fecond book of Maccabees, being an abftract and breviary of the five books of Jafon, a Jew of Cyrene. King Demetrius fends Bacchides with a new army, confifting of 20,000 men, against Judas Maccabeus; Judas having with him but 800 men, ventures to engage him, and is flain. His brother Jonathan is chofen general in his ftead. Jonathan enters an alliance with the Romans: Jofephus obferves that this was the first league that ever was known to be between the Romans and the Jews. Whilft Alcimus commands the wall of the inner court of the temple to be pulled down, God ftrikes him fuddenly with a palfy, fo that without fpeaking a word, he dies in great torment. Jonathan having wearied Bacchides by war, compelleth him to make a league, and draw off his army. Alexander Balas, the fon of king Antiochus Epiphanes, enters with an army into Syria; the garrifon of Ptolemais fer open their gates to him, by reafon of their hatred to king Demetrius; who prepares himself for war. Demetrius defires an alliance with Jonathan, who makes ufe of this ocJofeph. Ant. cafion to repair the fortifications of lib. 13. C. 4. Jerufalem. 1 Mac. X.15. Alexander Balas is no lefs careful Jofeph. Ant. to obtain the friendship of Jonathan; lib. 13. c. 5. and to oblige him, confers on him the high-priesthood. 152.1 Mac.X.21. 150. Jonathan puts on the holy veftId. ibid.ment, on the feventh month of the 160th year of the kingdom of the Grecians, at the feaft of tabernacles. He was the first high-prieft of the Hafmonean family. 1 Mac. X. 49, 50. Jofeph. ubi Alexander Balas finding himself.in fupra. the peaceable poffeffion of the kingI Mac.X.51. dom of Syria, efpoufeth Cleopatra, Jofeph. c. 7. the daughter of Ptolemeus Philome tor king of Egypt. Alexander highly honours Jonathan the high-prieft at his nuptials. Demetrius and Alexander come to a battle, and Demetrius is flain. The Year before CHRIST Tre Ma 148.Mac. X.75cedonian Jofeph. Ant. Empire lib. 13, c. 8. I Mac. XI. Jofeph. loc. citat. 1 Mac. XI. 54. The Sixth Age of the World, Demetrius Nicanor, eldest son of Demetrius Soter, enters into Cilicia with an army. King Alexander Balas gives the command of Syria to Apollonius, who fets upon Jonathan the high-prieft; Jonathan defeats him, and takes Joppe and Azotus, and burns the temple of Dagon. Ptolemeus Philometor king of Egypt comes to the relief of king Alexander his fon-in-law; Alexander ungratefully fets Ammonius to lie in ambuth to kill him. The treachery being difcovered, Ptolemeus takes away his daughter from Alexander, and marrieth her to Demetrius. Alexander having been driven from Antioch, the inhabitants of that place make offer of the kingdom to Ptolemeus; but he refufeth it, and perfuadeth them to accept of Demetrius for their king. Alexander returns with a great Army. Ptolemeus and Demetrius unite their forces, and overcome him in a pitched battle; but Ptolemeus dies of the wounds which he received, after he had feen the head of Alexander fent to him by Zabdiel an Arabian prince. Jonathan befiegeth the citadel at Jerufalem, held by a garrifon of Macedonians. Complaint hereof being made to Demetrius, Jonathan appeaseth him by prefents, and obtaineth new favours for the Jews. Demetrius incurreth the hatred of his foldiers, by abridging their pay in time of peace. Tryphon, with fome foldiers that revolted from Demetrius, undertakes Jofeph, Ant.to eftablifh Antiochus, the fon of Alexander Balas, in the kingdom of lib. 13. C. 9. Syria. Tryphon contrives how he may quit himself of Antiochus, and reign in his ftead; but fearing Jonathan's oppofition, he invites him to come to Ptolemais, and bring with him fome few of his foldiers, promifing, to deliver that city into his hands: Jonathan, fufpecting no treachery, comes only with 1000 men to Tryphon at Ptolemais; but as foon as he The Year before CHRIST 143. The Macedonian Empire, II. An INDEX to the HOLY BIBLE. The Sixth Age of the World. is entered the city, Tryphon commands the gates to be thut. Jonathan is taken prifoner, and all his men put to the fword. iMac. XIII. The Jews hereupon make choice Jofeph. Ant. of Simon Maccabeus for their genelib. 13. c. 10, ral, in the place of his brother Jonathan. Tryphon leads an army against Simon: He promiseth for 100 talents of filver to release Jonathan; the money being paid him, he breaks his promife, and puts Jonathan to death. Simon erects a stately monument for This father and his brethren. Mac. XIII. 31, 32. Jofeph. Ant. lib. 13. c. 12. 