diversities of Countries and Languages had made them so great strangers one to another and when some discontents had driven them into murmurings already 3. They that chose the seven are bidden to looke out among themselves men full of the holy Ghost which among the number of common beleevers was very hard if at all possible to find for wee cannot ever find that the holy Ghost had come downe upon any but the 120. And whereas they are required to bee of honest report and wisedome it doth not inferre that any of the 108. were otherwise but because there was difference of eminencies and excellencies among them Vers. 3. Seven men This number may seeme to referre to the seven nations of the westerne Jewes who had made the complaint Cappadocians Ponticks Asians Phrygians Pamphilians Romans and Cretans Sect. The office of Deacons 1. It was not ministeriall or for the preaching of the word but for providing for the 〈◊〉 for as the occasion of their election was complaint of the poore so the end of their choice was to provide for their reliefe It is true indeed that these seven men at the least two of them Stephen Philip were preachers of the Word as well as overseers of the poore but this their ministeriall function they had before their Deaconry and not with it For it is not onely the opinion of Epiphanius but even sense and reason do give their vote with him that these men were of the number of the Seventy or at the least of the 108. that had beene Christs constant followers and disciples and so had received their ministeriall function from Christ and not from the Apostles and it was not an addition to their Deaconry but their Deaconry to it For the Text telleth plainely that they were full of the holy Ghost before they received the imposition of hands and so had in all probabilitie yea indeed past deniall received the holy Ghost when the 120. did they being some of that number 2. Those tables for which the office of Deaconry was ordained were not holy Tables but common For 1. The twelve set an inconsistency betweene serving these Tables and preaching the Word Ver. 2. which they would never have done if serving of Tables had beene the attending upon the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 2. The serving of Tables that they meane they put over from themselves to the Deacons but none can thinke that they would ever resigne or give over the administring the Sacrament 3. There were Ministers enow already for the administration and attending upon the Sacrament and there needed no new ordination or office for it 3. The office of the Deacons was to take care of the poore according to their severall wants to gather and receive collections for them to distribute to them to oversee them and to minister to them in their necessities and therefore it is no wonder if the Apostles were so circumspect in their election and so observant in their ordination For these seven were to take this worke of the Apostles out of their hands and to dispose of the stock of the Church and upon whose care the support of the poore was to depend and their welfare upon their incorruption and then it is no marvell if they were chosen men of good report and they were to converse with varietie of languages and nations and therefore it was needfull they should bee full of the holy Ghost inabling them to converse with them in their divers tongues Vers. 5. Prochorus Sect. The booke of the life of Iohn the Evangelist under his name forged Of Prochorus Nicanor Timon and Parmenas there is no more mention in Scripture The book that beareth the name of Prochorus concerning the life miracles and assumption of Iohn the Evangelist doth justly beare this brand in its forehead as it stands in Biblioth Patr. Tom. 7. Historia haec Apocrypha est fabulosa indigna prorsus quae legatur The Author bewrayeth himselfe to bee a Romanist by the signe of the crosse and the locall descent cap. 3. by Linus and Domitian disputing about the comming of Christ and by Iohn Porâ—-Latin cap. 10. and by other visible signes although hee had thought he had put on a vizor sufficient to have hidden that when hee bringeth in Peter calling Iohn the prime Apostle even in the beginning of his first Chapter But that none may lose so much time as to read him over let him take a patterne of the rest of his pedlary ware out of the twentieth Chapter where hee bringeth in Iohn writing a letter to the devill that possessed a man and by that letter casting him out Sect. Nicolas a Proselyte of Antioch He is held to have been the author and occasion of the sect of the Nicolaitans Rev. 2.6.15 Iren. lib. 1. cap. 27. Euseb. hist. lib. 3. cap. 29. A sect that misconstrued the doctrine of Christian communitie and Christian libertie to all uncleanenesse and licentiousnesse but whether it began to bee so misconstrued by Nicolas himselfe or by some of his followers as the Sadduces abused a good doctrine of Sadoc to a damnable heresie it is difficult to determine and this is not the proper place to examine it Vers. 7. A great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith