appear'd to the Apoftles during the forty days he continued on Earth after his Refurrection, and inculcated the Commands he had given them concerning their preaching of the Gospel.

A few days before Pentecoft, the Apostles, as Jefus had commanded them, return'd to Jerufalem, where he appear'd to them on the fortieth day after his Refurrection, being the fifth of May, and reiterated his command to them not to depart from Jerufalem before they had received the Holy Ghoft, whom he had promis'd to fend them from the Father. For whereas John only baptiz'd the Penitent_with Water, they themselves fhould after a few days be as it were baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost from Heaven.

The Apoftles being all together, and perceiving now that Jefus had receiv'd Authority from his Father of doing whatfoever he pleas'd both in Heaven and on Earth, they inquir'd of him whether the time was not now come in which he had refolv'd to free the Jews from the foren Tyranny they were under. Which inquiry, tho it plainly fhewed they did not yet underftand the nature of the Meffiah's Kingdom, yet was not reprov'd by Jefus, as deeming it fufficient to let them know it did not belong to them to be acquainted with the times when fuch things fhould be accom plifhed, the knowledg of which God would not reveal to Men; but that they might

reft

reft affured they should receive from the Holy Ghost all qualifications neceffary to difcharge rightly the Truft repofed in them, who were to be Witneffes of what they had feen and heard during his converfation with them, and to preach his Gospel not only in Judea and Samaria, but all the World over.

After he had thus faid, he commanded them to follow him towards Bethany unto Mount Olivet, where when they were come, he lift up his hands, and bleffed them; and immediatly after was carried up in a Cloud before them all, to that part of the Univerfe where God in a more fpecial manner manifefts himself, and where he now fits at the right hand of that inacceffible Light, which is the evident token of the Almighty's Prefence.

While the Apoftles, with Eyes fix'd towards Heaven, gaz'd on the flying Cloud till it difappear'd, two Angels clad in white Raiment appear'd to them, and thus

accoft-

accofted them: Ye men of Galilee! why tarry you here? that fame Jefus whom you have now beheld ascending to the Seats of eternal Blifs, ye fhall hereafter fee defcending in like manner upon Earth.

Which when the Apostles heard, having ador'd Jefus, they returned to Jerufalem with exceeding joy for having bin made Spectators of his Afcenfion to the Father, as he had before promis'd them they should.

They then return'd from Mount Olivet to Jerufalem, which is about a mile's diftance, and there fpent the greatest part of the day in giving thanks and praise to God for the wonderful Benefits he had confer'd upon them by the means of Jesus; and having a few days after receiv'd the Holy Ghoft, they departed from Jerusalem, and preach'd the Gospel in Judaa firft, and afterwards in other parts of the World, not a few being converted by them, God in a fpecial manner accompanying them in the faithful difcharge of their moft Holy Office by many remarkable Miracles which he wrought in their behalf.

Such

JOHN.

СНАР XX.

30 And many otherfigns truly did Jefus in the prefence of his difciples, which are not written in this book.

31 But thefe are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.

CHA P. XXI.

25 And there are alfo many other things which Jefus did, the which if they fhould be written every one, I fuppofe that even the world it felf could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

The End of the fourth Year of Christ's Ministry,

and of the Harmony of the Gospels.

Such was the Life of Jefus of Nazareth, fuch his Doctrin, and the Miracles he wrought before his Difciples and others, which by his Apostles and others of his Difciples have bin tranfmitted in writing to Pofterity, befides many other Paffages which are not recorded: But these things have bin written, that the fincere Lovers of Truth may be convinc'd that Jefus is the Meffiah, or the Son of God; and that by firmly believing his Gospel, and conftantly conforming their Lives to the Precepts of it, they may attain everlafting Happiness and fhould any undertake to give a full and exact account of every particular of his Life, he would find very many and large Volumes infufficient for his purpose.

THE

FIRST DISSERTATION,

In which an Account is given given of the CHRONOLOGY I have followed.

The design of thefe Differtations. I. In what year, and at what time of the year Herod was proclaimed King, and likewife at what time he died. II. That Jefus was born the last year but one of Herod's Reign. III. That the beginning of Tiberius's Reign was twofold, to the former of which is to be referred that defignation of Time which is extant, Luke 3. 1. IV. That there were four Feasts of the Paffover during the Ministry of Christ, is evident from St. John's Gospel. V. That the last happened in the twenty ninth year, according to the Vulgar account, in which year the most antient Christian Writers tell us that Chrift died.