there Luke 10.7 1 Cor. 9.14 1 Tim. 5.17 18. 36. He kneeled down and prayed It is a great sign of submission to God and reverence towards him that one who prayeth should kneel Solomon prayed fervently with bended knees Also Daniel Dan. 1 Kings 8.52 2 Chron. 6.13 6.10 And Jesus Christ Luke 22.41 and Stephen above Ch. 7.60 and Peter above Ch. 9.4 and Paul here and below Ch. 21.5 and Ephes 3.14 But that to pray standing was the most commonly received custom among the Jews is clear by that in Nehemiah Ch. 9.5 the People are commanded to stand at Prayer and Gen. 18.22 where it is in the Hebrew Abraham stood before God the Chaldean renders it Prayed Neither is the Verb Standing otherwise used in Jerem. 15.1.18.20 and Job 30.20 So Mark 11.25 when ye stand praying And Luke 18.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed See our literal explanation Matth. 6.5 With them all To wit With the Elders or Bishops of the Church of Ephesus whom he sent for from Ephesus to Miletus to instruct them with wholsome admonitions Above v. 21. Doubtless among other things Paul in this Prayer to God prayed for Divine assistance that he would help the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to perform these things of which he admonished them 37. And they all wept sore To shew their sorrow for his future absence And fell on Pauls neck and kissed him As a token of their affection to him 38. Sorrowing most of all for the Words c. As much as to say They were affected with grief that they could scarcely be comforted for that discourse of Paul's by which he cut them off from all hopes of ever seeing him from that time And they accompanyed him unto the Ship That they might see him and speak to him as long as they could CHAP. XXI 1. ANd it came to pass after we had lanched I Luke and Paul and the rest of his Companions in his Journey were carried forth in the Ship Having gotten from them Either simply parted as Luke 22.41 or as it were forcibly taken from our Friends the Elders of the Church of Ephesus We came with a straight course unto Coos Cous or Coos or by a Synaeresis as Eustath will have it Cos is an Island in the Aegean Sea On Il. B. v. 667. on the Confines of Caria as Pomponius Mela affirms L. 2. C. 7. Its Inhabitants were anciently called Meropes and the Island it self Meropis as saith Stephen It became Famous by the Birth of Apelle In Merops that most excellent Painter Whence he is called by Ovid Art Am. L. 3. Coan It was yet further nobilitatee by being the Native soyl of that Divine old Man so do the Physicians call Hippocrates on whom there is extant a Distich singular for its Antistrophe Florileg var. Epigr. l. 1. c. 39. Pliny reports that Greece instituted Honours to this Prince of Physicians equal to those of Hercules In this Island was that Famous Temple of Esculapius as also that of Juno of whose Ornaments Theodorus wrote as Vitrurius declares Lib. 1. The Islanders were very eloquent hence the Proverb a Chian will not suffer a Coan to speak is applyed to those who being like the Chians addicted to prating with their talkativeness hinder others that are eloquent in their Speech from speaking The finest apparel which was wont to be made of Silk for the Ornament of Women but not that which is consistent with modesty is said to have come first from this Island and they were called substantively in the Latin Coa De Art Am. L. 3. Horat. Sat. l. 1. Sat. 2. v. 109. Hist An. l. 6. in the Plural Number Aristotle saith that Pamphila the Daughter of Latous of the same Island was the Inventrix of these Garments The reason why they were invented was Plin. l. 11. c. 22. that Women might be as little covered with their Garments as if they were naked Chap. 23. To which Tibull seems to allude And Pliny in the aforesaid Book saith Nor were Men ashamed to make use of these Garments by reason of their lightness in Summer So far are they from wearing Armour that their very Cloaths are a burthen to them At this day this Island is called Lango And the following day unto Rhodes A most Famous Island which according to Ptolomy lib. 5.2 is situated betwixt Icaria and Lycia It was Renowned for these Cities Lindus Camirus and Rhodes as Pliny relates lib. 5.31 in which the day is never so Cloudy but the Sun shines bright some hour or other of it Hor. Car. l. 1. Od. 7. Lucan Pharsal 8. witness the same Pliny lib. 2.62 whence the Poets called it bright Rhode was of old very rich in Shipping as appears by Strabo Its Inhabitants built Parthenope Lib. 14. i. e. Naples among the Opici and Rhoda in Spain They first taught the Spanish Mariners to make Ropes and Maps very useful for Man they also first imported into Spain Money beaten out of Brass as Strabo in the forecited Book and Mariana testifie De reb Hisp l. 1. c. 14. Rhodes was beautified with 100 Colossi one of which was reckoned among the seven wonders of the World Now these Colossi were Piles of Statues exactly devised equal to Towers for which cause as many are of opinion the Rhodians were called Colossians to whom the Epistle of St. Paul was written entituled to the Colossians Rhodes has been subject to several vicissitudes after this it was subject to the Romans the Sarazens took it in the year of our Lord 615. The Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem recovered it in the year 1308. and kept it till the year 1602. In which year Solyman the Second defeated them and retook it In lieu whereof Charles fifth Emperor gave the Knights of St. John the Island of Malta whence they are commonly called the Knights of Malta And from thence unto Patara A City of Lycia according to Hecataeus in his Asia which still retains its name Geog. Asiae Com. 1. as Niger affirms describing the situation of Lycia and as he says not far from the Sea where there is a Sea-Port-Town eleven Miles distant from it named Phoenix very dangerous by reason of the rocks hanging out from the Mountain Taurus It was first called Sataros as Pliny relates afterwards by Ptolomaeus Philadelphus L. 5. C. 27. after he had enlarged it it was named Arsinoe of Lycia in honour of his Wife but the name it had from the beginning prevailed saith Strabo From this City Apollo had the Epithet of Pataraean Lib. 14. for that in the Winter half year Ad. Aeneid l. 9. v. 143. Vide Horat. 3. Car. Od. 4. he gave Responses here as he did at Delos in the Summer according to Servius His Temple made Patara a City of great note being of equal esteem with that at Delphos both for its Riches and Veracity of
sense the same active verb here used is put Mat. 28.19 and its passive Mat. 27.57 They returned again to Lystra Where a little before Paul was assaulted with stones And to Iconium Whence above v. 5 6. they fled for fear of danger And Antioch Of Pisidia whence they were expelled above chap. 13.50 22. Confirming Gregory the great saith excellently lib. 31. Mor. in Job c. 15. Behold Paul was overwhelmed with stones yet he is not removed from preaching the truth He may be killed but he cannot be overcome He is cast out of the City as dead but he is found another day within the City an unhurt preacher of the Gospel O how strong is infirmity within this man O how conquering his torment O how masterly is his patience By the repulse he is stirred up to dispute by stroaks he is raised up to preach the Gospel he is refreshed by his torment to drive away the wearisomness of his labour Through much tribulation c. As much as to say Whoever enters into the Kingdom of God or labours to live according to the Gospel stirreth up the worlds hatred against himself therefore must lie in the way of many yea grievous vexations Which appeared in the Author of this way of living even the Lord Jesus Christ himself who foretold that the same should befall his followers Mat. 10.17 18.23.34 Joh. 16.33.17.14 23. And when they had ordained Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when with swetched out hands they had ordained or chosen by votes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth to choose with the hand stretched forth When Assemblies for choosing of Magistrates were to be kept they appointed one whom they thought the most fit for that Dignity and having produced him upon the Theatre his name was proclaimed by a Cryer and it was said to whomsoever this seems good or pleaseth let him lift up his hand and then such as approved of the Election by lifting up their hands testified that the man Elected seemed to them a fit man to bear the Office of a Magistrate but they who disapproved it kept in their hand which Party soever had the greater number had the Election decreed accordingly Hence came that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he who became Magistrate by such suffrages was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Elias the Cretian doth testify upon Gregory Nazianzen Orat. 3. and Zonaras upon the Canons of the Apostles teacheth us that first the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did signify the suffrages but afterwards the Ancient Rites being abolished was used for Consecration In this sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken 2 Cor. 8.19 Elders Famous Frederick Spanhemius in his Isagogick Epitome to the History of the New Testament The Bishops saith he which were ordained in every Church were so called from the care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of overseeing as the same are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders from their age gravity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastors from their Office of feeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctors Ministers from their Office of teaching ministring to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set over Governors from their right to govern Compare below ch 15.2 4 6.20.17 28. Tit. 1.5 7. 1 Thes 5.12 Irenaeus in his Epistle to Victor Bishop of Rome in Eusebius lib. 5. hist Eccl. ch 26. The Elders who before Soter governed the Church that you now govern were I say Anicetus Pius Hyginus Telespore Sixtus Irenaeus calls them Elders every where whom others do frequently call Bishops to whom he attributes the government of the Church of Rome Also Victor himself in an Epistle under his name to an unknown Desiderius Bishop of Vienna in France expresseth himself thus As thy fraternity hath been taught by the Elders who did see the Apostles in the flesh and who governed the Church until thy time And had prayed with fasting See what we have said above ch 13.3 They commended them to the Lord. To wit To be protected 24. And after they had passed through Pisidia See what we have said above ch 13.14 They came to Pamphylia See our Commentary above ch 2.10 25. And when they had preached the Word in Perga As much as to say And when they had preached Christs Gospel in Perga of which City see our Notes ch 13.13 They went down into Attalia The City Attalia having its name from Attalus Philadelphus its builder is by Strabo mentioned among the Cities of Pamphylia Geog. l. 14. 26. And thence sailed to Antioch The Metropolis of Syria Whence they had been recommended to the grace of God c. As much as to say Whence having gone forth to preach the Gospel they were recommended to God by the prayers of the Church that he would put forth his grace to advance the labors of the Apostles of the Gentiles whom himself had appointed See above ch 13.3 27. Had gathered the Church together Of Christians dwelling at Antioch They rehearsed Even as such who return from an Ambassage use to give an account of what they have done All that God had done with them An Hebraism the meaning whereof is all that God did to them To wit What grace he conferred upon them how great help and strength was present with them in converting men and working miracles 28. And there they abode long time To wit At Antioch With the Disciples That is Christians See what we said above ch 11.26 CHAP. XV. 1. AND. That is then at that time Certain men Of the Jews professing Christianity whose Ring-leader herein Philastrius and Epiphanius say was Cerinthus De Haeres c. 87. Here 's 28. a Disciple of Simon Magus and of Carpocrates Which came down from Judaea viz. To Antioch the Metropolis of Syria These Persons the Apostle Paul Gal. 2. v. 4. calls in the Greek Text Irreptitious false Brethren that is false Brethren brought in unawares and who came in privily to spy out the Liberty of the Church Taught the Brethren To wit Those of the Gentiles which were converted to Christ Except ye be Circumcised after the manner of Moses That is according to the Rite prescribed by God to Abraham which Moses describes Gen. 17. v. 10. And again Commands Lev. 12. v. 3. Some Books here have it Except ye be Circumcised and walk after the manner of Moses So that other Ceremonial Laws of Moses might be understood to be added to which they bind themselves whoever they be that are Circumcised to obey the Law of Moses See Gal. 5.3 Ye cannot be saved That is obtain Eternal Salvation 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas Who had rightly instructed the Gentile Converts in the Doctrine of Christian Liberty and taught that they were not bound to Circumcise themselves Had no small Dissension and Disputation with them To wit those rigid Persons who burning with too great a Zeal for the Ceremonial Mosaical Laws contended that Christians were not freed by Christ
from that too grievous Yoke They determined Viz. The Christians of Antioch That Paul and Barnabas Who were as one Party in this Controversie 'T is credible that Paul when it was thus decreed by the Church of Antioch that he should go to Jerusalem was admonished by Revelation that he should altogether do what the Church had appointed For Paul Gal. 2.2 speaking of this his Journey saith That he went up to Jerusalem by Revelation And certain others of them That is of them who urged the Necessity of Circumcision Concerning which matter the Jews themselves were not altogether agreed Joseph 20. Antiq 2. For when Izates King of the Adjabenes being instructed in the Religion of the Jews by one Ananias thought he could not be a perfect Jew unless he were Circumcised his Tutor disswaded him therefrom saying That he might without Circumcision piously worship God if he zealously embraced and followed the Jewish Institutions For therein did Religion consist rather than in Circumcision But yet the same King a while afterwards by the advice of another Jew named Eleazar whom Josephus reports to have been famous for his Skill in the Law did cause himself to be Circumcised Likewise Tryphon the Jew in Justin Martyr does not exclude the Uncircumcised from all Hopes saying If thou continue in the Course of Philosophy and a blameless Life there remains an hope of the better Portion And this favourable Opinion seems to be received amongst the Jews at this day as may be gathered from Menasseh ben Israel De Resurrect l. 2. cap. 9. De Capit. fidei cap. 24. yet Isaac Abrabanel approves the Tradition of the Ancients in these Words Whoever is not Circumcised shall inherit Hell 'T is certain the Jews that lived whilst yet their state was flourishing had more rigid Sentiments in this matter than those whom the sense of Calamities hath since humbled and rendred less apt to Censure For these dare not deny all participation of Bliss to the Gentiles in the Life to come tho still they esteem that they shall be as much more happy than all other People as the Gibeonites of old were inferiour to them in the Land of Canaan whence arose their murmuring against Christ when in the Parable Matt. 20. he seemed to equal the Gentiles with them To the Apostles Those who had daily lived with our Lord Jesus and followed him as his Domesticks whom he was pleased to make Witnesses of his Resurrection and to send them through all the World to preach the Gospel to whose number Paul was afterwards added being called to that Office by Christ after his Ascension as before Cap. 9. So that he was inferiour in no respect to any of them Gal. 2.9 Some add also Barnabas as one of the Apostles from the foregoing Chapter v. 13. The Apostles saith Spanhemius had an equal Dignity and their cure was universal In Epitom Isagogica ad Histor N. Test not of one Church only but of all Matth. 28.19 2 Cor. 11.28 So that Apostles are no more to be reckoned in the Order of Bishops of a particular Church than the Pretorian Prefects or Vicar Generals of old in the Rank of Governours of one City or Province And Elders In the Apostles Age there were Presbyteries or Colledges of Bishops or Presbyters in every Church who saith the same Spanhemius had the Administration and Guidance thereof in Common to wit ordinarily of which Presbyters as there were then distinct Gifts some gave themselves more to the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.17 Others to Government and Discipline Rom. 12.8 1 Cor. 12.28 About this Question That is to consult them whether Circumcision of the Foreskin were necessary to the attainment of Eternal Salvation 3. Being brought on their way by the Church That is Paul and Barnabas and the rest of the Deputies of the Church of Antioch to Jerusalem accompanied by the Antiochean Brethren some small part of their Journey As afterwards Ca. 20. v. 38. Ca. 21. v. 15. They passed through Phoenice and Samaria In which there already dwelt some Christians see before Ch. 8. v. 5. and 14. And Ch. 11. v. 19. Declaring the Conversion of the Gentiles That is that very many of the Gentiles in divers places by their Preaching which God had been pleased divinely to assist were converted to the Faith of Christ And they caused great Joy unto all the Brethren This tidings of such Numbers of the Gentiles converted caused the faithful much to rejoyce 4. Received of the Church and of the Apostles and of the Elders That is they were welcomely received as well by the Christians in general that dwelt at Jerusalem as particularly by the Apostles and by the Elders or proper Pastors of the Jerusalem-Christians 5. But there rose up c. These are the Words of Luke willing to signifie unto us that there were some Pharisees at Jerusalem who believed in Christ that sided with those that moved this Debate at Antioch and urged that the Gentiles converted to Christ ought to be Circumcised For those men whose Sect had hitherto been the Chief in the Jewish Religion seem to have reckoned that they were to be uppermost too in the Christian Church and their Opinions to prevail above the rest But others conscious of their own Liberty gave not place to them for an hour Gal. 2.5 Of the Sect of the Pharisees In Greek it is of the Heresie of the Pharisees for that Word of old was of a middle signification and sometimes used in good sometimes in evil part whence Paul afterwards Ch. 26.5 calls Pharisaisme the most exquisite or strictest Heresie of the Judaical Religion Nay he gives Christianity it self the same title Ch. 24.14 That it was needful to Circumcise them Those Zealots that would have subjected the Gentiles to the Yoke of the Ceremonial Law did chiefly press Circumcision because they knew that That being once received there could afterwards nothing hinder their being obliged to the other Legal Ceremonies for there was nothing that did more keep men of riper years from Judaism than the fear of Circumcision Besides whoever did take that upon them did bind themselves to the observation of the whole Law Gal. 5.3 To keep the Law of Moses Viz. The Ceremonial as a Condition of obtaining Salvation for here was no Controversie moved touching Moral Works necessary to Salvation 6. And the Apostles came together Whether all the Apostles were then at Jerusalem or only some of them and who is hard to say For 't is certain saith the incomparable Curcellaeus That the Apostles did remain there a pretty while after the Receiving of the Holy Ghost nor did they it seems depart thence before the Persecution stirred up at the Death of Stephen the first Martyr For all the Twelve were yet at Jerusalem when the Choice was made of the seven Deacons Acts 6.2 yet in that grievous Persecution they did not presently remove Acts 8.1 But amongst the Ancients there is a constant Fame
