■ ■ ■s. mm ' ■'. ^< B"^ - '**!) «" PJ v- P^-M-r*^ Q^LyU^M , X LIBRAET Thi sological Seminary. PRINCETON, N. J. Case Sin If 5c^^oi,ion /y^rcp-^ Book.. No .' ' - A D O N A T 1 0 N ut. $K V<!J^^^^\ 1 11 — •'rccibcb _ ">.">. * v\ -«'\> vv;;^\ TREATIS Concerning the {^^tffc^p^. , /// HARMONY O F T H E Four Goipels: TOGETHER, With a TABL E, reprefenting in One Eafy and Clear View the Harmony of the Four Gofpels ; fo far forth as relates to the Order of Time , wherein the feveral Paflages of the Goftel Hiflory did fucceed One Another. BjEDWARD^VELLS. D. D. Kettor of Cotesbach in Leicefterfhire. LONDON, Printed for James Knaptot?, at the Crown in St. Paul's Church- Yard. 1718. • V \ y . .. i V ■ ili.i, r -ul.- - ■ ■ . ■■ .' ' ' iii..i i — ; - THE PREFACE. ALL that needs be here taken No- tice of by way of Preface to the following Treatife, is this : . What in relation to the Firft Paragraph thereof I drew up the faid Treatife while my Paraphrafe on the Revelation of St. John was in the Prefs, which is fince publifh'd; and that My Paraphrafe on the Gofpels of St. Matthew and Mark are now in the Prefs. That in reference to the Paragraph in the lower Part of¥«z. 8. of this Treatife ^ where- as it is there faidy I have drawn a prick'd Line from this PafTage of St. Matthew, &c; the Reader is to Tmow that the Printer in printing the Table has not exa&ly followed the Copy fent him in fuch little Matters : but in- Jeadof a frickd Line drawn from this Pajfage of St. IVlattheWj to the Column of St. Luke,, A 2 and The PREFACE. and that Immediately under the Paffa^e of St. Luke, which the forefaid Faff age of St. Matthew dor come next "after • the Printer has fat a Continued black Line under the JaidPaffage of St Matthew, and made it to direU to the tajfage of St. Luke which plows immediately .after. So that although the Method ufed by the Printer is not exadly the fame defcribed in the Treatife as to that Particular ■, yet it comes to the fame. And perhaps there may he fome other fitch immaterial Variations between the Table and the Treatife- which t thought however Pro- per to advert ife the Reader of here, that he might thereby be prevented from givingHimfelf any Needlefs Trouble about them. v^-h is. p. 55: i'^Qi l8ry;7 ™-- r- $. /. 5. - 5 That from bottom, r. relJo^, and fo elfewhere \ 7 / \*?T \t ^ H would have thee to do "«vnere. P- 70. I. ^from bottom, r. I A TREATISE Concerning the HARMONY OF THE Four Gofpels. H' I. *y "*y AVING already publiflied the Epijlks of the I. New Teftament, (which I began with, as be- thor*e fil- ing more Difficult to be underftood than thz\0™ulr,jje, 'f1 Gofpels,) and the Revelation of St. John be-P"aphrafe on. ing now in the Prefs, I defign (GOD wil- $"" Gof" ling) to compleat this my Undertaking, by publilhing in the like manner the Remaining Books of the New Teftament, wa. the Gofpels and AEls of the Apoflles. 2. Now in order to a Right Understanding of each Go/pel r 2. by it felf, it is Neceffary to have a Right Underftanding of ^Le^nhe the Harmony of the four Gofpels one with another. To this Harmony of End there have been drawn up fuch Harmonies by Learned the Gof^ ab- Perfons, particularly and lately by Mr le Clerc, and MrCeffaryy/» «•- JVhifton^ andtho'thefe differ in fome Particulars, yet their fa to know Harmonies are each of good Ufe in the Main. Both thefe'^"6^^ Writers have fet down the Text of each Gofpel at large , which Method, as it is moft ferviceable in {oms. Re- B fpefts 3 A Treatife concerning the fpe<fls, fo is attended with Inconveniency in other Refpe&s. For hereby each Chapter of the Gofpels becomes broken into many Pages, and their Harmonies in the Whole become fwell'd to a great Bulk ; which Circumftances mightily hin- der one from having (after All their Pains) an eafy and clear View of the Harmony of the four Gofpels. 3. 3. Hereupon I fet my felf to confider, whether this In- The prmony conveniency might not be remedy'd, by bringing; the Har- reprejentedin mony or tne tour Goipels into one 1 able, and to into ons a better view, Eafy and Clear View, I confider'd, that in the Gofpel-hif- /Lnl^*e tory may t»e diftinguifh'd two things : One of a more general Book. Nature, and fo to be firfl known :, the other of a more par- ticulat Nature, and confequently fuch as may be moft fitly known after the former. By That of a more general nature, I mean the true Series or Order of Time, wherein the feveral FaJJages related in the four Gofpels did- fall out, and fucceed one to the others. By That of a more particular nature, I mean the particular Grcumjlanccs of any One [' ajj'age related by two or more of the Evangelifts. As to the particular Circum fiances of one and the fame Paflage, which are differently related by different Eaangeli/ls, and that fometimes fo fir differently, as to feem to contra- ditl one the other •, in order to fhew the HARMONT of the Evangelifs in ihefe Cafes, it is indeed Neceilary, that the feemingly different Particulars be fet down at large. And therefore This is mod proper to be done in a Paraphrafe fo drawn up, as that it (hall take in the feveral feemingly dif- ferent Particulars related by the Evangelifts, and at the fame time (hall fhew, how they are to be reconciled one with the other. Wherefore I purpofe to follow this moft Ufeful Me- thod, in drawing up My Paraphrafe on each Gofpel. As for the Series or Order of Time, wherein the feveral Pafiages related in the Gofpels did fall out, and fucceed one the other, as the HARMONT of the Evangelifts in this refped, may be brought into the Compafs of one Table, fo it is Beft reprefented after this manner 3 becaufe hereby it is reprefented in an Eafy and Clear View, All at Once. For which Reafon I drew up the Table hereunto belonging, and herewith now publifh'd, which I proceed to Explain. 4- Th« Harmony of the Four. Gofpels 5 4. The faid TABLE then confifts of four larger Columns, 4. according to the number of the four Go/pels, the feveral Co- a Bejcriptim lumns belonging to the feveral Gofpels according to that ^tToLnllrX. dcr, wherein the Gofpels ftand in New Teftament. The ble drawn Paffages of the feveral Gofpels are fet down within their re-^ thfe A«- fpc&ive Columns in fuch Order, as anfwers to (what I judge) furplfe'anj ■ the true Order of Time, wherein they fell out : Thofe Iht-'wewithpub. fages, which (land above or afore others in the fame or dif- ferent Columns, being fuch as fell out before the others ; thofe Paffages in different Columns, which ftand Even or in a Line one with the other, being no other than the fame Paffages related by two or more Evangelifts, and that perhaps with fome Variety of Circumftances \ One Evange- lift taking notice of fome Circumftances belonging to the fame Paffages, which are omitted by Another. Wherefore fince fuch Variety of Circumftances do's not hinder, but that the faid Paffages, thus fomewhat differently related by different Evangelifts, are in reality the Same, and confe- quently were tranfaded at the fame Time \ hence the faid Paffages are placed (within their refpe&ive Columns) in the fame Line one with the other, as being the raoft proper way to denote Their belonging to the fame Time. Some few Texts there are, which in themfelves do not properly regard Time :, and therefore they are placed accord- ing to the Nature of the Matter, which is contain'd therein. Such is the Preface or Introduction to St Luke's Gofpel, con- tain'd in the four fir ft Verfes of the firft Chapter : Which may likewife very fitly ferve as a Preface or Introduction to the Harmony of the Gofpels fet forth in the Table. And therefore as it is placed in the Column belonging to St Luke's Gofpel, fo is it placed the Firjl or Higheft of all the Paffages in the Table. In like manner the Conclufion to St John's Gofpel, being the laft Verfe of the laft Chapter thereof, may very fitly ferve as a Conclufion to the whole Harmony of the Gofpels : And therefore as it is placed in the Column belong- ing to St John's Gofpel, fo is it placed the La(l or Lowefl of all the Paffages in the Table. Of the fame Nature is the Genealogy of Chrift, which in itfelf not having Regard to any peculiar Time, might indifferently be taken notice of, B 2 either 4 A Tredtife concerning the either before the Birth of Chrifl, as it is by St Matthew ; or after the Birth of Chrifl, as it is by St Luke. On which account there is no good Reafon for altering the Order , where- in Chrifl's Genealogy Hands in St Matthew's Gofpel j and for placing it fo as to anfwer in Order of Place to Chrift's Gene- alogy, as it (lands in St Luke's Gofpel, (which is done by Mr Le Clerc,) but it feems much more Proper (with Mr Whifloii) to let each Genealogy Hand in the fame Place, as it was firft placed in by each Evangelifl. For this I think ought to be a principal Rule, whereby Harmonifl fhould guide themfelves, wise. Not to alter the Order obferv'd in the Gof- pels, any more than is neceffarily requir'd by the Order of Time, on which the Thread of the Gofpel-hiftory de- pends. «j. 5. And thus I come more fully than afore to take notice one confide™- to the Reader of one conliderable Particular, wherein the JS^l'jjf" Harmony of the Gofpels as reprefented in the T A B LE do's faid Tabic excel the Harmony of the Gofpels as reprefented in BOOKS. excekBooks, jn r^js letter fort of Harmonies, each Chapter of the feveral Gofpels being broken into very many Pages :, hereby the View of the Order obferv'd by each Evangelifl becomes like- wife fo broken, as that one cannot, without great Difficulty and Pains in turning over, and comparing again and again the feveral Pages, make any tolerable Judgment from barely perufmg the faid Harmonies, what Exa&nefs of Order is ob- Jerv'd by each Evangelifl ; much lefs In what parts of each Gofpel Order of Time is or is not obferv'd. Whereas on the contrary by barely looking on the Table hereunto belonging, one may have All at Once a View of the Order obferv'd by each Evangelifl j and fo may prefeniiy and clearly fee, Which of them is more or lefs Exa& as to Order of Time, as alfo In what parts of their refpective Gofpels Order of lime is or is not obferv'd by them. For inftance, one needs but run with his Eye down the fivft large Column to difcover, that a very conjider able Part of St. Matthew's Gofpel Hands very much Confufed as to Order of Time. For this is prefently difcoverable, by feeing fo many of the Chapters fet down in the faid Column, not in their proper or a regular Order, but in a very Confufed Man- ner. Harmony of the Four Gofpeh. y Her. For as the Capital. Numeral Letters fignify the Chap- ters and the fmall Numeral Figures fignify the Verfes j fo the Chapters of St. Matthew' '.rGofpel after the third (land (omitting . the different Verfes of each Chapter) thus : IV, VlJr, IV, VIII, IX, XII, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, XI, XII, XIII, VIII, IX, XIII, IX, X, Xr, XIV, (&c. in their regular Order.) And as one thus prefently fees, that a great Part of this Gofpel ftands very much confuted as to Order of Time ; fo likewife one prefently fees, What Parts of the faid Gofpel are, and what are not thus confufed. Namely, that the Part confufed'is from Chap. IV. v. 12. to the End of Chap. XIII. inclufively :, and that the Other Parts (viz. from I. r. to IV. 11. and again from XIV. 1. to the End of the Gofpel) are not confuted, but Hand in their regular Places as to Order of Time. In like Manner, by barely running with the Eye down the other three larger Columns, one prefently fees that all the Chapters of the other three Gofpels ftand in their proper Order (except only part of Luk. V.) and confequently that the PaJJages related in the faid Chapters are related in the main in their proper Places as to Order of Time. And by barely running over with the Eye the Numbers of the Verfes cited under each Chapter, one prefently difcovers thofe very few Places, where Order of Time is not obferv'd j and which I need not mention here, they being mark'd in the Table with this Chara&er (f ) fet by them, for the more eafy Diftin- dion Sake. 6. There is another confiderable Particular wherein this °* TABLE do's excell BOOKS in reprefenting the Harmony^ «^j!J; of the Gofpels j and that on the like Account or for thef/d. . fame Reafons, that It do's excell them in the former Particu- lars. Namely, byreafonof the very many Pages, into which each Chapter of the feveral Gofpels is divided in Books of Harmonies, it comes to pafs that it is Not eafy to difcover, What PaiTages are, and What are not, related by the feveral Evangelifts j whereas This is prefently difcoverable by bare looking on the Table, and that in refpeci of the Whole Gofpel-hiftory. For it is obvious from what has been alrea- dy faid concerning the Contrivance of the Table, that all fuck 6 A Treatise concerning the fuch Paflages, as are related by all the Evangclifls, are like- wife fet down in all the four Columns belonging to the faid Evangelifts, in the fame Line, or by the Side one of the other: and in like Manner fuch Paflages, as are related only by fame of the Evangelifts, are fet down only in the Columns refpeclive- ly belonging to the faid Evangelifts •, a Void Space being left over-againft them in thofe Columns which belong to the Evangelift or Evangelifts, that have omitted the faid Paflages in their refpeclive Gofpels. Hence it follows, that asfoon as Hook upon the Table, and fee that the latter part of Chap. I. of St. John's Gofpel, -via. from v. 15, and likewife all Chap. II, III, IV, and V, have nothing fet over-againfl them in the three other Columns, I ajn thereby prefently infjrm'd, that the feveral Pafjages contain'd in the foremention'd Part of St. John's Gofpel are omitted by all the other Evangelifts. And in like manner on the other hand, as foon as I fee the great Void Space in the Column belonging to St. John's Gofpel, between Chap. V. and VI. of the faid Gofpel :, I am thereby prefently in- formed, that St. John has omitted all the feveral Paffages referr'd to in the other three Columns. And fo in lefler Inftances. -r, 7. It remains now to lay before the Reader the feveral The Reafons,Keafons, that have induced me to think, that the feveral "r*^rf'xthePaffages of the Gofpels are fet down in the Table in their orderwheremdue Places, either with refpecl to the Order of Time wherein tbe feveral thev ft\\ out or elfe witft refpecl to theNature of the Mat- P.iff.iges of J ■ , j - , A •> tbeGtfpa areter ccntam d in them. phced in the j have had Occafion already to obferve that Luk. I. 1--4. Tab,e* is placed theF/r/2 or Bighejl of all the Paflages in the Tables, becaufe as it is the Preface or Introduction to St. Luke's Gof- pel, fo it may no lefs fitly ferve for a Preface or IntroduBton to the Whole Gofp el-Hi ft ory, and confequently to this Harmo- ny. I need here only obferve further,thatin thisPreface we are taught to look on the Gofpels as containing fuch things as are moflfurely Believ'd among Us Chriftians. The reafon why I obferve this, is to fhew, that John I. 1 — 5. is duly placed the very next in order to the Preface. For iince the Divinity of our Blefled Saviour is One of thofe things, Harmony of the Four Gofpels. j tilings, that are moft furely Believed among Us j and fince our BlefTed Saviour did exift in his Divine Nature, and therein Created All things, long before his Incarnation or any Particular belonging thereto and related in the Gofpels ^ hence this hrft Paflage of St. Johns Gofpel wherein Chrift's Divinity &c. is afferted, ought to ftand next after the Preface and before all the Padages in the Gofpel relating more immediately to Chrifts Incarnation. And therefore the Har- monies both of Mr. he Clerc and Mr. Whijlon are faulty" herein. Among fuch Paflages as relate more immediately to Chrift's Incarnation, and are contain'd in the Gofpels, the Firft is the Hiftory of the Conception of St John Baptift, the Fore-runner of Chrift. Wherefore $-u!t. (ox lajlj of LuK I. is duly placed next in Order or the third 'in Order j forafmuch as in this Portion of St. Luke's Gofpel is contain'd the Hiftory, not only of the Baptift's Conception, but alfo of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary ox Conception of Chrifts and of other Particulars efpecially the Birth of the Baptift ^ AH which fucceeded one the other in Order of Time, according to the Order of Place wherein they are related by St. Luke. And here it may be proper to obferve to the Reader, that where- as the Table will not allow of fo much as barely mention- ing all the feveral Particulars contain'd in fuch long Portions of the Gofpels, This DefeEi may be eafily fupplfd by hav- ing a Bible by one to confult and fee the feveral Pa^ages- contain'd in fuch long Portions. Indeed I have taken Care in fuch cafes to fet down in lhort as many of the ParTages, as I poflibly could in the Room allow'd for it j by which Means one that is well vers'd in the Hiftory of the Gofpels, will be enabled to recoiled at leaft the moft Material Paifages contain'd in fuch long Portions of the Gofpel, without the help of a Bible by him. In Order to Mention as much as I could, I have ufed fome Abbreviations, as d. for days <3cc. Of which there will be a Catalogue with their Explanations fet down at the End of this Tracl, if not in the Table itfelf. g 8. In a Line with $—uh. of Luk \. I have placed 6— 8. r/jfTi u~ (erfe of John. I. forafmuch as it may I think molt properly be / j»hn i. 6. underilood S A Treat if e concerning the underilood of the Birth of the Baptift or his Coming into the World. For whereas it is here Ciid, There was a MAN fent from GodSzc. by the Word MAM feems here to be deno- ted, not that what is here faid, is fpoken of John's Miniftry or Baptizing, when he was come to Man's Eftate ; but ra- ther MAN here is oppofed to GOD in v. i. and thereby is denoted, that whereas the Word (Chrift) was truly GOD, John the Baptift, who was fent as his Fore-runner was no other than a mere MAN. And this Acceptation of v. 6. is favour'd or enforced, by confidering that the Evangelift do's afterwards take Notice of the Incarnation and Birth of Chrift in the Paffage of St. John's Gofpel cited next in the Table. And therefore what is faid v. 6. of the Baptift, may moft properly be underftood of what related to him before the Birth of Chrift, that is, of the Baptift's being fent into the World by being Bom into it. The next Paffage in Order of Time is the Account of what happen'd, between the Conception of Chrift and his Mo- ther's going to Bethlehem and his Birth there -, which is con- tain'd in the latter part of Matth. I. viz. from v. 18. to the End of that Chapter. And becaufe the Generation or Genealogy of Chrift is (as has been before obferv'd) a Par- ticular which do's not properly regard any peculiar Time, and therefore may be as well fet down before Chrift's Birth, as after it, therefore I have not made two diftincl: Paffages, One of the Genealogy, the Other of what happened between Chrift's Conception and Birth t but have fet down in the Table all Matth. I. (viz. I. i — tilt.) as One Paffage. And becaufe this Paffage of St. Matthew ftands fb far off in the Table from that of St. Luke which it fucceeds immediately •to in Order of Time, that the Eye may not readily difcern which is -the Paflage of St. Luke that it do's fo fucceed to j therefore to pevent any Miftake in this Cafe, I have drawn a prukd Line, from this PafFige of St. Matthew (thro' the Column belonging to St. Mark, and fo) to the Column belonging to St. Luke, and immediately under the Paflage of St. Luke, which the forefaid Paifage of St. Matthew do's immediately come next after. By which means the Eye asay prefenty difcern that .1. \-ult. of St. Matthew do's immediately Harmony of the Four Gofpeh. 9 immediately fucceed 5 — ult. of Luk. I, as in Order of Time, fo likewife in Order of Place in the Table. And the fame Method is ufed all along the Table in like Cafes, or where it is judged more Needful to guide the Eye aright. Luk. II. 1 — 21 is evidently the next Parage in Order of Time, as containing the Account of Chrift's Birth and Circum- cifion Sec, at Bethlehem : And therefore this Paffage is placed next in the Table. And here it is to be obferv'd, that in fuch large Portions of Chapters, when any thing more remark- able is to be fet down in the Table, which do's not ftand at or near the beginning of fuch a Portion, then the Verfe where it occurrs, is fet down after it, or on the Right-hand Jideof the refpeclive Columns. Thus v. 7, 21 denotes that She brought forth her Son-Jefus, is contain'd in v. 7 and 21 of Luk. II. To this fucceeds next, both in Order of Time and of Place in the Table, the Account of the Wife- Men <Scc. in Matth. II. 1 — 12. 9. After this I have placed next in the Table the ac- 9- count of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, &c. contain'd ^'T^' in Luk. II. 22 — 38. For it appears moft Reafonable to*// jufl atter Me, to fuppofe This to be the Time, when the Rite o?lft£epTrt Purification was perform'd. Namely, prefently upon theWn from" Departure of the Wife-men from Bethlehem, the Days oi^thiehem the Virgin Mar/s Purification being now accomplifti'd, She with her Child Jefus and her Husband Jofeph came up to Jerufalem. While they were there, Jojeph had the Warning given him to flee with the Child and his Mother into Egypt. Prefently after which Herod began to perceive that he was Mocfcd by the Wife-men, and fo in a fhort time after follow'd the Maffacrc of the Toung Children. Whe nee it appears alfo that 13 — 21. of Matth. II. is rightly placed in the Table next after 22 — 38 of Luk. II. forafmuch as it is moft Reafonable to fuppofe, that the Going with the Child Jefus into Egypt did quickly fucceed the Purification of the Virgin Mary. Mr Le Gere embraces the fame Opinion as I here do. And Mr V/hiJlorts Opinion, that on the contrary the Purification did fueceed the Return of our Bleffed Saviour out of Egypt, is fo very improbable, that it deferves not a ferious Confutation. I fhall therefore content my felf here with referring the C Reader i o A Treat ife concerning the Reader to pag. 165. of Mr Whifion s fiort View of 'the Harmony of the four Evangelifis, that he may there fee, how Many and what fort of things Mr Whifion fuppofes to be done in forty Days, i. e. between the Nativity of Chrift and the Purification of the BlefTed Virgin , particularly how he fuppofes that our Saviour's flay in Egypt was no more than four Days. And after having read the uppermoft Corollary, which Mr. Whifion makes in the forecited Page, I leave the competent Reader to judge whether the following Corol- lary ought not to have begun thus j Hence we fee (not the Reafonablenefs, as Mr. Whifion fancies, but rather) the Un- reafonablenefs of fuppofing the Purification to have been in the Return from Egypt to Galilee. Next after 13 — 21 of Matth. II. (in the latter part of which Paffage is contain'd Chrift' s Return out of Egypt) do's fucceed, as in Order of Time, fo likewife in the remaining part (viz. 11 and ult. Verfe) of Matth. II. the Returning of the BlefTed Virgin with her Child and Husband unto Nazareth of Galilee, where they had liv'd before they came to be tax'd at Bethlehem in Judea. And their fame Return thither being likewife taken notice of by St. Luke in Chap. II. 39. therefore in the fame Line with 22 and ult. of Matth. II. is placed v. 39 of Luk. II. together with v. 40. as mentioning Chrift's growing in Spirit and JPlfdomSCc. after this his coming to Nazareth. And whereas Mr. Whifion thinks, (as appears from p. 159. of his Harmony) that what is faid in Luk. II. 3 9. makes mightily for his Opinion, as in other refpe&s, fo with refpect to the Purification being after the Return out of Egypt ^ inafmuch as it being here faid at the beginning of the Verfe, When they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord, viz. with rebtion to the Purification f&c.J before fpoken of, it prefently follows they returned into Galilee to their own City Nazareth : Whence from St. Luke's ?nentioning their Return into Galilee immediately after their having perform'd all things relating to the Purification, Mr. Whifion would have it neceiTarily inferr'd, that their Return into Galilee did aBually in Order of Time, immediately follow the Purification. But Mr. Whifion fliould have remembred, that He himfelf in other Cafes allows this not to be a good fort Harmony of the Four Cofpeh. 1 1 fort of Argument. For Inftauce, St. John's Chap. VI. begins thus : After thefe things Jefus went over the Sea of Galilee dec. Now altho' St. John mentions this going of Chrift over the Sea of Galilee immediately after what was related in Chap. V. yet Mr. Whiflon knows this is no good Argument that thefe Particulars immediately follow' d one the other in order of Time; and accordingly Mr. Whiflon places them at near two Years diftance one after the other, and fuppofes All the PafTages mention'd from Mark. I. 14. to VI. 34 (or, which comes to the fame, from Luk. IV. 14 to IX. 11.) to come between the end of Job- V. and beginning of Job. VI. Wherefore in like Manner, altho the Return into Galilee is mention'd immediately after the Purification by St. Luke, yet this hinders not but the Flight into Egypt omitted by St. Luke in his Hiftory, might really come between the Purification and return into Galilee, as the Nature of Cir- cumftances requires it to be fuppofed The next PafTage in Order of Time after the Return to Galilee out of Egypt, is evidently Chrift's going up to Jeru- falem to the Paffover, when he was 12 Tears old $ which is mention'd by St. Luke ovhy^p After this there is no Acdount in the Gofpels of our Savi- our's Life for many Years, namely till he began to be about go Tears of Age, (as we are inform'd by St. Luke III. 23.) at which time he came to be baptized by St. John Baptift. Wherefore as the Baptift's entring upon his Miniftry, and then Chrift's coming to him to be baptized, and after that Chrift's Temptation in the Wildernefs, are the feveral Paffages (taken notice of in the Gofpels) which in their refpedtive Order fucceeded in Time next to Chrift's going up to Jerufaletn at 12 Years of Age, fo are they in the fame Order placed one after the other in the Table. Jefus, after he had vjnquifh'dthe Temptations of the Devil, returning (as feems moft probable) to the Baptift, then it was that the Baptift gave that Teftimony of him, and fpoke thofe things concerning him, which are fet down by the Evangelift St. John in the remaining part of Chap. I. vis,. 15 — ult. After which fucceeded in order of Time all the feveral Paffages related by the fame Evangelift St. John C 2 in 12 A Treatife concerning the in Chap. II, III, IV, and V. which therefore are placed in the Table according to the fame Order. 10. 10. Mr. Wbifton places Chrifl's coming to the Baptift Ifrolf^to be baptiz'd of him, between Joh. IV. and V. And I am entcr'd upon not ignorant that He is not alone in this Opinion, there hisMiniftry, being of the fame Opinion (as appears from the Appendix to Ue&hirwd.Uu Marfial's Chronological Tables) a learned Prelate, from whom indeed it is not unlikely, that Mr. JVloiflon receiv'd the Notions he go's by in this matter. Now althol have a great Regird to the Judgment of that learned Prelate, yet the Unreafonablenefs of this Opinion feems to me fo Great, that I am thereby forced to differ from Himtherein. For ("i.) According to this Opinion, Our Saviours BAPTISM ("as Mr. Whijlon can't but exprefly own pag. 137. of his Harmony J was not till long AFTER the beginning of his Mils 1ST RT ; which is prepofterous in the Nature of the Things, and confequently abfurd, and inconfiflent with the Divine Wifdom. For to enter upon the MINISTRT, is a thing of a much Higher Nature in Religion than to receive B APT IS Afj and therefore to fuppofe our Saviour to enter upon his Miniflry, B E F O R1L he had received Baptifm, is to fuppofe our Saviour to have«cted prepojleroufy -^ which is enough to mew the Falfenefs of fuch a Supposition, could nothing elfe be alledged againft it. But (2.) There is another Confideration, which ferves ffill further to (hew the Abfurdity of the forefaid Suppofition. For according thereunto , not only our Saviour entered himfelf upon his iniflry, but alfo his Difeiples baptiz'd great multi- tudes ofPerfons in his Name, BEFORE He was baptiz'd by the- Baptift. For we are informed John IV. I, 2. that Jefus made and baptized MO RE Difeiples than John, i. e. Jefus himfelf baptized not, but his Difeiples^ viz. in his Name. Since therefore we are inform'd of this in the very beginning of John IV. and fince according to Mr Whifton's Suppofition, our Saviour was not baptiz'd till after all that is related in that whole Chapter j it clearly follows, that according to Mr. WhiforCs Suppofition our Saviour was not baptiz d Him- felf y till AFTER Multitudes of Perfons had been baptiz'd by his Difeiples in his Name , which ftill encreafes the Ab- furdity Harmony of the Four Gofpels. furdity of fuch a Suppofition. For as to enter into the Miniftry-, is a thing of a much Higher Nature in Religion, than ta receive Baptifm \ fo to have Others baptized in One's Name, is a thing of a much Higher Nature, than to enter into the Miniftry; nay it is a thing of Co tranfcendently High a Nature, as never to belong to any Humane Perfon but Chrift, who was God as well as Man. Wherefore if it be prepofterous and abfurd, to fuppofe Chrift to be baptized, AFTER that he had enter' d into the Mini/try j it is much more prepofterous and abfur'd to fuppofe Chrift to be baptized, AFTER the Others had been baptized in his Name. (3.) Baptifm has been generally us'd as an initiating Rite, And the beft Rcafon, why our Saviour/ubmitted to Baptifm, is I think on this Account . It is well obferv'd in the Ap- pendix to Mr. Marftjnl's Tables, that the Reafon why St. Luke takes fuch exprefs notice, that our Saviour was about thirty Years of Age, when he enter'd upon his Miniftry, was to (hew, that he did therein conform himfelf to the Law of Mofes, that being the Age before which none fiould enter into the Miniftry. Numb. IV. 3 oCc. And as our Saviour thus conform'd himfelf to the Jewifh Law in this Circum- ftance relating to the Miniftry, fo 'tis not to be doubted but that our Lord did fubmit to Baptifm in conformity likewife to the Jewifh Law, which among other Rites for confecrating the High-Priejl, directs or enjoins that He (hall be wajb'd with VVater, and be anointed by pouring Oil upon his Head. Exod. 3 9. 4, 7. Agreeably hereto our Saviour was confecra- ted our High-Prieft, and fo initiated into that Office, by being baptized by St. John the Baptift, which anfwer'd to the Le- vitical wajhing with Water ; and by the Defcent of the Holy Gho/l upon him prefently after his Baptifm, which anfwer'd to the Levitical Anointing by pouring Oil on the Head. That the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft did anfwer to the Levitical Anointing with Oil, we are plainly enough taught AEl. X. 38. where GOD is faid to have anointed Jefus with the Holy Ghoft. And confequently it is not to be doubted,, but that Ch rift's being Baptiz'd by the Baptift, did anfwer likewife to the Levitical warning with Water. Efpecially if it be confider'd further, that as the Wafliing and Anoint- ing 1 4 A Treatife concerning the ing of the High-prieft were perform'd at the fame time, One after the other, fo Chrift was baptiz'd, and the Holy Ghoft defcended upon him at the fame Time One after the Other. Now fromwhat has been faid, it appearing moft high- ly Reafonable to look on Chrift's being Baptized, as one part of his Imtation or Consecration to his Miniftry \ hence it clearly follows, that it is moft highly Unreafonable and Abfurd, to fuppofe Chrift not to have been baptized till Long after his entring upon his Miniftry :, this being to fuppofe that Chrift was Initiated or Confecrated to his Miniftry, till long After he had already entered upon his rxotMimflry. [t is plain that the learned Prelate, to whom we are indeb- ted for the Excellent Appendix to Mr. Marfial's Chrono- logical Tables, was not ignorant of the Force of the foremention'd Objection to his Opinion j which therefore he had no other way to endeavour to evade, than by fuppofing a double Defcent of the Holy Ghoft, One before and the Other after the Baptifm of Chrift, as may be feen in what is faid in the foremention'd Appendix under the 28 and 30 Years of the Vulgar y£ra of Chrift. But now there is no exprefs mention made in Scripture of any Defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon Chrift before his Baptifm. Nor is there any Neceffity to fuppofe fuch a Defcent, fince thofe Words of the Baptift recorded in Joh. I. 33. (/ btezv him not •, but He that fent me to baptize with Water, the fame faid unto Me : Upon whom thou flmlt fee the Spirit defending, &T.) may very well be reconcil'd with thofe other Words of the Baptift recorded in Alatth. III. 14. (John forbad him, faying, I have need to be baptized of thee 6cc.) without fuppofing the Defcent mention'd in St. John's Gofpel to have been befre Chrift's Baptifm, and the Defcent mention'd in St. Matthew's Gofpel to have been after Chrift's Baptifm. For (as Dr. Clarke has well obferv'd in a Note on his Paraphrafe of Matth. III. 14.) it is moft probable that God having before given the Baptift that Token of the Defcent to know Chrift by, did upon Chrift's coming to be baptiz'd, reveal to the Baptift that This was the Perfon, on whom he fliould prefently fee the Signal of the Defcent. Now (ince the two forecited places of St. Matthew's, Harmony of the f our G off els. j* Matthew's and St. Johns Gofpels may be thus eafily and fully reconcil'd without fuppofing a double Defcent, and fince there is no Exprefs mention made of fuch a double Defcent, it follows, that there is no fufficient Ground for believing a double Defcent. But after all, and to give the Opinion of the faid learn- ed Prelate All the Advantage it is capable of ^ let it be fuppofed that there was a double Defcent of the Holy Ghoft on Chrift, one before and the other after his Baptifm : There will ftill remain this Difficulty to be folved, viz. To what end Chrift fhould be baptized AFTER he had entered upon his Miniftry. Which is I think a Difficulty fo great, as to be infuperable or uncapable of a good or reafonable Solution •, I have already ' fhewn that fuch a Suppofition is attended with great Prepofteroufnefs and Abfurdities, and I forbear to mention other Abfurdities attending it, only'becaufe I think Abundantly enough hath been already faid in relation thereto. I fliall therefore only obferve, that if the forefaid Difficulty be uncapable of a good Solution,or no tolerable Reafon can be affign'd why Chrift fhou'd be baptiz'd after he had entered into his Miniftry:, then fince on the other hand, fo good a Reafon can be given for Chrift's being baptized afore he entered into his Minif- try, (namely, in conformity to the way of initiating or confecrating the High-Prieft under the Law) it will follow, that even fuppofing a double Defcent of the Holy Ghoft, it is ftill moft Reafonable to fuppofe likewife that Both the faid Defcents were before Chrift's entring into his Miniftry. But as the High-Prieft under the Law was to be but Once Anointed -with Oyl, and thereby confecrated to his Miniftry •, fo I think it moft Reafonable to fuppofe that agreeably thereto Chrift was but Once Anointed by the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft, namely in order to his Initation or Confecration to his Miniftry. And as the Once anointing of the High-prieft under the Law was to be AFTER his being Wafoed with Water ^ fo I think it moft highly Reafon«- able to fuppofe that the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft on Chrift AFTER his Baptifm mentioned by St. Matthew, was the. One only Defcent, whereby Chrift was anointed with the Holy Ghoft. (4.) 1 6 ' A. Treat ife concerning the (4.) There is another Confideration not to be pafs'd i^ver, which ftill further conduces to overthrow the Opini- on, that Chrift was not baptiz'd, till after he had enter'd for a considerable time on his Miniftry. And the Confide- ration is this, that the faid Opinion is contrary, (not only to the Nature and Order of the Things in themselves , as has been above obferv'd, but alfo) to the Order wherein the faid Things are exprefly related in the Gofpel-Hiftory, by no lefs than three of the four Evangelifts, viz. by All but St. John, who do's not exprefly relate the Baptifm of Chrift. For St. Matthew and Mark take no notice of any Miniftry of Chrift, till after John the Baptift was impri- fon'd : But now it is confefs'd on all fides, that Jefus was baptiz'd by the faid John, before he was caft into Prifon •, therefore it follows that he was baptiz'd, before he enter'd upon his Miniftry taken notice of by St. Matthew or Mark. For St. /Matthew's Words in relation to the Beginning of Chrifl's Miniftry are thefe : When Jefus had heard, that John was caft into prifon, he departed from Galilee — FROM that time Jefus BEG AN to preach &c. Matt. HI. 12 and 17. And fo St. Mark. I. 14. Now AFTER that John was put in prifon, Jefus came into Galilee, Preaching &c. And it will quickly appear, that the Miniftry of Chrift taken notice of by St. Luke, was no other than that taken notice of by the two former Evangelifts, and confequently that which began After the Imprifonment of the Baptift, and therefore After Chrift had been baptized by the Baptift. " This will appear evident ("to ufe Mr Whiftons own Words in p. 131, 132 of his View of the Harmony &c.J " from *V-thc Account we have of the Occafion of St. Johns writing *' his Gofpel, after the others were publiflied in Eufebius j " whofe words becaufethey are very remarkable, and of great '* Ufe ftho little regarded J in harmonizing the Evangelifts, '* I fhall translate at large. They fay that St. John, who "had all along preached the Gofpel by Word of Mouth, " was at laft induced to write for the following Reafon. " When the Gofpels of St Matthew, Mark, and^ Luke had " been publiflied to the World, and fo came to be perufed by " St. John j it is related that He approved of them himfelf, "and Harmony of the FourGofpelf. 1 7 " and confirm'd the Truth of their Hiftory by his own " Teftimony and Authority j but own'd that they were " Defective as to the Ads of our Saviour toward the " Beginning of his Miniftry. And certainly the Obfervation " is very True. For the T H R E E FORMER Evange- " lifts, as is evident, only gives us an account of the Acts " of our Saviour A FT ER the Imprifonment of John tht " Baptift." Thus far Eufebius and Mr Whifton his Tranfla- tor, who evidently approves of what is here related by Eiifebius as an undoubted Truth :, not being Aware that what is here afferted by Eufebius, plainly overthrows that Opinion of his which I am confuting. For here we fee, that Eufebius in the laft Sentence of his afore-cited PafTage plainly afferts, as a thing Evident, that the THREE FOR- MER Evangelijls (i. e.. St. Luke as well as St. Matthew and St. Mark) ONLT give us an Account of the ABs (i. e. in another word, of the Miniftry ) of our Saviour AFTER the IMPRISONMENT of John the Baptift. Whence it neceffarily follows, that the Baptifm of Chrift which was before the Imprifonment of the Baptift, muft therefore be likewife before the Miniftry of Chrift taken notice of by Any of the three former Evangelifts, and confequently by St. Luke as well as by St. Matthew and Mark. 1 1. And if fo, then it follows further, that whereas it I r« is faid, Luk. III. 21 and 23. When all the People were7}1 Common baptized, it came to pafs that Jefus alfo being baptized &c. zi£. "in. *} dvjof fa 0 ins-85 «'«■« irSv Tf/aJtarl* «p%6m£w, which is thus under-W^oty flood by Mr. Whifton, fand likewife by the forefaid Prelate,^' as may be gathered from what is faid in reference to this v. 23. under A. D. 28. in the Appendix fo often afore- mention'd 0 And Jefus himfelf (ot the fame JefusJ was about 30 Tears of Age when he began his Miniftry : From the foremention'd Affertion of Eufebius it follows, I fay, that taking this v. 23. in the Senfe it is understood in by the learned Prelate and Mr. Whifton, it is fo far from making for their Opinion, that Chrift was not baptiz'd tiil long after he had enter'd on his Miniftry, that it plainly overthrows it, as plainly as the forecited Matth. III. 12, 17. and Mark. I. 14. For fince fas Eufebius ailerts with Mr. D Wkiftorts 2h gdy defend- [8 A treatise concerning the Whiflorts approbation of the Truth of the AfTertionJ St. Luke gives an account ONLT of the ABs for Miniflry) of oar Saviour, AFTER the Imprisonment of the Baptift •, it clearly follows, that taking «.fx'w»< fv. 23J to fignifie Chrift's beginning his Miniflry, yet thereby can be denoted the Beginning of no other /Mini/try of Chrift than that which was AFTER the imprifonment of the Baptift. Foraf- much as St. Luke gives account Only of the ABs or Miniflry of Chrift A FTE R the faid Imprifonment. And therefore the learned Prelate and Mr. Whifon evidently and egregiouf- \y mifunderftand the Evangelift, by fuppofing the Beginning of the Mini fry here mentioned by St. Luke to have been BEFORE Chrift's Baptifm, and conflquently BEFORE the Imprifonment of the Baptift. Whereas on the other hand it appears from what has been obferved out of Eufebius, that the Beginning of the Mini fry here mentioned by St. Luke, is no other than the Beginning of Chrift's Trenching mentioned by St. Matthew Uf. j 7. And there- fore as it is confeifed, that the Beginning of the Preaching mentioned by St. Matthew was AFTER the Baptift's Imprifonment, and confequently AFTER the Baptifm of Chrift j fo the fame is to be confeiTed alfo in reference to the Beginning of the Miniflry here referred to by St. Luke. And thus 1 leave it to the Reader to judge, whether it has not been clearly fiVwn, that Lnk. III. 23. do's not at all make for, but quite overthrow the Opinion of the learned Prelate and Mr. Whijlon, even taking the faid Text in their own fenfe. Whereas in reality there can be no good Reafon given for taking ap^Ju^oj in fich a fenfe, from any the* like Ufe of in the Writings of St. Luke or the whole New Tefta- ment. If there were any fuch Inftinces to be produced, we might well fuppofe that Mr. Whiflon would have prpduced them to prove what he fays/'. 136. of his Haimony. For there he aiferts, that This appears to be the Genuin fenfe of the Word, viz. d?x^<.vo< f for That is the only word in Luk. III. 23. concerning the fenfe of which the prefent Difpute isj) by the Style of St. Luke in other places, where the fame Greek Word is abfohttely ufed as herey to denote the I om- mencing Harmony of the four Gofpels. ip inencing of our Saviours Miniflry. But now none of the Places produced by Mr. Whijlon amount to a Proof of what he alferts, the Cafe being not parallel, but different in every place cited by Him. The rirft place he cites is Luk. XXIII, 5. where at our Lord's Trial the Jews fay, He flirs up the People ; teaching thro' all Judea, jf&t*.syof beginning Qhis Preaching, adds Mr. Whijlon,] from Gallilee even unto this Place. But now is it not apparent at firft View, that this is not a parallel place to Luk. III. 23, that is, that «>£*V«w< here is not us'd in the like manner, as a.py*y&m there. For d^*mr*t or Begin- ning here plainly refers to teaching mention'd in the Claufe immediately foregoing ; fo that the full Import of the Text is this : He flirs up the People, TEACHING thro" all Judea, BEGINNING this his TEACHING or to Teach from Galilee, and thence continuing it even unto this place. So that the word ipfy^mt is not in reality put here Absolutely, but only the word that belongs to it, and mould (to fpeak Fully) be exprefs'd and join'd with it, viz. A&V*wy, is Omitted, as being fufficiently underftood from the Expreffion of the fame Verb in the Claufe immediately foregoing: But now in Luk. III. 23. there is no mention made of Chrift's Teaching or Preaching in the whole Chapter, to which drxfauot may refer. And therefore to underfland «v3fcfr**»? or Beginning here, of the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry, when there is not a Syllable of Chrift's Minijlry mention'd in the whole Chapter , is quite a different Cafe from underftanding «V£<*>sm or Beginning in Luk, XXIII. 