assert either the bearer of this Epistle or the exact time of its writing yet that it was written and sent about these times that we are upon may be observed by these two boundaries that shut it up within some reasonable compasse of the time hereabout First A parte ante or that it could not be written much sooner then this may be concluded by this that Timothy had gone through his imprisonment and was now inlarged before its writing Heb. 13.23 And secondly A parte post or that it could not be written much after this time may be observed from that passage Chap. 12.4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood For presently after this bloody times came on That it was written by Paul hath not only the concurrent consent of all Copies and Translations but even this proof for it That none can be named A prisoner Chap. 10.34 and in Italy Chap. 13.24 and in so near converse with Timothy Chap. 13.25 as the Authour of this Epistle was so likely as Paul His not affixing his name to this as he had done to his other Epistles doth no more deny it to be his then the first Epistle of Iohns is denied to be Iohns upon the same account especially considering that the name of the Apostle of the uncircumcision would not sound so well before an Epistle to the Circumcised and yet the more still because he sent it by Mark for so we cannot but suppose who was a Minister of the Minister of the Circumcision and who could easily inform them of the Writer Unto what part of the Jewish Nation he sendeth the Epistle under the indorsement To the Hebrews and why that indorsement To the Hebrews rather then To the Iews may be a usefull and a needfull Quaere It cannot be imagined but that he sendeth it to be delivered at a certain place within some reasonable compasse because it was impossible for the bearer whosoever he was to deliver it to all the Jews dispersion and because in Chap. 13.23 he saith that when Timothy came he would come with him and see them Therefore the title The Hebrews must determine the place since there is nothing else to determine it A double reason may be given why he so stileth them rather then Iews namely either because the name Iew was now beginning to become odious or rather because he would point out the Jews that dwelt in Iudaea or the Land of Israel And this sense doth the holy Ghost put upon the title the Hebrews Act. 6.1 where it is said There was a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews By The Hellenists meaning the Jews that dwelt in forreign Countries among the Greeks and by The Hebrews those that dwelt in Iudea And so it is most proper to understand the inscription of this Epistle namely that Paul directs and sends it to the beleeving Jews of Iudea a people that had been much ingaged to him for his care of their poor getting collections for them all along his travels and Mark whom we suppose the bearer of this Epistle had come in to his attendance and to the attendance of his Uncle Barnabas when they had been in Iudea to bring almes unto those Churches Act. 11. 12. It is not to be doubted indeed that he intendeth the discourse and matter of this Epistle to all the Jews throughout all their dispersion and therefore Peter writing to the Jews of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia and Asia applies it as written to them 2 Pet. 3.15 yet doth he indorse it and send it chiefly to The Hebrews or the Jews of Iudaea the principall seat of the Circumcision as the properest center whither to direct it and from whence it might best diffuse in time to the whole circumference of their dispersion He hath to deal in it mainly with those things that the Jewish writers commonly call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinances affixed to the Land or such Ceremonious part of their Religion as while it stood was confined to the Land as Temple Sacrifice Priesthood c. Therefore it was most proper to direct his speech in its first bent to those that dwelt in the Land and were most near to those things and who in those Apostatizing times that then were had the nearest occasion and temptation to draw them back from the purity of the Gospel to those rites again Unto that doubtfulnesse that some have taken up about the Originall tongue of this Epistle as thinking it very improper that he should write in the Greek tongue to the Hebrews especially to the Hebrews in Iudaea we need no better satisfaction then what the Hebrews themselves yea the Hebrews of Iudaea may give to us I mean the Ierusalem Gomarists from severall-passages that they have about the Greek language In Megillah fol. 71. col 2. they say thus There is a tradition from ben Kaphra God shall inlarge Iaphet and he shall dwell in the tents of Sem For they shall speak the language of Iaphet in the tents of Sem. The Babylon Gomara on the same Treatise fol. 9. col 2. resolves us what tongue of Iaphet is meant for having spoken all along before of the excellency and dignity of the Greek tongue it concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The very beauty of Iaphet shall be in the tents of Sem. Our men first named say further thus Rabbi Ionathan of Beth Gubrin saith There are four Languages brave for the world to use and they are these The Vulgar the Roman the Syrian and the Hebrew and some also add the Assyrian Now the question is What Tongue he means by the Vulgar Reason will name the Greek as soon as any and Midras Tillin makes it plain that this is meant for fol. 25. col 4. speaking of this very passage but alledging it in somewhat different termes he nameth the Greek which is not here named Observe then that the Hebrews call the Greek the Vulgar tongue They proceed ibid. col 3. It is a tradition Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel saith In books they permitted not that they should write but only in Greek They searched and found that the Law cannot be interpreted compleatly but only in the Greek One once expounded to them in the Syriack out of the Greek R. Ieremiah in the name of R. Chaiith ben Ba saith Aquila the proselyte interpreted the Law before R. Eliezer and before R. Ioshua And they extolled him and said Thou art fairer then the children of men And the same Talmud in Sotah fol. 21. col 2. hath this record Rabbi Levi went to Caesarea and heard them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rehearsing their Phylacteries Hellenisticè or in the Greek tongue A passage very well worth observing For if in Caesarea were as learned Schools as any were in the Nation And if their Phylacteries pickt sentences out of the Law might above all things have challenged their rehearsall in the Hebrew tongue as their own writers shew yet they say them over in Greek Paul might very
