the destruction of the Jewes not to the end of the whole world see Note on Act. 2. 6. Now whereas it is here said that all must come to passe but the end is not yet it followes yet manifestly from hence that the false Christs mentioned v. 5. must be some persons that came before that period which is here called the end that is before the approach of the Romans to destroy Jerusalem soon after the ascension of Christ Of this kind is that Theudas which is mentioned by Eusebius in the time of Claudius not he that is referred to by Gamaliel Act 5. 36. for he is there said to have been before Judas Galileus which was in the dayes of the taxing that is about the time of the birth of Christ see Euseb l. 1. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but another later Theudas which though Eusebius by incogitancy affirme to be the same which is mentioned by Gamaliel before Judas yet he out of Josephus places him in the time of the prefecture of Fadus that is in Claudius's reigne And of this Theudas saith Josephus that being a sorcerer he perswaded a great multitude to bring all their goods and follow him to the river Jordan which he promised to divide by his commands and give them an easie passage over it and saying thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he deceived many which is the thing here affirmed of him and he and his were by Fadus discomfited and his head cut off and brought to Jerusalem Such again was the Egyptian Act. 21. 31. mentioned also by Eusebius and Josephus And such was Dosthes or Dositheus which called himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Origen contr Cel. l. 2. And indeed the rest of the forenamed and many more which rose up with this undertaking that they would redeem the Jewes out of their subjection to the Romans See Lu. 21. 8. though they did not distinctly call themselves Christ yet did so in effect the definition of a Christ being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that should redeem Israel Lu. 24. 21. As for the false Prophets mentioned v. 11. they belong to another period of time immediately before the fatall day v. 14. and by that which is mentioned together with them the Christians hating and betraying one another and many being scandalized and falling off from Christ by that means and the multiplying of iniquity that is the unnaturall dealing of those fellow-Christians in sharpning the Jewes and bringing that heavy tribulation and oppression upon them and the growing cold of love that is of constancy in confessing of Christ all which was eminently fulfilled in the Gnosticks that filthy sect of Christians 't is most proper to interpret those Pseudo-Prophets to be the followers of Simon Magus to wit those Gnosticks which first secretly infus'd their doctrines of complyance with the Jewes on purpose to avoid persecution from them Gal. 6. 12. and at the time of writing the second Epistle to the Thessalonians were then a mystery of iniquity that is had not then broken out into that height as soon after they did upon occasion of the Apostles departing from the Jewes and going profess'dly to the Gentiles a while before the destruction of the Jewes which came and destroyed these also 2 Thess 2. 8. And so 't is here said next after the mention of the false Prophets and the persecutions wrought by them that the Gospell shall be preach'd to all the world for a witnesse to all nations that is that the Apostles shall give over the Jewes and go preach to the Gentiles and then shall the end come v. 14. and what that is appears by the next words v. 15. the abomination of desolation c. that is Jerusalem besieged in S. Luke As for the Pseudo-Prophets and Pseudo-Christs v. 24. they belong to a third time or period immediately consequent to the great tribulation v. 21. upon Titus's building the wall about the city which made the famine rage so horribly and the souldiers firing of the Temple which soon followed after For at this point of time Josephus tells us of a false prophet who as from God promised deliverance no all that should go up into the Temple and many beleeving him six thousand were by that means burnt in that fire Beside this saith he there were many false Prophets set up by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditious promising help from God and conjuring them neither to fly nor think of delivering up the city and though Josephus mention it not yet it seems by v. 24. that by evil arts they wrought some strange feats to gain beleef from them Of these some exalted Simon with his army in the wilderness as the person by whom the work would be wrought others directed them to John and his faction of Zelots which kept within the city as it followes there v. 26. If they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desart c. For by these means they were still kept in hope and restrained both from flight and delivering the city and so more ascertain'd to all sad distress and destruction finally V. 7. Nation The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here which we render nation and the Latine gens answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Originals from whence the words ethnick or heathen and Gentile come and by the customary acception of the words for the other nations of the world exclusively and in opposition to the Jewes then Christians now it comes to passe that the word nations is ordinarily thought to signifie all other people of the world but never the Jewes But this is a mistake thus casually causelesly occasioned For there were severall divisions of Palestine as they were before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 15. 6. many nations and great c. 9. 1. which were the Jewes now possess'd of Judaea and Galilee Iturea and Abylene And each of these is properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natio and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kingdome too there being severall Tetrarchs over them Lu. 3. 1. So Ecclus 50. 26. there being mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two nations Samaria is presently specified to be one of them And so here and Lu. 21. 10. the phrase nation against nation in like manner kingdome against kingdome may well denote civill intestine commotions in Palestine perhaps one of these Tetrarchies against another or else one of these against it selfe as civill warres are intestine breaches in the same city or nation and so certainly the very phrase is used 2 Chron. 15. 6. where as an expression of the great vexations of the Jewes v. 5. 't is added nation was destroyed of nation city of city where the Greek reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nation shall fight as here shall rise against nation In this sense we finde not only the word nation in the singular appropriated by some adjunct to Judea as our nation Lu. 7.
the Romans thence kill eight thousand of them four thousand Jewes that had gotten thither for shelter plunder the place and the whole lower city and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retired to the upper city Sion the best fortified place and there planted themselves For the taking of this Titus was fain to use engines of battery and to that end to cast up works And having done so assoon as ever a piece of the wall was beaten down of a sudden a strange fright and consternation took them some crying out that the whole wall on the West was demolished others that the Romans were entred others that they saw them in the Towers and such a change followed in the mindes of all their leaders or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parallel to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings and mighty men and commanders here that they that were just now in the greatest pride and rage and contempt of their enemies and by the deceits of false prophets suborned by them endeavoured to make all confident that they should have successe now trembled and quaked and sought which way to fly upon which Josephus observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of God upon impious men For saith he the Tyrants of their own accords coming down out of their towers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quitted their garrisons which otherwise no force could have been able to take And a multitude of them endeavouring to get away but being not able to doe so run into caves under ground and into the foulest vaults and so the Romans took the towers and burnt the houses kill'd a multitude in the streets without any the least opposition And so the city was taken this being the last act of that bloody tragedy as here this hiding in the caves appears to be attended immediately with these words for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand answerable to the Romans setting up their ensigns on those towers at this point of time and celebrating their victory with shouts and singing as Josephus saith adding that when Titus came and saw these towers thus madly forsaken by the Jewes he wondred exceedingly and left them standing for a monument of his strange successe when he demolished all other walls of the city After this the Romans making a narrow search in all the noisome vaults and caverns they kill'd whom they found there And John one of the Generals of the seditious being almost famish'd in a vault begg'd quarter and was taken out and kept in prison and so Simon son of Gioras the other of their Generals having gotten into an inner vault after some dayes his victuals failing came out of the vault in his white stole and purple garment and yielded himself to a Roman souldier that was left there And him Titus reserved to be carried in triumph to Rome with him And for the rest of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditious and robbers so call'd from their short sword that is the remainders of the two factions the Zelots being before murthered by the former of them in the Temple they were appeached by one another and brought out and either kill'd by the Romans or kept to adorn the triumph or sent as slaves into Aegypt or in the several provinces set to fight with wilde beasts on the Theatres So exactly true is it which is here said that as the Kings and great ones so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every servant and every free-man did thus hide themseves in the caves as the final completion of this destruction And if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stones of the mountains have any farther peculiarity of signification it may fitly be interpreted of the walls of the Temple where Josephus saith the Priests hid themselves at the time of the fiting of the Temple by the Roman souldiers from whence five days after they came out being forced by hunger and were brought to Titus and put to death To which purpose it is commonly known that as the Temple is called the mountain or hill of the Lord so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stones may fitly signifie walls that are made of stone and so may probably signifie Mat. 27. 51. the walls of the Temple rather then the Tomb-stones And if so then their hiding themselves in the walls of the Temple as Josephus relates will be literally expres'd by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stones of the mountains or if not yet prophetically and mystically it may thus be signified as that which follows their crying to the mountains to fall upon them is a prophetical expression to signifie the sadnesse and direfulnesse of their present condition V. 16. Wrath of the Lamb The anger of the Lamb and the great day of his anger here v. 16 and 17. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine anger ch 11. 18. are set to expresse this vengeance on the Jewes whereof the crucifixion of Christ was so great and particular a provoker Hence is it that in the Gospel 't is called the kingdome of God and the coming of Christ and in Josephus and Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine visitation Euseb l. 3. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destruction from divine vengeance c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punishment from God ibid. and all this from S. Luke ch 21. 22. who calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 days of vengeance from God poured out upon them remarkably for what they had done unto Christ And one phrase yet more eminent there is to the same purpose Rev. 16. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the warre of the great day of God that ruleth all that is the bloody destruction which this just judgment of God brought upon them for their crucifying of Christ and persecuting and killing of Christians CHAP. VII 1. AND after these things I saw four Angels standing on the four corners of note a the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on note b the sea nor on any tree Paraphrase 1. After the general view and description of God's vengeances on the Jews succeed now the particular executions of them and therein the first thing that was represented to me was Christ's peculiar care for the preserving of the true penitent believers of them out of the common destruction who are therefore first to be mark'd as the houses of the Israelites in Aegypt that the plague may passe over them and so secured before the vengeance break out upon them in common This is here thus expres'd in vision I saw saith he four Angels that had power to bring punishments famine c. foretold c. 6. upon Judaea but making stay before they would do it not permitting any of these mischiefs as yet to break out upon them 2. And
