The harmony of the foure evangelists among themselves, and with the Old Testament : the first part, from the beginning of the gospels to the baptisme of our saviour, with an explanation of the chiefest difficulties both in language and sense / by John Lightfoote ...

Harmony and Explanation.

MARKE 1. Vers. 1.

The beginning of the Gospel.

THe beginning of that age of the world, which the Prophets so u∣nanimously pointed out for the time of good things to come; and which they expressed sometimes by the terme of The last dayes, Esa. 2. 2. Mich. 4. 1. Joel 2. 28. Sometimes, of the accep∣table yeere of the Lord, Esa. 61. 1. Sometimes, of the kingdom of God, Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. and somtimes, of a New heaven, and a New earth, Esa. 65. 17. And which the Gospel it selfe doth begin from the beginning of the Ministery and Preaching of John the Bap∣tist, as in this verse, and Matth. 11. 13. Act. 1. 22. & 10. 37. So that though in our Chronicle account, and computation, wee begin to reckon from the birth of our Saviour the second Adam, as the age of the world before, was reckoned from the Creation of the first; yet in strict and exact computing, the new world, as one may call it, or the age of the Gospel, began not before the setting forth of John, to preach and baptize; and this his Ministery is most fitly called the beginning of the Gospel both in regard of his preaching, and of his baptizing.

For, first, the Doctrine and preaching of John, was of a diffe∣ring straine, and diverse tenour from the literall Doctrine of the Law: For that called all for workes and for exact performance, Doe this and live; and, He that doth not all the words of this Law, is cursed; But John called for repentance, and for renewing of the mind, and for beleefe in him that was comming after, disclaiming all righteousnesse by the workes and performance of the Law, but proclaiming repentance for non-performance, and righteousnesse onely to be had by Christ. So that here were new Heavens, and a new Earth begun to bee created; a new Commandement given, a new Church founded, justification by the workes of the Law cry∣ed downe, and the glorious Doctrine of repentance and faith set up.

Secondly, whereas Baptisme was used before among the Jewes,

onely for admission of Proselyte•• or Heathens to their Church and Religion, [as vid. Aben Ezra, Gen. 35. Rombani in Asure Biah per. 13.] now it is published and proposed to the Jewes themselves to bee re∣ceived, and undergone, shewing unto them; 1. That they were now to be entred and transplanted into a new profession. And 2. That the Gentiles and they were now to bee knit into one Church and Body.

The Ministery of John being of so high concernment, as being thus the beginning of the Gospel, and of a new World, it is no wonder, that St. Luke doth so exactly point out the yeare by the Reigne of the Emperor, the rule of Pilate, Herod, Philip, and Lysa∣nias, the High Priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, that so remarka∣ble a yeere might be fixed and knowne to all the World, and that the condition and the state of the times might bee observed when the Gospel began. And here it might have been proper to have be∣gun the second part of this our taske, and not to have driven over this Period of time, and to stop halfe a yeere after it at the baptisme of our Saviour; but since his preaching & appearing to the World, is the great and maine thing that the Evangelists looke after, and since the preaching of the Baptist was but a Preface and fore∣runner unto that of his; it is not unproper, & may be very excusable to make that our entrance to another part, and take this with us in our motion to our lodging and resting there.