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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	eternal_a	see_v	6,178	5	3.7252	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57377	Clavis Bibliorum The key of the Bible, unlocking the richest treasury of the Holy Scriptures : whereby the 1 order, 2 names, 3 times, 4 penmen, 5 occasion, 6 scope, and 7 principall parts, containing the subject-matter of every book of Old and New Testament, are familiarly and briefly opened : for the help of the weakest capacity in the understanding of the whole Bible / by Francis Roberts ...	Roberts, Francis, 1609-1675.; Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1648 (1648)	Wing R1583; ESTC R20707	139,238	403

chen i. e. Grace so that IOHN imports THE LORD HATH BEEN GRACIOUS or THE GRACE OF THE LORD This Iohn was the sonne of Zebedee and brother of Iames all of them Fishermen by trade Matth. 4.21 and 10.2 Mark 1.19 Luke 5.10 Salome mentioned Mark 15 40. and 16.1 is supposed to be Iohn's mother As Iohn was with his Father and Brother in the Ship mending their nets Jesus called him and his Brother Matth. 4.21 Luke 5.10 It is thought that Iohn lived a single life yet some are of opinion that Iohn was the Bridegroome at Cana in Galilie Ioh. 2.1.9 It is certain that Iohn was one 1 of the three whom Christ took up with him to mount Tabor to behold his trans-figuration Matth. 17.1 c. Mark 9.2 Luke 9.28 c. And z one of the two whom Christ sent to prepare his last Passeover Luke 22.8 And 3 that Disciple whom Iesus peculiarly loved above all the rest Ioh. 13.23 and 19.26 and 20.2 21.7.20 4 Who leaned on Iesus breast at supper and 5 to whom Christ by a private token discovered that Iudas should betray him Ioh. 13.23 24 25 26. And 6 to whom Christ dying on the Crosse commenced his own mother Ioh. 19.25 26 27. After Christs Ascension Iohn with Peter healed miraculously the lame man as they were going into the Temple Act. 3.3 4 c. Preached boldly against all prohibitions Act. 4.13 19. Was sent to Samaria having received the word from the Apostles at Ierusalem Acts 8.14 Tertullian saith that the Apostle Iohn after he in Rome had been cast into burning Oyle and suffered nothing thereby was banished into an Iland Tertul. lib. de Praescriptione adversus Haereticos cap. XXXVI p. 211 edit Franeker 1597. Nero slung him into the burning Oyle as is thought Domitian Banished him into the Isle Patmos Rev. 1.9 10. Whence it s supposed he returned under Nerva came to Ephesus in the 97 yeere of his age where he lived and taught till he was 99. He made his Sepulcher with his own hands Left his Disciples Papias at Ierusalem Policarpus at Smyrna and Ignatius at Antioch He is supposed to write his Gospel towards the end of his life Alsted Praecog Theol. l. 2. c. 123. Iohn's Gospel hath still been had of most high account with Antiquity See Basil. in Homil sub Princ. Ioan. Chrysost in Prolog Comment super Ioan Ambros. l. 3. de sacram c. 2. Cyrill in Prolog Ioan. Hieronym Proem Comment in Matth. August de Civit. dei l. 10. c. 29. and Tract 56. in Ioan. Occasion of Iohn's writing his Gospel Ecclesiasticall Writers tels us was twofold viz. 1. To oppose and confute the blasphemous heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus who denyed the Divinity of Christ hence Iohn so clearly asserts it Iohn 1. See Iren. Advers haeres l. 3. c. 11. p. 257. edit Colon. 1596. Hieronym in Proem Comment in Matth. 2. To supply what the other three Evangelists had omitted who principally relate things done by Christ but for one yeare wherein Christ suffered after Iohn was cast into prison Euseb. Hist l. 6. c. 13. ex Clem. Alexandr Scope of Iohn's writing is expressely noted Iohn 20.31 These are written that yee might believe that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that believing yee might have life through his name The Principall parts or Generall Branches of this Hist. are I. A Description of Christs Person according to his divine and humane nature c. 1. II. A Delineation of Christs office discharged by him in his foure ominent journeys to Ierusalem viz. 1. At the feast of the Passeover John 2.12 13. Here are considerable 1. The terme whence he went from Cana of Galilee c. 2. 2. His abode there the doctrine that he preached and the Acts he did c. 2.14 c. and ● 3 and 4.1 2 3. 3. His returne from Ierusalem through Samaria and his deeds and act● there c. 4. 2. At the feast of Pentecost wherein 1. He cured him that had the palsie thirty eight years c. 5. 