ordinarily bring destructions upon provoking people that have filled up the measure of their iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infectious diseases famines and warres and that these in a very remarkable manner fell upon the Roman Empire about these times appears as by all histories Ecclesiastical and prophane so especially by S. Austin in his first books De civ Dei written on purpose to defend Christian religion from that charge which was laid upon it that it brought down all judgments upon the Empire Which being false as it was urged by the Heathens to the prejudice of Christianity viz. that the Judgments came for that sin of permitting Christianity in the Empire and contempt of their Idol-worships so was it most true that for the Heathens standing out and persecuting the Christian faith most heavy wasting judgments were come upon them Of the three first Vials it may be yet further noted that they may have a peculiar aspect on the plagues of Aegypt the first that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil and grievous boil that is infectious and very painfull will be answerable to the boil breaking out upon man and beast through all the land Exod. 9. 9. and signifie some infectious disease plague and pestilente which we know breaks out in boils So likewise the second and the third the sea becoming as blood ver 3. and the rivers and fountains becoming as blood ver 4. are answerable to Moses's stretching out his hand and smiting upon the waters of Aegypt their streams and their rivers and their ponds and all their pools or collections of water upon which they became blood Exod. 7. 19 20. Now for these three the histories of those times are very remarkable viz. for the great pestilences and horrible effusions of blood That which Herodian tells us of Commodus's reign will sufficiently qualifie that for the time of the pouring out of these three vials At that time saith he l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very great pestilence reigned over all Italy but especially in the city of Rome and Dio tells us that there died above two thousand a day in the city and a vast number both of beasts and men perished thereby And so this may be commodiously the pouring out the vial upon the earth belonging not only to the city of Rome but to all Italy as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the land was wont to signifie not only Jerusalem but all Judaea Hereupon the Emperor was perswaded to remove to Laurentum so call'd from the grove of bay-trees there the smell whereof the Physicians thought usefull against the plague And in like manner they prescribed sweet unguents and odours to anoint their ears and noses to keep out or overcome the pestilential vapour But neverthelesse saith he the disease daily increased and swept away a multitude of men and beasts As for the blood that was then spilt the same Author gives us a large story Cleander saith he a servant of the Emperours bought out of Phrygia and grown up with him from his youth and advanced to greatest offices in court and army aspired to the Empire To that purpose bought up a vast quantity of corn which caused a great famine also at Rome thinking thereby in time of need to oblige the citizens and souldiers and to gain them all to his party But the event was contrary for the famine raging and the cause of it being visible all the citizens run out of the city to the Emperour requiring this Encloser to be put to death Cleander by his power keeping them from the Emperour whose voluptuousness made this easie for him to doe sends out the Emperour's forces armed and hors'd against them which made an huge slaughter among them and in driving them into the city gates by their horses and swords saith he meeting with foot-men unarm'd they kill'd a great part of the people Which when they that were in the city understood they got to the top of the houses and with stones and tiles threw at the souldiers and by this means put them to flight and in the pursuit beating them off from their horses killed great multitudes of them and this continued very cruelly for some time And the appeasing of this cost a great deal more blood the Emperour causing Cleander to be put to death and his sons after him and then a great many more saith he not daring to confide in any body To which that author immediately adds the many prodigies which followed at that time and the burning down of the Temple of Peace which beside that it was the treasury of a great part of the wealth of the city and was accompanied with the burning of a great deal more of the buildings of the city and among them of the Temple of Vestâ— the fire continuing for many daies till rain from heaven put it out which made them impute the whole matter to the anger of the gods beâ—ides all this I say it was by all then look'd on as a presage of great warres which saith he accordingly followed And so in this one passage of story in that Author we have the interpretation of these three vials As great a plague as ever hath been read of to be sutable to the first and a great deal of killing both in the sedition and by the cruelty of the Emperour and by the fire and by the warres that followed wherein the whole region and not only the city of Rome was concerned answerable to the two latter the sea that is the multitude of the city and the rivers and springs of waters the other provinces and cities become blood But beside these under Commodus there was store of the like judgments in the following Emperours times untill Constantine A very great Pestilence under Gallus another under Gallienus both described by Zozimus another at the end of Decius on occasion of which S. Cyprian wrote his book of Mortality And in Maximinus's time saith Eusebius whilst he and his armies were sore distressed by a warre with the Armenians the rest of the inhabitants of the cities were grievously devoured with famint and pestilence infinite numbers dying in the cities more in the countreys and villages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the numbers of husbandmen which had formerly been very great were almost all of them swept away by famine and pestilence saith Eusebius Eccl. hist l. 9. c. 8. And for wars and â—ffusion of blood and slaughters the histories are all along full of them and need not be here recited V. 5. And shall be In stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that shall be the Copies generally read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pitiful and merciful as that is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justice or righteousness as hath oft been said And so it is fitly superadded here to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art just or righteous preceding That the
potens urbs orbis Domina Maledictionem quam tibi Salvator in Apocalypsi comminatus est potes effugere per poenitentiam I will speak to thee who hast blotted out the blasphemie written in thy forehead by the confession of Christ Thou potent city thou city Mistress of the world Thou mayest avoid the curse which Christ in the Apocalypse hath threatened to thee by repentance adding cave Joviniani nomen quod de Idolo derivatum est beware of the name of Jovinian which is derived from the Idol-god Jupiter and this peculiarly in respect of those remaining heathens and hereticks which now at the time when S. Hierome wrote not long before the coming of Alaricus were at Rome and at length set up their Idol-service again in the time of the siege and were signally destroyed at this taking of it So again S. Hierome in praefat de Spiritu S. speaking of Rome Cùm in Babylone versarer purpuratae meretâ—icis essem colonus When I lived at Rome and was an inhabitant of the purple whore All noting this heathen Rome to be the subject of these prophecies This being here set down obscurely in prophetick style by way of Vision was but darkly understood before the coming of it yet so far expected by Christians that the heathens did take notice of this their expectation and looked upon them as men that had an evil eye upon that City and Empire and mutter'd ruine to it Thus in Lucian's Philopat or whose soever that Dialogue is if it were not his the Christians character'd though not named by the mention of the Trinity in the beginning of the Dialogue and described by that scoffer as a sottish fanatick people are brought in as at that time when Trajan under the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emperor toward the end was warring in the East against the Persians and set down as those that wished all ill to the city that is Rome and consequently to that Army in Asia by their discourse of the news of the times betraying their wishes and expectations that it might be defeated by the Persians Thus saith he in the person of Critias of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stooping pallid people that when they saw him they came chearfully toward him supposing that he brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some sad news or other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they seemed to be men that prayed for all that was ill and rejoiced in sad events and their first question saith he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how the affairs of the city and the world went that is of Rome and the Roman Empire as that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world in the Scripture or else the affairs of the world meaning the Roman enterprise against the Persians and being answer'd by him that all was well they nodded saith he with their browes presently and replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is not so but the city is in ill condition and afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there should be a change that disorders and troubles should seise upon the city their Armies should be worsted by the enemies adding that they had fasted ten days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and watching all nights and spending the time in singing hymns had dream'd these things which may obscurely refer to these Visions which John saw on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord's day that is probably on the annual day of Christ's resurrection which followed a time of fasting and praying the Christian Lent which as appears by the story of the first times was uncertainly observed in respect of the number of days by some more by some fewer then ten days Or if this be but a conjecture yet the time of seeing visions being in Scripture oft set down after or in a time of fasting as Act. 10. 10. of S. Peter and v. 30. of Cornelius 't is agreeable to the character of Christians whom he desired to describe in that Dialogue thus to set it And then he advises them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to leave off those strange fancies and wicked consultations and divinations which may well refer in his dark manner of speaking to this book of Revelation lâ—st God saith he destroy you for cursing your countrey and spreading such false reports when saith he the Persians are subdued by the Roman forces And so he gives them over as doaters and means not to heed what they say with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this opinion he conceived of Christians and their ill affection to the Roman Empire and City and their boding ill concerning them was the effect of some sparkles of this prophecy flown abroad among the Gentiles very early even in Trajan's time is more then probable out of these passages thus set down So in a narration of Hippolytus set down by Palladius we have a virgin Christian accused to the heathen Judge at Corinth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one that blasphemed the seasons and the Kings and the Idols in probability that she foretold evil talked of ruine that should befall the Government or Idolatry of the heathens and that the seasons of it now approached For that is the meaning of the like phrase when the Jews say of Stephen that he ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against the holy place and the Law Act. 6. 13. for so it follows ver 14. we have heard him say that Jesus shall destroy c. To which it will not be amisse farther to add that the Jews in their paraphrases on the Old Testament taking Rome under the prophetick title of Edom which is very agreeable to the style of Babylon here do frequently foreâ—ell the destruction of it And thereupon they that set out the later Venice Edition of the Bible leave out many passages of the Chaldee paraphrase and the Rabbines looking thus directly against Rome which are extant in the former Venice Bibles and in what hath been printed at Paris by Stephanus As when Obad. 1. Kimchi saith What the prophets say of the destruction of Edom in the latter days they say of Rome they leave out the words of Rome and when 't is there added For when Rome shall be destroyed there shall be redemption of Israel those words are quite omitted So in the last verse of Obadiah the fenced great city of Esau and that fenced city is Rome that latter part is left out again So the Chaldee paraphrase on Lam. 4. 21 22. for thou daughter of Edom hath thou Rome in the land of Italy but those words are left out in that Edition See M. Taylor 's Proeme to the translation of the Jerusalem Targum The like interpretations of Rome for Edom and the destruction thereof may be seen in the Jerusalam Targum Gen. 15 12. where these words Terror tenebricosus magnus cadens super eum are thus mystically rendred Terror is est Babel