THE HARMONY CHRONICLE AND ORDER OF THE New-Testament The Text of the Four EVANGELISTS Methodized Story of the ACTS of the APOSTLES Analyzed Order of the EPISTLES Manifested Times of the REVELATION Observed All Illustrated With variety of Observations upon the Chiefest Difficulties TEXTUALL TALMUDICALL For clearing of their Sense and Language With an Additionall DISCOURSE CONCERNING The Fall of JERUSALEM AND THE Condition of the Jews in that Land afterward By IOHN LIGHTFOOT D.D. LONDON Printed by A.M. for Simon Miller at the Starre in St Pauls Church-yard M.DC.LV. Dr Lightfoots Harmony on the N. Testament THE HARMONY CHRONICLE AND ORDER OF THE New-Testament The Text of the Four EVANGELISTS Methodized Story of the ACTS of the APOSTLES Analyzed Order of the EPISTLES Manifested Times of the REVELATION Observed All Illustrated With variety of Observations upon the Chiefest Difficulties TEXTUALL TALMUDICALL For clearing of their Sense and Language With an Additionall DISCOURSE CONCERNING The Fall of JERUSALEM AND THE Condition of the Jews in that Land afterward By IOHN LIGHTFOOT D.D. LONDON Printed by A.M. for Simon Miller at the Starre in St Pauls Church-yard M.DC.LV. SERENISSIMO OLIVERO Reipub. Angl. Scot. Hybern c. Domino PROTECTORI J. L. Devotissimus Cliens Munusculum hoc Literarium In se quidem Nihilum At Summi Officii omnimodaeque Observantiae Sincerum Pignus ac Indicium Humillimè meritóque Dicat Dedicatque TO HIS HIGHNESS Honourable COUNCIL IT is not presumption that hath induced me to this address but sense of duty and of that obligation that lies upon me For besides that homage which I owe in common with the whole Nation to his Highness whom the Lord hath placed over us and raised up a Healer and Deliverer in the needfull time a peculiar and redoubled bond of fealty obligeth me as living in a Rectory that belongeth to his Patronage and Donation Which tenancy and dependance as I cannot but own in all submissiveness thankfulnesse and duty so in acknowledgement thereof and of my hearty Loyalty to his Highnesse I have assumed the humble boldness to present this poor Tribute and Oblation to Him having no better thing to offer His Clemency and Goodness will not despise the Offering of a willing minde though it be but mean especially one of this nature I dare not call the Subject that I have handled Mean because it is the summe of the New Testament but the failings and meannesse of the handling of it as it is the more excusable because aiming at so worthy a Subject and who is sufficient for these things so may I hope that it will finde the more easie pardon and some acceptance for the Subjects sake With this most humble addresse to his Highnesse I was desirous to leave an humble memoriall also with your Honours who stand so near Him not only of profession of that service and observance that with all the Nation I owe to your Lordships but also of special thankefulnesse and acknowledgement of goodnesse and favour received from your Honourable Table in a matter of mine own particular concernment I can adde no more but my prayers to the Father of mercies for his gracious Protection of his Highnesse and your H.H. and that he will guide you in all your Councels and in all your waies Devoted to Your H. H. in all Service I. L. TO THE READER I Shall not trouble the Reader with any long discourse to shew how the Scripture abounds with transposition of stories how the holy Ghost doth eminently hereby shew the Majesty of his style and Divine wisdome how this is equally used in both Testaments what need the student of Scripture hath carefully to observe those dislocations and what profit he may reape by reducing them to their proper time and order I shall only in brief give account of what I have done in the ensuing Treatise which refers to that way of study of the New Testament Some years ago I published The Harmony Chronicle and Order of the Old Testament observing what transpositions may be observed there the reason of their dislocating and where in Chronicall account is their proper time and place and accordingly manifesting the genuine Order of the Books Chapters Stories and Prophesies through the whole Book The New Testament being Written and Composed after the very same manner of texture requireth the like observation and having made the Assay upon the one I could not but do the like by the other I have therefore first observed the proper Time and Order of the Texts of the Evangelists and how all the four may be reduced into the current of one Story and thereby evidences taken out of them themselves I could willingly have published the Text it self in that Order for so I have transcribed it from end to end and so I offered it to the Press but found its passage difficult So that I have been forced to give directions for the so reading of it only by naming Chapters and verses It would have been both more easie and more pleasant to the Reader had the Text of the four been laid before him in severall Columes but his examining and ordering it in his own Bible by the intimations given will cost more labour indeed but will better confirm memory and understanding The Acts of the Apostles do not much scruple the Reader with dislocations but the taking up of the times of the Stories is not of little difficulty and yet in some particulars of some necessity These are observed where most materiall according to what light and evidence may be had for them either in the Text it self there or elswhere Especially I have indeavoured to observe the times of the writing of The Epistles both those that fall in in those times that the Story of The Acts of the Apostles handleth and those that were written afterward For the fixing of some there is so plain ground from the Text that the time is determined certainly for others we are put to probability and conjecture yet such ground to build conjecture on that I hope there hath not been much roving from the mark I must stand at the Readers censure I was unwilling to have medled with The Revelation partly because I have no minde to be bold in things of that nature I see too much daring with that Book already and partly because I could not go along with the common stating of the times and matters there yet being necessitated by the nature of the task that I had undertaken I could not but deal with the Times and Order of things spoken of in that Book and that could not be done neither without some speaking to the things themselves which I have conjectured at referring all to better Judgements by the best propriety of the Language and Dialect used I could observe where literally and where allusively to be understood Now because it would have been but a tedious task for the Reader only to study upon the meer dislocations and the ordering
power of Satan by the word of truth as Satan had destroyed men by words of falshood Luke doth properly draw up his line to Adam now when he is to begin to preach the word The line on this side the captivity for which there is no record elswhere in Scripture Matthew and Lâ—â—k took from some known records then extant among the Nation R. Levi saith there was found a book of genealogies at Ierusalem in which it was written Hillel was of the family of David Ben Jatâ—aph of the family of Asap c. Tal. Ierus in Taanith fol. 68. col 1. They kept the records of pedigrees and of all other they would be sure to keep those of the family of David because of the expectation of the Messiah from it SECTION XI MATTH Chap. IV. from the beginning to Ver. 12. MARK Chap. I. Ver. 12 13. LUKE Chap. IV. from the beginning to Ver. 14. The seed of the woman and the Serpent combating MARK and LUKE by these words immediatly the spirit driveth him and Iesus returned from Iordan do make the order necessary so that as for the subsequence of this to what preceded there can be no scruple Only there is some difference twixt Matthew and Luke in relating the order of the temptations which Matthew having laid down in their proper rank as appeareth by these particles then ver 15. and again ver 8. Luke in the rehearsing of them is not so much observant of the order that being fixed by Matthew before as he is carefull to give the full story and so to