2. He fed the multitude aboue five thousand with five loaves and two fishes and preached himselfe the true Mannah c 6. 3. At the feast of Tabernacles where are 1. Christs comming to Ierusalem c. 7 1. to 15. 2. His abode there during which he taught c. 7 14. to the end He disputed c. 8. He cured the man borne blinde c. 9. He preached himselfe the true shepheard of his sheep c. 10. 3. His returne thence beyond Iordan c. 10.40 c whence he came againe into Iudea to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead c. 11. 4. At the Celebration of the true Passeover when Christ our Passeover was sacrificed for us Where Christs death is described by the Antecedents Manner and Consequents of it 1. By the Antecedents going before his death viz. 1. His actions entring into the City c. 12. Washing his disciples feet at supper c. 13. 2. His words spoken either At supper c. 13 31. to the end and c. 14. as they were going to the garden of Gethsemane 1 Warning his disciples of the worlds persecution c. 15. 2 Comforting them against the Crosse c. 16. 3 Praying for them and all his Elect c. 17. 2. By the manner of his Passion 1. In the garden c. 18 1. to 15. 2. In the High-Priests palace c. 18 15. to 28. 3. In the Hall of judgement before Pilate c. 18 28. to c. 19. v. 17. 4. In the place of execution c. 19. ver 17. to the end 3. By the Consequents of his Passion viz. Christs appearing after his Resurrection 1. To Mary Magdalene and the disciples in Iudea c. 20. 2. To the disciples fishing in Galilee c. 21. The Acts THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST his body and that in the purest Primitive Apostolicall times is contained in the Acts OF THE HOLY APOSTLES So denominated from the principall subject matter of this Book viz. The Acts of the Apostles in the infancy of the Primitive Church therein recorded Historically Penman of this History was Luke the beloved Physitian who also wrote the Gospel of whom see what is there spoken as appears 1. By the Preface or Introduction here prefixed wherein he mentions the former Treatise of the Gospel penned by him names Theophilus to whom he directed particularly this History of the Apostles as well as that History of Christ and also he connects or knits this Book to his Gospel by continuing the History where he formerly left viz. At the Resurrection and Ascension of Iesus Christ which here is somewhat more fully described and what followed thereupon Act. 1.1 2. So that his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles are but as one continued History 2. By the very stile which seems notably to indigitate Luke unto us partly it being compleat and polished Greek becomming Luke an accurate Grecian who had also most diligently perused the Septuagint version partly it being replenished with Hebraismes suitable to Luke's native Genius being by country a

therefore is probable he wrote it at Ephesus Zauch Prolegom in 1. Ioan. p. 6. Iohn lived after the other Apostles and wrote after them Occasions I. Iohn observed that in his daies there were many hereticall Teachers Seducers which he cals Anti-christs and by a propheticall spirit foresaw that afterwards there would arise many more Epiphanius reckon● up these before and in Iohn's dayes viz. 1. Simonians 2. Menandrians 3. Saturnilians 4. Basilidians 5. Nicolaitanes of whom Rev. 2. 6. Gnosticks 7. Carpocratians from Carpocrates in Asia who taught men must sinne and do the will of all the devils otherwise they could not enter into heaven 8. Cerinthians and Merinthians from Cerinthus and Morinthus who denyed Christs divinity said he was not before Mary that he was a meere man 9. Habionits who held the same heresie 10. Nazaraei that urged Moses law See Epiphan in Panario l. 1. Tom. 2. II. Iohn took notice of divers carnall believers who made great profession of knowledge faith and piety towards God who yet lived ungodly to the scandall of the Gospel III. Finally Iohn considered how necessary it was to encourage true believers in faith and promote them to assurance of their interest in eternall life These gave Iohn Occasion of writing this Epistle by way of remedy Scope The blessed Apostle Iohn in this Epistle principally levels at these three ends 1. To detect and confute hereticall and Anti-Christian Seducers and warne the believers against them and their false Doctrine These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you 1 John 2.26 particularly and especially proving That Christ is true and eternall God against Corinthians and Hebionites c. 1. That Christ is true man and assumed true flesh against Cerdonians Manichees Priscillianists and Valentinians which by a Propheticall spirit he foresaw would follow c. 4. That Iesus is the true Christ the promised Messiah against Iew● and Nazarites c. 2. That the Father Word and holy Ghost are three true distinct Persons of one essence against Sabelli●ns c. c. 5. That they that are born of God ought not nay as such cannot commit sin and such as do not righteousnesse are of the devill not of God against the Carpocratians c. 3. 