Angel descended from Heaven into the prison where he was and found him betwixt two Souldiers of his guard oppressed with sleep The Dungeon was instantly filled with a great light and awaking him by a touch on the side at his command to follow him the chains fell from his hands He obeyed and passing the first and second watch came to the iron gate that led to the street which of it self also opened After he had gone some few steps this Messenger of Heaven vanished and the prisoner who till then thought he was in a dream found indeed that he was delivered out of the hands of Herod and from the fury of the Jewes He came and knockt at the door of Mary the Mother of John sirnamed Mark where many faithfull were gathered together praying for his delivery A young Maid named Rhodes knew him by his voice and presently went up to tell the Assembly some told her she was mad but she affirming that it was certainly he they replyed t is his Angel meaning him whom we call our Angel Guardian and who is given to every one of us When the door was opened and that they saw him they could yet scarce beleive their own eyes He recounted to them what had happened in the prison And giving order to make known this good newes to James the Brother of our Lord who was Bishop of Hierusalem and to the rest of the Faithfull he departed towards the Coast of Palestine there to preach the Gospel From thence he went to Rome where he began to make war against Idolatry and to establish the Seat of his Successors which might be through all Ages of the Church the Center of Ecclesiastical Unity Herod advertised of his delivery grew inraged astainst the Souldiers to whose custody he was committed He caused diligent search to be made after him but in vain and the Divine Vengeance not long after failed not to punish Herod himself For he being at Cesarea the Inhabitants of Tyre and Sydon with whom he was angry the cause is not mentioned in the History of the Acts sent Deputies to him to make their peace He gave them publick audience and to render this action more solemn would appear adorn'd in all the Royal ornaments of Majesty At his Entry the flattering people clapt their hands and when he spake they cryed T is a God that speakes and not a man This unfortunate Prince took pleasure in this Sacrilegious Adulation and with joy received the honour which is onely due to the King of Kings But at the same time the Angel of our Lord strook him with a horrible disease that from his Throne he was carried to his Bed where the worms eating his flesh made it appear that it was the flesh of a mortall man and that God is more elevated above Sovereigns then Sovereigns are above their subjects that by the least of creatures he knowes how to abate the pride of the most formidable Tyrants and that piety and justice are the most solid Bases of an Empire The persecution of this wicked man gave occasion to the Apostles to leave Judaea and divide themselves into all parts of the world for till then they had resided in Jerusalem Before they separated themselves they composed a Summary of Christian Doctrine which is called the Apostles Creed whether it were that every one made an Article or because it was the mark or as it were the watch-word whereby Christians might know one another as being souldiers of one Band. Saint Matthew wrote also before this separation the Gospel which bears his name and of which St. Hierome sayes he saw the Original in Hebrew in the Library of Pamphilius the Martyr Saint Bartholomew going into the Indies transcribed it with his own hand and it was found in the time of Zeno the Emperor with the body of Saint Barnaby In the mean time the Apostle returned to Antioch with Barnaby and another companion called John sirnamed Mark. Their return caused great joy to that Church but she enjoyed not long their presence for the Prophets and Doctors of which that Church was composed amongst whom was Simon sirnamed the Black Lucius the Cyrenian and Manahem Foster-Brother to Herod the Greek word signifies brought up with him Whilest they fasted and were busied in the Ministery of our Lord they received command from the Holy Ghost to separate from amongst all the rest Saul and Barnabas Saint Luke places them in the rank of Doctors for the work unto which he had designed them They presently obeying imposed hands upon them after fasting and prayer There is a great diversity of opinions amongst Interpreters in Explicating what the Imposition of hands signifies in this passage of the Acts and what was the Ministery in which those here named were imployed The word of the Liturgy according to some signifies the celebrating of the Sacrifice of the Mass Saint Chrysostom Explicates it of Preaching Others of any kinde of Ecclesiastical Function By imposition of hands divers modern Interpreters understand Ordination to Episcopacy Their ground is upon this circumstance of the Liturgy because the Church of Antioch did always accompany this action with fasting and prayer But although the Church doe at this day celebrate Ordinations with these Ceremonies it is not therefore to be said they were practised from the beginning nor that every time they were practised it was for Ordination They add also that there is no other passage in the New Testament which shewes St. Paul and St. Barnabas to be consecrated either Priests or Bishops One might answer that the Apostleship containes these two Orders by that power which is called per Excellentiam for the Apostles were to found particular Churches which composed the Universal Now those could not be founded without Bishops the Church being defined to be a people joyned to their Bishop They ought therefore to have that Character which is necessary for the Ordination of Bishops Certainly it connot be shewed in the Gospel that the other Apostles sent by Jesus Christ were first made Bishops and afterwards Apostles nor is there any likelyhood that the Apostleship of Saint Paul who as St. Ambrose and St. Austin say was not called by Jesus Christ mortal but by Jesus Christ totally God that is to say living by a divine life after his Resurrection did not comprise the excellency which the others had and was less extraordinary Saint Chrysostom whose authority is of great weight in what concernes the Doctor of Nations sayes that he was ordained Apostle in the time we speak of This opinion may be grounded upon this that Saint Luke in this passage ranks him amongst the other Doctors of the Church of Antioch Whence 't is probable if he had been considered as an Apostle and an Apostle of the Gentiles by eminency or if he had exercised that Function he would not have given him a Title much inferiour to the Apostleship For Saint Paul speaking of the Orders of Ministers of the Church