5. of Chrift's Teaching or Minijlry, where Chrift's Teaching is mention'd in the Claufe immediately foregoing. And there- fore the underftanding of Beginning in this latter place with reference to the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry, is no Proof, that Beginning in the former place ought to be fo underftood. Q. E.P. Haviug thus largely (hewn in what refpect Mr. Whifton's firft Inftance hfaidty, and confequently no Proof of what it was brought to prove j I fhall be the fhorter on his follow- ing Inftances, forafmuch as they are faulty, (or not parallel to Luk, III. 23.) in the like refpect. Mr. Ifhijlonsfecond D 2 Inftance ao A Treat if e concerning the Inftance is in AS. I. 21, 22. where St. Peter thus fpeaks : Wherefore of thefe Men, which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jefus WE NT IN and OUT amongfl Us, iH&a.p.ivoftinig&vrYiyy.eLloi lo&tv*, B EG I N N I NG Qiis preach- ing, adds Mr. W hi/ton,'] from the Baptifm of John <3tc. Here it is evident likewife at the firft View or Reading, that ife<£u.ms or Beginning refers to Chrift's Going out and in amongfl his Difciples, (whereby is imply'd his Miniftrf) mention'd in the immediately foregoing Claufe. So that this Inftance is not parallel to Luk. III. 23. where no- mention at all is made in the whole Chapter of Ch riffs Going out and in amongft his Difciples, or of any other Circumftance im- plying Chrift's Miniftry. The laft Inftance cited by Mr. Whifton is A3. X. 37. That word ye know which was- publifo'd thro' all Judea df^dynvoi sLrrb %s Tu.Mha.icti, beginning from Galilee after the Baptifm which John preached. Here it is to be obferv'd, that the Generality of Copies read it, not d^d^vs but dfciynytv, and fo make it to agree with pS^*, the Word mention'd in the foregoing Claufe, and confequently not to be put abfolutely. And tho a>?«'aTref be allowed to be the Trueft Reading,as being authorized by the beft Copies, yet it will come to the fame \ forafmuch as tho' dfed^vt^ muft agree with Jefus underftood, yet it refers to the Word mention'd in the foregoing Claufe, and which fliou'd have been prepeated here if St. Luke had ex- prefs'd himfelf fully:, viz. thus : That WORD ye know which was publifi'd thro' all Judea } He (T. e. Chrift) beginning (the fa id WORD) from Galilee after the Baptifm which John preach' d. So that Beginning is by no means put in this place Abfolutely or without any mention of Chrift's Teaching or Preaching or any thing elfe relating to Chrift's Miniftry, as it is Luk. III. 23. And confequently no good Argument can be drawn hence, for underftanding Beginning there of Chrift's Miniftry, becaufe it is fo underftood here. Indeed this laft Text, AB. X. 37. affords a new Proof, that Chrift's Baptifm was not after, but before the Beginning of the Word, or Chrift's Miniftry, here mention'd j and confequently before the Beginning of the Miniftry fuppos'd by the faid Prelate and Mr Whifton to be mention'd or referred to in Luk. III. 23. For it is not to be doubted but St. Luke fpeaks in both Places of the fame Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry. Harmony of the Four Gofpels. a i Miniftry. But St. Luke exprefly reftrains the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry here fpoken of, to be That from Galilee after the Baptijm of John • whereby it is plainly fignify'd that it was the fame mention 'd by St. Matth. Ill- 12, 17. where he tells us, that when Jefus had heard that John was cap into Prifon, he departed into Galilee, and from that time BEGAN to Preach &c. But this will appear more plainly, by confidering diftindly the two Particulars whereby St. Luke explains here in AB. X. 37, What BEGINNING of Chrift's Miniftry he fpeaks of, viz. That which was from Galilee , and alfo after the Baptifm of John. Now it is fufficiently evident to any impartial Reader of Joh. I. that the very firfl Beginning of All Chrift's Mini fry was not in Galilee, but at Bethabara beyondjordan, where John (the Baptift) was baptizing, as we are taught v. 28. of Joh. h For furely the very Firfl Beginning of All Chrift's Miniflry is in reafon to be reckon'd from his very Firfl Be- ginning to gather Difciples and to inflruB them, thefe being manifeftly two Ads of Chrift's Miniftry. But now we are inform'd Joh. I. 35 <3tc. that Jefus firft of All began to gather Difciples and inftrud them at Bethabara aforemention'd. For the Evangelift having told us, v. 28. of this Chapter, that it was at Bethabara, that the Baptift was Baptizing j proceeds to obferve v. 29, what was done the next day :, and v. 35, what was done the next day after , viz. that John (the Baptift) flood, and two of his Difciples.. And looking upon Jefus as he walked, He (i. e. the Baptift) fays, Behold the Lamb of God. And the two Difciples heard him /peak, and they follow'd Jefus, in order to be inftruded by him, and become his Difciples, as appears from the following Verfes. For it being about ten a Clock (viz. in the Morning, for St. John ufes the Roman Way of reckoning the Hours of the Day) they went prefently with Chrift to the Houfe where he lodg'd, and there tarried with him All that Day, receiving Inftrudions from him. One of thefe two Perfons we are exprefly told v. 40. was St. Andrew j and the other is with very great proba- bility thought to be the Evangelift St. John himfelf, it being his ufual Method to conceal his Own name. St. Andrew being now convinc'd that Jefus was the Meflias^ and 22 A Treatife concerning the and fo become Hi mfelf One of his Difciples, was out of a true Principle of Piety follicitous, that Other his Friends and Acquaintance might fiiare in the lame Happinefs,and there- upon departing from Jefus, refolves to go and acquaint them prefently with what had pafs'd between Jefus and Him. He firft finds his own brother Simon, (as we are inform'd v. 41) and fays unto him, We have found the Mejfias- — and he brought him to Jefus, v. 42. Then v. 43. the Evangelift obferves, that the Day following, Jefus hav- ing now begun thus to gather Difciples, and being accor- dingly attended by St. Andrew and Peter and John his Near and Firft Difciples, would go forth, viz. from Bethabara, where ■ he yet ■ was, into Galileee j and findeth Philip, and fay sunt 0 him, follow Me. By which Words as it appears, that Chrift had now began to gather Difciples, fo from what follows, it appears likewife that Andrew and Peter attended Jefus from Bethaba>-a :, for v. 44. it is obferv'd, that Philip was of Bethfaida, the City of Andrew and Peter. Whereby is denoted, that the outward Occafion of Chrift's > lighting on Philip, was his Acquaintance with Andrew and Peter, who were now attending on Jefus. I have been the longer on this matter, that it might the more plainly appear, and beyond all reafonable Exception, that Chrift did firft of all B EG IN his Miniflry at Bethabara beyond Jordan, and not in Galilee. And therefore it neceffarily follows, that the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry from Galilee menti- on'd by St. Luke AB. X. 37. can't be undcrftood, with any Colour of Rcaibn, in reference to the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry at the very Firfi of all, or (in other words) in reference to Chrift's more private Miniftry, but only in reference to Chrift's more \ publick Miniflry which he began in Galilee, after that he had heard that John was caft into Prifon, as Matth. III. 12, 17. Wherefore as Mr Whifton refers us to the fignification of *p£«W»j here A&. X. 37. and alfo Luk. XXIII* 5. for to know the true fignification of apx^"** Luk III. 23. fo by confulting thefe places we find, that fince <*$■£*'<«>">* in both places is evidently underftood by St. Luke only of the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry from Galilee, this Reftri&ion being exprefiy added in Harmony of the Four Cofpeh. asp in both places j it thence rationally follows, that according to Mr-Whifton's own Rule for rinding out the true fignificati- on thereof, diyh^m in Luk. III. 23. is to be underftood likewife only of the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry from Galilee. Which being not till after the Baptifl was im- prifon'd, it therefore could not be till after Chrift had been baptiz'd. So that Mr Whifton and all others that follow the contrary Opinion, lye under a great M:fhke. And this has been lo fully made out, that 1 need not add any more concerning it, but that 1 am not willing to omit that other Evidence thereof, added by St. LukeyAth X. 37. namely that the Beginning of Chrift,'? Miniftry there fpoken of by Him, was, not only from Galilee (of which I have treated in the foregoing Paragraph) but alfo after the Bap- tiftn of John, the Force of which Expreflion I come now to confider. It is then obfervable that St. Luke here joins together two Particulars, which in other places he ufes feparately. Namely Luke XXIII. 5. it is exprefs'd, Begin- ning from Galilee j and Ad. I. 22. Beginning from the Baptifm of John : Both which Reftridlions are here AB. X. 37. join'd together, Beginning from Galilee after the Baptifm which John preached Whence it appears that St. Luke in all thefe places fpeaks of the fame Beginning of Chrift's Miniflry, viz. of That which was from or after the Baptifm of John. By which Expreflions is properly de- noted, From or After the Time that John had ceafed to baptize being caft into Pnfon \ not From or After the Time that John began to baptize. For From or After are under- ftood to relate to the End of the thing fpoken of, if nothing is exprefs'd to the Contrary. Thus From or After the Reign of fuch a Prince, denotes from or after the End of that Reign, not from or after the Beginning thereof. When After, or From taken in the fame fenfe, is put to re- late not to the very End of a Thing, but only to the End of fome part of it, then it is ufual and requisite to exprefs the fa id part. Wherefore it is Reafonable to under- stand, by From or After the Baptifm of John, From or After the End of John's Baptifm j efpecially fince it is ap- parent that St. Luke adds this Reftridion, on purofe to prevent 0 4 A Treatise concerningthe prevent any Mijiake that might happen, in reference to the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry fpoken of by him ^ and therefore the better to prevent any fuch Miftake, would have exprefs'd himfelf thus, From or After the Beginning of John's Baptifm, if he had meant what he faid in fuch a fenfe. Since then the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry mention'd AB. X. -37. was That from or after the Baptifm of John. i. e. from or after the Time that John ceafed to baptize, being cafl into Prifon and fince it is certain that Chrift was baptiz'd before John was cajl into Prifon ^ it hence clearly follows, that Chrift was baptiz'd BEFORE the Beginning of Chrift's .Miniftry mention'd AB. X. 37. and confequently the Begin- ning of Chrift's Miniftry mention'd AB. 1. 22, and Luke XXIII. 5. For of the two Reftriclions, whereby the Be- ginning of Chrift's Miniftry is fpecifyd or diftinguijfrd m AB. X. 37, One is apply "d to the Beginning of ChrifPs Miniftry mention'd Luk. XXIII. 5. and the Other to That mention'd AB. I. 22. and confequently it is One and the fame Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry mention'd in all the forecited three places. Wherefore fince thefe three be the Places , and All the Places , to which Mr Whifldn refers us to learn the genuine Signification of df^n'Of or Beginning in Luk. III. 23 j it appears that'we are in Reafon taught by thefe Places to underftand d^^o^vos or Beginning, (Suppofe it to be fpoken of the Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry, not of the very firft Beginning of Chrift's more private Miniftry, but only of the Beginning of Chrift's more publick Miniftry, namely after John had done baptiz- ing and was cafl into Prijon j and confequently after Chrifl was baptiz'd. Q. E. P. It remains now to fhew the Weaknefs of thofe Arguments, which are brought by Mr Whijion (p. 137, 138 of his Harmony) to confirm his Opinion. And the firft is this : " Our Saviour's Baptizing was one part of his Miniftry, " but he Baptiz'd before his own Baptifm, and by a plain " confequence, his Miniftry alfo began before it. When " our Lord defir'd to be baptiz'd of 'John, his Anfwer was, " I have need to be baptiz'd of Thee ^ and come ft thou to Me .<? " Fairly implying that our Saviour had baptiz'd before that " Time, and was known by the Baptift to have done fo." This Harmony of the four Cofpels. 25 This Argument of Mr Whifton implies feveral Syllogifms, of which one is this .• He that baptiz'd before his own Baptifm, began his Miniftry before his own Baptifm. But Our Saviour baptiz'd before his own Baptifm : Therefore Our Saviour began his Miniftry before his Own Baptifm. I have above taken notice of the Prepofteroufnefs and Abfurdity, that is imply 'd in the Minor Proposition, which is therefore to be deny'd as Falfe. Let us fee how Mr Whifton go's about to prove it, which is thus. " When our Lord " defir'd to be baptiz'd of John, his Anfwer was, I have " need to be baptiz'd of Thee, <Scc. Fairly implying that *' our Saviour had baptiz'd before that Time, &c. " But it may with as great Eafe and more Truth be faid on the contrary, that the Baptift's Anfwer do's by no means fairly imply that our Saviour had baptiz'd before that time. For it is by no means Fair to fuppofe that the Baptift's Anfwer do's imply what is Prepofterous and Abfurd in it felf, when there is no Necejficy for any fuch Suppofition, but the Baptift's Anfwer may be otherwife and more Fairly fuppofed, to de- note only the true Divinity of our Saviour, which was well known to the Baptift ^ and in refped of which the Baptifl faid alfo, that of his Fulnefs have we all receiv'd, and Grace for Grace. In fhort, Mr. Whijlon can't deny, but the Bap- tift on fcore of Chrift's Divinity, might have rightly faid, I have need to be baptiz'd of Thee, altho' Chrift had never baptiz'd, and therefore the Baptift's faying fo can't Fairly be un-derftood to imply that Chrift had baptiz'd, when fuch. a Senfe of the Baptift's Anfwer makes it imply the groiieft Abfurdity. And as Mr Whijlon's firft Argument is not conclufive, fo his Second is weaker, which ftands thus : " This is evident " not only by the placing Chrift's Baptifm in the other Evan- *' gelift's, viz. after the Hiftory of John's Miniftry and " before his Imprifonment, but by the exprefs Words of St. " Luke, who after his Digreffion about John the Baptifi, "even as low as his very Imprifonment, fubjoins'^*'5?0 J*'«> V " @<nr]i£ivv&i «tT«w7*7ir **»>', Now when all the teople were bap- E tiz'd 16 A Treatife concerning the " tiz\l, it came to pafs that Jefus alfo being baptized and " praying, the Heaven was opened. From whence 'tis Clear that our Saviour's Baptifm was at the Conclufion of John's " Miniftry, and that now he had in:tiated his SuccefTor, He " was in a (hort time to difappear. " What Mr Whifion fays of Chrift's Baptifm being placed in the other Evangelifts after the Hiftory of John's Miniftry, is very fallacious :, and when rightly underftood, makes nothing for, but againft him. For the faid Evangelifts did not deugn to give the whole Hiftory of Johns Miniftry, but only occafionally introduced it, as it ferves to (hew, that our Saviour was the true Meffias, by the completion of that Prophecy of Ifaiah concerning his Fore-runner, which each Evangelift takes exprefs notice was compleated in the Baptift •, and alfo as it ferves to intro- duce the Relation of our Saviour's being baptiz'd by the Baptift. Wherefore there being this Occafion for the faid Evangelifts to mentionthe Miniftry of S. Johnt the Baptift, the common Rules of Method directed them toy^ all together what they thought fit to fay concerning it -, and then to adjoin the Relation of our Saviour's being baptiz'd by him. And there is nothing faid by the faid Evangelifts concerning the Miniftry of the Baptift, but what plainly enough refers to the Beginning of the Baptift's Miniftry, rather than to the End thereof, as will quickly appear to an impartial Reader, by confulting Matth. III. i — 12. and Mark. I. 2 — 8. [o that I (hall forbear enlarging thereupon in this place. As for St. Luke, if Mr. Whiflotfs Argument from his placing the Account of our Saviour's Baptifm, A LER hisDi- grejjion about John the Baptift, EVEN AS LOW as his very lmprifonment , be of any Force, it proves a great deal too much, and fo overthrows itfelf. For if it be a Good Argument, that our Saviour's Baptifm was AFTER the Mini fry of the Baptift, becaufe the Account of our Saviour's Baptifm is placed by St. Luke AFTER the Ac- countof the Baptift's Miniftry : then by parity of Reafon it is as Good an Argument, that our Saviour's Baptifm was AF- TER the lmprifonment of the Baptift, becaufe the Account: of our Saviour's Baptifm is likewife placed by St. Luke A F- TER i Harmony of the FonrGofpeif. 27 TER the Account of the Baptift's Imprifonmenr. But now as Mr. Whiflon will acknowledge, that notwithflanding our Saviour's Baptifm is related by St. Luke after the Bap- tift's Imprifonment, yet it was perform d before it; So Mr. Whiflon ought likewife to acknowledge, that ahho' our Sa- viour's Baptifm is related by St. Luke after what he fays about the Baptift's Miniftry, yet it was perform d a con- siderable time before the Ending of the Baptift's Miniftry j my raither in no long Time after the beginning of the Baptift's Miniftry. For as our Saviour began his more pri- vate Miniftry, in no long Time, viz. about fix Months after the Baptift began His, fo it is not to be doubted but our Saviour was baptiz'd Before he began his faid Mi- niftry ; forafmuch as the contrary Suppofition, not only has no Grounds in Scripture, but alfo implies the greateft Ab- furdities, as has been (hewn. 12. As for the other Argument, which Mr. Whifton draws from Luk. III. 21. to confirm his Opinion, I can't £ . I2, but wonder how He could take up with fuch a palpably 2 i.'expiain'd falfe Inference, when a very moderate Skill in the Greek Tongue is fufficient to difcover the Falfenefs of it. St Luke's Words are thefe, 'Eylnlo ji l» -nl fccLTt-nSftvot i-^M-w. W aW, &c. which our Tranflation renders thus, Now when all the People were baptiz'd, it came to pafs that Jefus alfo being baptiz'd, and praying, the Heaven was open'd. From whence, fays Mr. Whiflon, 'tis clear that our Savi- our's Baptifm was at the Conclufion of John's Miniftry. But, fay I, that this is fo far from being clear from the Words of St. Luke aforemention'd , that it do's by no means follow Truly from them. Thofe Words of our Englifti Tranflation, When all the People were baptiz'd, is indeed capable of a Double Meaning, viz. either After that all the People were baptiz'd, or elfe, IVhilfl that all the People were baptiz'd ; our Englifti Particle When being ufed to fignify, fometimes After that, fometimes Whilft or While. And therefore our Englifti Tranflation does indeed favour Mr. Whijlon's Opinion as well and as much as Mine. Butth:n the Original Greek Expreffion gives it Entirely on my Side, forafmuch as 'Ev tJ £*;7/£3V*<do's denote, not E 2 After 3 8 A Treat if e concerning the After that, but only Whilft that (all the People) were bap- tiz'd; as a fmall Competency of Skill in the Greek Tongue is fufficient to inform any One. Thus Luk. I. 8. 'ev tJ 'u&Ywhv ivIhM more accurately render'd in our Bibles, WHIL E he executed the Friefts Office. And Luk. II. 6. 'b, tJ <W du1i( i*« , is likewife more accurately render'd by our Translators, WHILE they were there. So that Mr. Ifhifton could not have taken a more ;ffeclual Way to con- fute his own Argument drawn from the foremention'd Words of St. Luke, When all the People were baptized, then by fetting down the Original Greek Words, e, tJ wii&mcu *- w-m rlv \*lv \ forafmuch as the Original (hews the true Meaning of St. Luke, which is dubious in our Transiti- on, to be this :, While others were baptiz'd, Jefus alfo was baptiz'd. So that it is by no means clear from hence, (as Mr Whifton, fancies) that our Saviour's Baptifm was at the Conchfwn of John's Baptifm. If Mr. Whifton fancies, that the Word i-rajm join'd to \<t\v favours his Interpretation, He is under another Miftake. 'Tis obvious to fuppofe that by irarm Tb K*h Mr. Whifton understands All the People from the Beginning to the Ending of the Baptift's Miniftry y that were baptiz'd by him, except Jefus : fo that He would have the full Meaning of 'Ey-nJ 0a.v}i£i»vcu a-nuT* to? hair to be this, After that All the People, that were baptiz'd by John pom the Beginning down to the Ending of his Miniftry had been baptized, came (Laft of all) Jelus, and was baptiz'd of him. And indeed in this Senfe the Words of St. Luke would be a plain Proof pf Mr. Whifto?i's Opinion. But it has been already fhewn, that I* -nS p*.m2ffvai cannot Signify After that they were baptiz'd, but While they were baptiz'd : and therefore taking l™™ # **2r to fignify, as Mr Whifton would have it, yet it will avail him nothing. For to fay WHILE ALL the People from the BEG IN KING to the ENDING of John's Miniftry were baptiz'd, is no more than to fay, Sometime during the Duration of John's Miniftry : and confequently from hence can't be truly in- ferred, that Chrilt was baptiz'd at the Conclufwn of Johns Mi- niftry, any more than it can be that he was baptiz'd at the Beginning thereof. But Mr. Whijion is to remember, that Harmony of the Tow Gofpeh. ap that inrdt-m t khIv may very properly, and pertinently to the foregoing Context, fignify All forts of People. St. Luke had obferv'd firft in general v. 7. of this Chapter, that a Multitude came to be baptized of him \ and then afterwards he diftinftlymentions in this Multitude, the People, v. 10, and the Publicans, v. 12, and the Soldiers, v. 14. And St. Matthew has obferv'd, that among the Multitude were many of the Sadduces and Pharifees, Matthew III. 7. So that by Zvarm v kaov may well be understood by St Luke in the forecited place, All the fever al Sorts of People that came to be baptiz'd of Him. And confequently the True and Full Meaning; of Luk. III. 31. will be this: Now While All Sorts of Peoole were baptiz'd, it came to pafs that Jefus alfo being baptized, <Scc. So that upon the Whole I leave it to the competent Reader to judge, whether it be not Clear, that Mr. Whijion's fecond Argument do's by no means prove, that Chrift's Baptifm. was at the Conclufwn of John's Mi- niftry. Mr. Whifton's third Argument is this : " Thofe who make " the Baptifm of Thrift to precede his whole Miniftry ,and keep " to the propriety of about 36 years of Age at the fame " time, mufl either find out another Beginning for the " Reign of Tiberius, and fo for his fifteenth Year, than " that own'd by the Greek and Roman Hiftorians j or leave " a void Space of a Year or two in the Life of our Savi- " our after his Baptifm, and before he began his Mini- lt ftry. " This is plainly a disjunctive Argument, and fo the Truth or Force of it wholly depends on xhtTruth oftheDisjunB- ion. But now I deny that this is a True Disjunction, forafmuch as the Baptifm of Christ may precede his IV HOLE Mini ftry \ without leaving a VOID Space of a year or two in our Saviour's Life after his Baptifm and before he began his Miniftry. To (hew this in the cleared Manner to the Reader, I judge it re- quifite to tranfcribe lb much of theAppendix belonging to Mr MarfjaPs Chronological Tables, as relates to this Matter, and which is agreeable to Mr Wbifton's Opinion : and then by the Side thereof to place the Order of our Saviour's Baptifm and Miniftry, &c. agreeably to the Opinion generally re- ceivd, and here defended by Me. The 3© A Treatife concerning the The Order of Chrijls Bap- tifm and Miniftry &c. accor- ding to the Appendix in Mr Martha l's Chronological Tables , and Mr Whiftons Opinion. A. D. 28. John Baptijl preaching and baptizing in Bethabara. John being ask'd whether he was the MESSIA or not, denied it &c. Next day John having feen Jefus coming toward him, and at the fame time the Holy Ghoft descending upon him 5cc. declar'd that he had this Token from God, by which he fhould know the AJeJfia, and thereby he did know that This was HE. This John faid more than Once. And fome of them that heard it, came to Jefus, and were his Difciples. The Order of Chips Bap- tifm and Miniftry &c. accor* ding to the Opinion generally receiv'd, and here defended by Me. A. D. 28. John Baptijl preaching and baptizing in Bethabara. From Nazareth in Galilee came Jefus to be baptiz'd of John ; when the Holy Ghoft defended upon him after his Baptifm. Then follow'd the 40 Days Temptation in the Wilder- nefs, &c. After which Jefus returns to John, who was ftill bapti- zing at Bethabara. John being now ask'd whe- ther He was the MESSIA or not, declar'd he was not. Next day John feeing Je- fus coming towards him, de- clar'd how he had formerly feen the Holy Ghoft defend upon Jefus prefently after he .had been baptiz'd by him j and by this Token given him by God, knew that Jefus was the Media. This John faid more than I Once. And fome of them that heard it, came to Jefus, I and became his Difciples, hav- ing been Inftrucled by Chrift himfelf. So that hence is the Chrift Chrift being thus anointed with the Holy Ghoft and with Forver, came to ad: in his Pro- phetical Office firft in Galilee. Harmony of the Four Gofpels. Beginning of Chrift's Miniftry to be truly dated. Chrift having prefently af- ter his Baptifm been Thus anointed with the Holy Ghofi and with Power, and having thus Entered and jitfi begun upon his Miniftry at Betha- bara, went the very next day after into Galilee, there to exercife his Prophetical Of- fice firft. All this, was 150 Tiberii : At his Baptifm Chrift: began to be about 30 Tears of Age, i. e. nearer 30 Years than any other. And by that time the Temptation was over, and Chrift return'd to John at Bathabara, He was now 3 o Tears compleatly, that being the Age before which none fliould enter into the Miniftry. A. D. 29. April 18. was Chrift's FIRST PASSOVER &c. as in other Column. All this was 1 50 Tiberii : At which time Chrift was 30 Tears old complete, that being the Age before which none mould enter into the Mi- niftry. A. D. 29. April 18. was Chrift's FIRST PASSOVER, that he kept at Jerufalem af- ter his entring into his Mi- niftry. Chrift whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Tem- ple. Being queftion'd about his Authority for this, He prov'd it by Miracles. Here- upon many believ'd and fol- low'd him into Judea, where he baptiz'd All that came to him. John hearing that Jefus baptiz'd more than he did, r:joic d thereat. But the Chrift whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Tem- ple &c. as in the oppoute Column, only with this dif- ference, that whereas in the Appendix cited in the oppofite Column, it is fuppos'd that Chrift ftafd in Galilee only to the End of that Tear •, and then came from Galilee to John to be baptiz'd \ I affert Pharifees 3 Pharifees having no Patience at this, Chrift went out of their Reach, pafTing thro Sa- maria into Galilee. There he wrought Miracles tillthe^End of that Year. A. D. 30 From Nazareth in Galilee the blefTed Jefus came to be Baptiz'd of John in Jor- dan <Scc. This was John's laft AcT: of Baptizing. Soon after which he was put in Prifon by Herod. April 7. was our blefTed Lord's SECOND PAS- SOVER that he then kept at Jeritfalem <3cc. as in the Ap- pendix afore-cited. A Treaife concerning the it is more Reafonable to fup- pofe that Chrift fta/din Gali- lee, till he came up to the en- fuing Pajfover A. D. 30, and that he was Baptiz'd the Year before. A. D. 30. Our blefTed Sa- viour having ftaid in Galilee till the approach of the enfu- ing Pafover, go's up to the faid Feaft. Before Our Saviour was come up to the faid Feaft, John was put in Prifon by Herod. April 7. was our blefTed Lords SECOND PAS- OVER, that he then kept at Jerufalem Sec. as in the Appendix afore-cited. From comparing the foregoing two Columns together, the judicious Reader will clearly perceive, that altho' I defend the generally received Opinion j that Ch rift's Baptism was before his entring upon any part of his Miniflry, yet I do thereby leave no Void Space of a Tear or two in the Life of our Saviour after his Baptifm, and before he began his Mi- niftry, (as Mr Whiftotis foremention'd Disjunction and %d Argument falfely afferts,) but that All the time between A. D. 28. when John began his Miniftry, and the Pa (fiver in A. D. 30. (within which Space is contain'd the Difference between the Opinion afTerted in the Appendix and by Mr Whifton and the generally received Opinion, defended by Me) is as well filled up according to the Opinion maintained by Me , as that maintained in the Appendix and by Mr Whifton. As for what Mr Whifton adds under his 3^ Argument, viz. that the words of St Luke IV. 13, 14. are thefe. And when tfhe Devil had ended all the Temptation, he departed from Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 35 from him for a Seafon. And Jefus return d in the Power of the Spirit into Galilee, and there went out a Fame of Him thro' all the Region round about. Between which two Verfes, adds Mr. Whifton, to interpofe a Space of more than two years, which we have little or no Account of in any of the Evangelifts, is very Unreafonable. To which I reply, that it is indeed very Unreafonable in Mr Whifton to fup- pofe that any fuch Space is interposed by thofe who de- fend the Opinion, which he vainly Endeavours to confute, fince it clearly appears by comparing the foregoing two Columns, that No fuch Space is interposed by the Defenders of the faid Opinion. As for Mr. Whiftort% fourth and laft Argument, it being wholly founded on this Suppofition, that fuch as mantain the Baptifm of Chrifl: to be before his whole Miniftry, do feparate the Fifteenth of Tiberius from the Age of our Sa- viour at 3c Tears j Since I do not thus feparate the faid two Years, it makes nothing againft Me, and therefore I need take no farther Notice of it. Thus I have largely (hown, not only that the Opinion that our Saviour's Baptifm was not till long after the Beginning of his Miniftry, is very prepofterous or attended with great Abfurdities, and confequently Falfe:, but alio that the Ar- guments brought by Mr Whifton to fupport it, are All of them inconclufwe or of no Force. And therefore that it is not without good Reafon, that (as Mr. Whifton obferves,) it has hitherto been taken for Granted, that the Baptifm of our Saviour was BEFORE the commencing of his Miniftry. I have dwelt the longer upon the Confutation of the con- trary Opinion, partly becaufe it is defended not only by Mr. Whifton, but alfo by the greater Authority of that learned Prelate, to whom, Mr. Marfial has acquainted us, we are indebted for the (otherwife) excellent Appendix to his Chronological Tables :, and partly to (hew how very cautious we ought to be in departing from a generally received Opini- on, left thereby we depart from the Truth alfo. The Sum of his whole Difpute in reference to the Ta- ble reprefenting the Harmony of the four Gofpels, is this •, That from what has been faid, it appears clear beyond all F ~ rea- a a A Treat ife concerning the reafonable Exceptions, that thofe Paifages of the Gofpels which relate Ch rift's Baptifm and Temptation, are Rightly placed in the faid Table before Joh. II, III and IV, as well as V. 13. 13. By what is obferved in the Table out of John V. How st namely, that our BlefTed Saviour fpeaking of the Baptift hh G^e/ fup- t0 the Jews, fays, v. 35. of him, He W AS a burning ply'd the De- and fining Light, and ye W E R E willing for a Seaf&n ihe*r "Ivange- to re]0Ke in &*» Light, it.us evident, that the Baptift's tie a- lifts, as to the [on or Time allotted for Preaching and Baptizing was now sivmr'fZ- <")ver' and he hirofetf Put int0 Prison. And the next Paf- nfir). fage which S. John takes Notice of, being our Saviour's pajfing over the Sea of Galilee, and feeding five Thonfand with five Loaves and two tijbes, wherewith Joh. VI. be- gins j hereupon it is moft highly reafonable, to place our Saviour's Return into Galilee after S. John Baptifts wiprifon- tttent, and All that enfued thereupon and is related by the other three Evangelifts, till they come to the Relation of the fame miraculous Feeding of five Tboufand with five Loaves and two Fijbes, between the End of Joh. V. and Beginning of Joh. VI. And this is exactly Agreeable to the Defign of St. John in writing his Gofpel, as has been above obferv'd out of Enfebius. Namely, the Defign of the faid Evangelift being to fupply the more material Parts of our Saviour's Hiftory, which were omitted by the for- mer Evangelifts j agreeably hereto, as He inferted into his Gofpel from Chaf \ 1 5 to the end of Chap. V. the Hif- tory of the more remarkable Occurrences, between the End of Chrifls Temptation and his Return into Galilee after the Baptift's Imprifonment , which is omitted by the other Evangelifts •, fo on the other hand, the other Evangelifts having already given a large Account of what pafs'd be- tween onr Saviour's Return into Galilee after the Baptifs Imprifonment , and his feeding the 5000 with five Loaves and two Fifies, St. John thought it needlefs for him to relate the fame again, and therefore pajfes it all over in Silence. Hence the Right Reverend and Learn'd Compiler of the Appendix to Mr. MarfoaVs Chronological Tables, and Mr. 'A hijlon, do Both agree with me in fuppofing, that All • Harmony of the TonrGofpeli. 35 AH in St. Matthew's Gofpel from IV. 12. to XIV. 12 ^ and All in St. Mark's Gofpel from I. 14. to VI. 3 1 j and All in St. Luke's Gofpel from IV. 14 to IX. 9. did fall out or was tranfacled, and confequently is to be pla- ced according to the true Order of Time, between what is related in ^oh. V. and in Job. VI. Indeed Mr. Le Clerc takes a different Method, and inferts a great Deal of the foremention'd parts of the three former Evangelifts before the Beginning of Job. V. and fo makes our Saviour to keep that Paffover which is mention'd in Job. V, after that he had enter'd upon his more publick Miniftry, from which the three former Evangelifts, date or begin their Hif- tories of Chrift's Miniflry. So that againft this Method of Mr. Le Clerc there lies this obvious and ftrong Ob- jection, that it is not reafonable to fuppofe, that, if the Paffover mention'd Job. V. had been kept by our Saviour, after the Time from which the other Evangelifts begin their Hiftories of our Sr.viour's Miniftry, they would None of them have taken any manner of Notice of any thing relating thereto. And therefore it feems much more Reafonable to fuppofe, that the Caufe, why no Notice is taken by the three former Evangelifts of Chrift's keeping the Paffover mention'd Job. V. at Jerufalem , is truly this, becaufe that Paffover, tho' as it fell out after John the Baptift was imprifon'd, fo it fell out before our Saviour's Return into Galilee after the faid imprifonment of the Baptift, and confe- quently before that Time, from which the three former Evangelifts date or begin their Hiftories of our Saviour's Miniftry. It having been thus (hewn in general, that all the parts of the three former Evangelifts placed in the Table fo, as to refer to the Time between John V. and VI, are Rightly pla- ced •, I proceed now to fhew, that the feveral Particulars of the aforefaid parts of the three former Evangelifts are placed Rightly with refpecl one to the other. 14. Jefus being return'd into Galilee after the impnfon- - . ment of the Baptift, came to Nazareth, as St Luke ex- The call of presfly informs us, IV. 16, and is imply'd by St. Matthew's Simon and faying that Leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt at Caper- y^ani F 2 naum7 John, menti- 5 6 A Treat ife concerning the tn'd Luk. v. naum, Matt. IV. 13. Now Capernaum was fituated by the } me 'Jill ^ea °f Galilee \ and our Saviour walking by the Sea, faw thu menthrid Simon and Andrew, and James, and John, who being call'd WMJkheWDV him, to be Fi (hers of Men, prefently obey'd his Call. Thus far St. Matthew and Mark both agree in the Order of their Relation \ whereas St. Luke differs a lttle therein, forafmuch as he defers taking notice of Chrift's Calling the four Fifhermen aforeraention'd till Chap. V. 1--11 j and having mention'd Chrift's coming to Capernaum (IV. 29-32.) He prefently go's on to his teaching there on the Sabbath- days, and to his Curing in the Synagogue, the Man that had an Unclean Spirit, &c. Mr Whiflon thinks the Call of Simon and Andrew, James and John mention'd Luk. V. 1— 11. to be different from that mention'd by St Matthew and St Mark, partly becaufe the Circumftances are different, and partly becaufe he takes it for granted, that St Luke in his Hiftoiy keeps exactly to the Relation of Things according to their Order of Time, and agreeably to what he fays in his Preface Ch. I. 3. It feem'd good to me alfo to write unto thee IN ORDER. As to the difference in Circumflances, it is not lo Great, but that the Account given by St Luke of the Call of the four Perfons above-mentioned, may very well be reconcil'd with the Account given by St Matthew and St Mark ^ and confe- quently may moft reafonably be efteem'd one and the fame Call, it being Unreafonable to fuppofe them different with- out abfolute Neceffity. And then as to St Luke's faying in his Preface, that he defign'd to write in Order, This may be truly faid of any Author, that does write fo in the Main or as to the general Difpofition of his Hiftory ; and it feems a /training St Lukes Words too Far, to underftand thereby that he relates no Particular, but in its proper Order of Time j and agreeably hereto Mr Whiflon himfelf acknowledges in a- nother Inftance, that it is fomewhat poflpon\i, or related after the due Place in St Luke's Hiftory, where it fbould have been related according to the ftricl: Order of Time. As therefore nothing alledged by Mr Whiflon, does amount to a good Proof, that the Call of Simon and his three Com- panions is not mifplaced in St Luke's Hiftory j fo there are not Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 2 7 not wanting Confederations to make good Proof, that it is mifplaced, and that the Order wherein it is placed by St Matthew and Mark, is its True Place according to Order of Time. For both St Mark and St Luke agree, that when Chrift was come out of the Synagogue, where he had cured the Man with an unclean Spirit, he entered into Simon's Houfe, and cured his Wifes Mother : That the fame Day when the Sun was fetting, they brought unto Chrift All that were Difeafed, &CC that on the Morrow when it was Day, Chrift departed into a defart or folitary tlace. Hither St Luke obferves that the People came to him, and ftafd him, that he JJwuld not depart from them. But he [aid unto them, I mufl Preach to OTHER Cities alfo. Luk. IV. 42, 43. St Mark more particularly takes notice, that after our Saviour was departed into the foremention'd folitary Place, SI MON and THET that were WITH #7vW(ivh.ereby without doubt are meant his Brother ^NDR£/F together with JAMES and JO HN') followed after him. And when they had found him, they faid, All Men feek for thee, (referring thereby to the People who fought him, and were come thither alfo to him, as St Luke obferves.) And he faid unto them, let us go into the NEXT Towns — Mark I. 36 — 38. Upon which, as St Luke obferves, that he Preactid in the Synagogues of Galilee, fo St Mark obferves more fully, that he Preached in their Synagogues (i. e. in the Synagogues of the OTHER Towns befides Caparnawn, taking them as they lay NEXT one after the other) throughout all Galilee. From the Hiftory of • St Mark and Luke thus compar'd together, it appears, that our Saviour was now departectfrom Capernaum, and preaching in OTHER Places of Galilee :, and not only fo, but that alfo SlVON and THET that were WITH HIM (\. e. ANDREW his Brother, and JAMES and JOHN the Sons of Zebedee) were now accompanying our BleiTed Saviour. From whence it clearly appears, that They were call'd by Chrift before this, as the Hiftory of their Call is fet down by St. Matthew and Mark j and not after this, as the Hiftory of their Call is fet down by St Luke. For immediately, after that St Luke has obierv'd in the laft Verfe 3 8 A Treatife contenting the Verfe of Chap. IV. that our Saviour being departed from Capernaum, preach'd in the Synagogues (of the other Cities) of Galilee, there follows in Chap. V. i &c. the Account of our Saviour's Calling Simon &c. at the Sea of Galilee, as if he had ftill been at Capernaum. Whence it is evident, that this Account of their Call is not placed by St Luke ac- cording to the Order of Time, wherein it fell out, fuppo- fing it to be the fame Call with that raention'd by St Mat- thew and St Mark. And that it was the fame, and not a different Call, appears not only from the Weaknefs of the Arguments alledg'd by Mr Whifton to prove the Contrary, but alfo from comparing what goes before and after the Call mention'd Luke V. with the parallel places of St Mark. For immediately BEFORE the faid Call in St Luke's Gofpel, there is an account of our Saviour's departing from Caperna- um to preach in other Cities or Towns of Galilee j and im- mediately AFTER, the faid Call follows the Account of our Saviour's Curing the Leper, by his barely faying, / will, be tlmi Clean. Whereas in St Mark the Cure of the faid Leper follows immediately AFTER the Account of our Sa- viour's departing from Capernaum to preach in Other Places of Galilee, as being at leaft the mofl remarkable Miracle done by our Saviour during this his Abfence from Capernaum, and therefore particularly taken notice of by St Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Which laft Evangelift plainly enough fignifies, that this Cure of the Leper was perform'd not at Capernaum, but as our Saviour was preaching about in the other Cities or Towns of Galilee, by faying that it came to pafs when He (i. e. Chrift) was in a CERTAIN City (i. e. in One of the Cities, which he preach'd in after his aforefaid Departure from Capernaum) behold, a Man full of Leprofy &c. But now immediately after the Cure of the aforefaid Leper, St Mark exprefly takes further Notice of Chrift's Return to Capernaum, in thefe Words, Chap. II. i, &Cc. And again he enter' d into Capernaum, after fome Days, and they came unto him, bringing one ftck of the Paljy &c. Which PaflTage is likewife taken notice of by St Luke, prefently after his Relation of the Cure of the Leper, but without taking notice of Chrift's being now Returned to Capernaum, 15. From Harmony of the four Gofpels. 39 1 5. From whence may be juftly made thefe following 1 5. Obfervations, viz. ifl. that St Mark is more ExaB in fetting stMark down the particular Places, where the foremention'd Oc- ]^fn "/Luke currencgs fell out, than St Luke $ and the like will hold (andconfe. good in other Inftances. And therefore idly, fince St Mark 'lsXu:lhZ) does foexafrly and expresfly take notice, both of our Savi- infettmgdLn • our's depart ing from Capernaum Chap. I. 35. and of his Re- 'jfi Pa"icuiar ??//•» ag#i» to Capernaum Chap. II. 1. it is but Rational to the PajfaJ" fuppofe, that our Saviour was not at Capernaum, between the °f'he Oofpei~ faid Departure from and return to it. Whence %dly it will trtnflskd? follow, thEt our Saviour's Calling of Simon Sec. could not be between his faid Departure and Return, as it is fet down by St Luke; but was before this his Departure from Capernaum, and confequently was 710 other than that mention'd by St Mat- there and Mark, upon Ch rift's firft coming to Capernaum after that John the Baptift was caft into Prifon :, and therefore laftly, is Rightly placed in the Table, in one Line with the Call mention'd by the other two Evangelifts. 16. Now St Mark and Luke differ only in placing this Par- 16. ticular of the aforefaid Call, and agree in placing All thefe n* ?"$*• ether Particulars, viz. Chrift's coming out of the Synagogue zhevifrom " at Capernaum, when he had cured the Man with an Unclean chaP *V. to Spirit, and entring into Simons Houfe, and curing his Wifes bex^J^n. Mother : All that were difeas'd being brought to him that to the fame fame Day, when the Sun was fetting : His Departing next ^pjr&*, Morning into afolitary Place : His going thence to Preach in of st Mark the Synagogues of the Otlier Places in Galilee : St Mark and lind Luke- St Luke, I fay, agree in placing all thefe Particulars which in the foremention'd Order are fet down by St Luke im- mediately before Chap. V. 1 — 11. (where he takes notice of the Call of Simon Sec.) and not only fo, but agree alfo in placing the fever al Particulars, which follow immediately af- ter Luke V. 1 — ij. viz. Chrift's curing the Leper •, then the Man that had the Palfy i, then calling Levi or St Mat- thew from the Receipt of Cuftom ^ then going through the Corn-fields on the Sabbath-Day, then healing the Man who - had a withered Hand j then going into a Mountain to pray, and choofing the Twelve j and laftly, the Multitudes coming to him from Judea and Jerufalem Sec. Wherefore fince St Mark 4° -A Treatife concerning the Mark and St Luke do thus agree in placing all thefe Parti- culars, (as may be ieen by looking on the Table,) it is but Reafonable to fuppofe, that the faid Particulars are placed or related by the faid two Evangelifts in their Gofpels accord- ing to the true Order of Time wherein they came to pafs y and confequcntly that lo many of the faid Particulars, as are related in St Matthew's Golpel in a different Order , are mif- placed or not related there according to the Order of Time, wherein they came to pafs 5 and therefore are to be redu- ced to their proper Place according to the faid Order of Time, by placing them fo in the Table, as to make them anfwer to the Order, wherein they are placed by St Mark and St Luke y which therefore is accordingly done in the Table. As for St John the Evangelift, He paffes over all thefe Particulars in filence, for the Reafon aforemention'd. 17. 