I cannot but wonder at the boldnesse of Beza in this place and indeed in hundreds of other places for hee doth rather suspect the truth and puritie of this Text then beleeve the story that so many Priests should beleeve And yet it seemeth among all his Greek copies there was not one that read otherwise Truely it is a daring that deserves castigation in him that when hee either understandeth not the perfect meaning of a place or findeth difficulty in it or hath fancied a sense contrary to it that hee should throw durt into the face of the Scripture and deny the puritie of the Greeke text before hee will ungive any thing of his owne groundlesse opinion Honorable is the memory of that man in the Church of God and his name as a sweet perfume among us but I would this his boldnesse which hee tooke to himselfe continually had not given so great occasion to Jewes and Papists to bark against the purity of the Text and the truth of the Gospel as it hath done Vers. 9. The Synagogue of the Libertines That is of Jewes that were freeborne as Paul Act. 22.28 viz. the sonnes of those Jewes that had obtained the Roman freedome Hee that from a slave or servant obtained manumission and libertie was called libertus and his child borne to him in this freedome was libertinus Vers. 15. His face as the face of an Angel Stephen is accused by the students of this Libertine Colledge of blasphemy against Moses and the Temple for preaching of the destruction of his ceremonies and of that place whereas he spake but what Moses and an Angel had foretold before Deut. 28. and 32. Dan. 9. and accordingly his face hath the
certaine of the Iews and hee killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword The first words About that time relate to what went before in the preceding Chapter vers 28. and meaneth in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. Now what should bee the incentive of the spleene of Agrippa against the Church it is not specified it may well bee supposed it proceeded from that his Ceremoniousnesse and strict observance of Mosaick Rites which is mentioned by Iosephus Concerning the Martyrdome of Iames under this his spleene wee will content our selves with the words of the Text He killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword accounting all other additionall circumstances which may bee found in officious Authors to bee nothing else but gilded legends and fond inventions As that mentioned by Eusebius out of Clemens his Hypotyposeâ—n concerning his accuser that seeing his constancy to the death confessed the faith and was martyred with him That by Epiphanius that hee lived and dyed a virgin and that by Surius who is the bell-weather for old winter tales that telleth That his body after his martyrdome was shipped by Ctesiphon and his fellow-Bishops for Spaine that the Ship in six dayes was directed thither without Pilot or Compasse but onely by the influence of the Corpse that it carryed That at the landing the body was taken up into the aire and carryed neare the place of its buriall twelve miles off That Ctesiphon and his fellows were led to it by an Angel And more such trash that it is but labour lost either to read or mention Sect. II. The Apostles Creed The Creed was made upon this occasion saith Rabanus Maurus as our Ancestors have delivered unto Vs. The Disciples after the Ascension of our Saviour being inflamed with the holy Ghost c. And being chaâ—ged by the Lord to goe to all Nations for the preaching of the Gospel when they are to part one from another they fiâ—st make a common platforme among themselves for their future preaching Lest being severed in place divers and different things should bee preached to those that were invited to the faith of Christ. Being therefore together in one place and filled with the holy Ghost they compose a short platforme for their preaching conferring together what they thought And this they appoint to bee given to them that beleeve and to bee called Symbolum Thus hee and very many others with him conceiving that the Apostles supplyed not onely the matter of the Doctrine contained in the Creed but the very forme and words also For Peter said say they I beleeve in God the Father Almighty John The maker of Heaven and Earth James And I beleeve in Iesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. Andrew Which was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Philip Suffered under Pontius-Pilate was crucified dead and buryed Thomas Hee descended into hell the third day hee rose againe from the dead Bartholomew Hee ascended into heaven sitteth at the right hand of God the father Almighty Matthew From thence shall he come to judge both the quicke and the dead James the sonne of Alpheus I beleeve in the holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church Simon Zelotes The communion of Saints the forgivenesse of sinnes Judas the brother of James The resurrection of the flesh Matthias The life everlâ—sting Amen Thus the hundred and fifteenth Sermon de Tempore