2. To stirre up all that professe to know God and believe in him that they walk in light not in darknesse 1. Iohn 1.5 6 7. as Christ walked that they keep the Commandements especially abound in love 1 Iohn 2.4 5 6. and all along the Epistle 3. To provoke true believers to growth in faith and grace and to help forward their assurance of their interest in eternall life This last end is clearly professed in 1 Iohn 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life And therefore it is most singularly observable of this sweet and precious Epistle what a multitude of Marks Signs or Discoveries of believer's spirituall State are here plainly and purposely laid downe for this end more then in any other so short a piece of Scripture in the whole Bible Which Signes are here reduced to severall heads and set downe for the help and comfort of the Readers in some of which at least the weakest if a sincere Christian may find abundant soule-refreshing and heart-establishment I. Evidences Signes or Discoveries of Gods love to us 1. Christs being sent to lay down his life for us that we might live by him 1 Iohn 3.16 and 4.9 10. 2. Adoption That we should be called the sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3.1 3. Our not loving the world nor the things of the world inordinately 1 John 2.15 16 17. 4. Our love to God which is an effect or reflexive beame of Gods love to us 1 Iohn 4.19 II. Evidences or Signes of our Regeneration Sonneship c. 1. That the world knoweth us not 1 Iohn 3.1 2. True believing that Jesus is the Christ 1 Iohn 5.1 3. Not committing sin 1 Iohn 3.9 and 5.18 Especially in respect of that great sin of sins The wicked one toucheth him not 1 John 5.18 4. Hope if not assurance that we shall be conforme to God in his glorious appearing 1 Iohn 3.2 3. 5. In hope of glory purifying our selves as God is pure 1 Iohn 2.3 6. Overcoming erroneous hereticall spirits 1 Iohn 4.1 4. 7. Overcoming the world by faith 1 Iohn 5.4 5. 8. Doing of righteousnesse 1 Iohn 2.29 and 3.10 9. True love of the brethren 1 Iohn 3.10.14 and 4.7 III. Evidences or Signes that we are of the truth of the true number of Gods people 1. Having an unction from the holy one teaching us all things 1 Iohn 2.19 20 27. 2. The Testimony of an upright heart or conscience 1 Iohn 3.19 20 21. 3. Perseverance with the faithfull in Christ and the truth 1 Iohn 2.19.27 IIII. Evidences or Signes of being in light not in darknesse in life not in death 1. Having the Sonne 1 Iohn 5.11.12 2. Loving and not hating our brother 1 Iohn 2.9 10 11. and 3.14 15. V. Evidences or Signes of the true knowledge of God 1. Keeping his Commandements 1 Iohn 2.3 4. 2. Denyall of sinne 1 Iohn 3.6 3. Mutuall love of one another 1 Iohn 4.7 8. VI. Evidences or Signes of our love to God and Iesus Christ. 1. The casting out of base feare 1 Iohn 4.18 2. Not loving the world and things in the world inordinately 1 Iohn 2.15.16 3. Keeping of his Commandements and his Word chearfully 1 Iohn 2.5 and 5.3 4. Opening our bowels of compassion to brethren in need 1 Iohn 3.17 and 1 Iohn 5.1 1 Iohn 4.11 12 20 21. VII Evidences or Signes of our Communion with God and Iesus Christ. 1. His spirit given us 1 Iohn 3.24 and 4.13 2. The Truth 's abiding in us 1 Iohn 2.24 3. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God 1 Iohn 4.15 4. Not doing sinne 1 Iohn 3.6 8. 5. Love to God and dwelling therein 1 Iohn 4.16 6. Walking in light not in darknesse 1 Iohn 1.5 6 7. 7. Walking as Christ walked 1 Iohn 2.6 8. Keeping his Words and Commandements 1 Iohn 2.3 4 5. and 3.23 24. 9. Brotherly love 1 Iohn 4.12 VIII Finally Evidences or Signs of true brotherly love or love of Gods children 1 Joh. 5.1 2. 1. Knowing of God 1 Iohn 4.7 8. 2. Loving of God 1 Iohn 5.1 2. 3. Keeping Gods Commandements 1 Iohn 5.2 4. Not loving in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth 1 Iohn 3.18 5. Reall compassion to our brother in need yea even hazzarding our life for him in some cases 1 Iohn 3.16 17. By these Evidences Signes or Characters of our spirituall Estate clearly laid downe in this Excellent Epistle the weak in faith may become strong in Assurance and the strong may become stronger yea all that truly believe in the name of the Son of God if the fault be not their owne may hereby come to know that they have eternall life