that the Apostles did not long after continue their Residence there but divided the Parts of the World between them by Lot in which each of them should repair to preach the Gospel Concerning which may be consulted Origen on Genesis and Eucherius of L on s who write that the East fell to Thomas and Bartholomew The South to Simon and Matthew The North to Philip and Thaddeus The Midland Regions to Matthias and James surnamed the Just The Provinces of the Mediterranean Sea to John and Andrew The West to Peter and James the Son of Zebedee but all the World alike to Paul whence in some Calendars of the Roman Church the separation of the Apostles is celebrated on the Fifteenth of July But as to the year when the same happened there is almost every where a total silence There is another Division of their Work made amongst the Apostles mentioned Gal. 2. v. 7. viz. how the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed to Paul and that of the Circumcision to Peter but that relates not to this place This Council at Jerusalem seems to have been holden after that first separation of the Apostles and that there were then no more Apostles residing in that City but Peter and James who also alone are read to have delivered their Sentence in that Council Although I think we ought to add unto them John who is mentioned Gal. 2.9 For that which Paul says there v. 1. that he after fourteen years went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking also Titus with them appears by the Circumstances which he there recounts to be meant of this Journey which he made thither that he might be present at this Council whereof we are treating So that at least four Apostles appeared there Peter James John and Paul besides those Apostolical Preachers Barnabas Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas of whom we find mention Acts 15.22 As also Titus as appears Gal. 2.2 and other famous men of whom consisted the Church at Jerusalem So that there never was a more eminent Convention than this unless when the Apostles were all present Thus Curcellaeus Others conceive all the Twelve Apostles were here actually present and that the distribution of the Provinces of the World which the Ancients speak of was made afterwards amongst the Apostles when the Gentiles all abroad began to flock into the Church And Elders Who are elsewhere called Bishops Presbyters or Elders and Bishops were then the same see what is said before on Verse the second But in this Council besides the Apostles and Presbyters of Jerusalem there were present other Members of the Church viz. meer Brethren as we find afterwards v. 22. and 23. 7. And when there had been much disputing On both sides Peter rose up To make an Oration to the Synod And said to them That is to all the Christians of what Calling or Condition soever that were present in the Synod Men Brethren So Peter calls not only the Apostles and Elders but all other Christians present in the Council being so taught by Christ Matth. 23.8 Ye know that a good while ago According to the Greek from the ancient or first days The famous Lightfoot doubts not but in these Words Peter had respect to what Christ said to him Matth. 16.19 I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven which is as he the said Lightfoot Interprets it Thou first shalt open the Door of Faith to the Gentiles Then the Lord chose him that by his mouth the Gentiles might first hear the Word of the Gospel and Believe And this he says was done a good while ago or in the first days that is as he speaks before in the first Ch. v. 21. in the time when the Lord went out and in among us which time is expressed Luke 1.2 by these Words from the beginning Among us Who of the Circumcision believed in Christ That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear To wit first 8. And God who knoweth the hearts c. As if he should say Which when I performed God the searcher of hearts witnessed by a manifest Sign that he had adopted the uncircumcised Gentiles that embraced the Faith of Christ communicating to them the same Gifts of the Holy Spirit which he hath imparted to us who are Believers Circumcised 'T is plain Peter here respects the History of the Conversion of Cornelius by his Ministry set forth at large in the tenth and eleventh Chapters In Diatrib de Esu Sang. Between the Conversion of Cornelius the Centurion saith Curcellaeus and this Council of Jerusalem about twenty years as most Chronologers acknowledge were elapsed and 't is very strange that in so long a space after God by that most illustrious Example had manifested his Will to admit the uncircumcised into his Church and to partake of all Spiritual Blessings yet the Opinion that Circumcision was still necessary to please God would not be rooted out of the hearts of the believing Jews But the Reverence of those Rites of the Law as being divinely instituted had made such Impression on their Minds that it was not easie presently to remove them and to convince them of the Liberty purchased for us by the Blood of Christ For even after this celebrated Council the same Opinion seems to have remained in many of the Church of Jerusalem as appears Acts 21.20 and other Monuments of Ecclesiastical History particularly in Sulpitius Severus who in the second Book of his Sacred History treating of the Emperour Hadrian saith That then almost all did believe Christ to be God under the Observation of the Law Purifying their Hearts by Faith That is when he had cleansed the Minds of these uncircumcised Gentiles from the sins wherewith they were defiled by a lively Faith on Christ with which whosoever is endued presently resolves to renounce all Impiety and worldly Desires and to live soberly justly and godlily in this World 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God That is why do you grievously offend God He that offends God saith Grotius tempts his Patieâ—ce and he offends him who opposes his Will sufficiently revealed To put c. As going about to impose the Yoke of all the Ceremonies of the Law on the Necks of all such Gentiles as have believed on Christ which the Israelites themselves were never able to bear but with the greatest molestation The Yoke To wit of Bondage as Paul calls the Legal Rites Gal. 5.1 because they consisted in things indifferent which of themselves were neither good nor requisite but depended only on the pleasure of the Law-giver so that they seemed suited rather to the state of Servants than to men of a free Condition 'T is true the Precepts of Christ are also called a Yoke but an easie one and a Burthen but a light one Matth. 11.30 For what says Salvian does he require of us what does he command us to follow but only Faith Chastity Humility Sobriety Mercy and Holiness all which do not Burthen
immortal And Anaximander the Disciple of Thales that first invented the Sphaere as saith Plinius Lib. 7. Ch. 56. and the first that published a Geographical Map as Strabo saith Lib. 1. The Inhabitants of Miletus acquired great fame by the first called the Branchides then Apollo Didymaeus's Oracle which Xerxes the Son of Darius and Grandchild of Cyrus by his Sister Atosa burnt as he did all the rest of the Temples that of Ephesus only excepted and because that after Xerxes burnt the Temple they built it the highest of all that for its height it remained without a roof and Strabo reports that it was most sumptuously adorned with gifts of divers ancient arts Lib. 14. It was also Famous for its most precious wool of which Carpets were made which for their exceeding softness became a Proverb Historians tell us that the Milesians of old were stout Warriers But afterward being addicted to their pleasures they lost their Warlike vertues with their Riches and Reputation whence comes the Proverb The Milesians were Stout of old Hence also the Milesian Speech is taken by Apuleius for a wanton and merry Speech In Asino auree But I will set out Various Fables for you in this Milesian Speech and will sooth your benevolent ears with a pleasant Whisper 16. For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus That is beyond Ephesus Because he would not spend time in Asia As much as to say Lest if he should go then to the chief Metropolis of Asia strictly so called he should by the Christian Brethren Inhabiting there be detained too long For he hasted if it were possible for him To wit for the shortness of the time which was to Pentecost or the fiftieth day from the Feast of the Passover which day was Festival and in it the first fruits were offered by the Jews to whom upon the same day the old Law was promulgated upon Mount Sinai To be at Jerusalem the Day of Pentecost That is that he might be at Jerusalem against the frequent concourse of the Jews from divers Coasts to the approaching Feast 17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus Some one or more of his Fellows and Companions Called That is sent for The Elders of the Church That is such as were set over the Government of the Church of Ephesus who were so called because they were of greater age or because by the gravity of their manners they did resemble old Men when they were set up like Senators to Govern the Christian Commonalty without whose advice the Church acted nothing Jerom says We have in the Church our Senate In Is. 3. a company of Elders See what is noted below v. 28. and above Ch. 14.23 15.2 4 6 28. 18. And when they The Elders of Ephesus having the same fellowship of Power and Honour Were come to him To wit to the Apostle Paul He said unto them To wit Paul himself to the same Elders of the Church of Ephesus Ye know That is Ye are Witnesses From the first day that I came into Asia Strictly so called whose chief Metropolis is your Ephesus After what manner I have been with you at all Seasons That is how I have behaved my self among you See the like Phrase 1 Thess 2.5 10. 19. Serving the Lord. That is With all my might promoting the Glory of God in Preaching the Gospel holily and performing duties of Charity towards God and my Neighbours With all humility That is With perfect humility and such modesty of Mind as did not despise others neither usurped any Dominion over my Brethren over which I was set a Teacher And tears Breaking out from my heart pitying those who were more negligent in their Station And Temptations That is Vexations and Afflictions 1 Thess 3.5 with which the Devil who is called by Antonomasia the Tempter useth by Wicked Men his Instruments to sollicite and Tempt believers to fall away from Faith and Godliness by Gods permission such things come to pass to try and prove the Faith and Piety of his own Likewise by Temptations are understood vexations and afflictions Luke 22.28 1 Cor. 10.13 Gal. 4.14 Jam. 1.2 1 Pet. 1.6 2 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 3.10 or the things which are called adverse Which befell me by the laying in wait of the Jews Obstinate and unbelieving Jews persecuting the Disciples of Christ with deadly hatred See above v. 3. and Ch. 9.24 Ch. 14. v. 2. 5. 20. And how I kept back nothing That is hid nothing from you either for fear of Dangers or hope of Gain That was profitable unto you That is of such things as I thought to conduce to your Salvation But have shewed you That is I Preached unto you those wholsome Doctrines And have taught you That is and diligently instructed you in them Publickly In the Assemblies of the Believers And from house to house That is And privately while I visited the Believers in every house 21. Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks That is earnestly teaching as well the Jews by birth who were long ago esteemed the Lords People but by their Sins were turned away from God and would not acknowledge Jesus to be the Messias nor believe in him as them who were born of the Gentiles being aliens from the People of God and were called Greeks as above Ch. 18.4.19.10 17. Repentance toward God That is Conversion from an evil and vicious Life to a good and laudable manner of Living pleasing God and conformed to his Precepts See below Ch. 26.20 and meet of repentance And Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ That is that all your confidence should be placed in that Jesus of Nazareth who is the Messias promised in the Law and in the Prophets now become the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 22. And now behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem As much as to say And now the fourth time since my conversion to Christ by a certain Instinct and Command of the Holy Ghost I go to Jerusalem See above Ch. 13.4 So Paul saith of his other Journey to Jerusalem that he went up thither by Revelation Gal. 2.2 which to wit was made to him by the Holy Ghost So our Lord Jesus is said to be led of the Spirit unto the Wilderness to be tempted by the Devil Not knowing the things that shall befal me there Matth. 4.1 That is Knowing nothing certainly of these Tortures which I am to undergo at Jerusalem 23. Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City That is In every City where I came since I directed my course towards Jerusalem Witnesseth That is Positively foretells me That bonds c. That is That at Jerusalem where of old I greatly persecuted the Church of Christ I shall for the same Church be bound in Chains and all manner of ways tortured 24. But none of those things move me As much as to
continency of sacred Men Chap. 5. Dissert Lib. 1. de Episc Dignit Jurisdict upon which account he was miserably abused by the Jesuite Dionysius Petavius But also the same Medina affirmed the same openly in the Council of Trent neither did he stick though many fretted at it publickly to contend that so far Jerome and Augustine had a Heritical opinion the matter to wit not being altogether clear Which as it moved others not a little So saith the writer of the History of the Council of Trent this Doctor sticking close to his own opinion maintained it with his might Neither is there ought that makes against it in Storcas Pallavicinus his History of the Council of Trent against Paulus Venetus published at Rome Anno M. DC LVII Further Petavius himself doth also witness that Medina was not the only Man among the Papists who was of this Judgment Theol. Dogm Tom. 3. de Eccles Lib. 2. Cap. 8. but that others also did ascribe the said Heresy to the forecited Fathers And Morton in the forementioned place of his Apology does adduce some of them Rivet also Sum. Contr. Tract 2. quaest 22. Therefore although according to the terms of honour which the Church now useth as saith Augustine in his Epistle to Jerome the Episcopacy be greater than the Presbytery yet Richard of Armach said truly There is no difference found in the Evangelical or Apostolical Scriptures betwixt Bishops and simple Priests who are called Presbyters Lib. 11. ad quaest Arm. Cap. 5. whence it follows that there is the same Power in both Whether saith Cassander the Episcopacy ought to be put among the orders of the Church is not agreed upon betwixt the Theologues and the Canonists but it is agreed upon among all Consult Art 14. that in the age of the Apostles there was no difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters but that afterward to evite Schism a Bishop was set over Presbyters But as Musculus in his common places saith excellently of the Ministers of the Word Pag. 246. Whether this Counsel whereby such Bishops are more by custom introduced to use Jerom 's words than by the truth of the Lords appointment to be greater than Presbyters be profitable for the Church of Christ or not hath been better manifested in the following ages than when this custom was first introduced c. See what follows there Also Greg. Naz. Orat. 28. August in Psal 105. Whitaker quaest 1. de pont Rom. Cap. 3. and the History of Episcopacy written in English not long ago by that indefatigable Preacher of Gods Word the Reverend Richard Baxter Famous for Knowledge and Piety To feed That is To rule as a Pastor does his Flock and it is extended to every part of managing the Flock such as to Lead Defend Rule and Direct them The care of the Church is equally divided among many saith Jerome For as he saith before that by the instigation of the Devil there were Parties made in Religion and it was said among the People I am of Paul I of Apollos but I am of Cephas the Churches were governed by the common advice of Presbyters Those spiritual Pastors set up by God to feed not their own Flock but the Flock of their Lord and supream Pastor ought to consult the good of the Flock and procure their Salvation feeding the People with divine Oracles and healthful admonitions and by strong reasons refelling the opposers of the Christian Faith The Church See Tit. 1.9 1 Pet. 5.2 3 4. That is a company of Men professing the saving Doctrine of Christ Behold here as also Phil. 1.1 the Church is distinguished from the Presbyters who had the oversight of it which oversight is in the Greek called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopacy above Ch. 1.20 therefore the overseers of the Church who are frequently called Presbyters in the new Testament and four times Bishops from their Office are not alone the Church much less any Bishop of Bishops 1 Cor. 1.2.10.32.11.16 2 Cor. 1.1 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Of God The Christian multitude is the Church or Flock of God and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ Beza witnesseth that he read in five Copies of the Lord and of God Matth. 