give it as might redound to the fullest information As our mother Eve was tempted by Satan to the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life as 1 Joh. 2.16 for she saw it was good for food that it was pleasant to the eyes and to be desired to make one wise Gen. 3.6 so by these had it been possible would the same tempter have overthrown the seed of the woman For he tempted him to turn stones into bread as to satisfie the longing of the flesh to fall down and worship him upon the sight of a bewitching object to his eyes and to fly in the aire in pride and to get glory among men Luke for our better observing of this parallel hath laid the order of these temptations answerable to the order of those Iesus being baptized about the feast of Tabernacles toward the latter end of our September is presently carried into the wildernesse of Iudea by the acting of the holy Spirit to enter that combat with the Serpent which was designed Gen. 3.15 Forty dayes and forty nights He being all the while in watching fasting and solitude and among the wild beasts but safe as Adam among them in innocency the Devill tempteth him invisibly as he doth other men namely striving to inject sinfull suggestions into him but he could finde nothing in him to work upon as Ioh. 14.30 therefore at forty dayes end he taketh another course and appeareth to him visibly in the shape of an Angel of light and so had Eve been deceived by him mistaking him for a good Angel and trieth him by perswasion by Scripture and by power but in all is foiled mastered and banished by sword SECTION XII JOHN Chap. I. from Ver. 15. to the end of the Chapter CHRIST is pointed out by Iohn and followed by some Disciples COnceive the continuance of the story thus Christ newly baptized goeth immediatly into the wildernesse and leaveth Iohn at Iordan on Iudea side In the time of the forty dayes temptation Iohn having now gathered his harvest of Disciples on that side the River goeth over into the country beyond Iordan and baptizeth in Bethabara Thither came some Pharisees by commission of the Sanhedrin to question him about the authority whereby he baptized making no strangenesse at baptizing which had been so long in use among them but questioning his authority to baptize in that tenour that he did The next day after their questioning of him Christ cometh into sight is pointed out by Iohn and followed by some of his Disciples For half a year Iohn had baptized in the Name of Christ and knew him not ver 31 33. Only as all the Nation expected the Messias to come in time and Iohn had it revealed to him that he was now ready to appear so Iohn baptized and the people came to him upon this account He professed to all that came to him to be baptized and so he did to the Jews Commissioners now that he baptized only in the Name of him that was to come after him whose shoos latchet he was not worthy to unloose ver 27. Let a passage in Tosaphtoth comment upon these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is the token of a servant He ties his Masters shoos or looses his shoos and bears his things after him to the bath In Kiddushin cap. 1. And the like saith Maymony in Mekerah cap. 2. A Canaanite servant is like land as to buying and he is bought by money or by script or by service in way of earnest And what is the earnest in buying servants Namely that a man use them as they use servants before a Master As to loose his shooe or to tie his shooe or to carry his things after him to the bath c. So that those that were baptized in this time of whom there was a very great number knew not of Iesus of Nazareth his being the Christ nor knew they more of Christ then they had known before but only that he was ready to come only they were baptized into faith in him and to repentance But when Christ himself came to be baptized Iohn had discovery of him and so is able now upon the sight of him to point him out to his Disciples whereupon Peter and probably Iohn and Andrew and Philip and Nathanael follow him SECTION XIII JOHN Chap. II. All the Chapter Water turned into wine CHRISTS first Passeover after his Baptisme THe words The third day in ver 1. mean they either the third day from Christs coming into Galilee Joh. 1.43 or the third day from his conference with Nathanael or the third day from the Disciples first following him they give demonstration enough of the series and connexion of this Chapter to the former It was about the middle of our November when Christ came out of the wildernesse to Iohn at Bethabara and then there were about four moneths to the Passeover which time he spent in going up and down Galilee and at last comes to his own home at Capernaum Those two passages being laid together The day following Iesus would go forth into Galilee Joh. 1.43 And After this he went down to Capernaum and continued there not many dayes and the Iews Passeover was at hand Joh. 2.12 do make it evident that Iesus had now a perambulation of Galilee which took up a good space of time So that this first miracle of turning water into
of Zechary under the name of Ieremy doth but alleadge a Text out of the volume of the Prophets under his name that stood first in that volume And such a manner of speech is that of Christ Luke 24.44 All things must be fulfilled which are written of me in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes in which he follows the generall division that we have mentioned only he calleth the whole third part or Hagiographa by the title the Psalmes because the Book of Psalmes stood first of all the Books of that part In that saying Matth. 16.14 Others say Ieremy or one of the Prophets there is the same reason why Ieremy alone is named by name viz. because his name stood first in the volume of the Prophets and so came first in their way when they were speaking of the Prophets CHRISTS Arraignment before Pilate The chief Priests and Elders bring Iesus to Pilate but would not go into his house the house of a Heathen lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passeover Ioh. 18.28 Why They had eaten the Passeover over night at the same time that Jesus ate his and well they had spent the night after it But this day that was now come in was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their day of presenting themselves in the Temple and offering their sacrifices and peace offerings of which they were to keep a solemn feasting and this Iohn cals the Passeover In which sense Passeover bullocks are spoken of Deut. 16.2 2 Chron. 