All which Evidences I shall indeavour very shortly God willing more fully to open and unfold in a distinct Treatise called Believers Evidences for eternall life A subject which I hope to gracious hearts will be most welcome and seasonable in these sad afflicting dayes To help forward their Assurance for heaven when they can have no assurance of any thing on earth Principall parts in reference to these excellent ends are I. The Proem to the whole Epistle declaring 1. What the Apostle treats of viz. Of Christ the word of life viz. His person God-man and his office 2. What he is about to say of Christ not any novelty but what was from the beginning not any uncertainty but that whereof they were infallible witnesses 3. To what purpose he will treat of these things that they may have Communion with God and so their joy be full they become happy c. 1.1.2.3 4. II. The Substance of the Epistle it selfe which is either 1. Practicall full of heavenly exhortations viz. 1. To holinesse of life and conversation viz. 1. Not to walk in darknesse but in light c. 1. v. 5 6 7. 2. Not to deny sin to be in us but penitently to confesse it c. 1 8 9 10. 3. To avoid sinne and yet if sinne overtake us to repaire to Christ our Propitiation c. 2 1 2. 4. To adde to our knowledge of God true obedience to his Word c. 2 3. to 9. 5. To brotherly love c. 2 9. to 15. 6. To take heed of inordinate love of the world c. 2 15 16 17 2. To beware of the dangerous Anti-Christs and hereticall Seducers abounding in the world especially ●orinthians and Ebionites denying Christs Godhead c. 2 18. to the end 3. To abandon practising of sinne as inconsistent with the state of grace contrary to the wicked seducements of the Carpocratians forementioned who taught men to sin c. 3 1. to 11. 4. To sincere reall brotherly love by many Arguments c. 3 11. to the end and c. 4 7. to the end 5. To take heed of believing every spirit but to try them especially such as deny Christs Manhood as after did the Cerdonians Manich●es Priscillianists and Valentinians c. 4 1. to 7. 2. Dogmaticall wherein he asserts that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and true man and this from divers Arguments and Testimonies which we should believe that we may have eternall life begun c. 5 1. to 14. for perfecting whereof we should pray where he directs us how and for whom to pray c. 5.14 to 21. III. Conclusion with a serious monition against idolatry c. 5 21. II John THe second Epistle of JOHN the Apostle This Epistle of Iohn is nor as the first Catholique or Generall but Particular being written to particular persons viz. The Elect Lady and her children Who she was is not known Some think that ELECT was her prop●r name but that 's improbable for then Iohn would not have said To the Elect Lady but To the Lady ELECT Some turne this into an Allegory and say that by the Elect Lady Iohn intended the whole Christian Church But this is most unlikely and plainly repugnant to this Epistle it selfe for 1. To write to the whole Christian Church under the Notion of an Elect Lady is so unusuall that we find no such thing done in all the New-Testament 2. This Epistle not onely mentions this Lady and her children v. 1.4 But also sends her salutations from the children of her Elect Sister v. 13. 3. The Apostle speakes of his intention to come and see her and speake face to face Which cannot be understood of the whole Christian Church ver 12. She is thought to be some eminent religious Matron of great Estate who much relieved and supported the members of the Church in her dayes Bez. Annot. in 2 Ioan. Piscat in 2 Ioan. Penman Some thinke was another Iohn then the Apostle as is testifyed by Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 3. c. 39. But this seems to be a plain mistake for 1. The Greek Copies call it in the Title The second Epistle of Iohn the Apostle 2. The matter of the Epistle is not only Divine and Apostolicall but notably owns Iohn to be the writer wherein Christian love walking in the truth and taking heed of Seducers and Antichrists are pressed as in the first Epistle of Iohn So that this is Iohns genuine language Compare these passages among others viz. 1 Ioh. 2 7. with 2 Ioh. 5. and 1 Ioh. 2.23 with 2 Ioh. 9. and 1 Ioh. 4.1 2 3. with 2 Ioh. 7. and 1 Ioh. 5.3 with 2 Ioh. 6. c. 3. The Salutation is plainly Apostolicall ver 1 2 3. And notably relisheth of Iohn's Spirit 4. Both ancient and modern Writers account this Epistle Canonicall and ascribe it unto Iohn the Apostle Concil Carthagin 3. Can. 4.7 Concil Laodic c. ult Hieronym in Epist. 