himself with their Wool But all that was permitted seemed not to him expedient to do he would take away from the enemies of the Gospell all manner of pretexts that they should not accuse him of seeking his own interest or making a Commerce of his preaching He would preserve this glory to have announced the Gospell gratis to them by that means might speak with more liberty Many spiritual directours ought to consider this great example of disingagement if they imitate it with prudence and courage their conduct would be more honourable to them more profitable to those whom they govern and more advantagious to the honour of the Church The Apostle esteemed not this corporal exercise to be any reproach to his condition since it did not any way hinder him from his times of prayer or from the Function of his Ministry Every Sabboth day he preached in the Synagogue of the Jewes and made it appear to them as well as to the Greekes that Jesus Christ was the true Messias and true God Silas and Timothy being come from Thesalonica he found himself more then usually moved by the Spirit of God to speak his zeal was enkindled a new and he preached with more efficacy to those of his Nation the Divinity of his Master But when he perceived that instead of profiting by his words they remained more obstinate and uttered more horrible blasphemies against Jesus Christ he shaked his garments and told them Your blood be upon your own heads I have my hands clean and I will goe from this Country and carry to the Gentiles this light which you refuse This familiar fashion of speech to the Hebrewes was as much as to say that he had done all that lay in him to bring them to the knowledge of the truth and they would not believe him therefore he should not be responsable for their perdition which was infallible At the same instant he changed his lodging and retired himself to lodge with an honest man called Titus Justus one who feared God whose house was neer to the place where the Jewes used to assemble Crispus who was Prince of the Synagogue imbraced the Gospell and all his family and many more of the City were also baptized This good success gave incouragement to the Apostle and to augment it our Saviour appeared to him in a vision saying Fear nothing speak boldly take heed you hold not your peace for I am with you and none shall be able to hurt you I have many people in this Town The event made him know the truth of this revelation He remained eighteen moneths in Corinth and in that time the Church was exceedingly increased by the conversion of divers persons of all sorts He preached continually and in the first Epistle which he wrote afterwards to them he shews that in declaring the Gospel to them He made no use of the flowers of humane eloquence nor arguments of Philosophy for fear they might extinguish the vertue of the Cross which wants not the art of words to perswade the belief of it He puts them in minde that he exercised his Ministry amongst them with fear and with humility and that he pretended to know no other thing but Jesus Christ crucified that he did not feed them with solid meat but with milke because they were not capable of other nourishment We know not the particular things which he did at Corinth nor what he endured there for the name of Jesus Christ He onely sayes that the marks of his Apostleship amongst the Corinthians were many paines which he suffered with a long patience and that many miracles were wrought in confirmation of his Doctrine The Jews who were never weary of persecuting him found notinâ— Gallion the Proconsul of Achaya and Brother of Seneca the Philosopher a Spirit that would easily imbrace the injustice of their passions to him they presented the Apostle and accused him of teaching a religious worship contrary to their Law But no sooner the accused offered to open his mouth in his own defence when Gallion told them that if they would complain of any evil action he had committed he would hear and do them justice but if it onely concerned some controversies of their Religion he would not meddle in it but leave the Judgement of it to themselves With this answer he dismissed them And they in a fury fell upon Sosthenes Prince of the Synagogue who was a Christian nor did the Consul hinder them from the prosecution of that insolent cruelty Saint Paul makes mention of this Sosihenes in the salutation of his first Epistle to the Corinthians and speaks of him as of his Companion which shewes he was considerable both to the Apostle and to that Church which he had care to instruct it may be also from him that Saint Paul understood of their disorders which obliged him to write unto them Some Authors make him Bishop of Colophone The Apostle applied not himself so much to the salvation of the Inhabitants of Corinth that he forgat the other Churches and when he understood the necessities of the Church of Thessalonica he wrote two Epistles to them in a short time one after another His designe in the first Epistle was to confirm the faithful in the profession of the Gospel and to instruct them in the mystery of the Resurrection to the end they might take courage in their present and future persecutions He commended them for having made so great a progress in faith the report whereof was spread every where and that they served for an example to other Churches Afterwards he puts them in minde of his manner of preaching how free it was from any self-interest never consenting to be any burthen to them He expresses to them a great desire to see them again and assures them that he continually remembers them in his Prayers He exhorts them not to be sad for the death of their Parents or Friends as the Gentiles are who doe not believe the happiness of a future life nor have any hope to be rejoyned unto them again That the death of Christians is but as it were a sleep that Jesus Christ who is their head being risen again they who are his members shall also rise at the last day at the voice of the Arch-Angel and at the-sound of a Trumpet they shall be lifted up in the Aire and goe before our Lord who shall come in his glory to pronounce the last sentence of eternall happiness or eternall misery to men that his Elect shall follow him into Heaven where they shall live eternally with him in an unspeakable felicity Many not comprehending well that which he sayed of this last Judgement conceived strange fears which were increased by the imprudence or malice of some false Doctors who preached that this last day was neer at hand This caused him to write unto them a second Epistle to dissipate those fears which troubled them to fortifie them against those persecutions which they