17. It is obfervable, that both St Mark and St Luke take Luk. vi. exprefs notice, that alter Chnft was come down from the V(houl'r°Ac. Mountain, where he chofe the twelve Apoftles, a great Mul- cmntofthe titude of People from ail Quarters came to him: Thus fi?j,i™°*e'Mark III. 20, 21. The Multitude (viz. mentiou'd afore Full} Matrb. v. 7, 8, from Galilee and from Judea <SC c.) comes together v, vi, vn. again. And (o Luke VI. 17, 18, 19. He came down and flood in the Plain — and a great Multitude out of all Judea &c. After which v. 20. St Luke begins to fet down our Savi- our's Sermon, in thefe Words : And he lift up his Eyes on his D/fciples, and faid, Ble/Jed be the Poor, &c. In like man- ner St Matthew having obferv'd Ch. IV. ult. that there follow 'd Chrijl great Multitudes from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerufalem, &c. He proceeds in the next Place to fet down our Saviour's Sermon, Chap. V. beginning thus : And feeing the Multitudes, he went up into a Mountain, and his Difciples came unto him, and he taught them faying, Blef- fed are the Poor in Spirit, &c. Now comparing the foremen- tion'd Particulars taken notice of by St Matthew and Luke, and alfo the Subject-matter of the Sermon as related by Both Evangelifts, it is nor, 1 think, to be Reafonably doubted, but it was one and the fame Sermon \ and confequently St Luke having taken notice of it in its proper place, we know from him how to reduce Matthew V. VI. VII. (wherein the faid Sermon Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 41 Sermon is contain'd more fully) likewife to its proper Place, by fetting it in a Line, or as even in Time, with Luk. VL 20 — ult. It is indeed thought by fome, that our Saviour deliver'd the Sermon mcntion'd by St Luke, as he flood in the Plain j and therefore that it was different, or at leaft delivered at a different time, from that inention'd by St Matthew, and af- firm'd expresfly by him to be deliver'd on a Mountain. But it will quickly appear, that there are in reality no good Grounds for fuppofing any fuch Difference j forafmuch as there are no good Grounds for fuppofing the Sermon men- tion'd by St Luke to be deliver'd by our Saviour, while he flood in the Plain. All that St Luke fays in reference to Chrift's (landing in the Plain, is this j that when he was come down with his Difciples from the Mountain, where he had chofen the Twelve, He flood in the Plain* After which he takes notice, how a great Multitude were come to him out of all Judea &c. to HEAR him, and to be HEALED of their Dijeafes, — and they were HEALED. Luk. VI. 17 — 19. Now if we call to mind, that the former part of this Day was taken up with Chrift's calling up to him in the Moun- tain, (where he had pray'd all Night) whom he would of his Difciples, and of them choofing Twelve , and then that the Healing of fo great a Number of infirm Perfons mud take up a great deal of Time j forafmuch as there is no ground for fuppofing Chrift to heal them All at a word fpeaking -, but on the contrary, that heheal'd them fingly, as they could each get to him j and that he had fome Difcourfe (more or lefs) with every one that openly applyed to him, and were not cur'dby barely touching him : If further it be confider'd, that our Saviour and his Difciples mud ftand in need of fome Rcfpite from the thronging and importunity of the Multi- tude, and of fome Refreftiment j and that (ince St Mark prefently, after Chrift's choofing the Twelve, obferves that they went into an Honfe, (Mark. III. 19.) it may very Rea- fonably be fuppos'd, that they went into the faid Houfe to refrefh themfelves, and conlequently ftay'd there for fome time j infomuch that the Midtitude being impatient, comes together again to them while they were there, fo that they . G could X 4 2 A Treat ife concerning the cmld ?u>t fo much as get fufficient time to eat BreaJ or re- frefli themfelves as they fhould and wanted: On all thefe Confederations I think it is not improbable, that that whole. Day was taken up with Healing &c. So that our Saviour did not deliver his Sermon till the next Day, when He went up again into a Mountain, (probably the very fame where he had afore chofen the Twelve,) and being [at down there taught his Difciples, tk'c. as St Matthew obferves. How- ever I lay no great ftrefs upon the Sermon being delivered on the next Day after our Saviour is related by St Luke to come down from it, and to ft and in the Plain, tho5 I think it probable. It is fufficient to my purpofe, that our Saviour's Refreshing himfelf in the Houfe mention'd by St Mark (or at leaft going thither to refrefh himfelf) and his Twelve Difciples, which he had newly chofen j and the Healing of fo great a number of infirm Perfons, muft take up feveral Hows after our Saviour was come down from the Mountain. After which, when he had done Healing, he proceeded to Teaching (the Company coming to hear, as well as to be heal'd, as is expresfly noted Luk. VI. 1 7.) and in order hereto went up again into the fame Mountain j and there de- livered his Divine Sermon. Sure I am, by either of the foremention'd Suppofitions, St Matthew and St Luke are both eafdy reconciled as to the Circumftances mention'd by them relating to the faid Sermon :, and J dare leave it to any fober Perfori, whether fuch a Solution is not much to be preferred to the groundless, (not to fay, extravagant) buppo- fition of St Matthew's Gofpel being writ, as to the feveral Parts or Periods of the former part of it, at firfl feparately and upon feveral di(iin£i Papers, as Sir YVhifton fancies p. s 108. of his Harmony. st Ma"t. 18. And here is a proper phce to obferve •, that St Mat- thcw's chief therms Chief Care in penning his Gofpel feems to have been £irmoreth's' ***' to ret.down more Fully our Saviour's Difcourfes or Vuiiy o»rSa- Inftrufiicns, during his more pubiick Miniftry in Galilee, and wawVDif- afterwards in Judea, excepting only thole private Difcourfes ro'Tle and In- , • , <-, J- , l , . ° . J „ . r . . . _ - a» ft.uftiom which our Saviour made to his Apoftles at his toft Paflover. On this Account, our Saviour's Sermons on the Mount beinff (as it is generally efteem'd) the pj-indpal of thefe his Dif- courfes, Harmony of the FourGofpelr. 43 courfes, and indeed no other than a jhort Syftem of Chrijli- anity, St Matthew makes choice of This to place in the very Beginning of his Hiftory of our Saviour's Miniftry, without any Regard to the Order of Time wherein our Saviour de- liver'd this Sermon, this being not till nigh, if not quite, a Tear after he had began his more publick Miniftry in Ga- lilee. In like manner St Matthew gives a very large Account of the Parables deliver'd by Jefus, in his Chap. XIII \ whereas St Mark takes notice but of Three of them, and St Luke of None. So St Matthew is much larger Chap. XVIII. in fetting down the Difcourfes of our Saviour, which fol- low'd upon the Difpute among his Apoftles, which Jbould be the Greateft, than either of the other two Evangelifls afore- named. So our Saviour's Parable concerning the ten Vir- gins, and that which follows cbncerning the Talents, and his Difcourfe concerning the Day of Judgment, All which were deliver'd after our Saviour was come out of Galilee into Judea and as he was fitting on the Mount of O- lives) are taken notice only by St Matthew Chap XXV. tho' the Former part of our Saviour's Difcourfe at that time is taken notice of by St Mark Chap XIII. and by St Luke Chap. XXI. as well as by St Matthew Chap. XXIV. Now St Matthew having (as has been (hewn) a fpecial Regard to the recording of our Saviour's Inftru&ions, and thereupon beginning his Hiftory of our Saviour's Miniftry with our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, as of Principal Ufe to be known by all Chriftians :, and the giving this Firft place to the faid Sermon, requiring the Evangelift not to obferve the Or- der of Time wherein it was deliver'd \ hence He feems to have judg'd it a matter indifferent, in what Order he related the Miracles done by our Saviour, and the other Events, that fell out before the Delivery of the Sermon on the Mount, and for fome time after it, namely tilL He came to take notice of the Baptifl being beheaded by Herod, or rather of what pafs'd after the Return of the twelve Apoftles, which he does Chap. XIV, and after which he obferves the Order of lime in his Relations, as well as the other Evangelifts do. 1 9. Now as St Matthew for the Reafon aforemention'd 1 9. iudg'd it a matter indifferent in what Order he related theMira- st Ma"hew ' ° M J-* , never ujet VJ 2 Cles Words, that 44 A Treat ife concerning the denote order des and Events mention'd by him, before Chap. XIV. of wbtnktos h's Gofpel, fo He has taken Care fo to exprefs himfelf, as nor obferve that his Words never denote Order of Time, where the Time Things related did not fucceed in fuch Order of Time. For inftance, after our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, follows Chap. VIII. I <3cc When he was come down from the Moun- tain, great Multitudes follow' d him. And behold there came a Leper, Sic. Where it is vulgarly thought, that the AND do's fo connect, the coming of the Leper to Chrift's coming down out of the Mountain, as if it immediately followed af- ter Chrift's coming down out of the Mountain j whereas in reality, the Lepers coming to Chrift, was a good while before Chrift's preaching the Sermon on the Mount,, as will appear by confulting the Table. Nor do's the Words ufed by the Evangelift fignify the Con- trary. For the only Word, that can relate to or denote the Time n hen the Leper came, is That which is render'd in our Bibles And. But now if St Matthew writ in Hebrew, then the Particle ufed by him here, which was ] , fignifies AW (as it is taken to fignify, not any particular Time, but only the Beginning of a New Subject or PaiTage, or a Note of Tran- Jition or Faffing from one Subject to Another) as well as And. Nor is the Cafe different, if St Matthew be fuppos'd to write in Greek, forafmuch as it is well known by the Learned, that the Greek k«j is ufed by the Hellenifts (i. e. fuch Jews. as write in Greek) in the fame Extent of fignification, as the Hebrew •, and therefore is ufed by them to fignify ] AW in the Senfe aforemention'd, as well as And. This being fo, it follows that **, wherewith the coming of the Leper is introduced, do's not here fignify any fuch Connexion between Chrift's coming down from the Mountain, and the Lepers coming to him, as implies This to be after That j but only fignifies the Beginning of a new and different Subject, or a Tranjition from what relates to the Sermon on the Mount, to fomewhat elfe, which was done at a certain Time, whe- ther afore or after the Sermon matters not , nor is at all denoted by the Word k«j, according to the Intention of St Matthew, which may be thus exprefs'd at large. When Jefus was come down from the Mountain, great Multitudes follow' d him. NOW (I proceed to relate fome Miracles per- formd Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 45 form'd by Jefus ^ and the firfl which occurs to my Thoughts, is this :) Behold there came (at a certain time) a Leper to him dec. In like manner is to be underftood the PafTage of the Cen- turion, which is related next by St Matthew, tho' it was done a long time after j namely the Cure of the Leper was done before the Sermon on the Mount a confiderable time, whereas the Cure of the Centurion's Servant was done upon Chrift's firft coming into Capernaum after the faid Sermon, as appears from comparing the Evangelifts in the Table. Whereas then it is faid according to our Tranilation, Mat. VII f. 5, See. And when Jefus was enter 'd into Capernaum, there tame unto him a Centurion 6cc. It is thus to be under- ftood \ And or Now the next Miracle which I flail relate, is this : When Jefus was entered into Capernaum &c. that is, the Particle And muft be underftood to denote, not Connex- ion of Time, as if the Cure of the Centurion's Servant fol- low'd prefently after the Cure of the Leper j but only Con- nexion of Relation. Befides it is here obfervable, that the Particle, which our Translators render And, is not KaJ but &$t which they frequently render Now, as particularly v. 18. of this Chapter :, and the Hebrew } is promifcuoufly render'd by the feventy Interpreters KaS or as. So again Chap. VIII. 14, 15. And when Jefus was come in- to Peter's Houfe Sec. is not fo to be underftood, as if this coming into Peters Houfe was prefently after our Saviour's parting from the Centurion. For it is evident from Com- paring the Evangelifts St Mark and Luke, (as may be feen in the Table,,) that this coming of Chrift into Peter's Houfe, and Curing his Wife's Mother, was long before, not only the Curing of the Centurion's Servant, but alfo the Sermon on the Mount, and the Cure of the Leper, viz,, during Chrift's Firfl ftay at Capernaum after the Impriionment of the Baptift, and a little after he had calfd Peter and his Brother Andrew 6cc. from their Fiftiing-trade to follow him. Wherefore by And, v. 14. is to be underftood (as is afore obferv'dj not Connexion or Order of Time, but only Connexion or Order of Relation ^ as if the Evangelift had faid : And the third Miracle which I flail relate^ flail be Thin j^6 A Trealtfe concerning the This : When Jefus (on another certain time during his Stay at CapernaumJ was come into PeterV Houfe, Sec. But then the Cafe is quite different, v. \6. of this Chap. VIII. For as there St Matthew ufes Words which exprefs a particular Time, to That which is there related, did accord- ingly follow according to the Order of Ti?ne there [pecified, as appears by comparing the other Evangelifts in the Table. Namely, when the Evening (of that Day, whereon our Sa- viour went into Feters Houfe) was come, they brought unto him Many that were poffefs'd with Devils, 5cc. But then v. 18 again, as there is no Word, which de- notes any particular Time, fo what is there related, is not to be fuppos'd to have fell out immediately, or in a port time after, what is related v. 1 6 : Forafmuch as it appears by comparing the Evangelifts in the Table, that it did not come to pafs till a good Long time after. And therefore by Now v. 1 8. is to be underftood thus much : Now the next: 'Particulars of Ckrifi's Hi/lory that occur to my Thoughts, are thefe : when (on a certain time) Jefus [aw great Alul- titudes about him 5cc. 20. 20. It would be too long to go after this manner through Textsfeem- All the Paffages, which follow hence to the end of Chap. hk mSF* XIIL And indeed k is Needlefs fo do it here, fince I de- fwegmg Afler- fign (God willing) to do it in my Paraphrafe on this Gof- tkn conf,Jer'd i j fl^n therefore content my felf here with taking no- and jJiewn not r . - , n rr J ■ • i r * * to be really re- tice only of two or three Pallages, which may ieem not to pugnanc. agree t0 the Obfervation I have above made, tho' the In- ftances already fpecify'd do agree thereto. And the firft PaHage (lull be that in Matth. IX. 18. While he fpake thefe things unto them, behold, there came a certain Ruler and worfbipp'd him, faying, My Daughter is even now dead, &c. Here the Expreflion, While he fpake thefe things, do's fpecify a particular Time, and feem to im- ply that the Ruler came to Jefus, while Jefus was now f peak- ing to the Difciples of John about the Queftion they put to him v. 14. And yet it appears from the other two Evange- lifts, St. Mark and St Luke, that this Ruler did not come to Jefus, till long after that Difcourfe of Jefus with the Difciples of John Baptifl. So that here it may be thought that St. Matthew does not only mifplace the Rulers coining, but give Harmony of the fourCofpels. 47 give expresfly a falfe Account as to the Time when the Ruler came. But Mr le Clerc's Solution of this Difficulty, is I think very Natural and Eafy, viz. That tho' it was a long time after Chrift's Difcourfe then with the Difciples of the Baptift, that this Ruler Cjairus') came to Chrift •, yet at That very time the Ruler did come, upon the like Occafion again given, Chrift hap'ned to be again Difcourfing upon the fame Sub- ject he had formerly Difcours'd with the Baptift's Difciples, namely, the Proper Method to deal with the yet inlirm Tempers of his own Difciples. Which he iiluftrated by the fame Familiar lnftances he had formerly ufed. No Man puts a piece of New Cloth into an Old Garment, <Scc. Neither do Men put New Wine into Old Bottles, &c. So that, altho' it was a long time after the Difcourfe mention'd Matth. IX. 14 — 17, that the Ruler came to Chrift, yet this hinders not but that it is mofl truly faid, v. 18. that While he fpake thefe things (viz. at another time) the Ruler came. And thus not only St Matthew is, by a very Natural and fo Eafy fup- pofition, clear d from aligning a Matter of Fact to a wrong Time •, but alfo there is good Ground given us to conjecture, how St Matthew came to relate this Matter of Fadl in this Place :, namely, as being put in mind thereof by the fame fort of Difcourfe related juft afore, and actually ufed by our Saviour again, when the Ruler came to him. The next Inftance I (hall mention, (hall be Matth. XII. I, <Scc. At that time Jefus went on the Sabbath-day through the Corn, &c. Where the Expreffion, at that time, feems to denote, that the Ti?ne when Jefus went through the Corn, was after that the Baptift had fent two of his Difciples to Chrift, as is related in the foregoing Chap. XI. Whereas in reality this Going of Chrift through the Corn was fome time before the Baptift fent his two Difciples to Chrift, as appears from St Luke. So that fuppoling St Matthew to have writ his Gofpel in the fame Order wherein it now ftands, (which is I think moft rationally to be fuppofed,) it will follow that he here feems to adign Chrift's going through the Corn to a wrong Time. But it will quickly appear, that He do's but feem fo to do. For it is to be obferv'd, that the Greek Word k»# do's (ignify , not only in general Titre^ but 48 A Treatife concerning the but alfo and more properly Seafon j and accordingly our linglifh Word lime is ufed, not only to fignify a porter Time, as a particular Hour or Day, or Week, or Month j but alfo a longer Time, viz. £w<? or three Months, or more, even as many as are denoted by a Seafon. Wherefore tho' Chrift's Going through the Corn was fome time Before the Baptift fent his two Difciples to him, as is related Matth. XI, yet St Matthew might very truly begin his Chap. XII. with faying, *e„ Utivy Km?? At or in that Time, i. e. Seafon (viz. fome few Weeks or Months before) Jefus went through the Com. In like manner it is faid Matth. XIV. i. At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the Fame of Jefus : And the Particular immediately related afore Chap. XIII. 54.- -ulc. is Chrift's going into his own Country, i. e. to Nazareth, as appears from the other Evangelifts :, whereas both St Mark and Luke place Chrift's fending forth the twelve Apo flies to preach and work Miracles, immediately before their taking notice of Herod the Tetrarch's hearing of Chrift's Tame. But now it can't be hence juftly inferr'd, that St Matthew afligns Herod's hearing of the Fame of Jefus to a Wrong Time, forafmuch as the Expreffion, At that time or Seafon, refers to and includes in propriety of Speech, not only the Miffi- on of the twelve Apoftles which was done Laft, but alfo Chrift's Going into his Own Country, which was done fometime Afore. Laftly, whereas it is faid Matth. XI. 25. At that Time Jefus anfwer'd and faid, I thank thee, 0 bather, &c. the Expreffion, At that Time do's by no means necefTarily denote here, that Chrift fpoke thefe Words at the very fame Time, (i. e. Hour or Day) thathe fpoke the foregoing, wherein he up- braided the Cities wherein moftof his mighty Wordshadbeen done. It is evident that there was a flop put at v. 24. to the foregoing Difcourfe j and that our Saviour begins anew at v. 25. This I fay is Evident, from its being exprefly noted v. 25. Jefus anfwer'd and faid, which plainly impliesfome Interrup- tion between v. 24. and 25. And there might be fome Weeks or Months Space between the one and the other j and yet it might be properly faid, At that Time, i. e. Seafon, Jefus an- fwer'd and faid, c\c. as has been before (hewn. 22. I Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 49 21. I have now mention'd All the inftances I know of, 21. which fo much as feem to dif agree to the Obfervation I above Mr whif- laid down, and have I think fufficiently fhewn, that they i<]„(e,llin'"',Z do not difagree in reality. I (hall now here lay together be- Pccafioo of fore the Reader in fhort , Mr Whifions Hypothefis concern- cJufufrm as ing the Occafion, how the Paffages, recorded by St Matthew to order of from the latter end of Chap. IV. to the end of Chap. XIII. J^it-j' came to be fo very much mi/placed and confufed as to the in the Paffa^s Order of Time, wherein they fell out j and likewife my Hy-^j^y''^ pothefis concerning the fame: And fo mall leave the Rea-xiv." der to judge, which is the more probable, and confequently to be preferred. Mr Whiflon then is of Opinion, that St Matthew origi- nally objerv'd the ORDER of TIME through his WHOLE Gofpel, as well as the refl of the Evangel) /Is, p. 100 of his Harmony: And then p. 103. he fays thus, I muft here take it for GRANTED, that the Jeveral Parts or Periods of this former part of St Matthew's Gofpel, (viz. from the fourth Chapter to the fourteenth) were written at fir ft SEPARATE- LY, and upon fever al DISTINCT Papers. Which Papers (or whatever they were written upon) were PUT TOGETHER in their PRESENT ORDER, by THOSE who did NOT prefently KNOW the true Series of the Hiftory. This is the Way, whereby Mr Whiflon fuppofes, that St Matthew's Gofpel, which was Originally writ the whole of it according to Order of Time, came to be fo dif ordered and mifplaced as to Order of Time from the fourth to the fourteenth Chapter. Rut then, to do Mr Whi/lon Juftice, in the very next Page but one, viz. p. no. He feems not to be fatisfy'd Himfelf, with his foremention'd Hypothefis, by his faying at the bot- tom of the laft cited Page, inflead of offering any Conjetlures, hozv fo many of thefe Seblions came to be fo STRANGELY TRANSPOS'D, which I ONCE defan'd to have attempted^ I fiall NOW ONLY firfl make an Obfervation or two, which MAY POSSIBLY give Light in that Matter to fome future Inquiries • And then fecondly, I fiall fay a Word or two in order to prevent fueh CENSURES, as the STRANGENESS of this Proportion might otherwife occafwn agai7ifl /he, &c. H 22. But *o A T>rtatife concerning the 22. 22. But now I perfuade myfelf, that my Opinion carries TteAu. in it no fach Strangeness, as to occafwn the Cenfures of any tnSnZlh" Sober, Judicious, and Unprejudiced Perron again ft Me. fame. For it is no other than this, viz. that St Matthews princi- pal Defign in penning the Hiftory of our Saviour's- Mi- niftry, was, to deliver down to Poflerity an Account of his Difconrfes and DoBrines. And agreeably hereto Mr Wbif- ton obferves (p. in. of his Harmony) that it mufl be own J that as to the mojl confuierable part, the account of our Sa- viour's Do&rine and Difcourfes, St Matthew is more particu- lar than either St Mark or Luke, who give us yet fome Hif- tory of the fame things j and is therefore (notwithflandino- the occafonal Diforder of thirteen Chapters in point of Time,) even in that Tranjlation we nozv have, One of the mojl Valu- able, if I may fo fpeak, of all the Evangeli/Is. Now as Mr Whifton's foregoing Observation is fo far juft in itfelf, and agreeable to the firft part of my Opinion, viz. that St Mat- thew s principal Defign was to give a more particular and full Account of our Saviour's DoBrines and Difcourfes j fo the Other parts of my Opinion are very Agreeable to the firft, and are thefe, viz. that St Matthew thought it proper to his principal Defign aforementioned, to place in the Beginning of his Hiftory of Chrift's Miniftry, the Sermon on the Mount, as being the principal of all our Saviour's Difcourfes, and' containing as it were a Summary of the Chriftian Do&rine. • Now this Sermon being not deliver'd till a long time (near if not quite a Tear) after Chrift had began his- more publick Miniftry in Galilee j hence the Placing of it at the Begin- ning of the Hiftory of Chrift's Miniftry, tho' it was agree- able to St Matthew's principal Defign in penning the fa id Hiftory, yet was difagreeahle to the Order of Time, wherein the faid Sermon was deliver'd. It being thus Requifite for St Matthew, Not to obferve Order of Time fox fome part of his- Hiftory, He feems to have pitch 'd upon a certain and remarkable Period, after which He would obferve Order of Time in his Hiftory ; which Period was the Death of John the Baptift, -or rather the Return of the Twelve Apoftles to Chrift after their firft Miffion. Having pitch'd upon this Period, as he began that Part of Chrift's Hiftory which goes before Harmony of the FoHrGofpeh. tt tefore this Period with the Divine Sermon on the Mount ; fo he referv'd for a like Conclujion of the faid Part of Chrift's Hiftory, that excellent Difcourfe by way of Parables in Chap XIII. concerning the Sower that went forth to foiv, Sic. and concerning the Tares, and the Muftard feed, and the Leven, and the hidden Treafure, and the Pearl, and the Net. For after this excellent DifcoUrfe, St Matthew takes no- tice only of our Saviour's going unto Nazareth, where he had formerly liv'd, and how he was there defpis'd by his faid Townfmen j and then proceeds to take Notice of the Death of the Baptift, Chap. XIV. I. &c. and what was done after the Return of the Apoftles, v. 13. compar'd with other Gofpels :> after which he obferves Order of lime in his Relation, as well as the other Evangelifts. St Matthew be- ing thus determin'd, to begin That part of his Gofpel, in which he mould not obferve order of Time, with the Ser- mon on the Mount, and to end it with the foremention'd Dif- courfe by way of ¥ arables ^ fince He did not obferve the ex- a& Order of Time in this part of his Gofpel, thought it of no Confequence, in what other Order he related the Parti- culars belonging to this part of his Gofpel •, and therefore fet them down as they hap'ned to come into his Thoughts. Such is my Opinion, which I think contains nothing in it, but what is either Evident, or Natural and Eafy to fup- pofe or infer from what is Evident. And yet according to this my Opinion, may all the Difficulties (relating to the Dif- order and Confufion in point of Time to be found in the Piflages contain'd) from Matth. IV. to the end of Matth. XlII. be as fully folifd, as by Mr Whijlon's Hypothefis, which according to his own Confeffion, carries Strangenefs in it. In fhort, I fuppofe that St Mattthew writ his Gofpel at the firft, in the very fame Order it now (lands in ^ and the Reafon, why he writ that part of his Gofpel contain'd between Chap. IV. and XIV. in fo confufed or diforderly a manner in point of Time, is above explain'd after a very probable manner. However when any one (hall impart to me a more probable manner, I (hall readily embrace his Opinion, and give him my Thanks into the Bargain. H 2 We *> 2 A Treatife concerning the We are now to go on with the Paflages of the Gofpel-hif- tory after the Sermon on the Mount, as they (land in the Ta- ble, and to fhew that they (land there in their due Place in refped to Order of Time. And fince we are to be guided herein, Ctill we come to Matth. XlV.j) only by St Mark and Luke fingly or jointly, it follows that there is no Reafon to doubt, but All from Luk. VI [, i. ("which follows immedi- ately after St Luke's account of the Sermon on the MountJ to Luk. VIII. i — 3. is placed Right j there being Nothin* of it taken Notice of by St Mark. In the following part of Luk. VIII. there is a diforderly placing of Particulars in point of Time, as is confefs'd by Mr Whifton himfeif, pag. 99, of his Harmony. For whereas St Luke relates the Parable of the Sower, before the Coming of Chrift's Mother and his Brethren to him, it is evident from St Mark, (with whom alfo agrees St Matthew) that Chrift's Mother and Brethren came to him, before he deli- ver'd the Parable of the Sower. 23. 23. And here it is proper to obferve, that the like Reafon Another ob- that Mr Whiflon afligns for St Luke's here not obferving Cfc iJEOwfer of Time, may alfo be affign'd for St Luke's not obfer- v. 1. ving Order of Time, in fetting down the Call of Simon and Andrew <3cc. Chap. V, 1. &c. Namely, St Luke having Chap. IV. 31. omitted taking Notice of the faid Call, pre- fently upon Chrift's coming down to Capernaum, where it mould have been related \ and having after Chrift's coming to Ca- pernaum immediately taken notice of his teaching there on the Sabbath-day : He was thereby naturally led on orderly in the next Place, to relate the Cure of the Man which had a Spirit of an Unclean Devil, as being perform'd when he went on the Sabbath-days into the Synagogue to teach. After which the Evangelift was Orderly led to take notice of our Saviour's Curing Peter's Wife's Mother, after he was come out of the Synagogue, and then to take Notice of the Many Sick that were heal'd that fame day at Evening ; and then of Chrift's departing into a Solitary Place, the next Morn- ing when it was Day } and then of his going to Preach in the other Synagogues of Galilee : where the Thread of the feveral Paflages, which immediately fucceeded one the other, from Harmony of the Four Go/pels. 5 3 from the mention (v. 31.) of Chrift's teaching on the Sab- bath-days at Capernaum, is firft ftopt and broken off. So that this was the Firft proper Place, where St Luke could take no- tice of the Call of Simon, See. after that he had once omit- ted it in that Place, where It/Jmdd have been related accord- ing to the Order of Time, (viz. in v. 31. after the mention of Chrift's coming to Capernaum} and had mention'd Chrift's teaching on the Sabbath-Days at Capernaum. To proceed again now with the Order of the PafTages of the Gofpel-hiftory, as fet down in the Table. The Coming of Chrift's Mother and his Brethren to' him, as it is mention'd by St Luke Chap. VIII. 19 — 21, fo is it alfoby St Matthew Chap. XII. 46 — ult. and by St Mark Chap. III. 3 1 — ult. And hereby we have good Light given us, whither to refer what is immediately before related by St Mark, concerning the Scribes afcribing Chrift's Power to cafl out Devils, to the Prince of the Devils, Chap. III. 22 — 30. Namely, it is hence evident, that this is no other than that Pafiage, which is related more fully, or with more particular Circumftances by St Matthew Chap. XII. 22 — 37. For after our Savi- our's like Difcourfe therewith the Scribes or Pharifees con- . cerning the Abfurdity of their Notion, that he cafl: out Devils by the Prince of the Devils } and alfo his Difcourfe with them upon their Demanding a Sign from him, (which is not taken notice of by St Mark) follows the like Account of Chrift's Mother and his Brethren coming to him, <3cc. St Matthew exorefly obferves Chap. XIII. 1. that the fame Day, that Chrifthad the foregoing Difcourfe with the Scribes and Pharifees related Chap. XII. went Je us out of the Houfe, where he was when his Mother and Brethren came to him ^ and fat by the Sea-fide, — and fpake in Parables, faying, Be- hold a Sower went forth to Sow. ckc. So that it is hence evident, that this and the following Parables are rightly placed in the Table, after the Coming of Chrift's Mother &c. to him. And St Mark obferves Chap. IV. 35. that the fame Day at Evening, Chrift fays, let us pafs over unco the other fide, viz. of the Sea of Galilee. And then Chap. V. he proceeds to relate Chrift's coming into the Country of the Gadarenes-^ and his Return again unto that fide of the Sea, where he was afore. j- a A Trefltije concerning tfor afore, and of the Ruler Jairus's coming to him about his Daughter. Which all manifeftly follows one the other in Order of Time as well as of Place in the Table. And ac- cordingly All' thefe PafTages follow one the other in St Luke as well as St Mark •, as they do alfo in St Matthew, except only the coming of Jairus the Ruler, which is mif- placed in St Matthew's Gofpel as to Order of Time, but is reduced to its proper Place in the Table, even in that refpeft likewife. Prefently after the account of Chrift's raifing Jairus's Daughter to Life, St Mark relates that he went out from thence, viz. where he had done the forefaid Miracle, and came into his Own Country, Mark VI. i. And St Matthew relates Chip. IX. 27. &c. that When Jefus departed thence, viz. where he had raifed Jairus's Daughter to Life, Two Blind j'en followed him, &^q. So that it is not to be doubted, but that this PafTage of the two Blind Men, and alfo that o- ther of the Dumb Man, Alatth. IX. 32. hap'ned in Order of Time, as Chrift was departing from the Place, where he had raifed 'Jairus'' s Daughter, into his Own Country :, and therefore are Rightly placed in the Table before Chrift came into his Own Country. And by comparing the laft cited Chapters and PafTages of St Matthew and Mark, we learn that what is faid Matth. XIII. 54 — ult. of Chrift's coming into his own Country, do's according to Order of Time come in between v. 34 and 35 of Ch. IX. of St Matthew. For as St Mark prefently adjoins to the Relation of what hap- ned upon Chrift's coming to Nazareth, that he went rounda- bout the Villages Teaching, Mark. VI. 6- fo St Matthetv ob- ferves the fame Chap. IX. 35. After this fucceeds next both in St Matthew and Mark, Chrift fending forth his Apoflles to Preach, and to work Mi- racles. And this is alfo the next Particular taken notice of by St Luke after the Raifing of Jairus's Daughter. So that All the faid three Evangelifts concur, in fhewing us the true Place thereof to be That in the Table. And now we are come to the Account of Herod's beheading John the Baptift, which as it is taken notice of by All the three former Evangelifts j fo after this, or at leaft after the Return Harmony of the four Gofpets. 0$ Return of the Apoftlesreferr'd to v. 13. compar'd, with other Gofpels in the Table, St Matthew (as has been afore ob- ferv'd) is as exacl in relating Particulars according to Order of Time, as the other Evangelifts are. So that the bare Agree- ment of the Evangelifts, in relating the Pallages they take no- tice of in the fame Order, is fufficient Authority that the laid Paifages are related according to the true Order of lime wherein they fucceeded one the other. And forafrauch as this Agreement may be feen by barely looking on the Table, therefore I need only take particular notice of thofe/^w Paf- fages, wherein the Evangelifts do not agree in relating them after the fame Order, -, and of one other Material Point more, which is this. St. Matthew, Chap. 1. &c. takes notice of that Qjieftion put to Chrifl by his DifcipieS', Who is the greate/t in the Kingdom of Heaven} And of our Saviour's Difcourfe on that; Subjed, and fame others which were then offer'd to. him. And this taking up all that Chapter, he obferves Chap. XI. I. that when Jefus had fnifi'd thefe fayings, He DEPART- ED from GALILEE, and CAME into the Coafts of JUDEA BE2 OND JORDAN : that there the Pharifees came to him, tempting him and faying, Is it lawful for a Man to put away his Wife for every Caufe, v. 3. &c. that after this there were brought unto him LITTLE CHILDREN <Scc. v. 13 — 15. In like manner St Mark Chap. IX. 33 — 37. takes notice of the Difpute among the Dijciples, who fiould be. the Great- eft, which had occafion'd their putting that Queftion (afore- mentiond out of St Matthew) to our Saviour, and of our Saviour's Anfwer thereto. But St Mark alfo obferves, that at that time John the Apoftle told our Saviour that they had feen one cafting out Devils in his Na?ne, and had forbad him :, and alfo he fets down our Saviour's Reply thereto. (Now alfho' St Mattheiv takes no notice of the Words of St John, yet it is evident by comparing thefe two Places of St Matthew and Mark, that St Matthew joins together our Savi- our's Difcourfes,firft in reference to the Difpute among the Dif- ciples, and then in reference to what St John had told him, as if they were One continued Difcourfe.) After our Saviour's Difcourfe occafion'd by what St John had faid, St Mark ob- ferves 5 6 A Treatife concerning the ferves alfo Chap. X. I. that Jefus arofe from thence (\. e. GALILEE) and comes into the Coafts ofJUDEA by the FAR- THER fide of JORDAN. t After which he mentions (as St. Matthew do's) the Pharifees coming to Chrift with the Queftion about Divorce, (v. 2.) and then that they brought 1VUNG CHILDREN mrio him, &c. v. 13. 2, 24. Now St Luke alio Chap. IX. 46. takes notice of the a confident- Reafoning (ox Difpute) thatarofe among the Difciples, which fcftSte m^"3" be Greateft. And v. 49. he takes notice alfo of St tory of our s'a- John's acquainting Chrift, how he had forbad one, whom vim's Minij- they faw c a fling out Devils in his Name. Prefently after *7^Mattiiewwhicn hkewife St Luke obferves v. 51. that the Time being and Mark, is come that he fhould be received up, Chrift ftedfaftlyfet his Face Luke/ St *° £° t0 Jerufalem, and fent MeJJ'engers before his Face, and they went and enteid into a Village of the SAMARITANS See. After which follows not only the remaining part of Chap. IX. but alfo all Chap. X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, and XVIII. fo far as to v. 1 5. before St Luke comes to take notice, that they brought unto Chrift INFANTS 5cc. So that there being no fewer than eight Whole Chap- ters, befides parts of two more, between thrift's departing from GALILEE, and having the INFANTS brought unto him, in the Gofpel of St Luke, whereas there are but a very few Verfes between thefe two Paffages in the Gofpels of St Mat- thew and Mark :, it is hence evident at ffrfl fight, that there muft be here a confiderable Gap in the Hiftory of our Savi- our's Miniftry, as it is related by St Matthew and Mark. And if we look more clofely and particularly into the Supple- ment here afforded us by St Luke, it will appear further, that in this Supplement is contain'd, and evidently enough hinted, two diftinct Journies of our Saviour's to Jerufalem, after his Departing from Galilee, and before he came into Judea beyond Jordan, that time which is taken notice of by St Matthew and Mark, and which was not long before his laft Paflbver. And this Account of St Luke exactly agrees with, and fo is confirm'd beyond all reafonable Exception by, the Gofpel of St John j who Chap. VII. acquaints us of Chrift's being at Jerufalem at the Feafl of Tabernacles j and again Chap. X. of Chrift's being again at Jerufalem, at the Feafl Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 57 -Tea ft oftheDedication. And then the next Feaft mention'd by St John Chap. Xr. is our Saviour's laft PafTover. So that by- comparing St. Luke and St John together, we clearly fee how the Gap in the Gofpels of St Matthew and Mark are to be fupplfd or fill'd up, according to the due Order of Time, wherein the PafTage omitted by St Matthew and Mark, and mention'd by St Luke and John, did fall out and fucceed one the other. 25. Namely, Our Saviour's Departing from Galilee men- 25« tion'd Matth. XIX. I. and Mark X. i. is the fame with xix"i. '<*«<* that referr'd to Luk. IX. 51. and Joh. VII. 10. in which Mark. x. .. laft place it is faid, When his Brethen were gone up, then J^^' ■ went He aljo up unto the Feafl, not Openly, but as it were in fecret. Whereby together with the foregoing part of the Chapter it is evident, that the Feafl of Tabernacles was fa nigh, that our Saviour had not time to go round about through Judea beyond Jordan in order to come to Jerufalem to keep the Feaft, but took the neareft Way, viz. through Samaria, as is particularly obferv'd Luk. IX. 52, And(he) fent MejJ'engers before his Face, and they went and entered into a Village of the SAMARITANS to make ready for him j and they did not re- ceive him, becaufe his Face was as tho' he would go to Jeru- falem. And the Relation given by St Luke of this Journey, do's alfo agree very well with what St John obferves of his coming up to the Feaft of Tabernacles, vi&. that he came up Not Openly, i. e. Not attended with great Multitudes as he came along, nor teaching and working Miracles, but as it were in Secret, i. e. in a more Secret manner than at o- ther times. Now St John do's not take notice of Chrift's Departing from Jerufalem after the Feaft of Tabernacles •, but St Luke ' does fufrkiently denote that he did fo. For He not only ob- ferves Chap. X. 38. that he went to a certain Village, and Martha received him into her Houfe -, but Chap. XIII. 22. he informs us, that he went through the Cities and Villages teach- ing and "journeying toward Jerufalem ^ which plainly imply that he had departed again from Jerufalem after his pafling through Samaria (to keep the Feaft of Tabernacles at Jeru- falem) mention'd Chap. IX. 51, &c. Nay v. 31 of Chap. I XIII. c8 A 'Treatise concerning the XIII. we may gather, that he was then fomewhere in Herod the Tetrarch's JurifdiBion : Forafmuch as the Pharifees came faying unto him, Get the out and depart HENCE, for H E- ROD will kill thee. So that the going through the Cities and Villages mention'd Luk. XIII. 22. can Reafonably be un- derstood of no other Time, than that between the Feaftof Tabernacles and the Feafl of Dedication : And his journeying toward Jerufalem, mention'd in the Text lad cited, can Rea- fonably be underflood of no other than his Journeying to Jerufalem, in order to be prefent at the Feafl of Dedication, which he was, as we are inform'd Job. X. 22. The fame Evangelift St John informs us alfo, that upon the Jews feeking to take our Saviour at the Feafl of Dedica- tion, he efcafd out of their Hands, and went away again be- yond Jordan, to the Place where John at firjl baptized, and there he abode. And many reforted unto him, and — believ'd on him there. Job. X. 59 — ult. During Chrift's Abode here, it feems mod probable that the Difcourfes and Miracles men- tion'd Luk. XIV, XV, XVI, XVII. 10. were deliver'd and perform'd ; and that the Sifters of Lazarus fent for Chrift to cure Lazarus who was then Sick. Lazarus being dead, and afterwards raifed again to Life by Chrift, the Jews take counfel to put Chrift to Death. Wherefore he walk'd no more openly among the Jews, but went thence into a Country near the Wrdernefs, to a City call'd Epbraim, and there continued with his Difciples, (Job. XI. 53, 54.) namely, till he be- gin his Laft Journey to Jerufalem. 2£# 26. And this Laft Journey of Chrift to Jerufalem is moft Luk. xvn. Re;<rcnably fuppos'd to be that mention'd luk. XVll. u. 11. exptMt'd- And it came to pafs, that, as He went to Jerufdem, he pafs\l through the mids of Samaria and Galilee. For there is no Room or Grounds for fuppofing any fuch other Journey of our Saviout's to Jerufalem after the Feafl of Dedication, but his Laft And by St / 1 ike's placing here Samaria before Ga- lilee, He feems fufficiently to denote, that the Courfe of this Journey of our Saviour's was thus : Namely, Our Saviour being retir'd to Epbraim, and having flay'd there till He thought fit to begin this his lift Journey , as Ephraim flood at the South edge of Samaria, fo our Saviour departing from Ephraimy Harmony of the FourGofpeU. $p Ephraim, pafs'd firft through Samaria fas lying between E- phraim and Galilee") and then through Galilee j and thence pafs'd over into Judea beyond Jordan, and fo travelling the Length of it almoft from North to South, he crofs'd the River Jordan at Bethabara, and came to Jericho, as is obferv'd by all the three former Evangelifts, viz. Matth. XX. 29. Mark X. 46. Luk. XVIII. 35. Tis true that Chrift's coming this time through (Per&a or) Judea beyond Jordan is not here menti- on'd by St Luke Chap. XVII. 11. But then his there men- tioning the Courfe of Chrift's Journey to be through the mids of Samaria Firft, and then of Galilee, and afterwards through Jericho, (Chap. XVIII. 35.) does plainly imply, that in palling from Galilee to Jericho, Chrift came along Judea beyond Jordan. And fince St Luke's Account does im- ply fo much •, and St Matthew and St Mark exprefly mention Chrift's coming from Galilee into Judea beyond Jordan, and thence to Jericho •, it is not I think Reafonably to be doubted, but that fuch was the Courfe of our Saviours Laft Journey, whsn he left Ephraim, and before he came to his laft Paifo- ver at Jerufalem. From what has been faid, we may infer how That which goes before, and that which comes after, the Gap in the Gof- pels of St Matthew and Mark, are to be connected with the Gofpel of St Luke, and confequently of St John. Namely, St Luke (Chap. IX. 51.) having took notice of Chrift's de- parting from Galilee, or (as he expreffes it) his fetting his Face to go to Jerufalem, obferves how in order thereto, he then went the dired and neareft way, namely through Sama- ria, (v. 52 &c>) and thus he came ("as we learn from Job. VII.) to the Feafi of Tabernacles. After which St Luke mentions our Saviour's coming to the Village of Martha, Chap. X. 38.) that is, Bethany; and then going through the Cities and Villages, teaching and journeying again to Jerufa- lem, Chap. X. 22.) namely to the Feafi of Dedication, (Joh. X. 22.) After which St Luke mentions fChap. XVII. 11.) Chrift pa/Jing through the mids of Samaria and Galilee, as he went to Jerufalem j and then his coming (yiz>. through Judea beyond Jordan) unto Jericho , Whereas St Matthew a nd St Mark, having taken Notice of Chrift's I 2 Depart- 60 A Treatife concerning the Departing from Galilee (Matt. XIX. I. and Mark. X. i.