The history of the Old and New Testament extracted out of sacred Scripture and writings of the fathers : to which are added the lives, travels and sufferings of the apostles : with a large and exact historical chronology of all the affairs and actions related in the Bible : the whole illustrated with two hundred thirty four sculptures, and three maps, delineated and engraved by good artists / translated from the Sieur De Royaumont, by several hands ; supervised and recommended by Dr. Horneck, and other orthodox divines.

The Contents of the Gospel according to S. JOHN.

THis Gospel is of the same tenor with the foregoing Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke; save only that St. John sets down some Discourses and Prayers of Jesus Christ, and relates some of his Miracles, which are not mentioned by any of the other Evangelists; by which means, a Supplement is made, of what was wanting to make the Sacred History of our Saviour full and com∣pleat. The Ecclesiastical Historians tell us, that St John wrote this Gospel, after those of the other Evangelists, at the entreaty of the Churches of Asia, amongst which the impious Heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus began to spread, who by their Errors endeavoured to overthrow the Doctrin of the Eternal God∣head of Jesus••Christ; wherefore also he be∣gins this Gospel, with the evident assertion and confirmation of this great and Capital Truth, in a sublime and mysterious Declara∣tion of his Eternal••Generation, whereas the other Evangelists begin theirs with his Con∣ception and Temporal Nativity▪ For which reason, viz because of his high and soaring Flight, he has been called by the antients the Flying-Eagle.

More particularly he describes, according to the general Method of the other Evange∣lists, the Person and Office of our Saviour. As to his Person, he first represents his Divine Nature, and demonstrates the same by his Works; and afterwards gives an account of his Human Nature also. As to his Office, he first relates the passages which concern his Doctoral or Prophetical Function; how John the Baptist prepar'd the way for him, publick∣ly testifying, that not he, but Jesus the Lamb of GOD, was the promised Messias; by which Testimony of his, Andrew first, and after∣wards Simon Peter his Brother, with Philip and Nathaniel, were induc'd to believe in Je∣sus Christ, Chap. I. How he wrought his first Miracle, by changing Water into Wine, at a Marriage••Feast in Cana of Galilee; and how being come to Jerusalem, at the Feast of Passover, he purged the Temple of Buyers and Sellers, and justified his Power and Au∣thority for so doing; many believe in him be∣cause of his Miracles; but he would not trust himself with them; because he knew what was in Man, Chap. II. He instructs Nico∣demus the Pharisee, in the chief points of Religion▪ as concerning the necessity and na∣ture of Spiritual Regeneration, or the New-Birth of Man; his own exaltation on the Cross, prefigured by the lifting up of the Brazen Serpent, concerning the necessity and usefulness of Faith in his Name, and the great Love of GOD in giving him for the Salvati∣on of the World. John the Baptist baptizing in Enon, testifies again to the Jews, that not he but Jesus was the true Messias, in whom all that desire to be saved, must believe, Chap. III. Jesus Christ being come into Galilee