obedience and without murmuring or replies glorifie the doctrine of Jesus Christ and let Infidels see it belongs onely to the Gospel to produce such servants Masters do not abuse the patience of your slaves nor continually torment them let not their ears be alwaies filled with threats and reproachfull language and much less use the staffe or whip Know you have all one Master who is in heaven who from thence sees in what manner you treat them and who makes no distinction of persons in his justice give unto them those things which are necessary have a due regard of them in their health and sickness and remember that he who neglects them is worse then an Infidel for even then he renounces his faith In baptism they are made your brothers they are called to the same inheritance and that little distinction betwixt you and them in the world will quickly vanish Virgins be carefull that you be as chast in your mindes as in your bodies Study onely to please our Lord who is your Spouse and who ought to be all things to you Shun all occasions that may withdraw you never so little from him Nourish your selves with praier and consider your bodies as an enemy of whom you must be alwaies in distrust Widdows if you have children let your care be employed in governing yonr families You are deprived of a great support in the loss of your husbands but God is called the husband of Widdows and if you put your trust in him you will not be forsaken prayer ought to be your daily and nightly entertainment and let the modesty of your attire be such as by it one may judge of the inclinations of your heart and the purity of your Widdowhood All that savours either of curiosity affectation or vanity is very ill beseeming your condition You ought to be retired and to love solitude In fine if you plunge your selves in delights what exteriour profession soever you make of piety devotion seeming to lead the life of the new man yet 't is certain you are dead in the eies of God Whilest the Apostle thus discoursed the night advanced nor were his auditors at all weary to heare so admirable instructions A young man called Euthicus heard him from a window a great while but at last surprised with sleep hee fell down dead from the third story This fearfull accident interrupted the Apostle but it was an occasion to conclude his Sermon with a miracle For he went down from the room and layed himselfe upon the dead body and by that sovereigne imbrace restored him to life Then presently he went up again and after he had eaten distributed the holy bread he spake to the faithfull untill the break of day and then took his leave His Companions went to a town called Asson near to Troad and thither he came to them by land as he had agreed There they re-imbarqued together and the first town they put into was Mytilen The next day they cast anchor before the Island of Chyo the third day before Samos the fourth in the harbor of Milletum He would not go to Ephesus fearing he might there be stayed and so hindred from keeping the feast of Pentecost at Hierusalem as he had designed notwithstanding he could not pass so near this great City where he had gained such glorious Conquests without informing himself of the condition of that Church since his departure For which cause hee sent unto the Priests who governed there to come and speak with him St. Irenaeus sayes that hee convocated the Bishops and Priests of the next adjacent places The text of St. Luke speaks nothing of it but if we will consider the forme of Ecclesiasticall Government in that time there is no doubt but by that word Elders or Priests the Bishop of Ephesus who was the chief of them was comprised This news was very welcome to them and after he had imbraced them all he spake in this manner Deare Brethren being so neare I could not pass by without giving my self the comfort of seeing you and withall to assure you the holy affection I bear you is alwayes residing firme in my heart You may remember in what manner I lived since the first day I came into Asia I had nothing in my thoughts but the service of my Master and the health of your Souls I have humbly delivered a Gospel of humility The persecutions which the Jews raised against me I have opposed onely with my praiers and tears nor did they at all abate my courage At all hours on all occasions in all places both in publique and private I have preached to them as well as to the Gentiles the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and the necessity of pennance In summe my conscience does not accuse me to have omitted any thing that might tend to your salvation At this time leaving my self to the conduct of the holy Ghost I am going to Hierusalem not knowing what in particular might befall me although in generall the Spirit of God assures me by prophetick revelations thorow all the Cities where I am to pass that I shall suffer many afflictions But I fear neither chains nor prisons nor other punishments which attend mee For I think I can endure all by the assistance of him that strengthens me and I do not regard the preservation of my life in comparison with the performance of my duty My sole ayme is faithfully to end my cariere and perform the charge which I have received of our Lord Jesus Christ to declare unto men the happy tidings of his grace I know you will see me no more and this being the last time I shall speak to you makes me beg with the more instance that you will imprint in your memories those things which I am now about to impart unto you God has raised you to the dignity of Bishops and Priests and do not think he has done it for the love of you It is for the good of his Church which you are to governe with diligence full of fidelity I will not lay before you many considerations to let you see the importance of this your duty and the horror of your punishments which will follow your negligence It is enough that I tell you this Church whereof the holy Ghost has made you Pastors to the end you govern it is the Spouse of Jesus Christ and he has shed his bloud for her You must know it is not enough to speak to the faâ—thfull you must cry out you must urge them you must conjure them you must reprove them and be not affraid to be thought imporâ—une There are soules which are presently gained and others that are not purchased but by violence and must be healed by sharp remedies have great attention therefore zeal in your conduct that you may gain every one to God Regard neither condition wit riches nor the like which may make you desist or condescend to any thing that is base