142. Mac. XIV. 18. Tryphon murders the young king Antiochus, and puts the crown on his own head. The Romans and Lacedemonians renew their leagues with Simon, and write them in tables of brass. Simon has the government and high-priesthood fettled on him and Jofeph. Ant. his heirs: the Jews are by this means lib. 13. c. 13. difcharged from all manner of triId. ibid. bute to any foreign prince. He takes Sion the fortrefs of Jerufalem, drives out of the city all idolaters, clears the houses of their idols, and placeth in the city fuch as are true worshippers of God. 139. Jofeph. Ant. 1. 13. c. 12. Tryphon's vices render him fo odious to his foldiers, that they submit themselves to Cleopatra, Demetrius's relict. She marrieth Antiochus Soter, Demetrius's brother, and causeth him to be crowned king. Antiochus drives Tryphon out of Syria, befiegeth him in Dora, whence he flies to Apamea, where he is taken and flain. Simon the high-prieft traverfing the cities of Judea, and taking care for their orderly government, comes down with his two fons, Mattathias and Judas, to Jericho; Ptolemeus the fon of Abubus, Simon's fon-in-law, invites them to a caftle which he had fortified, called Dochus, and there, while he entertains them at a banquet, barbaroufly murders them. John Hircanus fucceeds his father in the high-priesthood. 40. Jofeph. 1. 14. c. 25. 38. 37. 31. 28. 130. Jofeph. Ant. John Hircanus takes Shechem, and demolisheth the temple on mount Gerizim, 200 years after it had been built by Sanballat. 18. Id. ibid. c. 28. 1. 1. Belli. c. 13. The Sixth Age of the World. Judas, eldeft fon of Hircanus, otherwife called Ariftobulus, and furnamed Philellen, fucceeds his father in the government and the highpriesthood: he was the firft of any that, after the return from the captivity of Babylon, fet a crown upon his head, and changed the state into a monarchy. Anna the prophetefs, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Afer, this year becoming a widow, departs not from the temple, but serves God with fafting and prayer night and day, for 84 years together, until fuch time as the fees Chrift in the temple. Jerufalem is this year taken by Pompey; who meddles not with any of the treasure which was in the temple, but makes the Jews tributary to the Romans. Here begins the Empire of the Roman Cafars, when Julius Cafar, having overthrown Pompey at the Battle of Pharfalia, was made perpetual Dicta tor. Herod the son of Antipas, or Antipater, an Idumean, is this year by the Romans declared king of Judea. Herod, affifted by Sofius the Roman general, lays fiege to Jerufalem, and takes it; the foldiers fill all corners of the city with blood, rapine, and cruelty. Antigonus the prince and high-prieft is by Sofius carried away prifoner to Rome, and Herod put in full poffeffion of the kingdom. About this time Hillel a Babylonian, defcended from David, flourifhed at Jerufalem; one of whofe difciples was Jonathan the fon of Uzziel, the famous author of the Chaldee Paraphrase. Cæfar Octavianus, nephew to Julius Cæfar, in his fifth confulfhip, with the affent of the fenate and people of Rome, affumes the title Dionyf. 1.52. of Emperor, at which time the government among the Romans was legally changed from a republick Jofeph. Ant. into a monarchy. The next year 1. 20. following he is by the fenate furnamed Auguftus. Herod this year begins to enlarge, or rather to rebuild the temple at John II. 20. Jerufalem, 46 years before the first paffover of the ministry of Chrift, An INDEX to the HOLY BIBL E. The Sixth Age of the World. The angel Gabriel appears to In the fixth month after John was John the Baptift born fix months The Seventh Age of the World. On the eighth day after his nati- The wife-men of the eaft bring Jofeph flies into Egypt with the Herod commands the infants in Herod dieth, and his fon Arche- 13. The Sventh Age of the World. John the Baptift begins to preach Jefus entering upon the thirtieth John fees it, and bears record, Jefus, full of the Holy Ghoft, re- After this our Lord returns into John gives teftimony to our Sa- Chrift, at a marriage in Cana of The First Paflover of Chrifl's publick |