tenebricosus hic est Media magnus hic est Graecia cadens iste est Idumaea i. Romanum imperium Illud est imperium quartum quod cadere debet neque resurget in secula seculorum And so again on Levit. 26. 44. after Babel Media Greece they name again regnum Idumaeae meaning no doubt the Roman Empire thereby adding in diâ—bus Gog which that it belongs to the Romans that destroyed Jerusalem and say they should after be destroyed by the Messias see that Paraphrase on Numb 11. 26. in these words In fine extremo dierum God Magog exercitus eorum Hierâ—solymam ascendent manibus Regis Messiae illi cadent They shall be destroyed by the hands of Messiah the King So in the Sibylline Oracles where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beliar or Belial is set to denote the Romanes as appears by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beliar shall come from the Augusti or Romane Emperors at length coming to the great destruction threatned by God under the expression of fire this is to fall upon Beliar peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The flaming power of God shall burn Beliar and all the proud men that trust in him And of the Jews 't is clear that there hath been a tradition among them that in the last days there should come a great enemy which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Armilus which in Hebrew is Romulus lightly changed by the transposition but of one letter see Note on Joh. 11. b. and that he should be destroyed by the Messias which may well be as all the rest but the mistakings of this prophecy here delivered and from hand to hand conveyed among the Jews to their posterity who looking on the Romans as their destroyers thence perswaded themselves that their Messias whom they still expect should destroy them V. 8. She shall be utterly burnt The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ordinarily rendred shall be utterly burnt may seem to have some difficulty in it and be objected against our interpretation of this Vision because it is known that the desolation and firing by Alaricus Gensericus and Totilas was not an utter desolation or firing of the whole city but of a part thereof And to this the answer is insufficient that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is conflagrare to be set on light fire and doth not necessarily import that fires consuming of all that might be consumed because other expressions here follow in this matter which cannot be so answered as v. 21. where the stone like a mill-stone is cast into the sea which seems to signifie a total destruction and it is added Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so again ver 22 23. The voice of harpers c. and the sound of a mill-stone shall be found no more in thee and the light of a candle shall shine no more in thee c. To all which the answer must be by observing that all these three expressions are phrases taken out of the prophesies of the Old Testament and are in all reason to signifie here as there they shall appear to have signified that is onely as prophetical schemes of expressing a subduing or victory and no more Thus the burning here is an allusion to Dan. 7. 11. his body destroyed and given to the burning flame which yet signified no more then the translating of the Monarchy from the Seleucida to the Romans and proportionably here the subduing this heathen city to the faith of Christ which was the effect of this blow that befell Rome So the throwing the great stone into the sea v. 21. alludes to Jer. 51. 63. Thou shall cast a stone into the midst of Euphrates and say Thus shall Babylon fall and shall not rise c. And yet Babylon long continued a great city though the dominion of it was translated from the Chaldaeans to the Medes And for the voice of the harpers c. v. 23. it alludes to Jer. 25. 10. I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the Bridegroom and the voice of the Bride the sound of the mill-stones and the light of candle And yet Judaea of which that is spoken still had people inhabiting it And so these expressions thus interpreted as in the Paraphrase they have been are perfectly agreeable to the sense which must needs belong to them in these other places where they are used by the Prophets Meanwhile how great the destruction was that now befell that city may competently appear by one testimony of Palladius that lived at that time Lausiac Hist c. 118. in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A certain barbarian tempest which the Prophets of old had foretold seized on Rome and left not so much as the brazen statues in the streets but plundering all with a barbarous madness delivered it up to destruction so that Rome which had flourished a thousand and two hundred years according to the Sibylls word became a desolation V. 13. Slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith Julius Pollux signifies when it is taken simply by it self without any additament those that are not bond-slaves but free-men which sell or hire themselves for money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And this because free-men have power over their own bodies whereas slaves have nothing but souls As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 souls of men the phrase is taken out of Ezechiel c. 17. 13. who speaking of Tyre a city of Merchants saith that they traffick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super anima hominis for the soul of man which S. Hierome renders mancipia slaves and so the latter Greeks call slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little souls and so Gen. 12. 5. the souls which they had gotten in Haran may be their bond-servants because as was said slaves have souls though nothing else in their own power V. 23. Thy Merchants Who are thy Merchants here may be thought uncertain because the word thy either may refer to forain nations who trade with thee or else may be thy traders or traffickers the chapmen in Rome In this latter sense some learned men have chosen to take it that the Roman luxury was so great that tradesmen that dealt in selling of commodities lived there like Princes But if we compare this place with what is said of Tyrus Ezech. 27. the former will appear to be the sense of it for there v. 12. Tarshish was thy Merchant and v. 13. Javan c. were thy Merchants and so the meaning is clearly this that the Merchants of other nations that traffick'd with Rome had such vent for their commodities there at any rate that they grew very rich by it CHAP. XIX 1. AND after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying Allelujah
popular error being imbibed and improved as farre as it would fairly yield must needs be the defaming of his medicaments and the blasting of his whole profession as one great imposture so after the pains and travail that this work hath cost from the time of the first thought and Designation of it at the beginning of my entrance on the study of Divinity to this present day of the Nativity of it I cannot look on it without some apprehension that it may run the same hazard which we read of the child in the Revelation c. 12. to be devoured as soon as born if one false pretension which hath of late been somewhat prosperous in this Nation and is utterly unreconcilable with the designed benefit of this or any the like work be not timely discovered and removed § 2. And the Pretension is this That the understanding or interpreting the Word of God or the knowing of his Will is not imputable to the use of ordinary means such are the assistance of God's Spirit joyned with the use of learning study meditation rational inference collation of places consulting of the Original languages and ancient Copies and Expositions of the Fathers of the Church analogy of received doctrine together with unbiass'd affections and sincere desire of finding out the truth and constant prayer for God's special blessing on and cooperation with these and the like means but either to the extraordinary gift of the Spirit in Prophesying Preaching and Expounding or to Illumination not Prophetical or simply Extraordinary but such as is thought to be promised to a new life the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of every Saint of his which consequently supersedes the use of all external Ordinances to such even of the written Word of God it self contained in the Canon of the Scripture § 3. Had this Pretension truth in it I must confess my self who doe not pretend to any such extraordinary gift or inspiration obliged to acknowledge the great impertinency of all this insuing work the perfect vanity of the whole design and every part of it and therefore am concerned as far as the hazard of having laboured in vain to examine the grounds and manifest the falseness of this pretension and that in this method and by these degrees § 4. First by surveying the Scripture-grounds or proofs which are producible in favour of it Secondly by setting down the form of sound doctrine in this matter Thirdly by shewing the great necessity of opposing this and adhering to the true doctrine And these are likely to enlarge this Postscript beyond the bounds that would regularly belong to it but will carry their Apology along with them § 5. The first ground or proof is fetch'd by the Pretenders from Joel 2. 28. cited and applied by S. Peter Act. 2. to the times of the Gospel It shall come to pass afterward or in the last daies saith God that I will pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those daies will I pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit and they shall prophesy Whatsoever can be collected from this place to the benefit of the Pretenders will receive a short and clear answer by considering the time to which this prediction and the completion of it belonged and that is expressly the last daies in the notion wherein the Writers of the New Testament constantly use that phrase not for these daies of ours so far advanced toward the end of the world which yet no man knows how far distant it still is but for the time immediately preceding the destruction of the Jewish polity their City and Temple That this is it appears not onely by the mention of Sion and the destruction approaching it in the beginning of that Chapter in Joel which signifies it to belong to Jerusalem that then was but also by two farther undeceivable evidences 1. By the mention of the wonders immediately subjoyned in the heavens and the earth c. as forerunners of the great and terrible day of the Lord the same that had been before described in Joel v. 2. c. and applyed by Christ in the very words to this destruction of Jerusalem Mat. 24. 29 30. 2 dly By the occasion for which S. Peter produceth it Act. 2. 14. the effusion of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles v. 2 4. which saith he was no effect of drunkenness in them but the very thing which was foretold by that place of Joel before that great and notable day of the Lord that was to fall upon that people to an utter destruction This being a prediction of what should come before the destruction of Jerusalem and the completion whereof was so visible and remarkable in that age to which by the Prophet it was assigned and this as a peculiar character of those times wherein the Gospel was to be first propagated by this means to which it had a propriety as a last act of God's miraculous and gracious oeconomy for the full conviction of this peoples sin before they were destroyed it must needs be impertinently and fâ—llaciously applied to any men or women old or young of this age so distant from that to which it belonged and so well provided for by the ordinary means the setled office of Ministery in Christ's Church as to have no such need of extraordinary § 6. A second proof is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 7. To every man is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the benefit and profit of the Church But this is soon cleared by the Context which begins to treat v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of or concerning those that have the Spirit so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual clearly signâ—fies c. 14. 37. being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophet and so it is express'd to signify here v 3. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking in or by the Spirit is set as an instance of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual and 't is but a mistake to render it spiritual things the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belonging as directly to persons as things being of the Masculine as well as of the Neuter gender Now for these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual men or those that have the spirit 't is well known that they were those which for the first planting of the Gospel were by the descent of the Spirit indow'd with extraordinary gifts of miracles of healing of prophesying of speaking with strange tongues which they had never learn'd all which and more are here mentioned v. 8 9 10. and when these are exercised or made use of by any this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit the Spirit of God manifesting it self hereby to