that goeth under the name of Austen but apparent that it is noâ— his by this that here is â—eckoned the descent into hell which in his book de Fâ—de Symbolo is quite omitted Now were this tradition as true as it is punctuall it would readily plead for its owne place in Chronologie namely about this time at which wee now are before Iames his death for hee gave in his symbolum according to this tradition among the rest But that this opinion of the Apostles casting in every one his parcell is of no validity but a presumptuous and false surmise may bee evinced by these Arguments First Because the titlâ— of The Catholick Church is neither used in any of the Apostles writings nor is it likely that it came into use till after the Apostles dayes when the Church was dispersed into all parts of the earth Secondly because the Article Hee descended into hell is not owned or acknowledged at all by the Nicene Creed nor by any of the ancientest Fathers next the Apostles times in their reckoning up of the Articles of the Creed as see instances in abundance in Polanus his Syntagma lib. 6. cap. 21. Thirdly if the matter and words of the Creed had beene from the Apostles themselves why is it not then Canonicall Scripture as well as any of the sacred Writ Fourthly in the giving in of their severall symbols or parcellâ— after the manner opinionated before there is so great disproportion and inequality some giving so much and some so little that it maketh the contribution it selfe to bee very suspitious Fifthly the Summary Collection of the points of Christian religion taught by the Apostles and delivered by them to others to teach by consisteth of two heads faith and love 2 Tim. 1.13 But the Creed consisted of faith onely I rather thinke therefore saith Mr. Perkins that it is called the Apostles Creed because it doth summarily containe the chiefe and principall points of Religion handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles and because the points of the Creed are conformable and agreeable to their Doctrine and writings Sect. III. Traditions With their framing of the Creed before their parting hath Baronius joyned alâ—o their delivery of Traditions Sicut symbolo saith hee ita etiam aliis absque Scripturâ traditionibus Ecclesiae impertitis diviserunt sibi ad quas singuli proficiscerentur orbis terrae provincias Having thus imparted the Creed and also traditions without Scripture to the Church they parted among themselves what Countrey every one of them should goe unto These Traditions the Councell of Trent divideth into those which were received by the Apostles from the mouth of Christ or delivered from hand to hand from the Apostles to our times the holy Ghost dictating them unto them And these those Fathers hold of equall authority with the Scriptures and the Councell curseth them that shall willingly and knowingly contemn them And well doe they deserve it if they did but certainly and assuredly knâ—w that they came from such hands Bellarmine hath stretched the name and peece oâ— traditions to one tainterhook higher For Traditions saith he are Divine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Divine are those which were received from Christ himselfe teaching his Apostles and yet are not to bee found in the Scriptures such are those which concerne the matter and forme of the Sacraments Apostolicall are those which were instituted by the Apostles not without the assistance of the holy Ghost and yet are not to bee found in their Epistles Ecclesiasticall traditions are properly called
Claudius made Emperour 288. His demeanor at the beginning 289. In the Church The name of Christian first used 292. Among the Jewes The Therapeâ—â—â—â— 295. The affaires of the Iewes in Alexandria and Babylonia 298. The rebellion of some Iewes 300. Occurrences in the yeer of Christ XLIII Claudius II. In the Church A famine in Judea and all the world 305. Paul rapt into the third heavenâ— 305. Peter not this yeer at Rome 306. Among the Jewes Herod Agrippa his comming to Jerusalem 309. Imperiall acts in behalfe of the Iewes 310. Peter not imprisoned this second yeer of Claudius 310. In the Empire The Moors subdued 313. Claudius beginneth to bee cruell and his Empresse Messallina wicked 314. Occurrences of the yeer of Christ XLIIII Claudius III. In the Church The martyrdome of James the great 317. Concerning the Apostles Creed 318. Concerning Traditions 320. Peters imprisonment and delivery 322. In the Empire Some actions of Claudius 326. Messallina abominably wicked 327. An expedition into England 328. Among the Jews The fatall end of Herod Agrippa 230. In Pag. 48. at line 31. after these words Vers. 17. In the last dayes The dayes of the Gospel because there is no way of salvation to bee expected beyond the Gosspell whereas there was the Gospel beyond the Law and the Law beyond the light of the ages before it Adde yet is this most properly to be understood of those dayes of the Gospel that were before Ierusalem was destroyed And the phrase the last dayes used here and in divers other