} Omit our Saviour's going diretlly through Samaria, to keep the Feaft of Tabernacles at Jerufalem j as alfo his going through the Cities and Villages teaching after the Feaft of Ta- bernacles, and fo journeying towards Jerufalem again, to keep there the Feafl of Dedication ^ and laftly, they omit Ch rift's going from Jerufalem after the Feaft of Dedication to Judea beyond Jordan, and thence to Ephraim, and thence through the mids of Samaria and Galilee. All thefe Journeyings They omit, and (after our Saviour's Departure from Galilee, when he had ftay'd there two Tears') they proceed to take no- tice next of our Saviour's coming into the Coajls ^Judea be- yond Jordan, which was in his laft Journey, as he pafsYl through the mids of Samaria and Galilee from Ephra'mi :, and when he came from Judea beyond Jordan unto Jericho. Sot that thefe feveral Paffages being fet down in the Table ac- cording to the foregoing Obfervations, are I think in Reafon to be efteem'd Rightly placed in thefaid Tables. I proceed to obferve, that from considering the large Sup- plements made by St Luke to the Gofpels of St Matthew and Mark, (namely, firft in the Beginning of hi3 Gofpels, con- cerning the Conception and Birth of John the Baptift and Chrift, Chap. L and II. and then again more largely here concerning the feveral Journeys ot our Saviour from his Firft departing out of Galilee, after he had exercifed his more publick Miniftry there for two Years {pace, till his laft Jour- ney to Jerufalem j which laft and large Supplement is con- tain d Chap. IX. 51 — XVII. 11. From confidering, I fay, thefe great Supplements^) it feems Reafonable to fuppofe, that St Luke had feen the Gofpels of St Matthew and Mark, be- fore he fet about penning his Own \ and that having Obferv'd the Defetis of the laid two Gofpels, He Purpofely fet himfelf to fufply the faid Defetls : (As St John the Evangelift is faid to have purpofely fupply^d the Defe&s of all the three for- mer Evangelifts :) And that this is the Reafon, why St Luke is generally forter than St Matthew, if not than St Mark al- fo, in relating fuch Particulars as had been afore taken notice of by them •, and fo long and full in relating fuch other Parti- culars, as had not been afore taken notice of by them. 27. I Harmony of the Four Co/pels. 61 27. lam now to take notice of thofe/hp Places, wherein 27. the Evangelifts have not^ m the remaining parts of their re- kokxxn. fpettive Gofpels, obferv'd Order of Time in their Relations i\ua^°' and they are I think no more than Two. And the firft of them, which I mall mention (hall be Luk. XXII. 24— -30. Where the Evangelift takes notice, that there was a (irife a- mong the Apofles, which of themJJjould be accounted the Great- tefi : Which notice of the faid Strife, he places after that Chrift had inftituted the Lord's Supper, and had acquainted them, that One of them mould betray him. Whereas it can't be Reafonably thought, that this Strife was aflually after Chrift had told them of his being to be Betray'd by One of them •, nor does it feem fo Probable, that Chrift then took notice of their Strife, as that he did it afore he rofe from Supper, and warned his Difciples Feet, (as is related fohl XIII.) forafmuch as that very Ad of Chrift, as well as his Difcourle thereon, were plainly defign'd by our Saviour, as an excellent Antidote againft fuch Ambitious Strife. And as a ftronger Antidote againft it, or rather as a fure Means quite to Extinguish fuch Ambitious Thoughts, our Saviour proceeds to inform them, not only that he mould be fo far from en- tring then on the Glorious State of his Kingdom, that on the contrary He mould be Betray' d into the Hands of his Enemies, and that too by One of themfelves. For thus Our Saviour's Acquainting them of his being to be Betray'd by One of them is placed by St John, after his Warning their Feet : Which feems the moft natural Place for our Jsaviour to have given them fuch Information. Wherefore Our Sa- viour's Difcourfe to them concerning there foremention'd Strife, may Reafonably be fuppos'd to be mifplaced by St Luke, in placing it after our Saviour had inform'd them, that One of them mould betray him. 28. The other inftance is Mark XIV. 26, 27. where it 2g# is faid, When they had fang an Hymn, they went out to the MarUxiv. Mount of Olives. And Jefus fays unto them, All ye f3a.ll be^Jf' "">' offended becaufe of me this Night, die. And juft after the fame Order are thefe Particulars related by St Matthew XXVI. 30, 51. Whereas St Luke Places Our Saviour's foretelling Peter's Denying of him, f occafion'd by our Sa- viour's 6i A 'Treat t ifa c oncerm ng |jff Yiour's faying, All ye jh all be offended <3tc. before his going to the Mount of Olives, (Chap. XXII. 33 — 39-) as iikewife does St JohnChzy. XIII. 36. &c. compar'd with Chap. XVIII. 1. And St John being moft accurate in his Relating Parti- culars according to their due Order of Time, it feeras mod Reafonable to look on Chrift's foretelling Peter's Denyal of him, to have been before Chrift's coming out to the Mount of Olives j and Consequently to be nnfplaced by St Mat- thew and Mark. 29# 29. Indeed lam of Opinion that All thofe Difcourfes men- joh. xv, tion'd by St John from Chap. XIII. to Chap. XVII. in- xvi, xvn. clufively, were deliver'd, tho* not in the fame Room, yet in tle\'imt'n the fame Houfe, where our Lord eat his laft Paffover. I Houfe, th' know I differ herein from the Opinion receiv'd by feveral Zom^Jh™ Learned Men, according to which the Difcourfes in Joti Joh. xiv. or XV, XVI, XVII. are fuppos'd to have been, after Chrift "hut™ the was gonefrom fhe Houfe, where he eat his laft Paffover. But' Ptjfover. then it is obfervable, that they are not agreed where the faid Difcourfes were delivr:'d. Grotius and Dr Hammond (who are follow d in the Appendix to Mr Marjhal's Tables) fup- pofethem to have been deliver'd on the way, as Chrift was going to the Mount of Olives j Mr he Clerc fuppofes it to be done, when Chrift was arriv'd at the Mount of Olives. And of the two Opinions, the latter feems the more prefera- ble in it {elf. But what St John fays Chap. XVIII. 1. feems not confident with either of the aforefaid Opinions. His Words are, When Jefus had fpoken thefe Words, «fEf*0i( he went forth with his Difciples Over the Brook Cedron, where was a Garden, into which he entered and his Dijciples. Now ^haSs^ He went forth, is verv Properly faid in refpeft of Chrift's going forth of the HOUSE where he had eat his laft Paffover ; whereas it is not fo Properly faid in refpecl of the MOUNT of Olives, that I^aSs, He went forth of it, but aVIMe, He went from it. Again, it may be Truly faid, that Chrift went forth of the HOUSE Over the Brook Cedron, where was a Garden, the City of Jerufalem being on one fide of the Brook, and the Garden on the other : But it can Not truly be faid, that Chrift went forth, i. e. from the MOUNT of Olives Over the BreokCedron, where was a Garden. For Of Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 6$ (if he will but allow, that the faid Place where the faid Gar- den was, is ftill known by Tradition ; we muft allow, that) the faid Garden lay between the Foot of the faid Mount, and the faid Brook, and confequently was on the fame Side of the Brook with the Mount. So that it hence follows, not only that there was no Need for Chrifti to go Over the Brook Cedron in order to go from Mount Olivet to the Garden of Gethfemane :, but alfo that it is altogether Inconfiftent with the Nature of Things or Situation of Places, and confequently with Truth, to fuppofe that Chrilt went forth from Mount Olivet Over the Brook Cedron, to the Place where was the Garden of Gethfemane. And therefore the Words of St John, as they anfwer to the Situation of the Houfe where Chrift eat his laft Paffover, and of the Garden :, and may Truly be understood of going from the Houfe to the Garden •, fo in Reafon ought to be underftood thereof. As for thofe Words Joh. XIV. ult. Arife, let us go hence, they do not neceffarily imply, that Chrift then went from the Houfe, as they are by fome underftood •, but only that He went out of the Room, where they had eaten the Paffover, and our Saviour had warn- ed his Difciples Feet. Which they might do, only by Re- moving into another Room, not by quite Departing from the Houfe j> which in all probability they did not, till Chrift had fpokenthefe Words, (i e. what is contain'd Chap. XV. XVI, XVII.) when He went forth of the faid Houfe, Over the Brook Cedron, to the Place where was a Garden, into which He entered and his Difciples. Joh. XVIII. I. And thus 1 have laid together, what I judge requifite to fay here, con- cerning the true Order of Time, wherein the feveral Paffages of the Gorpei-hiftory were tranfacled :, what has been faid, being fufficient to (hew, that the Paffages of the Gofpel-hif- tory are placed in the 'Table according to the faid Order of Time. 50. I fhall next obferve, that by the help of the faid Ta- ~0< ble fo compil'd, it is eafy for to draw up the Whole Gofpel- The Ufeful- hiftory, contain'd in All the four Gofpels, into One conti- nTe^B°/^ere^ nucd Methodical Hiftory according to Order of. Time. Imt0 belonging, Namely, by tranfcribmg out of the feveral Gofpels the feve- '» drawing up ral Paffages of the Gofpel-hiftory, and placing them one HiftwrvofAe after Gofpef. 6\ A Treatife concerning tlx after the other, according to the Order wherein they are pla~ ced in the Table ; and where the fame Paffage is related by two or more of the Evangelifts with different Circum(lancesy there all the faid different Circumffances are to be taken no- tice of, and adjufied according to the Nature of them. fc^uftw 31' Another Ufefulnefs of the Table , or knowing nefio/^nowf^ the Harmony of the four Gofpels, is this: That thereby the Harmony we are enabled to know frequently the true meaning of an °J J^^5' Expreffion, which is in itfelf capable of a double Meaning or tbeuaefeafe More. And confequently we are hereby enabled, without "mtiiVi " any M°re ado, t0 remove fome feemingly great Difficulties, . or Contradictions, which feem to be in the feveral Gofpels. For inftance, St Matthew Chap. XX. 29. fays, As they departed from Jericho, two Blind Men, &c. And fo St Mark X. 46. As he went out of Jericho, blind Bartimxus , <$Cc. Whereas in St Luke XVIII. 35. it is according to our Tran- slation, As he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind Man, &c. So that according to our Tranflation of this Paffage in the faid Evangelifts, there is a manifeft Contra- diction in the Account thereof, St Matthew and Mark ex- prefly faying, that it was as he was Departing or Going out of Jericho, and St Luke on the other Hand faying exprefly, that it was as he was Come nigh to Jericho. But now this feem- ing Contradiction may be folv'cL, by confldering that the Word s>ri£» which St Luke makes ufe of, may very well fignify, not only to come nigh, but alfo limply to be nighy whether Coming to or Going from Jericho. That, which induced our Tranflators to render it, As he was Come nigh, was doubtlefs what follows Luk. XIX. 1. where it is faid, that ^jefus entered and pafs'd trough Jericho; which feem'd plainly to imply, that the Cure of the Blind mention'd juft afore, was performed Before Jefus had entered Jericho, and confequently as he was Come nigh to it. And to take off the Force of this Argument, which plainly favours our Com- mon Tranflation of St Luke Chap. XVIII. 35, it is fuppos'd by fome, that the Firft Verfe of Chap. XlX. is only a Re- aJD'uming the Thread of the Hiftory. Whereby muft be meant, that the entring into Jericho, there mention'd, was before the Xwe.of.the Blind, tho' it be mention'd after it : Whereas I cant Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 6^ ican't fee, to what manner of Purpofe St Luke mould go back (after he had related the Cure of the Blind) to take notice of the faid Entring into Jericho, if it were really before the faid Cure. I therefore am of Opinion, that to folve Fully and Clearly the foremention'd feeming Contradiction, the Entring into Jericho, as it is mentioned Luk. XIX. i. after the Cure of the Blind, fo is to be underftood as really in Fatt after the faid Cure ^ And that not only «>#£«* is improperly render'd Luk. XVIH. 35. by our Tranflators, but alfo c**b- f^oi/W Matth. XX. 29. For whereas in this laft place ■Uims&oirtpav twran &c is render'd, As they DEPARTED from Jericho, it mould rather have been render'd, As they went out. tf Jericho, juft as lumg&oitin «w is is Mark X. 46. For tho' to depart from a place, is to go out of it ; yet to go out of it, is -not Always to depart from it : Forafmuch as He is faid to depart from a place, \\\2tgoes out of it with a Defign Not to return at lead under a Confiderable time :, whereas a Man may go out of a place with a Defign to Return into it in a a very ftiort time, within one fingle Hour's fpace. Upon the Whole therefore it feems Reafonable to fuppofe, that out Saviour being come to Jericho, made fomey?^ there. Surely it feems very Improbable that he only enter d and pafs'd through Jericloo, without making any flay, as Luk. XIX. 1. imports. Now during Chrift's ftay here, (tho' it were but for a Day, or part of a Day,) he might upon forae Occafion go out of Jericho, of which is to be underftood the UOTfji/a^W «utS of St Matthew, and the inTn^va^dun of St Mark. .As he was thus going out, when he was got but a little way -out of Jericho, He came where the two Blind Men fone of which was named Bartim&m, and was the mod Known) fat ■by the Way fide ; and therefore as it is truly faid by St Mat- thew and St Mark, that as he WENT OUT from Jericho \ fo it is no lefs truly faid by St Luke, that As he was NIGH unto Jericho, the Blind fat by the way fide. Our Saviour hav- ing done, what he went out of Jericho fur, at That Time and that Way which led not to Jerufalem, Return'd from whence he went, and then, as St Luke obferves XlX. 1. ni- ter'd again Jericho, and making Little or No ftay now, pafs'd through Jericho, taking the Way that led to Jerufalem. Upon K the kiftory. 6$ A Treat ife concerning the the Whole therefore, as according to this My Expofition AH Difficulty is quite taken away } and not only Matth. XX. 29. and Murk. X. 46. is Reconcil'd entirely with LuK. XVUf. 35 :, but alfo St Luke here is fairly and entirely Re- concil'd with Himfelf Ch. XIX. 1. fo from this fingle In- fhnce or Paifage it clearly appears, Of what great Ufe it is to have a Clear fight of the Harmony of the Gofpels, in or- der to find out the true or proper Meaning of Words. And the Reafon, that Little or No Notice of the Difficulties in the laft cited Texts is taken by thofe Commentators or Ex- positors, which are of Moft Repute among Us, feems to be chiefly Owing to their Not having fo fully ftudy'd the Har- mony of the Gofpel-hiflory, as is Requisite to remove fuch Difficulties. o2. 32. Before I put an End to this Treatife, I think it Expe- o/ffechro-dient to take fome Notice here of the Chronology of the Gof- *teVti*ibe Pel-hift°rv '•> partly becaufe Chronology ferves to give a Clear- er fight of the Harmony of the Gofpels, in refpect of the Order of Time wherein the feveral Pafiages of the Gofpel fuc- ceeded one the other :, and partly becaufe this Difcourfe will likely fall into the Hands of Many, that not having Ability to procure themfelves Larger and fo Dearer Treatifes of this Nature, are Much, if not Altogether, in the Dark as to fe- veral Matters of Chronology relating to the Gofpel-hiflory, and taken Notice of here in the remaining part of this Trea- tife. That the Way of Reckoning Time commonly ufed among us is from the Nativity or Birth of Chrifr, is what no one, that has had any liberal Education, can well be fuppos'd Ig- norant of. But then it may be Queftion'd, whether there be not feveral, th A have bj.r:n bred up not only at School but at the Univerfiry'too ;, and yet have not in theCourfe of their Studies look'd fo far into Chronology, as to know that the Common j£.ra from the Nativity of'Chrift, (or which is the fame) the Common Reckoning by the Tears of our I or J, is not exactly true, or agreeable to the real Time of drift's Birth. And yet this is to be known, in order to have a Right know- ledge of the Gofpel-hiflory. The Harmony of the Four Gofpels] 6j The Way of reckoning Time by the Tears of our Lord was not ufed till after the Beginning of the fixth Century ; when it was Firft introduced and made ufe of by Dionyfms Exigu- us, who fiourifh'd about A. D. 533. But this otherwife Learned Perfon miftook in fixing the Epoch of the Chriftian JZra, or Head of our Vulgar Computation by the Years of our Lord, and placed it two or three Years too Low or too Late :, forafmuch as 'tis obfervable from Hiftory, that the Death of Herod the King was two or three Years before the Year, to which the Birth of Chrift is referr'd by Dionyfius, and from which we commonly reckon the Years of our Lord. But it being mod evident from the Hiftory of the Gofpels, that Chrift was born in the days of Herod the King, hence it becomes abfolutely neceifary to place the real Birth of Chrift two or three Years Sootier or Higher, than it was Juppofed to be by Dionyfms, and confequently than we Commonly rec- kon it according to the Computation by the Years of our Lord. 33. Hence the Chrijlian Jlra, or Way of reckoning Time 25. by the the Tears of our Lord, is diftinguilh'd by Chronolo- Tbej£.rs(ar gers into the True and (Vulgar or) Common, thislaft being fo ^r^axi) of call'd, becaufe it is That, which is follow 'd in our Common chrift two- reckoning of Time by the Years of our Lord. I have al- ^/0';^"e "^f ' low'd Room for both thefe Accounts in the Table, the two or common, Outer and leffer Columns being aflign'd thereto, viz. the Ou- '■ '■ Common- ter Column on the left Hand contains the true Years of y ' Chrift's Life, and the Outer Column on the right Hand con- tains the Years of the Common ./Era, or Way of reckoning by the Years of our Lord. 34. The Difference between the trite aiid common ./Era or 04. Account is, as I have above obferv'd, two or tloree Years. Dirierence For the Learned in Chronology are not agreed in that Point, ;^TX«'f 0/ fome making it two, others three Years. This laft Opinion shrift u, by is follow'd in Mr Marfial's Chronological Tables, and by^™*£d Mr Whifton. And I fhould have readily follow'd likewifety0;/w/w!,'e the faid Opinion, could I have but found any Way to make notable but Luk. III. 23. agree to fuch a Computation. Such as fuppofe " the Birth of Chrift to have been Truly and Really three Years before the Year wherein He is fuppos'd to have been born K 2 accord- <5S A "Treatife concerning the according to our Common Account, are thereby forced to uti— derftand dr/J-&& Luk. [II. 23. of the Beginning of Chrift's, Minijiry , viz. his Whole and more Private Miniftry £. Whereas I have largely (hewn, that there is no good or tole- rable Ground at all in the Writings of St Lake or of the New Tefhment, to underftand the laid Word in fuch a Senfe in that Place. Niy, I have (hewn that All the places cited by Mr Whiflon (who may reafonably be fuppos'd to cite All, or at leaft the Beft, that made for his Opinion) do clearly make againfl the Opinion he defends, inafmuch as d&dmv@- in all the faid Places is expresily limited by St Luke to the Beginning, not of Chrift's Whole Miniftry, but only of his more Publick Miniftry, which he enter'd upon in Galilee, after the Imprifonment of the Baptiff. To all which I here further add this Obfervation, that None of the Primitive Writers- underftood, a>xW©- L-ak. III. 23. of the Begiiming of Chrift's Minifry, but of his Beginning to be then- about 30 Tears of Age, according to the S^nfe wherein our Tranfh- tors have render'd tire fdd Word j and that too mod Rightly , as may be Reafonably inferr'd from the foregoing Confidera-- tions. 35. 35. As for- the Objection drawn (by (*) Mr Whijlon and o- Lu k. 1 11 thers) from the Strangenefs of the Greek Phrafe, if it be render'd. 'l-J"ff'he> 'according to our Common Tranflation, and not in reference to Chrift's Miniftry j in Anfwer thereto I fay, it is much more- flrange to Me, that Any one that has learn'd his Greek Gram- mar, fhould not re member that Rule, Verba incipiendi, definen- di, die. genitivo gaudent} utn^h Im kvv»s dtx?v*i*; ^ut to^ pafs over a great deal more, that might be faid upon this. Criticifm, it will be abundantly fufficient to obferve, that it is very Unreafonable in our Modern Criticks, to pretend: to know what is or is not true Greek, Better than the Pri- mitive Greek Writers themfelves. It is evident, that. Enfe - bius thought the Expr^fllon dgx'^-'Q- ""«» fidvn*, to-be True. Greek, when he fay? 'lib. u ch. 10. of hisEcclef..Hiftory,)- ltiffKi O ^fcwTf n ©««. «fX°<*51©" "V« ?T«V QlaKtr-Ttt, COT 75 \udtt*@dT7IJ(4cL^ mes-yivtru- For it is evident that d^o^nQ- do's here refer to. (?) See pag. 136. of his HirmoDy. Harmony of the Four Cofpels. dp fw^wwra, there being, not here (as in Luk. III. 23.) ?/> or any other Word, Verb or Participle, to which the Gen1,:ive lisp ?«a'wcTw may be referr'd. And therefore it is alfo p'ain from hence, that Enfebius underftood the Text in the fame Senfe, as it is render'd in our Bibles j; as likewife it might be fliewn, that the other Primitive Writers did :, had not Enough been Already faid, to (hew the great Weaknefs of the forementiqn'd Objecl'ion. Wherefore (ince the Birth of Chrift can't be placed THREE Years before the Epoch or Beginning of our Common Ac- count by the Years of our Lord, unlefs Lulu. III. 23. be underftood in fucb a Senfe, as there is no tolerable Ground to under fland it in, but very good Ground not to under fland'w. fo j I therefore cannot follow fucb an Opinion, but rather the Other Opinion, which places the Birth of Ghrift but TWO~ Years before the Common ^Era or Account \ forafmuch as Luk. III. 23. underftood in its common and genuin Senfe, do's very well agree thereto. Indeed, fuppofing there be Oc- cafion, I can't fee, why the DMes of Time in the Jewifli Hif- torian jfofephus., or any other Common Author, fliould not be fo underftood, as to make them comply with a Sacred Text or elfe be accounted /<///£, Rather than a Sacred Text fliould' be wrefted from the natural and common Meaning of it, only to make it comply with the Data of Time in Jofephus or fome other Common Author. And fo I proceed to confider the Chronology of the Gofpel- hiftory, as to the particular Years thereof taken notice of in the two Outer and Letter Columns of the Table. Firft then, over againft Luk. II. 1 — 22. is placed in the Outer Column to the left Hand the Figure (1,) as denoting that then truly began the fir ft Year of Chrift's Life j whereas in the Outer Column to the right Hand, there is placed over againft Luk.. II. 1 — 22. the Figure 2 under this Title, Before the Com- mon JEr a,, as denoting that the Birth of Chrift was really two Years before the Beginning of our Common Account by. the Years of our Lord. The next Year of our Lord's Life taken notice of in the Cofpel hiftory is the Ttvelftb \ wherefore over againft Luk. II* 42. where this Year of our Saviour's Life is mention'd,. I jo A "Xreatife concerning the I have placed the Number 12 in the Outer Column on the left Hand •, and over againft it in the Outer Column on the right Hand, is placed the Number 10 under the Title, Tears ofCbrift according to the Common JLra. For this Common Mm placing Chrift's Birth two Years too late, hence there will be all along two Years Difference between the Num- bers in the two Outer Columns j which it may fuffice to have obferv'd here Once for All : So that as I go on, I (hall take no Notice here of any but the true Years of Chrift's Life, the correfpondent Years of the Common ^Era or Ac- count being all along lefs by two. 25. 36. There is but one Year more of our Saviour's Life TheUme exprefly mention'd in the Gofpels, and that is his thirtieth Junlfr'11 ^ear> concerning which St Luke obferves in the Text fo of- fUm'd. ten cited above Chap. III. 23. that Jefus began to be about Thirty Tears of Age, when he came to be Baptiz'd of John the Baptift, and a little after which he enter'd upon his Mi- niftry, namely, That part of it which went before the Impri- fonment of the Baptift, and which was more Private than the other part of his Miniftry, which was after the Baptift's Imprifonment. I have above largely (hewn, that the Common Rendring of Luk. III. 23. is to btpreferrd, before that other Rendring which is follow'd in the Appendix to Mr Marfljal's Tables and by Mr Whijlon. I come now to fhew, In what Senfe I conceive the Common Rendring is to be underflood, or In what Senfe St Luke is to be underflood, when he fays, that Refits B E- G AN to be ABOUT THIRTT Tears of Age, when he came to the Baptift to be baptiz'd of Him. It is then to be Well obferv'd, that there is a great deal of Difference, between Beginning the thirtieth Year of ones Life, and Beginning to be About Thirty Years of Age. A Man may be Truly and Properly faid to begin the thirtieth Year of his Life, the very next Day or Hour after he is Full 29 Years Old 5 but He cannot then Truly and Proper- ly be faid, to Begin to be About Thirty Years of Age. The Expreffion About Thirty, do's truly and properly denote On- ly fo much Time as is nearer to 30 than to Any other num- ber, more particularly than to 2 ^ on one fide, and 3 1 on the Harmony of the four Gofpeis. J I the other fide. So that a Man then Begins to be About Thir- ty', when he is full 29 Years and an Half Old \ and then Ce/ifes to be About Thirty, when He is Full 30 Years Old aud an Half. Again it is obfervable, that the word Beginning is feldom taken to denote one (ingle Po'mt in Time, but generally is understood in fome Latitude. Thus by the Beginning of a Week is underftood, not only the firft Hour or Day of the Week, but fo Much of it as is Nearer to the very Begin- or Firft Day of it than to the Middle :> and consequently the fecond as well as fir ft Day of the Week is ufually com- prehended under the Beginning of the Week. In like man- ner, not only the firft or fecond Day of a Month, but the whole firft Week is comprehended under the Beginning of a Month. And fo, not only the firft or fecond Month, but al^ lb the three firft Months of a Year is comprehended under the Beginning of the Year. Wherefore by parity of Rea- fon, not only the firft Day, or Week, or Month After our Saviour was Full 29 Years Old and an Half, He might be Properly faid to Begin to be About Thirty, but alfo for the three Months after, or till he was 29 and three Quarters. And this will agree very Well with St Luke's faying, Chap. Ilf. 23. that, when he came to be Baptiz'd, He Be- gan to be About thirty Tears of Age*. For the Baptift (being Haifa Year Elder than Chrift,) was 30 Years Old at the fore- going June 24, and not long after began his Miniftry : Namely St Luke, Chap. HI. 1. &c exprefly informs us, that it was in the Fifteenth Tear of Tiberius, that John the Son of Zacharias came into all the Country about Jordan, preaching the Baptifm of Repentance. Now the Death of Auguftus is afTign'd in Mr Mar foal's Table, to A. D. 1 4. Aug. 19. when confequently muff, begin the Reign of his SucceiVor Tiberius. But Tiberius 1. beginning A. D. 14. Aug. 19. Therefore 7 iberius 15. mud begin A. D. 28. Aug> 1 9. And therefore fince the Baptift did begin his Miniftry, in the X'jth of Tiberius, it follows that He could not be- gin it before Aug 19. A. D. 28. that is, before Aug. 19. of the 30th Year of the true ./Era or Life of Chrift. And if we fuppofe him to begin it prefently after, there muft be at leaft a Month's time allow'd for the Baptift's Fame to be fo fpread 7* iy the Devil, particularly recur Jed by the Evange- litis. A Treat ife concerning the fpread over Judea, that armhai^ All forts of People from All Quarters Ihould be baptiz'd of him, as Luk. III. 21. was done when Jefus was Baptiz'd, v. 23. So that Jefus can't be Reafonably fuppos'd to have been Baptiz'd but a very lit- tle before Sept. 24 or 25 that Year. 87* 37. According to this Suppofition, the forty Days that TeX'SnseChrift fafted in the Wildernefs, will end about the latter end »f our saviour of OBober. Namely, fuppofing Chrift to be Baptiz'd Sept. 20. and to have withdrawn that fame Day into the Wilder- nefs, the forty Days of his Fading there would end OB. 30. Now it is evident from the Gofpel-hiftory, that as Chrift was tempted during the faid 40 Days of his Falling, fo he was alfo tempted of the Devil for fome time after. For the Temptations recorded by the Evangelifts are only Thofe, that the Devil made ufe of, after that Chrift having already fa ft- ed 40 Days and 40 Nights, Afterwards became Hungry ; Matth. IV. 2. And fo St Luke Chap. IV. 2, &c. more ex- presfly : Being 40 Days tempted of the Devil, and in thofe Days he did eat nothing : and When they were ENDED, He afterward Hungred : And the Devil faid unto him Com- mand this Stone that it be made Bread, Sec. Now there is nothing in the Hi (lory of the Gofpel, which makes it Necef- fary oj* Requifite to fuppofe, that the three Temptations mention'd by St Matthew and Luke, were experimented upon our Saviour, in one or two or three Days. For ought that appears in the Sacred Hiftory to the Contrary, the faid Temptations might not be All made ufe of under the Space of one or two or three Weeks, or even More yet. Indeed there are not wanting fome Confiderations, which make it but ;Reafonable to fuppofe, that the faid three Temp- tations did not follow immediately one after the other, but that rather fome Time came between them. For as it is Certain, that our Saviour's being Hungry, after his 40 Days and Nights Fading, was the Oc cafion of the Devil's temptinghim, to com- mand the Stones to be made Bread j fo there feems to be Ground for making a good Conjecture, What it was that gave the Devil the Hint or Occafion to tempt our Saviour next (by the Authority of Pfal. 91. 11. He /ball give his Angels Charge over Thee &c.) to cafl Him [elf from the Pinacle or Battlement Harmony of the Four Gofpels. 73 "Battlement of the Temple. Namely our Saviour having re- jected the Temptation to command the Stones to be made Bread inorder to fatisfy his Hunger, the Devil thereupon left him for that time, as feems Probable to me, and the Angels came end miniftred unto him, bringing him fomewhat to fatisfy his Hunger with, and to ftrengthen Himfelf thereby. The De- vil obferving that the Angels thus miniftred unto Chrift in this his Neceffity, and remembring how Chrift had rejected his former Temptation with a Text of Scripture, was by this Mini ftry of the Angels to Chrifl put in mind of Pfal. XCI. 11. as a proper Text whereon to ground a New Temptation j which therefore He accordingly made ufe of the next Time 'he came to Chrift, taking up Chrift through the Air unto the Holy City or Jerufalem, and there fitting him on a Pinnacle of the Temple \ and faying unto Him, If thou 'be the Son of God, caftthy felfdown : >For it is written, He -jb all give his Angels charge over Thee, &c But this Temptation of the Devil being grounded on a Wrong Interpretation or Application of the Text cited by him, was vanquifh'd by our Saviour's Oppofing thereto another Text in its true Meaning. Whereupon it feems Probable to me, that the Devil left our Saviour for the Prefent again to fhift for Himfelf, and to get down from the Pinnacle as well as he could. This I fay, feems much more probable to Me, than to fuppofe that the Devil would be fo far Obliging to our Blelfed Saviour, as to Free him from the Danger he had now put him in, by taking him from the Pinnacle in order to car- ry him immediately to the exceeding high Mountain. No, it feems much more Agreeable to the Nature and lVlalice of the Devil, to leave our Saviour in that Dangerous Place where he had put him j and then it feems but Reafonable to fup- pofe that Our Saviour was fafely took down from thence by the help of the Angels, that now miniflred unto or attended him, as there was Occafion. It can*t be well fuppos'd that our Saviour got down any other way } forafmuch as it was Impracticable for him to get down Himfelf by any meer Hu- mane Strength or Art of his Own , and if he was helfd down by Human means afforded him by the Jews or Any about the Temple, without doubt He would have been ex- L amin'd •n a A 'treatise concerning the amin'd, How he came up thither •, and this Matter would have made fiioh a Noife in Jerufalem, that we mould have had fome Notice of it left upon Record in the Writings of the Jews theinfelves. Upon the Whole therefore, as it feems Reafonable to fuppofe, that the Devil left our Saviour upon the Pinnacle, and that the Angels took him down from thence 5 fo it feems Probable that the faid Angels fet our Saviour down upon the Ground, in the near eft Place that was con- venient, or where our Saviour might walk away without any Notice taken of Him. This I fay is more Probable, than, to fuppofe that the Angels carried our Saviour through the Air back to the fame Place, whence the Devil brought him, or to any other Place diftant from Jerufalem j forafinuch as- the Wifdom of God never Works Miracles without juft Caufe § or for the Doing of That which may be done by Natural Means. But now Our Saviour might go to any fuch Place, being Once fet down upon the Ground, without the Angels miraculoufly carrying him thither, as the DeviL had brought him. It being thus mod Probable, that our Saviour was left at Jerufalem upon his vanquishing the Devil's fecond Tempta- tion, it will feem but Probable alfo, that our Saviour made fome flay there, at lead fo long as was requisite to Refrefh himfelf with the NeceiVaries of Life, and to enable him to go to the Place, whither He thought fit to retire from Jerufa- lem, and where the Devil came to him again, the f/?«v/and lafl time mention'd by the Evangelifts. So that it appears from what has been faid, that between the fecond and third Temptation, there muft in Reafon be fuppos'd at leaft the Space of two or three Day?, if not More. After Chrift had vanquifti'd the third and laft Temptation of the Devil on the exceeding high Mountain, it is likely that? the Devil left him there likewife to ihift for himfelf, and to get down thence as he could. And forafmuch as fuch ex- ceeding high Mountains are exceeding Dangerous alfo to go up, and rather more Dangerous to come down I; and it is al- together impoflible by meet Humane Means-ro get up to or down from the very Top of fuch a Mountain, wbkre our Sa- viour muft be fuppos'd to be placed by the Devil, agreeably to Harmony of the Four Cofpelf. j* to the Circumftances of this Temptation : On thefe Confede- rations it is moft Probable, that our Saviour was taken down from the Top of the faid Mountain by the Angels that Mini- ftred unto him. It may be objected, that it is only Once faid, and that af- ter the third or laft Temptation aforemention'd, Then the. Devil leaves hint, and behold, Angels came and mini fired unto him, Matth. IV. 1 1. In Anfwer whereto it is to be obferv'd, that St Matthew's mentioning only this One time of the Devil's leaving Chrift, and the Angels coming and miniflring unto him, can in Reafon be no Better or Stronger Argu- ment, that the Devil did not hkewife leave Chrift for fome time after each of the two former Temptations and the An- gels come and minifler unto him, thin St Luke's not mentioning at All the Angels Coming and minftring unto Chrift is an Ar- gument, that the A?igels did not at All come and mini (I er un- to him. The Reafon, why St Matthew and Luke mention the Devil's leaving Chrift Only after the third Temptation, feems to be this, Becaufe the Devil then left him for a Sea- fon, as it is exreffed Luk. IV. T3. that is, for a longer Time by much, than he left Chrift between each of the three foremention'd Temptations. 38. And as I have here a proper Opportunity to obferve, 38. fo it feems not Unworthy to be obferv'd, that from what of the or- has been aforefaid concerning the three Temptations of the *?T°f tb<fc'd Devil recorded by the Evangelifts, We may Reafonably in- fer, Which was the real Order, wherein the Devil made ufe of the faid Temptations ; namely, That wherein they are fet down by St Matthew. Both St Matthew and St Luke agree in relating Firjl the Temptation to turn the Stones into Bread •, which as it was without doubt the Firft in Order made ufe of by the Devil, fo it was thus Firft made ufe of, as being Adapted to our Saviour's prefent Circumftances of Hunger. And for the like Reafon the Temptation for Chrift to cafl himfelf down from the Pinacle of the Temple, may be well efteem'd the Second in Order, as it is related Second by St Matthew -, forafmuch as this Temptation arofe from, or was adapted to, what had pafs'd during and fince the Firft Temptation. Namely, Chrift had reje&ed the Firft T^mp- L 2 tation J 6 A Treat ife concerning the by citing a Text of 'Scripture , and therefore the Devil refolves to ftrengthen his Next or Second Temptation, by citing like- wife a Text of Scripture : and having obferv'd how the An- gels came ana mimfter'd unto Chrift, in order to fatisfy his Hunger, the Devil hereupon grounds his Second Temptation upon the Aflurance Chrift might have of the Angels coming in like manner and miniflring unto him, in doing what he now propofed to him, fince the very Words of Pfal. 91. 11. did literally fuppofe, or refer to, fome fuch Cafe. So that to underftand the full Force and great Subtlety of this Second Temptation, (as well as its Dependence on and Connexion to the Firft Temptation,) We rauft underftand thus Much thereby : Ton feeni'd, fays the Devil to. Chrift upon his Co- ming to tempt Chrift the Second time, not to comply with my Former propofal to you, to prove your felfto be the Son of God, by commanding the Stones to be made Bread, in order to fatif- fy your Hunger, Becaufe there- is a Text in Scripture (Deut. 8. 5.) which teaches you on one Ha fid, that you may be pre fervid Alive without Breador any other Food \ if God fee fit j where- as there is no Text on the other Hand, which Authorizes yott to take upon you to command Stones to become Bread, or to Ex- petl that fuch a Miraculons Change foould be wrought upon your Command. Well, I will therefore propofe to you Another way,, -whereby you may give me Proof that you are the Son of God, and which is exprefly AUTHORIZE by the VERT E X- PRESS WORDS of a TEXT, nfeto Pfal.. XC1. n. He fiall give his Angels Charge concerningThee, and in their Hands they jloall bear Thee up, left at any time Thou dafj thy Foot againjl a Stone. Now of whom can this be more Reafo- nably under flood, than of the Son of God. If thou therefore be- the Son of God, thou haft here EXPRESS AUTHQ- RITT from a TEXT of Scriptitre, to Expetl that the An^ gels will preserve thee from Hurting thy [elf , tho' thou Jbouldjl cajl thy f elf down from this Pinnacle where I have placed theey. as I would have thee to do in order to give me a Proof of Thy be- ing the Son of God. Such was the Force, and fuch the Sub- tlety of this Second Temptation. Notwithftanding which, the BlefTed Jefus prefently baffled it, by (hewing that the Text on which it was founded, was taken by the Tempter. ifi Harmony of the Four Gofpets. 77 in fuch a Senfe, as was repugnant to another Text, and there- fore in a Wrong Senfe. However the Devil, upon Chrift's- thus Refuting a fecond time to give him a Proof of his being the Son of God, feems to have now concluded, that He was really Notfo, but only fome Meer, tho' Extraordinary Man, That the Devil made fuch a Conclufion, may be fairly in- ferr'd, from the Devil's not umering in his Third Tempta- tion with an, If thou be the Son of GOD, or grounding the faid Temptation on Any thing that would give Proof of a Divine Vower ; but on the contrary adapting the faid Third Temptation to the Frail and Corrupt Nature of Meer Man ; namely, to the inordinate Defires of Honour, and therefore of Riches and Dominion : All which the Devil now promi- fes to give Chrift, if he would but fall down and Worfoip Him. But now they are much Miftaken as to the Natural Faculties of the Devil, who can imagin Him to be guilty of fo grofs an Abfurdity, as to Think or Sufped, that Chrift was the Son of GOD, and at the fame time to tempt Chrift to Worjhip him, by promising him the Riches and Ho- nour and Dominion of this World. It is therefore not to be doubted with Reafon, but that upon Chrift's Refufal to give the Devil a Proof of his being the Son of God in the two former Temptations, He thence inferr'd that He was a Meer Man, and adapted to Him, as fuch, the Temptation* of Riches and Glory and Dominion j which therefore muft be in Reafon the third and laft Temptation, as related by St Matthew, tho' related in. the fecond place by St Luke, Chap.. IV. 5. To go on now with the Account of our Saviour's Life fet down in the Gofpel-hiftory. How long our Bleffed Sa- viour continued in his- Retirement, after the third Tempta- tion, is not fpecify'd by Any of the Evangelifts : No notice feeing taken of our Saviour's Tranfadions, after this by the three former Evangelifts, till his Entring upon his more Pub- lick Miniftry after the imprifonment of St John the Baptift. The Evangelift St John do's fupply this Defed of the Gof- pelrhiftory in the three other Evangelifts :, and what is rela- ted by him, Chap. I. 1 5— -ult, is I think to be underftood of what was Tranfaded, upon Chrijl's Returning to the Bap- tift '7$ A Treatife concerning the tift at Bethabara after his 40 Days Fafl, and after that the three Temptations of the Devil had been vanquifh'd by ou* BleiTed Saviour. How long time pafs'd between our Saviour's Conquering the third and lajl Temptation of the Devil, and his Returning to the Baptifl at Bethabara, is not fpecify'd in the Hiflory of Sr John's Gofpel : Nor yet how long our Sa- viour was with the Baptifl at Bethabara after this his Return, before the Baptifl made known, that the Blelled Jefus was the Lamb of God, that takes away the Sins of the World, and by what Token he knew Him to be fo. That he was with the Baptifl for fome time before the Bap- tifl made him known, may be plainly inferr'd from Joh. I. 26, 27. There ft 'ands one among you, whom ye know not, HE it is, who coming after Me, is preferred before Me <3cc. For hence it is evident, that Chrift was Then (landing among thofe that were about the Baptifl :, whereas it was not till the next Day after, that the Baptifl made known, that Jefus was the Lamb of God, <3cc. as appears from Joh. I. 29. Tis true, that the Word render'd by our Tranfhtors (lands, is in the Original fsnwc, which may be render'd, Has flood. But then it is obfervable, that the Perfect l?»w do's elfewhere in the Sacred Writings denote the Time pafl, not exclujive but inclufive alfo of the Time prefent. Thus Rom. V. 1. 2. — Through our Lord Jefus Chrijl, by whom alfo We have aceefs by Faith into this Grace wherein tw'&uip we (land, as our Tranflators Rightly enough, fince eni^wty exprefs'd Fully fignifies here, wherein we both have flood hitherto, and yet do (land. So 1 Corinth. XV. 1. I declare unto you the Gof- pel which I preached unto you, which alfo you have received, and wherein Idiots ye (have flood hitherto, and yet do) Jland. So that when it is faid Joh. I. 26. "Eniwe One among you, thereby may very well be underflood thus Much, vjz. I here has flood feveral Days or Weeks, and at this very Prefent do 'sftand One among you. And confequently thereby may be denoted, that Chrift had now been for fome confiderable Time with the Baptifl, after that he had vanquifh'd the Temptations of the Devil mention'd by the other Evange- lifts. 59. The Harmony of the four Gofpels. yp 39. The Sum then of this Matter is this. It has been ob- .39 Terv'd that the Baptift beginning his Miniftry in the 1 $th Tear , fbriii Full of Tiberius, therefore could not begin it before^. 19. A. t>-oi"ty^" 28. according to the Computation follow'd in Mr Marfial's he e'nter'd up. Tables. It has alfo been obferv'd, that fuppofing the Bap-^'x^'"'/- tift to begin his Miniftry Prefently upon the beginning of the i^th Tear of Tiberius, yet our Saviour mult be reaibnably fuppos'd to be 29 Years Old and very nigh three Quarters, when he was baptiz'd \ which mult be about Sept. 24. at which time it might be properly laid of our Saviour, that He began to be About Thirty Tears of Age. It has been further obferv'd, that reckoning the 40 Days of our Savi- our's Failing from the Time of his Baptifm, fuppofe Sept. 20. they will end Otiob. 