or unworthy But be you irreprehensible Labourers faithfull Stewards sincere Embassadors of our Lord for it is by you that he declares his will to men and it is at your hands hee will demand their soules Think of feeding your Flock and not how to cloath your selves with their wooll and drink of their milk There is nothing more shamefull to a Bishop or Priest then covetousness and the desire of sordid gain that justly takes away all credit from them and much weakens the force of their preaching We brought nothing with us into the world and must go out of it naked Therefore â—â—udy not to hoord up any thing but be content with moderate food and clothing seeking only to get riches of piety which is a great treasure and sufficient to satisfie a heart that is truely Christian They who desire to be rich do easily fall into the snares of the Divel and open a gap in their soules to temptation and to all sorts of bad desires and disquiets For covetousness of money is the root of all evils Yet for this we must not condemn rich men but put them often in minde that they be not proud nor put their trust too much in riches which many accidents may ravish from â—hem but rather to confide in the living God whose enjoyment can only render us truly happy You must also avoid another extremity which is the neglect of your own families for how shall he that cannot govern his own house govern well the Church Your family must be like a Church by the exemplar life of all those that are in it and your children born before your ordination must preach in silence to all the faithfull under your charge by their modesty and by the sanctity of their lives After you have been heard speak men will cast their eies upon the manner of your life and if your actions do not correspond with your words your preaching will be unprofitable Be you your selves sober to persuade sobriety chast to teach others continency patient when you suffer injuries to learn others how to bear them and modest to invite others to modesty Let your humility confound the proud and the contempt you have of riches reprove the covetous and make them ashamed use hospitality to the end you may encourage your Brethren that are able to practise it Love the poore and be ye first in their assistance that by your example others may respect help them Keep a watchfull guard upon your anger that your hands which are consecrated to bless the people never strike any body Above all avoid temporall affairs for you are Souldiers of a militia that requires you intirely and you serve a Master whom only you must study to please The sanctification and conduct of souls which he has redeemed the establishment of his kingdome by preaching his word are so glorious imployments that you ought to contemne all others though presented to you by the greatest Prince of the earth When either the glory of our Lord or charity requires you to undertake any affair be not negligent but presently quit your own repose and quiet Without such like occasions attend to cultivate the field which is appointed for you For Christians are the fields of God planted and watered by him and to him it belongs to give the encrease It suffices for your part that you omit nothing to make the Gospel flourish Be watchfull for after my departure ravenous wolves will fall upon your flocke and devoure them without pity and many false doctours shall rise amongst you who will seduce a great number of the faithfull by their false doctrine They will come with the name of our Lord in their mouthes their lookes will be modest their words Saint-like their actions wary their lives severe and they will teach nothing that is not delightfull But indeed they will be wolves in the skinnes of sheep They will be men that are lovers of themselves fraught with inordinate desires puffed up with pride obstinate in what they hold jealous of their opinions and unsatiable in praise honor and respect They will be called Masters give rules to all and concerning all things have the first place and be considered as men that had nothing of earth in them These blinde guides will lead many others so all fall into the ditch you shall see them come into houses and inquire into the greatest secrets of families not to reform the disorders but to soment them so to make benefit of their indulgence They will abuse men by their false Maxims they will make use of the simplicity of women whom they will lead by flocks aud make them believe they will free them from the burthen of their sinnes they will entertain them with a thousand vain superfluous things which shall render them alwaies more curious but never more learned in the doctrine of piety which they ought chiefly to know In fine they will oppose truth which is never favourable to them and will rise up against you without any respect to the power which Jesus Christ has given you as Jannes and Mambres did against Moyses You are not the work of men but the work of Jesus Christ that Sovereign Priest who has made you Priests to the end you continue the functions of his royall Priesthood He who is the head of Men and Angels will have you receive from him the influences of his graces to communicate them to his members you are the head of his mystical body which cannot subsist without you you are the eye to enlighten it the tongue to instruct it and the bosome to harbor it untill our Lord J. Christ be there formed Labor faithfully in a work that is so admirable be not weary to behold after a long time you have not much advanced resolve to sustain in your selves continual throws that you may beget soules to our Lord. Whilest a woman feels the pains of her childe-bearing she cries out aloud but no sooner is she delivered when she forgets all her dolours rejoices because she has brought a man into the world What then will be your joy when you shall have given children to God and how can all those agonies those disquiets those persecutions which you are to suffer before seem troublesom to you For my self I do neither glory that I am an Israelite or that I am skilful in the law nor that I have been elevated up to heaven nor that I am an Apostle nor in any other quality of my person But all my glory is that I have suffered incredible persecutions for Jesus Christ The most glorious badges of my Apostleship is to see me in nakedness to see me in want of food of drink in misery in prisons in chaines in affronts and scorns for the salvation of those to whom God has destinated the light of his Gospel It is now time that I leave you yet awake a while and call to minde the verities which I have declared unto you