places is not to bee taken for the last dayes of the world but for the last dayes of Ierusalem the destruction of which and the rejection of the Jewes is reputed the end of that old world and the comming in of the Gentiles under the Gospel is as a new world and is accordingly called a new heaven and a new earth THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE JEWISH and the ROMAN OF The Yeare of Christ 33. And of Tiberius 18. Being the Yeare of the World 3960. And of the City of Rome 785. Consuls Cn. Domitius Aenobarbus Furius Camillus Scribonianus London Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke 1645. THE Acts of the Apostles CHAP. I. Vers. 1. The former Treatise have I made c. THE Syrian and Arabick render it The former booke have I written and so is the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in Heathen Authors not only for an oration by word of mouth but also for a Treatise or Discourse that is done in writing as might bee proved by many examples I shall only give one as parallel to the phrase that we have in hand as the Author himself is unparallel to our Evangelist in matter of truth and that is Lucian in his title of the first book of true History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the Evangelist at his entry into this History mentioneth the former Treatise of his Gospel because this Treatise of The Acts of the Apostles taketh at that and as that contained the life and doctrine of our Saviour himselfe so doth this the like of his Apostles And therefore the words immediately following Of all that Iesus began to doe may not unfitly bee interpreted to such a meaning that Iesus began and his Apostles finished though it is true indeed that in Scripture phrase to begin to do and to doe do sound to one and the same sense as Mat. 12.1 compared with Luke 6.1 Mark 6.2 compared with Mat. 13.54 c. Now the method that the Evangelist prescribes unto himself and followeth in this book is plainely this From the beginning of the Book to the end of the twelfth Chapter hee discourseth the state of the Church and Gospel among the Jews and from thence forward to the end of the Book hee doth the like of the same among the Gentiles and therefore accordingly although the title of the book bee the Acts of the Apostles as of the Apostles in generall yet doth hee more singularly set himself to follow the story of the two Apostles Peter and Paul Peters to the 13 Chapter and Pauls after because that these two were more peculiarly the fixed Ministers of the circumcision and of the uncircumcision Gal. 2.8 and so doth Moses intitle a reckoning of the heads of the Fathers houses of all the Tribes of Israel in generall Exod. 6.14 and yet hee fixeth at the Tribe of Levi and goeth no further because the subject of his Story lay especially in that Tribe in Moses and Aaron Sect. Of all that Iesus began to do and to teach Not that Luke wrote all things that Iesus did nor indeed could they bee written Iohn 21.25 but that 1. Hee wrote all those things that were necessary and not to bee omitted Theophylact and Calvin 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bee taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all for many as it is frequently done in Scripture 3. and chiefly that he wrote something of all the heads of Christs actions and doctrine for he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius Or 4. As the woman of Samaria saith that Christ had told her all things that ever shee did Joh. 4.29 whereas he told her but some few particulars but they were such as whereby she was convinced hee could tell her all So though Luke did not specifie all and every action and doctrine of Christ that ever hee did and taught yet did hee write of such as whereby it was most cleare that Christ was the Messias Vers. II. After that hee through the holy Ghost had given commandements to the Apostles whom hee had chosen There is some diversity in pointing and reading this Verse some take it in the order and posture that our English hath it applying the words through the holy Ghost to Christs giving commandements read it thus after he had given comandements through the holy Ghost and so doth the Vulgar Latine Theophylact Marlorat and indeed the pointing in the best Copies Others as the Syrian Arabick Beza with them conjoin it thus Giving commandements to the Apostles whom he had chosen by the holy Ghost Now in the maine thing it self there is not so much difference as to make any great scruple or matter how the words are pointed for Christ may as well bee said to command his Disciples by the holy Ghost as to chuse them by the holy Ghost and so è contra But it is materiall to consider First that it is more proper by farre to conceive Christ acting the holy Ghost upon the Disciples and that when they were called then his acting him in himselfe in calling them Secondly that there is no mention at all of such an acting of the holy Ghost in the Disciples choosing but there is expresly at their receiving their charge and therefore not onely the pointing of the Text and the consent of divers Copies Expositors and interpreters that read as our English doth but even the very thing it selfe