near to Sichar, falls into discourse with the Samaritan Woman, (who was come forth to draw Water) concerning the Water of Life, which he bestows upon those that believe in him, as also concerning the place and right way of Divine Worship, by which means both she and many other Samaritans believe in him; upon occasion of his Disciples desiring him to Eat, he declares that his Meat was, to do the Will of him that sent him; He is well received by the Galileans, because of the Miracles they had seen wrought by him; and healeth the Son of a Nobleman at Capernaum, Chap. IV. He cureth an Impotent Man on the Sabbath-day, (that had been Diseased 38 years) in the City of Jerusalem, at the Pool of Bethesda; whence the Jews take occasion to cavil at him, and seek to kill him; against whom he defends himself, proving not only by the Testimony of GOD his Father, of S. John the Baptist, but also by that of his Works, and the Scriptures, that he was the true Son of GOD, Chap V. He feeds 5000 Men with 5 Loaves, walketh upon the Sea; reproves the Multitudes, because they follow∣ed him for the Loaves, exhorting them to labour for the Meat that endures to Eternal Life; even the Bread that comes down from Heaven, whereof the Manna in the Wilder∣ness was a Figure; teacheth that he himself is that Bread, and that they must eat his Flesh and drink his Blood, as ever they desire to be made capable of Eternal Life; which Divine and Spiritual Doctrin of his being too grosly understood by the Capernaites, he explains himself more fully, declaring that his Words were Spirit and Life; and therefore not to be understood in a gross fleshly manner; upon this Discourse of our Saviour, many of his Dis∣ciples leave him, but the 12 by the Mouth of S. Peter, declare their resolution to continue with him, to whom he declares that one of their Number was a Devil, Chap. VI. Some of his Relations persuading him to go along with them to the Feast of Tabernacles, he con∣sents not▪ but goes up after them; the Mul∣titudes come up to the Feast, discoursing va∣riously of him; he Preacheth to them at the middle and end of that Solemnity, declaring that his Doctrin was not his own, but GOD the Fathers; many believe in him notwith∣standing the Cavils and Contradiction of the Pharisees; he promiseth to give his Holy Spi∣rit, under the name of Living-Waters, to those that believe in him; The Pharisees, are angry with their Officers, who being sent to seize our Saviour, return giving a great cha∣racter of him, and flout at Nicodemus for taking his part, Chap. VII. He delivereth the Woman taken in Adult••ry, out of the hands of the Scribes and Pharisees, charging her to Sin no more; Preacheth himself to be the Light of the World; that he did not bear wit∣ness of himself, but that the Father who sent him gave witness to him; proves the Jew•• not to be the true Children of Abraham, but the Children and Instruments of the Devil, whose works they did; declares himself to have been before Abraham; for which saying they take up Stones to stone him, Chap. VIII. He restores a Blind-man born, to his sight, which being signified to the Pharisees, they send for the Man, examine him about the Cure done upon him, and afterward abuse and cast him out of the Synagogue, because he boldly and courageously told them the truth to their Faces; whereupon our Saviour doth more fully manifest himself to him, re∣proaching the Pharisees for their Spiritual Blindness, Chap. IX. He teacheth that all those who do not enter through the Door, into the Sheepfold, are Thieves and Robbers, and not true Shepherds; that he is the true and only Door of the Sheepfold, as also the good Shepherd; sheweth the difference there is between a good Shepherd and an hireling; proves himself to be the good Shepherd by his voluntary laying••down his Life for his Sheep; at the Feast of Dedication, he proves himself to be the true Messia by his Works, for which the Jews take up Stones to stone him; and afterwards endeavouring to seize him, he es∣capes out of their hands, and going beyond Jordan, where John at first baptized, many there believe in him, Chap. X. He raiseth Lazarus of Bethany, who had been Dead 4 days, and was buried, to Life again; where∣upon the chief Priests take councel to put him to Death, fearing that otherwise all the People would believe in him, because of the great Miracles he wrought; Caiaphas the High Priest approves their design, and Pro∣phesieth of his Death; the chief Priests give order for the seizing of him at the Feast, Chap. XI. He is invited to a Supper at Bethany, by Lazarus and his Sisters, where Mary anoints his Feet, wiping them with the hair of her Head; for which she being reproved by Judas▪ Jesus defends and highly commends her; the Jews resolve to put Lazarus to