30.24 35.8 9. The School of Shammai saith their appearing was with two pieces of silver and their chagigah with a Meah of silver But the School of Hillel saith their appearing was with a Meah of silver and their chagigah with two pieces of silver Their burnt offerings at this solemnity were taken from among common cattell but their peace offerings from their tithes He that keepeth not the chagigah on the first day of the feast must keep it all the feast c. Chagigah per. 1. Pilate conceives him brought to him as a common malefactor and therefore he bids them take him back and Judge him by their own Bench and Law and in these words he meant really and according as the truth was that it was in their power to judge and execute him and needed not to trouble him with him And when they answer We may not put any man to death Joh. 18.31 They speak truly also and as the thing was indeed but the words of Pilate and theirs were not ad idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a tradition that fourty years before the Temple was destroied capital Iudgements were taken away from them Jerus in Sanhedr fol. 18 col 1. But how Not by the Romans for they permitted them the use of their Religion Laws Magistracy capitall and penall executions and judgements in almost all cases as freely as ever they had and that both in their Sanhedrins within the Land and in their Synagogues without as far as the power of the Synagogues could reach at any time as might be proved abundantly if it were to be insisted on here The words then of these men to Pilate are true indeed That they could put no man to death but this was not as if the Romans had deprived the Sanhedrin of its power but because theeves murderers and malefactors of their own Nation were grown so numerous strong and heady that they had overpowred the Sanhedrins power that it could not it durst not execute capitall penalties upon offenders as it should have done And this their own Writings witnesse Juchasin fol. 21. The Sanhedrin flitted fourty years before the destruction of the Temple namely from that time that the Temple doors opened of their own accord and Rabban Iochanan ben Zaccai rebuked them and said O Temple Temple Zechary of old prophecied of thee saying Open thy doors O Lebanon that the fire may enter c. And also because that murderers increased and they were unwilling to judge Capitall matters they flitted from place to place even to Iabneh c. which also is asserted in Shabb. fol. 51. Avodah Zarah fol. 8. When they perceive that Pilate no more received the impression of their accusation of him as a malefactor like others they then accuse him of Treason as forbidding to pay Tribute to Cesar and as saying that he himself was a King and this they thought would do the businesse Pilate hereupon takes him in into his Judgement Hall for hitherto the Jews conference and his had been at his gate and questions him upon this point and Iesus plainly confesseth that he was a King but his Kingdom not of this world and therefore he needed not from him to fear any prejudice to the Romane power and so well satisfies Pilate that he brings him out to the gate again where the Jews stood and professeth that he found no fault in him at all Then the Jews lay in fresh accusations against him to which he answereth not a word Brought before Herod Pilate by a word that dropt from them understanding that he was of Galilee Herods Jurisdiction sent him to Herod who was now at Ierusalem partly because he would be content to have shut his hands of him and partly because he would court Herod towards the reconciling of old heart-burnings between them And now Iesus sees the monster that had murthered his forerunner Herod was glad to see him and had desired it a long time and now hoped to have got some miracles from him but he got not so much as one word though he questioned him much and the Jews who had followed him thither did vehemently accuse him The old Fox had sought and threatned his death before Luke 13.31 32. and yet now hath him in his hands and lets him go only abused and mocked and gorgeously arraied and so sends him back to Pilate that so he might court him again more then for any content he had that he should escape his hands See Acts 4.27 Before Pilate again Pilate at his gate again talks with the Jews and motions the release of the Prisoner and whether him or Barabbas and leaves it to their thoughts and goeth to his Judgement seat again By this time is his Lady stirring and understanding what business was in hand she sends to him about her dream He goes to the gate again inquires what is their vote about the Prisoners release they are all for Barabbas He puts it to the vote again and they are the same still he urgeth a third time and pleadeth the innocency of Iesus but they still urge for his crucifying Then cals he for water and washeth his hands but instantly imbrues them in his blood By this time it was the third hour of the day or about nine a clock the time of the beginning of the morning Sacrifice Hence Mark begins to count Mark 15.25 namely from the time that Pilate delivered him up He is whipped by Pilate led into the
and they contain the story of his obtaining this Revelation and of the condition of the seven Churches of Asia at that time declared in the Epistles directed to them Iohn travelling in the Ministry of the Gospel up and down from Asia Westward cometh into the I le Patmos in the Icarian sea Vid. Strab. lib. 10. an Iland about thirty miles compasse Plin. lib. 4. cap. 12. and there on the Lords day he hath these visions and an Angel interprets to him all he saw He seeth Christ clothed like a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 13. See the LXX in Exod. 28.4 and girded over the paps as the Priests used to be with the curious girdle His appearance full of Majesty and gloriousnesse described in the terms of Daniel Chap. 7.9 10.5 6. Amongst other his Divine title he is called Alpha and Omega terms ordinarily used by the Jews only uttered in their Hebrew tongue to to signifie the beginning and the end or the first and the last Midr. Tillin fol. 47.2 Abraham and Sarah performed all the Law from Aleph to Tau Marg. tripl targ in Deut. 18.13 He that walks in integrity is as if he performed all the Law from Aleph to Tau He directs Epistles to be sent to the seven Churches of Asia who are golden Candlesticks though very full of corruptions it is not a small thing that unchurches a Church and inscribed to the Angels of the Churches This phrase translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheliahh Tsibbor the title of the Minister in every Synagogue who took care for the publick reading and expounding of the Law and Prophets And these Epistles are sent accordingly to the Ministers of the severall Churches that they might be read openly in their Congregations There are seven severall Epistles to the severall Churches dictated immediatly and sent by Christ and another generall one from Iohn to them all in which he shews the warrant and way of writing those seven He terms the holy Ghost the seven Spirits according to the Jews common speech who from Isa. 11.2 speak much of the seven Spirits of Messias and speaking of Christs coming with clouds Chap 1.7 from Dan. 7.13 and from the words of Christ himself Matth. 