were the Elders of Israel Exod. 3. 16 18. and 4. 29. the heads or rulers of the families or kindreds ch 6. 14. Rulers of the Congregation ch 16. 22. who are again called the Elders of Israel ch 17. 5 6. and 18. 12. and Elders of the Tribes Deut. 31. 28. And when Moses appointed Judges for lighter causes Exod. 18. 22. who should have power over thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens that is first over so many families after over greater or lesser cities for so the thousand signifies a city Judg. 6. 15. Mic. 5. 2. and the Ruler thereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 2. 6. these were by them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers and Judges and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of the synagogues and the like And thereupon in the Theodosian Codex where the second law de Judaeis uses the word Presbyteros Elders another Law hath Synagogarum patres fathers or Rulers of the Consistories And so when the seventy Elders were taken in to assist Moses Num. 11. 16. to whom the Great Sanhedrim at Jerusalem succeeded it is evident that these were so called because they were Princes or Praefects or Rulers of the people before they were thus chosen by Moses Gather unto me saith God seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the people and officers over them and bring them to the tabernacle of the Congregation that they may stand there with thee And so the word Elder was not a denotation of one of the Sanhedrim any otherwise then as some of those that were in the Sanhedrim had formerly been Elders or Rulers of the people and accordingly of three sorts of men of which the Sanhedrim consisted but one is called Elders the other Scribes and chief Priests see Mat. 16. 20. and Note on Mar. 5. c. By all which it appears how fitly this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders being made use of by the Apostles and writers of the New Testament is affix'd to the Governours of the Christian Church the severall Bishops of severall cities answerable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of thousands or Patriarchs which being first used among the Jewes are in the Christian Church the ordinary title of Bishops And although this title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders have been also extended to a second order in the Church and is now onely in use for them under the name of Presbyters yet in the Scripture-times it belonged principally if not alone to Bishops there being no evidence that any of that second order were then instituted though soon after before the writing of Ignatius Epistles there were such instituted in all Churches Of those first Apostolicall times the testimony of Clemens Romanus in Epist 1. ad Cor. is observable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ was sent from God and the Apostles from Christ and they went out preaching the Gospel And then They therefore preaching through Regions and Cities Constituted or Ordained their first-fruits first-converts into Bishops and Deacons of those that should afterward believe Where it appears that when the Gospel was first preached by the Apostles and but few converted they ordained in every City and Region no more but a Bishop and one or more Deacons to attend him there being at the present so small store out of which to take more and so small need of ordaining more that this Bishop is constituted more for the sake of those which should after believe then of those which did already Agreeable is that of Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he fetch'd out of the profoundest or antientest histories l. 3. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. At the beginning of the Apostles preaching when there was none fit or worthy to be Bishop the place remained void without any but where need required and there were those that were fit for it Bishops were constituted but while there was no multitude of Christians there were found none among them to be constituted Presbyters in our modern use of that word and they contented themselves with a Bishop alone in every place But without a Deacon 't was impossible for a Bishop to be and therefore the Apostle took care that the Bishop should have his Deacons to minister to him And accordingly when S. Paul gives directions to Bishop Timothy for the ordaining of Officers in the Church he names Bishops and Deacons but no second order between them 1 Tim. 3. 2 8. and so to Titus Tit. 1. 7. c. 2. 1. see Note on Phil. 1. c. And so in the Church of Jerusalem it is clear by story that James the brother of the Lord being soon after Christs Ascension constituted their Bishop see Note on Gal. 2. d. the Deacons are the first that are added to him Act. 6. and no mention as yet of any middle order From whence it will be sufficiently cleared who are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders here viz. the Bishops of the severall cities or of the brethren that dwelt in Judaea v. 29. to whom this almes was designed for the famine being in all Judaea and not onely at Jerusalem and there being brethren that is Christians in habiting through severall parts of Judaea there can be no reason to imagin that Jerusalem only should have the benefit of this collection or consequently that the Elders to whom it was delivered should belong only to that city And thus it is known in the Primitive Church that almes and collections called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether in the same Church brought by the communicants in the offertory or by officers sent from one Church to another were solemnly intrusted to the Bishop as the steward of the house of God as the oblations were brought to the high Priest under the Law and the liberality of the faithfull to the Apostles feet Act. 4. 34. So in the 41th Canon Apostolical it is appointed Praecipimus ut in potestate sua Episcopus Ecclesiae res habeat Si enim animae hominum pretiosae illi sunt concreditae multò magìs oportet cum curam pecuniarum gerere ita ut potestate ejus indigentibus omnia dispensentur per Presbyteros Diaconos We command that the Bishop shall have the goods of the Church in his own power For if the soules of men so much more pretious are entrusted to him he ought much more to have the care of the monies so as by his power all be dispensed to them that want by the Presbyters and Deacons And so saith Justin Martyr of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 President or Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Guardian of all that are in want From this explication of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here must be taken the notion of it Act. 15. 2. where the Elders at Jerusalem with the Apostles are not the Elders
the effect conclude that all that were rightly qualified at that time did at that time receive and believe the Gospel preach'd to them and all that did then truly believe were so qualified the obstinate and contumacious Jews and Proselytes opposing and persecuting it Mean while it must be remembred that these qualifications are not pretended to have been originally from themselves but from the preventing graces of God to which it is to be acknowledged due that they ever are pliable or willing to follow Christ though not to his absolute decree of destining them whatsoever they do unto salvation CHAP. XIV 1. AND it came to passe in Iconium that they went both together into the Synagogue of the Jews and so spake that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed Paraphrase 1. convinced them so powerfully that great store both of the Jews and the Greeks Proselytes of the Jews received the Faith 2. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evill affected against the brethren Paraphrase 2. But the refractary Jewes incensed the Gentiles against the Apostles v. 4. and all others which received the faith of Christ from them 3. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord which gave testimony unto the word of his grace and granted signes and wonders to be done by their hands Paraphrase 3. preaching the Gospel in their publick assemblies see note on Joh. 7. a. and God added his testimony to their preaching see note on Heb. 13. d. by enabling them to work miracles 4. But the multitude of the city was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the Apostles 5. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews with the rulers to use them despightfully and to stone them 6. They were ware of it and fled unto Lystra and Derbe cities of Lycaonia and unto the region that lyeth round about 7. And there they preached the Gospel 8. And there sate a certain man at Lystra impotent in his feet being a creeple from his mothers wombe who never had walked 9. The same heard Paul speak who stedfastly beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed Paraphrase 9. and Paul looking earnestly upon him and either by his words or by the discerning spirit which Paul had perceiving that he believed that they were able to heal him 10. Said with a loud voice Stand up right on thy feet And he leaped and walked Paraphrase 10. And by the bare speaking of the word he was made so strong that he leaped and walked 11. And when the people saw what Paul had done they lift up their voices saying in the speech of Lycaonia The Gods are come down to us in the likenesse of men Paraphrase 11. The Gods which all the nations worship have put on the shape of men and come down among us 12. And they called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius because he was the chiefe speaker Paraphrase 12. And Barnabas they looked on as Jupiter the supreme God see c. 8. 10. and Paul as Mercury the interpreter of the will of the Gods because Paul did speak more then Barnabas did 13. Then the priest of Jupiter which was before the city brought oxen and garlands unto the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people Paraphrase 13. And the priest of Jupiter whose statue was worshipped before the city as the president of it came presently to the gates of the house where Paul and Barnabas lodged and brought oxen to sacrifice and garlands to put upon their hornes when they were to be killed verily purposing to offer sacrifice to them 14. Which when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of they rent their clothes and ran in among the people crying out Paraphrase 14. they look'd upon it as an abhorred blasphemous thing and rent their garments to expresse their sense and detestation of it 15. And saying Sirs why doe ye these things we also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein Paraphrase 15. idol-false-gods so vain things signifie Zach. 11. 17. see Act. 8. note d. 16. Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own waies Paraphrase 16. left the Gentiles to their own blind worships 17. Neverthelesse he left not himself without witnesse in that he did good and gave us note a rain from heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse Paraphrase 17. And yet while he did so left he not off to evidence himself sufficiently to them by that great goodnesse of his in temporall things the rain and the like which are acts of his particular power and bounty by those means inviting and drawing them off from their impieties 18. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people that they had not done sacrifice unto them Paraphrase 18. All which discourse of Paul and Barnabas could hardly restrain 19. And there came thither certain Jewes from Antioch and Iconium who perswaded the people and having stoned Paul drew him out of the city supposing he had been dead Paraphrase 19. gained by fair words the multitude to be on their side and to joyne with them against the Apostles And so in a furious tumultuary manner they threw stones at Paul and verily believed they had killed him In which posture they took him as a dead man and dragg'd him out of the gates of the city 20. Howbeit as the Disciples stood round about him he rose up and came into the city and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe Paraphrase 20. But as the Christians there came piously and solemnly to interre him Paul being not dead all this while v. 19. made use of that opportunity when there were none but believers present and he rose up and went thence with them into the city and the next day Barnabas and he went together to Derbe 21. And when they had preached the Gospel to that city and had taught many they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch Paraphrase 21. And having preached at Derbe and converted many to the faith 22. Confirming the soules of the Disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God Paraphrase 22. And in all those cities gave confirmation to those whom before they had baptized and exhorted them to persevere and hold out against all terrors counting and resolving with themselves that Christianity bringeth many tribulations necessarily along with it 23. And when they had note d ordained them Elders in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed Paraphrase 23. And having consecrated Bishops for them see note on c. 11. b. one in lieved every city