30. Further yet it has been ob- ferv'd, that What relates to the three Temptations recorded by the Evangelilts after the 40 Days Fait of our Saviour, may Reafonably be allow'd (upon due Confideration of all. Circumstances) to take up about a Fortnights time, andfo to end about the middle of November. Laftly, it has been ob- ferv'd, that it is not exprefs'd in the Gofpel-hiftory, How Ions: Time was between the End of all that relates to the aforefaid three Temptations, and Chrift's Return to the Baptift at Bethabara j nor yet How long Time Ch rift was with the Baptift there, before the Baptift made known that Jefus was the Chrift, or Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the WorJd : However tint it may be probably in- f\rr'd from Job. I. 26. &c. that our Saviour was for fome Time, even (for ought that appears to the Contrary) for fome Weeks, with the Baptift, After his Return out of the Wildernefs, where he had been Tempted, Before the Bap- tift mad; known that He was the Chrift. So that upon the Whole, there is Nothing in the Gofpel-hiftory that hinders, but that the following Decetnb. 25. was come, and fo Chrift was Full Thirty Tears of Age, Before he; enter'd upon his Miniftry, even the more Private part of his Miniftry, which began at Bethabara, namely, with Chrift's there raking An- */?•£!» and the other Difciple of the Baptift's Home to his Own Lodgings, and there giving them fuch Injlnttlwns as convin- ced them of his being lhe Chrifli and thereupon induced them 80 A Trfatife concerning the "them to become His Difciples, from that time Forward, anJ as fuch (with Peter now likewife become Chrijl's Difciple) to attend Chrift into Galilee the next Day after, as is related Job. I. 35. &c. There, is I fay, Nothing related in the Gofpel-hiftory that hinders but that Chrift did thus enter in- to his Mini dry after Decemb. 25. of the 15th Tear of Tibe- rius, that is, after He was Full thirty Tears Old. On the other Hand it appears from what has been obferv'd out of the Gofpel-hiftory, concerning the fever al Circwnflances relating to the Beginning of the Baptift's Miniftry in the 15th Year of Tiberius, to our Saviour's 40 Days Faft, to his three Temptations fpecify'd by the Evangelifts, and to his Return Afterwards to and Abode with the Baptift \ it appears I fay trom thefe feveral Circwnflances in the Gofpel-hiftory, that Chrift mnfl be within a Little of thirty Tears Old, namely, within five or fix Weeks of it, Before he enter'd upon his Miniftry. And if Numb, IV. 3. in the Old Teftament is fo to be und^rftood, as that No one was to enter upon the Miniftry till he was Full thirty Tears Old ^ and if our BlefTed Saviour thought fit to conform himfelf to the fame Rule j then We may be entirely AfTur'd, that our BlefTed Saviour was Full 30 Tears of Age, Before he enter'd upon Any part of his Miniftry : This, I fay, we may be entirely AfTur'd of from the foregoing Confiderations, without underftanding dix°v*v& Lnk. III. 23. in fuch a Senfe, as is not Warranted in Scripture :, or altho* Chrift ("according to the Plain and Common Meaning of the Words in Luk. III. 23) did but Begin to be about thirty Tears of Age, when he was Bap- tiz'd. 40. As for the remaining Years of Chrift s Life, they are 4°* not mention'd exprefly in the Gofpel-hiftory, but are ro be five Paffovers inferred from the Mention made of the feveral following during our so- Pajfovers. For as it has been afore obferv'd, that Chrift was "t'rT,or Jfier ?u" tbirty Tears Old, when he enter'd upon his Miniftry, bh Bapti/m to and confequently when He went from Bethabara with his f. is Death. ^cw rj)}fcjp]es \nto Galilee, as is related Job. I. 43. fo it thence follows that the Pajfover mention'd Job. II. 13. was in the 31/? Tear of our' Saviour's Life ; and it fell on April ■ 18. according to Mr -MarfbaVs Appendix. And Harmony of the Four Gofpch. 8 1 And hence it will follow, that the next Paffover referr'd to Job. V. i. was in the ^ici Tear of our Saviour's Life. The Words of St John in the forecited Text are thefe : Af- ter thefe things there was a Feafl of the Jews, and Jefits went up to Jerufalem. Now 'tis true, that the Word Is?™, Feafl, dc/s not of itfelf diftindtly denote the Paffover any more than any other of the Jewifh Feafts. But then it is to be remember 'd, that the fdid Common Word laj^, Feafl, thus put by itfelf is, according to the receiv'd Ufe of Words or Ufual way of Speaking, to be underftood by way of Emi- nence of the principal Feafl of the Jews, which was the Paf- fover. And agreeably hereto, the faid Word is never ufed in any of the Evangelifts by itfelf to fignify, either the Feafl of Weekly or the Feafl of Tabernacles } whereas it is fo ufed more than Once to fignify the Feafl of the Paffover, viz. Mark XV. 6. Luk. XXIII. 17. And therefore Job. V. 1. may more accurately be render'd thus : After thefe things was (Not A, but) THE Feaft of the Jews, emphatically fo call'd, i. e. the Paffover. But our Tranihtors chofe rather to render it A Feaft, becaufe fome do underftand it not of the Paffover, and therefore they would render the Word in its full Latitude,and not concern themfelves in the Controver- fy, by reftraining the Word to a particular Senfe. How- ever the Reafons for underftanding it of the Paifover are I think moft Weighty •, and therefore it is fo underftood by moft Commentators \ and as this therefore was the Second Paffover after our Saviour's entry upon his Miniftry, fo it fell on April 7. The Third Paffover after our Saviour's entring into the Miniftry was in the %%d Tear of his Life, and was March 26. This Paffover is not exprefs'd in the Gofpel-hiftory by fo much as the name of (a, or) the teaft •, but is inferr'd fromCircumilancesmention'd in the Gofpel-hiftory : Namely, from Chrift's walking through the Com Fields on the Av-nej- vfarv Sabbath, and his Difciples plucking the Ears of G)rn, and eating, rubbing them in their Hands. Luk. VI. I. Mark II* 23. and Matth. XII. 1. Now by the Aimjoa-?*™ Sabbath may be underftood, either the Second (Firft ov) Great Safc- • M bath. A Treatife concerning the bath (i. e. the Day of Pentecoft or VVhit-funday, the Day of the Paffover being the Firft Great Sabbath in the Jewifh Year,) or elfe the Firfl Sabbath after the Second Day of the Pafchalov Paffover Solemnity, namely the Fir ft Sabbath of the Seven, which were to be counted from the Day that the Sheaf of the Wave Offering was to be brought, (Levit. 23. 15.) that is, the Fir ft Sabbath of the Seven, that were to be from the Paflbyer to Pentecoft. Now the Learned are divided as to, Which of the foremention'd two Senfes <fti/7*/>oTf»w e-Jg/i&it, is to be taken in. Some underftand thereby Pentecoft or Whii-funday as being the Second Great, Sabbath of the Year j and then the faid Pentecoft may be underftood alfo, to be the Next to the Paffover referr'd to Joh. V. 1. and fo there will be but Four Pailbvers during our Saviour's Miniftry. Where- fore others take the frvn\<>'ns*mv Sabbath in the other Senfe, namely, to fignify the fir ft Sabbath after the Paffover j for- afmuch as then it can't poffib'y refer to the fame Paffover that is mention'd Joh. V, 1. under the Name of the Feaft of the Jews., becaufe it was not Poffible, that Chrift mould go from ferufalevi, where he was at that Feaft or Paffover in Joh. V. and do All that he is related by the Evangelifts to do in Galilee, before the next Sabbath after the faid Poffover, i. e. in a Weeks or lefs Time : And therefore the Jiv-n^'ovta-nt Sab- bath muft neceffarily refer to the following Paffover (after •that in Joh. V.) and fo there will be in Ail Five Paifovers during our Saviour's Miniftry, as will appear from what is to follow. And this Computation being mod Agreeable not only to Daniel's Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, but alfo to the Time of Harveft in judea, 1 therefore prefer it to the ©ther, which reckons but four Paffovers during our Savi- our's Miniftry :, and confequently J prefer that Acceptation of the ^KTiff^ffflTtc Sabbath, which agrees to the Computation of Five Paffovers during -our Saviour's Miniftry. Three of the faid Paffovers have already been taken notice of \ the Fourth is exprefly mention'd by St John in his account of the Miraculous Feeding of 5000 in the Defart, "Joh. Vf. 4. And the Paffover, a Feaft of the Jews, (or The i. e. The principal Feaft of the Jews) was nigh. This Paffover was ■Jpril 14. in the %tfh tear of our Saviour's Life. And it is obfervabie Harmony of the Four Cofpels. obfervaMe, that our Saviour ftaid this Paffover^ as he had al- fo done the laji, in Galilee. The fifth and laft PaJJ'over during our Saviour's Miniftry was That, whereat he was Crucified : which was April i. and in the tfth Tear of our Saviour's Life, that is in the ^dTear of the Common Rxz or Account by the Years of our Lord. Whence it comes to pafs, that our Saviour is Commonly , but erroneoujly, fuppos'd to have fuffer'd in the 33c/, Tear of his Life. And thus I have here laid together, what F thought Requifite to fay concerning the Harmony of the four Gofpelsy and forae other incidental Matters. S3 FINIS. ABBREVIATIONS made ufc of in the Table hereunto be longing. c, came or come, or the like. Js. Capern. Capernaum. Ch. Pr. Chief Priefls. CompaJJton. day or days. Difcipleu hand. Comp. d. Di[c h. Hn. Heaven. Jefus. Jerufm. Jerufalem. Mult. Multitude or Multitudes Phar. Pharifees. Pr. Priefls. Sabb. Sabbath. at Sabbath-days Spt. Spirit. Synag. Synagogue. Wn. When. Wilds. Wildernefs. T. Tear or Tears. BOOKS W/tttm by tb? Reverend Dr. Wells ; Printed for James Knarptop, at the Crown in St. Paul'* Church-Yard. . COnrriverful Treatifes againft the DiJJenters. Vi%. A Letter to a DifTenting Parfhi- ooer. A Letter to Mr. P. Dow'eyi Diffenring Teacher. A Copy of Mr. P. Dob* /s/,'s Letter to Dr. WW/*, with the Dr's. Anfwer Teftimonies concerning the Law- fitlnef's of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, and theUnlawlulnefs ofSeparatingfrom.it. Examination of Mr. Peirce's Remarks on the Dr\» Lener to Mr. P. Dirvley. Letter to the Remarker in reference to his Remarks on the Dr's Letter to a DifTenting Parifhioner. Tbefes againft the Validity of Presbyterian Ordination. Numb. I. H. Ill, IV. Animadversions on Mr. Barter-. Invalidity of Presbyterian Ofd'uuithn prov'd from the i-re-oyterians own Decline of the Twofold Order; or, a Summary View, fyc. Ail Anfvver to Mr. Peice'i Pcflfcripc. The Sixth Editisn. To which ire added, Lirerxa ce!eberrimis Pafbribus & FrofefToribus Ecclcfix ik Acade- miae Gensvenfu ad UDiverficatem Oxmknfem tranlnriT.r, una cum Refrmilo ejufdejn U.iiveriltatis Oxon : ad eafdem literal Necnon D. D. Edvardi Welts Epifkla adAutbo- rem Anonymum Libel!* non ita prid-em Editi, cui Titulus, StrifturjE Breves in Epi- llolas D. D. Genevenfium & Oxonienfium. The Common Chrijlian Rightly and Plainly inftrufted in the Grounds of Chriftianity •, or, an Expofition of the Church Catecbifm, more particularly adapted to the Capacities and Circumftances of the Common People. 8vo. Prayers on Common Occasions, appertaining to the foremention'd Expofition of the Church Catechifm. Sio. An Help for the more Eafy and Clear Underftanding of the Holy Scripture; : Eeing All the Epijiles of the New Tefiament, together with the Revelation of St John^ (ana the Boo^of Daniel,) Paraphras'd, w/th the Original or Greek Text amended accord - fhg to the beft MSS. &c. 4^0. The Duty of being Griev'd for the Sins of Others : Briefly let forth in a Sermon preach'd in St. Martin's Church in Leicejler, April 26. 1710. at the Vifitation of the Reverend the Arch- Deacon of Leicefier. A Letter to a Friend concerning the Great Sin of Taking God's Same in Vain. An HiJTorical Geography of the Old and Hew Teftament ; being a Geographical and Hiftorical Account of the feveral Places or People mention'd in the Holy Scriptures ; very Ufeful for Underftanding the Hiftory of the Holy Scriptures, and of feveral par- ticular Texts. The Whole is illuftrated with Maps and other Cuts, and Chronological ' Tables, In rc^ur Vol. 2 10. ■ Mtwani'^Gi-Jtiiim-aticJlii^ op a- View of the' Agreement between the Latin and Greek Tongues ; as to th£ Declining of Words. 8xe. The Young Gentleman's Cturfe of Mathematic^s : Containing fuch Elements as are moft ufeful and Ejfy to be Known, in Arithmetic^, Geometry, Trigonometry, QAe- ebanicli/, Opticas, Atyronomys Clnonology, and Dialling. In three Volumes. 8vo. Unworchinefs no Excufefor Not Coming'to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper : Briefly (hewn by wa.y.of-' Dialogue between a Minifkr and.his Parifhioner. tivo. The Rxh Man.s, Great arid Indifpenfable Duty to contribute Liberally to the Tie- building. Building, Impairing, Beautifying, and Adorning of Churches, Largely fet forth, and laid before the Kokilily, Geri,y, and All other Rich Perfonsof whatever Rank or Denomination, dye. Second? Edition. A Difcourfe. concerning the Grearand Indifpenfab'e Duty of a Decent and Reverent Behaviour in Church at- All Times, and moreefpecially in the Time of Divine Service. Price $d. 1 00 for 1 1. Forty Six Propofitions Briefly proving, that His Prefent Majefty King George is the Only Rightful and Lawful King of Great Britain. And alfo that the Non-juring Bi- fhops, fyc. were Rightfully, and Lawfully Deprived. Price Six-pence. Of Children's Capacity. to Receive Religious lnjirullions, and of the Manner how to gi»e them fuch Inftfuftions : Together with Prayers Adapted to the Capacities and Ufeof Children : Defigold more Particularly for the Children of Blvhly Parifti. Price One Penny. T A A B L E REPRESENTIN G In One Eafie and Clear VIEW the HARMONY of the FOUR GOSPELS, So far forth as relates to the ORDER of THE, wherein the feveral Paffages of the GOSPEL-HISTORY i Did SUCCEED One Another. ~r^— By EDWARD WELLS, D. D. Reftor of Cotesbach, in Leicefter-fiire. The JW/£ KA, or Yean of the Lifr of CHRIST. St. MATTHEW. I, i~-u!t. The Book of the Generation of Jefui Chrifl, (3c. ■■■ The Sltt'a Jefus was on this wife, (3c n. 18. II 1-11 Now when Jcfus was born, there came Wife-men, (3c 13-11. When they (Wile-men) were departed, Angel appeared to JofcAying, Flee into Egypt, &C ll— uli. He (Jefepb with Child Jefm) tiirncd afide into Galilee, & carr#wclt i; Ka^areth, (3c ----------- III. i- 1 1. I» thofc Days came John ibe Baptifl, preaching in the WiMerae epent, (3c lj uli. Then comes Jefus from Galilee to John, to be baptised of biamc. - • [V, i- 1 . Then was Jefus led up of the Spirit into the WiJdernefs V b^npted cf the Devil, (3c. ' 1 1. When Jeflli had heard that John was eafl into Prifen, he dec. TecBto Galilee 13-17, And leaving Ka^areth, he came and dwelt at Capernaum. — Jotnb»t Time Jcfus began to fetch, and to fay, Repent, for (he K.i"gdtm of Heav n fgtmtid, ver. 17. iS-:j. Jcfus walling by the Sea of Galilee, law two Brethren, St ad Andrew, (3c. VIII. 14, 15. When Jcfus was come into Peter's Houfe, he fav, | ffifi't Mother Cck of a Fmrr, Qfc. 16-17. When Evening was come, they brought unto him many t \ert p°ff'ffei, (3c. IX. 1-8. ThtJ bn ugh) onto turn' a Alan nek of 'the Patfi'e, (3c. ' - 9-17. A* Jefm raffed from thence, he dw Matthew fitting at the F 'P "f Cuflim, (3c Xtl. 1-8. I His went on the Sabbath-day through the C* tfc. - . . . 5. 11. When be departed thence, he went into the Synagogue, ^'behold a Man ■ I M od bim gmtf multitudes from CWi7«, 5c from D*'*» & Judea, (3c. y WI.VII Hi And feeing the multitudes, he went up into a mount, ^to Difciples} \ 1 itofaim, ind he taught tbtm,fy\n%tBtaj[td art the Poor •>,»'."», (je. . Wbeojifiu was entred into CffeniMm, there can ■■x^mwtm,Cc, St. MAR K. St. L U K E. I. 1-4. rOR AS MUCH as many have taken in ham] to fet forth in Order a Dc J? claracion of thole Things, which arc moji furtlj believed among usfc &e. I. 1-8. The Beginning of the Gofpel ■ John did baptise in the WiJdernefs, and preach, (3c. v, .4. 9_i 1, Jefutcime from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptised of John in Jordan, (3 c. U-I3- Immediately the Spirit leads him into the Wildernefs, & he was there Forty Days tempted of Satan, (3c. 14. After John was put in prifen, Jcfus came into Galilee. .-._'.. ib. C?i 5 Preaching the Gofpel of the Kingdom of God, and fayirg, The Time is fulfilled, and the KJngdom of God is at band : Repent, (3c. 16-10. Ashe walked by the Sea of Galilee, he faw Si/hch and Atdtew his Brother, Qffc Zt-28. And they went into Capernaum, & on the Sabbath hi entred the Synagogue, & there a Man with an unclean Spirit, (3c. 29-31. When ibey were come out of the Synagogue, they ertrcd into the lioufe of Simon and Simon's Wife's Mother, t3c. 32-34. When the Sun did fet, they brought unto him All that \uw difeafed, (3t 35-38. I* the Morning, he departed into a fi/itaijr Place, and prayed, (3c. - IV. I3-S4 And Jcfus went about all Galilee, teaching in rheir $jn*g*$ •'- h«*Ui>g, tf<-^fc -39. He prca-thtti ui liicu Sji.»+ - ^uoi^^gliJa^ad^^tj'^^A^^,. VIII. ;-4- BthoM there came a Leper, and wor Hupped him, faying Laid, &. ... 40— «/r. There came a Leper 10 him, befecching him, & kneel ifig io^n to- him, c5c vlt. There came a Leper to turn, befcechinR him, II."*l-ii. Again, he entred into Capernaum, and they come bunging one lick of the Palfn, (3c. 13-11. He went forth again by Sea-fide, — and as he patted by, he faw /.. fitting at the Heceipt of Cujhm, (3c i%— tilt. He went through the Corn Fields on the Sabbnth-dat, Cf<-". -•<•.. Ill 1-12. He entred again into the Synagogue, and there was a Man who had a mther'd hand, (3c 13-19. He goes up intoa Mountain, and he ordained Tn-e.v,^ 20-11. The Multitude (waj mention'd v. 7, S. (turn Galilee, &;.} CDmcs togctliet again, (3c. \I 1 1 JVben Jebi heir I in Prilon the Works of Cbriji, he (ttf T^ttf'li, m.\ -_ I hou He. f Qitin wherein m-il cf hi) «J|i:. ' XII 21-17. Then ' Red — Pb*r. la.d.Thii fellow.-/?' -■' Owflrf, 8«/?.^f_ , Matter. «wwld/«*i'^"'"iftthee,(fr, la.ked w»h ihL- People, hn Mtttm B( bis F .■■■■■ " . T,**^«'. ©:. j] rhela^DayJcluswtn . J^f^'i;^ Vill. , s . ; 7 . Now }v usgan Corovuindmeor to drf+rymt*"ei"'c,J' '* **■ - - - . 28 Wf. When lie ««ttwinriir «*, theicflTetTn. To-/ ^' jff?^''^ DC 1. He cnrte.1 into .j4Sr.tr. and^j/"rrf*wr, and came into his ■ ***renuUm) 18-26. While he f/ake, came a J^frr, and worfhipH» Uy'?Ch' ' JJ^ » ^r- - - :^.J4. Who- '-'"*» deptned thence, T^n blind Men f°lloW^ .4.f ) «t, XIII- i4»'« When he wi* come into bit «w C«wi"7. (Vl7, i> - I ' I - - IX *.$ ■*'« Jefos went*iv«» «f tbtCities and Vt Sages teaching - mk^ I .' " - X \1 1 When be bad called his 12 Difciples he gave rhem !'-«.. ;>f */^O,0(. X(1V. 1-12. At that Time Hrr*J /if Ttnanb beard of the f*«f / J * - - . i3.14.Wn. Js.hcard of it. hedepaned by Ship into a Defrt P^J^-^fn'd, g, IJ-J 3. The Diiciplei came, fa>ing. Send multitude *r**j. &1' T\ ^ JS^'' ®e ik. 31. When Evening wis come, he was alone, but tn« 3 ' m mdfi cf the Sea, toffcil, (3c , flf G*1^*1* H 14 11/x. When they were 5eiw«.«r, they came into the 1^ ?lO*, for ri<7 »«yb nef, Gfc 4 j 21-18- Then Jcfus departed into Coaflse-fT^z and Sidon. Ana 2o-?t. lelui J^pancd'.htiuc. and came nigh Sea c/Gr • " » .. j.. £riU W, He i>as kdiftub. & b, the Prince of Devils efts he em Devil,, S, 3 1 «/>. Then came /.« M./lrr & *,V Bre.i.en, & /W.»J »';'«•«'■ fr"' ""°, ™' ,'. ^' 1V3,.J4. He entred »,. - «,>. &/«_* uughr by Parable, : T^ «■ »^ « 3ft£ 35 tv/f. The/rfMif J-y, when Evening was come, be lays, i-« » / J V.Li'o.The^c. over to ether fidefr there mcthimrjii/^^Tomf'a Man ^;^J"ew"";^ II. When Jcfus was /*0W over again, much People gathered ion. - & te> the Sea. w j^ile Daughter (3c xx ult. There came one of the Rulers of the Synag. Jairus, frying, W VI. t-6. He went out thenre, and came into/"'/ «»" Country, Oc ibid. — And he went round about the ViHaget teaching. . c-.rits f>- I - 7-I3. He calls to him the Tw^c, & gave them Power over uncle* ■: _' ' 14-19- King Herod heard of him, (for hn Same was fpread '*'"*{. ' A|l things, (3c. 30. And the Apcfiles gathered themfeives eoge;her unto Jefui, and n""- ' .,,etb.to bim (3c 3i-34.Helaid,Comcyc;t>ttr//;„/i/j//,intoa0^r/P^-&^^ " *~ l nv eo a'-^ ^^ Sread,(3c- 3 5-46. His Difciples came and faid, Send them away, that they may h ^ ^ ^mf 47.51. When Evening was come, the Ship was in the midjl of tee • ^ ^ I the Land. (3c --------- 'rgret& f3c S3- ult. When they had faffed over, they came into the Land cf GeaBm' VII. L23. Then came* Scribes and Pharifees, 8c asked. Why w*jb not tbj ^fcifles, (3c. 24-3oThence he went into Borden ef Tyre G? S.don. And a Wm "S '^Jt^ft ai.a.'*. Departing from Coafts of Tj>e— he came to Sea *f Gali.ee, - c mat bad 5— w/f. There was in the Days of Herod a Prieft named ^tcharias, (3c .. Elizabeth's full Time came, and llic brought forth a Son.— John. ver. $7, 60. f II. i-2t. In thofe Days there went out a Decree, (3c And Jhe (Mary) brought \ lorth her San Jefui, v. 7. 21. .-...- 22-38. When the Days of her (Mary) Purification were accomplilhcd, (3c {■39-40. They returned into Galilee, to their own City Ka^areth. And the Child \ (Jcfus) grew, Gfr. T41 - 111V. His Parents went to Jemfalem every Year at Paffover. And when he (Jcfus h "t was Twelve Tears old, (3c. - - .-.-.- - . - -j*" HI, 1-20. In the Fifteenth Year of TiAeni«f— — came Jdm preaching the Baptifm of Repentance, (3c. v. 3, 4. 21-21. When all the People were baptized, Jefus alfo bt'mg baptised, (3c {13— ult. Jefui began to be about Thirty Tears of ^c, being (as was fuppofed) thel Son of Jofeph, (3c. f IV. I-13. Jefus was led by the Spirit into the Wildcrnefs being Forty Days tempted of the Devil, (3c. 1428. Jefus rcturn'J in the Power of the Spirit into Galilee —— and he came to Na&retb, (3c 19-32. They tbruft him out of the City [Nuztretb) and he came down to Capernaum, & taught them on tht Sabbath-daj?, t$*c. V. 1- 1 1 . (t) He flood by the Lake or Gtnefarttb, and law two Ships, — 8c entred into one of them, which was Simon's, (3c, IV. 31-37- And in the Synagogue was a Man which hid a Spirit of an unclean Devil, (3c. 38-39- And he arofe cut of the Synagogue, & entred ir.;o Simon's Houfe, 8( Si Wifet Mother, (3c 40-41. When the Sun was fating. All that had any fyk with divers Difcafc brought them, G 'e. 41-4.3. When if was Day, he departed inro a Defer t P, St. ] O H N. I. t-i. In the Beginning was the Hard, cV the W&crfwaj with God, and the WndwasGod,(3e 6-8. There was a Man ftut from Cud, whole Name Wai John, (3c. 9-14. That (He Ward) was the trnc Light, (3c. — He came to hii Own, Cfc v. t l.T The Word was made Flejh, (3c v. (4. - - . f 1 5— ult. John bare witneft of him, (3c: Jefus would go forth into Galilee, (3c. II. 1 — ult. The Paffover waj at hand, and Joius went up to Jerusalem, (3c v. 13. - - III. 1 — ult. John was nor yet caft into Pnfou, v. 24. IV. I— ult. He (Jefus) left Judta, and departed again into Galilee, (3c v. j, St 43, V. l— ult. After this, was a Feafl of the Jcw.and Jcfus went up to Je rufalem, (3c. . . He [vi\. the BaptiftJ was a burning Light, 8< yc wire willing/"- afeafon, (3c. v. 35. ./'" Y&. h"nr: J-'"'' "*■ Lh*i *>*»»*•• ■\ . 11-n?. When he was in a certain City, 1 any fvk. with divers Diic Place, ic Years Before the Common £RA of CHRIST. Years of the' Com. &KA. 30 City, behold a Man full at Lepcfie, (3c 11-1.6. On a certain Day, as he was teaching Men br.ug.lit a Man taken with the P.tlli.; (3c. IJ— ult. After this, he went funh, and faW Levi fining at the Receipt of Cufiam, (3c. VI. I-S. On the J'if\ic^tuvv, Sabbath, he went thro' the Cern-fi:ldt, (3c - - - - 6-11. On another S.il'bath he entred into the Synagogue, & (here was a Man whole- i^Ar hand was withered, fife, 12-16. He went out into a mountain to pray and he c&eft Twelve, (3c 17-19. He came down, and Itood in the Plain and a treat Multitude out of all Judea (3c 6 to— ult. And he lift up his Eyes en bit Difiplei, and faid, Bltffed be the Poor, See. VII. 1-10 When he had ended all his Sayings, he entred into Ctpvnttum, 8c zCenturitn'i Servant, &c 11-17. The Diy after, he Went inro 3 City called fV<on, Sec. fi8-j5. Difccf John Hie wed him theft things, & y<4» calling woof his Difc fent them to 1 JcfOS, 1,1) mg, A>t, Sec. 3<S-h//. Ont of /,/4ciyJc;defJr^l r'hnr lie would ea^^itUum^c^ VIII. i-j. Afitrwards he went til ev«j City and Village— -indiheTwtlve were mtbtiim,8ec, Then came to him his Mother & hit Brethren, & could not ceme at him, &c (t'4-'& When the People gathered together he (pake by a Parab- A Sower went out, 8cc. 22-2S. Now on a certain Day, be faid, Let w go over unto the 'her fide o( the Lake. 8tc. ltf-3')They arrived at iheCountry ofGadarent,overagainflG*liIee 8c chare met him a man,&c 40. When Jefus was returnd, the People gladly received h£, &C. 41 ult. Therecame Jurat a t\uler of the Synagogue : He had one only Daughter, &c. IX. t-6 Then he called his l X Difc. & gave them Power and Authority over all Devils, &c IT aau T",areb bcard Of -« 'hat was done by them, &c 10. And rhp A.»nt i .1 '.. . . , "" "^— " «' «u i»at ntii <unc n tfitm, t... una the Afcjtl,, when they were r«uW, told him All, He 1 1. And he took '1 H-I7. Came the Twelve, & (aid, SmJm«/„',„A.m^,thatthcy may go St gilViButll,^ VI. I-J. After ihis, Jcfus went ~<r ih. Sit tfe.lUn-U a great muhltude f,U,*ii ;„■„ s„ 4 The p.ffna, a Fcaft of ibe Jews, „,,, mtb. ■ . . "•"' M'lta b,m, Stc. S-l S- When Jefus faw a great Company, he fays, »«» (ball" we L, B„.j ».* S 16-11. When Evrnini was come his Difciples entred into a ?<,;„' 1 ,,' \ „m»ilxm,e«. "'/-and Jefus « it.u/r. Immediately the Ship wasat the L«»^«.>i,rr/.^»TO,i. VII. 1 .After thisjs. MtfrtohObf; for he would »« «/t '»>»9,becjew fc^ShS: .1. • - - > U . Ma, M. - *-+* a-r. —■ «*| F- ■ .fciiaialAaa , - w*.~. ««•..•. «->*-— . «*■«• _ L „ ,W Ito In •' V « am ■ m tto • hk»« Ha .« . : • ■ .a. ■ / I ww. ■ - •/ x thai to .ftVaaW bnaau <J M. .«..«%•>. J. lf.,1 Ml Mtk •[■'" ' XXVII ii tVto .>••• • •: , I II IV. i. . .1 I, [..I^Ul., l»i«Mi.iiJ(,» aduJaur.."' ,to faaf i to Gatrraoa, « amml re tafaf/r « »* till I ..— ito • k IW • •■ IW .« ". -AaJ CM aV! • ' • A to. Con. fen tarita-faiAa— Wl maalli. « -4M. itorr . irr- . .,«!•'-•, «fc»i Ktw* can. I aahAmtacaaat Mi • U. ...^Krfiw..il.|,>IMiit .■lir<i|J»>lMllll| -»C llat In.w a*d,toa, rearm, Mhwi.pni — ■afar. i... - •- Haa% to aaVA. ad* I> W . . c-i. («*<Wi ■ Jk«; to»*'«r»r- ' ""> — J, S.' kov.iWlite), V • Hr»--. • ^.ta-»- - ■ amttto,!*. . .^..i.!^ ' U«,i»ll*i».V,«-, .kaxi^^AIMIiunijWIrvHV^.h ■ XI i W to. Ito* hm a H- i«- .. ma O LtkrfWntf-MfMm, .••.« i. J#-» « .. A--J » ~u»u.'n A Ml- » .- a*av * ■ i M - IcAm »-i. Ha» u •, I ■ lk.tr - . aadltol "•nl«n..,.ulkllJlr! . - ••i erf — linrord * i»ic ' . . . ratar-, mtw *wra tolBl ^OfWf-«Cr Ad to latei I n ^*'*»«Unro a *.k.»— and Jclui «.., «.., ' ' ' ' ""• V- s ... . . Ml . ll»ii.,|^t«..s*«,>k«»llJI, "".' , l'C™'1 kill him. Afceeea-d/ . .« : ■)«n.»W|hM,«iCwf1,(h '••». V. ..cat ..»-, m fV... . ,- to^ t*. tttot, ikUrtiniimlrf. $ntm }+.!%, • -icwc? ar« i " ••» I .. tfr. ' ' «.ftfraKVJ.-<. a\ 'tt. .w#-*l- - «- tin C«. -i VuUfa, r«W<«. .4 /^ XVI r \. ^«Mlkrhtl4a^llia^rH4K,jt to^»vl- < traa,., «v„ ha. to/- li 1» Hcioo»tWu.»toia,<,WfJt.^»7^1i •U|»^x*»/Ui».**-rX». XIX 111 [fM.fncl.r. • tjifto ,a ik, c|«» to iku hajkkv A Mm atojaal , r«v< p/c. i huf rnrt fa. &>«. ilui .br, ■ A»c *» 41 . . ML, X\l i 4. H- . XXII ij s .. ibe r,./> ,i t. - il immjacta »c"J AcJ to In, rm*. . < Ttot* . ,..**•■ i ■ PJaBat fr*»k, ««#» 7«tif. * I M.J., <-. . ■ •H Pi.«a W torn ■»■?, ind drlim'J i i ^-f (to. ito A ..• c/ aW *« -■"/W — •*"" «*• ■M--»i »ha«».'c«T«ttan Jcfc'J, *». * imllkCnatl,'',. I •i it I;. I l». H ■■ Ito... m |c cam an lara Ttaicunaa. aral k. i . » r/ rab-aanto . >■ « HtaJ. «k' Yatox-crVa*. Of- \ i n Atv« ,to ..„!• o< ,to Fccrt Waaa f .-. ik, TV., , ^.. -.aiatoa ito ■>«• ,/ /«*«.»«,. ,„.l it »|, *•,„„, (*t - -* »+.««,•< — laammaaw) '^rt -Wc. Aaj iaap ^.^ tf, M ••••. fcl a»ai «„,,, i-„, i-fi.,,.^. 1 XII . ,, Ir 1 ■*.. . . : . . .km a, k,.l I.mo.1 ■ ' ,-**» ^k. ' ,i»aawi.wof(hir*»lil ■ ! Itoliai, .„„, i„rl,.,^(/, . iftaaV ,nd 7.MU 1 , «.. 1 1 l» < to. ito arh com iton w«i IX, ~> . , ...... ^lltoO.— a U.iba. to .JCaW / yea,* 4»-«^ "YnL-'ianaaUaj waai wai dooc, lajiaf, l. LVfl Wtoair i +im*t~. Etc Wto. S.I l..k «u ta». A*-* AtfiMW. toMl »ar.. ft am. » ,k, j, •akW a-ll Wto. |rf« ... . c ta>t>. ito Fit* Dij of ito Wach. He a»a>V «... »l nil Arar ckm to •Pr-aml i«I..l ik. .i iart •« iaa> lac C^ar-, a>^ . . to ifTaaml « ito liraaa, as tk> fai m Mi. ../ n lina, «a )« aam all tat Warki, tpV. XIII ii Waul, MajnaJeaiyV, «ad led him io f./aw, <*. ....... i t I e 1 1 vt ' . , v . , - -..I.I4.S.HI- auc'4 1 ..,' . ' XXIV ■•I Oa tto 4 A Diy of tto w,. „,. ,^ ,—,,, Mil Tw.f,i^w„u I !»-«■. A, ttoi ■ 4-i H.J.U mm .»,-. Tan. a- tto w.,j, .wu I kau, am / <V / V. X" ' " •.-.., i... II... ,^^-+H-mUfr-,ti, XVIII w r. a 4mWt/ A(.- Il ii Iton led ito, Jclu. i, .«, i.,.,l.. -. Jrmx>6, u ikrn ... . * • '"MlrKr.^..,,-.|- ^kP,fa,llulia-l,|.||i,l.,fc,i0/, ' •"*. W„. • .„. .krn „ »., ,r, ,1.,., IfcaUf a/tiff,.., iXlll, 1 • A N HELP For the more Eafy and Clear Under/landing O F T H E HOLY SCRIPTURES: BEING The Four Go/pels and the Acts of the Apoftles, Explain d after the following Method, viz*. 1. The Original or Greeks Text amended according to the Beft and moft Ancient Readings. 9 II. The Common Englijb Tr (inflation render'd more Agree ' ~.z the Original. III. A Paraphrafe, wherein not only the Difficult Exprejfions and Paffages are explain'd i but alfb Each Book is divided into Proper Sections and Paragraphs : and withall it is obferv'd, What Gaps or Omijfions are in each Gofpely and how Supply d by lome other Go/pel; and what Paffages are not plac'd Aright^ as to Order of Time. To the End of each Book is fubjoin'd a Sytiopjis of the Contents thereof. IV. Annotations relating (as Occafion requires) to the Several Particulars. To All which, after the General Preface, there is prefix' J i. A Difcourfe concerning \\vzjewijh Rulers, as alfo the Tharifees and Sadducees, &c. mention'd in the New Tcftament. 2. A Difcourfe concerning iheflerodian Family, and iheProfelytes among the JewSj&c. 3. A Chronological Table of the Hiftory of the New Teftainent: Bv Edw. Wells D. D. Rettor oiCotesbach in Leicefterjljire. OXFORD, Printed at the Theater, for Jatnes Knapton at the Crown in S. Pauls Church-Yard, London. 171 8. Vi . LX X - Imprimatur, J 0. BARON VICE-CAN. OXON. Mail $. i*ji8. ' ERRATA. Page 8. line ult. read lyrtis. p. 98. v. 8. r. afyajrots. p. lip. t. 6. from bottom ofParafhrafe, after Luke 6. r. add, thro' the Corn. /M37./.11. r. catches away. p. 138. ■». 16. r. itxdrw. p. 142. v. 48. r. «wsS<o«'iroms. />. 150. /• I. y. «fe<««uo». /. 152.11.3. c Aj«7» kj »j«f<5. f. 154. v. 9. r. ilfotuKK\i*t. p. 194. i/. 12. r. They fay unto him. p. 198. /. 3. /row io«o>» r. both the Prophet.' />. 112. i\ 16. r. 7&/ JJV». p.zi^. I, 5. from bottom r. If God (hen make Good. p.z\6. v. 4. r. xxXa. p. 242. i). 29. y. »cj 0 t^. ^. 260. v. 73. r. trams, p. 279. m j?V/? tfjar- gin«/ no«»r. molt probably, />. 285. /. if. r. of his Temptation, p. 288. "y. 3 r. r. K^xiJimt. p. 293. /. j. of Paraph, r. in the Houfe where he was , not improbably, p. 294. ti. 14. r. faw Levi. p. 297. /. «A. of Paraph, r. Therefore the Son of Man. p. 304. -v. 28. r. >£ j3A«- c-tyrnuaf. p. 33 1. I. penult. ofParaph. r. to go, toward, f. 334. f. 9. r. i9ir«7T. /". 538. f • 3- *■. as. /). 346. ti. 17. r. XnxetSels. p. 348. f . 19. r, JZ >»««. ^>. 352. ti. 44. f. it. p. 360. t/. 34. r. ifiTj. />. 365./. 6. from bottom r. with aShe-afs his Dam. p.$66.v. 1 2. r. BijJawW. />. 367. i» »fee TTMe o/«foe SeSiion r. Chap. XL 12. — 19. p. 382. v. 16. r. j£ 0 «s to. /. 399. /. <S./rew bottom ofParaph. r. it having been fometime afore. <^4d<vertifement. The Paraphrafe &c. on the Gofpel according to St Luke, and the Aft* of the sfpotf/es, are fent to the Prefs, and will be printed off with all Difpatch. < ' ) The General PREFACE T O T H E Gofpels and A£ts O F T H E APOSTLES. IChofe to publifh my Paraphrafe (on the Epifiles of r. N. T. and on the Revelation of St. John in the Firft The para. Place, becaufc Thofe facred Books are more Diffi-£^E£' cult to be underirood than the Gofpels and ARs of and Revd'atf- the Apofiles ; my Paraphrafe on which alfo, as l?nn,r%hl£uh' have by GOD's Bleffing finifffd, fo I mail now proceed t0"''^firft- publifh, by Publifhing at this Time my Paraphrafe on the Gofpels of S. Matthew and Mark:- Which GOD willing fhaH be followed with the Publication of the Reft, as fait as the Printer can work it off. I have found it neceffary to obferve the fame Method 2« Here as Afore, viz. in dividing each Gofpel and the A&sJ^JjjgjJ into Sections and "Paragraphs, very different from the com-WPara-'°ns moa Divifion, into Chapters. For there are feveral Difcourfes gTfP^fo in the Gofpels which are broken into two or more Chapter s^hraje)/ A whereas divided. Pa- 3 The General PREFACE. whereas each, being One continued Difcourfefoould more pro- perly be contain' d within One Divifton or SeStion. And as to • the Hiflorical Part of the Gofpels and Afts, it fhould be fo divided, as that what was done in One Plaee or at One Time, or the like, (hould be contain'd likewife within One Divifion, either LefTer or Greater ; and that (at leaft) the Greater Divisions fhould be as fo many proper Stages, not on- ly for the Reader to Reft at as hegi''' along the facred Hifto- ry, but alio for to help the Reader the Better to keep in Mind the who1 6 Conrfe of • the fakl Hiftory, when, he has gone t/.ro* it. Bat now there was and could be but little Regard had to tftii in the common Divi(ion into Chapters: which therefore I have endeavour'd to remedy by making the fe- veral Si SI ions and 'Paragraphs, into which I have divided each Book, A nfwer or Serviceable to the feveral foremen- tion'd Ends and OfesS And whereas the feveral Sections are deligned by Me as {b many Stages aforefaid, I have therefore before each Book laid together the Contents of its Sett ions forafmuch as the running over thefe now and then will be a good Means to fix in the Mind the whole Cdurfe of the Hiftory of the Gofpels and A£ts. Namely, the Account given of each Section of the feveral Gofpels at the Beginning thereof, informs the Reader with the feveral Parts of our Saviour's Life, wherein what is cotitained in the faid Se&ion, was tranfatl-ed. And [in like Manner the Account given at the Beginning of each Section of the Jcls, informs the Reader, within what Interval or Space of Time what is contained in the refpe&ive Section, ctune to 2. Another Advantage, which the Reader will in a fpecial Another Ufe- Manner receive from my Paraphrafe on the four Gofpels, is pS^ftf'.tfekj w*. that He will thence learn, What Grps or Omijfi- i" fating th ons, relating to the feveral Parts of the Gofpel- Hiftory, fm the /iea- are jn €ai fo Quf[ el, and how they are fupplfd by fome one Glps7romif-Or more of the other Gofpels. Namely, as St. Luke writ florist in after St. Matthevo and Mark, fo it is fufficiently evident, !«ihJWfup tnat ne hzs fupplfd ox: inferted into his Gofpel feveral very ply'd by /b^e considerable Paffages or Parts of the Gofpel-Hiftory omitted other cofpsL by the two other Evangelifts, and that purpofd^ forafmuch as the General <pR E FACE. $ as he has bzen fiort in taking Notice of fuch Particulars as were taken Notice of before by the Two other ; and has been Long or More full in giving an Account of fuch Par- ticulars as were Not taken Notice of before by the Others. And in like manner St. John, who writ his Gofpel laft of All the Evangelifts, has inferted therein feveral confiderable Parts of the Gofpel-Hiftory altogether pafs'd over by the Three former Evangelifts. Of which fee more in the Par- ticular Prefaces to the Gofpels of St. Luke and John ; and more efpecially in my Table of the Harmony of the Four Gofpels, where this is moft plainly fhewn All at One View. A Third peculiar Advantage, which the Reader will re- 4, ceive by this Paraphrafe on the Gofpels, is that therein He4 Thi^ Ufe. will find Particular Notice taken of All the feveral ¥a$ag«*Pa$hfa£U of the Gofpel-Hiftory, which are Not placed in the feveral Gofpels, efpecially in That 6i St. Matthew, according to the Order of Time, wherein they came to pafs. Now as the three forementioned Particulars, wherein the , ?• Reader will be help'd by Means of this Paraphrafe, are J/J^. either wholly or moftly paft over unregarded in Other Pa- raphrafes, fo it neceffarily follows thence, that for Want of Regard thereto ftveral Texts rauft be there mifundtrftood and fo mifinterpreted: Whereas due Regard being had in this Paraphrale to the faid Particulars, the Texts depending thereupon are therefore of confequence here Lightly under- load and interpreted. And it is proper for mc to leave it to the Judgment of Thofe that are qualify'd to be com- petent Judges, whether leveral other Texts are not put ei- ther into a Truer or a Better Light, than they were Afore. For as I have been purpofely (hort in fuch Particulars, as have been cleared by Others; fo I have been purpofely Large in fuch as have been paft over by Others, either wholly or (lightly ; and yet have feem'd to Me to deferve more Notice. I have all along ftudy'd Brevity, as far as the Nature of 6. Things would permit. And for" this Reafon, I have not^rjcfiy ,ff ftoo^ to P<raphrafr, at lead Fully, fuch Paftages as are re- rfTi ^"L/wV peatcd in Two or More of the Gofpels ; but have contented Meant. A 2 my 4 The General PREFACE. ray Self to refer the Reader for the Paraphrafe of fuch Pa- rallel PafTages to that Gofpel, where it is Beft explained by Reafon of the Context, or on fome other Account. On the like Confideration I have made no other Annotations, than what feem'd Neceflary to the Understanding of the Text Aright ; nor have I added any TJifcourfes but what were Necejjary to the fame End. 7« Namely, whereas there is mention made both m the £ouTc^-GofPeIs andthe Afts of feveral forts of Jewjjb Rulers, and hngwg hereitn- of the Pharifees and Sadducees, &c. which might be much '«• more Briefly and Clearly explained All together than in fe- veral diftit/tl and diftant Notes, I therefore drew up the fir ft D'ifcourfe, which is placed next after this Preface. And when I came to the Acts of the Apoftles, finding it Requi- fite to have a clear Knowledge of the feveral Terfons of the Herodian Family mentioned in N. T. in order to have a clear Underftanding of the Hiftory thereof; and alfo of the Two Sorts of Trofelytes among the Jews, Before as well as In the Times of* Chrift ; and perceiving alfo that both thefe Subjefts could be more 'Briefly and Clearly treat- ed of All together than in Sfiintt Notes ; on thefe Confide- rations I drew up the, fecond Difcourfe, which follows after » tlie Firft. ef thi °chro- Geography and Chronology being juftly efteem'd the Two aohgy of n.t. Eyes or Lights of Hiftory in general, and confequently ofSa- cred as well as Common Hiftory. I have therefore next af- ter the forementioned Difcourfes added a Chronology of Ar. T. which I have taken in the main from that Great and Learned Chronologer Dr. Lloyd, the late Lord Bifliop of Worcefter, as it is publifh'd in the Tables fet forth by Mr* Marfhal. 9. As for the Geography of N. T. I have fometime fince . ohheQtog a- publifh' d a.Treatifeo( That,, as alfo of 0. T. to which phy»/A/. 7. tjierefore 1 jlave contented myfelf to refer in the Notes hereunto belonging, either in a particular manner, or elfe in general. In that by confulting the two Index's belong- ing to the two Parts of my Geography of N. T. the Rea- der will be dire&ed, where to find an Account of All Pla- ces mentioned in N. T. DIS- (5 ) «- DISCOURSE! Of the Jewifh Rulers, Chief Prirfts, and Elders, as alfo of the Scribes, Pharifecs, and Sadducces mention 'din the HI ST 0- RTofthe GOSPEL. THERE being in the Hiftory of the Gofpel frequent x, mention made of che Jewifh Rulers, Chief Vrieftsjleintnd*, Elders, Scribes, Pharifees and Sadducees, I judged it much thn- better to fpeak of them here All together than of each fingly or in a feparate Note, as they fhould happen to be firft mention'd in the Gofpel- Hiftory. For there being fome Connexion between All or Moil; of them, by laying together an Account of them All, there is avoided a great deal of Repetition, which would otherwife become neceffary ; and alfo hereby the Account of them becomes not only Jhorter, but likewife clearer or more eafily to be compre- hended by the Reader. In order to have the fuller and clearer Notion, both of 2. them that are called Rulers in general, and of the Chief The feverai Priefh, 8rc. in particular, it will be requifite to fay fome-^^f*c' thing of the Synagogues andCourts ofjujhce among the Jews.gogue/"** It is then obferveable that the Word Synagogue do's literally im- port no more than an Ajjemlly or Meeting of Perfons together j and confequently may fignify a Market-Meeting or Men's meeting together to keep Market, and a Judicial Meeting or Court of Juftice, as well as a Religious Meeting for Performance 6 Of the Jewijli Rulers, Performance of Divine Service. In the firfl: Senfeit may be very well underftood Matth. 6. 2. And in the fecond Seofe -Alatth. 10. ij. and 3$. 34. and Jam 1. 2: But k ftmroft frequently ufcd- by thcfecred Writers if* the third or laft Senfe aforemention'd. 3. Tht Courts of Juftke or Judicature among the Jews The fever ai were jn general of two Sorts; the Grtv?/- or Sjjprdbm Court, IdfcKurei.11" which was only in Jerufalem; and the leffer Or inferior moegtbejewf. Courts, which were in every City. The former was cal- led the great Sanhedrin, or fimplyby Way of Eminence the Sanhedrin, (a Word made from the Greek ^jw, fignifying a Conjiflory, and always (I think; render'd in our Tranfla- tion the Councel) and accordingly it exceeded the inferior Courts, both in the Number of Judges of which it confu- ted, and alfo in Power. As to its Power, it not only, re- ceiv'd Appeals from the inferior Courts, but it Alone had Power to judge of Life and Death, at leaft in more great and weighty Matters. This Power of Life and Death, if retained in the Time of Herod the Great, as the Learned Bifhop of Worcej,er has well obferv'd, forafmuch as the faid He rod would not put his own Son's to Death, but by the Sentence of this Court.- And that it had tbe faid Pow- er taken away from it before Ch rift's Death, is evident from Job. 18. 51, where the Jews exprefly fay unto Pilate, It is not lawful for us to [v.t any Man to Death. Which is the more to be taken Notice of, becaufe it is fo clear a Proof, that the Prophecy of Jacob, Gen. 49. 10. was fulfil- led by our Saviour. As to the Number of Judges, the lef- fer Sanhedrins or inferior Courts of Judicature confifted of twenty three, whereas the Great Sanhedrin confifted of feventy two, as fome, or of Jeventy befide the Nafit as 0- thers, namely in allufion or conformity to. Numb. n. 16. . This being premis'd, it is obfervable that -the Word ofthcRukts Ruter, being of a general Signification, may be apply'd, among the not only to a Judge of the Great Sanhedrin, but ^mTntiJ'din a^° t0 a JU(%e °f anv ^er Sanhedrin, and likewife n. t. to any one that had the Direction and Ordering of Mat- ' ters in any Synagogue taken to denote (not a leiter Sanhe- drin or inferior Court of Judicature, but even,) a Religi- on-AiTembly or Place of Divine Service. When there is Men- tion Chief Trkfls and Elders. 7 tlon made of Rulers (Imply, and the Text Or Context re- fers them to Jerufalem, then it feems molt reafonable by the faid Rulers to undeftand Thoje of the Great Sanhedrin, slsLuL 23. 15, $5. &c- Joh. 7. 26. 48. Acl. 3. 17. and 4. 5. and 15. 27. 'kSc. ■ In like manner the fame are to be understood by the Rulers of the People, cAcis 4. 8. and by the chief Riders Job. 12. 42. Other wife, name- ly when either there is mention made of Rulers Simply, and the Text or Context refers them, (not to Jerujalem but) to fome other City ; or when there is mention made of the Ru'er or Rnlers of the Syjiagdgue ; then it feems moll Reafonable by the faid Riders to understand, either the Ru- lers of the lejjer Sxxhedrin and inferior Court of Judicature in that particular City, or elfe of the Religious AJembly and Place of Divine Service there. Thus by the Rulers of the Syna- gogue y Act, 13. 15. are plainly meant Thofe of the Re- ligious Affewbty of the Jews ; and the like is understood by fome ofjairus the Ruler mention'd Matth. 9. 18; and more fully Sty I'd One of the Rulers of the Synagogue, Mark 5. 22. and a Ruler of the Synagogue, Luk. 8. 41: But, Dr. Hammond is of Opinion, that by the Synagogue menti- on'd in the two laft Texts is rather to be understood the ieJJ'er Sanhedrin in that City where Jairus dwelt. The Rulers or Judges of the Great Sanhedrin were made tf. up of the Chief Priefs, Scribes, and Elders. ' And RfR, 6f of the ch\tl the Chief Trie/Is, whereby are probably understood thePr! Heads of the twenty four Families, which Sprang from E. leazar and Thorn a^ the two Sons of Aaron, (namely Sixteen from Eleazar and eight from Jjf)amar) among whom the PrieSt's Office was fo divided by David (1 Chron. £&) as that each Family Should perform the Service of the Temple by Courfe or Turn. Now the Heads of thefe Fa- milies are expreSly StyFd in the Septuagint VerSion (1 Chron„ . 24. 4. df^vrU and'V. ^. afxom* -nSy iy'tuv ^ af^ivru ri Ki/eX which is much the fame with or equivalent to «»t*ty«k And indeed Since they were not only Priefis themfelves, but alfo the Chief of the PrieSts, no wonder they Should be commonly call'd the Chief Priejls, But 8 Of the Jewijh Rulers y 9. But now among for betides,) thefe Chief Priefts, there of tie 4aron\- was Qne wj,0 ,was jn a more fpecial and eminent Manner Pri^^ig^called <*?x<€f«^, which is well enough diftinguilh'd in our Pn.ft.w- Tranftation by the Name of Higb-Priejl, as being Higher iHTixo'* '?)