16.18 Rom. 16.16 Many other Greek Copies have only of the Lord by which Lord after the Apostolick manner of speaking is deservedly meant Jesus of Nazareth because as it is said above God made him Lord and Christ Ch. 2.36 which excellently agrees with what followeth Which he purchased That to wit it might be to him a peculiar People With his own Blood Poured out upon the Altar of the Cross But if by the Word of God be understood God the Father it is the same as if he should say with the bloody Death of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ Hence saith Beza it is read in one Greek Copy By this Blood of this his own viz. Son The strength of that Article saith Beza is to be observed whereby the excellency of this Blood and the antithesis is declared which is more copiously expounded Heb. 9.12 For this Blood was truly holy yea a truly purifying and Sanctifying Blood flowing out of him See Eph. 1.12 13. Col. 1.14 20. Heb. 9.12 c. 1 Pet. 1.18.19 Rev. 5.9 who as he truly is a most pure Man so is he also truely and in the most perfect manner God We ought to make of what God has bought so dear 29. I know The Spirit revealing it to me That after my departing The Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used says Ludovicus de dieu is in the Glossary rendred Arrival departing and is used in the Attick signification by Demosthenes as well as here Wolves Heretical teachers who with their false and deadly Doctrine Corrupt and Destroy the Flock of Christ are so called by a Metaphor See our literal explanation Matth. 7.15 Such spiritual Wolves are according to Christs Command to be once and again admonished Matth. 18.16 17 18. if that do not avail we ought to break off familiar correspondence with them but the Apostles Institutions and Examples forbid to exasperate these false Teachers with Curses 1 Cor. 5.9 Tit. 3.10 or to oppress them with carnal violence or to put them to Death See 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Grievous That is Barbarously and intolerably cruel Not sparing the Flock That is Who shall have no pity upon the Flock He goes on in his similitude and Allegory begun v. 28. meaning by the Flock the Church or company of believers in Christ who are frequently called Sheep 30. Of your own selves Lawfully called to the Pastoral Office not only the same Presbyters to whom the Pastoral charge of the Church of Ephesus is committed and to whom Paul then spoke as appears from v. 28. are noted but also such of their Equals and Successors as should even in other Churches degenerate into Wolves Arise That is Spring
yet to set down the whole series of what he said and did so as to make a full Narration was an undertaking of that prodigious Labour that St. John in his Gospel tells us cap. 21. v. 25. the World would not contain the Books O Theophilus This Theophilus to whom St. Luke dedicates his Gospel also seems to many to have been a person in high Dignity Luke 1.3 For the Title attributed to him of most Excellent not wont to be given but only to Princes and Persons in great Authority does plainly demonstrate as they alledge that it was the proper name of some Noble Personage The Author of the Books of Recognitions under the name of Clement the first of that name Bishop of Rome says l 10 near the end that this Theophilus was one of the principal Men of Antiochia who being converted by St. Peter to the Faith of Christ Argum. in Luc. set apart his Houses for the publick and solemn Meetings of the Church Theophylactus calls this Theophilus a Consular Person and perhaps a Prince In prolog in Matt. q. 21. A certain author cited by Abulensis conjectures this Theophilus Prince of Antiochia to have been after the departure of Peter Bishop of that City and that upon his persuasion and encouragement both the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles were written by St. Luke Grotius believes him to have been the chief Magistrate of some City in Achaia and baptiz'd by Luke But though the Additional most Excellent which by several Writers is frequently given to persons in high Authority as for example c. 23. v. 26. c. 26. v. 25 in fin vit suâ—e by Paul to both the Procurators or Vice-Governours of Judaea Felix and Festus and by Josephus to Epaphroditus to whom he dedicates the History of his Life and by Justin Martyr to Diognetus to whom he writes a Compendium of the Christian Religion yet it does not seem to be a Note of Dignity in Theophilus in regard it does not appear likely that St. Luke would have omitted to have given the same Addition to Theophilus while he recommends to him his Acts of the Apostles had it been a Title of Dignity Hoâ— 1. in Luc. Ia Luc. 1. Haer. 51. Origen therefore St. Ambrose and Epiphanius believe it more probable that Theophilus was an Appellative made use of by St. Luke In Luc. 1. as belonging to all that professed the Christian Religion out of a sincere love of God Nor ought it saith Camero to be thought a thing out of practise seeing that Athanasius uses the same sort of Compellation For in his Book of the Incarnation he gives the Titles of Happy and Friend of Christ and sometimes both together without distinction to every pious and true Christian Which Jesus began to do and teach That is which make to the whole of our Salvation from the beginning of the Works and Doctrine of Christ Learnedly the Greek Scholiast observes that Luke wrote of all things from the beginning till Jesus was translated into Heaven Of which St. Chrysostom takes notice also where he says that Luke wrote not simply of all things but of all things from the beginning to the end And this is that which St. v. 3. Luke himself says in the Preface to his Gospel That be had perfect understanding of all things from the very beginning That is what Christ powerful both in deed and word both taught and acted most remarkable while he convers'd upon Earth Others will have these words Which Jesus began to do and teach to be understood according to an usual Hebrew phrase which Jesus did and taught Most excellently therefore Calvin Now saith he we see the sum of the Gospel contain'd in these two parts the Doctrine and deeds of Christ For as much as he not only performed the duty of that Embassy for which he was sent by the Father to Men but effectually discharg'd whatever could be requir'd from the Messiah He laid the Foundations of his Kingdom he atton'd the wrath of God by offering himself he expiated the sins of men with his own Blood he overcame Death and the Devil he restor'd us to our true Liberty and acquir'd for us Justice and Life Eternal And that every thing that he said or did might be ratified among Mankind he proved himself to be the Son of God by his Miracles 2. Vntil the day That is until the 14th day of our May according to Bishop Vsher In which time giving commandment As if he had said Upon which day after he had dictated to his Apostles by him elected lest they should deliver any thing but what was truly Divine through the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost what they should Teach and Preach he was taken up into Heaven The Apostles says the Learned John Lightfoot had cast out Devils and had heal'd the Sick by the Assistance of the Spirit but it is to be doubted whether they had taught any thing which they had not heard verbatim from the lips of their Master He had promis'd 'em that they should bind and let loose the Law of Moses he had told em that there were several things to be reveal'd to 'em which they could not bear in which they should be instructed by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Therefore when he arose and had breathed upon their faces saying John 20.22 Receive the Holy Ghost then they were inspir'd with the Holy Spirit like the Prophets of old who dictated to them what they should Preach what they should require and what they should enjoyâ— And now they wanted nothing but the gift of Tongues that they might be able to deliver what was dictated to them in the proper Languages of those to whom they should speak Which he had chosen That is whom he created his Messengers to publish the Doctrine of the Gospel two years before he suffer'd over all Judaea and after his Resurrection over all the world Luke 6.13 These Messengers Christ called his Apostles or Envoys Thus formerly the Emperours of the East and Popes call'd their Legate Envoys as is frequently apparent from Anastasius the Bibliothecarian and others He was taken up That is by the Interposition of a Cloud he was taken from the sight of men as is said below v. 9. 3. To whom c. As if he had said And that the Apostles might be most credible and substantial Witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ upon the Truth of which is founded all the Majesty of the Gospel he being restor'd from the Grave by most solid and uncontrovertible Arguments prov'd himself to be truly risen from the dead as often as he shew'd himself visible to his Apostles during the forty days between his Resurrection and Ascension and discoursed with them concerning the Kingdom of God He shew'd himself alive That is ocularly prov'd himself to be risen After his Passion That is after he had been put to a most ignominious Death for the sake
sins That is to seal the Remission of your sins either received or to be received by the full assurance of the Conscience Therefore the most learned Ames Bellarmin Enervat Tom. 3. c. 3. The remission of sins consists in the sentence of the offended God nor can be attributed to any outward Ceremony unless it be as to a sign or a seal whereby that sentence of God is manifested to us 4. D. 1. Art 1. Q. 4. Says Bonaventure As the Royal Letters sealed with the Kings Seal are of high Dignity power and value and are said to do great things yet there is not in them any absolute force but only an Ordainment through the efficacy of the Royal Power the same thing is to be understood of the Sacraments And thus speak the texts of the holy Fathers according to common acceptation And ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit That is ye shall be indued with the Prophetick Spirit a specimen of which ye saw in the diversity of Languages For saith Calvin this place ought not to be understood of the Grace of Sanctification which is generally conferred upon all the Godly According to the usual Hebrew phrase the Prophetick Spirit is called the Holy Spirit which by their own confession failed among the Jews after the second year of Darius the Son of Hystaspes but was in a more ample measure restor'd by Jesus Christ according to the Prophesy of Joel 39. To you c. As if he had said For you who believe the Gospel preached by me together with your posterity that shall believe and all that shall obey the call of God are comprehended in their number to whom belongs the above mentioned Promise by the mouth of Joel Who are far off That is aliens from the common-wealth of Israel Peter most skilful in the Scriptures and now enlightned by the Holy Ghost knew very well that the call of the Gentiles was to be Mat. 28.19 Acts 1.8 yea he had learnt it also from Christ But at what time and under what conditions he was ignorant Therefore below c. 11. when the Gentiles were not yet called he shunn'd their Converse as polluted but having known the will of God that they were to be called without the observation of the Mosaical Law he presently made it his business to go amongst them Even as many as the Lord our God shall call That is whoever shall obey the voice of God calling to them For saith Grotius in words that signifie a Benefit the acceptation of the benefit is frequently understood Thus the appellation of called is taken 1 Cor. 1.24 Jude 1. Thus the word to be revealed is taken Is 33.1 Thus God is said to give Repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 To give Bread from Heaven John 6.32 To give a Heart Deut. 29.4 and elsewhere many others of the same kind See our Annot upon Joel 2.32 upon the words Whom the Lord shall call 40. And with many other words c. As much as to say And he was urgent and press'd them with Exhortations follow'd them close perswaded and earnestly entreated them to separate themselves from the rest of the Jews that were unwilling to believe in Christ and contumaciously refusing the Divine Grace that was offered them to prevent their being involved with them in the same destruction 41. They then who gladly received his words were baptiz'd Walafridus Strabo who in the ninth Century was Abbot of Augia the Rich c. 26. in the Diocess of Constans in his work of the beginning and increase of Ecclesiastical things You must observe saith he that in the prinitive times the ordinance of Baptism was only administred to those who through perfection of body and mind had attain'd to this that they knew and understood what profit they received by Baptism what was to be professed what to be believed and lastly what was reserv'd for those that were born again in Christ. Amba Macaire Bishop of Memphis who was Secretary to Cosmus the third of that name Patriarch of the Cophti or Christians of Egypt and lived in the eight Century says as Father Vansleb reports in his History of the Church of Alexandria c. 23. that in the primitive times Baptism was not administred in the Church of Alexandria but once a year and that was upon Good Friday and only to those of thirty years of age Curcellaeus our Country-man Baptism of Infants saith he Institut Relig. Christian l. 1. c. 12. in the two first Centuries after Christ was altogether unknown but in the third and fourth was allowed by some few in the fifth and following Ages it was generally received into â—ustom See our Annot. upon c. 8.37 But from thence that the Jews who were circumcised in their Infancy before Circumcision was abrogated were here baptized by the order of Peter it appears that by Baptism and Circumcision two Covenants altogether differing were to be sealed of which the one was with those who by the Law of nature were born of the Seed of Abraham the other with those who by the gift of Faith like Abraham were spiritually reborn as that great Divine eminent for all manner of Learning Nehemiah Cox by most weighty and solid Arguments has demonstrated in his excellent Discourse of the Covenants that God made with men before the Law Were added That is to the body of the Church which then consisted of a hundred and twenty Disciples Souls That is Persons which in other places we wont to call Heads by Synecdoche of the Member About three thousand There is no wonder to be made that three thousand persons should be plung'd in one day by Peter a Fisherman and used to the Water in regard that in the beginning of the fourth Century Gregory the first Bishop of the Armenians baptiz'd in one day by Immersion no less than twelve thousand as we read in his Authentick Life and which also Isaac Patriarch of the same Nation confirms in his first Invective Serm. in Die Sancti Andreae apud No varin St. Eucherius The Lord saith he calls Fishers to the Apostleship because such were of necessary use who being accustomed to the Water were skilled both in Fishing and Diving Therefore he did not ordain them to change their Art but only made them Fishers of a far nobler degree That person famous for his most exquisite learning both Divine and Humane James Benignus Bossuet formerly Bishop of Condom Tutor to the most Serene Dolphin and now prime Almoner to his most Serene Consort and Bishop of Meaux speaking of the three thousand baptiz'd by Peter The great number of Converts In tr ctat de Commun â—ub binis speciebus saith he is no Argument that he baptiz'd them by Aspersion as some conjecture for besides that there is no obligation upon us to believe that he baptiz'd them all in one day certain it is that St John the Baptist who baptiz'd no less baptiz'd by Immersion and his example