24.30 He at once teacheth that he takes at Daniel and speaks of Christs coming and reigning when the four Monarchies were destroyed and especially referreth to the first most visible evidence of his power and dominion in coming to destroy his enemies the Jewish Nation and their City And here is one reason that induceth me to suppose this Book written before that City was destroyed Coming to reade the present condition of these Asian Churches in the Epistles written to them we may pertinently think of that saying of Paul 2 Tim. 1.15 This thou knowest that all they that are in Asia are turned from me A great Apostacy of which there is too much evidence in these Churches as also mention of some sad fruits of it and means and instruments inducing to it As 1. unbeleeving Jews which the holy Ghost all along cals A Synagogue of Satan with these the Church of Smyrna was pestered and more especially Pergamus where their mischievousnesse is stiled the very throne or seat of Satan and where they had murdered Antipas a faithfull Martyr already 2. False Apostles and seducers some that pretended Apostolick power and commission and it may be coloured their pretences with Magicall wonders that they might act more Apostle-like These the Church of Ephesus was troubled with but had discovered their delusions and found them liars 3. Other seducers that it may be came not in the demonstration of such devilish power but answered that by their horrid devilish doctrines the doctrines of the Nicolaitans which taught to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication In Thyatira a woman seducer cried up this doctrine a whore and witch a Iezabel wherefore she and her children that is her Disciples are threatned to be destroyed by the plague the vengeance upon the fornicators with Baal Pâ—or REVEL CHAP. IV V. NOw cometh a second vision That before was of things then being see Chap. 1.19 but this and forward of things to come Chap. 4.1 A door open in heaven and the voice of a trumpet talking with Iohn out of it The scene of Iohns visions said to be in heaven is according to the scheme of the Temple and the Divine glory there And hence you have mention of the Altar Candlesticks Sea of glasse the brazen laver made of the womens looking glasses the Ark of the Covenant and the like And as at the opening of the Temple doors a Trumpet sounded so is the allusion here The door in Heaven opened and a Trumpet cals Iohn to come in and see what there And immediatly he was in the Spirit ver 2. Why was he not in the Spirit before Chap. 1.10 and was he not in the Spirit in seeing the door in heaven opened c. But we may observe a double degree in rapture as inspired men may be considered under a double notion viz. Those that were inspired with Prophesie or to be Prophets and to preach and those that were inspired to be Penmen of Divine Writ which was higher Iohn hath both inspirations or revelations to both ends both in the Vision before and this then he was in the Spirit and saw the vision and was in the Spirit and inspired to pen what he saw and what to be sent to the Churches And in the first verse of this Chapter he is in the Spirit or hath a revelation and in ver 2. he is in the Spirit he is inspired so as to take impression and remembrance of these things to write them also He seeth Christ inthroned in the middle of his Church in the same Prophetick and visionary Embleme that Ezekiel had seen Ezek. 1. 10. and this is a commentary and fulfilling of that scene that Daniel speaketh of Dan. 7.9 10 22. In Ezekiel the Lord when Ierusalem was now to be destroyed and the glory of the Lord that used to be there and the people were to flit into another Land appeareth so inthroned as sitting in Judgement and flitting away by degrees to another place as compare Ezek. 1. 10. well together So Christ here when the destruction of Ierusalem was now near at hand and his glory and presence to remove from that Nation now given up to unbelief and obduration to reside among the Gentiles he is seated upon his throne as Judge and King with glorious attendance to judge that Nation for their sinnes and unbelief and stating the affairs of his Church whither his glory was now removing The scheme is platformed according to the modell of Israels Camp 1. The Tabernacle was in the middle there so is the throne here 2. There the four squadrons of the Camp of Levi next the Tabernacle so here the four living creatures 3. Then the whole Camp of Israel so here twenty four Elders
Representatives of the whole Church built from twelve Tribes and twelve Apostles In the hand of him that sate on the Throne was a Book sealed which no creature could open This justly cals us back to Dan. 12. v. 4. where words are shut up and a Book sealed unto the time of the end and now that that is near drawing on the Book is here opened REVEL CHAP. VI. THe opening of the six Seals in this Chapter speaks the ruine and rejection of the Jewish Nation and the desolation of their City which is now very near at hand The first Seal opened ver 2. shews Christ setting forth in Battell array and avengement against them as Psal. 45.4 5. And this the New Testament speaketh very much and very highly of one while calling it his coming in clouds another while his coming in his Kingdome and sometime his coming in Power and great Glory and the like Because his plagueing and destroying of the Nation that crucified him and that so much opposed and wrought mischief against the Gospel was the first evidence that he gave in sight of all the world of his being Christ for till then he and his Gospel had been in humility as I may say as to the eyes of men he persecuted whilest he was on earth and they persecuted after him and no course taken with them that so used both but now he awakes shews himself and makes himself known by the Judgement that he executeth The three next Seals opening shew the means by which he did destroy namely those three sad plagues that had been threatned so oft and so sore by the Prophets Sword Famine and Pestilence For The second Seal opened sends out one upon a red Horse to take Peace from the earth and that men should destroy one another he carried a great Sword ver 4. The third Seals opening speaks of Famine when Corn for scarcity should be weighed like spicery in a pair of ballances ver 5 6. The fourth Seal sends out one on a pale Horse whose name was Death the Chaldee very often expresseth the Plague or Pestilence by that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it ' is to be taken Revel 2.22 and Hell or Hades comes after him ver 8. The opening of the fifth Seal reveals a main cause of the vengeance namely the blood of the Saints which had been shed crying and which was to be required of that generation Matth. 23.35 36. These souls are said to cry from under the Altar either in allusion to the blood of creatures sacrificed poured at the foot of the Altar or according to the Jews tenet that all just soules departed are under the Throne of Glory Answer to their cry is given that the number of their Brethren that were to be slain was not yet fulfilled and they must rest till that should be and then avengement in their behalf should come This speakes sutable to that which we observed lately that now times were begun of bitter persecution an hour of temptation Rev. 2.10 3.10 the Jews and devil raging till the Lord should something cool that fury by the ruine of that people The opening of the sixth Seal ver 12 13. shews the destruction it self in those borrowed termes that the Scripture useth to expresse it by namely as if it were the destruction of the whole world as Matth. 24.29 30. The sunne darkened the starres falling the heaven departing and the earth dissolved and that conclusion ver 16. They shall say to the rocks fall on us c. doth not only warrant but even inforce us to understand and construe these things in the sense that we do for Christ applies these very words to the very same thing Luke 23.30 And here is another and to me a very satisfactory reason why to place the shewing of these visions to Iohn and his wring of this Book before the desolation of Ierusalem REVEL CHAP. VII IN the end of the former Chapter was contained the intimation of the desolation of Ierusalem and in the beginning of this the ceasing of Prophesie under the similitude of the four windes restrained from blowing upon the earth Compare Cant. 4.16 Ezek. 37.9 only a remnant of Israel are sealed unto salvation and not to perish by that restraint and with them innumerable Gentiles Ezekiel helpeth here to confirm the explication that we have given of the Chapter before for he hath the very like passage upon the first destruction of the City Ezek. 9. 