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CHAP. IV. Peter preaching the Gospel in Babylon.
THE whole world therefore being thus divided into Israelites, and Gentiles; and the Israelites again into the Ten Tribes, and the Jews; and the Jews again into Hebrews and Hellenists; and the Hebrews into those who dwelt within the Land of Israel, and those that dwelt without it: hence something may be observed which concerns the Evangelical and Apostolic History.
- I. And this first, as to the four Evangelists, namely, that Matthew writ for the Hebrews within the Land of Israel, and Syria: Mark for the Hebrews without the Land in Baby∣lon and Assyria; where also were the ten Tribes: John for the Hellenists: Luke for the Gentiles.
- II. Then, when James, Peter and John are celebrated for the three Apostles of the Circumcision, Gal. II. 9. hence one may fitly distinguish each Apostles Diocess: viz, Palestine, and which borders upon and is reckoned with it, Syria to James: Babylon and Assyria to Peter: and the Hellenists, especially of Asia, and such as were further off, to John.
Babylon, I say, and Assyria to Peter: which he himself confirms, when he dates his First Epistle from Babylon; and in his Second 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 1.1 He useth the Babylonian Idiom. You would believe the word Bosor to be pronounced for Beor, Chap. II. 15. or it was a solecism of Peter, or an error of the Transcribers: but it favours of the Chal∣dee dialect, and plainly teaches, what that Babylon was, where Peter then was.
It was ordinary with the Chaldeans to change 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Schin into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ain; and on the con∣trary 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ain into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Schin: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Shepham into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Apamia, Num. XXXIV. 11, 12. Where see the Targums, Samaritane and Jerusalem and Jonathan. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A bill of contracts 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Talmudists, and divers others of that nature. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A witness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The letter He only put in, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Until, in the Samaritane Dia∣lect, is changed into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with a letter in like manner put in. So 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to divide is also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Cheek, is also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And very many of the like variation; which, being observed, do openly testify that Peter was in Babylon of Chaldea, and spoke Chal∣dee, when he said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bozor for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Beor.
Nor was there in all the World any Country, in which that great Apostle of Circum∣cision could preach, more agreeably, and suitably to his office, than in Babylon, and the adjacent places; where were Hebrews of the purest blood, and where the Ten Tribes were; the Circumcision in its full name.
Hitherto we have traced the Hebrews, or those Jews, whose Mother tongue was Syriac or Chaldee, namely, the Palestines, Syrians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Mesopotanians, and an infinite number of Israelites of the twelve Tribes sprinkled among them, using also the same Language. Now let us see briefly what Bibles were used in their Synagogues.