reason In the sight of God Who tho men be never so blind will never suffer any one to be preferred before him To hearken unto you more than unto God Thus the young man answered Antiochus commanding him to eat Swines flesh against the Law of God I will not obey the Kings commandment but I will obey the commandment of the Law that was given unto our Fathers by Moses 2 Mac. 7.33 It is recorded that Polycarpus upon his Martyrdom said We have learnt to give honours which are due to Emperours and Powers established by God and which are no impediment to our Salvation Of the Mother of the Family thus Clement of Alexandria She shall obey her Husband in all things nor shall she do any thing without his consent unless what she believes to be a help to attain Virtue and Salvation Ephes 6.1 Of Children thus St. Paul Children obey your Parents in the Lord. That is according to the Exposition of Chrysostom Declam 271. In what ye offend not God Quintilian It is not necessary for Children to do all those things which their Parents command There be many things which cannot be done If thou commandest thy Son to give a contrary Sentence to his Opinion If thou desirest him to witness a thing of which he knows nothing If thou commandest me to burn the Capitol or seize the Castle it is lawful for me to answer These are things which must not be done The same Author in another place All manner of Obedience is not to be given to Parents otherwise there would be nothing more pernicious than received Benefits should they oblige us to all manner of Servitude In Tit. 2. cited by Gratian Hierome also If a Master saith he commands those things which are not contrary to the Sacred Scriptures let the Servant be subject to the Master But if he commands those things that are repugnant to it let him rather obey the Lord of the Spirit than the Master of the Body In Tit. 3. Again If it be good which the Emperour or Governour commands let him obey the Will of the Commander but if it be evil answer from the Acts of the Apostles Acts 5.28 We ought to obey God rather than Men. The same is to be understood concerning Servants toward their Masters Wives toward their Husbands and Children toward their Parents that they ought only to be obedient to their Masters their Husbands their Parents in those things which interfere not with the Commands of God The same Gratian in the same place out of St. Austins 6 Sermon upon the words of the Lord Whosoever resists the Power resists the Ordinance of God But what if he command that which it behoves thee not to do Here indeed out of fear of Powers contemn Power Observe the Degrees themselves of Humane things If the Governour command any thing to be done is he not to be obey'd Nevertheless if the Proconsul command the contrary thou verily dost not contemn the Power but choosest to obey the more supream Authority Again If the Proconsul command one thing and the Emperour command another can any person doubt but that the latter is to be obey'd the first to be disobey'd So if the Emperour command one thing and God another what think ye Pay your Tribute obey me right but not in the Idol-Temple He forbids Obedience in Idol-temple Who forbids The higher Power Pardon me thou threatnest me with imprisonment he with Hell-fire Here Faith is to be made use of as a Shield by which thou mayest resist all the Fiery Darts of the Enemy c. 98. Ex August in Psal 124. v. 3. The same Author in the same place The Emperour Julian was an Infidel Was he not an Apostate a wicked person and an Idolater Christian Souldiers serv'd a Heathen Emperour But when it came to the Cause of Christ they onely acknowledged him who was in Heaven When he commanded them to worship Idols and offer Incense to them they preferred God before him But when he bid them take the Field and march against such a Nation they obeyed him immediately They distinguished their Eternal Lord from their Temporal Lord. And yet in Obedience to their Eternal Lord they were Subject to their Temporal Lord. C. 101. The same Gratian in the same place out of Isidorus If he who is in Authority has done or commanded any one to do what is prohibited by the Lord or has omitted or commanded any precept to be omitted the Sentence of St. Paul is to be brought to such a ones mind where he says Gal. 1. Tho either we or an Angel from Heaven preach to you any other Gospel than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed If any one prohibits you from doing what is commanded by God or on the other side commands that to be done which God prohibits let him be accursed of all that love God He that is in Authority if he speak or command any thing which is contrary to the Will of God or contrary to what is expresly commanded in Scripture let him be accounted as a False-witness of God and a Sacrilegious person Like to all these things contain'd in Cap. 101. are to be read in the Rules of St Basil briefly disputed c. 114. 103. See also the Book of the Institutes of the Monks written by the same St. c. 14.16 Basil 20. For we cannot c. That is It is not by any means lawful for us or we cannot in Conscience or our Conscience does by no means permit us against the revealed Will of God to conceal what we have seen and heard Thus not to can is taken for not to be lawful frequently in Scripture as may be seen Gen. 43. v. 32. 1 Cor. 10.21 We are to take notice saith Curcellaeus our Country-man that this Speech does not always denote a true and properly so called want of Power or Inability but sometimes a vehement aversion of the mind from any thing As when Peter and John say Acts 4.20 We cannot but we must speak those things which we have seen and heard And John 1 John 3.9 Whoever is born of God cannot sin Also where the Lord Jesus testifies for the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Apoc. 2.2 that he could not bear them which are evil Not that it was impossible for all these to do those things which are spoken of in those places but because they had an abhorrency from such actions Which was the reason why the Jews could not believe in the Doctrine of Christ John 12.39 For finding it to be repugnant to their carnal desires they were so averse to it that they would not admit it though they could easily have done it had they been so minded With which he openly reproaches them when he says John 5.44 How can ye believe who receive honour one of another and seek not the honour which cometh from God only See our
Sanhedrin Preach the Gospel of Christ not only sometimes but daily not only from house to house that is privately in every house but also publickly in the most famous place of the City the Temple He saith Calvin that accounts himself happy when he suffers for Christ let him never faint though he should undergo hard Tryals For the Apostles were in a manner armed with stripes that without fear they might hasten to death Wo therefore to our wantonness who as soon as we have suffered the least Persecution like Soldiers discharged from service presently surrender the Torch to others CHAP. VI. 1. THe number of the Disciples That is Of such as believed in Christ and so the Churches Wealth increasing her Affairs increased also Multiplied To wit daily in Jerusalem There arose a Murmuring As it ordinarily happens in a great multitude Of the Grecians The Greek Text hath Hellenists The Holy Writers of the New Testament did call all Gentiles by the name of Hellenes when Religion was treated of And so I am apt to think that they were called Hellenists who either themselves or their Fore-Fathers having been addicted to the Superstition of the Gentiles were being Proselyted ingrafted to the Jewish Nation Against the Hebrews They seem to be called Hebrews here that were sprung from the Jews Line Clemens Alexand. and Chrysostom call them Hebrews from the very first Original Were neglected That is Were not enough supplyed To wit The Hellenists Widows who were either sick or burthened with Children were worse entertained than the Hebrew Widows were in their dayly distributions of necessaries for Food and Raiment Salmasius saith that the Cause of this Murmuring made by the Hellenists was That they lamented their Widows to be passed by in the daily Ministration because doubtless the Jewish Women were chosen and taken to that Office The Aethiopick rendred it Because they saw their Widows serve dayly It seems the despising of the Hellenists Widows consisted in this that the daily labour of serving the poor was laid upon them 2. Then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples That is The Apostles convened the whole Flock of Believers in Christ that in such a multitude there might be enough out of which the Deacons might be chosen and that the Election might be by the Votes of the whole Church And said To wit To the whole Congregation of the Disciples or Believers It is not reason That is It is neither convenient nor expedient That we should leave the Word of God That is Be less taken up in propagating the Doctrine of the Gospel And serve Tables That is That we should apply our selves to the care of serving the poor among Believers in bodily necessaries Here is a figure called Synecdoche expressing the thing containing for the thing contained Tables for the meat and drink used to be laid on Tables Also of the part for the whole that is even for every thing else beside meat drink that belonged to bodily sustinence And so to serve Tables is the same as to look after things necessary to maintain the bodily life 3. Look ye out That is advisedly choose Men of honest report That is Whose Faith and Uprightness is unquestionable Full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom That is Abundantly furnished with Spiritual Wisdom or Wisdom proceeding from the Holy Ghost Whom we may appoint over this business That is Whom we may appoint to take care of the poor as the Officers among the Jews called Parnesim in each Synagogue in Mat. 4.23 See Lightfoots Horae Hebratcae But we c. As much as to say We being liberate from this Care of overseeing the poor among the Faithful in things pertaining to the bodily life may with all care attend our Office either pronouncing what the Church must say after us in publick Prayers to God or instructing the people 5. And the saying pleased c. As much as to say And so by the advice of the Apostles were seven Stewards chosen by the common consent of the whole Church to take the care of the poor and of distributing the Churches Mony Their names were Stâ—phen Philip Prochorus Nicanor Timon Parmenas and Nicolas a Stranger or Proselyte of Antioch From their Greek names it appears that in this Election chief respect was had to the Hellenists The first Church of Christ was made up of Jews only none of the Gentiles being as yet either called or admitted to it It consisted of two sorts to wit Hebrews who were such from their first Original and of Hellenists who in respect of their Lineage and Nation were Greeks that is Gentiles but by Circumcision were incorporated to the Jewish Nation The first seven Deacons of the Church saith Salmasius were chosen out of the number of the Hellenists who were all of them except one born at Jerusalem And seeing the Hellenists were Proselytes and six of them born at Jerusalem Luke reckons the seventh last whom he telleth us was a Proselyte of Antioch If it were simply read in Luke and Nicolas a Proselyte it would be no wise doubted but we should understand the other six to have been Jews and not Proselytes but since he adds a Proselyte of Antioch who can doubt but the rest were likewise Proselytes though not of Antioch but of Jerusalem for these things came to pass in Jerusalem 6. Whom they set before the Apostles To wit That by their Authority and Blessing they might be confirmed And when they had prayed they laid their hands on them Here the form of Election is set forth which was also in the Primitive Institution of the Church used in making Bishops or Presbyters The Church presented Men of great Wisdom and Piety to the Apostles or their Delegates who were greatly indued with a Spirit of discerning to be ordained who after having tryed them prayed to God that he would bless them in the new Office to which they were appointed and endue them with such Wisdom as they might with great success manage the same Those Prayers being ended they laid hands on them in token of the Ministries being committed to them Sometimes also the Holy Ghost did by the Prophets point out by name such as he would have chosen to this or that Ministry Acts 13.2 1 Tim. 1.18 4.14 7. And the Word c. As much as to say Such was the power of the Holy Ghost speaking by the Apostles and working Miracles that every day many and among them some even of the Priests in Jerusalem which Christs own Preaching did not bring in to imbrace at least to profess the Faith did now having overcome all respect to carnal fear and vain-glory adjoin themselves to the number of the Believers and obeyed the precepts of Faith or Doctrine of the Gospel 8. Full of Faith and Power That is eminent for the Faith and Vertue of Miracles This manner of speaking is not unusual in Scripture to say they are full of the gifts of God in which
the strength and grace of the Spirit doth notably discover and shew forth itself 9. There arose By rising Luke means those of which he speaks to have opposed the Doctrine of the Gospel not to have dragged Stephen presently to Judgment but to have first debated with him concerning the Religion he taught These opposers of Stephen were either Hellenists or Strangers who lived in Jerusalem either about their Affairs or for Studying The Jews tell us there were four hundred and eighty Synagogues in Jerusalem Of the Libertines Suidas Libertines the name of a Nation Moreover in the first Collation of Carthage * Mem. 201. is mentioned one Victor Bishop of the Church of Libertina in Africk or Numidia Learned Junius suspects some Corruption to have been made in the Letters of the Word Libertines for he notes that they were those Strangers who as Epiphanius witnesseth called Holy Houses Lebrathas and the Parishes belonging to it with the whole Convent Labras for saith he all these belonging to one Synagogue were called Lebrathenun and from thence corruptly the Synagogue was called the Synagogue of the Libertines And Cyrenians What Cyrene was whence they were called Cyrenians see our Literal Explication on Matt. 27.33 and Amos 9.7 Antiq. 16.10 Josephus testifies that there were many Jews in Cyrenia And Alexandrians Alexandria the Metropolis of Egypt whence these Alexandrians came was built by Alexander from whom it took its Name Ftolomeus Philadelphus adorned it with a Library of seventy thousand Volumes but famous men for Learning and Wisdom who were its Inhabitants were a greater Ornament to it Among which were Renowned Philo the Jew of whom was that Proverb Either Philo Platonizeth or Plato â— bilonizeth Appion the Grammarian whom Tyberius Caesar called The Cymbal of the World and Plinius the Trumpet of publick Fame Didymus the Grammarian Claudius Prolemeus though some say that Pelusium was his Country Appianus the Historian therefore called the Alexandrian Clemens Presbyter surnamed Alexandrinus Origen of whom it is said Where well none better where ill none worse Athanasius Cyril Dydimus surnamed the Blind and others whose names I do not now remember Alexandria is now by the Turks under whose Yoak it groans called Scanderia by corrupting the name of Alexander whose Corps Quintus Curtius * Lib. 10. ch 10. saith was transported thither from Memphis Ptolomies famous Library as Ammianus Marccllinus saith * Lib. 22. ch 41. was burnt when the City was destroy'd under Julius Caesar The Jews had equal priviledges in Alexandria with the Macedonians See Grotius upon 3 Macchab. And of them of Cilicia Cilicia now Carmania was one in Constantines time then it was divided into two parts the first of which was called Cilicia the first and Champaign ground and Consular saith Spanhem Introd ad Geog. Sac. It had upon the West Isauria upon the East the second Cilicia upon the South the Sea of Cyprus the Metropolis of it is Tarsus the Head of the Nation a Colony of the Romans a free City having the priviledge of a Roman City We contradict this moved by the Reasons of Grotius upon that place whence that of Paul of Tarsus below ch 22.28 The second Cilicia called also Trachea having upon the North Mount Taurus upon the East Comagene upon the South the Issick Gulf which had its Name from the Town Issus between Syria and Cilicia famous for the Victory obtain'd there by Alexander against Darius where also Cicero as he reports of himself was called Emperor and 2. Ep. 10.5 Attic. 20. boasteth that he had the same Tents which of old Alexander had This was a Province ruled by the Emperours Lieutenant sent thither with a Garrison but its Metropolis was Anazarba or Anazarbus otherwise called Diocaesarea There is mention made of this second Cilicia in the Acts of the Councel of Chalcedon And Asia See what we have said above chap. 2.9 10. And they were not able to resist the Wisdom and the Spirit That is The Wisdom suggested to him by the Holy Ghost The Particle and is put in the beginning of the Verse instead of but which is frequently done in other places of Scripture By which he spake As much as to say by which Stephens Tongue and his Mind while he was speaking were directed according to Christs Promise Matt. 10 20. Luke 21. v. 15. Beza witnesseth that in a most ancient Greek Copy of his is added here Because they were reproved by him with all boldness that is with all freedom 11. Then To wit when they could not resist the Truth They suborned The old Latin Interpreter expresseth it by the word submiserunt in which sense the best Latin Authors use the Verb immittere See Gellius 4. Noct. Attic. 18. Salust Catil Plin. Lib. 6 Epist 13. 12. The Elders That is the Senators of the Sanhedrin To the Councel The Greek hath it Sanhedrin 13. And set up false witnesses They are also said to be false Witnesses who give a false construction to what hath been truly spoken and turn it to a crime as they here turn that to wickedness and blasphemy which according to truth was foretold of the destruction of the Temple and the ceasing for the most part of the Rites depending thereon * See Luke 19.43 44. David inveighs against such Witnesses in the Person of Doeg Psal 52.2 3 4 5. compared with 1 Sam. 22.9 10 11 12 13. Blasphemous words That is Base and reproachful Against this holy place That is Against the Temple of God * Acts 25.8 Mat. 26.61 14. And shall change the customs That is The legal Ceremonies which typified Christ to come and the Gospel Law 15. Saw his Face as it had been the Face of an Angel That is they beheld his Face full of Reverent and Serene Gravity CHAP. VII 1. THe High Priest That is the chief of the Sanhedrin Are these things so As if he had said Are these things true which they say and witness against thee 2. And he said Seeing Stephen was accused because that he moved by Divine Instinct and Inspiration had foretold the destruction of the Temple and the abolishing of the Legal Ceremonies that he might demonstrate and evince that there was no evil in that he briefly running over all ancient History even to their times covertly intimateth that the favour of God was restricted to no place even not to the Temple or Tabernacle and also that the Jews if they did sufficiently lay to Heart their own doings and those of their Nation had no reason to be offended at this Praediction Men Brethren and Fathers If we may give credit to the famous Salmasius Stephen Who was a Proselyte calls the Jews Brethren as being partaker of the same Promises with them an observer of the same Law a Worshipper of the same God He calls them also Fathers because Proselytes being their Disciples from whom they had the Law were accounted as it were their Children and they as
