tumultuous and violent in all places. For all agree that
the Apostles were dispersed into several regions at once; and _Origen_ has
set down the time, [35] telling us that in the beginning of the _Judaic_
war, the Apostles and disciples of our Lord were scattered into all
nations; _Thomas_ into _Parthia_, _Andrew_ into _Scythia_, _John_ into
_Asia_, and _Peter_ first into _Asia_, where he preacht to the dispersion,
and thence into _Italy_. [36] _Dionysius Corinthius_ saith, that _Peter_
went from _Asia_ by _Corinth_ to _Rome_, and all antiquity agrees that
_Peter_ and _Paul_ were martyred there in the end of _Nero_'s reign. _Mark_
went with _Timothy_ to _Rome_, 2 _Tim._ iv. 11. _Colos._ iv. 10. _Sylvanus_
was _Paul_'s assistant; and by the companions of _Peter_, mentioned in his
first Epistle, we may know that he wrote from _Rome_; and the Antients
generally agree, that in this Epistle he understood _Rome_ by _Babylon_.
His second Epistle was writ to the same dispersed strangers with the first,
2 _Pet._ iii. 1. and therein he saith, that _Paul_ had writ of the same
things to them, and also in his other Epistles, _ver._ 15, 16. Now as there
is no Epistle of _Paul_ to these strangers besides that to the _Hebrews_,
so in this Epistle, chap. x. 11, 12. we find at large all those things
which _Peter_ had been speaking of, and here refers to; particularly the
_passing away of the old heavens and earth_, and _establishing an
inheritance immoveable_, with an exhortation to grace, because _God_, to
the wicked, _is a consuming fire_, Heb. xii. 25, 26, 28, 29.

Having determined the time of writing the _Apocalyse_, I need not say much
about the truth of it, since it was in such request with the first ages,
that many endeavoured to imitate it, by feigning _Apocalypses_ under the
Apostles names; and the Apostles themselves, as I have just now shewed,
studied it, and used its phrases; by which means the style of the Epistle
to the _Hebrews_ became more mystical than that of _Paul_'s other Epistles,
and the style of _John_'s Gospel more figurative and majestical than that
of the other Gospels. I do not apprehend that _Christ_ was called the word
of God in any book of the New Testament written before the _Apocalypse_;
and therefore am of opinion, the language was taken from this Prophecy, as
were also many other phrases in this Gospel, such as those of _Christ_'s
being _the light which enlightens the world, the lamb of God which taketh