during the space of three years I leave you to the protection of God who by his goodness having promised a heavenly kingdom to his servants is both faithfull and powerfull to fulfill his word For my own part I do not think any one can reproach me I have not taken gold nor silver of any one I have furnished my self and those that were with me with things necessary for our subsistance by the labour of my hands I have lived after this manner to give you example how Charity ought to be dis-interessed with the which you are to provide for the necessities of the poor and also to put you in remembrance of that excellent Maxim of our Lord Jesus Christ It is a more noble thing to give then to receive The Apostle ended this his discourse and kneeling down prayed with those who were present That expression of his when he said It was the last time they should see him caused a great resentment in them they all imbraced him with signes of great love and with teares in their eies bid him farewell They stayed all upon the shore untill they lost sight of the vessell which took its course straight to the Isle of Coo famous by the birth of Hippocrates the Prince of Physitians as also of Apelles so highly celebrated amongst Painters The next day they rode before the Isle of Rhodes renowned for her Colossus of an hundred and five foot high with an hundred of a lesser sort about it From thence they came to Patara the Metropolis of Lycia where finding a vessel bound for Phoenicia they put themselves into it He passed in sight of the Isle of Cyprus which he left on the right hand and landed at Tyre where he stayed seven dayes The faithfull there received him with extraordinary respect with expressions of much tender affection The holy Ghost had revealed to them that he was to suffer much persecution at Hierusalem and therefore they used their utmost endeavours to hinder him from going thither But the same reason invited him to make that voyage He parted thence against their wills and was brought to the shore by men women and children After they had prayed on their knees together he imbarked in another vessel and advancing with full sails landed in the Port of Ptolemais where he stayed but one day The next day he came near to Cesâ—rea the new called the Tower of Straton where the old Herod had made sumptuous works to gain the favour of Augustus Caesar from whom hee gave it the name Philip one of the first seven Deacons lodged him and his stay there was a very great consolation to the faithfull of that Church His host had four daughters who being endued with the gift of Prophesie declared unto him the evils which were prepared for him But Agabus of whom we have already spoken following the custome of antient Prophets joyned the sign to his words For taking the girdle of the Apostle and tying his own feet and hands with it sayed to those that were present Hear the Oracle of the holy Ghost The man to whom this girdle belongs shall be tyed as I am by the Jews who shall deliver him up to the Gentiles This discourse much afflicted all those who heard it and caused every one with teares in their eies to conjure S. Paul not to go to Hierusalem But his great courage could not be mollified neither by the certainty of the danger nor by their intreaties nor the tears of his Disciples He sayed to them Why will you by afflicting your selves give me affliction hinder me from giving testimony to my Master how much I love him I am not onely ready to be bound and imprisoned at Hierusalem but if I be to loose my life I shall esteem my self happy to sacrifice it for the truth of the Gospell This answer stopt the mouthes of the faithful who replied no other thing then Gods will bâ— done Some daies after he departed thence with many Christians amongst whom there was a Cyprian named Mnason with whom he was to lodg at Hierusalem THE LIFE of the Apostle S. PAUL The second Book THe Apostle S. Paul arriving at Hierusalem made it his first care to visit James called the Brother of our Lord who was Bishop thereof and in his house hee found all the Priests of the Church assembled there to receive him After he had saluted them he made an exact relation of the things which God had wrought by him amongst the Gentiles for the glory of the Gospel every one giving thanks for it to our Lord who would so deliver the world by little and little from the dark clouds of Infidelity But as the salvation of the Iews also was very considerable very important for the glory of God the progress of the Gospel to unite by little and little these two people and to make them one S. James and the Priests told him You see dear Brother the great number of Jewes who make profession of believing in Christ but notwithstanding their faith they are very zealous observers of their antient Law for the honor of which they continue a most ardent zeal Now some have made them believe that you are a declared enemy of it and teach That those Jews who are spread amongst the Gentiles ought not to circumcise their children nor practise any legal observance In fine they are perswaded you endeavour to make them revolt openly against their Law This report has scandalized and animated them against you so as we fear some troublesom tumult when they shall understand you are here and shall see you in the Assembly which cannot be hindred from being summoned upon your arrival But if you will follow our advice you may appease these spirits and purge your self of the calumny cast upon you We have here amongst us four men who are to perform a vow they have made to offer their haire to God in the Temple according to the Ceremony ordained to Nazaraeans Do you joyn your self with them in this action contribute also to the charge of the necessary Sacrifices and ohserve all that is practised in this occasion that it may be known those reports which go of you are false and that you observe the Law Nor can this give to the Gentiles any subject of murmuration or fear that the same yoke shall be imposed on them for we have determined long since as you know that it suffices for them to abstain from meats offered to Idols from bloud from strangled flesh and from fornication The Apostle was too charitable not to condescend to the infirmity of his Brethren and would not refuse to be a Jew with Jewes he that made himself all things to all men that he might gaine all to Jesus Christ The next day therefore he began the Ceremony of Purification as had been counselled him the which lasted seven dayes as we have before observed But as he was in the Temple offering the Sacrifice ordained