he hath both his Shirt or inner Coat and Breeches on him Thus King Saul sung naked before Samuel * 1 Sam. 19.24 Thus Peter was naked in the Boat †Joh. 21.7 who therefore is said to have put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not certainly his innermost Garment or Shirt but as its name intimates that which was put on above the other to wit his Robe which as we said was made fast about them with the Girdle whence it is also said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he girded his upper Coat Young Man Saul who is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young Man was according to Chrysostom upwards of 30 years of Age when he kept the Clothes of the Witnesses that were laid down at his Feet And truly a little after when he was converted to the Faith of Christ he is called by Ananias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man c. 9. v. 13. Nor is it likely the High Priest would have conferred so much power on a young Man when he was yet under Tutors against the Christians See the same Chap. 9.2 and Paul himself below c. 26. v. 4. testifieth that he spent all his youthful years among the Jews before his Conversion Estius on the Epistle of Philemon saith That Saul the Persecutor was called a youth or rather a young Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the age of Youth which reaches to the 35th year or as others say even to the 40th Cicero when he pleaded Sextus Roscius's Cause calls himself a young Man when yet at that time according to Gellius * L. 15. c. 28. he was 27 years of age Antonius Bishop of Grass in France in the life of Paul writeth that he was 33 years of age when he persecuted the Church of Christ From that time to the 11th year of the Reign of Nero when Paul in Bonds writ the Epistle to Philemon by Onesimus his Servant according to Bishop Vshers Chronology were 30 years and therefore Paul then above the age of 60 does rightly call himself Paul the aged seeing as we have noted on Joel 1. v. 2. he was called an old man by the Hebrews who was 60 years old Whose name was Paul This Hebrew born of the Hebrews descended of the Tribe of Benjamin born at Tarsus in Cilicia which City that it was then famous for the study of Philosophick and Liberal Sciences is confirmed by the Authority of Strabo * L. 14. by Sect a Pharisee and the Son of a Pharisee did at this time apply himself to the study of the Law in the Synagogue of the Cilicians at Jerusalem and frequented the School of Gamaliel a Doctor of the greatest repute among the Pharisees being a strict observer of the Law of God as also of the Traditions of their Fathers See below c. 21.39.22 3. 23 6-34.26.4 5. 2 Cor. 11.22 Gal 1.14 Phil. 3.5 6. 59. And they stoned Stephen calling To wit upon the Lord Jesus as is plain by the subsequent words The most Learned Curcellaeus saith * Institut l. 5. c. 21. num 21. There is no small weight in these words of Christ Joh. 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask And if ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it For he could not hear the Prayers of his Servants and grant what they ask if he had no power Hence it appears that that If ye ask any thing in my Name is to be understood of Prayers immediately directed to him as if he had said If ye ask any thing of me relying on my Power and Promise Otherwise there is no Question but we may yea it is our bounden duty to direct our Prayers to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ as we are taught John 15 16-23 But of such Prayers it is not spoken in this place Therefore also Stephen made no scruple to call upon him even while he was a dying saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Where they ridiculously shift who will have the word Jesu to be of the Genitive Case as if Stephen had not directed his Prayers to Jesus himself but to God the Father who is the Lord of Jesus For besides that Jesus Christ in the Writings of the New Testament is always denoted by the name of Lord to distinguish him from God the Father even the use of the Greek Tongue doth not permit that in that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be of the Genitive Case for then it must have had an Article praefixed to it and been exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distinguish the Person of Jesus from God the Father otherwise there is no person skilful in that Language who can take that Phrase otherwise than in the Vocative Case as Rev. 22.20 And he kneeled down As was usual in fervent Prayers especially in dangers Lord c. The blessed Stephen saith Ambrose * Ser. 56. de Tempore by his Faith did not seek Christ upon Earth but viewed him standing on the Right Hand of God there he found him where he sought him with devotion of mind But Stephen not only sees Christ in Heaven but toucheth him also by his Martyrdom For he toucheth the Lord while he prayeth for his Enemies and as it were holding him with his Faith he saith Lord lay not this sin to their Charge Vnderstand therefore how great glory there is in true Devotion Mary Magdalen John 20.17 though standing near our Lord does not touch him Stephen while upon Earth toucheth Christ in Heaven She seeth not a present Christ among the Angels Stephen among the Jews beholdeth his Lord while absent Lay not Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbally rendred saith Grotius it is weigh not So Ezra 8 25-32 Job 28.15 Jer. 32.9 10. Zech. 11.12 This Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to account or appoint is instead of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 1 Kings 20.39 is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to weigh Exod. 22.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to render Isa 55.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to weigh Anciently Money was heavy Brass which used first to be weighed and then paid Thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek a Weight in Latin libripens impendia expensae pendere pensiones and the like But because in ballancing accounts that which I charge another with does discharge me as much as if I had weighed it that is paid it hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to charge And by reason of the similitude which sins have with Money-debts as he is said to pay punishments who suffers them so he is said to charge or impute who will exact them not to impute who will not exact them But in this place charge not or lay not imports thus much do not make so great account of this sin as to block up their way to Conversion even as in that saying of Christ Luk. 23.34 He fell asleep That is he died In the Lord
into them that each Hogshead might be inclosed all about with a Vail in manner of a Circle But a linnen Cloth did hang upon a Cord put through it before the Priests and his Fellow Ministers who stood on the one hand to Administer the Sacrament that so all things being very modest on every side there might not be any thing censured as folly or filthiness in the Sacrament lest the honester sort of Persons should withdraw themselves from the Sacrament of Baptism for shame sake The Author proceeds declareth the thing yet more clearly in this manner When therefore all did come to be Catechized the Bishop speaking unto them all commonly with a speech that did agree to such setting one sex over against another on the right hand on the left anointed the Catechized with Oil afterward biddeth them go from the Font. Therefore they coming unto the entrance of the Curtain they one by one only did enter in with their Godfathers and presently the Godfathers did receive the Garment with which the Person to be Baptized was clothed and the Taper when he went down into the water and they holding it before their face until they did restore it again to him when he came out of the water But the Priest who did stand at the Hogshead when he had rather heard then seen that there was some body in the water having removed the Vail a little with thrice dipping of his head did perfect what belonged to the Sacrament of Baptism and when he had anointed him with liquor of Chrism on the Crown of the Head and a white Garment being put on him and when he had drawn back the Vail he commanded the Person that was Baptized to come out of the water his Godfathers covering putting on him the Garment which they did hold Neither did the diligence of Otho in the Winter time neglect to find out what was most convenient for the season to wit he celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism in warm Baths and in hot water with the same neatness and observation of Modesty with the Hogsheads set into the Earth and Curtains applyed Frankincense and other odoriferous Species sprinkling all things This most accurate diligence of Saint Otho proveth that the prudence of those Men was contrary unto all good order who after a thousand and three hundred years after Christ did change Baptism that is dipping appointed by Christ into Rhantism that is sprinkling brought into its place with great boldness lest those that were to be Baptized in cold Countries and Seasons if they should be plunged according unto Christs Commandment might fall into diseases or be chilly with cold for the heating of the water might be a sufficient remedy against this evil or danger as the above quoted excellent Divine and Reformer John Bugenhagius in his aforementioned German Book doth urge more at large ' Anciently when Rhantism was not yet substituted to Baptism says the English Chrysostom of this Age Those who were Baptized put off their Garments which signified the putting off of the body of sin and were immersed and buried in the water to represent the death of sin and then did rise up again out of the water to signify their entrance upon a new life and to these Customs the Apostle alludes Rom. 6. c. Thus the very Reverend John Tillotson D. D. Dean of Canterbury a Man of great liberality toward the poor which I my self profess with a grateful mind that I have oftentimes had experience of it commended by all good Men for the excellency of his Wit the uprightness of his Mind the Purity of his Manners and Doctrine in a grave and famous Sermon on 2 Tim. 2. v. 19. Christians says another Doctor in Divinity who excels in every sort of Learning zeal of true Piety being plunged into the water in Baptism signifieth their undertaking and obliging themselves in a spiritual sense to die and be buried with Jesus Christ which death and burial consists in an utter renouncing and forsaking of all their sins that so answerably to his Resurrection they may live a holy and godly life So that Reverend Minister of the Gospel Edward Fouler Canon of Glocester in his admirable Book concerning the scope of the Christian Religion doth interpret the force of the words of the Apostle Rom. 6.4 Deservedly therefore that most learned Anonymus Protestant of France who answereth to that Tractate concerning the Communion under two kinds of my Lord James Benigne Bossuet the famous Bishop of Meaux saith pag. 24. 25. It is most certain that Baptism hath not been Administred hitherto otherwise than by sprinkling by the most part of Protestants but truly this sprinkling is an abuse This Custom which without an accurate examination they have retained from the Romish Church in like manner as many other things makes their Baptism very defective It corrupteth its Institution and Ancient Use and that nearness of similitude which is needful should be betwixt it and Faith Repentance and Regeneration This reflexion of M. Bossuet deserveth to be seriously considered to wit that this Use of plunging hath continued for the space of a whole thousand and three hundred years that hence we may understand that we did not carefully as it was meet examine things which we have retained from the Roman Church and therefore since the most learned Bishops of that Church do teach us now that the Custom established by most grave arguments and so many Ages was first abolished by her this self same thing was very unjustly done by her and that the consideration of our duty doth require at our hands that we seek again the Primitive Custom of the Church and the Institution of Christ The same person there a little afterward Tho therefore we should yield to M. Bossuet that we are convinced by the force of his arguments that the nature and substance of Baptism consisteth in dipping what may he hope for from us but that we profess our selves obliged to him by no small favour and thank him that he hath delivered us from errour when we greatly erred in this thing And as we are resolved indeed to correct and rectify this error so we desire earnestly with humble prayer and supplication of him that he would correct and mend that error of taking away the Cup from the Laicks coming unto the Holy Supper Does Monsieur Bossuet think that the Protestants will have a greater respect of that Custom which they have found not to be lawful that by the most weighty and solid arguments than of the institution of Jesus Christ and that to let Rome get an opportunity of boldly and freely breaking the Laws of Christ by the pernicious imitation of our example Far be that wicked frame of mind from them they are straiter bound by the Authority of their Holy Master then to despise his voice when his sound cometh to their Ears My Sheep follow my voice and again I do know my sheep
but only these three things viz. that they should abstain from what had been offered to Idols and from Blood and from Whoredom Whence some think that there are only three deadly Sins Idolatry Murther and Fornication in which last is understood Adultery and all other fleshly mixtures but with a lawful Wife The seventh Witness shall be Pacianus Bishop of Barcelona who Bellarmine says died whilst Theodosius was Emperour He in his Exhortation to Repentance speaks thus It seems good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further Weight upon you but this 'T is necessary that you keep your selves from things sacrificed to Idols and Blood and from Fornication from which abstaining you shall do well Farewel this is the whole Conclusion of the New Testament In which words there is no mention of strangled The last Evidence shall be Gaudentius Bishop of Brixia in his Treatise of the Maccabees who mentions indeed Things strangled but not as any thing distinct from Blood but comprehends them therein Therefore saith he St. James with the rest of the Apostles made a Decree to be observed in the Churches to abstain from things sacrificed from Fornication and from Blood that is from things strangled They passed by Homicide Adultery Witchcrafts because those things needed not to be named in the Churches which even by the Laws of the Gentiles were punisht They pretermitted also all those minuter Legal Observations and establisht only the things before mentioned to be observed viz. That we should not be prophaned with unclean Meats sacrificed to the Devil Nor yet be polluted by the Blood of Animals strangled nor violate our Bodies which are the Temples of God by the uncleanness of Whoredoms All which Testimonies manifestly shew That this particular of things strangled was not anciently in most Copies of the New Testament or was comprehended in the prohibition of Blood and consequently that there is some ground to suspect the same to have been falsified For which there is this reason of no small moment to be added That the eating of things strangled or which is tantamount of that which dyeth of it self is by the Law of Moses expressly permitted to Strangers Deut. 14.21 And yet even the Stranger was under pain of death prohibited to eat Blood Lev. 17. v. 10 11 and 12. But it is not credible that the Apostles who so studiously did remove all the rest of the Burthens of the Mosaical Law peculiar to the Israelites from the converted Gentiles would yet impose upon them any more heavy one than what all Noah's Posterity were obliged unto But this they would have done if they added a prohibition of things strangled which belonged to the peculiar Discipline of the Israelites As also did that accurate manner of killing Beasts and cleansing them from their Blood of which we read 1 Sam. 14. v. 33 and 34. Besides it is not difficult if care be used to wash away and separate the Blood from Creatures strangled or that die of themselves Nor would I otherwise unless that be done have Christians at this day to eat thereof that they may shew how much they regard this Apostolical Constitution Although I do not think that Piety consists in those smaller Matters which relish of Judaism But that it suffices to avoid sin if never any Blood separated from the Flesh be eaten And Blood In some Greek Copies there is added And whatever they would not have done to themselves not to do to others Which also is repeated in those Copies afterwards at the end of the twenty ninth Verse changing the Third Person to the Second These Additions both Irenaus and Cyprian read in the places of their Works before quoted The Aethiopick Interpreter retains them and the Complutensian Edition of the Greek which saith Curcellaeus was Printed according to the most Correct and Ancient Copies and deservedly obtains the first Place amongst Modern Editions Concerning the Prohibition of Blood we shall treat more largely afterwards v. 29. This only I here observe that there is a particular Blessing promised to those that abstain from Eating of Blood Deut. 12.25 And that the very same Phrase in the Commination or Threatning against Blood-eaters used Levit. 17.10 is made use of again Lev. 20.5 where most grievous Punishment is denounced against Idolaters And that the same is no where used besides against the Transgressors of any third Precept but only in those two Cases of Idolatry and Eating of Blood is noted by Maimonides More Nevochim p. 3. Cap. 46. 21. For Moses c. 'T is beyond doubt that the intention of James in these words was to give a reason for his Judgment but to which part thereof it relates is not very plain Curcellaeus thinks to the last Branch Why 't was fit to write in this Case to the Converted Gentiles viz. Because otherwise unless it were expresly declared unto them that they were freed from keeping the Rituals of the Law they may think themselves still bound thereunto since they use to be present in the Synagogues of the Jews where the Law of Moses in which the same are strictly Commanded use to be publickly read every Sabbath-day Chrysostome conceives James here intended to assign a Reason why there was no such Reason for Writing of this matter to the Jews that had embraced the faith of Christ as there was to the new-believing Gentiles because the former might well enough know their duty from the Law which according to ancient Custom was read unto them every Sabbath in their Synagogues What says he Hom. 33. in Acta Apostol is the meaning of this I Judge as much as I say with Authority that we ought to write to them that they abstain from things offered to Idols and Fornication and what is strangled and from Blood For these tho Corporal things are yet necessary to be observed because they occasion great Evils And lest any should object And why should we not Write the same things to the Jews He adds Moses from ancient time in every City has those that Preach him that is Moses continually speaks to them as being read every Sabbath And a little after Moreover he shews that this Discourse is not made to please or to spare them as weak but the contrary For it should have been a great shame for the Instructers and a Superfluous burthen Hugo Grotius takes the sense of this Verse to be thus For as to Moses those which are of the Jews cannot complain that he is contemned by the Gentiles of our Religion Since Moses is read in our Assemblies no less than in those of the Jews as from ancient times has been accustomed and that too on the Sabbath-Days But to me the Interpretation of Curcellaeus seems most Genuine and Probable since those given by Chrysostome and Grotius look more strained Every City That is where the Jews or Christians or both do dwell Preach him That is who publickly read his Law to the People The Greek word