putting them in custody kept them and brought them out to execution adding that these are the same in the Camp that the Lictors or Serjeants are in the City From all which it appears to be most fitly rendred a guard to which in the militia the prisoners are committed CHAP. XXIV 1. AND after five daies Ananias the high priest descended with the Elders and with a certain oratour named Tertullus who informed the Governour against Paul Paraphrase 1. Annas the chief of the Jewes see note on Lu. 3. c. with some others of the Sanhedrim and a lawyer or pleader named Tertullus went down all from Jerusalem to Caesarea see note on oh 18. c. to Felix and brought in a bill of information see Theophylact accusation or charge against Paul 2. And when he was called forth Tertullus began to accuse him saying Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietnesse and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence 3. We accept it alwaies and in all places most noble Felix with all thankfulnesse Paraphrase 2 3. And when Tertullus was admitted to speak he began his plea against Paul with a flattering oration to Felix telling him how happy the Jews had alwaies in every of their cities counted themselves under his government and managery of affaires and that they were very thankfull to him for it 4. Notwithstanding that I be not farther tedious unto thee I pray thee that thou wouldst hear us of thy clemency a few words 5. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jewes throughout the world and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens Paraphrase 5. This Paul we Jewes know to be a dangerous person and every where where he comes he disquiets the peoples minds and prepares them to commotions and seditions against the present government that of the Romans see v. 18. and ch 25. 8. and he is a great promoter of the religion of those that are ordinarily called Nazarens from Jesus that dwelt in Nazareth that is of Christians 6. Who also hath gone about to profane the Temple whom we took and would have judged according to our law Paraphrase 6. And he hath done such things in the â—emple of the Jewes among us at Jerusalem as are absolutely contrary to the laws of our God see c. 21. 21. and we apprehended him and would have had him punisht so as our law appoints those to be punisht that bring strangers boyond that court of the Temple that was assigned them and separated from the other see Eph. 2. 14. 7. But the chief Captain Lysias came upon us and with great violence took him away out of our hands 8. Commanding his accusers to come unto thee by examining of whom thy self mayst take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him Paraphrase 7 8. But as we were proceeding against him Lysias the Captain of the Temple or commander of the guard of souldiers that guards the Temple would not permit us to proceed against him in our Court but carried him away with a guard of souldiers c. 23. 10. and cited some of the Sanhedrim to come hither to thee and accuse him whom therefore thou mayst please to examine and heare what they can say 9. And the Jewes also assented saying That these things were so Paraphrase 9. And the Jewes of the Sanhedrim that came down v. 1. confirmed the truth of all that Tertullus had pleaded 10. Then Paul after that the Governour had beckned unto him to speak answered For as much as I know that thou hast been of many years a Judge unto this nation I doe the more cheerfully answer for my self Paraphrase 10. given him leave permitted him 11. Because that thou mayst understand that there are but yet twelve daies since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship Paraphrase 11. And first thou mayst please to understand that about twelve daies since I came up to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Pentecost a solemn feast of the Jewes there when by law 't is appointed to be kept 12. And they neither found me in the Temple disputing with any man neither raising up the people neither in the synagogues nor in the city 13. Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me Paraphrase 12 13. And there I behaved my self very quietly made no disturbance raised no sedition and they that say I am a seditious person and raise disturbances whereever I come are not able to prove any thing of this nature but onely content themselves with a general charge of sedition 14. But this I confesse unto thee that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Paraphrase 14. But as for the other part of the accusation ver 5. that I am a great promoter of the sect of the Nazarens I acknowledge this that that way of worshipping the God of Abraham which Christ hath taught and the Christians practise which I suppose they mean by the word Sect or peculiar way of profession or religion see Act. 26. 5. is the way that I doe use and in doing so doe agreeably to all that is written in the Mosaicall Law and the writings of authority among the Jewes by which they think themselves obliged 15. And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection from the dead both of the just and unjust Paraphrase 15. And the main part of this is that there shall be a life after this and that all that ever lived here shall then be judged and rewarded whether they be good or evil And this is no more then these men themselves all but the Sadducees professe to believe and depend on 16. And herein doe I exercise my self to have alwaies a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Paraphrase 16. In this religion and practise I am as carefull as I can to live blamelesly and to doe my duty in all things towards God and man 17. Now after many years I came to bring almes to my nation and offerings Paraphrase 17. As for that which they mention of my profaning the Temple thus it was Many years after my conversion to this way that they speak of I was sent by the pious Jewes c. of other parts to Jerusalem and Judaea with their charity and free-will oblations brought in for the service of God c. 11. 30. 18. Whereupon certain Jewes from Asia found me purified in the Temple neither with multitude nor with tumult Paraphrase 18. And whilst I was doing thus some Jewes of Asia saw me in the Temple where I was farre from profaning of it as was suggested ver 6. and ch 21. 23. but was there in such a manner as the Law of the Jewes required of me and they senslesly mistaking affirmed that I carried Trophimus a Gentile of Ephesus into
the Church of Christ whose saith ye have received that whether present or absent I may hear such things of you that I may take comfort in viz. that you have the same affections and common designes all jointly contending the best you can to propagate the faith of Christ to gain men to embrace the Gospel 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Paraphrase 28. And whatsoever opposition ye meet with let it not discourage or affright you but look on it only as a signe or testimony that they are wretched obdurate people but that you are the true penâ—ent believers rescued out of the snares of sin and that this testimony is given by God himself of you 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Paraphrase 29. Who hath vouchsafed you this favour to suffer for as well as to believe in Christ which is a proof of your sincerity and constancy and an instance of God's goodnesse and favour to you 30. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me and now hear to be in me Paraphrase 30. Suffering in the same manner as ye see and hear of me that I suffer Annotations on Chap. I. V. 1. Philippi The Philippians here named must by Analogie with the Corinthians and the rest to whom the other Epistles are address'd be interpreted to be of a larger extent then the inhabitants of that one city and either to contain all the Christians throughout all Macedonia or at least all that were under that Metropolis For that Philippi was such is the distinct affirmation of S. Luke Act. 16. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philippi is the prime or first city in the province of Macedonia that is either of all Macedonia as one wider Province or at least of one Province of it And it is there added that it was then a colony that is inhabited by Romans from whence it is that v. 21. they speak of themselves as Romans and such colony-colony-cities that were so inhabited by Romans were generally though not onely they pitched on by the Roman Pretors or Presidents to be the cities whither the neighbouring regions should come for justice the places of assises c. and so became the chief cities So Photius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The city of Philippi being a metropolis of the Province of the Macedonians and this expresly speaking of it as it was in S. Pauls time Act. 16. 21. where the inhabitants of it as of a Romane Colony call themselves Romans So S. Chrysostome on Act. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Luke sets down the places as writing an history and shewing where the Apostle spent any time he names onely the greater cities such are Metropoles and passeth by the rest making Philippi thus named one of those greater And this is supposed by the antient writer under Ignatius's name in Epist ad Tarsens when he tells them to whom he writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Churches of the Philippians in the plural salute you that is the Churches under that Metropolis And therefore when Philippi is by the Geographers and out of them by the author of the argument of this Epistle affirmed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little city under the Metropolis Thessalonica it must be remembred that that definition belongs to some other time probably long before that of S. Pauls writing here or in the Acts his preaching to them For so 't is certain that this city built and thus named by Philip King of Macedon had formerly been called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence was the proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of a golden mine which Appian saith was near it and was then a small city which hinders not but that how under the Roman Empire it might be improved and advanced especially being now a Colony of Romans and being so 't is not imaginable it should be subject to Thessalonica a city in another Region an hundred and ten miles off from it which was no Colony As when in Palestine Caesarea Stratonis became a Colony of the Romans called Colonia Prima Flavia by Pliny à Vespasiano deducta the Prime Colony called Flavia as being brought thither by Flavius Vespasianus it became also in respect of the Ecclesiastical Government a Metropolis under which Jerusalem it self was For that many cities became Metropoles which formerly were not there is no doubt and is affirmed in the 12. Can. of the Council of Chalcedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cities are honoured with the names of Metropoles by the Emperors letters So also Strabo Geog. l. 17. p. 840. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Provinces have been at several times variously divided which concludes the Metropoles to be changed also and l. 13. p. 629. giving an account of the confusion of Provinces by him observed he saith it was caused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Romans distributed them not according to the divisions of tribes but another way according to the keeping of courts and assises And thus doth Pliny set down for Metropoles of Asia Laodicea Sardis Smyrna and Ephesus upon this onely account that the courts were kept there to which other cities resorted The truth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was now changed and advanced into Philippi and a Metropolis of Macedonia by being a Colony of the Romans was originally a city of Thrace and so is affirmed to be by Stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so Scylax Caryandeus among the cities of Thrace hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next after Neapolis And Eustathius on Dionysii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seating it on the banke of Strymon where Pomponius Mela in his description of Thrace placeth Philippi and so doth Plinie Nat. Hist l. 4. in his Survey of Thrace A Strymone intus Philippi Colonia and so Dio describing Pangaeum Montem in Thrace saith 't is close by Philippi But granting all this of the former times 't is yet certain that at the time of S. Pauls converting this city it was changed from the antient forme first it was a Roman Colony and the inhabitants thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans Act. 16. 21. and in that state made a Metropolis of the adjoyning part of Macedonia where the Roman Prefect kept his assises for all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to this Division saith Vlpian in provincia Macedonia Dyrracheni Cassandrenses Philippenses Italici Juris sunt This may be illustrated à pari Nicopolis is by S. Chrysostome affirmed to be a city of Thrace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so by Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicopolis is a city of Thrace but borders on Macedodia in like