to bee shewed there where had been his great humiliation and that those that would not bee convinced by the resurrection might be convinced by this miraculous gift of the holy Ghost Vers. 6. They asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel This was and is the great delusion of that Nation unto this day and not a few Christians doe side with them in it supposing that at the Jews conversion they shall be brought home to Canaan there inhabit with Christ visibly among them Ierusalem built againe and their peace and prosperity so great as never the like and so constant as never interrupted To this tune spake the petition of Salome the wife of Zâ—bedee and Iames and Iohn her two sonnes Mat. 20.20 and the speech of Cleopas Luk. 24.21 And how common this Doctrine is among the Jewish Authors it is needlesse for it might bee endlesse to recite it is evidence enough in that wee see it the common and generall quaere of all the Disciples met together Christ since his resurrection had spoken to them of the things that concerned the kingdom of God and they finde belike that hee had passed a great Article of their beleef unspoken of about restoring the kingdome of Israel Our Saviour answers their curiosity with a check as he had done Peter Ioh. 21.22 diverts their thoughts to the more needfull consideration of the calling that he would set them about as in the next verse and sheweth that the kingdome of Christ which they mistooke should be a spirituall power which even just now was to begin and of this power he tells they should receive and dilate and carry on his Kingdom Sect. Certain Articles or positions tending to the confutation of the Iews in this point and the Millenaries that concur in many things with them 1. That the Book of Daniel speaketh nothing of the state of the Jews beyond the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus 2. That the Revelation intendeth not the stories and times that are written in Daniel but taketh at him and beginneth where Daniel left to discourse the state of the new Jerusalem when the old one was ruined 3. That the fourth Monarchy in Daniel is not Rome nor possibly can be Dan. 7.11 12. well weighed together 4. That the blasphemous horn in Dan. 7.8.25 c. is not Antichrist but Antiochus 5. That Antichrist shall not be destroyed before the calling of the Jews but shall persecute them when they are converted as well as he hath done the Church of the Christians And that the slaying of the two Prophets Rev. 11. aimeth at this very thing to shew that Antichrist shall persecute the Church of Jews and Gentiles when towards the end of the world they shall be knit together in profession of the Gospel 6. That the calling of the Jews shall be in the places of their residence among the Christians and their calling shall not cause them to change place but condition 7. That Ezekiels New Jerusalem is bigger in compass by many hundreds of miles then all the land of Canaan ever was in its utmost extent 8. That the earth was cursed from the beginning Gen. 3.17 and therefore Christs kingdome not to bee of the cursed earth Ioh. 18.36 9. That the kingdome everlasting that began after the destruction of the fourth beast Dan. 2.44 7.14.27 was the kingdom of Christ in the Gospel and began with the Gospel preached among the Gentiles 10. That the binding of Satan for a thousand years beginneth from the same date 11. That his binding up is not from persecuting the Church but from deceiving the Nations Rev. 20.3.8 12. That multitudes of those places of the Old Testament that are applyed by the Jews and Millenaries to the people of the Jews and their earthly prosperity doe purposely intend the Church of the Gentiles and their spirituall happinesse Vers. 8. But ye shall receive power after the holy Ghost is come upon you Sect. 1. How many of the Disciples were spectators of Christs ascension It is apparent by this Evangelist both in this place and in his Gospel that there were divers others that were spectators of this glorious sight beside the twelve For in the 14 verse he hath named both the women and the brethren of Christ which number of men in ver 15. he hath summed to 120. as we shal see there And so likewise in his Gospel Chap. 24. he hath so carryed the Story as that it appeareth by him that the beholders of his first appearing after his resurrection were also the beholders of his Ascension for at ver 33. he speaketh of the eleven and them that were with them and from thence forward hee hath applyed the story until the ascension indifferently to them all And this thing will bee one argument for us hereafter to prove that the whole hundred and twenty mentioned vers 15. of this Chapter received the Gift of tongues and not the eleven onely Vers. IX While they beheld he was taken up Sect. 1. The yeare of Christ at his Ascension The time of Christs conversing upon earth commeth into dispute viz. whether