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Translated to Preach signifies saith Grotius to pronounce with a loud voice like a Cryer As Exod. 32 5. Mat. 3.1 and elsewhere often In the Synagogues By these the Religious Assemblies of the Jews are vulgarly signified yet Grotius thinks that here it may be understood of the Christian Congregations as James 2.2 Theophilus of Antioch speaks thus Synagogues which we call Churches Every Sabbath-Day It was the ancient manner of the Christians which amongst the Moscovites or Russians the Syrians and Melchites and Abyssines yet continues to meet together no less on the Sabbath-Days commonly called Saturdays than on the Lords-days Vulgarly called Sundays So the Author of the Constitutions Apostolical under the Name of Clement Bishop of Rome L. 7. Ca. 23. injoyns The Sabbath Day and the Lords Day keep ye Festivals or Holy because that is dedicated to the memory of the Creation this of the Resurrection Constantine the Great as Eusebius Witnesses in his Life L. 4. Ca. 18. Ordained That all who lived in the Roman Empire should on the Days called by the Name of our Lord rest from all work and should also in like manner keep Holy the Sabbath-days Gregory Nyssenus in his Oration against those that took Reproofs unkindly With what Eyes canst thou behold the Lords-day who hast despised the Sabbath Dost thou not know that these days are Brethren So that if thou undervaluest one thou offendest the other Asterius Bishop of Amasea in his Homily of Divorce The joyning together and Concourse of these two days is Famous amongst Christians of the Sabbath I mean and the Lords-Day which in a Circle returning time brings about every Week For as Mothers and Nurses of the Church they both Assemble the People and cause the Priests to sit down together to teach them and so both lead and impel as well the Disciples as their Teachers to the care of Souls Socrates in his History L. 10. Ch. 22. Witnesseth That all the Churches every where throughout the World do as duly as the Weeks come about Celebrate the Divine Mysteries on the Sabbath-Day except only the Church of Rome and that of Alexandria And in his 6th Book and 8. Ch. speaking of the Tumults which the Arians stirred up at Constantinople in the time of John Chrysostome saith When the Feasts of every Week came to wit the Sabbath and the Lords-day in which Assemblies use to be held in the Churches c. Sozomen Lib. 7. Ca. 19. Some meet together on the Sabbath-day and likewise on the first day of the Week as at Constantinople and amongst most other Christians But at Rome and Alexandria they do not do so Anastasius of Nica The Sabboth and the Lords day L. Quaest q. 77. are Days Holy and Festival Neither is it lawful on them to fast Theodorus â—alsamon The Sabbath-days are by the Holy Fathers almost in all things made equal to the Lords days Hence it came to pass That as on the Lords days there was no fasting as being Days of Rejoycing as the Gangrensian Synod teaches Can. 18. So neither on the Sabbath-days except on one only which was that before Easter In the Canons of the Apostles as they are called which tho Learned Men know they deserve not that Title yet they must be confessed to be ancient the 65th Canon runs thus If any Clerk shall be found Fasting on the Holy Lords-day or on the Sabbath except one only which next precedes the Paschal Solemnity on which Christ laid in the Sepulchre let him be deposed or degraded but if he be a Layman let him be with-drawn from or Excommunicated Ignatius in an Epistle to the Phillipians goes higher If any one shall Fast on the Lords-day or on the Sabbath-day save only on the Sabbath before Easter He is a Murtherer of Christ And to omit for Brevity the rest of the Testimonies of Antiquity Tertullian in his 4th Book against Marcion saith That the Sabbath-day from the beginning of the World had this Priviledge to be free from Fasting Therefore when Justin Martyr and Tertullian deny that the Patriarchs before Moses did Sabbatize it is to be understood not of their assembling together on that day but of a strict rest during all the day Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesians Let us not Sabbatize after the manner of the Jews enjoying Idleness For he that Works not let him not eat and in the sweat of thy Brows thou shalt eat thy Bread say the sacred Oracles But let every one of you Sabbatize spiritually applying your selves with Joy to Meditation on the Law of God rather then to indulge the Body with rest admiring the Works of God not Eating or Drinking superfluously and walking Proudly or pleasing your selves with Dances and unreasonable Frolicks And after the Sabbath is over let every Christian keep Holy the Lords-day Origen Hom. 23. on Numbers It is necessary that every Holy and Righteous Man should also observe the Feast of the Sabbath But what is that Feast unless what the Apostle saith Hebr. 4. There remaineth therefore a Sabbatisme that is a keeping of the Sabbath to the People of God Therefore leaving the Judaical Observation of the Sabbath let us see how a Christian ought to keep the same On the Sabbath-day nothing ought to be done of all Worldly Works Therefore if thou dost forbear secular Imployments and dost nothing Worldly but spendest the times in spiritual Exercises coming to the Church hearing the Divine Scriptures read and handled Imploying thy thoughts on Heavenly things careful of thy future Hope and having the approaching Judgment before thine Eyes shall have a regard not to things present and visible but to those that are future and invisible This is the true observation of a Christian Sabbath But on the Sabbaths in the Assemblies of the primitive Christians the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament were wont to be read to the People even as amongst the Jews Which Custom the Synod of Laodicea which was held about the year 364. altered establishing that on the Sabbath-days the New as well as Old Testament should be read Can. 16. 22. Then it pleased c. As if he should say All that were present at this Jerusalem Council approving the Sentence of the Apostle James as most equitable That it might forthwith be put in Execution and the strife kindled at Antioch which easily might spread it self to other Churches be happily Composed by common Consent Judas and Silas Men of principal note and Authority amongst the Brethren and of whom there was no suspicion that they were more addicted to either Party in this Controversy were chosen that they might go along with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch and carry thither the Epistle of the Synod With Paul and Barnabas Since they were as it were one Party in this Controversie touching the Observation of the Mosaical Rites and to some might be suspected as less Impartial it was not thought so fit that they should
Aratus his Phaenomena which were translated out of Greek into Latin by Cicero while he was but very young as he saith himself De natur deor Lib. 2. And since by Sextus Ruffus Aviâ—nus It is agreed upon among the Learned that Aratus being a man ignorant of Astrology did speak most excellently and ornately of the Heavens and Stars as Cicero saith This Aratus surnamed Solensis De Orat. Lib. 1. was born at Solis a City of Cicily which being afterward repaired by Pompey the Great was called Poâ—â—ciopolis he was Famous in the time of Prolomeus Philadelphus and lived splendidly in the Palace of Antigonus Gonaâ—a the Son of Demetrius Poliorceta who took the Government of the Macedonians about the hundred fifty and fifth Olympiad Suidas makes a Catalogue of his works among which his â—hanomena are the most esteemed whose admirable beginning Virgilius hath imitated in his third Eclogue v. 60. What saith Grotius was said by Aratus of Jupiter Paul adopâ—eth to the true God because by Jupiter the wisest among the Greeks did understand the most high God Thus Aristaeus in Josephus says that the Jews Worship the God of the Vniverse whom the Greeks call Jupiter 29. For as much then as we are the Offspring of God That is forasmuch as we are the Children of God Paul saith Groâ—ius accommodatâ—â— hiâ— self to a Pâ—â—tical way of speaking meaning that we 〈…〉 God in our mind and for this 〈…〉 his Children But in the new Testament we are 〈…〉 Children upon a more weighty account because we 〈…〉 Goodness again we shall at our Resurrection 〈◊〉 his Children by partaâ—ing of his 〈◊〉 We ought not to think c. As 〈…〉 to say None that is in his right mind should 〈…〉 to wit Silver Gold and Stone to God though Graven with the best Art that man can invent For Silver Gold and Stone are things far below man and are cannot be but more â—gnoble then the Artisiâ—er See Isay 40.18.44.13.46.5 Mâ—â—â—er saith Beza we must know that by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Work but also by a Synecdoâ—â—◠〈…〉 all such things 〈…〉 use to 〈…〉 representing God 30. And the times c. As much as to say But God whose purest honour is in a worship that is far from the Senses seeing he hath hitherto passed by those Sins which in those former times the Idolatrous Nations through gross ignorance committed now the darkness of former times being driven away does by the Preaching of the Gospel strictly charge all Men every where without disserence or choice of Nations to amend their former Sins and Mistakes and lead a new Life according to the rule of Gods Commandments Winked The Word in the Greek signifies dissembled By the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Beza is meant him who makes as if he slightly saw the outside of things This Horâ—tius calls somewhere Pervidere that is says the same Beza if I am not mistaken per transeâ—â—am et leviter videre see by the by and slightly Now God is said to have despised overlookt and winked at those times of Ignorance either because he composed not a form of Religion for the Nations as he did for the Israclues by which they were to be bounded in his Service and Worship neither sent he any Prophets to them to drive away their darkness but suffered them to walk in their own ways as is said above Ch. 14.16 or because he did not then severely punish them but patiently suffered them See Rom. 3.26 31. Because A reason is given why men ought to amend themselves He hath appointed a day That is he hath limited a certain day though he hath kept from our knowledge when it is to come In the which he will Judge the World That is the Inhabitants of this World In Righteousness That is Justly according to every ones works without respect of Persons Rom. 2.6 7 8. By that Man whom he hath ordained That is by that Man whom he hath constituted Judge of the Quick and Dead See above Ch. 10.42 Whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men. That is hath by a sure Argument and worthy of credit proved that Christ was to be judge of the World when he raised him from the Dead God saith Grotius by raising Christ again from the dead gave the greatest Testimony to his Doctrine that he could give but this also was in this Doctrine that he was to be Judge of Mankind Matth. 25.31 Seq Joh. 5.25 32. And when they heard of the Resurrection of the Dead That is that a Man was raised from the Dead Some mocked As they use to do who give no faith to what is spoken An Ethnick in Minutius deriding the Christians They build saith he and knit together old Wives Fables they say they are to rise up again after they are dead and in Ashes and I know not with what boldness they believe one another their own lies you might think they are risen again already Neither did the Platonicians who thought that bodies were given to Souls for Punishment believe the Resurrection of bodies nor yet the Epicureans nor the Peripateticians who taught that God had no care of humane things these more openly but those in their secret discourses And others Who thought it not repugnant as Man might at first be made by God so also he might again be renewed by him Said we will hear thee again of this matter To wit when we are at leasure 33. So Paul departed from among them As much as to say Paul being put off to another day went from Areopagus 34. Howbeit certain Men. Of them who heard Paul Preach in Areopagus Cleave unto him That is saith Grotius having insinuated themselves more into his acquaintance So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken above Ch. 5.13.9.26.10.28 Dionysius the Arcopagite That is one of those Senators of Areopagus who judged with such integrity of Capital matters that they judged only in the night not in the day time that so they might take notice of what was spoken not of who spoke Eusebius saith that saith this Dionysius the Areopagite was appointed the first Bishop of the Church of Athens Hist Eccles Lib. 3. Cap. 4. as another Dionysius Bishop of the Church of Corinth a most ancient Writer witnesseth And a Woman named Damaris This Woman was the Wife of Dionysius the Areopagite if we believe Ambrose Chrysostome and Augustine And others Less Famous Athenians With them To wit with Dionysius and Damaris CHAP. XVIII 1. After these things Paul having sent Silas and Timotheus who came to him from Beraea back again to Macedonia stayed alone at Athens and himself also again and again intended to go to Thessalonica but could not accomplish it being hindred by Satan therefore he sent Timothy thither to comfort and strengthen the Thessalonians in the Faith In the mean while having left Athens 1 Thess 2.17 18.3.1 2. he came to Corinth which the most eloquent
2.41 8.12 37. 9. Then spake the Lord. That is Jesus Christ to whom all Power is given in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.18 In the Night by a Vision That is in a Night Vision Ch. 2.17 See above what I have noted upon these words they shall dream Dreams Be not affraid As much as to say Let not the fear of being disturbed fright you from Preaching the Gospel here 10. I am with thee According to my promise Matth. 28. v. 20. See what we have noted there And no Man c. As much as to say Neither will I suffer you to be wronged or hurt by any of thine Enemies For c. As much as to say I would not have you cease from Preaching the Gospel in this Luxurious City because there are many in it beside those already converted who are yet to be converted by thy Preaching and reckoned with my People and my Sheep As Christ calls them here his People and Joh. 10.16 his Sheep from the future So saith Grotius those names are given from the time past as Matth. 