this unknown voyage he spent eight yeares during which time the Church lost many of her Masters and Children or rather sent them to heaven by a glorious martyrdom The death of S. James who was called the brother of our Lord according to the testimony of Jesephus himselfe drew upon the city of Hierusalem the horrid calamities of that famous siege which ruined it intirely Hee had governed that Church twenty nine yeares with so great a reputation of sanctity that the people when hee walked in the streets thought themselves very happy if they could but touch the hemm of his garment Eusebius and before him Hegesippus sayes that he was sanctified in his mothers womb that he ever abstained from all sort of liquours which might cause drunkenness and from flesh that a rasor never toucht his head that hee was never in the bathes and that by his long continuance in prayer there was a scale like to the skin of a Camel grown over his knees The Scribes Pharisees alwaies the same could not support the credit reputation of this man who converted sinners by his example as well as words Wherefore in a great assembly of the people they endeavoured to perswade him publickly to profess Judaism which hee refusing was forthwith precipitated from the top of the Temple where at the foot a dyer with a Lever killed him out-right We have a Canonical Epistle of his in which hee labours principally to prove the necessity of good works to refute the error of Simon the Magician who said faith alone was sufficient to salvation After him Simon the son of Cleophas also called the brother of Jesus Christ because he was his cozen was chosen Bishop of Hierusalem S. Barnaby the faithfull companion of the Apostle in his peregrinations at the same time time received also the crown of martyrdom in the Isle of Cyprus On the other side Mark the disciple of S. Peter and one of the Evangelists after he had governed the Church of Alexandria with great sanctity was taken on a Sunday by the Gentiles who put a rope about his neck and so dragged him for two dayes together about the streets and in rough and uneven places where in the end he finished his life The Christians that were under his conduct led a marvelous holy life Philo the Jew composed a book expresly in their praise called The Contemplative Life wherein hee gives them the name of Essens taking them for Jewes because in that time they retained many legal Ceremonies I know there are great disputes among learned men upon this passage but since I write not for them it were to little purpose to go about to cleare tha difficulty more curious then profitable wee shall doe better to return to Rome where the Church was agitated with a horrible persecution Nero in the tenth of his Empire increasing in wickedness as he grew up in years gave fire himself to the Citie of Rome The streets were too narrow for him and he had a mind to rebuild it that it might bear his name The fire began in that part of the Cirque which joyned to the Mounts Palatine and Caelius and from thence meeting with Magazines filled with combustible matter and being carried with the winde which began to rise it spread it selfe with such violence that remedies were too late to resist its fury The air ecchoed with the lamentable cryes of Women and children who in that apprehension of fear knew not whither to go for safety and hindered those that would have helpt them for whilest some either expected or would secure others they so troubled one another that they found themselves encompassed with flames In the narrow streets where there were many turnings the throng was so great there was no passing When men were gotten so far as they thought the fire could not reach them then they were suddenly surprised by it as it seemed rather to flie then to creep along Many to save their wives perisht themselves and others would not out-live them although they might easily have been saved Fathers lost their lives staying by their children in fine never was seen so horrible a spectacle such as would have brought water or pulled down houses before the fire were hindered with Officers who at the corners of streets throwing about fiery balls cryed out that what they did was by order meaning by the command of the Emperour who as is commonly reported during this sad calamity was singing on the stage the Burning of Troy Notwithstanding he sought to suppress this opinion causing many hutts to be built in his gardens for those who had lost their houses by the fire Of fourteen quarters which composed the city there were but four left intire The houses of three of them were intirely levelled with the ground and in the other seven there remained onely the tops of buildings half burnt and ruined Thus all the riches heaped together since the foundation of the Common-wealth of so many Statues so many Pictures and other other rarities transported from all the Nations of the world of so many Temples built with such magnificence and by the Superstition of the people rendered so famous and renowned there remained onely a little heap of Ashes a sad example of the vanity of all humane things But to see that great City all in flames was not so dreadfull as afterwards to behold a great number of Christians tormented by Nero as authors of the fire without distinction either of age or quality and adding derision to his cruelty hee commanded some to be covered with the skins of wilde beasts to the end they might be worried to death by fierce dogs Others he nailed upon Crosses and caused their bodies to be rubbed over with pitch and other things apt to take fire that in the night time they served for torches to light those who passed by whilest they consumed like living holocausts for the defence of the name of J. Christ His gardens were the theatre of this abominable execution Although the Christians were odious to the Romanes who distinguished them not from the Jewes Hereticks of that time whose abominations indeed by right deserved their publick hatred yet they had compassion of these for every one saw they perished not for their own crimes but to satisfie the unsatiable cruelty of the Emperor who would justifie himself at their costs This was the first persecution in which God would try his Church amongst the Gentiles It was a while interrupted by a conspiracy discovered against this Tyrant in which Seneca being accused to have a hand was forced to make satisfaction with his life let out by his veins a greater resolution could not be desired then what he shewed in his death but me thinks 't is yet to be deplored since this constancy was only Philosophical not Christian Plautus Lateranus whose Palace was afterwards changed into a Church which yet bears the name of Lateran many other persons of quality perished for