privileges of the first born to which the Priesthood was annexed was so provoking a sin in God's sight that after when he would have gotten the blessing from Isaac and besought him to reverse his act to doe otherwise then he had done to give him the blessing that is the promise of Canaan for his seed when he had with error but withal by the ordering of divine providence given it to Jacob and thereupon cried with an exceeding bitter cry Gen. 27. 34. he was not able to prevail with him with all this importunity which signifies how impossible it is for them who have been thus profane as to forsake Christ or that which is most sacred the publick assemblies of his service resembled by Esau's selling his birth-right for the removing little pressure to get the reward of a Christian happinesse here and heaven hereafter resembled by the blessing though they would never so fain get it and expresse vehement sorrow that they cannot 18. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched and burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest Paraphrase 18. This is enough to inforce the great admonition of this Epistle of holding fast the faith and not falling off for persecutions to Judaisme and heresie for you Christians have a more honourable calling then that of the Jewes that was only to the Law given from mount Sinai a mountain on earth onely that set out with terrible representations of fire and thick clouds and thunder and lightning 19. And the found of a trumpet and the voice of words which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more Paraphrase 19. A trumpes to summon all to appear before God and the voice of God heard in a dreadfull manner so dreadfull that the people desired they might hear no more of it 20. For they could not indure that which was commanded And if so much as a beast touch the mountain it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart Paraphrase 20. A token of the great unsupportablenesse of the Mosaical Law which was farther signified by the severity threatned to any beast that should touch that mount whence the Law was given and the so formidable aspect of those things that appeared there that Moses himself could not chuse but tremble as is received by tradition of the Jews as many other things see note on 2 Tim. 3. a. though not mentioned in Exodus Which sure may take off any man among you from falling in love with Judaisme 21. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Paraphrase 21. A token of the great unsupportablenesse of the Mosaical Law which was farther signified by the severity threatned to any beast that should touch that mount whence the Law was given and the so formidable aspect of those things that appeared there that Moses himself could not chuse but tremble as is received by tradition of the Jews as many other things see note on 2 Tim. 3. a. though not mentioned in Exodus Which sure may take off any man among you from falling in love with Judaisme 22. But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels Paraphrase 22. But ye are admitted to the Christian Church and by that to the liberty of approaching heaven of claiming right to it that substance of which the mount Sion and Jerusalem called the city of the living God was but an image or type where there are so many troops of Angels ten thousand in a troop with whom all Christians have communion in the Church 23. To the note g general assembly and Church of the note h first-born which are note i written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men note k made perfect Paraphrase 23. To the dignity of being members of that congregation of Jewes and Gentiles where Angels and Men joyn together and make up the assembly of the Church made up of Apostles the first-fruits of the faith Rom. 8. 23. and all those eminent faithful persons whose names are honoured and recorded in the book of God nay to the presence of God himself and all the saints that are now in blisse 24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then note l that of Abel Paraphrase 24. Yea unto Jesus Christ who as a mediator between God and us hath established a second covenant and assured us that it is indeed the covenant of God and consequently that we may be consident that God will perform his part of it and now requires of us and gives us grace to perform ours and to his blood with which we must be sprinkled before we can be admitted into heaven as the Priest was to sprinkle himself before he went into the Holy of holies which is quite contrary to Abel's blood as 't is mentioned in Genesis that called for vengeance on Cain this called for mercy even upon his crucifiers if they would repent and reform and doth powerfully draw down mercy on the penitent believers or that hath much more efficacy in it to obtain Gods acceptance then had the blood of Abels sacrifice which was the first type of the blood of Christ of which we read and of which it is said that God had respect to it 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Paraphrase 25. And therefore be sure ye despise not Christ who is come to deliver God's will unto you For if they were destroyed that contemned Moses that delivered the Law from mount Sinai then much severer destruction is to be expected for them that despise the commandments of Christ that delivers them immediately from heaven 26. Whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also heaven Paraphrase 26. In giving the Law there was an earthquake when God spake and that was somewhat terrible but now is the time of fulfilling that prophecie Hag. 2. 7. where God prosesses to make great changes greater then ever were among them before even to the destroying the whole state of the Jewes see Mat. 24. note n. 27. And this word Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things which were shaken as of things that were made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain Paraphrase 27. For that is the notation of the phrase which is rendred Yet once which signifies some final ruine and that very remarkable as here the total subversion of the Jewes of all their law and policy as of things that were made on purpose to be destroyed designed by God
which is to be adored and on the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deity of the holy Ghost So Dionysius Bishop of Rome cited by Athanasius in Epist de Decret Synod Nic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These that is the true disciples of Christ evidently know that the Trinity is preached by divine Scripture but that three Gods are not preached by the Old or New Testament So Tertullian against Praxeas Deum unicum quidem sed cum oeconomia esse credendum expavescunt ad oeconomiam numerum dispositionem Trinitaetis divisionem credunt Unitatis quando Unit as ex semetipso derivans Trinitatens not destruatur ab illa sed administretur We are to believe one God but with the oeconomie or administration they are affrighted at the oeconomie and think the number and order of the Trinity is the division of the Unityâ— when indeed the Unity deriving the Trinity from it self is not destroyed by it but administred And Ecce dico alium esse Patrem alium Filium alium Spiritum sanctum non tamen diversitate alium sed distributione nec divisione alium sed distinctions Loe I affirm the Father to be another the Son another the holy Ghost another yet not another by diversity but by distribution nor another by division but distinction And Qui tres unum sunt non unus Quomâ—do dictum est Ego Pater unum sumus ad substantiae unitatem non ad numeri singularitatem These three are one nature not one person as it was said I and my Father are one for the unity of the substance not the singularity of the number The like place out of S. Cyprian was before produced and this text from 1 Joh. 5. made use of for the asserting it And so we see the truth of what we find in the debates of the first Nicene Council on which their decrees are founded Christum consubstantialem Filium Patri juxta olim traditam Ecclesiae Apostolicam fidim expressis testimoniis demonstrantes that the doctrine of the consubstantiality of Christ the Son to the Father is by express testimonies demonstrated to be according to the Apostolick faith of old delivered to the Church and that of Hosius in the name of the Council Trinitatem individuam ineffabilem unam divinitatem candem ipsius essentiam esse credentes eandem confitemur juxta nobis ab initio traditam ipsius fidei dogmatum integritatem à Domino per sanctos ejus Apostolos à sanctis ejus Apostolis à sanctis antiquis nostris Patribus qui Apostolorum sanctam fidem illibatam conservaverunt We believe the individual Trinity the ineffable one Godhead and that the essence thereof is the same and we confesse it the same according to the integrity of the doctrines of the faith from the beginning delivered to us from our Saviour by his holy Apostles and from his holy Apostles and from our holy antient fathers who conserved the holy faith of the Apostles intire So in Athanasius's Epistle to the Africans telling them of the Acts of the Council and of the decree of adding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consubstantiability of the Son with the Father he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishops in the Council did not invent these words for themselves but having testimony from their fathers thus they wrote For there were antient Bishops about one hundred and thirty years before that Council both of Rome and of this city who reprehended those who affirmed the Son to be a creature and not consubstantial with the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea acknowledged who having formerly gone on in the Arian heresie but afterward subscribed to the Council of Nice wrote and confirmed it with his own words saying We have found some of the antients considerable persons and eminent Bishops and writers which concerning the Divinity of the Father and the Son used the word Consubstantial And these words of Eusebius are at length to be seen in his Epistle in Theodoret l. 1. c. 11. All which being evidences of the doctrine of the Church before the Council of Nice are of full force to demonstrate that which I have now in hand viz. that the Catholicks in their controversie against the Arians had no occasion to insert these words and that this was the doctrine of the Church before that Council of Nice Much more might be added on this subject This I have chosen to say on so great an occasion once for all V. 14. Aske any thing according to his will ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 asking according to God's will seems to comprehend two things the first in respect of the matter of his prayer that that be according to God's will and the second in respect of the disposition of the petitioner that he duly be have himself in asking according to God's will For the former of these the matter of the prayer that must be according to the will of God and so it may be two waies First by being not only perfectly lawful and so not contrary to his will for so is every indifferent thing which we have no reason to be confident that God will grant us upon our demand but also good and acceptable in the sight of God such is the gift of his Spirit Luc. 11. 13. such the increase of faith which the Disciples prayed for meaning thereby God's gift of grace so farre as to enable them thus to grow and increase not the habit or degrees of the habit of that vertue for those are regularly to be acquired by our acts or exercises of that strength which God bestowes our making use of that talent intrusted to us to which his promise of more grace is confined whilst from him that laies it up in a napkin he takes away that which he hath nor again the acts of that vertue for those are no otherwise given us by God then as he gives us strength to perform them which the Apostle expresses by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. 13. his working in us to work or doe upon which the exhortation is founded of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working and working out our own salvation Secondly it may be according to his will by being agreeable to his wisdome which alwaies bounds and limits and determins his will And thus a thing may be supposed to be three waies First when that which is prayed for is not contrary to any decree of God which being an act of his will is also an efflux of his incomprehensible wisdome This decree of God is to us expressed by God's oath past on any thing which makes it immutable Hebr. 6. 17. as when of the provokers Hebr. 3. 18. God sware that they should not enter into Canaan for in that case it was certain that neither Moses's prayers for them nor their own for themselves should prevail to reverse it though that others who did