21.31 This seems to relate to the Prophesie of Isaiah 54.15 11. And he continued there c. As much as to say Paul therefore being confirmed by this admonition of Christ's spent a year and Six Moneths at Corinth in Preaching the Gospel to the Corinthians 12. And when Gallio was the Deputy of Achaia This Gallio was Brother to L. Annaeus Seneca the Philosopher Nero's Master When he was younger he was called M. Annaeus Novatus but afterward L. Junius Gallio having adopted him for his Son he took this Name with his Family Seneca his Brother wrote to this Man his Book of a blessed Life and he writing to his Mother saith that he had obtained honours Achaia saith Grotius was a Proconsular Province under Augustus Tiberius adjoyned it to Macedonia and made it a Caesarean Province But Claudius restored these Provinces to the Senate that is made them again Proconsular as witnesseth Sentonius in Claudius Chap. 25. and Dion Book 60. Spanhemius in his Introduction to his Holy Geography Among the Provinces saith he of the Macedonian Diocess Achaia hath the first place in the rotice of the Empire being subject to the Proconsul while the rest were Consular or Presidial Also we must understand this Achaia to be of larger extent then it is in Ptolomy containing the ancient Greece to wit Aetholia Locrus Phocis Boeotia Attica and all the bounds in which Peloponnesus extended it self Corinth was its Meâ—ropolis being of old the richest of its Cities the common Market Town of all Asia and Europe the entry and as it were the door of Peloponnesus situated in the middle of the Isthnuts Among the other Cities of this Achaia which were Famous for Bishops and Churches and saluted by St. Paul in his second Epistle to the Corinthians next to the Corinthian that of the Athenians in Attica for antiquity splendor of the City having been inlarged with priviledges by the Pompeys Antonies Hadrians for the foundation of its Church by St. Paul for the Conversion of Dionysius not to speak of Hierothens the Areopagite whom they say was Dionysius his Master for the Episcopacy of the same Dionysius in Eusebius and of Publius Quadratus c. was deservedly among the first The Jews made in surrection with one accord To wit the unbelieving of whom above v. 6. being stirred up partly because Paul had withdrawn some from them of which see above v. 8. partly because he joyned with the Jews who believed in Christ the Ethnicks who believed in him though not Circumcised into the same People of God And brought him to the Judgment Of Gallio's Deputy-ship 13. Contrary to the Law To wit of Moses according to which it is by the Romans allowed to us Jews to live in Greece This fellow A Jew by birth Perswadeth Men to worship God Without the observation of legal Ceremonies especially Circumcision Therefore saith Grotius the Jews came to the Deputy because in Achaia they had not such a Power of chastising those of their People as they had in Judea and the neighbouring Regions 14. And when Paul was now about to open his Mouth That he might answer the accusation drawn up against him Gallio said unto the Jews Pauls accusers If it were a matter of wrong That is if any of you had been wronged contrary to the Civil Laws Or wicked Lewdness That is if a mischief were committed through a wicked design Bear with you As much as to say That I should patiently hear your accusation and Judge the Controversie 15. But if it be a question of words That is but if there be any debates among you about dubious expressions And names If to wit that Jesus whom Paul Preacheth should be named Messias or not And of your Law Supply rites Look ye to it That is I leave it to you and permit that either ye compose these Controversies among your selves or that ye dispute them with what words ye please For I will be no Judge of such matters As much as to say For I have no mind to imploy my self to take up Controversies in your Religion It belongs not saith Grotius to the Roman Magistrates to meddle with these things no more than with the debates of the Epicureans and Stoicks among themselves 16. And he drove them from the Judgment Seat That is saith Grotius he removed them from the place of Judgment as bringing nothing which came within his Cognisance Then all the Greeks took That is the Gentiles of the People of Achaia who stood before the Judgment Seat and saw the Jews therefore driven out from thence with Contempt because that with triffling questions of their Law they interrupted the Deputy who was taken up with other things Sosthenes the chief ruler of the Synagogue Who was either with Crispus of whom above v. 8. a great while ago among the chief Rulers of the Synagogue of such it is shewed above Ch. 13.15 that there were many in one Jewish Synagogue or that Crispus having imbraced the Faith of Christ he was substituted in his room or that he was chief Ruler of another Synagogue as Grotius saith than that whereof Crispus was Ruler for in great Cities there were many Synagogues of which each had their own chief Rulers For the same reason there were of old at Rome Antioch and other great Cities except Alexandria where saith Epiphanius there was always another custom many Bishops according to the different limits of Cities and assemblies of Christians But the Synod of Nice did forbid that for the future This Sosthenes seems to have been chief man among Pauls accusers whom nevertheless some say to have been afterward converted to Christ and think him to have been that Sosthenes who with Paul wrote the first Epistle to the Corinthians Beat him before the Judgment Seat See 1. Coriath 1. v. 1. Thinking to gratifie the Deputy if they should beat a Man of great Authority
And he began to speak boldly in the Synagogue That is more freely to utter all he knew of Christ in the Holy assembly of the Jews at Ephesus than he used to do formerly in publick assemblies Whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard Discoursing of Christ They took him unto them To lodge with them And expounded unto him the way of the Lord more perfectly That is they taught this great Man more exactly the Will of God revealed unto Man by Christ 27. And when he was disposed Apollos being accurately and exquisitely instructed in the Christian Religion by Aquila a Tradesman and his Wife Priscilla both lay Persons bearing no Office in the Church To pass into Achaia That is to pass from Ephesus to that Region of Greece whose Metropolis was Corinth The Brethren That is the Christians of Ephesus having exhorted Apollos to perform quickly his generous purpose The Disciples That is the Christians living in Achaia To receive him That is that they might entertain him kindly Hospitably and Brotherly Who. Apollos When he was come Into Achaia Helped them much That is was very helpful to them of the Achaians and Corinthians who were by Pauls means Above v. 47.8 11. converted to believe in Jesus Christ whom being planted by Paul Apollos watered as Paul wrote 1 Cor. 3.6 that is they being by Paul instructed and informed were confirmed and advanced more in the Faith by Apollos And that seems also to be declared saith Wolzogenius that when those Christian Corinthians did with great pains contest with the obstinate Jews Apollos helped them greatly in confuting them Who had believed through Grace The Syrian interpreter refers the Word through Grace to the verb helped that the sense may be that those Achaian Christians were not a little helped by Appollos through the great gifts which God had bestowed upon him which are above mentioned and that God by his favour and blessing gave success to his labours v. 24 25. It may also be put with the verb believed that the meaning may be that those Achaians were indued with Faith by the free favour of God 28. Mightily c. As much as to say He with strong arguments confuted and convinced the errors of the Jews demonstrating not by any uncertain tradition but by the most firm Oracles and Testimonies of the Scriptures of the old Testament that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messias promised of old by God who should save his People from their sins From such things saith Wolzogenius as are here written of this Apollos that he was an eloquent Man and fervent in Spirit and mighty in the Scriptures of the old covenant and that he valiantly confuted the Jews it seems a conjecture may be taken that he is the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews being written so eloquently and clearly beyond the rest of the Writings of the new Testament and with fervor of Spirit also frequent allegation and accommodation of the holy Scriptures of the old Testament that these Hebrews or Jews which wavered in the Christian Religion might be strongly confirmed CHAP. XIX 1. WHile Apollos was at Corinth Watering Christianity there which was planted by Paul and diligently promoting the work of the Lord. Having passed through the upper Coasts That is Galatia and Phrygia Mediterranean Countries of the lesser Asia and more Northerly situated Came to Ephesus See above Ch. 18.23 From whence he departed and promised he should return again above Ch. 18. v. 19. 21. And finding certain Disciples That is Jews believing in Christ who came from other Countries to Ephesus 2. Have ye received the holy Ghost since ye believed As much as to say Whether or no since ye imbraced the faith of Christ were these great gifts of the Holy Ghost powred out upon you which according to Joels Prophesie did every where begin to be much used and set by in the Church of Christ We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost That is we have not so much as heard it reported that those gifts of the Holy Ghost which Joel foretold should in great measure be powred out upon believers have already every where been poured The like saying is Jo. 7.39 for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified That is those Illustrious Gifts of the Spirit with which the beginning of the Church was to be by the Messias indued were not as yet fallen from Heaven upon any See what we have said above Ch. 8.16 3. Vnto what then were ye Baptised As much as to say With what Doctrine were ye instructed when ye were initiated by Baptism It was not doubted saith Wolzogenius but they were baptized in Water who were called Disciples but Paul asked in the Profession of what Doctrine Vnto Johns Baptism That is unto the profession of that Doctrine which John Preached and signed by Baptism The answer is most pertinent saith Beza by which they meant that they in Baptism professed the Doctrine proposed by John and ratified by Baptism administred to them hence they acknowledged Christ but very slenderly neither having heard Christ himself nor his Apostles as is also said of Apollos a little before So that it is no wonder that they who as appears by their own answer that having only heard John they were Baptized and returned to their own Country should be ignorant of this Holy Ghost which was not sent out into the Church but since that Day of Pentecost 4. John verily Famous Solomon Glassius these adversative conjunctions Gram. Sacrtract 7. Can. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verily indeed truly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but do in Speech mutually follow one another and necessarily one another as mutual correlatives Mat. 3.11 I indeed Baptize with Water unto Repentance but he that cometh after me c. 9. v. 37. The Harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few And thus the Scripture speaketh in many other places See the Concordancies of the new Testament Hence it happears that Acts 19.4 5. the words are connected together and hold out one continued discourse of Pauls connected by these Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then said Paul John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verily Baptised with the Baptism of Repentance saying unto the People that they should believe on him who should come after him that is on Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But those that heard this Johns report of Christ they were Baptised by John in the name of the Lord Jesus The fifth verse then expresseth not Pauls fact or any rebaptising but it follows in the sixth verse concerning Pauls fact that he laid his hands on those Disciples c. compare Ch. 8. v. 14 15 16. 17. Bellarmin calls this explanation however witty yet no wise pious nor probable But why is it neither Pious nor Probable Johns Baptism is mentioned in v. 4. therefore it were superfluous to repeat it v.
as to say Whatever be said of Images made with hands cannot prejudice the Image of Diana of the Ephesians since it is manifest that it was made by the hands of no Artist but fallen from Jupiter You ought to be quiet That is to quiet the Multitude And to do nothing rashly Without full discerning and clear knowledge of the cause 37. For ye have brought hither these Men. To wit Gaius or Caius and Aristarchus of which see above v. 29. Neither robbers of Churches To wit of Diana's Temple seeing they were never within it Nor yet Blasphemers of your Goddess To whose Image since it was sent from Heaven its Worship is beyond debate although it were granted they are no Gods nor to be Worshipped for Gods which are made with hands as has been said v. 26. 38. Wherefore if Demetrius c. Most like to which is that of Horace If any make lew'd verses against any there is Law and Judgment The Law is open That is there are times and places appointed in which Justice is done and Controversies decided And there are Deputies There used to be one Deputy in each Province but here are more mentioned either because at divers times one succeeded another or because that with the Proconsul his Vicar or Lieutenant judged Let them implead one another To wit Demetrius those Men which ye brought hither or they him Quintilian Declam 13. We have received Magistrates and Laws from our Predecessors for this end that every Man may not be judge of his own wrong and the daily complaints of mischief should refute themselves if revenge resemble the Crime 39. But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters That is If beside your private quarrel ought else come in controversie It shall be determined That is The controversie shall be ended In a Lawful Assembly That is Not in a tumultuary concourse but in an assembly of the People lawfully called 40. For we are in danger c. As much as to say For it is to be feared lest we be accused of Sedition for this days tumultuary concourse being there is no cause for it which can in reason justify it He dismissed the Assembly So by Gods providence this tumultuary convention of the People is dissolved and the tumult stirred up by Demetrius against Paul and his Companions vanished without effect CHAP. XX. 1. AND after the uproar was ceased Which Demetrius stirred up in Ephesus against Paul and his Companions Paul called unto him the Disciples That is Paul called the Christians who were at Ephesus unto him And imbraced them Having by that sign of Brotherly love wished them health and biding them farewel and also as is probable as was the custom of those Nations kissed them Hence the Syrian instead of imbracing them translates here kissed them Neither is it to be doubted but Paul being to depart from the Ephesian Christians did when he wished them health exhort them to the duties of Piety and to constancy in the Faith of Christ which they had received And departed From Ephesus For to go into Macedonia In which at Philippi Beraea and Thessalonica he had converted some to Christ 2. And when he had gone over those Parts To wit the Cities of Macedonia And had given them much exhortation To wit To the Christians who lived in Macedonia that they should retain the Faith and persevere in Godliness He came unto Greece That is To that part of Greece where Athens and Corinth were Greece saith Augustine Lubine Geographer to the French King in his Geographical Index to Vshers Annals The most famous Country in Europe which of old was by its Inhabitants called Hellas containing Macedonia Epyrus Thessalie Achaia which is properly called Greece Peloponnesus and neighbouring Islands about it is for its bounds inclosed upon the East by the Aegean Sea upon the South by the Sea of Crete upon the West by the Ionian Sea upon the North it is parted from Illyria and Maesia by the Scardonian Mountains and from the Thracians by the River Strymon it is now commonly called Romeli by the Turks to whom it is Subject 3. And there abode three Moneths That is And spent three Moneths there And when the Jews laid wait for him The unbelieving Jews being incensed against him for that he led away many from the Law of Moses to the Faith of Christ As he was about to Sail unto Syria Toward Judea He purposed c. As much as to say To the end he might shun the snares laid for him he takes a very wife resolution not to Sail directly from Achaia or Greece properly so called unto Syria but to take his way back again through Macedonia from whence he came to Achaia three Moneths ago 4. And there accompanied him into Asia Strictly so called whose chief Metropolis is Ephesus Sopater This Sosipater and by Syncope Sopater is reckoned among Paul's kindred Rom. 16.21 The Son of Pyrrhus This is wanting in the vulgar Greek Copies Of Beraea Of the number of those noble men spoken of above Ch. 17.10 11 12. And of the Thessalonians That is those of Thessalonica a City of Macedonia Aristarchus and Secundus The Syrian thinks that there were only these two Thessalonians Aristarchus also accompanied Paul not only to Asia but even to Syria also yea and to Rome below Ch. See also Col. 4.10 27.2 And Gaius of Derbe Of this Gaius or Caius see what we have said above Ch. 19.29 And Timotheus Born if we believe Gesnere in the same City of Derbe The Syrian and Arabian interpreters add Who was of Lystra This excellent youth Timotheus See above Ch. 14.6 of whom above Ch. 16. v. 1 2. Ch. 17.14 15. Ch. 18.5 Ch. 19.22 Paul afterward left at Ephesus that there he might oversee the Church in teaching and governing it And of Asia Strictly so called and also its chief City Ephesus for a most ancient Copy which most famous Beza used hath for Asians Ephesians And Tychicus This Man is commended by Paul Ephes 6.12 Col. 4.7 is sent to Ephesus 2 Tim. 4.12 to the Isle of Crete Tit. 3.12 The Supposititious Dorotheus in his Synopsis of the Lives of the Prophets and Disciples of Christ writes that this Tychicus was at last created Bishop of Chalcedon in Bithynia And Trophimus Of whom below Ch. 21.29 2 Tim. 4.20 5. These going before Whither Paul was a going Tarryed for us at Troas That is waited for Paul and me Luke the writer of this History This Luke who spake otherwise in the foregoing Chapters because that perhaps he was sent by Paul somewhere else shews that he was then returned again to Paul to accompany him in his Journey as also afterward in the following From Troas Troas in this place is not taken for that Country which was called Teucris and Dardania and Xanthe but for a City of the same Country which was also called Troas See what we have said above Ch. 16. 6. And we That