&a mc^ as were only Chief Priefts, and who peculiarly as well at fucceeded Aaron in the Execution of the High- Priefts Of- #• r' ike. This Office was wont originally to go in a Lineal Dtfcent, and lo continue for Life •, but the Roman Gover- nors (as well as others before them) took upon them to change the regular Succefllon, and not only to put into the faid Oifice whom they pleas'd at leaft of Aaron's Pofterity or of the PrielFs, but alfo to put out and put in as oft as they pjeasd. The HighPrieft in this Acceptation of the Word at our Saviours Crucifixion was Caifhas, as we learn from the Gofpel-Hiftory. It remains but to obferve, that this laid HighPrieft was, not only always One of the Great Sanhcdrh, but alfo 0.te of the two Chief Perfons therein. 7. The other chief Perfon in the Great Sanhedrin was the f;£if*hpN-Jft 3Wl *n w'i°in was Principally lodg'd, Whatfoever Degree "lie uij ink! $ Power remain'd in the Jews at any Time, by the Indul- 3. 2. WAtt. gence of their Conquerors. Such were the «ixft**« 7*'?;e*« 4' 6- or Chief of toe Caftives that returned from Baljion, namely ZjrobabeJ) and after him his Pofterity, till about the Time -of the M.ccabees. This Office of the Na/i generally fell on fome Perfon of the greateft Repute among the Jews for his Skill and Knowledge in the Law ; Whence it will be Rea- sonable to concieve that He was fome Trieft, (the Priefts being raoft carefully brought up in tljat Knowledge) if not a Chief Ptkfti or One of the Heads of the twenty four Families of Aaron's Pofterity. Which ever he was, He being at leaft a griefi, and alfo poffefs'd with fo great an Authority as that of the Na/i, the G.- eat eft Autho- rity now left among the Jews; it is no wonder that He Jliould be ftyled in a more fpecial and eminent manner High- Prieft, as well as He that executed the Office of the Aaroni- cal H> t-Priefihood. And hence it is moft probably, that we find Two mention'd, wis. Annas and Caifhas(Luh. 3. 2.) as H'r: hPriefts, together:, whereof Annas'vrxs the.No/iyindCaipbas the Aaronical High-Prieft, moft properly and commonly fo Chief Priefts and Elders. $■ fo call'd in the Scriptures; thefe two differing one from the other much as did Mofes and Aaron. And fo much for the Chief Priefts and High-Triejls mention'd in the N. T. or Gofpel-Hiftory. Another Sort of Perfons, of which confided the great San- g. he aria, were the Elmers, who were chofen out of all the El- of the Ei- ders or Heads of Families among the Lay Tribes, and by ders- Impofition of Hands receiv'd into the fa id Sanhedrin. Theie were ftyl'd Elderj of the People, Matth. 2r. 23. and 26. t). and Elders of 1ft ael, Ad:. 4. 8, whereby they were diftinguifh'd from the Reft of the Elders or Heads of Families who were not Members of the faid Sanhedrin, a nd were fimply call'd Elders. The third and laft Branch or Members of the great San- hedrin were the Scribes, Te^u^Hf, i. e. fuch as had been of f/Jtaibes. taught Tetwfl*., the Writings or Boohs of the Law, and in- truded in the meaning of them. Thofe that were taken into the faid Sanhedrin, were flyled Scribes of the Teople (Matth. 2. 4.) to diftinguifh them from the Reft who did only keep School, and teach the Law, and were ftyl'd limply Scribe s. It remains only co oblerve in Refe- rence to the great Sanhedrin, that it is generally denoted in the Gofpel Hiftory by naming All three, or fome of the three Branches of it aforemention'd ; as the Chief Priefts and Siribes and Elder s*bf the Peofle, Matth. 26. 3. and 16. 2 1. Thi Chief Priefts and Scribes, Matth. 21. 15. Toe Chief Pritjls tnd Elders of the Peofle, Matth. 21. 23. &c. The Words Pharifees %n& Sadducees were -not Titles of 10. Authority, but only Names of two different Sects among of the ?h2ri- the Jews. In Reference to which it is to be known, that S„«Ss"is"d" there were even among the religious or pious Jews, fome that contented themfelves to do that only which was com- manded by the Law, who as they were call'd Kjra'm or Kjirxi , from the Word Kjira, fignifying in Hebrew to Ready whence Kj:rxi denoted fuch as adher'dto the Letter of the Law ; fo what was commanded by the Law was call'd Seaek or their Righteoufmf, which he that perform'd, fa- tisfy'd the Obligation of the Law, or fulfills the Righteouf- nefs thereof, wiience fuch were alfo call'd Saaikim or Sad- B ducees, lo Of the Jerviflj Rulers, Sec. ducecs, i. e. the Righteous. But there were fome others a- mong the Religious Jews, that did not content themfelves in many Refpe&s to do only what was commanded by the Law, but perform'd voluntarily fome Things which the Law did not require. And what was thus done over and a- bove what the Law requir'd, was callM their Chefed or ex- traordinary Goodntfs or 'Piety > and filch as praftis'd this, were thence ftyled Chajidm or JJii.eans, i. e. the extraor- dinary Pious. And of thefe we rea.d exprefly, i Maccab. 2. 42. where they are defcrib'd to be wtutyfyntu t$J toy.?, which we render, Voluntarily devoted to tie Law ; whereas the Greek Expreffion fignifies (as Dr. Hammond has obferv'd in his Treatife of Wilhwrrjlrif, Sect. 28.) Thofe that in their Obedience performed voluntarily fome Things which the haw required not. Thefe Jjideans are thought to be the f.m. that are otherwife cali'd Ejjens, this latter being (as it feems) a Word only made or corrupted from the former. Now the Jjideans or Eflhzs, as they thought themfehes not obliged by the Law to do feveral Acts of Piety or Religion which they did, fo much lefs did they go about to lay an Obligation on all others to do the fame. But at length there arofefome among them, who began to form fuch Voluntary Acts of Piety into Precepts, and to lay an Obligation on All to do as they did. And then being not obey'd in their fevere Prefcriptions, they feparated themfelves from All others,' even from the Jjideans ; and thence took to themfelves, or had given them, the Name of Ptu.rifees, from the Hebrew . j Word Pbaras, which fignifies to fefarate. This I take to be the beft Account, both of the Rife of the Sadducees and Pha- rifeesy and alfo of the Import of their Names. There oc- curring no mention of them in the Canonical Books of the Old Teftament, it is not to be doubted but thefe two Se£ts arofe in the Time between the Times of the Old and New Teftament. D I S- ( II ) DISCOURSE II. Of the Herodian Family , fo far forth as is requifite for the better Under ft anding of the Hiftory of the New Teftament. As alfo fvme Obfervations concerning the Profelytes mentioned in N. T.; and the Diftin&ion between Hebrews and Hellenifts. AS Herod furnam'd the Great was KJng of fudea, i. when our Wetted Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST^ Ufefof- was born ; ib feveral of his Family or Defcendents, were ^^ h^o- Princes either of Judea or of fome neighbouring Country ', dian Fumiij. during the whole Time taken Notice of in the Hiftory of the Go/pels or oAtts of the A[oJi!es ; and fo are occasio- nally mention'd in the laid Hiftory. Whence it comes to pafs, that in order to have a right and clear Notion of feve- rs;! Pajfages in the Gofpels and Acts ; it is neceffary to have a right and clear Knowledge of the Herodian Family, and of the feveral Perfbnt thereof mention'd in the facred Hiftory. And the beft Way to give the Reader fuch a Knowledge of this Family is, to give an Account thereof (To far forth as re- lates to the facred Hiftory) here All together, rather than by feveral Parcels canton'd into particular Notes on the Places of N. Teftament, where the faid feveral Perfons are men- tion'd. Herod, who was KJng of Judea largely taken for the Ho- 2. ly Land in general; was by Extraction an laumean or Edo-u-.Tcd, ;n B 2 mhe7wbi"'erme 1 7 Of the Herodian Family, &c. ch^ist was mite, that is, of the Race of Edom or Efr<u, and was born at Kin"' oTiudei -Afcalon a City on the Mediterranean Sea in the South- Weft ardjuriumi part of Judea. Hence he is fometimes Sumam'd the Afca~ *S%reatf l°ntie fr°m n^s Birth place; as he is more frequently furnam- kmiw! ** e^ t'ie Great-> on account of his Railing himfdf to the Great- nefs of a King, and that too a Powerful one. Among the feveral So;n he had by feveral Wives, it will be - Sufficient to my purpofe to take notice of thefe four, viz. of hi f sens. AriftoluluSy-ArcbeUius, Ant i fas, and Philif. Of drift&lulus it is requifite to take Notice here, not on „ 4* his own account (He being put to Death by his Fathers Means bu'u' the Fa- about four or Five Years before our Lord was born, and there tberj'K-ag being conlequently no mention made of him in the Sacred A£*ip?a- Hiliory:) But on account of his Son Agnffa, who came in time to be a great Prince and King, and is mention'd h\ gAct. XII. under the Name of his Grandfather Herod, and laftly wlio had feveral Cliildren mention'd in N. T. I fhall therefore fpeak more of him below in his Proper place,orafcer I have fpoken of his three Uncles above mention'd, viz. oArchelaus, ylnlifas, and Philip. Upon Hxrous Death, which was in the March next after 5- our Lords Birth,aecording to Herods Will confirm'd by the Ro- o/ArchUaiis, man Emperour Agifhis, his Son A ch.Jaus fucceeded him in wbgragnedin the greater!: part of his Dominions., viz. Judea properly lbcal- iaien&cT"1' ^ *et*' Id*meat &nd Samaria. Accordingly we read in Matth. . I. 22. that Jofeph being return'd out of Egyft with the Child Jefus and his Mother, when he heard that oArchelaus did reign m Judea in the roan of his Father Herod, he was afraid to go thither. And this is the Only place where Archelaus is mention'd in the Hiftory of the Gofpel. For the Under- ifanding the Reafon whereof it is obfervable that about nine Years after our Lords Birth, or Somewhat better, eArchelaut having been accus'd by the Jews and Samaritans, was Outed of all by Augufius the Roman Emperor, and banifh'd to Vi- enne in France; his Territories viz.Jndea^afua, la, and Idumea, being reduced into the form of a Province, and joyn'd to Sy- ria. Upon his Father Herod's Death, and according to his Will nth (confirm,d or confented to by Augujliu) Anti£as became Gover- JOj Herod An- li0i' • Of the Herodian Family 3 Sec. i 2 nor of Galilee and Perea or the Country beyond Jordan, "withtiPas>T^''»'c* the Title of a Tetranh. This oAntipas is called like wife o/Gllike* Herod, Luk. III. 1. Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee ; and the fame is the Herod, that imprifon'd and beheaded John "Bapti/t, Luk. III. 19, 20. Matt. XIV. 1 — 10; and la ft ly, this is the Herod, to whom Pilate fent our BlefTed Lord JESUS, and v/\\ofet him at nought and mocked him. Luk. XXIII. 7 — 12. In .4. D. 40. this Herod was, by Caligu- la the then Roman Emperor, not only Outed of his Tetrar- chy, but alfo banifli'd for ever to Lyons in France. The Emperor gave his Tetrarchy to Kjng Agrippa, the* Son of his Brother Arifiobuhs abovemention'd, and fo his Nephew, and who was alfo his Brother-in law, being the Brother of Htrodias, who had been firft the Wife of Philip, and leav- ing him, cohabited with this Herod againft the Admonitions of "jam Baptift, and thereupon became the Caufe of the Baptift's Death. But Providence juftly and remarkably punilh'd Her, in making her likcwife the Caufe of this He- roas Banilhment, by letting him on (out of Envy to her Brother Agrippa? s Greatnels, who was made a f\j%gi) to go to Caligula the Emperor, and to feek for the fame Honour. But the'Emp:ror initeadof making Him a Fj&g, took away his Tetrarchy, and fent him into perpetual lianifjjuizut, as is afore obferv'd : a jult and remarkable Punifhment for One, who had fet at nought the Bleffed JESUS, who is K.ING of KJngs. {Revel. 19. 16.) The only Sou of Herod the Great, which is mention'd in 7. N. T. and remains here to be fpoken of, is 'Phillip, who Fmrtbfyt according to his Fathers Will, upon his Death became Te-^fet^K trarchoi Iturea and Trachouit is, (&c.) as is mention'd Luh.iwei and III. 1. This is the -'Philip, whole Wife He'rodi'as his Bro-Trachoniti£- ther Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee got from him. In the 22./. Year of the Roman Emperor Tiberius, which an- fwers partly to A. D. 35, and partly to oA. D. 36, dyed this Pailip ; and upon his Death his Tetrarchy (viz.. Iturea and Trachelitis, Sec J was added to Syria by Tiberias. g^ Having given Account of the three Sons of Herod the Creat, 0f King A. who are mentioned in N. T. viz. Archdaus, Herod (oAti- grippe or »s tipus,) and Philip; I proceed now to fpeak of Agrippa tW^jJJS ,£ Granajon Grejt. 1 4 Of the Herod ian Family, Sec. Grannfon of Herod the Great by his Son ArifioluJus above- mention'd in §. 4. This Agrif£a was by Order of the Em- peror Tiber ins a little before his Death (viz. A. D. 36.) clapt into Bonds, and kept Prifoner, at Ca£ria, for faying, He fhould be Glad to fee Caligula Efoperer. Wherefore 37- bbrtKS was no fooner dead, but Caligula being thereby now become Emperor, order'd Jgrifpa to be pleas'd, (which was A. D. 37.J and withal fent him a Crown, making him KJ'% of his late Uncle Philips Tetrarchy, and alfo adding thereunto the Tetrarchy of Lyfanias mention'd Lul\ III. 1. In A. D. 41. this King Agripfa had new Favours beftow'd upon him by Claudius, who was now the Roman Emperor, and who gave him All his Grandfather Herod's Kingdom, and moreover Abyla, and Mount Ulams. Hereupon proba- bly He might take upon him the Name of his Grandfather viz. Herod, as being not only Equal to him, but was Supe- rior now in Power : on which Account He was ftyl'd Agrif- fa the Great, as his Grandfather was ftyl'd Herod the Great. Certain it is that this is He who is call'd Herod the Kjr.g, Att. XII, and who putjames the Son of Zjbedee to Death, and imprifon'd 'Peter for the fame purpofe, as is related in Jti. XII. After Paflover A. D. 44, He went to Ce/area, where being cry'd up for a God, and not Givitig Glory to God by difapproving fuch blafphemous Flatteries, He was fmitten by Gcd with a grievous Difeafe, being eaten of Worms, in order to teach Him that He was but Flejh or a Mortal Man. After his Death Claudius the Emperor re- duced his Kingdom into a Province. 9. There is one more Prince of the Herodtan Family men- QfKwg\. tion'd in N. T. and who is there exprefly called A^ripfa, fhlTr^K^^KJ'gAgrif^Kei. XXV, XXV I. This was the Son of Agrippa; and the former Agrtyfa, Claudius the Emperor would have made [£f*D*rfuf" him King of his Father's Kingdom, but was difwaded. <j^Beraice. However fometime after He made liim King of Chalcis up- on the Death of his Uncle Herod, viz. A. D. 49. But in A. D. 52. the Emperor Claudius took from him Chalcis ; and in the Room of it, gave him Iti.rea and Bclanea &c. which had formerly been the Tetrarchy of his great Uncle Philip: In A> D, 55. He had four Cities alfo given him H by Of the Herodian Family , &c. 1 5 by the Emperor Nero, viz. Ahila, Julias, Tiberias, and Tarichaa. And therefore it muft be in this laft Refped, viz. of his Kingdom of Tturea, Batanea, Trachelitis, &c. that He is ftyied Kjng in 48, XXV, XXVI, forafmuch as what is there related, fell out A. D. 60 ; and fo feveral Years after the Kingdom of Chalets had been taken from - Him. It remains only to obferve, that Dri.filla the Wife of Felix, mention'd Act. XXIV. 24, and Hernice, menti- on'd Act. XXV. 1 3, were Both Sijiers to this laft K. eA- grippa. Having taken fo much Notice of the Herodian Family, as IO# is requifite for Understanding the Gofpel- history, I pro-o/^p'ofe- ceed now to fpeak of the Profslytes among the Jews ; this tytes ""■""'<"<'«! being likewife requifite to the Knowledge of the Sacred 'nMr' History, there being Four times exprefs mention made of thefe Profelytes in N. T; and alfothey being much more frequently refer fd to along the HiStory of the Ads of the Apoii'es. The Word Profelyte is of Greek Extraftion, and in that Ix> Language denotes One that comes to Another ; whence it is The gen/rai uied in Matters of Religion to denote One that comes over^P0"0/^ ft cm one Religion to another, as is the Word Convert, which the time Jim- is of Latin Extradion, and of the fame or like literal Im-'^h the port in the Latin Language. Hence by a Jewifl? Profelyte ^fe'°^°"r is denoted in general Any One, who renouncing Heathen- ifm or the Worfhip of falie Gods, became a Worfhipper of the True God, or God of the Jews. In this Senfe is to be understood -the Word nd^vo, in feveral, if not in all the Pla- ces of the Ads where it occurs, which is fometimes ren-. der'd by our Tranflators Devout, but truly denotes no more than One that being a Jewifh Profelyte, was a Wor- f\rif\>er namely of the True God. Thus oAci. 17. tui yt n- Co/uvw EKhiiray TnhC ■arA.H s»$, oAnd of the devout Greeks a great Multitude, as in our Translation ; where by the nC fy.it m ba- Atic«f Devout Greeks, are meant only Gent He Profelytes. And in like Manner v. 17. of the fame Chapter we read To7f ixJkiMf ^ Tci; <n&>iAvot( j where ntst/im' by itfelf denotes Profe- lytes, and is therefore oppos'd to the Jefos by Birth as well as Religion. But 1 6 Of the Herodian Family^ &c. I2. But there were two Sorts of Profelytes among the Jews, Two sorts of viz. Some that became Profelytes or Converts fo farr as rtfy'll^te to Jidmit to Circumcifion, and lb to the Obfervance of All ligitn.1 C the legal Rites and Ceremonies. And fuch were dilfinguifh'd and dignify 'd by the Name of Profelytes of the Covenant, as having as full a Title to the Privileges and Ble flings of the Mofaical Covenant as the Jews themfelves. On the like Account they were alfo ftyled Profelytes of Righteouf- nefs, as by their Circumcifion and Obfervance of the Law fulfilling the Righteoufnefs thereof. The other Sort of Pro- felytes were call'd Profelytes of the Gate, as being permit- ted to dwell among the Jews ; but ftill efteem'd of by the Jews in many Refpe&s r<o better than other Gentiles, for- afmuch as thefe Profelytes did Not f til wit to Circumcifion or the Obfervance of the Legal Rights; but only Renouncing their former Heathenifm, did profefs to believe that the God of Ifrael is the otiIj True God, and that for the Future they would vorjluf Him alone. And this was the Import of the Firft of the Seven Precepts, that among the Jewifh Writers go under the Name of the "Precepts of Noah, tho' they fay at the fame Time, that Six of the Seven were given to Adam. ! , It will be more proper to take Notice of all the faid Pre- AnobfervatknCQpts, when I come to the Paraphrafe of Genejis, if GOD rwcrningihe permit. 'Twill be fufficicnt here to obferve no more rela- cree(/ik e* tlng to them, but that Two other of the faid Precepts were ~rif)inRe- One againlt Fornication or Uncleannejs ; the Other againft Profdytcs. bating of "Blood. Thefe I judg'd proper to take Notice of here, becaufe they ferve to give us good Light into the Reafon of the Synodical Determination or Decree in RefpeQ of thefe lat- ter Sort of Profelytes, viz. that as before while they were Pro- felytes in fome Sort to the Jewifh Religion,folikewife now Af- ter they were become Profelytes to Chriftianity, it was Necef- fary for them to abftain from Meats offered to Idols, aria from Blood, and fconfequently) from Things firangled, and from fornication, Ad. 15. 28, 29. Forafmuch as thefe were Duties which were not founded on the Mofaical Law, but on Precepts of a much earlier Date, founded on the Moral Reafon of Things, and fo of perpetual Obligation. In Of the Herod ian Family y &c. 17 In relation to the foremention'd two Sorts of Profelytes, it 14. is to be obferv'd further, that the Profelytes of the Covenant of the vi-, or Right eoufnefs, as they fubmitted to Circumcifion andf^'T*^ the Obfervance of the whole Law, fo thereby they became ««</ Gend'cs. perfe£t Jews as to Religion • and accordingly are (I think) evidently comprehended with Thofe of Jewi(h Extraction, under the common Name of Jews in feveral Places of the Afts. Whereas the other Profelytes, who did not fubmit to Circumcifion nor the Obfervance of the legal Rites, were not properly Trofelyte s to the Jezvifh Religion, but only to the God of the Jews, and his True Worfhip in general : For which Reafon they are not in N. T. comprehended un- der the Name of Jews, as being Not Jews either by Birth or Religion; but are ltill diftinguifh'd, even after their Profelytifm or Converfion, by the Name either of, Gen- tiles, or of 2*«t«K«/, Worshippers, viz. of the true God ; or jointly of Gentile Worfhippers. Thus when it is faid JcJ. XV> 2?. The oApoJiles and Elders and Brethren fend Greet- ing unto the Brethren which are of the GENTILES in <An- tioch and Syria and Qilicia \ it is evident that here by Gen- tiles are to be underftood only fuch as were Profelytes of the Gate ; and had not fubmitted to Circumcifion ; forafmuch as it is faid v. 28. Itfeem'a Good to the holy Ghoft and to Us, to lay on TOU no greater Burthen, &c. thereby deno- ting that they needed not to fubmit to Circumcifion ; and con- fequently that they were Not yet circumcifed. Now it thus clearly appearing hence, that the Profelytes of the Gate were thus diftinguifhM by the Name of the Gentiles, it will thence Reaibnably follow, that agreeably thereto the Profelytes of the Covenant or fuch as were circumcis'd, were not denoted by the faid Name ot Gentiles, but dig- nify'd (as 'twas thought,) with the Name of Jews, as being become perfect Jews as to Religion. And that they were ^Actually comprehended under the Name of Jews, there are I think feveral exprefs Inftances. Thus oAct. XI. 19, 20. Now they that were flattered Abroad travelled as far as Phenicin, Cyprus and eAntioch, preachingthe Word to none but JEWS only. A J (or But) fame of them — when they were come, to Antioch, fpake unto the GENTILES, C preaching 1 8 Of the Herodian Family , &c. f reaching the Lord JESUS. In thefe two Verfes we have All thofe to whom the Gofpel was preach'd, diftinguifh'd by the Names of Jews and Gentiles: But by the Gentiles are to be underftood {'as appears from AS. XV. 25. 6ffc.) the Uncircwncifed Profelytes •, Therefore by the Jews are to be underftood All the Circumcifed,. 1. e. the Circum- cis'd Profelytes of the Gentiles, as being perfectly Jews in Matters of Religion, as well as thofe who were Jews not only by Religion, but alfo by "Birth. And agreeably here- to When we read in the A&s of the Jews envying the Growth of Chriftianity and perfecting the Apoftles, but the Gentiles being more Difpos'd to receive the Gofpel : by the Jews are to be underftood All the Circumcir 'd, viz. Gentiles by Birth as well as Jews by Birth , and by the Gentiles are to be underftood the \Jncircttmcis*d Profelytes. And this is confirm'd both by the Nature and Reafon of Things. For it is not to be doubted, but that as the Gen- tiles who were Profelytes of the Covenant, had fubmitted Ihemfelves to Circumcifion and the Obfervance of the Law, fo They were no lets zealous than the Jews by "Birth, that Others fhould likewiie fubmit to Circumcifion and the whole Law : Nay frequent Experience convinces, that Profeljtes or Converts to any Religion are more zealous for the fame, than fuch as have been All along bred up> in it. And therefore it is very reafonable to fuppofe, that under the Name of the Jews that oppofed the Gofpel, are to b*e underftood, not only the Jews by Birth, but alfo the Circumcis'd Gentiles, as being no lefs Jews by Religion than the Other, and fo no lefs Zjalous for the Law, and preju- diced againft the Gofpel.- Whereas on the contrary the Gentiles who were Profelytes of the Gate, plainly fliew'd by Not fubmitting ThemJ elves to Circumcifion or the Ob- fervance oi the Law, that they had no efteem of Circum- cifion or the legal Rites, as necejfary in Themf elves to ren- der them acceptable to the true God, tho' He was the God of Jfrael ; who had given the Law and commanded Cir- cumcifion to the Seed of Abraham a And therefore no Won- der that Thefe were fo Readily difpos'd to receive the Gofpel, as wrnwg from theTrue God viz. the God, of lfrael-y and Of the Herodian Family, &c. i? and yet not requiriug Circumcifion and the Obfervance of the Law as necejfary to Salvation ; and herein being Agre e- able to their former Notions and Practice. But now altho' the Circumcifed Profelytes of the Gen- i 5 tiles, as well as the natural Dependents of Abr<:Mm,ofth^>- were both comprehended under the common Name of^^*" s JEWS, as being One as much as the Other JEWS tit andReiknii}? Religion ; yet They were wont to be diftinguilh'd by o- ther DifterenPNames agreeable to their different Extraction. Namely, Thofe that were JEWS, i. e. of the Jewifo Re- ligion, and defcended trom ^Abraham, were therefore diftin- guifh'd by the Name of Hebrews, in Reference to Abraham their Progenitor, who was of the Hebrew Race : Whereas Thofe that were JEWS, /'. e. of the Jewifi Religion, and were by Delcent Gentiles, were diftinguifh'd by the Name of Hellenifts ; becaufe All Gentiles, in and before the Times of the Gofpel were denoted by the Name "emm^, Greeks, by Reafon of the Gentiles neighbouring to Judea, gene- rally ufing the Greek Tongue, and conforming themfelves to the Greek Cuftoms j from the fetting up of the Greek Empire. Accordingly we find this Diftinclion eAc?. VI. 1. Where it is faid, that there arofe a murmuring of the Helle?iijis for as it is in our Tranflation, Grecians) againjt the Hebrews, becaufe their Widows mere neglected in the dai- ly Mini ftrat ion. Namely, it feems probable, that thofe en- trufted with the Daily Miniftration were Hebrews, and fo fhew'd moreKindnefs to the Widows that werealfo Hebrews or Defcendents of Abraham, than they did to the Widows that were He llenijis or of Gentile Extraction. There is another O* pinion concerning the Import of theforemention'dDiftnicT:i- on bet wen the Hebrews and the Hellenifts, and which is fol- lowed by me in the Notion the Title of the Epiftle to the Hebrews : but on more mature Deliberation I judge the G- pinion mention'd to be the moft Preferablee. As the Word imva is ufed by the Sacred Writers to x6t denote, not only the Greeks properly fo call'd, but alfo TheMethodob* (for the Reafon mention'd in the foregoing Paragraph; JfJJg «* All the Gentiles in general : So I have obferv'd this Method Uhmi. in core&ing our Tranflation, wherein it is indifferently ren- der'd, fbmetimes Greeks, fometimes Gentiles: viz. where C 2 it . ao Of the Herodian Family* Sec. t it is fpoken of the Greeks properly fo calPd, or at lea ft fo call'd by common Authors in a larger Acceptation, there I have render'd it Greeks ; but where it is fpoken of fuch as were not Greeks properly or by common Authors fo call'd, there I have render'd it at large Gentiles, ij- It ntay be of Ufe to obfeive here in the laft Place, that cfthcMknif- by the Helleniflick Tongue or Form of Speaking or Writing is Tonga, denoted no other than the ufual Way of fuch as were born Jews, and fo were not well skilled in the (Sreek Tongue, to exprefs themfelves when they fpoke or wrote in Greek, after fuch a Manner as was comformable to their Way of expreffing themfelves in the Hebrew or their own Lan- guage: This being no other than what is natural, and therefore obfervable in any Foreigners now adays, when they fpeak or write in a Language they are not well skill'd in. Agreeably hereto the Greek Verfion of the O. T. commonly call'd the Septuagint Verfion, as alfo the Greek of the New Teftament, abounds with Examples of the Helleniflick Way of ExpreJJion, or wherein the Greek Ex- preflion is adapted to the Hebrew or Oriental Idiom or Pro- priety of Speaking or Writing. This Way of Speaking or "Writing feems to have had the Name of the Hellenif- tick Language given to it, by fuch as judged the Hellenijts mention'd in the A£ts to have been fuch Jews by Defcent among the Smww or Gentiles that fpoke Greek ; and yet not underftanding the Greek Tongue well Themfelves, were wont to exprefs themfelves according to the Hebrew Idiom. And this is all I judge requifite to take Notice of here. The CHRO- ( ai ) THE CHRONOLOGY O F T H E . New Teftament, Trve Years Years °f of CHRIST. common Ac- count from CHRIST Years of Roman Emperors ditgujlus 28. Viz. ft om his '<*<>wgAlexan iria in Egypt, ;r according '0 Ptolemy's Canon. It an yvers to Na- bon} 74<. 29 ■lemarkable Particulars either exprefly mention'd in N. T. or relating hereto. The Annunciation of the Bl. Virgin, x Conception of CHRIST, March 25- The Birth of John Baptift, Jun. 24. Jofeph and Afary go up toBethlehem to be tax'd. Chrifl is horn at Bethlehem, Dec- 25. Our Lord's Circumcifion, Jan. 1. The Wife-Men come to him at 'Bethle- hem. His Prefentation in the Temple. The f%fo of >y^£, &c. with the Child JESUS into Egypt. The Maf- facre of the Infants. Toward the middle of March this Year, Herod the Great dies at Jericho^ being 70 Years Old. Augujlus the Ro- man 22 True Years] of Years of common Ac- A Chronological Table. r-uPTQT (count from l^HKlhl. CHRIST; Hi I — Years of Roman Emperors 3° 3l 32 54 31 Remarkable Particulars. man Emperor gives to Heroes Son Arch'elaus the chief Parts of his Fa- thers Dominions, viz. Judea, and ldu~ nea and Samaria : To Herod's Son Anttyas he gave Galilee and 'Percy? ; and to his Son Philip, Iturea, and VrO^honiiis* Herod being dead, and Archelav.s reigning in Judea, Jofeph and the Vir- gin Mary with the Child JESUS re- urn out of Es.yft» I Jun. 27. Auguftus adopted Tibe- us. Archelaus was now accufed by the Jews and Samaritans. Archelaus is depriv'd of All by Au- uftus for Mifgovernment, and banifh'd to Vienna in Gaul. His Territories ^iz. Judea, Samaria, and Idumea were educed to the Form of a Province, iftd )oin'd to Syria* Quirinius calPd Lull. II. 2. Cyreni- csc was now fent into Syria by ,4a- . «j$?« to levy a Tkv there, according to :he Valuation of Eftates formerly made, oiz. in the Year when Chrift was born. 'Judas A Chronological Table. 2 3 True Years of CHRIST. Years of common Ac- count from CHRIST Years of Roman Emperors. 12 10 Tiberius I. 16 14 ■ 28 '. 26 12 29 27 *J • 3° 28 14 CHRIST comes up to Jerufalem be- ig 12 Years of Age, to the Pajjover, Luk. II. 42. in A'igufi 19. The Emperor Angtjtus dies at AWtf in. Campania^ being 76 Years of Age. To whom Tibtrius ucceeds, who reigned 22 Years, 6 Months, and 26 Days. Remarkable Particulars. Judas of Galilee now in the D^j of this Taxing drew away much People «fter him. AcL V. 37. cPohtius Pilate is fent by Tiberius to be Procun tor cf Judea. ' Agrippa junior, the laft King of the Jews, is bora. We read of him Art. XXV, XXVI. Bemice Sifter to King Agrippa, and mention'd Ait. 25. 13, was born this Tear. Our Lord, beginning to be about thirty Tears of Age, Luk. IJI. 23. came to be baptised by John Baptirh After which follow his Faft forty Days, and Temptation in the Wildernefs. Then He returns to the Baptift at 'Bethabara ; where Andrew and John and Pffer become his Difciples. Joh. I. 28. 40, 41. Hence therefore is to be dated the very jirji Beginning of his Minifiry. April True Yearfc of CHRIST. Years of i common Ac-i count from CHRIST. A Chronological Table. Years of Roman Emperors. 29 M Kemarkable Particulars. April 18. was the FIRST PASSO- VER after our Lords Entring into his Miniftry, which he kept at JeruJaJetn. Joh. II. 1 3 . John "Baptijl was not yet caft into Prifon. Joh. III. 24. 52 30 ?J Si 16 *7 April 7. was the SECOND PASS- OVER after our Lord's Entrance on his Miniftry, which He kept likewife at Jerufalem. "Joh. V. 1. John Baptift was now caft into Tri- fon, as may be reafonably inferr'd from Chrifts faying, He WAS a burning and afbinjng Light. Joh. V. ^5. JESUS going fometime after this in- to Gclilee, begins that Part of his Miniftry., whiclvis taken Notice of by St. Matthew, Mark and Luke, viz. af- ter the ■ Imprifonment of the Baptift. Matth. IV. 12. Mark. I. 14. Now upon his preaching and doing Miracles in a more fettled PUBLICK manner than Afore, the People GA- THERED to him in vaft Multitudes, Matth. IV. 24, 25. Whereby was Fulfilled JAcOtS Prophecy, (Gen. 49. 10.; the SCEPTER alfo being then Reported from J.nlah . March 26. was the THIRD PASS- OVER, after our Lords Firft Entry upon this Miniftry, which he kept not at Jerufalem, flaying in Galilee by Reafon of the Malice of the Jewifh and becaufe his Hour Rulers againft Him, A Chronological Table. True Years of CHRIST Years of common A c- count from CHRIST 34 Y ea rs of Roman Emperors. 5 32 Remarkable Particulars. Hour was not yet come. He was in Galilee now in Harveft Time (which always began on the XV th of Nzfant which was March 16. this Year) as appears from his Difciples plucking there the Eats of Com, Sec. Mark. If. 2 j. Luk. VJ. 1. April ^ this Year was the FOURTH PASSOVER after our Lord's Firft En- ding upon his Miniftry, when He ft ay7 din Galilee, as he had done the Year afore ; as appears from Job. VI. 4. £$c. On May 1 r, of this Julian Year, or fome little time later, ended the (jeveu Weeks and Sixty two Weeks (viz. of Years) from theTiventieth ofJrtaxerxes 'Nehem. II. J eAfte r which, and Before the End of another Year, the Mejjias was to be cut off according to Dan. IX. 26. viz. at the Paflbver next en- fuing when accordingly our Lord was cut of. Oh the 15 th of the Hebrew Month Tifri was always the Feafi of Ta- bernacles, which 15 th of Tifri fell this Year about the middle of our October* Our Lord came up to Jerufalem to keejf thisFeaft there, Job. VII. 2, 10. On the 25th of the Hebrew Month Cifleu, which anfwer'd this Year to our Decernl. 16. ^according to Riccioli^") was the Fea/i of the Dedication, which D our a<5 True Year; of CHRIST. Years of Roman Emperors. A Chronological Table, Remarable Particulars. our Lord likewife kept, at Jerusalem, as appears Job. X. 22. April 3. was the FIFTH PASSO- VER after our Lord's Firft Entring upon his Miniftry, at which he fufie- red, viz. on the forefaid April 3. Be- ing then the tPreparation-cDay or the Day before the Jewifh Sabbath, which accordingly anfwers to Our Friday. April 5. our Lord rofe from the dead; Forty Days after He aj 'tended into Hea- At Pentecoft May 24, feven vet Weeks after our Lord's Refurre£Ho% the Holy Gtoft dtfcended on the eApoJl- [es. And what "elfe is related in the •jrft five Chapters of the Affs, is fup- pos'd to have fell within this Year. The Inftitution and Ordination of the firft feven Deacons. Toward the End of this Year began the Persecution of the Church at 'Jeru- salem, in which Stephen was fton'd. Philip, one of the Deacons, makes Converts at Samaria, and among ci- thers converts Simon Magus, who after- wards became the Author of great He- refy in the Church. Philip converts alfo the Ethiopian Eunuch* SauVs or St. TauFs Converfion. He goes into Arabia ; where he had his Revelation immediately from Chrift, Gal. I. 12. In A Chronological Talk. 27 True Years of CHRIST. Years of common Ac- count from CHRIST Years of Roman Emperors. 37 35 21 38 36 22 39 37 Caligula 1 40 38 s Remarkable Particulars. In 2 2d Year of Tiberius dy'd Pfo7/f die Tetrarch without Children. About this Time the Samaritans breaking out into open War, dilate kills many of them. Saul or St. Paul ftay'd All this Year in Arabia. On Pilate's killing fome Samaritans, as is mention'd in the foregoing Year, He is accufed of Murder before Vitellim the Prefident of Syria ; and order'd by him to Rome. Tetrarch Herod's Army was now routed by oAretas King of Arabia, who had now garrifon'd cT)amafcus. March 16 this Year dies the Empe- ror Tiberius, and is fucceeded by Cairn Caligula, who reigned 3 Years 10 Months 8 Days. Pilate is banifh'd by Cains to Vienne in Gaul or France. Agrippa Son of Ariflobulw and Grandfon of Herod the Great, is'madc 1 KJng by Caius, who gave to him the Tetrarchy of his Uncle Philip, and alfo the Tetrarchy of Lyfanias. This is He whom St. Luke calls Herod, Ad. XII. 1, fcJfc St. Paul returnM to Damafcm ouc of aArabia, and there preaches. St. Paul efcapes from. TJaiiiafc^s to Jerusalem, whence ("to efcape being D 2 '-nM kilPd aS True Years of CHRIST. Years of common Ac- count from CHRIST. A Chronological Table. 4-i Years of Roman Emperors. 42 39 40 43 ; 44 41 Remarable Particulars. 'ull'd by the Hellenifts) he went -to 'afarea, and fo to Ta-ifas. Claudius Now had the CHURCH Reft thro' ill Judea, Samaria, andGalilee. Peter partes thro' all Quarters, and comes to Lydia, and Jo\ fa, and thence to Cafa- <\ea, where he converts Cornelius, kc. 42 Tetrarch Herod had his Tetrarchy now taken from him by the Emperor Zaius, and is banifh'd for ever to Lyons in France. Cains gave Herod's Te- :rarchy to his Brother Agriffa. Januar. 24 Cains the Emperor is 'dll'd by Confpirators. His Uncle Claudius Cafar fucceeds, and reigns 1 5 Y. 8 m. 20 d. King Agriffa had now new Favours jeftow'd on him by Claudius, viz. ill his Grandfather Herod's Patrimo- ny, and more ever \Abila, and Mount Libanus. And therefore probably He might take upon Him the Name of his 3randfather, as being not only e- qual to him, but Superior now in Pow- Barnabas is now fent by the Church at Jemfalem to Antioch in Syria, AcV XI. 32. Hamabas fetches Paul from Tarfus to Antioch CAB '. XL 23, 25.) where Luke is judg'd to have been converted by St. Paul. James A Chronological Table. True Year J Years ?f *9 of CHRIST. 47 :ommotiAc- ount from :hrist Years of Roman Emperors 45 Remarkable Particulars. James Son of Zjbedee is hl'Pd by Hi rod- Jgrippa, and Peter imprifoii'd by him, but miracuhufly deliveSd. Herod himfelf dies quickly after, being eaten with Worms (AQ:. XII.). About this Time St. Matthew pro- bably writ his Gofpel. Paul and Barnabas carry the Contri- butions of the Chriftians at Antioth to :he Elders at Jerufaletn, whence they return to oAntioch, bringing with them 'john furnam'd Mark, Sillers Son to Barnaluis. The Beginning of this Year (if not che Ending of the la ft) Tattl and "Barria- tas are by the Direction of the Holy Ghoft feparated to the Office and Work of Apoftles. AS. XIV. 4, 14. Accordingly They fet forth from intioch to Seleucia, and fo to Cy- prus. About this Time, viz, fometime in the Twelfth Year after Chrift's eAfcen- /ion, 'tis generally believ'd that the A- poftles left Jerufalem to go and preach in the feveral Provinces of the Getitile World. Paid and 'Barnabas fail from Cyprus to Perga in Pawpbylia, where John Mark left them, returning to Jerufa- lem. Paul and 'Barnabas go on to An- tioch in Pijidia. oAtt. XIII. 14.. Thence 3° T,ue Years of CHRIST Years of | years of common Ac-, Rmm CCHRttXlEmfeiMS- ^ Chronological table. 49 5° 46 <i 52 47 48 49 5° 10 5?j . 5.1 Remarkable Particulars. Thence they go to Iconium, Lyftra and Derbe. Timothy was now made a Chrijlian by St. TW. T^a/ and Barnabas return from Der- be to Lyftra, and fo to Iconium and Antioch in Pifidia ; thence they come to Jttalia, and fo by Sea to Antioch in Now arofe the Difpute at oAntioch about Circumcifion, Aft. XV. 1. Prtfl/ and Barnabas go up to Jerufa- lem about the faid Difpute. A Synod or Council is there held about it, which was the Firft Chriftian Council. \ S) nodical Determination of the faid Difpute. Paul and 'Barnabas ('with Judas and S/7/zjj return to Antioch. 11 Tf^r and P##/ and Barnabas were now All at oAntioch. Paul and Barnabas fart Company. Barnabiu with jf^# Mark fail'd to Cj- pr#j. Paul with 5/7/?j goes through Syria and Cilicia, and thence to £)«'- fo and Lyftra, and takes Timothy along with him » ■ 1 »-H > . Ptftf/ and &7<w and Timothy go thro' Pfarygia, Galatia, and ikfyfoz to 7><?/«-. 1 urj^'Hy \junu.ti>) aim irjyiw iu Xiuua. There Lafo ioin'd them. g/4#. XVI. 10. From TVtfdy they all go to Philip pi in Macedonia. Thence All but hue True Year.' of C HRIST 54 55 5* A Chronological Table. Years of common Ac count from r CHRIST. EnW°rs J** 52 Years o' Roman 12 5J 54 i4 Nero. Remarkable Particulars. Luke (as appears AB. XVI. 17.) went :o Tbejjalonica. Paul goes from Thejj'alomca to Be- w, and fo to Athens, and Corinth, where S/'jaj and Timothy come to him. We. read no more of Silas after this. PW is judgM now to write his III Bpiftle to the Theffelonians, Paul (till itays at Corinth, where he is accufed before Gallio. He is judg'd now to write his lid Spiftle to the Thejjfhnians. After 1 Years 6 Months ftay at Co- inth, Paul fails to[Epb'efus9 and fo to Cxfaresr, and goes thence to jferufalm it Pallover. Thence he goes to. oA ich in Syria (_Atl\ 18. 22. ) Thence thro' Galatia and Phrygia to £jpjbc /kr. OBoler 13. Dies Claudius the Em- peror, being poifon'd by his Wife A- grifpina Mother or N&ror who-fuc- needed and reigned 1 3 Years 7 Months 28 Days. Peter is faid to have come ijo Corinth gone about this Time, and . to have thence to Rome . Paul continues (till at Ephefus, preach- ing in the School of Tj/ramus, for two Tears, (Jcf« 19. 1 o.) felix ?4 True Year of CHRIST. 57 . Years of common Ac- count from CHRIST. 55 Years of Roman Emperor. A Chronological Table. Remarkable Particulars. 59 6o 62 57 58 60 Felix, who was made Governor by Claudius, and came into Samaria at che Beginning of A. D. 49, is con- tirm'd in his Government by Nero. ?<?«/ being (till in J ft a, viz. at Ephe- fus, is now judg'd to write his Ift Epif- :le to the Corinthians, as alfo that to che Galatians. Leaving Ephefus on the Account of the Uproar made by Demetrius, he :omes to Macedonia and Greece, where it Corinth he is judg'd to write his E- piftle to the Romans ; as he had be- fore in Macedonia writ his lid Epiftle to che Corinthians. Thefe laft Particulars might fall in with the Beginning of <A. D. 58. Paul returns from Corinth thro' Ma- edonia, and fo to Troas and Miletus, and laftly to Jerufaleni: Here he is apprehended and fent Prifoner to Gafa- rea to Felix. Pore ins Fejius fucceeds Felix after "woTears, viz. oCPauW being kept at Cafarea. Paul appeals to Cafar ; and being fent by Sea to Rome, is in his Voyage :aft upon the Ifle of Maltha. James is judg'd to have writ his E- piftle in this (or the foregoingj Year ; and. alfo Peter to have writ his fivjt Epiftle. After A Chronological Table. True Years of CHRIST. «J Years of I Years of common >c\ Romm -^Emperors. 61 64 62 ("> 63 8 66 64 10 3* Remarkable Particulars. After 3 Months flay in Malta, Paul fails thence to Syracufe, and fo to Rbe- tum, and Puteoli for Rome. Whither .ie came about February in the Seventh of Nero, as Bifhop Pearfon largely proves in his Annai. Paulin. In the End of this Year St. Paul is judged to have writ four Efiflles in the Order following, viz. to the Philtypi- ans, Epbefians, ColoJJia/is, and Philemon. In Beginning of this Year Paul ha- ving his Liberty went from Rome, but was flill in Italy, where he writes his Epiftle to the Hebrews. In the End of this Year Paul and Timothy going for Judea fail'd unto Crete. Sometime after Paul's Departure from Kflwf, and \Peters, Irenaus in- forms us, that ikforfe and Luke writ their Gofpels, and confequently Luke muft alfo write the Acls : The Parti- cular Year is not Certain. Paul is now judg'd to have ordain'd Titus Bifhop of Crete : Then failing thence with Timothy to have come into Judea according to his Intention (Hebr. 15. 2$.) Thence to have gone into A/ia, and there at Ephefeis to have left Timothy with Authority over the Teachers, i e. to have made him. Bifiop. E Pa«t 34 True Year.' of CHRIST. 67 Years of ommon Ac ount from CHRIST 65 68 69 Years of Roman Emperors. A Chronological Table. Remarkable P articular*. 11 66 67 12 J1 Paul went from Ephtj us to Macedonia (1 7/w. I. 3.) and fo to Thilippi (Pi;!. I. 2 5.J He wintered at Nicofolis in E- pirus, (as Bifhop Pear [on proves) not in Macedonia. Paul writ III Epiftle to Timothy and alfo That to litus. From Nicopolis Paid went to Corinth, where he left Era/ins (2 Tim. 4. 20.) He was alfo at Troas (v. !■$.) and Mi- letus, where he left Trophimus fick (v. 20. Paul ventnrM to Rome, the Perfec- tion being over above two Years fince, and Nero alfo being now in Greece. But TauJ found another Nero there, viz. Helius, to whom Nero had left the Go¥ernment with full Power in all Matters, to adt as he pleas'd, even without confulting him. Paul was fo well known at Rome, that he could not be hid. He was therefore taken, and kept now a clofe Prifcner, infomuchthat Onefphorm had much ado to find him (2 Tim. I. 17.J He was call'd to a Trial before Hehus, for his Life. None of his Friends dar'd to appear for or with Him j but &'hl forfook hi v. (2 Tim. 4. 16.) B*ut Go J then deliver'' a him out of the Mouth of the Lyon, (ib.J namely He- ius. After his firft Trial before Helius, Paul writ his Sec ottu Epijile to Timothy being _ _. I Years of TrueY&ricommiAc. of CHRIST count fron CHRIST A Chronological Table. g 5 Remarkable Particulars. Years of Roman Emperors. 70 68 '4 73 98 100 102 71 96 being then in near Expe&ation of Death '2 7)w. 4. 6.) "Peter writes his Second Epiftle. February 2$. St TW was martyred at /lo/tff under the Governors in Nero's Abfence, as Clemens^ Romanus witnef- fes. St. Peter alfo is faid now to have fuffer'd Martyrdom together witli St. Paul. June 9th. Nero kills himfelf. -< 1 — .i -1 — . jude might now write his Epiftle, which feems to have been defign'd a- gainft the Ebionites, who now broke out of the Country round about Telia. 