85. ad Euagrium August de Doctrin Christian l. 2. c. 8. Sentent Episcoporum Concil Carthaginens apud Cyprian Sent. 81. Cyprian op edit 1593. p. 449. Beda Piscat Bez. in 2 Iohan. So that this Epistle being written by Iohn the Apostle is of unquestionable authority Occasion Some thinke that Iohns familiar Christian acquaintance with this Elect Lady gave him Occasion of writing this Epistle Others rather think it was written against the Antichristian Heresie of Basilidis and his followers who taught that Christ was not a true man but a phantasm and therfore that he neither did nor suffer'd those things which he is said to do and suffer Epiphan Heres 24. Compare 2 Ioh. 7. Scope To incite the Elect Lady and her children To persevere in the truth and carefully to shun all hereticall Seducers that bring not Christs Doctrine A● also to adorne the truth with love and good workes Principall parts To this end are I. The inscription of the Epistle containing 1. The writer 2. Persons written to 3. A testification of the Apostle's and other 's sincere love to the Lady and her children 4. His pious wish o● supplication for them ver 1 2 3. II. The substance of the Epistle wherein the Apostle 1. Congratulates with the Lady that some of her children walked in the truth ver 4. 2. Exhorts to constancy in the ancient Doctrine of love and truth ver 5 6. 3. Warnes them against Seducers denying Christs incarnation shewing the danger of them and forbidding all fellowship with them ver 7. to 12. III. The conclusion of the Epistle with 1. Intimation that he omits writing many other things hoping to come to them and speak them by word of mouth verse 12. 2. Salutations from her Sisters children ver 13. III John THe third Epistle of IOHN the Apostle This Epistle is not Generall but Particular written to Gaius Penman of this Epistle also was Iohn the Apostle and therefore it is Authentique and Canonicall Both these are ev●dent by all the foure Reasons alleadged touching Iohn's second Epistle And the word phrases and method of these two

judgements even to the Jewes themselves for their ingratefull and abominable rejection of Christ and his Gospel c. 11. V. His Evangelicall Sermon peculiarly belonging to the Church which Christ had gathered by his Gospel c. 12.13 and 14. wherein are laid down many sweet priviledges of the Church 1. The Churches victory over all her enemies to whom shee shall be A cup of trembling A Burdensome stone A torch of fire in a sheaf c. 12 1. to 7. 2. The Churches safety and protection only from the Lord. c. 12 7 8. 3. The Benefits enwrapped in this salvation for the Church viz. 1 Heart-wounding repentance for their sinnes that pierced Christ c. 12 9. to the end 2 Remission of all sins to the penitent by faith in the blood of Christ c. 13 1. 3 Purifying of the Evangelicall doctrine from all pollution and desilement v. 2. to 7. 4. A select separation of the remnant appertaining to the Election from the drossy multitude c. 13.7 to c. 14 1● 4. The removall of all the Churches ruined enemies from offending the Church any more or su●duing them to the Church and consecrating all their wealth to holy uses c. 14 12 to th● end of the Book Malachi MALACHI he prophecyed after the Babylonish captivity the Temple being now repaired and the publike worship restored against the many notorious corruptions remaining among them even after such wonderfull mercyes He is the last Prophet of the Old Testament deciphering out in the close of his Book Iohn the Baptist the first Prophet of the New Testament Mal. 4.5 6. with Luk. 16.16 Scope To call the I●wes after this Reparation of Gods Temple and worship to Repentance from their many and foule corruptions especially the comming of Christ the Messiah the great Reformer and Refiner of his Church being so neare at hand Generall parts Besides the Title herein are wrapped up in one continued Sermon these principall matters I. A Preface aggravating the ingratefull wickednesse of the Jewes drawne from Gods singular love in Election of them in Iacob when he rejected the Edomites in Esau. c. 1.2 to 6. II. A sharp contestation against the People especially the Priest the keepers of the law for their corruptions viz. 1. Against their contempt and pollution of the worship of God which Priests should have vindicated by office c 1.6 to c. 2.10 2. Against their corrupt Marriages both Marriages with infidels and Polygamies c. 2 10. to 17. 