say There is no kind of Torment which I must bear to perform my duty that I shall either deprecate or shun Neither count I my Life dear unto me That is Neither do I value the loss of my Life The Hebrews say that unto him who spares this temporary Life his Soul is esteemed precious No Man is so fearless of Death as that Man that is Crucified to the World and hath mortified his inordinate desire of Worldly things If in the whole course of our Life we give up our selves to the Laws of Christ if we exercise our selves to patience and self-denial to Meekness and Long suffering to Temperance and Chastity to contempt of the World and an Heavenly Mind we shall find it a very easy task when we shall be required to resign up our Mortal Life for the sake of our Lord Jesus He that obeyeth Christ in all his Holy and strictest precepts will be in great readiness and preparation of Mind to lay down his Life for him He that dares kill his Lusts and crucifie the old Man will not think much to resign this Mortal Life that he may be cloathed with Immortality Thus much that most Famous Man for his Learning and Piety the reverend Canon of Norwich Richard Kidder in Ch. 10. of his Book concerning the grounds of Christian Fortitude which not long ago that patern of an upright and godly conscience the noble Lady Vicountess Katharine Ranelaugh lent me So that I might finish my course with Joy That is That with that chearfulness and earnestness which becomes me I might run toward the mark which Christ the Judge hath prefixed for me And the Ministry c. As much as to say And might discharge my Apostolical Office which Christ from Heaven committed to me that I might bear witness to that joyful and happy Message of the exceeding great Grace of God towards Men to wit of the most happy everlasting Life which is to be received in Heaven of the great and liberal God through mens lively Faith in Christ Jesus without the works of the Law Joh. 1. v. 17. Rom. 6.14 15. Heb. 12.15.13.9 1 Pet. 5.12 Hence the Gospel is called Grace 25. And now behold I know By Revelation from the holy Ghost by whose impulse I go from hence to Jerusalem That After my departure from you now Ye all c. That is None of you shall see me henceforth Among them I have gone That is Through whose Countries and Cities I have travelled Preaching the Kingdom of God That is that most blessed and worthy State which by the Grace of God Believers in Christ are to enjoy in Heaven 26. Wherefore I take you to record this day That is I take you all witness That I am pure from the Blood of all Men. That is That I am not the cause of their Destruction who among you have forsaken the Christian Faith and Godliness See what we have noted concerning this Phrase above Ch. 18.6 27. For c. As much as to say For in my Sermons I unfolded to you all and every thing which God commanded to be by Men hoped believed and done that through Jesus Christ the only Saviour of Men they might attain to eternal Life The whole Counsel of God This universal saying must be restrained to his Office of Apostleship As much as to say All Gods Commands revealed through Jesus Christ about these things which are necessary to be hoped believed and done to Salvation Thus Luke 7.30 Counsel of God is taken for Gods Commandment made to the Pharisees 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves As much as to say Therefore above all listen diligently to your selves how ye live that ye decline not from the true Faith and Piety nor be careless in them A most Learned Anonymus Author in a Theological Treatise called The mischief of Impositions p. 29. edit 2. observed that in the old ordination of Presbyters of the Church of England they were enstated in their whole Office by reading this verse And to all the Flock As much as to say Then be watchful and diligent about the care of the Souls of the whole Company of the Disciples that they may so behave themselves as becomes them The Church of Believers is by a Metaphor called a Flock as of Sheep Luke 12.32 Joh. 10.16 1 Pet. 5.2 that from this Appellation we may learn that Christs Faithful ones should frequent the holy assemblies and not to be wandering all alone Over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you That is See above Ch. 14.23 2 Tim. 1.6 Over which by our Ministry and imposition of hands he did set and constitute you Overseers Augustine saith De civit Dei Lib. 19. Cap. 19. Episcopus is a Greek Word and thence brought because he who is set over oversees them over which he is set to wit taking care of them for Epi is over and Scopus is intention therefore if we please we way call the Office of a Bishop in Latin Superintendere to oversee diligently that he may know he is not a Bishop that delights to be over but not to profit Erasmus in his Ecclesiastes Lib. 1. p. 47. Bishop is a name of an Office not of Dignity also it is a Military Word hence derived because he who professeth himself the Captain of an Army should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is look down that there be nothing wanting to the Soldiers under his Standard Whence also Homer calls Hector 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Il. 2. v. 729. Bishop Further they who above v. 17. were in the same City of Ephesus called Elders or Presbyters the same are now called Bishops because in the Apostles time a Bishop and a Presbyter or an Elder were one and the same and one was the name of their Age the other of their Office as Jerome in his Commentary upon the Epistle to Titus and in his Epistles to Oceanus and Evagrius proves from Act. 20.17 28. Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 4.14 Tit. 1.5 Heb. 13.17 1 Pet. 5.1 2. 2 Jo. 1. 3. Jo. 1. Therefore the most Learned and incomparable Jewel Bishop of Sarisbury in his Apologie for the Church of England against Harding Part. 2. Ch. 9. Pag. 173. when Harding said They were condemned of Heresie who denyed the distinction of Bishop from Presbyter he sets in the Margine It is false for then S. Paul Jerome and other good Men are condemned of Heresie Neither is Bishop Morton of Durham's answer in his Catholick Apologie Part. 1. Ch. 33. unlike this Jerome says he perhaps was of the same Judgment with Aerius neither did the other Fathers think otherwise Lastly that Theodoret Ambrose Augustine also Chrysostome Primasius and Sedulius had the same opinion as S. Jerome about the equality of Elders or Presbyters and Bishops which opinion was Condemned in Aerius then in the Waldenses and lastly in Wickliff Michael de Medina not only said in his Book of the original and
the Lord uses to reside when he is in the Country Him to be kept To wit by some Soldiers or other Keepers that he might not make his escape Paul as it seems was kept at Caesarea in an honourable place not in a Prison CHAP. XXIV 1. ND after five Days Accomplished viz. From the time that Paul was brought into Caesarea Descended From Jerusalem to Caesarea Ananias the High Priest C. 23. v. 2. Of whom see above With some of the Elders That is with the Elders of the Great Sanhedrin And Tertullus a certain Orator That is A most excellent Pleader of Causes Who informed the Governour against Paul That is to say they signified to Felix that they would prove Paul Guilty 2. And when Paul was called To Judgment by a Herauld or Apparitor Tertullus began to accuse him That is to say Tertullus accused Paul most grievously In Holy Writ often he is said to begin to do a thing who already does it 3. Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness As if he had said With a full acknowledgement of thy worthy deeds to us-ward at every time and in every place we profess that by your unparallel'd Vigilance and Wisdom the Robberies that used to be committed in Judea are quelled the Murders are repressed in many places and Peace is setled through all the Province which you are set over Felix indeed did overthrow Eleazar that Famous Robber and that Aegyptian Impostor mentioned above C. 21. v. 8. together with their Forces to the unspeakable advantage of the Jews as Josephus declares But otherwise he Governed Judaea with Covetousness and Cruelty he caused the High Priest Jonathan Son to Annas to be Murdered by Assassines because he used frankly to reprove him when he did amiss he also suffered them to commit several Insolencies upon the Jews without punishment as the same Josephus testifies in the place but now cited And so the Mercenary Tertullus seeks to get the favour of Felix by an intolerable Flattering Many things are amended In the Greek is added as also in the English Translation unto this Nation As if he had said The Outragious Wickednsses and Corruptions which had crept into this Nation are by thee amended and rectified with great vigour and happiness We accept That is We acknowledge Most excellent Felix He flattereth Felix with that Title that was usually given to Magistrates and those that were placed in Dignity Hence they are also called Optimates 4. Notwithstanding that I be not farther tedious unto thee As if he had said That I may not hinder thee more than is needful with far-fetcht Speeches That I detain thee not with troublesome discourse nor Circumlocutions and tedious Exordiums Lest I should trespass against the publick good if I should take up thy time with a prolix Harangue I Pray Thee encumbred with Multitude of businesses Briefly That is to say We being resolved to dispatch the heads of our Accusation laid against Paul in a few Words That thou wouldest hear us With a favourable Ear. The First thing requested by an Orator is that he may have audience in a bad cause saith Donatus on Terence Of thy Clemency That is With thy wonted Courtesie and Humanity Readiness to hear does exceedingly commend a Judge Cicero to Q. his Brother Proconsul of Bithynia saith Ye must moreover conjoyn readiness to hear with lenity in passing Judgment 5. We have found And deprehended This Man a pestilent Fellow Orators frequently call that Man a Pest who acts perniciously to the Common-Wealth But this foul-mouthed slanderer was not ashamed to asperse Paul with this Odious name when notwithstanding he exhorted all to forsake wicked Courses and embrace earnestly the Vertues that lead to Salvation So at this day very many are called Plagues and Pestiferous who are falsely branded with the reproach of perverse Heresie because they reject the Doctrines and Commandments of Men in matters of Faith and Divine Worship that they may stand fast to that alone most wholesome Doctrine delivered in the Holy Scriptures And a mover of Sedition among all the Jews throughout the World They falsely accuse Paul of stirring up Sedition in all the Countries through which the Jews were dispersed But so it uses to be that Truth thwarting the received Opinions and Customs of Men when it is not received by Men who account nothing unlawful provided they can varnish it over with a counterfeit pretence of Zeal but is stifly opposed seems to stir up riotous Tumults and pernicious Seditions But those very Jews that falsely accused Paul before Felix did frequently stir up Seditions against Paul as you may see above Chap. 9. v. 23.13.50.14.5.17.5 13.18.12.21.30 31. Here we may appositely use that of Juvenal Sat. 20. v. 24. Who the Seditious Gracchi can sustain Of others for Sedition to complain And a Mover of Sedition That is a Leader and Standard-Bearer of the rest that profess the Religion of Jesus of Nazareth So St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and a Champion for the name of Christ in the Africk Church in those days in the Proconsular Decree made against him is called the Author and Ringleader of that execrable Name Of the Sect of the Nazarens In the Greek Heresie of the Nazarens That is to say Those who follow the Sect of the Christians or embrace their Heresie Heresies are as Tertullian defines them the Doctrines of Men and Devils springing from itching Ears Heresie for the most part is said to be that Judgment and opinion which is chosen by any whether it be invented by us or received from another Yet use has prevailed now especially among Christians that this word that before was used either in a good or a bad sense is for the most part now used in a bad to wit for the choosing of a false and perverse opinion plainly and altogether repugnant to the Word of God See above c. 5. v. 17. Gal. 5. v. 20. and 2 Pet. 2. v. 10. The Jews therefore abhorred the Doctrine of the Christians tho it was agreeable to the Law and the Prophets as Heretical and perverse because it dissented from the common Faith of the Publick Church which at that time was accounted the Church of God So also at this very day they who follow the Appointments of Christ are called Hereticks if they vilifie and reject the errors of formal Christians that are crept into the Church by custom Moreover as the Learned Lud. de Dieu very pertinently observes That Christ was called Nazaraeos or Nazarenos and his followers Nazaraioi did not proceed from a mistake of the Common People as supposing him born at Nazareth nor from the mockery of the Wicked as accounting it a reproach to him but from God's own purpose and Will and the use of the Godly themselves The purpose of God is manifest Mat. 2.23 Where Joseph returning from Aegypt with the Child Jesus is commanded to fix the seat of his habitation at Nazareth that according to the
the High way in Houses in Prison c. without any difference of places So the Ancient Church used to Baptize first in Rivers Lakes Fountains but afterwards in Fonts Temples Oratories sometimes in the Beds of the sick Indeed in the succeeding Age as appears by Tertul. and Euseb c. the Christians took the Reliques of the Martyrs from their Murderers carefully interred them and met at their Tombs and prayed and celebrated their Memories but no Writer says a word of Baptizing there even of that Age much less of the Apostolick 2. But further Neither was there Water enough for Dipping their Bodies at the Tombs nor could they build Fonts there more than Oratories Besides the Martyrs in those days when the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians were fewer than that in every place they could meet at their Tombs nor were Publick Meetings allowed in those days It may be objected That the Burying-Places of Christians were places under-ground where they might secretly perform these Rites But neither is there any evidence of such spacious Burying-places among the Corinthians nor were these places made use of for meeting in or that the Christians went in unto the Burying-places till long after when the Persecution raged whence they were called Twilight Meetings 3. If this had been a Practice among some Christians it would have been altogether singular not to say superstitious to restrict the Sacrament of Baptism to the Sepulchres without either Precept or President of the Apostles for it Neither would the Apostle from such a practice have drawn a general Argument for the Resurrection of the Dead Lastly Neither would the Apostles words have been pertinent in this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the dead he would have said more properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the dead or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at or in the Burying-places or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the dead over the Tombs III. The Opinion of some of the Ancients and of Scaliger Casaub Gretius c. The next is the Opinion of those who thought that respect is had in these words to those who were baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in stead and place of the dead as the Syriack has it for them or in their name as Epiphanius And that because they thought that such as died before they were baptized either did not rise at all or had not a happy Resurrection Hence they ascribe that practice to some Corinthians who were of some Note and Authority and who performed this Vicarious Baptism for their Friends and Kinsmen that died without Baptism either under the deceaseds Bed or within his Sepulchre and they thought that the deceased enjoyed thereby some comfort till the day of the Resurrection and hence Grotius says that Custom of the Ancient Church of praying for the dead had its Original Now the force of the Argument is this that such had undertaken this pains in vain yea foolishly if the dead had been to continue so Whence Jonas Schlightingius uses this simile * v. Com. ad loc Who would dig up the Bowels of the Earth if there were no Gold to be had c Now that this was the practice of some from whom the Apostle distinguishes himself and his Followers they say is plain by the Testimony of Irenaeus especially of Epiphanius †Haer. 28. who attributes it to the Corinthians and Tertullian who charges the Marcionites with it Yea Jos Scalig. says that even the Faithful who were more simple who had not the knowledge of God as v. 34. practised it IV. But notwithstanding that this Opinion is patronized by so many Learned Men yet there are not a few and that very weighty Reasons why we should not believe that St. Paul had respect thereto And first That Vicarious Baptism is of very uncertain Tradition For Epiphanius relateth it as from the Report of others being often too credulous But Irenaeus speaketh of no such thing whatever they unwarily alledge of him nor those who were before him Clemens Rom. Hermas Justin Clemens Alex. Nor is Tertullian express of the like practice of the Marcionites But Learned Interpreters and among them Ph. Priorius * Ad Tertul. de Res c. 48. think that Tertullians words may be interpreted of the washing of the Body or some other Rite for the dead used by some after the manner of the Heathens which Custom he compares to that of the Heathens whereby they prayed for the dead * in Marc. l. 5. c. 10. and celebrated the Feast of All Souls which words Scaliger hath rendred of the Baptism administred on the first of February on which day they thought Christ was baptized Chrysostom is the first that maketh express mention of that Marcionitick Baptism Having hid a living man under the deceaseds Bed they came to the deceased and asked him whether he would be baptized Then he that was hid under the Bed answering for him c. For possibly in Chrysostoms Age some had arrived to that height of madness 2. Whereas Scaliger hath ascribed that Vicarious Baptism to some of the Faithful he did it without any Authority for neither was that conjecture of Souls detained in Prison till the day of Judgment which he says it was founded upon at the time when Paul wrote these things but that it was in the succeeding Age Guil. Rivet Blondel and others have demonstrated at large from the Sybillin Writings and Irenaeus Justin c. But Paul would not have suffered either that Hypothesis or this Vicarious Baptism both grievous Errors to have thus grown up among the Corinthians without rebuke For can it be supposed that he that was so careful to prevent Errours that he would not suffer the least to go without a sharp Reproof even those that only infringed decency and order would have silently passed by such Errors as these which shake the very Foundation For those whom he says had not the Knowledge of God are the same whom he describes v. 12. who opposed the Resurrection to wit the Sadduces and Philosophers not those weak Christians 3. Whatsoever we think that this Error crept in in Tertullians days or rather Marcions or Cerinths yet there is no certainty that that Practice was in Pauls days much less in the Church of the Corinthians Now this to the Corinthians is one of the first of Pauls Epistles dated at Ephesus as appeareth thereby * c. 16.5 18. Acts 19.10 22. not at Philippi as the subscription bears Now at that time that is in the year 53. or 54. or as Blondel 52. in the Reign of Claudius that the Cerinthians were known to them or this practice of theirs publisht is altogether contrary to History to affirm Marcion saith Crellius on the place arose in the days of John that is in the close of the First Century Now how could Marcions Phrensies be known by the Corinthiians whom the Apostle wrote to half an Age before For Marcion is said to