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an easie and ordinary phrase to denote the matter of the prophecy and not the auditors of it as when Ezech. 32. 2. 't is said take up a lamentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not before but concerning Pharaoh Then for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many that in the ordinary Translation is joyned with people in the Greek 't is the last word of the verse adjoyned to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings and so must in reason be joyned in the rendring Then for the rest that follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nations and languages those words most fitly signifie the heathen world of distinct languages one from another and all from the Jewes and agreeably the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Kings will signifie their Princes or considering them together in an army their Commanders or Rulers over them And the joyning of these with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people of the Jewes in the ensuing prophecy will then signifie their fighting and destroying the Jewes and so it will most exactly belong to the time of Adrian the Emperor of Rome and his Commanders all such being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings see c. 6. Note h. Marcius Turbo and Rufus c. together with the Auxiliaries that came in to him from the Parthians and many other nations All which together are the subject of his next prophecy ch 11â— which is yet wanting to complete the destruction of the Jewes and therefore 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou must prophesy again or see another Vision and this will be the subject of it the dealing of the Jewes and the farther destruction that befell them in Adrian's time By what hath here been said will appear also what is meant by the people and kindred or tribes and tongues and nations c. 11. 9. the two former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people and tribes denoting the Jewes and the tongues and nations denoting the Gentiles viz. the people of Jerusalem as now they were made up of Jewes and Gentiles neither of which should shew any reverence to the Christians or expresse any kindnesse to them whilst those seditious people under Barchochebah were in power but on the contrary use them contumeliously and triumph over them v. 10. And so I suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribes and tongues and nations c. 14. 7. may denote the Jewes and Gentiles that is in that place the Saints or Christians wheresoever inhabiting CHAP. XI 1. AND there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the note a Altar and them that worship therein Paraphrase 1. After the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus c. 10. the most memorable passage concerning this matter of the Jews and so the fittest matter of a farther vision being that which fell on that people under the Emperor Adrian the next vision here seems to belong to that And by way of preparation to the representing of it here is first set down Adrian's re-building of Jerusalem and setting up the heathen worship there To this purpose faith he Methought I had a measuring rod or pole or pertch given me as in Ezechiel c. 40. and a command from the Angel to mete the Temple of God that is first the Sanctuary or Holy and in it the Holy of Holies and then the Court where the altar of burnt-offerings stood and where the people worshipp'd and prayed to God called the court of the Israelites This measuring is the inclosing or setting thus much of the Temple apart in memory of the former consecration not to be profaned or medled with that is built upon by the Emperor Adrian who now designed to erâ—ct a new city there calling it by his own name Aelius Aeelia 2. But the court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot fourty and two moneths Paraphrase 2. But I was appointed to leave or cast out that is not thus to measure or inclose the court of the Gentiles called the outer court see note on Eph. 2. a. noting that the Roman Emperour should take that in and build upon it and about it a new city not only for Jews but Gentiles to live in and so that Jerusalem formerly called the faithful and holy city should now being thus re-built be called by another name and prosaned with Idol-worship a Temple being erected to Jupiter upon mount Sion and so continue for the same proportion of time that is three years and an half that it had in Daniels prophecy been profaned by Antiochus Dan. 7. 25. 3. And I will give power unto my note b two witnesses and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in fackcloth Paraphrase 3. And all this time there being two Christian Bishops of Jerusalem one of the Jewish t'other of the Gentile or stranger Christians there and these being raised up by God like prophets to forewarn men of their sinnes and danger shall like prophers set themselves against the sinnes both of the Jewes and Gentiles labour to convert them all to Christianity to bring them to the reformation of their wicked lives to the purging out of all the abominable sins mentioned c. 9. 20 21. unreformed among them and this the Angel told me they should do all that space of three years and an half mentioned v. 2. and do it as prophets are wont when they prophesy judgments on unreformed sinners in sackcloth see Mat. 3. d. denoting the yet farther evil effects that would be consequent to their still holding out impenient against the Faith 4. These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth Paraphrase 4. These two Bishops of the Christian Churches there together with the congregations belonging to them were now to be look'd on as the advancers and restorers of piety after that general depravation and infidelity in that place and are therefore compared the Bishops to Zorobabel and Joshua Zach. 4. 3. described there by the embleme of the two Olive-trees and the two Churches to the two Candlesticks see ch 1. 20. standing before the God of the land ver 14. that is serving Christ continually at a time of such universal corruption among all others 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed Paraphrase 5. And to these two are appliable two passages of story belonging to Elias as first bringing down fire from heaven noting what shall befall their enemies v. 13. 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with
on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years Paraphrase 2. And he apprehended the Devil that is set down under the title of Satan and the Dragon in former visions c. 12. 9. and bound him for the space of a thousand years noting the tranquillity and freedome from persecutions that should be allowed the Church of Christ from the time of Constantines coming to the Empire 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand yeares should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season Paraphrase 3. And he secured him there by all ways of security binding locking sealing him up that he might not deceive and corrupt the world to idolatry as till then he had done but permit the Christian profession to flourish till these thousand years were at end and after that he should get loose again for some time and make some havock in the Christian world 4. And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they note a lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Paraphrase 4. And I saw chairs and some sitting upon them that is Christian assemblies and judicatures and such a general profession of Christianity in opposition to the idolatries of the heathens those in the Capitol at Rome and the like unto them in other places of the Roman Empire see note on c. 13. b. as if all that had died for Christ and held out constantly against all the heathen persecutions had now been admitted to live and reign with Christ that is to live quiet flourishing Christian lives here for that space of a thousand years v. 5. 5. But note b the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the note c first resurrection Paraphrase 5. As for the old Idolaters or Gnosticks there was nothing like them now to be seen not should be till the end of this space of a thousand years This is it that is proverbially described by the first resurrection that is a flourishing condition of the Church under the Messias 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such note d the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years Paraphrase 6. And blessed and holy that is safe separate from all danger are all they that are really in the number of those that partake effectually of these benefits who as they are rescued from those destructions which the Roman tyranny threatned them with which is the interpretation of the second death so they shall now have the blessing of free undisturbed assemblies for all this space see c. 1. note d. 7. And when the note e thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison Paraphrase 7. But after this space the sins of Christians provoking God to it this restraint being taken off from Satan he shall fall a disturbing the Christian profession again This fell out about a thousand years after the date of Constantines Edict for the liberty of the Christian profession at which time the Mahomedan religion was brought into Greece a special part of the Roman Empire 8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth note f Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel the number of whom is as the sand of the sea Paraphrase 8. And then shall he set about the seducing of men in all quarters to the Mahomedan or other false religions particularly God and Magog the inhabitants of those Countries where the Mahomedan religion began to flourish to engage them in vast numbers in a war to invade and waste the Christian Church in Greece c. 9. And they went upon the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the Saints about and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them Paraphrase 9. And accordingly methought they did they went in great numbers and besieged and took Constantinople that city so precious in God's eyes for the continuance of the pure Christian profession in it and known among the Grecians by the name of new Sion and in the chief Church there called the Church of Sophia they set up the worship of Mahomet just two hundred years ago And those that did so are in their posterity to be destroyed and though it be not yet done 't is to be expected in God's good time when Christians that are thus punished for their sins shall reform and amend their lives 10. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Paraphrase 10. And the devil methought that wrought in them that stirred them up was remanded and returned again into his prison and this Empire of his was again destroyed as the idol-worship of the heathens and the Magicians Sorcerers Augurs and heathen Priests before had been 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Paraphrase 11. And after this in another part of this vision I saw methought a throne set up in great splendor and glory and Christ in Majesty sitting thereon very terrible and a new condition of all things in the world was now to be expected And so that which was the design of all these visions sent in an Epistle to the seven Churches to teach them constancy in pressures is still here clearly made good that though Christianity be persecuted and for the sins of the vicious professors thereof permitted oft to be brought very low yet God will send relief to them that are faithful rescue the constant walker and destroy the destroyer and finally cast out Satan out of his possessions and then as here come to judge the world in that last eternal doom 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Paraphrase 12. And all that ever died were called out of their graves before him as for the judging every one the rolls or records of all their actions were produced withall another book brought forth called the book of Life see note on Rev. 3. b. wherein every