10. 11. Compare the marking in the foreheads here with Exod. 28.38 Dan not mentioned among the Tribes in this place Idolatry first began in that Tribe Iudg. 18. 1 King 12. REVEL CHAP. VIII THe opening of the seventh Seal lands us upon a new scene as a new world began when Ierusalem was destroyed and the Jews cast off The six Seals in the two former Chapters have shewed their ruine and the appearing of the Church of the Gentiles and now the seven Trumpets under the seventh Seal give us a prospect in generall of the times thence forward to the end of all things I say in generall for from the beginning of the twelfth Chapter and forward to the end of the nineteenth they are handled more particularly Silence in heaven for a while and seven Angels with seven Trumpets may call our thoughts to Ioshua 6.4 10. and intimate that the Prophetick story is now entred upon a new Canaan or a new stage of the Church as that businesse at Iericho was at Israels first entring on the old Or it may very properly be looked upon as referring and alluding to the carriage of things at the Temple since this Book doth represent things so much according to the scheme and scene of the Temple all along And in this very place there is mention of the Altar and Incense and Trumpets which were all Temple appurtenances It was therefore the custom at the Temple that when the Priest went in to the Holy place the people drew downward from the Porch of the Temple and there was a silence whilest he was there yea though the people were then praying incomparably beyond what there was at other times of the service for the Priests were blowing with Trumpets or the Levites singing The allusion then here is plain When the sacrifice was laid on the Altar a Priest took coals from the Altar went in to the Holy place and offered incense upon the Golden Altar that stood before vail that was before the Ark and this being done the Trumpets sounded over the sacrifice Here then is first intimation of Christs being offered upon the Altar then his going into the Holy place as Mediatour for his people and then the Trumpets sounding and declaring his disposals in the world His taking fire off the Altar and casting it upon the earth ver 5. is a thing not used at the Temple but spoken from Ezek. 10.2 which betokeneth the sending of judgement which the Trumpets speak out These seven Trumpets and
Spirit to a great and high mountain Compare Ezek. 40.2 That great City holy Ierusalem c. This referres to great dimensions of Ezekiels Ierusalem as also to the squarenesse the three gates of a side c. The glory of it described from thence and from Isa. 58.8 60.2 3. 54.11 12 c. The wall of it 12000 furlongs square or 1500 miles upon every quarter East West North and South 3000 miles about and 1500 miles high Wall of salvation Isa. 26.1 60.14 The foundations of the wals garnished with twelve precious stones see Isa. 54.11 as the stones in the Ephod or holy Breastplate three upon every side as these were three and three in a row The first foundation stone here is the Iaspar the stone of Benjamin for Pauls sake the great agent about this building of the Church of the Gentiles The Ierus Talmud in Peah fol. 15. col 3. saith expresly that the Iaspar was Benjamins stone for it saith Benjamins Iaspar was once lost out of the Ephod and they said Who is there that hath another as good as it Some said Damah the sonne of Nethina hath one c. And I saw no Temple therein c. ver 22. here this Ierusalem differs from Ezekiels that had a Temple this none and it is observable there that the platform of the Temple is much of the measures and fashion that the second Temple was of but the City of a compasse larger then all the Land which helpeth to clear what was said before of the double significancy of those things they promised them an earthly Temple which was built by Zerobabel but foretold a heavenly Ierusalem which is described here REVEL CHAP. XXII FRom Ezekiel Chap. 47. and from severall passages of Scripture besides Iohn doth still magnifie the glory happinesse and holinesse of the new Ierusalem Lively waters of clear Doctrine teaching Christ and life by him flowing through it continually Ezek. 7.1 9. Cant. 4.15 The Tree of Life lost to Adam and Paradise shut up against him to keep him from it here restored Then a curse here There shall be curse no more ver 3. See Zech. 14.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anathema non erit amplius c. He concludeth These sayings are faithfull and true so he had said before at the marriage of the Lamb Chap. 19.9 and again at his beginning of the story of the new Ierusalem Chap. 21.5 referring to the severall Prophecies that had been of these things and now all those sayings and Prophecies were come home in truth and faithfulnesse He is commanded not to seal his Book as Daniel was Dan. 12.4 because the time of these things was instantly beginning and Christs coming to reveal his glory in avengement upon the Jewish Nation and casting them off and to take in the Gentiles in their stead was now at the door within three and an half or thereabout to come if we have conjectured the writing of this Book to its proper year There are two years more of Nero and one of confusion in the Roman Empire in the Warres of Otho Vitellius and Vespasian and the next year after Ierusalem fals And thus if this Book of the Revelation were written last of the Books of the new Testament as by the consent of all it was then may we say Now was the whole will of God revealed and committed to writing and from henceforth must Vision and Prophesie and Inspiration cease for ever These had been used and imparted all along for the drawing up of the minde of God into writing as also the appearing of Angels had been used for the further and further still revealing of his will and when the full revelation of that was compleated their appearing and revelations to men must be no more So that this Revelation to Iohn was the topping up and finishing of all revelations The Lord had promised that in the last daies of Ierusalem he would pour down of his Spirit upon all flesh Act. 2.17 And Christ promised to his Apostles that he would lead them into all truth Ioh. 16.12.13 To look for therefore the giving of those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit beyond the fall of Ierusalem there is no warrant and there is no need since when the inspired penmen had written all that the holy Ghost directed to write All truth was written It is not to be denied indeed that those that had these extraordinary gifts before the fall of Ierusalem if they lived after had them after for the promoting of these ends for which they were given but there is neither ground nor reason whereupon to beleeve that they were restored to the next generation or were or are to be imparted to any generation for ever For as it was in Israel at the first setling of their Church so was it in this case in the first setling of the Gospel The first fathers of the Sanhedrin in the wildernesse were indued with Divine gifts such as we are speaking of Numb 11.25 but when that generation was expired those that were to succeed in that Function and imployment were such as were qualified for it by education study and parts acquired So was it with this first age of the Gospel and the ages succeeding At the first