it were 32 years and an half or 33 and an half mainely upon the construction of this clause Luke 3.23 Iesus began to be about 30 yeares of age when he was baptized For though it bee agreed on that the time of his Ministery or from his Baptisme to his suffering was three yeares and an halfe yet is it controverted upon that Text whether to begin those from his entring upon his 30 yeare current or from finishing that year compleat The Text speaketh out for the former and in that it saith He began to bee thirty it denyeth his being thirty compleat and in that it saith he began to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thirty after a certain reckoning or as it were thirty it denyeth his drawing upon thirty compleat likewise For if hee were full thirty it were improper to say hee began to bee thirty and if hee were drawing on to full thirty then were it proper to have said he began to bee thirty indeed and not began to bee as it were thirty Therefore the manner of speech doth clearly teach us to reckon that Iesus was now nine and twenty years old compleat and was just entring upon his thirtyeth yeare when hee was baptized and so doth it follow without any great scruple that hee was crucified rose againe and ascended when hee was now thirty two yeares and an half old compleate which we must write his thirty third yeare current Sect. 2. The age of the world at our Saviours death resurrection and ascension Wee have shewed elsewhere that these great things of our Saviours suffering and exaltation came to passe in the yeare of the world 3960. then halfe passed or being about the middle It will bee needlesse to spend time to prove and confirme it here The summing up these severall summes which were as so many
Under this doome fell Flaccus one of the first in the Tyrants thoughts because one of the first in his displeasure Executioners are sent for his dispatch whose errand hee knew as soon as hee saw them and from them he flies as soone as hee knew them But it is in vain to flee and it is too late for they and vengeance have soon over taken him and with many wounds have put him to death Sect. VI. The Embassadors of the Alexandrian Iewes before the Emperour The miseries of the Alexandrian Iewes could finde no remedy while the source from whence they flowed was not stopped but overflowed them continually The well-head of this their mischief was double The spitefull counsell that was given the Emperor against them by others and the endlesse rancour that he bare to them himself To stop the current and inundation of the calamity that overwhelmed them continually from these to puddle springs they can find no better or more feasable meanes and way then to send some men of their owne Nation to Rome to atone intercede mediate for them Wee left them upon their journey the last yeare three in number as saith Iosephus but five as Philo who was one of them himselfe and now let us trace them to Rome and see how they speed Their first sight of the Emperour was in Campus Martius who saluted them friendly and promised to give them hearing with a great deale of speed and it was hoped by the most of them with a great deale of favour but it proved farre otherwise For he shortly went out of the City down to Puteoli by the sea and they follow him thither There they first heare the tydings of the state of Iudea under Petronius and of Cesars Image that was preparing From Puteoli they follow him to Rome againe and there being admitted to audience hee with a terrible and grinning countenance first asked them What are you that people that of all others scorne my Deity but had rather worship your namelesse God and then scornfully lifting his hands up to Heaven hee named the name Iehovah At this all the company of the malignant party rejoyced as accounting they had got the day But when the Iewes began to excuse and answer for themselves hee flung away and fisked from room to room they following him all this while At last after some chiding at somewhat that hee disliked in the rooms and appointing how hee would have it mended hee asked them How comes it to passe that you forbeare to eate Swines flesh Here the company laughed out againe and as the Iewes began to answer hee angerly interposed thus I would faine know what are those priviledges of your City that you challenge When they began to speake hee fisked away into another roome Shortly hee commeth to them againe in a milder manner And now saith hee what say you And when they began to lay open their matter to him away flings hee into another roome againe At last comming againe more mildly still These men seeme to mee saith hee not so evill as miserable which cannot bee perswaded that I am a God And so hee bad them to depart And thus concluded this great scene of expectation for ought that wee can find further in Philo. But whether this was the very end of the matter or it proceeded further but that the relation of it is failing in Philo is hard to decide It seemeth by him that this was the end of their conference with the Tyrant but it