98 100 St. John might now write his Ift Epi- ftle. And not long after his other Two, Toward the End Of Domitiatfs Reign, (who was kill'd Sept. 1 8. this Year,) He writ his Book of Revelations. After Domit tan's Death he return'd from the Ifle of Patmos to Ephefus. He now writ his Gofpe I at the Re- queft of the Bifhops of oAJia. This Year being the $d of Trajan the Emperor, dy'd St. Johny the longeft Liver of the Apoftles. E2 THE The fever al Se&ions into which the following Pa- raphrafe of Sr. MATTHEWS Gofpel is diftin- guiffjd. SECTION I. CONTAINING fuch Particulars as arc taken Notice of by St. MATTHEW, from the Birth of CHRIST to his Vaptifm, when he began to be about Thirty Years of Age. Which Particu- lars take up the twofirft Chapters of the faid Gofpel, and begin Tage% SECT II. Containing fuchParticulars as are taken Notice of by St. MATTHEW in Reference to theBaptifmof CHRIST, when he began to be about thirty Years of Age, and from thence to CHRIST'S entring ■on the more fublick Tart of his Miniftry, after the Imprifonment of John the Baptift, when CHRIST was in the thirty fecond Year of his Age. Thefe Particulars take up Chap. Ill — IV. n. of the <faid Gofpel, and begin (. 2j SECT III. Containing fuch Particulars as arc taken Notice of by St. MAT- THEW, From CHRIST'S entrhigonthe more fublick Part of his Mini/try, which was fome Time after the PajJ'over that was in the -thirty fecond Year ofChrift's Life fbut A. D. 30, that is, in the thir- '■tieth Year of the common JEra or Account from Chrift's Na- tivity,,) To fome little Time afore the PajJ'over that was in the thirty fourth Year of his Life for A. D. 32.) Which Particulars take up Chap. IV. 12 — XIV. 12. in which Large Part of this Gofpel St. MATTHEW do's generally Not obferve Order of Time, as to his jRelation of theParticulars therein contain'd.ThisSe&ion begins f. 3 7 SECT IV. Containing fuch Particulars as are taken Notice of by St. MAT- THEW, prom fome little Time afore the PaJJover that was in the thirty The CONTENTS. tBirty fourth Year of our Saviour's Life for A. D. 32.J To his Departure out of Galilee in order to his keeping his laft Pajjbver at Jerufalem, which was in the thirty fifth Year of his Life (or A. D. 3J.J Which Particulars take up Chap. XIV. ij — Chap. XVIIL ult. And are related by St. MATTHEW in due Order of Time j which is likewife very well obferv'd in all the remaining Part of rhis Gofpel. This Section begins p. 149 SECT V. Containing fuch Particulars as are taken Notice of by St. MAT- THEW, from CHRIST'S Dtparture out of Galilee, in order to his Coming up to Jerufahm at that Taj] over whereat he faffer'd, and which was in the thirty fifth Year of his Life (or A. D. 3 $.) To his coming to Bethany or Beth phage, and riding thence in Triumph in- to Jerufalem: Which Particulars take up Chap. XIX and XX, and begin p. 181 SECT VI. Containing an Account of CHRIST'S coming to "Bethphage, and Riding in a Lowly and yet Triumphal Manner to Jtrufalem, with fuch other Particulars as are taken Notice of by St. MATTHEW^ and were done on the Firfi Day of the TaJ]ion-Week, now call'd Palm-Sunday; and take up Chap. XXI. 1 — 17; and begin p. 199 SECT VII. Containing an Acconnt of fuch Particulars as were done on the Se- cond Day or the Monday of the Pajfion-Week, and are taken Notice. of by St. MATTHEW Chaf. XXI. 18, 19. and begin p. 205 SECT VIII. Containing fuch Particulars as were done on the Third day or Tuef day of the Pajfion-Week, and before the Evening t e re of, and which are taken Notice of Chap. XXL 20 — XXIIL ult. and begin p. 205 SECT IX. Containing an Account of CHRIST'S Difcourfe to his Difciples After he came out of the Temple at Evening on the Third day or Tuefday of the Pasfion-wetk: namely concerning the Defiru8ion of the Temple, and the Lajt Judgment. Which Difcourfe takes up Chap. XXIV and XXV, and was almoft wholly deliverM by our Savi- our as he fat on the Mount of Olives. This Section begins p. 227 SECT X. The CONTENTS. SECT X. Containing fuch Particulars as occurr'd on the Fourth day or Wednef- day of the Pasfton-week, and are taken Notice of Chap. XXVI i — i?. and begin p. 245 SECT XI. Containing fuch Particulars as fell out on the Fifth T)ay or Thurfday of the Tasfion-week; namely before the Evening of that Day; and which are taken Notice of Chap* XXVI. 14—19, and begin f. 248 SECT XII. Containing fuch Particulars as were tranfacled on the Prffover^Day it felf, (which was in the thirty fifm Tear of Chrift's Life, but A. D. 3 3. J or from Thurfday Evening to Friday Evening in the Pasjiou-week. The Chief or which Particulars are the Inftitution of the Lord's Supper, the betraying of CHRIST, his Trial before C 'alphas and Pilate, his Crucifixion, Death and Burial ; which are related Chap. XXVI. 20— XXVII. 61 ; and begin p 250 SECT XIII. Containing fuch Particulars as were tranfa&ed on the Sabbath of the Tajfover-weeh, or which comes to the fame ; from Sun-ftt on Friday to Sun-fet on Saturday in the Pasfion-week ; and thefe Particulars are related Chap. XXVII. 62 — ult. and begin p. 273. SECT XIV. Containing fuch Particulars as fell out after our SavitiufsPefwreBi- on, chiefly on Eafler-aay, and are taken Notice of Chap. XXVIII. and begin p. 275 'JZJ ■ ——— 1 1 r 1 n 1 1 1 II ■ The fever al Sedions5 into which the following Para- phrafc^ St. MARICs Gofpel is diftwgmjhed. SECTION I. CONTAINING fuch Particulars, as are taken Notice of by St. MARK,, in Reference to the Bapttfm of CHRIST, when he was about thirty Years of Age, and from thence to CHRIST'S Entringon the morepublick Part of his Mini/try after the Imprifon- ment The CONTENTS. msnt of John the Baptift, when CHRIST was in the thirty -fecond Year of. his Age. Thefe Particulars take up Chap. I. i — 13. of this Gofpel, and begin p . 28} S E C T II. Containing fcich Particulars as are are taken Notice of by St. MARK,, From CHRIST'S entring en the more publick Part of his Miniftry, which was fome time after the Pajjover that was in the thirty fe- cond Year of his Life, (but A. T). 30, that is, in the thirtieth Year of the common Mxz. or Account from CHRIST's Nativity,) To the Pajjover next enfuing, or in the thirty third Year of his Life (but oA. D. 51J Which Particulars taki up Chap. I. 14 — II. 22, and begin P. 285 SECT III Containing fuch Particulars as are taken Notice of by St. MARK, From the Tajj'over that was in the thirty third Year of CHRIST's Life (or A. D. 31.) To a little before the Pafjover that was in the thirty fourth Year of his Life (or A. D. 32.) Which Particu- lars take up Chap. II. 23 -VI. 30 ; and begin p. 297 SECT IV. Containing fuch Particulars as are related by St. MARK, From a little before the Pafjover that was in the thirty fourth Year of CHRIST's Life (or A. D. 32.) To CHRIST's Departure out of Galilee in order to his keeping his Lafl Pajjover at J.yujalem, which Paffover was in the thirty fifth Year of his Life for A. D. 33.) And thefe Particulars take up Chap. VI. 31 — IX. ult. and SEC T V. Containing iuch Particulars as are related by St. MARK,, From CHRIST's Departure out of Galilee in order to his Coming up to Jaufalem at that Pajjover whereat he fujfer*d, fand which was in the thirty fifth Year of his Life, but in the thirty third Year of the common ./Era or A. D. 33.) to his c mr>ig to Bethpfcnge and Bethany, and riding thence in Triumph unto Jeruflem:- Which Particulars take up Chap. X. and begin p. 355 SECT VI. Containing an Account of CHRIST's coming to the Mount of Oliver, and citing. in a Lowly and yet Triumphant manner unto Jerusalem; with The CONTENTS. with fuch other Particulars as are related by St. MaARK,, and were done on the fir ft day ofthePtfj/?<3#-w^fc,commonlycalPd P Aim-Sun. day: Which Particulars take up Chap.Xl. i — n. and begin p. 365 SECT VII. Containing an Account of fuch Particulars as were done on the Se- cond-day, or the Monday of the Pasfion-week, and are related by St. MoARl\,Chap. XI. 12—19, and begin p. 367 SECT VIII. *. Containing fuch Particulars as were done on the Third day ovTuef- day of the Pasfwn-weekt and before the Evening thereof, and which are related Chap. XI. 20 -XII. ult. and begin p. 369 SECT IX. v Containing an Account of CHRIST'S Difcourfe to his Difciples,^^ fce came out of the Temple at Evening on the TftirdDay, or the Tuef- day of the Pasfion-weeh;viz. concerning the Defirutiion oftheTemplet and the Laft Judgment : Which Difcourfe takes up Chap. XIII. and was almoft wholly deliver'd on theMount of Olives, and begins p.? 79 SECTX. ■ Containing fuch Particulars as were tranfadted on the Fourth day or Wednefaay of the Pasfion-weel, and are related by St. MARI^ Chap. XIV. 1—9. This Section begins p. 287 SECTXI. Containing fuch Particulars as were done on the Fifth day or Thurfday in the Pasfton-zveek, namely he fore the Evening or Sun-Jet that Day, and which are taken Notice of Chap. XIV. 10-16. and begin p. 58a SECT XII. Containing fuch Particulars as were tranfatled from Thurfday-Evening to Friday-Evening in the Pasjion-week, that is, on the Tafiover- day itfelf, which was in the thirty fifth Year of CHRISTh Ltfe^but A. T). 33. or in the thirty third Year of the Common Chrifiian JEra. The chief of the Particulars contain'd in this Section, are the - Inftitution of the Lord's Suppper, the betraying of CHRIST, his Tryal, Crucifixion, Death and Burial ; which are related Chap. XIV. 17— XV. ult. and begin p. 389 SECT XIII. .Containing 'fuch Particulars as fell out after CHRISTs Refurrecfion, chiefly on Eafter-day, and are related Chap, XVI. and begin p. 407 A N HELP For the more Eafy and Clear Under/landing O F T H E HOLY SCRIPTURES: \ BEING The Two Gofpels of S' MATTHEW and S" MARK, Exphirid after the following Method, viz. I. The Original or GreekJText amended according to the Beft and moft Ancient Readings. II. The Common Englijb Tranjlation render'd more Agreeable to the Original. III. A Paraphrafe, wherein not only the Difficult Exprefftons and Pajfages are explain'dj but alio Each Gofpel is divided into Proper Seclions and Paragraphs ; and withall it is obfervd, What Gaps or OmiJJions are in each Gofpel, and how Supply d by fbme other Gofpel i and what Pajfages are notplac'd Aright as to Order of Time. To the End of the Paraphrafe is fubjoin'd a Synopfis of the Contents of Each Gofpel. IV- Annotations relating ( as Occafion requires ) to the Several Parti- culars afore-mention'd. By Edward Wells D. D. Rector oiBlechley, Bucks. OXFORD, Printed at the Theater, for James Knapton at the Crown in S. Pauls Church- Yard, London. 171 7. , ^ii ■— ^ <m -...I,,, . . — i The GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Sf MATTHEW, THE T RE F^C E. IT is agreed both by Ancient and Modern Writers, that the Four TheT.w, „;„-. Gofpels were writ in the fame Order, wherein they are plac'd in lhl* GofPel w" N.T. and confequently that this Gofpel of St Matthew was writwl firji ofAU. As to the more exa& Time or Year, when this Gofpel was writ, there is not the like Agreement either among the Ancients or Moderns. However thus much feems (a) unquestionable, viz. that this Gofpel was writ fbme time before St Matthew leftjudea or the Holy Landy to go and preach in the Provinces or Countries of the Gentile World that fell to his Lot. And fince it is the generally receiv'd Opinion, that the Apoftles did difperfe themfelves into the feveral Provinces of the Gentile World in or prefently after the twelfth year from Chrifts Af- cenfion ; hence it follows that this Gofpel was writ fome time before A- D. 4? or 46. . u That this Gofpel was writ Originally in Hebrew, (as being primarily it was originally defign'd for the Ufe of thejewfh Converts,) is a thing Co Univerfally writ "Ufc*-™- and Uncontroulably aflerted by All Antiquity, that it \sjlrange ( as Dr Cave [b) has obferv'd) that Anyfhould quejlion it. By whom the Hebrew Original was tranjlated into Greek, it matters not ; fince we are alfur'd, that Stjohu, if no other of the Apoftles, perus 'd atid ' approv 'd 'of the Greek Verfion, and fo gave it an Authority equal to the Original. Concerning the Greek TranQation fee more in my Preface to St Mar kj Gofpel. m This Gofpel being thus writ before St Matthew left [erufalem, or at The pu«, »/<«•« lead the Holy Land, and in the Hebrew tongue; it is not to be doubted,'1 WM writ< but it was writ fomewhere in 'Pale&ine or the Holy Land, if not more particularly at f erufalem it felf ; agreeably to the Account given thereof at the End^of this Gofpel in feveral MSS. Copies. (a) Thisls not, I think, at all contradicted by what Irenteiu fays, lib. 3. cap. 1. O ft iJij Mttrrjtuti ci %'n Elgtuois ri) l£',a Zblsf.Kix.TU cwra', »£ tfKtylw tiftnyxvi EuoryjtXi'.u, r£ rit7j» <£ ri Xisuixn 't>'?i>fiy vtttyyt^a^fim Sec. For the Indefinite i^>tysv (accord- ing to the ufe of the fai.il Tenle) .rr>ay be render'd not only edidit, as it is by the Old Tranflator, but alfo ediderat ; and fo may be eafily taken away All the Dif- ficulty of this Paffage ; Irenam thereby only and Rightly affcrting in general, that St Matthew tad writ his Gofpel, ■ token Peter and Paul preach'd at Rome &c. (t) Id his Life of St Matthew §. 7. A 2 TO to kata The GOSPEL MAT0AION ACCORDING TO ETArrEAiON. S< MATTHEW. TEXT. TRANSLATION. Chap. I. Kttp. a!. ■ J IBAOS yatnas A N * Account of theGe- BI B A O S >wW 4 N neration of J E S US CHRIST, thefon ANNOTATIONS (*) See Luke 3. 15. (*) It being the general Tradition of the Ancients, that St Matthew writ his Gofpel in Hebrew, ( concerning which fee more in the Preface ) it is not to be doubted, but the two firft Words, wherewith his Gofpel began in Hebrew, were rn'jin "IflD agreeably to what we read in the Hebrew Bible Gen. j. 1, And therefore as the Seventy Interpreters render'd the faid Hebrew words in the fore* cited Gen. y. 1. by the Greek Bi'£a«s >«*««> fo the Greek Interpreter of St Mat- thew's Gofpel render'd the fame Hebrew words by the fame Greek words, in conformity to the Septuagint Tranflation. Hence it follows , that the True meaning of /Si'"a«s jtiinus is to be difcover'd, by conGdering the True meaning of rnVin "ISO. Now *1BD do's primarily or literally fignify a Reckoning up, or an Account, or Catalogue ; and thence came to fignify Secondarily, That wherein is written my Reckoning, Catalogue, or Account, whether it be a fingle Paper or RoB, or a Book. Hence frZxes fignifying a Book in Greek, it was us'd by the LXX Interpreters, according to the Helleniftical method, in as Large a Senfe as the Hebrew 1SD; and confequently it was us'd by them to fignify not only a Book confiding of many fingle Papers or RoUs, but alfo a fingle Paper or a Jingle and leffir Roll, particularly (as in the inftance before us) luch a Paper or Roll as contain'd no more than the Genealogy or Pedigree of a fingle Perfon. Now for want of taking Notice of this Hellenifiical ufe of the word /3iSa«,-, Many learn- ed Perfons here underftand the word /3i£a«s to fignify, according to the, more ufual Ggnification of it among the Greek Authors, a Book, and fo to be a general Title to the Whole Gofpel of St Matthew; to which end they obferve, that the other Hebrew word rnSiH fignifies, not only Generations , but alfo Events of what nature foever. But it is well to be obferv'd on the other hand, that altho' rn^iP may in fome places ofO.T. fignify any Events, yet in Gen.y.r. (which is the only Place where it is join'd with 1SD) it evidently fignifies no other than Generations ; and neither "IjpD in Hebrew, nor &%*<* confequently in Greek, can there fignify a Book, but only a Roll or Catalogue or Account, viz. of the Genealogy of the Patriarchs before the Flood. For by "IflD or /8<Jam there can by no means be denoted the Whole Book of Genefis, fince four Chapters thereof go afore this Title of niVin 1SD /Si'Saw y»mvs. and Chap. 6. 9. there begin ■-.: The GOSPEL, That ist the Good Tidings (namely, of our Redem- ption by our Saviour JESUS CHRIST) According to the Account xgiven thereof by S< MATTHEW, One of the twelve Apoftles. PARAPHRASE. SECTION I. Containing fuch Particulars as are tak$n Notice of by St MAT- THEW, from the Birth ofCHKJSTto bis Baptifm, when be (*) began to be about thirty years of Age. Which Particulars tdkp up the two firft Chapters of this Gofpel. Chap. I. ^ a }HE Hi/lory of the Conception and Birth of John the J3a* The gwm/^ or § ptiB {which is largely related Luke i.) is omitted hy%d'g? °\™ ■*• St Matthew, who begins his Gofpel with an {a) Account Jcmimg^ihl of the Generation or Pedigree of J E S U S, whom we mosl jujily believe n**** Defcenc to be the tSMESSlAS or C H R I S T. Now fuch an Account of the £^X Tf Pedigree ofjefus is Necejfary or Requifite , for afmuch as He can't be om saviour. Chrtfl, notwitbjlanding All the fVonderfull things related of him in this HiBory, unlefs He be the Terjon in whom be verify 'd thofe more Re- markable and more Commonly known Prophecies concerning the tjMefJias or ANNOTATIONS. , begin Other TVhSr\ or Generations , viz. of Noah. And confequently the rVfaln 1SD of ^*w,as it begins Chap.y.i.fo it ends Chap. <J.8. at furtheft; and therefore can't be but very improperly rendei'drThe Book of the Generations of Adam; but may very properly be render'd, The RoS, Catalogue, Reckoning up or Account of the Generations of Adam, in fliort therefore, as jSiSaos yinuf Gen. y. i. can't be underftood of the Whole Book of Gene/Is, but only of a few Verfes , thereof, which contain the Catalogue or Account of the Genealogy of the Patri- archs before the'Flood ; fo here /iie^s yninm ( being in all probability taken from Gen. 5. 1. ) is not to be underftood of the Whole Book of St Matthew's Gojfiel, but only of the Account of our Saviour's Genealogy contain'd in the firft feventeen Verfes of the faid Gofpel. To what has been already ("aid, may be fur- ther added, that pfati even among pure Greek Writers do's not always fignify what is properly call'd a Book; but fometimes a Jingle Paper or the like, contain- ing a fingle Petition, or Table &c V. 6. S. Matthew \ Chap. I. TEXT. TRANSLATION. A*£i A m'ocF ACfdlfi. z ACfAxft of David , the fon of Abra- ,/ w> i ^ cO » ' nam. t-yimarsT loncix.* Ioaa* Jt ryimm \ Abraham begat I faac, and t laucuC' IctjaiS <fts tymw % liSiu, Ifaac begat Jacob , and Ja- , * < iw < •> y* t'cv ro c°b begat Tudas and his bre- x, t«5 «.S\\<p\ti ojfy 3 I*<»^ St tj,ren: «>4»yvtox r $otpes iT Z*£$c ex t ©*- 3 And [udas begat Phares * « (v\. ' « c «/ c x. and Zara of Thamar, and Pha- ^- fepf A (>«»«■ r Erpoyf Ecrpa* res kgat Efrom J a'nd Efi.om JV e>«vy>iaE t AgptJ.' 4 Apxj« cTfc iyw- begat Aram : mac £ A^vc^C- A^y*<&£ «tf S>fc- , 4 And Aram begat Amina- , \ ' iki 1 / °-aD> an" Aminadab begat Na- vviac t N**oora»- Naaoa-«y <ns t^y- aflbn, and Naaflbn begat Sal- l»ae t Safyww 5 2<xA/C4ay <ffc e>*y- mon ■ *.-»,?> ~ ~ '/° r, \? ti S And Salmon begat Booz mac T Boot; o* TVS Pct^G- Bo< A of Rachabj aQ(J Bo*2 kgat »>«v>iae r ClQ$ he £ Py'fl* ri£»cA <JV Obed of Ruth, and Obed be- « /* % ' / ],. ,+, / <S And Jefle begat David the tA«GiJ t (&cL<n\ta.' AaQiSSi te^y. jjjngj an(j David * begat So]0. »«ae * 2oAo^yTO o* ths t5 Ou&iou' m°n of her ^ *** heen *k « \ ,0 > / w /o / wife of Urias : 7 SoXo/iav J* c>«w« t PoCoa^Po- ^ And Solomon begat Rq_ GoalfA Si iymwi t aCix- A&a, Si boam, and Roboam begat Abia, ' ' « . ' o » 1 ts! > ' and Abia besat Afa : tywmt t Aacr 8 Aaa «tt £>«vy>iac " " /» , -, ^ , , , x <n! • ' « 8 And Afa begat Jofaphat, t lam<p*T> lanupAT <Ti lynnm t and Jofaphat begat Joram,and la&ifi- la&fi Si iyimet r o£/o*- Joram begat Ozias : r^Pf (V » ' w T /« t 'q„ p And Ozias begat Toatham, 9 OC<«^>we tImVI*^ andjoatham begat Achaz, and A e>4yy>icre t A^a^ A^jt^ J^ lymviae Achaz begat Ezekias : t 701 ANNOTATIONS. V. <J. f O ptun^&s is not here read in Syriack, Arabick, PerGcki or Coptick Verfions, nor yet in the Old Latin or Italick Verfions, nor in a Greek MS. of feme Bifhop of Ephefus. The famous Alexandrian MS. wants All the Chapters of this Gofpel to Chap. 25. 6. (i) SeezSam.j.iz—16. Pfal. 89. 4, 19. 2/^/9.7. Ezek. 37. 14,25. \c) See Gen. 12. 3. and ax. 18. compar'd with A&s 3. 25,16. and Gal. 3. 8, 16. (af) Who are here omitted between Joram and Ozias, fee in the Paraph.of v. 17. Ud) Compare i Kings 15. 30, 32. with 1 Cbron. 3. 12. (*) See S. Matthew, Chap. I. 7 PARAPHRASE. or Chri/l, viz. that Hejhouldbe the Son or Dependent of David, whofe Throne Jhould be ejlabhjh'd for {b) Ever <&c. and the Son or Dependent of Abraham, in whom {c) Ali the Nations of the Earth Jhould be blejfed. In order therefore to remove, in the first place, juch as are likely to be the tnojl Common Trejudices or Objections againjl the Belie f of Jefus to be the MeJJias or Christ, it feems very T roper to begin this Hijlory with the Genealogy or Tedigree of Jefus, which may be reckon d up, in refe- rence to the Natural Dejcent of bis fuppojed Father Jojeph , after the following manner. Tart I. of the Genealogy of Jefus Chrisl, viz. Before the Regal Govern' went of the Jews. V. a. (1) Abraham begat Ifaac ; and (2) Ifaac begat Jacob ; and (j) Jacob begat Judas and his eleven Brethren, who together were the twelve Patriarchs or Heads of the twelve Tribes of IJraeh and. v« 3- (4) Judas begat Phares and Zara ( who were Twins ) of Tharaar his Slaughter in law ; and (s) Phares begat Efrom; and (6) Efrom begat Aram ; and v. 4- (7) Aram begat Aminadab ; and (8) Aminadab begat Naaflbn ; and (9) Naaflbn begat Salmon ; and Y. y. (10) Salmon begat Booz of Rahab, who had been formerly an Harht injericht ; and (11) Booz begat Obed of Ruth the Moabitefs ; and (12) Obed begat Jefle ; and v. 6. (13) Jefle begat David the King ; and (14.) David begat Solomon of Her, i e. Bathjheba, that had been the Wife of Urias. And to proceed now to Tart IT. viz. Under the Regal Government. v. 7. (1) Solomon begat Roboam; and (2) Roboam begat Abia ; and (3) Abia begat Afa; and V. 8. (4) Afa begat Jofaphat ; and (?) Jofaphat begat Joram ; and (<J) Joram {according to the language of the Jews, wherein a Man is J aid to beget, not only his immediate Children, but {d)Any of bis Tojlerity) begat Ozias, {dd) otherwife cali'd Azarias, his great great Grandfon or 7)efcendentfour Removes ; and V. $> (*]) Ozias begat Joatham ; and (8) Joatham begat Ahaz; and (9) Ahaz begat Hezekias; and v. 10. 8 S. Matthew, Chap. I. TEXT. TRANSLATION. T E£exiew 10 E^exXx* <$ vymnvi $ Mxi&otyi' MajoiotfTis <h iyimai tvi AfiQtv Afiai Jfe iymw<n tdv lumxr i r Ictoict4 <& iyinwe t Ie^vicw £ TVs Aavos, 12 Mera «ffc ^ fwni-Moicw Bct£uAa>vos, liquet* tywwi r 2*A*- ^wA* 2*A<*9i>jA <^» iyimat rZopoCx- fceA* 13 ZopoCxCeA <As lyimet ivi AC«J> AC»«^ <ftJ £>4vv>i<re tbi EAia- billd"> and Abiud begafElia- / _ , m , , * ?/ kirn, and Eliakira begat Azor : jutfv EAtMuv. to tymim r A(>p« H And Azor bcgat SadoCj 14 A£«p <$ eyevwcre -J- Seteftwc Sot- and Sadoc begat Achim, and V fO . / » . / . \ M Achira begat Eliud : to* Jfc £yw<re t A;^- A^ei* ^ ^ And Ehud begat Elea- iyemce r EAiv<T' if EAiyi* c$ lyev- VMcre t EAea'^otp' EAect^ap JV iyiimo-t r Mecr'Jav MxtJo.1 S^ eye»v>xre r let- xttS* 1 5 Ieuta£ JV lymncre rlacrop 10 And Hezekias begat Ma- nafles , and Manafles begat Amon , and Amon begat Jo- fias : 11 And Jofias begat Jecho- nias and his brethren, about the time *of the carrying away to Babylon. 12 And after * the carrying away to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zorobabel : 13 And Zorobabel begat A- a/J]oct Motp/ctf, ?£ *s iywriSn lr\<r%S zar, and Eleazar begat Mat- than, and Matthan begat Ja- cob: 16 And Jacob begat Jofeph the husband of Mary, of whom was born JESUS, who is call'd CHRIST. 9 \typ- ANNOTATIONS. (e) See 1 Chron. 3. ry. with a Kings 13. 30. (f) See 1 Chron. 3. \6. (g) See a Kings a4.8, &c compared with the forecited Texts of the Chronicles. Whereas it is objected againft this Jechonias (or Jehoiachin) begetting Salathiel, that it is faid of him jfer.aa.a8— 30. Write this Man Childlefs; it is to beobferv'd, that it is evident from the faid forecited pafiage of Scripture, that this Jechonias had Children, it being exprefcly faid v. a8. Wherefore are they cafi out, He and his SEED ? and again v. 30. No Man of his SEEDjljall profper, namely (o as to fit upon the Throne of David, and to rule any more injudah with Kingly Autho- rity. Now it being evident from thefe Expreflions, that this Jechonias had Seed or Children, it follows that the Hebrew word render'd (v. 30.) Childlefs, ought to have been render'd otherwile, according to the Literal Import of ic, which denotes only in general Naked, Defolate, or the like ; and accordingly it is ren- der'd by the LXX. cw*«j«x»i», a Perfon publickly expell'd or banijh'd his Country, or the like. (h) To this it is objected, that according to iChron.3.19. Zorobabel is reckon 'cf among the Sons of Pedaiah the Brother of Salathiel. But the Anfwer is eafy : Either ift, that tho' Pedaiah had a Son Zerobabel, yet this do's by n® means hin- der, S. Matthew, Chap. I. PARAPHRA S E. v. 10. (10) Hezekias begat Manafles; and (n) Manafles begat Amon ; and (12) Amon begat Jofias; and v. 11. (13) Jofias begat Jechonias otherwife call'd Jehoiakim , and his Brethren, viz. (e)Johanan orjehoahaz, Zedekias and Shal- lum, about, i. e. not long before the time of the Carrying away fome of the Jews in Captivity to Babylon. And here (14) it is to be noted, that Jechonias aforemention'd, who makes the Fourteenth or Lasl in this Second Tart ofChrisl's Ge- nealogy, was the Father (/') of, andfo a Different T erf on from that Jechonias who is the Fir ft in the remaining Tart of this Genealogy. For to come to Tart III. and Lajl, viz. After the Regal Government. v. 12. And after the Carrying away of the Jews to Babylon (1) Jechonias, {g) otherwije call djehotachin, begat Salathiel ; and (2) Salathiel begat {h) Zorobabel ; and v. 13. (3) Zorobabel begat Abiud; and (4.) Abiud begat Eliakim ; and (?) Eliakim begat Azor; and v. 14. (<5) Azor begat Sadoc; and (-?) Sadoc begat Achim ; and (8) Achim begat Eliud j and v. ij. (p) Eliud begat Eleazar; and (10) Eleazar begat Matthan ; and (11) Matthan begat Jacob; and V.i6.(iz) Jacob begat Jofeph; and this (13) Jofeph was the Husband of Mary, of whom was born (14) JESUS, who ( as is above hinted v.i.) is jufily be/ievd to be, and is therefore (/) call'd by his Difciples the dMESSIAS or CHRIST. 17 So /'/ is obfervable, that, according to the foregoing man- ner ANNOTATIONS. der, but that Salathiel might alfo have a Son of the fame name ; much as in v. i?, 16. of the fame Chapter we find two diftinct Perfons call'd Zedekiah. And therefore All that can be rightly inferr'd from v. 19. is only this, that Zorobabel the Son ofpedaiab there mention'd was not the fame with Zorobabel the Son of Salathiel here mention'd by St Matthew. Or elfe zly, Pedaiah in the forecited Text of the Chronicles may be a Falfe Reading for Salathiel ± which is not a bare Conjecture, but confirm'd by the Authority of that molt Ancient MS. the Alexandrian in our King's Library, ^ly and laftly, Zorobabel is exprefly faid by Ezra ( Chap. 5. x. ) and by Baggai ( Chap. 1. 1. ) to be the Son of Shealtiel or Salathiel. (i) St Matthew may not improbably hereby refer alfo to Jefus being exprefsly call'd by the Angels that appear'd to the Shepherds, Chrifi the Lord (Luke x.n.) R (t\ It io ■$. Matthew, Chap. 1. text! translation^ o tey>pdfios yisjqii. 1 7 n*osu «v «j H So all the generations , , . . P \ „ t>\ from Abraham to David, are >«vcch ^Tre AtfaxA e*S Aat i A ye. fourteen generations; and from KM hvjLTiostL^t;- x, ^Tra AaCl<^ 'tax David until the carrying away q n i _ /a . ~ i rv to Babvlon, rtrf fourteen "ene- ^ ^ ,A ^ rations; and from the carrying TEOjapes- Xj ^jniTjt«/oix*t7Tet« Ba.GvA«- away to Babylon unto Chrift, w Us ? XpwS, ^e«i AwraWfes. are fourteen "generations. 1 8 T? ANNOTAT IONS. (i) It is hereobferv'd by Commentarors, that S: Matthew fa) s, ALL the Generations from Abraham to David were fourteen, as denoting there were in Reality no More; whereas fpeaking of the Generations/™;*? David to the Capti- vity, He omits the word ALL, as knowing three Generations in that Inrerva! were omitted by him ; and confequently that there were More Generations in Reality. Whereto may be added, that in like manner the word ALL is omit- ted with reference to the Generations from the Captivity to Ckrift, and that fas it is but reafonable to fuppofe) on the like account. For whereas from Zorobabel to fefus are reckon'd inclufively but Twelve Generations by St Matthew, there are reckon'd by St Luke (Ch. 3. 23—17.) Twenty one Generations; which great Difparity of Number in the two Genealogies can't be more reafonably accounted for,than by fuppofing that /owe Generations in the third Interval or Part of Chrift's Genealogy are omitted by St Matthew, as well as in the fecond. Of which fee more in the following Note(w). (1) If it be ask'd, Why Theft three Kings are omitted, rather than any Other three? a Better Anfwer can't I think be return'd, than by asking this Queftion on the other hand, viz. Gnce Three Kings were to be omitted ro recuce the Number to Fourteen, Why fliould not Thefe three be omitted, as well as any Other three? (m) One great Proof of the true MeJJtat being this, that he Was to be of the Family of DAVID, 'the Divine Wifdom therefore thought fie , to render this Proof of the faid Meflias as "Unexceptionable and Evident in it fclf , as were the Reft. And becaufe Spiritual Concerns might not be of Influence enough to in- duce feveral of the Jews tobeCarefull in keeping an Unexceptionable Account of what Tribe and Family they were; therefore the Divine Wifdom made ufe of Temporal Confiderations (as may be feen Lew?, if. 10. Numb. 17. 8 — II. and 36. -8. Deut. lf.y, 6.) to inauce fuch as Spiritual Confiderations would nor, to be Carefull in keeping ExaB Accounts, not only of the Tribe they bebng'd to, but alfo of the Particular Houfe or Family in each Tribe to which they apper- tained. Hence in e< ery Cuy of the Jews there were Autkentick Regiffers, or Publick Genealogical Tables kept, of the feveral Families belonging to tnat City or its Jurifdi&ion. Accordingly in Bethlehem, as being the City of DAVID, was kept a Publick Genealogical Table of All the Dependents of DAVID, that were Males. For the Females there needed no Account to be taken, other Provifion being made to prevent the Confufion of Tribes by them. And hence appears (1 think) rhe R'eafon why All (die Jew's) went To 'be taxed, Every one to his Own City, as we are inform 'd Luke z. 3. Namely becaufe thefe Publick Genealogical Tables ferv'd as fo many Catalogues or Lifts, whereby it might be the more Eafily known , whether All came to be taxed, or not. Now in thefe Publick Genea- S. Matthew, Chap. I. n PARAPHRASE. tier* of Reckoning, the Genealogy of Chrt fit from Abraham is difiwgui [li- able [perhaps for Better Remembrance fake) into three Equal Tarts , namely Each con/i filing of Fourteen Generations. For in the foregoing Genealogy [k)t\\\ the Generations from Abraham to David are Fourteen Generations ; and from David until the Carrying away to Babylon are likewife reckon d no more than Fourteen Generations; the three Jucceed- tng Generations to Joram , viz. ( / ) Ahaziah his Son , Joajh his Grand- fon, and Amaziah his great Grandfon, being omitted, in order to reduce the Generations in this Interval to the Equal Number of Fourteen with the Generations in the former Interval: and from the Carrying away to Babylon unto Chrift are (m) likewife reckon d no more than Fourteen Generations. And this Genealogy isfuffcient to prove what it was brought for to prove, viz. tbatjefus is {as was above v. i. afferted) the Son of Abraham and David. For He was begot, either after the Ordinary way, or after an Extraordinary one : If after the ordinary way, viz. of his Mother Ma\y by her Hufband Jofeph , then Jofph exprefly appearing by the foregoing Genealogy to be the Son or Dependent of Abraham and 'Da- vid, it follows, thatjefus being his Natural Son mujl likewife be the Son or ANNOTATIONS. Genealogical Tables or Regifters at Bethlehem were exactly fet down ALL the Male Delcendents of David, and confequently the three Kings, Ahaziah, Joaflj and Amaziah, whieh fucceeded immediately one the other between Joram and Ozias, But becanfe in the firft Part of this Genealogy there were in reality no more than fourteen Generations ; therefore in Common uje , and probably for Better Remembrance fake, it was ufual to reduce the fecond Part of this Genea- logy but to fourteen Generations alfo, leaving out the three Kings between Jc- ram and Ozias. And This beipg the way Commonly made ufe of in reckoning up the Genealogies from David to the Captivity, therefore St Matthew feems to have thought it Advifable, in Conformity thereto and on the ljke Account, to infert likewife into this Genealogy from the Captivity to Chrift no more than fourteen Generations; Omitting fo many as were Requifite,and fuch as he thought fie, in order to reduce the Generations in the laid laft Interval to the Niimber of fourteen. And as this Method did tend to help the Memory; fo it did only fiorten, not at ail falfify rhe Genealogy, as to the End and Defign of it. Fpr fince, for inftance, Jojeph was the Dependent of Ozias ; therefore that Jofeph, ( and confequently our Saviour ) was the Defcendent of David, is altogethei Equally true, whether Ozias was the immediate or mediate Defcendent of Joram. And confequently St Matthew's omitting the three Kings between Joram and Ozias do's not at all alter the Truth of the Gencaiogy he gives us, as to the Defign thereof. Indeed it can't be reafonably imagin'd , that St Matthew ( or St Luke) would go about to put upon the World a Fa/fe Account cf Chrift's Ge- nealogy ; fince it was fo Eafy for to have found out the Falfenefs thereof, by the Publick Genealogical Tables or Regifters then preferv'd among the Jews. And accordingly it is an Undeniable Argument of the Truth of the Genealogies given us both by St Matthew and St Luke, that the^fuw of old never objected any thing againft either of the faid Genealogies, as knowing them to be agreeable to their Publick Genealogical Tables. B x V. ig. IX S. Matthew, Chap. I. TEXT. TRANSLATION. 18 TS Si t X&SV >? y*vv»iaj« o'u- rmm Itl. MwTwJetows fi ths (juntos axfy MaeidS tcI laHTHQ, ©/>'» « 0weA- tv en ,00.(0$ a.yiss. jj> Iaxretp J« 0 «v»p oot^J, Sl^os a/, £ /ju\ %\ai aunbuo tGrQy.S't*yjU-a.TUM\ , tCovXit^m XolJ^. ^brBAvstt) outrluo. 20 Taora cTfe ca/£ Jt£T OVOCf ityxn rf£/7», Ae><tfV, IfflOTlip Mote^*^ t ywa-iXS- <nv ^b y*y» o* ou-Ty yeyyji^sy est weu^waTDS '<6§tv <*>itf. 21 Te^eTot| cTlB ifo», K2' KscAea-eis To 010 fix ats£ I H 2 O X N' cu>to$ >^ ctuotj to/ Aaoy scvtv ^td r etfuifnai <*oto». 22 ( TttTo <T)i oAr>y ye^pyev, i8NowthebinhoPChnft was on this wife : When as his mother Mary was efpous'd to Jofeph , before they came to- gether, flie was found with child of the Holy Ghoft. 19 Then Jofeph her huf- band, being a jufl man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on thefe things, behold, the angel of the Lord appear'd unto him in a dream, faying, Jofeph thou fbn of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife : for that which is conceiv'd in her is of the Holy Ghoit. 21 And fhefhall bring forth a Ton, and thou fhalt call his name JESUS: for he (hall fave his people from their fins. 2i (Now all this was done, Jya ANNOTATIONS. V. 18. f !»»■» is not read in Vulgar Latin, nor Beza's MS. at Cambridge, nor Perfick Verfion; nor in Irenseus, wbo argues againft fame of the Hereticks in his Age from In*-* being not read here but only x^<rS' which (hews that x&<s-S }imm was not only the Reading in his particular Copy, but the Common Read- ing in other Greek Copies. (») This is the way whereby the Ancients infer., that the Virgin Mary was of the Family of David. Sse particularly Eufebius Ecclef. Hifl. IU>. I. cap. 7, And the Jews of old never objecling any thing to the contrary, is an Undeniable Proof of theZV»r£ both of the Inference and Thing; whatsoever fome Moderns may object. (o) It is rightly obferv'd by Criticks , that Sixcu®- may fignify not only jujt, but alfo (according to the Heller iftical ufe of it) mercifully and perhaps it for which comes to the fame, the Hebrew word pHtf, to which it anfwers) was made choice of by the infpir'd Pen- man, as having both thefe Significations, which are Both very Proper here. For Jojeph's not being willing to make Mary a Publick example, was indeed an Inftance of his Good and Mercifull Temper ; bur yet fuch as conclude' hence, that &«*©" is to be here underftood to fignify only Good or Mercifully conclude too haltily. They feem not duly to confider, that hereby they take away one confiderable Argument for our Saviours being born of a Virgin } which is founded on the other and more common Senle of S. Matthew \ Chap. I. 13 PARAPHRASE. or 'Dependent ofAhraham and David. And the fame holds Good, or may be truly Inferr'd, tho Jefus was begot after an Extraordinary way, viz. of his Mother Mary, not by her Husband Jojeph, but by the Supernatural Operation of the Holy GhoH. For (») Mary, having no Brother, was ob- Itg'd by the Law {Numb. $6.6 — p ) to marry an Husband, that was not only of the fame Tribe \ but a/fo of thejame Family in the faid Tribe, as her Father was of, and cotifequently that She her J elf was of. Where- fore She man ying Jojeph, who exprejly appears, by the foregoing Genea- logy, to have been of the Family of David, it follows that She her J elf mu ft be alfo of the Family of 'David. 1 8 Now what relates to the Miraculous Conception and Birth ofje- "• fus, whom we believe to be Chrift, fo far forth as is taken Notice of by lom cmaptiTof St Mat/hew, was on this wife. VVhen as his Mother Mary was efpous'd chrift, and his to Jofeph, before they came together, /. e. before they were married and liv'd together, fhe was found with Child by the Supernatural Operation of the Holy Ghoft. ip Then Jofeph her yet only ejpous'd Husband, who was hitherto altogether Ignorant that fhe was with Child of the Holy GhoB, being a (o)juft Man, and fo not willing to do what was incon- fifient with the Law, as was the Retaining or Taking of fuch a Wife ; and wit ha 11 being a merciful Man , and/o not willing to make her a Publick example, was minded to uje this method, as an expedient where- by he might fhew both his JuBice or Regard to the Law, and alfo his Merci/ulnejs or Regard to Mary, namely, to put her away privily, by giving her a Bill of Divorce, not before any Tublick MagiBrale, but be- fore two Private Witneffes and Friends. 20 But while he thought on thefe things, behold, the Angel of the Lord appear'd unto him in a Dream, faying; Jofeph, thou Son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy yet efpous'd Wife, and to compleat the Ejpoujals by Marriage : for That, /. e. the Child, which is conceiv'd in her, is conceivd by the Supernatural Operation of the Holy Ghoft. 21 And fhe fhall bring forth a Son, and thou fhalt call his name JESUS; for he fhall fave his People , i. e. fuch as truly Believe and Obey his Gofpel, from their Sins ; namely, from the Tower as well as Guilt of Sin here, and fo from the Tunifhment of it hereafter ; ;'/ being altogether in Vain, and againft the whole Tenour of the Gofpel, for any one to expecl to be fav'd by ChriB from the Eternal Tunifhment of Sin m Hell hereafter, that is not fit B fav'd by ChriB from the Tower of Sin here, i. e. that do's not live a Godly, Righteous and Sober Life on Earth. ( 22 Now all this was ANNOTATIONS. 2ix.u4<&, as it denotes one ju/l. For the H. Ghoft feems to give this Character of Jofeph, to denote that if the Virgin Mary had been Unfaithful to him, and our Saviour had been begotten of Her by any other Man, He would by no means have conceal 'd ic , at Icaft fo far as to go about to cheat his Countrymen with a pretended miraculous Conception of the Child, as beiDg the fo long expected Mef- fiat or Chrift. (/>) Whereas 14- S.Matthew, Chap. I, II. TEXT. TRANSLATION. Vvo, wAnpa^M to pnjii •xjzsq ?Kt/p»'v a/^ t5 <zb*3p'y\t*, AeyvSis, 23 Uv ij rap^'vos oi ya.<ipi e^u, >($u T??€Tcq L)0» , Xf KjtAeayoj To o'vo^o* <u^ EjU- ii/j£$f 0 ®ioi. ) 24 Aie^tp^-etJ <& 0 laavp ^ira TV Cthou , iTaiwn as 'QfoaiTa.^ii out$ 0 lyfites Kv&iV, x, jrapeAaCe t yuucu,YS- oat?. 2j Kom QfJt e>tva<7X«v auiilw, 'ia>S % 'tifiW. tni vjoi cujtws 7ov Qjowtbtoxov, £ ejytAeo-e to svo/ua «*tS I H 2 O T N. Kep. Q> . Ty <fti Ina-J yfc«>$sv7o$- l» Bti)-Aee/* t IyJW*?, e» ^pajsHpa)- cT« y @>x<n\ia>$ , I'Jy /na^i ^bri ctvot7o- Aav c7^rey£vo»^ as IepocroAv,aa, \iy>i- Tli' 2 HIV 8<?IV 0 Tfy^HS /3:X.(7jA€tlS t IyJWav; eiJb^aev )b oa£r *7spot. £» that it might be fulfill'd which was f poken of the Lord by the Prophet, laying, 23 Behold, a Virgin fhall be with child, and fhall bring forth a fon, and they (hall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.) 24 Thenjofeph being rais'd from flee p, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took nnto him his wife: iy And knew her not till fhe had brought forth her firfl- born fon ; and he call'd his nameJESUS. Chap. II. Now when Jefus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wife-men from the eafl to Jerufalem, faying , 2 Where * is the king of the Jews that is born ? for we have feen his ftar in the ANNOTATIONS. (/>) Whereas it is ask'd by (bme, Whether Jofepb knew his Wife Mary after fhe had brought forth her firft-born Son ? The BeftAnfwer thereto I think is this, that it is an imprudent and ufelefs Enquiry , and confequently fuch as deferves no Anfuier : but as the Divine Wifdom has feen it Beft , to leave ic Undeter- min'd in the facred Hiftory ; fo we ought not to be vainly Curious in going about to determine what can never be determind, there being plaufible Arguments on Both Sides. (?) See the Geographical Account of this Place in my Hiftorical Geography ofNewTeft. Part 1. chap. x. § or numb. 3. asalfo my Hift.Geogr.of O.Teft. Vol. 3. chap. 1. feet. 2. § 11. (r) Of the various Acceptations of the word Judea , fee my Hift. Geogr. of N. T. Part 1. chap. 1. §. 4. and fo an Account of all Countries, Cities, Towns, &c. mention'd in thisGolpefor any of the reft, may be feen in my Hilt. Geogr. of New Teft. by the help of the Index thereunto belonging. (/) How long after our Saviour's Birth it was, that the Wife Men came to Je- rufalem, is not Eafy to be determin'd. What is faid v. 16. of this Chapter, would induce one at firft to think, that it was Above a year after at leaft- But then as this is not reconcilable to other Points in Chronology ; fo what is faid v. i*. S. Matthew, Chap. I, II. 15- PARAPHRASE. was done, that it might be fulfill'd, which was fpoken of the Lord by the Prophet Ijaiah, { chap. 7. 14. ) laying: 23 Behold, a Virgin (hall be with Child, and fhall bring forth a Son, and they fhall call his Name, and conjequently He fhall be Emmanuel, which name being interpreted is as mac/} as to Jay , that the [aid Child fhall be no other than GOD wuh us.) 24 Then jofeph being rais'd from ileep, did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him Mary for his manned Wife ; 25- and knew her not by Carnal Copulation, (p) till (he had brought forth her firlt-born Son; and he call'd his name JESUS, ac- cording to the "Directions of the Angel abovementiond. Several other Par- ticulars belonging to the Conception of 'Chrifi,- and omitted here by St Mat- thew, are 1 elated Luke 1.26 — 38. And feveral Particulars, which be- long to the Birth of Chrifi, and are pafs'd ever by St Matthew, are related Luke 2. 1 — 20. particularly what Circum fiances the Divine Providence made ufe of to bring things about fo, as thatjefusfoould be born at Beth- lehem, according to what had been prophefyd of him in 0. Tefl. Chap. II. Now when Jefus was born m (f) Bethlehem a City of The «£-*»«» (r)Judea, in the days of Herod the King ofjudea, behold, fome (/') time come f™ the after his Birth there came Wife-men, 1. e. certain Per Jons skjlfd, as in fhf cluidYeS other Parts of Learning, fo particularly in Aflronomy, from the (/) Eaft, i. e. from fome Country or Countries lying EaB ofjudea, to Jerufalem , faying , 2 Where is the King of the Jews that is born not longfince ? for we have feen a (») new Star, from the Appearance of which, we have certainly ANNOTATIONS. V. i<J. do's not make it ncceffary tofuppofe, that the Star did not appear till chrifi tuai born. And therefore lince the Star might appear before the Birth of Chrift, it follows that nothing can be inferr'd from v. 16. as to the Time when the Wife Men came to Jerufalem. (r) By the Eaft is here, I think, to be underftood, not only Arabia, but alfo Mefopotamia, or more particularly Chaldea. For as the Prophecy concerning the Star that was to come out of Jacob, was delivei 'd in the Country of Moab, a Part of Arabia; fo it was deliver'd by 'Balaam, who was of Mefopotamia, and which Counrry is denoted by the Eaft, Numb.z^. 