dispersing of the Gospel it was absolutely needfull that the first planters should be furnished with such extraordinary gifts or else it was not possible it should be planted As this may appear by a plain instance Paul comes to a place where the Gospel had never come he staies a moneth or two and begets a Church and then he is to go his way and to leave them Who now in this Church is fit to be their Minister they being all alike but very children in the Gospel but Paul is directed by the holy Ghost to lay his hands upon such and such of them and that bestows upon them the gift of tongues and Prophesying and now they are able to be Ministers and to teach the Congregation But after that generation when the Gospel was setled in all the world and committed to writing and written to be read and studied then was study of the Scriptures the way to inable men to unfold the Scriptures and fit them to be Ministers to instruct others and Revelations and Inspirations neither needfull nor safe to be looked after nor hopefull to be attained unto And this was the reason why Paul coming but newly out of Ephesus and Crete when he could have ordained and qualified Ministers with abilities by the imposition of his hands would not do it but left Timothy and Titus to Ordain though they could not bestow those gifts because he knew the way that the Lord had appointed Ministers thence forward to be inabled for the Ministry not by extraordinary infusions of the Spirit but by serious study of the Scriptures not by a miraculous but by an ordinary Ordination And accordingly he gives Timothy himself counsell to study 1 Tim. 4.13 though he were
we may observe how they continued bodied together as a Corporation of iniquity in Iudaea till the times of Constantine the great the succession of their Schools plainly to be read there as we have shewed in little And when they waned there then did they flourish in their three Universities in Babylonia and the succession of the Schools and names of their Learned men known there not only till the signing of the Babylon Talmud which was about the year of Christ 500 but even till the other part of the mystery of iniquity the Papal Antichrist arose at Babylon in the West And as these two parts make one intire body of Antichrist and as the later took at the first to do the work that they had done to deface the truth and oppose it and that under the colour of Religion so did it in great measure take his Pandect of Errors from these his predecessors Traditions false Miracles Legends Ceremonies Merit Purgatory implicit faith and divers other things so derived from this source as if left by legacy from the one to the other A second taint we mentioned that these Primitive Jews set not only upon their own posterity but too much also upon the Church of Christ was the turning of the Scriptures all into Allegory which as it is well known how it was used by divers of the Fathers to their great losse of time and little profiting of the Church so is it easily to be known from whence it comes by any that reades Philo Iudaeus and the Jewish Derushim The Talmuds indeed are for the most part upon disputes but sometimes they bring in how such or such a Doctor did Darash mystically expound such or such a place of Scripture and then you have directly such stuff as this Philo in his discourse concerning the Therapeutae or Esseans relateth that they had used this mysticall kinde of exposition of old And how near the Christians of Iudaea that fled from the ruine of Ierusalem might be supposed thenceforward to be planted to the Esseni we might observe from Pliny and Mela that place the Esseni along the vale that coasted upon the dead sea the old habitation of the Kenites and from considering that the mountains to which Christ warns those that were in Iudaea to flee was the mountanous of Iudah as was touâ—hed before §. XI That the Iews for all their spite to Christianity could not impose upon us a corrupted Text. HEre we cannot but clear them as for matter of fact of what some lay to their charge but they do it for their own ends that they foisted a corrupt Text of the old Testament upon Christians and so befooled them in the very foundation of their Religion So did their ancestors by Ptolomy King of Egypt and so what these men would have done if they could it is easie to conjecture but they did not they could not so impose 1. It was their great care and solicitousnesse as to themselves and their own use to preserve the Text in all purity and uncorruptnesse and what our Saviour says of not one Iota or one tittle of the Law perishing they were of the same minde and indeavoured to maintain and assert that for true with all industry It were too long here to speak of the work of the Masorites for this purpose who altered not added not invented not a tittle but carefully took account of every thing as they found it and so recorded it to posterity that nothing could be changed We shall only bring in their own expositions which will attest to this truth to both those words that our Saviour hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is little to be doubted that Christ speaking in their language meaneth the letter Iod which is far the least of all their letters And about this letter the Ierusalem Talmud hath this passage Sanhedr fol. 20. col 3. The book of Mishneh Torah Deuteronomy came and prostrated it self before God and said unto him O Lord everlasting Thou hast written thy Law in me A Testament that fails in part fails in the whole Behold Solomon seeks to root Iod out of me viz. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall not multiply wives The holy blessed God saith to it Solomon and a thousand such as he shall fail but a word of thee shall not fail R. Honna in the name of R. Acha said The Iod that the blessed God took from the name of our mother Sarah was given half of it to Sarah and half to Abraham There is a tradition of R. Hoshaiah Iod came and prostrated it self before God and said Lord everlasting Thou hast rooted me out from the name of a righteous woman The holy blessed God saith to it Heretofore thou wast in the name of a woman and in the end of it Henceforward thou shalt be in the name of a man and in the beginning This is that which is written Moses called the name of Hoshea Iehoshua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Tittle It most properly means those little Apiculi that distinguish betwixt letters that are very like one to another You may have the explanation of this in this pretty descant of Tanchuna fol. 1. It is written saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You shall not profane my holy Name He that makes the Cheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroyes the world for he makes this sense You shall not praise my holy Name It is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord He that makes the He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroys the world for he brings it to this sense Let every thing that hath breath profane the Lord. It is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They lied to the Lord He that maketh Beth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroys the world for he maketh this sense They lied like the Lord. It is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is none holy like the Lord. He that makes Caph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroyes the world for he maketh this sense There is no holinesse in the Lord. It is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord our God is one Lord. He that makes Daleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroyes the world for he bringeth the sense to this The Lord our God is a strange God c. In Chagig fol. 77. col 3. they speak more of the letter Iod and so doth Midras Tillin in Psal. 114. In Deut. 32.18 this little letter is written lesse then it self in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet preserved in that quantity and not altered and observed so by the Masorites 2. Yet could they not for all their care but have some false Copies go up and down amongst them through heedlesnesse or error of transcribers In Shabb. fol. 15. col 2. they are disputing how many
