"BLESSED IS HE THAT READETH, AND THEY THAT HEAR THE WORDS OF "MEN OF ISRAEL, CHILDREN OF THE STOCK OF ABRAHAM, AND WHOSOEVER LONDON: WILLIAM MACINTOSH, 24, PATERNOSTER ROW. WILLIAM MALLALIEU & CO., 97, HATTON GARDEN. CONTENTS. PAGE N.B.-It is proposed to publish a SUPPLEMENT of matters in con- PREFACE. THE Evangelist Luke, in his introduction to the Gospel, says, "Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us; it seemed good to me also." And thus, although not himself an eye-witness, or an Apostle, as Matthew and John, he has given to the Church a treasure of knowledge, "of all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up :" in which, however wanting the exact chronological arrangement of Matthew, he has gathered up and preserved many precious fragments of Gospel history which would otherwise have been lost; and his version of the Gospel is a most important addition and adjunct to those of the other Evangelists. He and they however write as historians, of matters of fact and history, as testified by faithful "eye-witnesses and ministers of the word;" and their united testimony, in perfect harmony, make up the one Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But in this book of the Apocalypse, or Revelation of Saint John, we have matters, not only of history, but of prophecy ; not only Epistles, on subjects which in their time were called "things which are," but also of prophecy, of "things to come;" and many writers on this book, however agreeing. on the first part of it, or even on the prophecy as far as already |