7. And it is not to be doubted, but this Prophecy was preferv'd down to Pofterity by Tradition in the Country of Balaam as well as that of Moab. And upon the Appearing of this Star, it feems probable to me to fuppofe, that there were feveral MtlTages and Meetings of the Magi or Wife Men in the feveral Parts of the Eaft aforemention'dj to confuk about the Importance of the faid Star, or what it did portend or denote; and that Much, if not Moft of the Time between the Star's firft appearing, and the Wife Men's coming to Jerufalem, was taken up in fuch Confultations. Whereby when at length it pleas'dGod to let them difcover theDepgn of the Star, in agree- ment to the foremention'd Prophecy of Balaam, they refolv'd to fend fome of their Number to Worjhip the new-born King. («) The Reafon, why the Divine Wifdom made choice of a Star, whereby to manifeft the Birth of Cbrift to the Gentiles, may be very well judg'd to be in re- ference to that remarkable Prophecy vouchfar d to the Gentile Balaam , viz. There i6 S. Matthew, Chap. II. . TEXT. TRANSLATION. TpawwAiJ, i »A^e» nfomuo*owi eaft, and are come to wor- > » / -t / _ c fhip him. «^ 3 Ax.tf*a4 A HF.i)^5 o £«- ? when Herod the king cjAeus £7ctp*v9j), xst-i w&ovc hejtro. Au^ot ^er ch>tv. 4 Kot| crcu/a>a- (JLO.TUS TV Aay, £7ru^^aV67B <7T? ouo- ian rov o X&ws ywooTaj. j* Oi S"e &7ni OJUT1&- Ev Bn^Aeew 7715 IV- rf • , ; / v* * Ancl ttiey Iald unt0 ttim> Stycts- oyTa> >«p ye^cLTiic^ D^g. TV In Bethlehem of J udea: for thus in&pto' 6 Keci av Bi\J\Kft, V* ic is wrmen, bV die Prophet; , , . ~ , , ^ , 6" And thou Bethlehem in IttJk, ovAt^s £Aa^9X « o# tbis the land of Juda , art not the jjwuoiv I&fcc ck o* >«p ^«Att- lead among the Princes of Ju CtT&\ HJPU/wfy/©-', 0915 770i;tUM'| T01 Aaov (UV tbv ItrpctxA. 7 Totb Hpa- ^M? Act1)-^, JcscAeoos TVs ^.ctynJS , had heard t he fe things, he was troubled, and all Jerufalem with him. 4 And when he had gather'd all the chief priefts and fcribes of the people together, he de- manded of them where Chrift fhould be born. And they laid unto him, ,'.C yK&'occat 7iap outiat 70V yyvov TV <pa\io$pv a^p©^. 8 Kot| 7ti(i-\><t.s tthT^i us BnjAtt/u,, hW Tlofdijii- Tts, eLxfiCai o^eiwra/rs s&l TV 7raj- da : for out of thee fhall come a Governour , that fhall rule my people Ifrael. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily call'd the wile-men, enquir'd of them *exacfly what time the ftar appear'd. 8 And he fent them to Beth- lehem, and faid,Go, and fearch diligently for the young Child; and when ye have found him, ftou- ewav A et,p>m , a.TialyuKa.Tl bring me word again . that j fjui, o-ms xay<» i\Jmi <B&ntuov. maY come and worfliip him > 0 ' «\ , ' 1 ~ -alfo. m> o«t$>. 9 Oi h xnvowns rv p when they had heard the 9>x<nhias, CTiopEtftnoKv & iW 0 iwp, ^ing» they ^parted ; and lo, ,v ♦* > - • n ~ ~ 'i the "ar> wn'ch they faw in oiuSbitiTy cua.]oA»,®f»Y\yi<)MTVs, the eaft, went before them, tt eats ANNOTATIONS. There JhaB come a Star out of Jacob &c. Numb. 14.. 17- Which Prophecy, as it was at firft deliver'd by a Gentile to the other Gentiles, viz. the Moabites &c. fo no doubt but it was preferv'd by Tradition down to Future Ages among the Gentiles ; efpecially among the Chaldeans and Inhabitants in Mesopotamia, where not only Balaam dwelc, but where alfo dwelt Multitudes of Jews after their being . carried away Captive to Babylon in Chaldea. (w) This S. Matthew, Chap. II. r? PARAPHRASE. certainly gather V, A6«/ 7&? Mefjias or Great Prince of the Jews, who both from Tradition and Prophecy is expecled about this time by {w) the Gentiles as well as Jews, is accordingly lately bom in Judea. This Star, which from the Defign of it thus to make known unto the Gentiles the Birth of this King of the Jews, may be fitly caWdt\\% Star, We have feeu in the Eaft, and are come to worfhip him. 3 When Herod the King had heard thefe things, he was troubled, as fearing this new King might in time get the Kingdom of Judea from Him or his Heirs ; and all Je- ■rufalem was troubled with him, as fearing what Cruel measures this might put Herod upon, in order to fecwe the Kingdom of Judea to him- (elf and his Heirs. 4 And when he had gather 'd all the Chief Pnefts and Scribes or Infirufeers of the People together, he demanded of ihcm, Where the Mejjias or Chnft fhould be born according to the Prophecies concerning him. $ And they faid unto him, that Chrifljhould be bom according to a Prophecy ofO- Tefi. in Bethlehem of Judea ; for thus it is written by the Prophet Micah(ch.s.x.) 6 And thou, Bethlehem in the Land of Judah, tho thou art One of the Lea/1 Cities of Judah as.' to Bulk or Extent of Territory, yet art by no means One of the Leaft as to Ho- nour or Renown among the Princes, /'. e. Principalities of Judah : for out of thee fhall come a Governour of the moft Eminent note, that fhall/o*' ever rule my People, viz. not only the Believing pious Jews, but alfo the Believing pious Gentiles , who together make up the True (x) I frael of God. 7 Then Herod being more confirm d by this Anjwer and Prophecy in his Sufpicion, that the Child {viz. Jejus) enjuir'd offer by the Wife- men was Certainly to be King of the Jews , if not prevented by proper Means, rejblv'd {'fpoffible) to prevent it by murdering the Child; and the Better to bring about this his wicked Purpofe , he conceals it under a Shew of 'Piety. Wherefore when he had privily call'd the Wile-men, he enquir'd of them Exactly, What time the Star appear'd./fr/J to them in their own Country or Countries. 8 And then he fent tnem to Beth- lehem, and faid, Go and fearch diligently for the young Child; and when yc have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worfhip him alfo. p When they had heard what Herod the King had thus Jaid unto them, they departed ; andlo, the Star which they faw in the Eaft, appearing to them again when they were going to Beth-, lehem, ANNOTATIONS. (to) This appears, among other Inftance6, from the Fourth Eclogue in Virgil, in the Beginning whereof are thefe Verfes : Ultima Cumsei venit jam carmiois atas. Magnus ab integro Seclorum nafcitur ordo. ' Jam redit & Virgo, redeunt SatBtnia regna: . Jam nova Vrbge?iies ccelo demittitvr alto. dec. ■ . The fame is likewife taken noticexaf by Tacitxs and Suetomtu. (x) See Rom. 9 6. and Galat . 6. if, 16. r 1 u\ Cai.. i8 S: Matthew, Chap. II. TEXT. TRANSLATION. eas eA^y 'lw Imia S iu> to Treq&ay. till it came and flood over .,., «\ i * / * / where the young child was. 10 1W h 7»i a^c, %*p*«*v 10 When they law the flar, y&&i ptykhkij ctpoJ\fX. . n Ketj thev rejoyc'd with exceeding l^4ijMgi »&$$ ■£& when they were ^J Metros ^ pT?°* cuitS. x.«4 to- come into the houfe, they faw ^^emWi^' x*i<w*'- ^yotmg child with Mary his j , , ,, ■ , mother,and fell down,and wor- Zw-ni TVS ^HOttupys ootov, -soot-, fhipp'd him: and when ihey veyKStv aui-4 fe*, ^™ i **| \U 'had open'd their trcafures, they fi Xt.x prefented unto him gifts; goid, Cewov, xeq ajiuficu. 12 Ken J£np*~ and frankmcenle, and myrrhe. mcQki<ns y&t J'yey pi «»ajyt^|*f 12. And being warn'd of < , '** tt" '/„ 'ts~ » ' God in a dream, that they O^s HpaM", h *A\w 0J* «ve^. fhould not return to. Herod.,- pWoU» u$ fi«» >%£•' *<>Ttty. tney departed into their own country another way. 13 A**;wpwwTOv £« flWTO», I'Sy' 13 And when they were de- >/„„.' , • n» v ? parted , behold, the Ansel of xvyitesKvW p*mT«j **/ ""P ^ the Lord appeareth to Jofeph Ia>ori<p i ■ hiyotr E^sp^as to^-ls-d.. in a dream, faying, Artie, and 1 K' > > r 1 ' ~ „' take the young child and his ■n jwjftM M4 £Q pi*^ «W, jtcH mother? ^ |ee imo Egypti <pwyi eij Al>oAr Jtatj i'oSi c£*4 e«s and be thou there until I bring h efr» «*,'• p'M^ >8 Hp^l* fall thee word: for Herod wiU reek , , i, ', , ', , * the young child to deftroy him. to 7r*|c«oi>, t« ^7rt>Aecou, CMI7B. 14 O I+; And when hearoierhe $ extols w^eAaGe to TitqJto/ £ toi '■«*><* .the young child and his , , _* ' j , , , . . • mother by night, and departed pmpec, co& ivuns, Jt*) ane^pus-ey as jnto Egypt j Ai>wflov if Kot| k2 &$ «W r w- 1 S And was there until the ~ ,, r. f/ _j, ». um death of Herod : that it might Aujtvs Hp»V «v* **np«^ to p^v be fulfiird whlch was fpQfen v7rt i/Kup/v £ia ^QpopjtTV, A«jp»S>j» of the Lord by the Prophet, n£ v'1 ' J2 . ' '\ ± " fayinR? Out of Egypt have I E§ KxyMi oxaAeoo, t Mov pju. call'd my fon. ^ ~/ ,, /(v 'to '/ » itf Then Herod, when he 16 Ton Hpa^s »<Jby ^0t» c^e- fiw that he was 'raodcy of 7rou)fin inn t p»>i)V, l^w/MW^fl A «*»• the wile-men, was exceeding 1 . » /. » <r. 1 ,j, ~a , wroth, and lent forth' and flew * ^iHiiA« «,eiAg mums ^*<™™ all' the children that were in Tfes ci Bn^-Aee^ £ cy tooj tdTs o"fc«i5 Bethlehem, and in all the cpafts > ~ S. Matthew, 'ChapML t9 P'ARAPHRA S'E. IV. eei ints hbem, went before them, till it came and flood over where the young Child was. 10 When they faw the Star again, being ajjur'd thereby of the Continuance of the 'Divine 'DireBion, they rejoyc'd with exceed- ing great |oy. n And when they were come into the Houfe, to whtch the Star had graded- them; they law the young Child Jefu^ with Mary his Mother, and fell doWn and worlhipp'd him: and when they had open'd their Treafures, they prefented unto him Gifts, viz. (y)Gotd, Frankincenfe and Myrrhe ; it being one Mark^of Refpecl in thoje Eafl- ern Countries, {and that to this day) to make Prejents to Great Perfons. 12 And being warn'd of God in a dream, that they fhould not return to Herod, they departed intti their own Country another way. i? And whtn they wer^ departed, the Child Je[us havine been afore . r ,IV: «-»■ • > i i t ■-.'■ ii i i I ,i ["'^ph flees m Lircumas a, namely, waen-he was Eight days o/d; and the days of Toe Egypt with th< Purification (s) of his Mother, according to the Law, being now sccom- ^'^otTheer"s and phjh'd, i. e. tt being now Forty days from the Birth of Chrifl mclujively, they brought the Child to [fe'tufalem to pre/en t him to the Lord in the Temple, and to offer a Sacrifice i as is related Luke.l. ii-— If® Jfikl while they were at jfaup&m , as feems wofl probable , as Jqotf as they had per J irtn'd All. things xt here according to.th'eLnw of the Lord; "beHold, an Angel of the Lord appears to Joieph in a dream, faying : Arile,- and take the young Child and his Mother, and flee into. Egypt; and be thou there until I bung thee word, when thou tnayfl return with fafety to the Child; for Herod will feek the young Child to defhroy him. ' 14. And when he arofe, he took, the young Chfldahd his Mother by night, and departed into. Egypt ; is\ and was there until the- Death of Herod.- Now this was Jo or der'd by Divine Providence^ thfat it might befiilfrll'd, which was fpoken -of the Lord by the Prophet Hofea (ch. n. 1.) faying, Out of Egypt have I call'd my Son : which words, as they were fpofan for- ineily of the Children ofljraeljo under the Type of Them had their Piin- 'cipal refpecl to Chrifl. ■ - . ■ 16 Then, 1. f. after that fufph was pdwif bibs Child ffefus and his HerJ'com- Mother into Egypt ,, Herod, when he faw that Ke was mock'd of th emands (he am- Wife-men, by their wt returning in hnn as hi had direffed them, andZ!,l^?oZ bringing him word where the Child [ft [us was,_ at Bethlehem, was ex-i»». ceeding wroth-, and lent forth and flew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Crafts thereof, t. e. hi tilths neighbouring Town! -'; .'.ami A N NO TATIONS. (y) Some infer hence,- that the Wife Men were only Arabians, becaufeGold, Frankincenre and Myrrhe*rc the Prod'-ds oi Arabia. But this is a very weak Argument, fince Gok^&c, arc not the I 'rojudb; of Arabia only j or if they were, 'might be howetvr procur'd by the Wife Man, the/ they liv'd in aether Country. £j See my Trcati* of tb, Harmon, of the Four Gojfeh cone, (g Point § \. r , v to ao S. Matthew t Chap. II. TEXT. TRANSLATION. flw-njs, -&m b&Zs & JC#TO7«p», *aU thereof, from two years old and \ , ., , l/0 or \ _apf under, according to the time Toy xpm 0y w&Gacrt ©^ 7^ which he had enquir'd *exa6l- yuayay. 17 Tot? t7iK*fce3n 70 jM- ly of the wife-men. q.v t 1 T ' ~ » N' it Then was fulfill'd that Jt, <Kjm Iepe^ow t* -o^tv^ A*- whjc'h was fpoken by Jeremy y>i}(&" 18 <pan o* P<x/U<* w«" the prophet, faying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, * weeping and great mourning; Rachel weep- ing for her children, & would not be comforted, becaufe they are not. 19 But when Herod was cQq , t X\auJf(/X)$ yju oSiiffMS vro- \vs , Pct^xA xAcuvew. tk ■nx.ict an- w » » / en Vx. ucn. 19 TiAdnyocvi'ios & tS HpaiV, iJHf a>feAo5 Kueiv jfjrf' «V *«M«1 W beh°ld' 1™ ™gfl °f ^ „ , , , Lord appeareth in a dream to n$ lamp c* Aiyo-Tria, 20 Ae>ov, Jofeph in Egypt, Bytfirtis <Mte£i to TrcqStoy ^ -rfuJ 10 Saying, Arife and take , , y> \ 1 > j ~ » the young child and his mo- /«i-n©6 ouv, K5" ^p^V «*?&> I^ thcr, and go into the Land of gjcwA* Ttjtin&oi £ e* fyrvms 'duo Ifrael: for they are dead who ■ 1 *j , _ to . a 1 fought the young child's life. 4g« n wtfl* « O A ey*P^ * AnJ ^ g *ft> and ^ <7-nAa.Ce to 7rct)Stoy X5t* t^° /"*ts£?c the young child and his mo- wtdJ , vi «A^ey els ykT 'i^A. threTr> and came into the land ,,„ , o M °f Ifrael. 22 A*V<jo4 «Tfc ott Ap^Aaos (4a.<n\i»i 12 But when he heard that 'Qri ws IttJWeK <*vn HpaJV ? mt- Archelaus did reign in Judea, i »'■•*"•» /o/cv , p » v*~ in the room of his father He-. Tfaff «*t*, f?oG»3n cv*} .wnA^ecy. rod> he was afraid to g0 thi. ^[jUL'niQrui <fle *&)' oi*f, «.n%ot- ther : * but, being warn'd of \ / ~ t- \ n ' God inadream,he turn'd afide p<r« w « A»P» ™ r«AiA*i«. imo the parts of Galilee: 23 Koh eA^«» hsltoxm<w us aroAiy 23 And he came and dwelt AevfAwi Na£*peV c'tos 7zA»P»^ !n a ci^ ^Nazareth , that " < c qT :• 7* ' «.- „ J " might be fulfill'd which was to p»9sy a/jt t ©fopvirfc/, oti Not- fp0ken by the prophets, He d>e*7os *A»S«VeT«j. IhaU be call'd a Nazarene. Kap. ANNOTATIONS. V. 18. t e««'os "*¥ 's not read in Syr. Arab. Coptick , Ethiopick, or Perfick, or Vulg. Lat. Verfion, nor in fome MSS. nor in Juftin Martyr, or Jerom. And v. is obiervable, that this Reading is agreeable to the Hebrew ; and that $tfi»s S.Matthew, Chap. II. n PARAPHRASE. and Pillages, from Two years old and under ; forafmuch as according to the Time of the Starsfirfl appearing, which he had enquir'd exactly of the Wife-men, Jefus could not be jet above Two years old. 1 7 Then was fulfill'd that which was fpoken by Jeremy the Prophet (ch. 31.1 j.) faying: 18 In Ramah was there a Voice heard, namely of Weeping and great Mourning; Rachel weeping for her Children, and would not be comforted, becaufe they are not, /'. e. are ki/l'd. Which words, tho' fpoken at fir ft of the Babylomfh Captivity, and the great Number of the jews that were thenjlatn, yet were intended by the Holy Spirit to have a principal or ultimate RefpecJ to the Slaughter of the Innocents. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an Angel of the Lord appears j0feph «'„„.,,, te in a dream to Joieph in Egypt, 20 faying, Anfe, and take the young '^P"1^ of \ad. Child and his Mother, and go into the Land of Ifrael : for they, i.e. y^L and his mo- Herod and his Son Antipater\d) are dead, who fought the yound Child's'^", and dwells Life. 21 And he arofe, and took the young Child and his Mother," Nt3J"e,h- and came into the Land of Ifrael. 22 But when he heard that Arche- laus did reign in the Province gfjudea properly fo calld, in the Room of his Father Herod, he was afraid to go thither to dwell, left this new King Jhould imitate his Father's Cruelty, ingoing on to kill more Children out of the fame Sujpicion his Father had; especially he having already made fufficient T>iJcovery of his Tyrannical and Cruel Temper. But, be- ing warn'd of God in a dream what to do in this Cafe, He, viz.Jofepb together with the Child Jefus and his tStfotber turn'd afide from Judea properly fo call'd and taken to denote only the Southern Province of the Holy Land, and return d again into the Parts of (b) Galilee, which is the Northern Province of the Holy Land, and where he and tSMary dwelt afore they went up to Bethlehem to be tax'd. 23 And he came and dwelt in a City of Galilee call'd (b) Nazareth, being the very fame City wherein He and his Wife i3iary dwelt afore they went to Bethlehem. And Jefus, from his living with his Mother and reputed Father here at Nazareth, was call'd a Nazarene, that it might be fulfill'd, which was fpoken by the Prophets, viz. He, ;'. e. Chrifl fhall be call'd a Nazarene, in ANNOTATIONS. «*/ has been added out of the Septuagint Verfion : which, by the way, is an Evi- dence of this Gofpel being wric by St Matthew in Hebrew. (a) It is, I think, well obferv'd by Mr Whiflon [p.166. of his Harmony of the Gofpels ) that if we confider the falfe , cruel and ambitious Temper of Anti- pater, and his Endeavours to fupplant All that hinder'd his way to the Kingdom, (as is related iajofephus) we fhall not wonder that He fought the Life of the young King of the Jews, as well as his Father Herod. And fince his Father and He were both Dead in the compafs of Five days time, and after the Departure of Jofeph for Egypt, we fhall not need to wonder, that his Father and He arc join'd together by the Angel ; and fo They, in the Plural number, are faid to be Dead, that fought the young Child's Life. {(>) See my Hift.Geogr. ofN. T. Part r. chap. 1. §. 6, 7. and ch. 4. §. 7- (c) Hereby •it S.Matthew, Chap. III. , t e~x"t. • " "translation. Kea. y . Ev rau x^spoifS caw- , _*-"aP- "*« T , , r , , r - , In thofe days came John the V6M« ,©$ji>tveT«i J«xiv>is o frwriiw*, Baptrft, preaching in the wil- xwpuwwv ci W fpiitta t^J Iouikia* , dernefs of Judea, ANNOTATIONS. CO Hereby the Objection made by Dr Whitby in his Notes on this Text, againft the Interpretations which refer this to ChrilVs being call'd Netzer, i. e. the Branch, is taken away. For whereas the Dr fays, this Interpretation fails in this, that it gives no Account, hew this was fulfill' d by chrift' s being at Naza- reth, He being as much the Branch, when he w.ts bom at Bethlehem, and before toe •'viitit to Nazareth: It is anfuer'd, that tho' it Ee true, that Chrift was as tnrich the Branch, befvte he ii<cht to Nazareth, ye: it is as true, that had not Chrift dwelt at Nazareth, He would rever have been C«H'd a Nazarene, and fo would never have been call'd by any Name that imply'd the name Branch; which yet it was requifite fhouid be done, in order to fulfill the Prophecy of Zachary (ch.6.11.) Behold, the Man w'bofe NAME is THE BRANCH. To which Prophecy St Matthew Teems to hive a fpecial regard, by exprefling himfclf thus, Hejl-al! be CALL'D a NAZAR-ENE. " For altho' to be CalTJ, (viz. by God's appointment}- do's denote or imply in Scripture as much as to Be, foraftnuch as it is inconliftent with the Veracity of God, to give things fatfe Names, or fo Call them otherwife than they be; yet it do's not therefore follow, that to be Call'd do's never fignify any more than to Be. The Angel tells Jofeph, ch. i.xi. Thou /halt call his NamejESUS; which Jofeph d:d underftand, not only of the Child's Being truly Jefus qr the Saviour of the World, tut of the Name JESUS being jo he affuafly imps'd upon him. So here, He .frail be CaU'd a Nazarene, is to be underftood not oniy of Jefus being the Branch ; but of a Name, which fhouid imply the fignification of the Branch (fuch as is Nazarene) being aftually impos'd upon him. And accordingly it was fo, as we learn from the Hiftory ofN.T.as well as frofnEcclefiaftical Hiftory. Foras iris Matt.z. ult. Hefliall be call'd N«^a7os a Nazarene ; fo we find this Name ex'picfly given him 10 fe- veral places of NT. Thus Matt i6ji. the Maid faid of Peter, This Fellow was alfo with Jefus ti Nx^Hfcux, (And fo Marki±. 67. And thou alfo vsafl tcitio Jefus rS Na^Hjuwcf' whence it appears that N«£«f>ii»«>,- and N^j«Te; are -Synony- mous words. J And Luke t8. 37. And they tvld him, that Jefus i Hxtpecux; faffes by. So John 18. y. They anfwer'd him , Jefus ret N*^§«<s». And John 19. 19 the Title fetover our Saviour's head, when he was crucified, is fet down thus, Jefus i Nxtypaics the King of the Jews. And fo in fcveral other Places, whence it appears, that tho' the Synonymous wprd tftt£«rtrif is fomctunes us'J, yet Xaluft&ot is us'd more often. And it is obrerVab-'e, that in like manner in Conformity and Refercnce'to this Matt £ ult. w'rs^'ths Prrtphecy'. of Chrift is thus render'd by cur Tranflaters, Hi? fbati be call'd a Nazarene, All the 0 her Texts here mentiond or'rcfctr'd to fhouid have been render'd more exi&ly, Jefus the Nazarene, nit Jefus of Nazareth. I flvill obferve further, that the Difciples of Chrift were hkewife from this Name of their Mafter call'd Hxtyecuu, as ABs z±.<; . A Ring-leader of the Sefi rm N^»f«(»> of the Nazarenes. And the fame appears from Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. I (hall make but oneObfervation more in reference to tbis Name or Prophe- cy, and that is this: That fome Learned PerfonsaTc of Opinion, that J«<&. 13 7. is more immediately resetted by St Matthew in this chap, i; ult. Forafmuch as it - S.Matthew, Chap. III. *3 PARAPHRASE. in J ever al Senfes of that Word. Namely as ChriB is By I'd Ifai. n. i. Jer.ii$. Netzer or JVezer, and Zach. 6.11. is [aid to be the Man, wfjofe Name is (which is the fame as to /ay, Who foattbe calfd) Nezer, i. e. the Btanch;viz. of the Root ofjejfe; Jo the name Nazarene may be taken to denote That Per Jon, who is the Nezer or Branch fo oft fpoken of by the Prophets, Again, as the word Nazarene may be denv d from the He- brew Nazir, which denotes one Je par a ted from the Comforts of Life, and confeaueutly in a mean and abjecl and contemptible Condition, ( and in this jcnfe is apply 'd tojojeph, who was a Type of ChriB, Gen.t 49. 26.) fo the name Nazarene may- here denote a/Jo That 'Per (on who was to be 'Defpis'd and Rejecled of Men, according to fever al Prophecies, asPjaL 22. 6, fac. Pfal.69 ii&c Pfal. 118. 22. Ifai. y 3 . 3 , &c. Nowjofeph's coming with the Child jfefus and his dMother to dwell at Nazareth, {a Place fo call'd m reference to one of the forementiond Hebrew words , as is probable, viz either in reference to Nezer, as abounding with Trees and Jo with Branches ; or elje in reference to Nazir, as being a Mean dejpicable place,) as it was the more immediate Reafon fChriB's being call'd a Nazarene, in that fenfe of the Word which denotes an Inhabi- tant of Nazareth; fo like wife by the over-ruling Providence of God, it was thereby made the (c) Occafional Means of fulfilling thofe many Pro- phecies, wherein Chrijl is fpoken of, either as the Branch, or as a T>ejpis'd P-erJon ; forafmuch as the word Nazarene may denote That Per Jon which is prophefyd of under the name of the Branch, or under the character of a foejpis d Per Jon, as well as a Per Jon that is an Inhabitant of Nazareth. SECTION II. Containing fuch Particulars as are taken Notice of by S. MAT- THEW in reference to the Baptifm of CHRIST, (cc) when he began to be about thirty years of Age, and from thence to CHJ\IST's entring on the more Publick part of his . Mi- nistry after the Imprijonment of John the Baptiji, when CHRJST was in the (d) thirty fecond^ear of hit Age. Thefe Particulars tak[e up Chap. Ill— IV. \1.0f this Gojfel. Chap. III. S. Matthew (e)pajfes by the Hiftory of ChrifTs Life, from a ihon Account his coming to dwell at Nazareth {after his Return out of Egypt) to his ^ ?•>'"• B^t; ft md Baptifm : and in order to introduce what he relates concerning ChriB s '"s 7' Baptifm, He fir ft gives ajhort account of John Baptijl and his Mtnijlry in the following manner. In thofe days, i.e. during the time that Je fits dwelt at Nazareth, and when the Time drew near that He was to enter on his MiniBry, came John the Baptid, ( which Surname was given him from his being comuiifjiond by God, to Baptize wuhy\raier unto Re- pentance, as v. ii.) preaching in (/) the Wjlderneis, i. e. in That lejs inhabited Part cfjud^a, which Jay along and on each fide of the River 14 S. Matthew, Chap. III. TEXT. TRANSLATION. 2 KS" Ae^v, M*7»vo6m« Yifynutyx} * And faying, Repent ye: < „ / ~ . ~ ~» ^ for the kingdom of heaven is jj #*<7jA«* -nay Vpava?' 3 Out^ at jian(j >«p £5?v 0 pYifui utto Haw,iV?ai/,oip«- 3 For this is he that was tv, \iy&i> *«v« jg0Svre$ iv ™ ep£- JP?ke» of by luhe ProPh" E' ^ , , t , ' , iaias, laying, The voice or one W E7oi/wcaw.TB Ttw o<&v Kt/p/v, ey- crying in the wildernefs, Pre- JiiOi wm-n t»5 7?/Cv5 cu# 4 Au- P»r,c !fe the way of the Lord, , , t , * w . ~ make his paths ltraight, 70s Jfe 0 laxms e*% to tiShfM. a*rv + And the fame joha had ■^JttJ T£/ycM y&t*M\<ii, yji* £«vk« Ap- his raiment of camels hair, and '» e» _j ' ' ~ ' ~ 'is! a leathern girdle about his /la/mfc* <s& -rfa o^to. «T* » «fc Ioyns. andshls meat was lo. Tfotpyi dtfy «» cLXfiSts Kf {Jtthi ixp^iov. cults and wild hony. f ToTt ANNOTATIONS. it is faid in the (aid place of the Book of Judges concerning Samp/on as a 7y/>* of Chrijl, Hefoall be a Nazarite from the Womb. Now fuppofing Sampfbn to have been a Type of Chrift, yet it is certain that our Saviour was not a Nazarite in the fenfe wherein the word is apply 'd to Sampfon, namely, as thereby is meant One oblig'd to Jeparate bimfelf from Wine andftrong Drink, and to let no Rafbr come on his Head, and to come at no Dead Body, &c as Numb. 6 1 — xi. For it is certain that our Saviour drank Wine, came near to a Dead Body, &c. And therefore He can be faid to be thus a Nazarite only in an Allegorical or Moral fenfe, viz. as being feparated from all Moral Impurity or Sin from his Mother's Womb. Wherefore fince our Saviour can be a Nazarite like Sampfon only in an Allegorical fenfe ; but was really the Perfon tuhofe Name was Netzer the Branch, viz. that fhouldgrow out of the Roots ofjejfe; hence I am induc'd to think, that Zach. 6. ix. and Ifai 11. 1. were rather the Prophecies that were more immediately resetted by St Matthew ; and chiefly that of Zachary, foraf- much as St Matthew's exprelfion, Hejliall be call'd a Nazarene, is exactly fyno- nymous or equivalent to Zachary's exprefllon, The Man iuhofe Name is Netzer. (cc) See Luke 3.X3. (d) Concerning the Difference between the true years of ChriJFs Life , and the years of the Common Mr a of chrift, or Common way of Reckoning by the years of Chrift, fee the latter Part of my Treatife concerning the Harmony of the four Go/pels. I (hall on!y obferve in fhort here, that the ixd year of Chrift's Life anfwers mod probably, 1 think, to the 30th year of the Common ./Era of Chrift, or to A. D.%o- (e) And fo likewife do All the other Evangelifts; only St Luke takes Notice of One Paffage during the faid long Interval, namely, of our Saviour's going up tojerufalem, when be %uas Twelve years Old. Luke 2. 4.x to the end. (f) Concerning this Wildernefs ofjudea fee my Hilt. Geogr. of N.T. Part 1. Chap. 3. §. 1. (g) See i Kings 1.8. (») See Lev. 11. xx. Some indeed underftand here rather feme Sort of Herb or Tree or Shrub, becaufe itx&hs the word here us'd in the Greek may as to its Etymology fignify the Tops of Herbs or Trees, or the like. But ftpce the faid word S. Matthew, Chap. III. z? PARAPHRASE. Jordan; z and laying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom oftheMeffaSy prophefy'd of by 'Daniel, {chap. 2. 44. ) as which Jbould be Jet up by the God of Heaven in the days of the four Kingdoms of the Gentiles, is at hand or now about to be fet up accordingly ; Namely by the preaching of the Gofpel, which is to be look' d upon as a Body of the Laws of this Kingdom of Heaven, to which Obedience is to be pay'd by All fuch as will be True Subjecls of this Kingdom, and Jhare in the Blejjings thereof. Now according to the Tenour of theje Laws of the -Kingdom of Heaven, (/'. e. in one word of the Gofpel,) No one is to reB in the bare Outward Obfervance of the Legal Rites and Ceremonies., or in the Ob/ervance of This or That Law of God, as if fuch an Outward and 'Partial Obedience was fujfiaent to entitle him to God' J Favour and EverlaBmg Life, tho He be never fo fficked in other RefpeSis ; but He muB Renounce all fuch wrong Notions or T)oSrinest which are taught now a-days by the Scribes and Than fees ; and mu/l be fincerely and entirely Chang 'd, both Inwardly as to his Mind and AffeElions, and Outwardly as to his Life and Ai~iions \ fo as to DeteB and abhor from his Heart whatever is Sin- ful/, and not to Allow him f If in the Willfull 3 each of any One of the Laws of God, but to endeavour fincerely and to the utmoB of his Tower to keep All God's Commandments. Such is the Repentance preach' d and requir'd by John the BaptiB , according to the Trophecies that were of Him in the Old Tejlament. 3 For this John BaptiB is He that was fpoken of by the Prophet Ifaiah, [chap. 40. 3 ) faying, As great Trinces are wont to have Officers Jent before them, whoje Bufine/s it is to have the Ways prepar'd or made Convenient for their Trinces more eajily tra- velling; fo before the great eB of Trinces, the Meffias, fhall enter upon his Trophetical Office, or Teaching the Teople, there fhall be heard The Voice of One crying, i. e. preaching Openly in the Wildernefs ofjudea, Prepare ye the Way of the Lord, make his Paihs flraight, /. e. by Re- pentance, or for faking the crooked Taths of Sin, and returning into the flraight Tath ofTiety, prepare your Hearts Jo, that when ChriB comes, He may find a ready Way for Admittance into your Hearts, as his true and faithful 'Difcip/es. 4 And the fame John rejembled {g) Elias the Trophet, in Habit as well as in Spirit : for he had his Raiment of the CourfeB fort of Camel's hair, and a leathern Girdle about his Loyns ; and his Meat was ajort of(h) Locufts, not unufually eat by the meaner Sort in that Country, and wild Hony, i. e.J'uch Hony as he found in the fVoods ANNOTATIONS. word is never us'd, as I know of, in this fenfe any where elfe in the N. T. or LXX Verfion of O.T. and fince it is us'd in NT. and moft frequently in O.T- for Locujlt ; and fince it appears from Lev.zi- %it iz. that fome fort of Locufts were eaten, I can fee no Reafon to rejeH the Common Tranflation, but to f re- fer ic before any other. i6 S.Matthew, Chap. III. TEXT. TRANSLATION. f Tot* dfctTmpiveTO tufas co/tbv Iepo- avAi/jua,, Xj 71U0TX. j) Iv<Tfeua,, ^ mum, y\ 'S^ywp®-' TV Iop<TbiVOO' 6 x.ou\ e£fll7r]/£oVTO C*"7St> IopeTbtVM *\^Cr OU/^, o^o^oAoyy^cfyoi t»s ajUapTia^ oo'tov. 7 l^*>v efV ttoMvs t $apia^qfflv ^ 2a£- ^bra Tils fjutWiay.i o'pywjj 8 noiw- ffrtle oitt t ^pTiw ct^iov tws fte&voiaj. 9 Kot) («>) <^?ht6 Aeyea °* southIs' n*Tt'px lyofjuH roi AQfjicL/w Xiya y^f v(4ii "vn SwD&Tcq o ®io$ c/x. TM htjcw (ouray £y«7pa| tsjcvcc 7S0 A^paa.^. io WH(JV1 Jfe KS" ^ a?ivn ©fos t p<(>ay t dsvfyay /veiTot|. ?ray cc«/ S^'vefyov #>? vnniui y&ymv KscAoy, cypoco^IeTotj , jcs^* as tsrup /3xAAercq. 5" Then went out to him Jerufalem and all Judea, and all the region round about Jor- dan; 6 And were baptiz'd of him in Jordan , confefling their fins. 7 But when he faw many of the Pharifees and Sadducees come to his Baptifm , he faid unto them , O generation of vipers , who hath warn'd you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore * fruit meet for repentance. 9 And think not to fay within your felves, We have Abraham to our father: for I lay unto you, that God is- able of thele {tones to raife up children unto Abraham. io And now alio the ax is laid unto the root of the trees : therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and caft into the fire. ii Ey<i PARAPHRASE. Woods or Fields without any Art us'd thereto. $ Then went out to Him from Jerufalem and all Judea, and especially from all the Region round about (/') Jordan, {where he was preaching) much 'People, being mightily taken with his outward Appearance of Humility and Aujlerity ; 6 and they were baptiz'd of him in Jordan , atteflmg the Sincerity of their Repentance and Re/olutions to live Hoi] for the Future, by the mojl Convincing if not only Means that could be us'd at the very Trefent , «<wz<?^£/ Confetti ng their Sinspajl. 7 But when he law many of the Pharifees and Sadducees come to his Baptifm , He knowing them to be Such, as not only placd Them felves the much great eB part ofthdr Re- ligion in the bare Obfervance of the Outward and Ceremonial Rites of the Law, and, agreeably to fuch looje Notions of Religion , placd aljb then- chief Hope of Salvation in their being defcended of Abraham ; [the Baptijt, Ifrh S Matthew , Chap. III. ^7 PARAPHRASE. I fay, knowing the Pharifees and Sadducees to be Such, as not only did thus Themf elves, ) but alfo were the great Instruments of mifguiding Others in thefe Points, laid unto them by way of moB fever e and open Reproof; O ye moB wicked Men, who, on account of your Poifontng the People with your fa/fe and loo/e "Doctrines and Interpretations of Scripture, may befitlyJlyTda Generation of Vipers, who has warn'd you, i.e. I can't but much wonder that even you Jhould be fo far wrought on by my Preaching, as to be warn'd to flee from the Wrath of God, which is mojt certainly to come upon all Wicked and Impenitent Per (oris, if not Afore, yet at fartheB at the cDay of Judgment. 8 Bring forth therefore that Fruit of Holinefs of Life, which is meet for, i.e. agreeable to and a Proof of True Repentance, if you would acHually flee or be deliver 'd from the faid Wrath to come. 9 And fitfl in Oppojition to your ill-grounded Hopes of eft aping the Wrath to come, becau,e ye are defended of Abraham, I particularly warn you, that you think not to efcape the Wrath to come, becaufe you can fay within your fclves, We have Abraham to our Fore- father: for I fay unto you, that God, rejecllingyou for your not follow- ing the pious Example of Abraham, is able of thefe f tones that ly before you to raife up Men , who following the Steps of Abraham fhall there- upon be accounted by God as Children unto Abraham, and fhall be re- warded as fuch. 10 And then in Oppojition to your falfe Notions in placing the main of Religion in the bare Objervance of the Outward Rites and Ceremonies of the Law, I likewife particularly warn you, that now alfo will be offer'd the LaB 'Dijpenfation of Repentance and tSUercy, namely by the preaching of the Gofpel; fo that whoever is not to be brought to Repentance by the Gofpel, God will ufe no other means with him to bring him to Salvation, but will adjudge him to the everlaBing Fire of Hell. Which jufi Dealing of God may be fitly tllujlrated by the familiar Inflame of a Mans Dealing zvith his Trees. IVhen a Man has long try'd and us 'd all proper means to make his Trees bear good Fruit, and finds all means prove Ineffectual, then it is accounted but a piece of Prudence in him to cut down the Trees without any more ado, and accordingly the Ax is laid unto the Root of the Trees. And the Refolution of cutting down the faid Trees being thus once taken, therefore every Tree, which brings not forth Good Fruit, is hewn down and caft into the Fire. 11 Further ANNOTATIONS. V. 8. f So it is read in the Singular, and not in the Plural, in very many and fome of the Beft MSS. and in Vulg. Latin, Ethiop.Copt. Arab, and Peifick Ver- lions; as alfo in Irenaeus and Origen: So that it is not to be doubted, but it is the True Reading. (i) Concerning the River Jordan &c. fee my Hift. Geogr. of N. T- Part 1 chap. 3. §.2. D 2 V. u. 28 S. Matthew \ Chap. III. TEXT. TRANSLATION. ii Eys> ua Qx-fi'ita u^s iv CJkw » J indeed baPt,ze y°u , , f v , , , with water unto repentance ; us pi invotetr a h ottxcu fw« Jp^o- but he tnat comeih after me (foot, Ic/v&nzss fuv '@ii, Q yx. elpu is mightier than I, whofe flioes \ i * »> & m '' i ' i I am not worthy to *carry : he HULKS Ttt VTTOSV^ 0X5WW CUTIS flw„ bapt]Ze yQU wjth the ho_ v/xclS Qa.'Bio^ it itviu /ja]i ct.yiq x) 7itip<. ly Ghoft, and with fire. _*■ \ j\t . i» \ , -r \ 12 Whofe fan /j in his hand, i 2 Ou tv ^o» £y T| ^.p» ou^, **< and he wiU lhroughly »cleanf(| Jletx.a^t6<4 t «.Aa»v«t ctuy, & vuuaZ,{ his floor, and gather* the wheat 4* £™ t a'S ¥ ^braSaw)* atf, 7* tf ™to his gf neru: J>ut hf W|U „ , , , p/ ourn up the chaff with un- ap^po» Jta&fcou<OTj icva oLotoisa. quenchable fire. 1 5 Ton A^'ve*) o InffSfs ^cts £ i J Then cometh Jefus from *> '* ,. ' ./I'll iij i a t ' Galilee to Jordan unto John, rotAiAo.^ 6*1 t IopJW ^os T Iaaw- tQ be baptIZ>d of him vkc, ? i8et^ie^v«f utt' «$ 14 O §1 14 But John * refus'd him , \axm\S PARAPHRASE. ft Further yet, and particularly in Reference to this Baptifm of Mine > I warn and mBruByou, that you do neither rely on the bare Outward 'Performance thereof, as if this Alone would conduce to your Salvation \ nor think too Highly of Me who adminiBer this Baptifm to you. For to fetyou Right in both thefe Points, you are to know that I indeed baptize vou with Water, but then 1 do this, not as if the bare Outward Baptifm or IVaJlring you with Water it of any Efficacy to your Salvation, but be- caufe Outward Baptifm is a proper Sign of your Obligation unto Repen- tance, which is as it were an Inward and Spiritual Bapttjm or IVafhing away the Filth of Sin. And then as to thisJSpiritual Baptifm or Wajh- mg away of Sin by Repentance , you are not to Conceive of me, as if I by my Outwardly Baptizing you did of my J elf or from my fe/f convey or confer upon you avy Grace or Spiritual Strength, whereby ye may be enabled to bring forth Fruit meet for Repentance; but you are to know th<t He that cometh after me vetyJJjortlj on the like Account of Preach- ing Repentance , fee. and for whoji Coming T prepare you , /. e . ChriB , is Mightier than I, yea ofjuch Tranfcendent and 'Divine might, that He is a Perfon whofe fhoes I, being a meer frail Man, am not Worthy to carry : He it is thro' whom All holy Perfons receive Grace or Spiritual Strength to live Rehgioufly, and who accordingly lhall inBitute another Bapti/m, wherewith He Jhall appoint his Apojlles and Mtmfters to bap- tize you Jews, and all others who will be his Difciples ; which Baptifm injlituted by ChriB Jhall, in refpeel ofalljuch as duly receive it, be in- feparably S.Matthew, Chap. III. 19 PARAPHRASE. feparably accompany J thro' the Divine might or Tower ofChriB with the gracious Influence and defiance of the Holy Ghoft, and efpecially with the Fire of a true Zeal for God's Honour and Service. By which Zeal and AfftBance of the Holy GhoB, the Difctples of ChriB Jhall be excited and enabled, not only to Live holy Lives, but even to Dy the mojl painful Heaths , fitch as by Fire and Faggot, fee. And as an evident Proof ofChnB's 'Divine Might or Tower thus to confer the Holy GhoB on fuch as he fees fit , He Jhall catife , when the proper Sea/on is come, the Holy Ghoft to dejeend upon his Difctples in the Fifible Appearance of Fiery Tongues. 12 Now fuch being the Nature of the Baptifm, and ( which comes to the fame ) of the mojl Holy Religion to be mfiituted by Chriji, His different Dealing with fuch as believe and obey his Go/pel, and with fuch as do not, may very fitly be illujlrated by the inftance of an Husband-man, whole winnowing Fan is in his hand ; and as he, viz. the Husband-man, when the threjhtng Seafon is come, with the f aid Fan will throughly cleanfe the Wheat that after threping lies upon his Floor, from the Chaff, and gather the Wheat thus cleans d or Jeparated from the Chaff, into his Garner; but he will burn up the Chaff: Jo Chriji at the Day of Judgment Jhall cleanfe and feparate the Good from the Bad, and Jhall receive the Good into the. Kingdom of Heaven, but Jhall pun Jh ■ the Bad or impenitently Wicked with unquenchable or everlajiing Fire. 1 3 Then, /'. e. while John was thus baptizing, comes Jefus from Ga- }u . Iilee (where was his Dwelling, as was obferv'd Chap. 2. a//.) to Jordan by johi/the^isfp- unto John to be baptiz'd of him. 14 But John knowing (k) by the Sug- <'<*> a"d <heH<,ty gejlhn of the Holy Spirit, that Jefus was the MeJJias or Chriji, refus'd onhim 'up" him, ANNOTATIONS. V. 11. f Avtu is not read after Am in feveral MSS. nor in Syr. and Perf. Ver- fions; nor in Iren. or Juftin M. and it is read after imjvtlui in feveral MSS. and in Syr. /Ethiop. and Perf. Verfions, and in Irenaeus. (k) Confidering that Mary the Mother of our Bl. Saviour, and Elizabeth the Mother of the Baptift., were Coufim one to the other (as we learn from Luke 1. 36.) it might have been eafily luppos'd, that our Saviour was before now 1 TtrfonaBy known to the Baptift; had we not been afTur'd of the Contrary by St John the Evangelift, who informs us that the Baptift declar'd Twice to them about him, that He knew bim not, till he came now to be Baptiz'd of him. The words of the Baptift a5 related by St John the EvangHift (chap, l.sl — 34. ) are thefe : And I knew him not; hut that He jhould be made manifest to Jfrael, therefore am I come baptizing with Water. — I fate the Spirit defending from Heaven like a Dove, and it abode upon him. And J knew him not : but He that fent me to baptize with water, the fine jard unto me. Upon whom thduJhaJt fee the Spirit defending and abiding on him, the /ame it He which baptizes with the Hilly Ghoft. And Ifaw, and bare record that this it the Son of God. Now fince the Descending of the Holy Ghoft upon Jefus was tne Signal appointed by God, whereby the Biptift was to be certify'd, wnat Perfoo was truly the Meffias or Chnft; and fince this Signal was not given till after Jefus was baptiz'd and come up out of the Water, as we are exprefsly inforo/d v. 16. of this Chapter of go S. Matthew, Chap. III. TEXT. TRANSLATION. IaiviMJ hi-whwi out-rii, Aejar Eya f?ymg, I have need to be bap- i <i c ~ o -3 q~ « » tlza* of thee, and comcft thou ^uoji r%> vtto oV /3a-7rJicQ>ivaj, % ov t0 me ? ep^V ^fosftti if AwKfiJils Jli iy And Jefus anfwering IvitrSs eiTrt 4S&S a* Tor "Apes apTr faid «nto him, Suffer // /o be .. o , , \ « ~ _. ~ Jo now : for thus it becometh oIt» >^ bottom** v*M Trfuifaaaj us t0 fblHl aU righteoufncfs. •ffciowi Jl^oootlkt/. Tots «p/naiv Then he fufFer'd him. MTor. i<$ Keti &l*1i<Qus 0 In- 16 And Jefus when he was ~ ' '/° V ^» ( ~ "cvi/K^ baptiz'd, went up ftraightwav nvi and »*« *n t* «JViJ@« outof the wattr? and lo, thi jcou i£« avea^Suffav 00*9) 01 frpoevtu, heavens were open'd unto, him, ANNOTATIONS. of Sc Matthew ; it is enquir'd, How the Baptift here knew Jefus to be the Chrift,- before the H Ghoft was thus descended upon him, and at his Firft coming to be baptiz'd. For iheie words of the Baptift upon Jefus coming to be baptiz'd of Him, I have need to be baptiz'd of Thee Ike. plainly import, that the Baptift did then know that Jefus was Chrift , tho' the H. Ghoft had not yet vifibly de- fended upon Jefus in the Gght of the Bapfift accordn g to v. 16. of this Chapter. In Anfwer to this Enquiry, fome fuppofe a double Defcent of the H. Gnoft, viz. One before Jefus was baptiz'd, and at his Firft coming to the Baptift, whereby the Baprift knew him to be Chrift, and accordingly fpoke thus to him, I have need to be baptiz'd of Thee &c and this they will have to be the Defcent of the H. Ghoft mention'd by St John the Evangelift in Chap. 1. of his Gofpel : the Other Defcent was that after Jefus was baptiz'd, and which is mention'd by St M-tthew in this Chapter. But there being no good Reafon thus to fuppoie a double Defcent of the H. Ghoft (of which more in the Note next following) I think the other Anfwer given to the foremention'd Enquiry is the moft Pro- bable, viz. that the Baptift knew Jefus to be Chrift at his firft Coming to him, by the particular Afflatus or Suggeftion of the H. Ghoft revealing to him, that This was He on whom he fhould prefently fee the Signal appointed by God actually given. And no wonder that the Baptift fhould thur, when He was a Man, have Jefus made known to him by the Suggeftion of the H. Ghosl; fince when he was a Babe and yet in the Womb, he leaf d for Joy, by the fupernatural Operation of the fame H. Ghoft, atfoon at the Voice of the Salutation of Mary the Mother of Jefus founded in the ears oi his own Mother Elizabeth, as we are inform'd Luke 1. 44. To which may be added, that we learn 1 Sam. 9. 15- — 17. that Samuel knew Saul by a like Suggeftion of the H. Spirit. For thus v. 17. When Samuel Jaw Saul, the Lord faid unto him, Behold the Alan whom I fpako to thee of&c. (I) We learn Exod. 19.4, 7. that among other Rites appointed by the Law to initiate or confecrate the High-prieih thefe were two, viz. that He fhould be wajhd .with Water, and then the Anointing Oylftjould bt four'd on his Head, and fo He fhould be anointed: herewith. Now it is not ^o be doubted, but that, in AUufion and Conformity thereto, the Divine Wifdom faw fit, that Jefus our Hrgh-prieft fhould be likewife initiated or confecrated to his faid Office by being Baptiz'd, and by the Defcent of the H. Ghoft upon Him. For as the Baptifm of Jefus S. Matthew, Chap. III. - 31 PARAPH R AS E.~~ him, faying, I have need to be haptiz'd of Thee, and comeft Thou to Me to be baptiz'dt i J And Jefus anfwering faid unto him, However, thou muH fufter it to be fo now : for thus it becomes us to fulfil all Righteoufnefs, i. e. to comply with every Jnftttutmi of God, if we will be truly Righteous : fince therefore jour Baptifm is not only of 'Divine Inflitution , but is appointed by God to be one Mite (/) of Initiating d/!te into my Mini/lry, {as well as ofTreparing Others for my Minijlry) I am therefore to be baptizd by thee , that thereby I may acknowledge thy , Baptifm to be of 'Divine inflitution, and may be initiated into my dMi- uiftry by the tSiethod appointed by God. Then, upon being inform'd of the weighty Reafonsfor fo doing, He, i.e. John fuffer'd him, /'. e. Chrift to be baptizd by bhn. \6 And jefus, when he was baptizd, went up ftraightway out of the Water, and lo, i.e. (m) ftraighlway {upon his coming out of the Water') the Heavens were open'd unto him, and(«)He, {as ANNOTATIONS. Jefus do's plainly anfwer to the Wajlnngol the High-prieft under the Law in Wa- ter; fo do's the Dejcent of the H Ghosl anfwer to the Anointing of