faults may be in a part of the Bible and yet it lawfull to read in The books of Hagiographa say they If there be two or three faults in every leaf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He may mend it and read The Books of Hagiographa they read not in their Synagogues as they did the Law and the Prophets therefore this is to be understood of a mans private reading and of his own Bible which if faulty there were true Copies whereby he might mend it and so read Nay in Taanith fol. 68. col 1. there is mention of a faulty Copy that was laid up in the publick records They found three books in the Court of the Temple The book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In one they found written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in two it was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 33.27 And they approved the two and refused the one In one they found written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in two it was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 24.5 They approved the two and refused the other In one they found written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in two it was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They approved of the two and refused the other That alteration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the second mentioned the Babylonian Gomarists and Massecheth Sopherim per. 1. say was one of the thirteen alterations that the Septuagint made in the Law for Ptolomy King of Egypt Which seems to argue that as they translated the Bible into Greek in which they made thousands of alterations from the text so that they copied an Hebrew copy for him and in that made these and this that was found in the Court of the Temple a transcript of that Copy 3. In every Synagogue they had a true Copy And it was their care every where to have their Bible as purely authentick as possible as may be seen by the curious rules that are given to that purpose in Massecheth Sophorim newly cited and Megillah For this they accounted their treasure and their glory And in the reading of the Law and the Prophets in the Synagogue it was their great care that not a tittle should be read amisse and for this purpose the Minister stood over those that read and oversaw that they read aright and from this as Aruch tels us he was called Chazan that is Episcopus or Overseer In Ierus Sotah fol. 21. col 3. the Samaritans are blamed by the Jews for wilfully corrupting their own Penteteuch R. Eliezer ben R. Simeon said I said to the Scribes of the Samaritans You have falsified your Law and yet reap no advantage by it for you have written in your Law By the plain of Moreh which is Sichem And was it not manifest enough without that addition that it was Sichem But you construe not a pari as we do It is said here The plain of Moreh and it is said elsewhere The plain of Moreh there it is no other but Sichem no more must it be here The addition cavilled at which is Sichem is so in the Samaritan Penteteuch now extant at Deut. 11.30 But amongst all the wickednesse that Christ and his Apostles laid to the charge of the Jews yet you never finde them blamed in the least degree for this that they went about to corrupt the letter of the Text The sense indeed they spoiled with their glosses and so made the Word of God of no effect and this they hear of throughly but not a word of their spoiling the letter of the Text. 4. Had they been never so desirous to have imposed upon Christians by falsifying the Text they could not possibly do it for 1. Every Synagogue in the world having the purest Copy that possibly was to be got how impossible was it such legerdemain should be when there were so many thousand Copies to discover it unlesse they were all corrupt alike and multitudes out of the Synagogues Rulers and people were converted to the Gospel 2. As learned men as any they had among them and that as well understood what Text was pure what corrupt Ioseph of Arlmathea Nicodemus Paul and multitudes of the Priests imbraced the Gospel and so multitudes of pure Copies were in the hands of Christians upon the first rising of the Gospel and multitudes that had such Copies in their hands were converted daily 5. To which may be added that the same power and care of God that preserves the Church would preserve the Scriptures pure to it and he that did and could preserve the whole could preserve every part so that not so much as a tittle should perish §. XII Concerning the Calling of the Iews BY what hath been spoken concerning the state of the Jews in their own Land after the fall of their City it may be observed wherein it is that the Lords vengeance upon that Nation doth especially consist namely in his rejection of them from being his people and in their obduration The unspeakable miseries and slaughter that they indured in the siege and ruine of Ierusalem speak as dreadfull punishment as ever fell upon a Nation and yet this was but short and small in comparison of that fearfull blindnesse and hardnesse that lies upon them and hath done for this sixteen hundred years together Seventy years in bodily bondage in Babel did finish the punishment of their forefathers for all the Idolatry bloodshed and impiety that they had committed But these after above twenty times seventy years under dispersion and obduration have now as little appearance of amendment of their hearts and of their condition as there was so many hundred years ago The same blindnesse the same doting upon traditions the same insisting upon their own works for salvation the same blind confidence that they are Gods only beloved people the same expectation of Messias to come the same hatred of Messias already come and the same opposition against the Gospel is in them still that was in that first generation that crucified the Lord of life That generation is plainly and often asserted by the holy Ghost in the New Testament to be Antichrist and the very same Antichristian spirit hath continued in all the generations of them ever since even to this day Into the thoughts therefore concerning their Calling after so long and so extream crosness against the Gospel and the Lord of it I cannot but take these things into consideration For though I am unwilling to recede from that charitable opinion of most Christians that there shall once be a Calling of them home yet see I not how that supposall of the universall Call of the whole Nation as of one man which some entertain can be digested without some allay and mitigation 1. That all Israel both Jews and they of the ten Tribes have had as full an offer of the Gospel as any of the Gentiles have had both in the time of the Apostles