publique prayer a young Maid in whom the Devil spake and foretold hidden things followed them and cryed out aloud severall times These men are the servants of Almighty God and they announce unto you the way of Salvation Saint Paul was angry to have this testimony from the Father of lyes wherefore turning himselfe towards this young Maid he said to the Devil I command thee in the name of Iesus Christ to goe out of this body and at the very instant he departed from her The Masters of this Divining Maid seeing themselves deprived of the great gaine which they made by her means laid hands on S. Paul and Silas and carried them before the Magistrates accusing them to be Iewes and that they sought to raise sedition in the City and to teach a Doctrine which was not lawfull for the Romans to embrace The people without any other information fall upon them and the Magistrates seconding their fury caused them to be cruelly whipt and after that punishment sent them to prison with express order there to be strictly guarded which the Goaler being rigorous enough of himselfe did easily obey He put them into a deep dungeon and tyed their feet in such sort that they could not stir But their minds were free though their bodies were not And thinking not of what they had suffered nor of what they might feare when every one slept they sung hymnes to God who presently manifested how pleasing they were unto him for the prison was shaken with a great Earthquake the gates opened of themselves and the chains of all the prisoners fell off The Goaler waking at this fearful noise and seeing all the doors open thought those he had in custody were all fled which so much troubled him knowing his life must pay for their escape that drawing out his sword he would have killed himself but Saint Paul cryed out with a loud voice Hurt not yonr selfe we are all here and not one of us thinks of escaping Those words brought the Goaler to himselfe and made him change the desperate desigâ—e he had taken And at the same time the grace of God assured him that the Earthquake which then happeâ—ed and the flying open of the prison-dores proceeded not from any natural cause and that those who from the dungeon could know what he was about to doe must needs be extraordinary men He lighted a candle and going into the dungeon where the Apostle was cast himselfe at his feet then led him and Silas into another room where being pressed by the secret impulse of his conscience he demanded of them what he was to doe that he might be saved They answered Beleeve in Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved After that they explicated to him and to all his Family in what this faith consisted The Goaler embracing it was baptised with his whole Family he wash'd their wounds as they had done those of his soule He presently caused the Table to be covered and gave his instructers to eat who had need of it and devoutly rejoyced with them for the great mercy which God had pleased to shew unto him by their means At break of day certain Officers came from the Magistrates into the prison and commanded the Goaler to free the prisoners they had sent thither the day before What sayes the Apostle after you have whipped innocent Citizens of Rome and without any forme of justice and after you have put them in prison doe you think to make them goe thus privately away without reparation as if they were culpable of some crime for which they had deserved to be so shamefully treated No we cannot doe so great an injury to our innocence Therefore let those who sent us hither come themselves if they will have us out The Judges informed of this discourse perceived the error they had committed the danger to which they were exposed in treating thus persons whom the priviledge of a Citizen exempted from the punishment of whipping For by Saint Pauls discourse they beleeved Silas had also the same priviledge although it was onely the Apostle that could claime it but they would not make this distinction to terrifie the more those who had so unjustly treated both of them for one same cause This answer caused them to come and entreat the prisoners with fair words to goe out of prison and out of the Town and to impute that which had happened to the sedition of the people for which they were very sorry The Apostles went away and returned to the house of Lidia where after they had stayed some time and recounted to the faithfull what had passed and by their discourse fortified their courage they left this ungrateful City and taking circuit through Amphipolis and Apollonia from thence went to Thessalonica St. Paul went into the Synagogue of the Jewes three Sabbath dayes successively according to the custome which he observed first of all to speak to those of his Nation He shewed them by the authority of Holy Scriptures and by a cleare Explication of the Prophets that Christ who was promised them had already suffered and was risen againe from the dead He announced unto them this Jesus Christ and that he was the true Messias whereupon some who were by Nation Jewes received the faith He converted a far greater number of Gentiles by birth who made profession of Iudaisme or who without observing the Law beleeved in one sole God and feared him for the Greek Text of the Acts may be explicated in this double sense and amongst them were divers women of condition who also embraced the Gospel The Iewes that remained obstinate unable to endure the success of the Apostles preaching gained some wicked men of the people by whose meanes they raised a sedition in the Town They came in great numbers to the house of Iason where Paul and Silas lodged and not finding them there discharged their rage upon their Host and dragged him out of doores together with some other faithfull before the Magistrates The pretence was that they had harboured seditious men who troubled the publique quiet and offended the Imperial Majesty of Caesar giving out that a certaine Jesus Christ was King The principal Citizens of Thessalonica and such of the people as understood this discourse were presently moved with choler but Iason so well satisfied them whether by assuring that those who were accused and brought before them had no more designe then himselfe to trouble the publique peace or whether it was by giving caution for their innocency and undertaking for their appearance the Text of the Acts not mentioning what satisfaction he gave that they dismissed him with the rest of his company Saint Paul makes mention of this Iason in his Epistle to the Romans and some Authors will have that he was afterwards Bishop of Tharsius When night was come the faithfull whom this danger had alarm'd conveyed Paul and Silas out of Thessalonica Those who performed this Office in perswading them to