appeareth withall that they presented him with some Palinodia or recantation which is perished and gone Eusebius speaketh of five Bookes written by Philo about the calamities of the Iewes and the madnesse of Caius whereof wee have but two extant at this time that against Flaccus and that about the Ambassy to Caius and the other three seeme to bee the Palinodia or it to bee some part of them Sect. VII Apion Among the five or three Ambassadors of a side as Iosephus and Philo differ in their number the most renowned in their contrary and differing kindes were Apion the Greeke and Philo the Iew the others are wholly namelesse and their memory exstinct but these two have left a perpetuation of theirs behind them by their writings Apion was an Egyptian born in the utmost borders thereof in a place called Oasis but fained himselfe for an Alexandrian A man given to the Grecian studies of Philosophy but with more vainglory then solidity Hee not contented to have been a personall accuser of the Jewes to Caius in that their Ambassy wrote also bitterly against them in his Egyptian History to disgrace them to posterity Of which Iosephus that wrote two bookes in answer of him giveth this censure That some things that hee had written were like to what others had written before other things very cold some câ—lumnious and some very unlearned And the end and death of this black-mouthed railer hee describeth thus To mee it seemeth that hee was justly punished for his blasphemies even against his owne Countrey lawes for hee was circumcised of necessity having an ulcer about his privities and being nothing helped by the cutting or circumcising but putrifying with miserable paines hee dyed Contr. Apion lib. 2. Sect. VIII Philo the Iew. Philo was a Jew by Nation an Alexandrian by birth by line of the kindred of the Priests and by family the brother of Alexander Alabarcha His education was in learning and that mixed according to his originall and residence of the Jewes and of the Greekes his proofe was according to his education versed in the learning of both the Nations and not inferiour to the most learned in either From this mixture of his knowledge proceeded the quaintnesse of his stile and writing explaining Divinity by Philosophy or rather forcing Philosophy out of Divinity that hee spoyled the one and did not much mend the other Hence his Allegories which did not onely obâ—cure the cleare Text but also much soile the Theologie of succeeding times His language is sweet smooth and easie and Athens it selfe is not more elegant and Athenian For attaining to the Greeke in Alexandria partly naturally that being a Grecian City and partly by studie as not native Grecians used to doe hee by a mixture of these two together came to the very Apex and perfection of the language in copiousnesse of words and in choice His stile is alwayes fluent and indeed often to superfluity dilating his expressions sometimes so copious that hee is rather prodigall of words then liberall and sheweth what hee could say if the cause required by saying so much when there is little or no cause at all And to give him his character for this in short Hee is more a Philosopher then a scripture man in heart and more a Rhetorician then a Philosopher in tongue His manner of writing is more ingenious then solid and seemeth rather to draw the subject whereon hee writeth whither his fancy pleaseth then to
some Hee was now about fiftie yeers of age when he began to reigne at the very ripenesse of all the discretion he had but that it was often blasted with fearefulnes drunkennes wicked counsell When he was set quietly in the Throne the first thing hee did was to get the two dayes in which the agitation was about the change of the government quite out of memory and for that end hee made an act of oblivion of all things that had passed either in words or actions of all that time yet had hee not wrought his owne securitie so farre but that hee caused all that came neere him to bee searched for weapons and while hee sate at any meale hee had a strong guard about him For the motion that had beene so lately and so strongly carried for the abolition of monarchy and the other which proposed others thereto when Monarchy was agreed upon and would have excluded him had taken such an impression upon him that hee reputed no safety in his holding of the royaltie but by that strong hand and power by which hee had gotten it Yet tryed hee faire and gentle dealing though hee durst not trust it Those from whom hee had received any affront in the dayes of Tiberius and Caligula for sometimes in those dayes to abuse Claudius was to curry favour hee freely pardoned if hee found them guilty of no other crime but if hee did he paid them then for all together The unjust fines of Caius hee remitted his illegall decrees hee revoked his innocents imprisoned hee released and his causelesse banished hee called home The poisons which he had prepared for the Nobles and a list of their names for whom they were prepared being found in the Palace though Caius had