3. Against the wickednesse and perversenesse of many that made a mock of Gods justice and judgements c. 2.17 to c. 3.7 4. Against their Sacriledge in robbing God of Tiths and Offerings c. c 3.7 to 13. 5. Against their Atheisticall contempt of Gods feare worship and true repentance c. 3.15 to 4.5 III. An earnest invitation of all to repentance that so they might be prepared duely to entertaine the Messiah who with his forerunner Iohn the Baptist in the spirit and power of Elias was now immediately to appeare in humane flesh c. 4 5 6. Thus farre of the Old Testament wherein the New Testament is veiled Come we next to consider of the New Testament wherein the Old Testament is Revealed THE NEW-TESTAMENT THE NEW TESTAMENT Revealing fully and cleerly the NEW COVENANT in Christ and the Spirituall administrations thereof is contained in the Books written since Christs manifestation in the flesh In Reading of the Old-Testament the veile is untaken away But in the NEW TESTAMENT the veile is done away in Christ. And we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.14.18 in the Books of the Old Testament God describes to us The Old Covenant of Grace in Christ veiled under Promises Prophecies and Types In the Books of the New Testament The Lord delineates to us The New Covenant of Grace in Christ unveyled actually exhibited and performed Christ being the body and substance of all those ancient Types and Shadowes Iohn 1.17 Hebr. 10.1 Coloss. 2.17 The Center and meeting-place of all the Prophecyes and Promises Luke 1.70 and 24.27 Acts 10.43 2 Cor. 1.20 The Bookes of the New Testament are either 1 Historicall 2 Epistolicall or 3 Propheticall as further appears in the annexed Table ☞ I. HISTORICAL BOOKS THE HISTORICAL BOOKS of the New Testament are such a● containe principally matters of Fact though matters of Faith and Doctrine are also interwoven The Histories of the New Testament are I. Of Christ the head of the Church II. Of the Church of Christ his body The HISTORY OF JESUS CHRIST himselfe is contained in the Foure Evangelists wherein Christs Genealogy Nativity Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection and Ascension are described Matthew Mark Luke and Iohn are usually called by way of emphasis The foure Evangelists because they alone wrote the Evangelicall History of Iesus Christ. Matthew and Iohn were Apostles Matth. 10.23 Mark 3.18 19. Mark and Luke were though not Apostles yet holy Apostolicall men the Apostles disciples Companions and assistants in the work of the Ministry The generall and common Scope of these foure Histories and of the writing of them is that which Iohn expresseth in particular viz. That we might believe that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that beleeving we might have life through his name John 20.31 Particular ends and occasions may be noted in the particular considerations of them This one History of Iesus Christ is written by foure severall Penmen The Reasons thereof are worthy to be inquired into Ancient writers who much please themselves with the mysteriousnesse of Numbers have excogitated divers Some fetch a Reason from the foure Rivers of Paradise Origen Some from the foure rings of the Ark wherein the the Tables of the law were contained Hieronym Some from the foure chief Cardinall winds Iraen Advers Haeres l. 3. c. 11. Some thinke that the Gospel being to be dispersed to the whole world the world being divided into foure chiefe parts therefore there were foure-Evangelists and hence this History of Christ written by foure Evangelists is called Sancta Quadriga Domini i. e. The Lords chariot drawn of foure wherein Christ rides as in triumph throughout the world to spread abroad the sweet odour of his knowledge c. D. Aurel. Augustin de consensu Evangelistarum lib. 1. c. 5 6 7. Tom. 4. August Expos. in Evang. Ioan. Tract 36. Iraen quo supra Most accommodate that of the four living creatures Ezek 1.5 and Rev. 4.6 to the number of the Evangelists but severally Ambrose gives the Man to Matthew who begins with Christs pedigree The Lyon to Mark who begins his History of the Lyon-like ministry of Iohn Baptist that Evangelicall Elias Christs immediate forerunner The Calfe to Luke who begins his Gospel with the Nativity of Christ and that in a stable there being no room for him in the Inne and the Eagle to Iohn who in the beginning of his Gospel soares aloft to that