Death also; Jesus makes his triumphant En∣try into Jerusalem; foretels his Death and Suffering, to his Disciples; prayeth to his Fa∣ther, who answers him with a Voice from Heaven, like that of Thunder; exhorteth the Multitudes to walk in his Light; the Prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah, concerning the hardning of the Jews fulfilled; Many of the chief Rulers believed on him, but did not confess him, for fear of the Pharisees; he ex∣horts his Auditors to believe in him, seeing that he spoke nothing but according to the Commandment he had received from his Fa∣ther, Chap. XII After having celebrated his last Supper with his Disciples, he washeth their Feet▪ exhorting them, from this great Example of his, to Humility and mutual acts of Charity; complains that one of them shall betray him; foretels his approaching Glorifi∣cation, and exhorts them to Charity, which he declares to be the sole Character and Live∣ry of his true Disciples; and forewarneth Pe∣ter of his Denial, Chap. X••II. He comforts his Disciples, who were sorrowful with the thought of his suddain departure, by assuring them, that he was going to his Fathers House, to prepare them a place; tells Philip, who desired to see the Father, that he who hath seen him, hath seen the Father; promiseth that whatsoever they shall ask the Father in his Name, shall be granted them; as also that he will send them his Spirit, and be∣queaths his Peace, as a Legacy to them, Chap. XIV. Declares himself to be the true Vine, his Father the Husband-man, and his Dis∣ciples the Branches; exhorting them to bear much Fruit, and to love one another; com∣forts them against the hatred and persecution they should meet with from the World; re∣iterates to them his promise of sending the Holy Ghost, whose Office he describes▪ Chap. XV. He foretels the Evils and Sufferings his Disciples should be expos'd to from the Jews who did not know him nor the Father; comforts them concerning his approaching departure, assuring them, that it would be for their good and profit, because by this means they should be made partakers of the Holy Ghost; and that their Sufferings would not be of any long continuance, but like the pangs of a Woman in Travel, would be chang∣ed into Joy, by the Birth of the true Man-Child; earnestly exhorts them to pray in his Name, assuring them, that the Father will answer all their Prayers, so put up; foretel∣leth their forsaking and deserting of him▪ and teacheth them to look for Peace only in him, not fearing the affliction they meet with in the World, because he hath overcome it, Chap. XVI. After this the Evangelist gives us an instance of his Priestly Office, in an ex∣cellent Prayer he presented to his Father be∣fore his Suffering; in which he prays first for himself that the Father would glorifie him, and afterwards for his Disciples, that he would keep them from the Evil of the World; and lastly, for all those who by their means should come to believe in him, that they may all abide in the Holy Union of the Sacred Trini∣ty, and partake of his Divine Glory, Chap. XVII. The Evangelist describes his Suffer∣ings, as well in the Garden, where Judas be∣trays, and the Souldiers seize him, after that, by a word of his mouth, he had struck them down to the Ground; as in the House of Caiaph•••• the High Priest, where S. Peter denies him thrice, and where he is examined by the High Priest, and in the Judgment-Hall before Pilate the Governour, who having heard first the Jews, and then our Saviour, professeth to find no fault in him, and there∣fore endeavours to deliver him out of their hands, according to the custom the Jews had of having a Criminal releast every Pass∣over; but the People earnestly press him to release Barabbas a Murtherer, and not Jesus, Chap. XVIII. Whereupon Pilate, after that he had been Scourged, and exposed to the in∣sulting Injuries and Mockeries of the Souldi∣ers, seeks again to deliver him; but the chief Priests vehemently crying out to have him Crucified, and telling Pilate that he was not C••sar's Friend, if he should let Jesus go, he at last gives Sentence against him, and deli∣vers him to the Souldiers to be Crucified, or∣dering the cause of his Condemnation to be writ, and fixt on the Cross; the Souldiers divide his Garments amongst them, and cast Lots for his C••at or Vesture; Jesus seeing his Mother standing by the Cross; recommends her to S John; and after they had given him Vinegar to drink, he gives up the Ghost, so that finding him dead, his Bones were not broken, as were those of the Criminals Cru∣cified with him; he is Buried by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus▪ Chap▪ XIX▪ He riseth from the Dead the third day, his Re∣surrection being first signified to Mary Magda∣len by 2 Angels, and immediately after by himself speaking to her: In the Evening of

the same day he manifests himself to his Dis∣ciples; Thomas being absent, who therefore could not believe their report; 8 days after he appears to his Disciples, Thomas being then present, who after he had felt the wound in his Side, believes also, Chap. XX. Jesus manifests himself again to his Disciples, as they were Fishing in the Sea of Tiberias, mak∣ing himself known by the Miraculous draught of Fishes; he Eats with them; earnestly chan∣geth Peter to feed his Lambs and Sheep, and foretells his Death; S. Peter afterwards ask∣ing him, what should become of S. John, re∣ceives a dubious answer; S. John's conclusion of his Evangelical History, Chap. XXI. So that we may perceive that this Gospel is as it were▪ the Soul and Spirit diffused throughout the Body of this History, composed by the other Evangelists.