pretended to have burnt them hee shewed publikely to the Senate and then burnt them indeed Hee forbad any one to adore him or to sacrifice to him hee restrained the great and loud acclamations that were used to bee made to the Emperour and carried himselfe with such sweetnesse and moderation that happy had the Republique beene in the continuance of the Monarchy had hee been so happy as to have continued in this his fiâ—st demeanure But his wicked Empresse Messallina and her wicked consorts first provoked him to mischief and his too much delight in the bloody sports did by degrees habituate him unto cruelty Hee had recalled Iulia and Agrippina the two sisters of Caius out of banishment whither they had been sent by their owne brother after hee had defloured them and hee restored them to their estates and revenues againe But Messallina stomacking that Iulia did her not honour and homage enough and envying her beauty and being jealous of her privacy with Claudius shee caused her to bee banished againe and in a short time she compassed her death These were but ominous beginnings when Caesars love to his owne neece was cause enough to worke her ruine but was not strong enough to stand betweene her and the fury of his owne wife And it did but fatally presage what mischiefe her wretched counsells would worke the cowardize and indiscretion of her husband to when their first effect was upon one so neere allied Nor did crueltie and bloodinesse enter thus onely in at his eares by the suggestion of his cursed wife but the like it did also at his eyes by his frequent and delightsome beholding of the bloody sports that growing by degrees to bee his delight to act which had grown by degrees also to bee his delight to see Sometimes beasts with beasts as twelve Camels and Horses at one time and 300. Beares and 300. African wild beasts at the same sometimes beasts with men and sometimes men with men and at all times hideous bloodshed that hee that can looke upon such barbarousnesse and slaughter with content it may bee suspected that hee in time will grow to act the like with the same delight PART II. ACTS XI Vers. 26. And the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch Sect. I. The name of Christian. THe Jewes and Gentiles being now since the calling of Cornelius knit up together into one Church they are this yeere tyed up into the rofie and glorious knot of the same name and Epithet the name of Christian A new name which the Lord himselfe did give them as wee may well understand that prophesie Esa. 65.15 that the two distinguishing names of Jewes and Heathen might no more continue the ancient distance that was betwixt them but that that and all differences arising there from might bee buried under this sweet and lovely denomination given equally to them both The current of the story hitherto hath fairely and plainely led this occurrence to this yeare as the reader himselfe will confesse upon the trace of the history and hee will bee confirmed in it when hee seeth the next yeer following to bee the yeer of the famine which next followeth in relation in St. Luke to this that wee have in hand Act. 11.26 27 28. By what names the Professors of the Gospel were called before this time it is plaine in Scripture Among themselves they were called Disciples Beleevers The Church Devout men Brethren But among the unbeleeving Jewes by this sole common and scornefull title of The sect of the Nazarites Epiphanius hath found out a strange name for them not to be found elsewhere nor to be warranted any where and that is the name of Iessaeans Before they were called Christians saith hee they were called Iessaei either from Iesse the father of David from whom the Virgin Mary and Christ by her descended or from Iesu the proper name of our Saviour Which thou shalt find in the books of Philo namely in that which hee wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which treating of their Policy Praises and monasteries which are about the Marish Marian commonly called Mareotis hee speaketh of none others then of Christians Of the same opinion in regard of the men themselves are divers others both the Fathers and later writers though they differ in regard of the name No Romanist but hee takes it for granted that Philo in that book that is meant by Epiphanius though hee either title it not right or else couch two bookes under one title speaketh of Christian Monkes and from thence who of them doth not plead the antiquitie of a Monastick life so confidently that hee shall bee but laughed to scorne among them that shall deny it They build indeed upon the Ipse Dixit of some of the Fathers to the same purpose besides the likenesse of those men in Philo to the Romish Monkes that such a thing as this is not altogether to bee passed over but something to bee examined since it seemeth to carry in it selfe so great antiquitie and weightinesse Eusebius therefore in his Ecclesiasticall History delivereth such a matter as tradition They say saith hee that Marke being first sent into Egypt preached the