shewing mercy to our brethren a state of flourishing piety magnifying blessing praising God and of charity and mercy to all men which is the summe of this ensuing Vision and as that there so here the conclusion of all V. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God The meaning of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the tabernacle of God with men will easily appear by remembring the affinity of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tabernacle and the Schechinah appearance or presence of God called here ver 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and oft elsewhere God is wont to be said in Scripture to be present where his Angels appear accordingly the Pictures of the Cherubims in the Tabernacle and after in the Temple were notes of his peculiar presence there And so both the Jewish Temple and Christian Church having the promise of God's peculiar presence is fitly styled his Tabernacle here and ch 13. 6. and elsewhere his house both in the same sense a tabernacle being but a moveable house And then behold the tabernacle of God with men is no more but an interpretation of that which was represented in this Vision viz. that hereby was noted the Church of Christ whose title is Emmanuel God with us or God with men God incarnate and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold is a determination of it to what went immediatly before thus The bride adorned for the husband is the Christian Church see ver 9. And then the promise that follows he will dwell with them c. is his marrying and endowing and living and dwelling with this spouse that is continuing his favour and love and protection to the Church as long as that continues faithful to him performs the duties of a wife obedience and fidelity to the husband And then consequent to that mercy and protection is the cessation of persecutions that follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall wipe every tear from their eyes c. remove all cause of sorrow from the Christians V. 8. Fearfull The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cowardly here which are set in the front of all these sins denote the renouncers of Christ in time of persecution set opposite to persevering Christians v. 7. and here clearly signifie the Gnosticks or such as they were whose position it was that 't was an indifferent and so a lawful thing to forswear Christ in time of persecution and to sacrifice to Idols here also noted by idolatry They are farther express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfaithful that fall off from Christ and more especially by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 detested and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fornicators and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorcerers c. see Note on ch 2. b. ch 9. c. 1 Joh. 4. a. So Tertullian interprets it in Scorp contra Gnost c. 12. Inter reprobos imò ante omnes timidis inquit particula in stagno ignis Ap. 21. among the reprobates yea before all them the cowardly have their portion in the lake of fire V. 10. City That the City is the Church is most evident in this Vision being before called the holy City the new Jerusalem ver 2. Now the wall is that which encompasseth the city keeps all out which are not thought fit to be admitted and guards and secures the city And to this the Christian doctrine is perfectly answerable none are to be admitted or continued there which doe not acknowledge that and so this likewise defends and fortifies the Church from the invasion of Hereticks And he that teacheth any other doctrine let him be Anathema As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greatnesse and highness of this wall that signifies the excellence and even divinity of this doctrine admirable precepts divine and heavenly promises And as this is a defensative to the city so the foundations thereof are the several preachings of the Apostles in all their travails which being the same in all places this one wall is said to have twelve foundations ver 14. and on them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb to signifie those doctrines that are not thus founded on their preaching either by word of mouth or by writing deduced from them not to be fit for reception in the Church V. 17. Measure of a man That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the measure of a man referres here to the stature of a man appears most probable by the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of an Angel For as here the person seen in the Vision was an Angel ver 9. so Ezech. 40. 3. where there is mention of this measuring reed it was shewed him by a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brasse that is a man in a glorious appearance such as Angels used to appear in And then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or measure must referre not to the cubit immediately precedent but to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reed ver 15. noting that reed by which he had measured the city to be about six foot long and so the measure or stature of a man or Angel in humane shape as now he appeared unto him That the reed or pole was of this size that is six foot long may be concluded from Ezech. 40. 5. There as here was a man with a measuring reed ver 3. and that reed was six cubits long but that cubit not as 't is ordinarily counted a foot and a half but as it is taken by the measure of that bone which gives the denomination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cubit is the distance from the elbow to the wrist as Aristotle and the Anatomists determine which is in well-proportion'd bodies the sixth part of a man's stature And that this was the acceptation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as among the Grecians so among the Hebrews appears by the account of Josephus De bell Jud. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where having made the wall to contain 90. turrets each of them 20. cubits long and the space betwixt each to be 200. cubits which must conclude the circuit of the wall to be 19800 cubits he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole compasse of the city was thirty three furlongs which concludes the allotment of 600. cubits to every furlong and that we know among the Greeks contained 600. foot So that the cubit is no more then a foot or the sixth part of a man's stature So when Solinus saith of the walls of Babylon quorum altitudo ducentos pedes detinet that they were two hundred foot high and so Pliny Orosius saith they were fifty cubits broad altitudine quater tantâ four times as high that is two hundred cubits and so saith Herodotus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the height was two hundred cubits That all this measuring of the city is mystically to be understood and not literally there is no doubt but what the mysterie
written and printed copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 * Who 〈◊〉 receive heaven 〈◊〉 the times of 〈◊〉 completion †as me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ or in every one of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * much troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †by whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * is or was made for the head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †beheld the confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * ordinary vulgar persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on 1 Cor. 14. a. †received knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †had nothing to say against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on Mat. 24. c. 28. b. Rev. 11. g. †land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on Mat. 24. c. Rev. 11. g. * here is added in the Kings MS. and other printed copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this thy city †Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see v. 25. * after this the antient Gr. Latâ— MS. addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there was no difference among them †peculiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ rendred * charity was among see note on ch 2. f. †prices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * a Cypriot by birth oâ— born in Cyprus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * that thou shouldst deceive the holy Ghost †Was not the possession or demean thine own and being sold * being the sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †anger zeal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * concerning them what this was or would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †you would bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * to his right hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †were mâ— against them * touching these men what you go about to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †enrolling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Lu. 2. note b. * for the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †depart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * â—e overthrown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †vouchsafed to be dishonourably used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * in some house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on ch 1. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * See 〈◊〉 Hist 〈◊〉 l. 1. â— * de c. ◠〈◊〉 qu. 12. in Deut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * â—e Helle◠†â—â—ought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * â—ven men 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †〈◊〉 for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Tit. * â—ote f. â—tinue in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ â—ey prayâ—and-laid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ Vâ— in Mesopotamia 〈◊〉 in via è Tigri Nisibem Ammian * being inâ—aged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †afflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * circumveated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ by calling out their children oâ— causing them to be call oâ—t †brought him up for her self 〈◊〉 or for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * But oâ— And he thought that his brethren did understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †perswaded them to peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * oppression ill usage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †become obedient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * have set up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or among host or troops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on ch 13. f. †mad in their heart or inraged see ch 5. note ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Cod. Talm. de Noâ—i Anni initio c. 3. fol. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * well pleased with the killing of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * prepared Stephen for †passed along publishing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * a city 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †before this there was or had been in the city a certain maâ—â— Simon by name which used sorcery and astonished c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * small to great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †the power of God called the Great So the Kgs MS. and the ancient Gr. Lat. MS. read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See 2 Thess 2. â— note e. f. * was astonished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see v. ◠†be wiâ—â— thee to destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * a wicked conspiraâ—y †a great officer of Can. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * And he was returning and sitting c. And he read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †section * describe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note ◠†and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ep. 1. ad Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 Epist 1. 〈◊〉 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 in 1 Tim. 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Confistoâ—es see note 〈◊〉 Mat. 6. d. * goades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †hearing indeed the voice or thunder * nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †teaching * spake and disputed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †the Hellenists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * by the admonition or exhorting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †was laid on a bed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * spread for thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †a Roe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * think