Historical Table: The Fourth Age

Anni mundi.	High-Priests.	The line of Judas.	The sacred History.	Schisms and infidelity.	Scriptures.
			w The law was given in Mount Sina the fiftieth day after their going out of Aegypt. Exod. 19. 20.
x 2485.			x The tabernacle, with all things pertaining thereto, was prepared in the first year, and erected the first day of the second year of their abode in the desert. Exod. 40.	In the absence of Moyses the people forcing Aaron to consent, made and adored a golden calf for God. Exod. 32.
	Aaron		y In the same second year Aaron was consecrated High Priest, and his sons Priests, for an ordinary succession: Moyses remaining Superior extraordinary during his life. Levit. 8.	Nadab & Abiu offered strange fire in sacrifice and were burnt to death. Levit. 10.	Leviticus containeth the Rites of Sacrifices, Priests, Feasts, Fasts, & Vows.
			z Balaam a sorcerer hired by Balac King of Moab to curse the Israelites, was forced by God’s power to prophesy good things of them. Num. 22. 23. 24.	Chore, Dathan, & Abiron, with many others, murmuring and rebelling against Moyses and Aaron, were partly swallowed alive into the earth, others burnt with fire from heaven. Num. 16.	Numeri, so called because in it are numbered the men of twelve tribes able to bear arms, also the Levites deputed to God’s service about the tabernacle, & the mansions of the people in the desert, with other things happening in the 40. years of their abode there.
			a Moyses and Aaron doubting that God would not give water out of a rock to the murmuring people, were foretold that they should die in the desert, and not enter into the promised land. Num. 20.
b 2523.			b Aaron died in the mount Hor, & his son Eleazar was made High-Priest. Num. 20.
	Eleazar
c 2524.			c Moyses repeated the law commending it earnestly to the people. Then died, and was secretly buried by Angels in the valley of Moab. Deut. 34.	All nations generally besides the Jews, serving many false gods, those thought themselves most religious that were most superstitious, and studious of art Magic, Nigromancy & the like. & every country yea almost every town and village had their peculiar imagined gods, as S. Athanasius discourseth, Orat. contra idola.	Deuteronomy is an abridgement & repetition of the law, contained more largely in the former books.
			To whom Iosue succeeded in temporal government, his spiritual remaining in the High Priest. Num. 27. v. 20.
			d All the children of Israel that came forth of Aegypt above the age of twenty years died in the desert except two, Iosue and Caleb. Num. 26. v. 64. 65.
			e Presently after Moyses’ death Iosue brought the people over Jordan into Chanaan. Iosue. 3. And in the space of seven years conquered the land. Iosue. 6. &c.		The book of Iosue is the first of those which are properly called Historical, declaring how the Israelites conquered and possessed the land of Chanaan, it containeth the history of 32. years.
f 2531.			f And divided the same amongst the tribes. Iosue. 13.
g 2533.		Naasson.	g The tribes of Ruben^ Gad and half Manasses having received inheritance on the other side of Jordan, Num. 32. v. 33. and now returning thither made an altar by the river side, which the other tribes suspecting to be for sacrifice, and so to make a schism, prepared to fight against them: but they answering that it was only for a monument, all were satisfied, Iosue. 22.	The Romans otherwise most prudent accounted all inventers of arts, conquerors of countries, and all achievers of great exploits, at least after their deaths to be gods. And not only men, but also many other things were held for gods.

h 2556.			h Josue at the age of 110. years died. Iosue. 24. v. 29. & had no proper successor.
i 2556.			i Eleazarus the High-Priest died the same year, Iosue. 24. v. 33. And his son Phinees succeeded.
	Phinees.
			k After the death of Iosue the people were afflicted by foreign nations, God so permitting for their sins, but repenting he raised up certain captains, who were called Judges, of diverse tribes without ordinary succession, to deliver & defend the country from invasions. These were in all fourteen in the space of near 300. years.
l 2564.			l Othoniel the first Judge, of the tribe of Juda, delivered the Israelites from molestation of the King of Syria. He governed (comprehending also the intermission) forty years. Iudic. 3. v. 11.	Neither did it suffice their fancies to commend themselves and their goods to the protection of few gods but diverse things: yea and the same things according to diverse state to diverse gods, and goddesses. As S. Augustin noteth. li. 4. c. 8. de civit. that they thought it not sufficient to commend their lands & possessions to one god, or goddess, but the fields to one, mountains to another, little hills to another, valleys, or meadows to another. Likewise their corn not all to one, but the seed newly sown to one, beginning to brewerd to another, when it riseth & beginneth to have knots to another, when it bladeth to another, when the ear springeth to another, when it is ripe ready to be reaped to another. And so without end more & more vain gods were imagined by the devil’s suggestion, who so deluding men brought them to eternal ruin.	The book of Judges sheweth the state of the people of God the space of near three hundred years after the death of Iosue, when they had sometimes temporal governers of diverse tribes, sometimes none.
m 2588.			m Aod of the tribe of Benjamin the second Judge, killed Eglon King of Moab, and so delivered Israel, and slew ten thousand Moabites. Iud. 3. v. 20. 29.
			n Samgar a husbandman the third Judge, killing six hundred Philisthimes with the coulter of a plough defended Israel. Iudic. 3. v. 31. He with Aod, and the times wanting Judges, governed seventy five years.

o 2663.	Abisue.	Salmon.	o Barach by direction of Debora a Prophetess, fighting against Sisara, chief captain, of Jabin King of Asor, Jahel a stout woman slew the same captain, striking a nail in his head, Iud. 4. They governed 38. years.

p 2701.			p Gedeon confirmed by miracles that he was sent of God, overthrew the Madianites, and delivered Israel, governing forty years. Iud. 6. 7. 8.
q 2741.			q Abimelech the base son of Gedeon unjustly usurping authority, killed his seventy brethren one only escaping, but within three years was hated of his followers, & slain by a woman. Iud. 9.
r 2744.			r Thola defended the country from invasion of enemies three years. Iud. 10.
s 2767.	Bocci.		s Jair a potent noble man defended the people twenty two years. Iud. 10. v. 3.
t 2789.		Booz.	t Jephte first rejected but afterwards entreated by the ancients of the people, fought for them & overthrew the enemies. And upon an undiscreet vow offered his daughter in sacrifice. Iud. 11.
			u He killed in civil war forty two thousand Ephraimites, and governed six years Iud. 12.
w 2795.			w Abesan a fortunate good man ruled in peace seven years. Iudic. 12. v. 9.
			About this time Booz of the tribe of Juda married Ruth a Moabite: by whom the right line of Judas descended by Phares to David. Ruth. 4. v. 18. &c.	The people in this time of peace fell again to idolatry. For which God suffered the Philistimes to afflict them. Iud. 13.	The book of Ruth amongst other mysteries sheweth the genealogy of David, of whose seed Christ was born.
x 2802.			x Ahialon governed likewise in peace ten years Iud. 12. v. 11.
y 2812.		Obed.	y Abdon another nobleman governed eight years. Iud. 12. v. 13.	The tribe of Dan set up idolatry. Iud. 18.
z 2820.			z Samson from his birth a Nazareite, of admirable strength, did many heroical acts, killed many Philisthimes in his life, and more by his own death. He governed twenty years. Iud. 13. v. 5. &c. ch. 16. v. 31.	A heinous crime being committed in the tribe of Benjamin & not punished, the other Israelites made battle against them, & being themselves also great sinners lost many men in two conflicts, but in the third the tribe of Benjamin was almost destroyed. Iud. 19. v. 20.
	Ozi.			About the year of the world 2830. Troy was taken and destroyed by the Grecians. In which battle were Agamemnon, Ulysses, Achilles, Nestor, & many others not indeed so renowmed for any virtues or facts of their own, as Homer, Horace, Virgil, Ovid, & others by poetical liberty & flattery set them forth. But most folly appeareth in that the city of Rome was afterwards commended to those gods, which were taken in Troy, not able to defend themselves from invasion and spoil. S. Aug. li. 1. c. 3. civit.
	Heli,
a 2840.	otherwise Zaraias	Isai, or Jesse	a Heli of the stock of Aaron by the line of Ithamar was High-Priest &. governed Israel forty years. 1. Reg. 4. v. 18.		The four books of Kings shew the state of the Church from the first Kings of God’s people to their captivity.
b 2880.	Maraioth.		b Samuel (whose mother being long barren had presented him an infant in the temple, according to her vow) was a Nazareite & a Prophet from a child. 1. Reg. 1. & 3. And after the death of Heli, governed the people of Israel before Saul twenty years. And with him twenty years more.

c 2900.	Achimelech	David b.	c By the importunity of the people to have a King, God appointed Samuel to anoint Saul. 1. Reg. 10. who at first governed well, but afterwards declining from God was deposed, & David anointed by the same Prophet Samuel. 1. Reg. 16. Yet Saul was not actually deprived of the sceptre so long as he lived. 1. Reg. 31.		And the two books of Paralipomenon do repeat briefly some things written before, partly add things omitted in other books.
	or Amarias.

d 2920.		David King.	d David King & Prophet ruled his Kingdom as a right pattern of all good Kings: made the book of Psalms full of all divine knowledge, prepared means for building the temple, ordained diverse sorts of musicians, and reigned forty years. 2. Reg. totus. 2. Par. 23. &c.		The Psalms written by David, a summary of all holy Scriptures.
	Abiathar,
	or Achitob.

e 2960.	Sadoc.	Salomon.	e Salomon excelling in wisdom, prospered in this world. 3. Reg. 3. &c.
f 2964.			f He built the temple and adorned the same with all excellent furniture requisite for God’s service: disposing all in order, as David had ordained.