retire so to preserve their lives very necessary for the good of the Church were of the most considerable persons in the City They had received the Doctrine of the Apostle with great fervour and would so firmly imprint it in their minde that every day they turned over the Books of the Holy Scripture which St. Paul had alledged not that they doubted of his sincerity but to confirm themselves by their owne knowledge in the beliefe of those verities which he had declared unto them The Apostles following the shoar of the Aegean Sea turning towards the South and leaving Pella a famous City in giving birth to Alexander they came to Beroe a City of Macedonia The newes flew as far as Thessalonica from whence the enemies of Saint Paul ran in great diligence and being arrived prefently stirred up the ignorant people against him who announced truth unto them This caused the faithful to conduct him to the Sea-shore some of them accompanied him as far as Athens where he was met by Silas and Timothy This City once famous for the Empire of Greece and Sciences after divers revolutions was fallen under the power of the Romans And although it was extreamly declined from its first splendor and particularly from that of Philosophy and other Disciplines for which Saint Greogory of Nazianzen calls it the seat and abode of Philosophy yet there was still conserved in it enough to make the Apostle judge that it was very important for the glory of God there to make known the verities of the Gospel Besides Learning which there flourished the Councel of the Areopagits Sovereign Judges of Important Affaires rendered it very famous but Idolatry dishonoured it For it seemed to glory in gathering together all the Idols of the World as if it feared onely not to be superstitious enough After they had erected Altars to the known Gods adored by other Nations they raised others to the unknown Gods of Europe Asia and Africa as some Authors write and according to others to the unknown God as it is set down in the Acts of the Apostles to the end they might forget no Divinity believing that a great plague had happened to them for their neglect to some unknown God Saint Paul beholding this City so miserably plunged in the impiety of false Gods found his heart warmed with a new zeale and touched with a most sensible griefe for the loss of so many soules He disputed in the Synagogues with the Iewes and the Proselytes and in publique places to those he met he spake of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ The Epicurean Philosophers and the Stoicks disputed often with him Saint Luke makes no mention of Professors of other Sects These cared not to embrace a Religion that spake of nothing but how to mortifie their senses and renounce the voluptuous pleasures of body and minde to follow Jesus crucified for they place their sovereign good in pleasure denying Divine Providence and the immortality of the soule which is the Basis of Religion They also were more alienated by the vanity of their Opinions for they acknowledging no corruption in humane nature by original sin in which they agreed with the other Philosophers went yet further making a God of their Wise man or rather a Devil of Pride He onely according to their imagination was knowing happy powerful exempt from errour unsensible of irregular passions King of all things and of himselfe and without need of any thing but from himself These principles were very contrary to the Doctrine preached by the Apostles which hath for foundation mans ignorance in his understanding and infirmity in his will whence it comes that of himselfe sin having put him into this condition he knowes not what is fit for him to doe and Iess able to performe when he comes to know it This double wound presupposed and experience having taught the Iewes that their Law could not cure them and likewise the Gentiles that neither the light of nature nor that of Sciences had the power to give them a real remedy it was not hard to dispose men to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ which brought with it perfect health for every one desires to be freed from errour and weakness when he comes to know that he is plunged into it And on the other side we slight Physitians when we think we have no need of them Even so did these two Sects of Philosophers of whom we speak who finding as they thought great absurdities in the Doctrine of the Apostle some of them called him a Talker that proposed things which he could not prove others said that he discoursed of new Spirits not being able to comprehend that which he preached of the resurrection of our Lord and of his Divinity This Contestation which dayly grew into more heat in the publique place of meeting was cause that they conducted Saint Paul before the Areopagites to the end he might more clearly explicate the doctrin which he taught the novelty whereof had stirred up the curiosity of the Athenians who had no other employment all the day then either to learn or debate newes The Apostle appeared in this place where all others used to tremble with a bold modesty There they asked him if they might hear this new Doctrine which he taught and when silence was made he spake in this manner Athenians I observe that in your religious worship you forget nothing nay therein you are exact even to excess For you are not content to adore those Gods you know and to whom all the Earth does render homage but passing by the publique place of meetings I saw an Altar with this Inscription To the unknown God You have not raised this Altar but with designe to honour this unknown God and this day my designe is to make him known unto you Wherefore since I am to speak to you of a thing so important and since I desire to instruct you in that which you so solemnly desire to know I cannot but in reason promise to my self a favourable aud quiet Audience And this gives me also great confidence that I speak not to ignorant vulgar people prepossessed with common errours so as to be incapable of understanding any truth contrary to what they fancy Those who hear me are equally honorable by their Learning and by their Administration of justice the one of these cannot have a more noble Object then Divinity nor the other a more considerable employment then the setling of a true worship due to that Divinity God who has not onely created the matter of the world but all things in the world and has placed them in that order which we cannot behold without admiration dwells not in Temples made by the hands of men He cannot be inclosed because there is no other place that containes him but the incomprehensible immensity of his being He has no need of Victimes nor of Sacrifices nor of the homage of men finding in himselfe his glory his