and the History of the Acts of the Apostles both which he Dedicated to Theophilus Now it is debated among the Ancients what this Theophilus is some conclude it to have been a feigned Name made use of by St. Luke in this place denoting no more than a Lover of God a Title common to every Christian But others with more appearance of Reason conclude it the proper Name of a particular Person and that which satisfies them abundantly in their Iudgment is That the Title and Stile of Most Excellent is bestowed upon him which was in those times the particular Title and proper Form of Address to Princes and great Men Yea some of the Primitive Fathers do expresly term him a Man of Consular Dignity and probably a Prince and others are yet more particular in their Account of him saying That he was a Noble-man of Antioch who was Converted by Peter and who upon his Conversion gave his House to the Church for the place of their publick and solemn Meeting But it may as probably be supposed that this Theophilus might have been some Magistrate or a Chief Man in Authority whom St. Luke had brought in to the Faith and Baptized and to whom he now dedicated these Books not only as a Testimony of honourable Respect but also as a means of giving him further Light into the certainty and assurance of these things wherein he had been instructed by him As for his Gospel St. Jerome and some others suppose it to have been Written in Arabia during his Travels with St. Paul in those Parts whose help he is generally said to have made use of in Composing of it and that this the Apostle primarily intends when he so often speaks of his Gospel but whatever Assistance the Apostle might contribute to the Work it is clear that the Evangelist himself tells us expresly That he derived his Intelligence in those matters from those who had from the Beginning been Eye-Witnesses and Ministers of the Word Nor does it in the least detract from the Authority of his Relation that he himself was not present at the doing of them for if we consider who they were from whom he derived his Intelligence of those things it may give abundant Satisfaction he had a Stock both of Credit and Intelligence to proceed upon the Authentickness and Sufficiency of which is beyond Expectation for he delivered nothing in his whole History but what he had immediately recovered from Persons present at and particularly concerned in the things which he has left upon Record The occasion of his Writing his Gospel is conceived to have been partly to prevent those false and scandalous Rumors and Reports which even at that time began to be obtruded upon the World and partly to supply what was wanting in those two Evangelists that Wrote before him which Supplement is particularly noted throughout the whole History by some of the Primitive Fathers The subject Matter of the whole History is an Account of what relates to Christ's Priestly Office and though when he Recordeth other passages in the Evangelical Story he is very particular in his Relation yet we may easily observe that it is always with a peculiar Respect to Christ's Preist-hood upon which account the Ancients in accommodating the four symbolical Representments in the Prophets Vision to the four Evangelists assigned the Oxe or Calf to St. Luke His History of the Apostolick Acts was undoubtedly written at Rome at the end of St. Paul's two Years Imprisonment there with which he concludes his Story it contains the Actions and sometimes the Sufferings of some of the greatest Apostles but more particularly of St. Paul for besides that his activity in the cause of Christ and the Gospel made him have a deeper share both in doing and suffering St. Luke was his constant Attendant an Eye-witness of all the most famous transactions of his Life after his Conversion yea was privy to his most secret Concerns and therefore was capable of giving a more accurat and satisfying Account and Relation of them seeing no Evidence or Testimony in matters of Fact is so convictive and rationally pungent than his who Reports nothing but what he hath heard and seen Among other things he gives a particular and exact account of those great and wonderful Miracles which the Apostles did Work for the Confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel which they daily Preached And this as one of the Fathers enformeth us was the reason why in the primitive Times the Book of the Acts though containing those Actions of the Apostles which were done after Pentecost were yet usually read in the Church before it in the space between that and Easter when as at all other times those parts of the Gospel were Read which were proper for the Season It was sayes he because the Apostles Miracles were the grand Confirmation of the Truth of Christ's Resurrection and those Miracles were Recorded in that Book it was therefore thought most proper to be Read next to the Feast of the Resurrection In both these Books his way of Writing is exact and accurat his Stile polite and elegant sublime and lofty and yet clear and perspituous flowing with an easy and natural Grace and Sweetness admirably accommodated to an Historical Design all along expressing himself in a Vein of purer Greek than is to be found in the other Writers of the Holy Story Indeed being Born and Educated at Antioch then which no place more famous for Oratory and Eloquence he could not but carry away a great share of the Native Genius of that place though his Stile is sometimes allayed with a mixture of the Syriak and Hebrew Dialect It was observed of old as St. Jerome tells us that his Skill was greater in Greek than in Hebrew that therefore he always makes use of the Septuagint Translation and refuses sometimes to render words when the Propriety of the Greek Tongue will not bear it To Conclude As an Historian he was Faithful in his Relations Elegant in his Writings As a Minister careful and diligent for the good of Souls As a Christian devout and pious And who Crowned all the rest with the laying down his Life for the Testimony of that Gospel which he had both Preached and Published to the World FINIS
the Ancient stock not entring in by the gate of Proselytisme but originally descended of that Nation they belonged to the Tribe whose Founder was the youngest Son of the Old Patriarch Jacob who thus prophesied of him Benjamin shall ravin as a Wolfe in the morning he shall devour the Prey and at night devide the Spoile This prophetical character Tertullian and others after him will have to be accomplished in our Apostle As a ravening Wolfe in the Morning devouring the prey That is as a persecuter of the Church â—n the first part of his life destroying the Flock â—f God in the Evening deviding the Spoil That is in his declining and reduced age as Doctor of the Nations feeding and destriâ—uting to Christs Sheep We find him described by two names in Scripture one Hebrew and the other Latine probably referring both to his Jewish and Roman Capacity and Relation The one Saul a name common in the Tribe of Benjamin ever since the first being of Israel who was of that name was chosen out of that Tribe in memory whereof they were wont to give their children that name at their Circumcision His other was Paul assumed by him as some think at his Conversion to denote his humility as others in memory of his converting Sergius Paulus the Roman Governor in imitation of the Generals and Emperors of Rome who were wont from the Places and Nations which they conquered to assume the name as an additional honour and title to themselves but this seems no wayes consistent with the great humility of the Apostle More probable therefore it is that others think that he had a double name given him at his Circumcision Saul relating to his Iewish Original and Paul relating to the Roman Corporation where he was born or if it was taken up by him afterward probable it was done at his Conversion according to the custom anâ— manner of the Hebrews who used many timeâ— upon solemn and eminent occasions especiallâ— upon their entring upon a more Strict anâ— Religious course of Life to change their names and assume one which they had not before In his Youth he was brought up in the Schools of Tarsus fully instructed in all the Liberal Arts and Sciences whereby he became admirably acquainted with all Forreign Authors together with which he was brought up to a particular Trade and course of Life according to that great Maxim and Principle of the Iewes That he who teaches not his Son a Trade teacheth him to be a Thief They thought it not only fit but a necessary part of Education for the Wisest and most Learned Rabbins to be brought up to a Trade whereby if occasion was they might be able to maintain themselves hence nothing more common in their writings than to have them denominated from their Callings Rabbi Jose the Tanner Rabbi Jochanan the Shoomakerker Rabbi Juda the Baker c. A custom taken up by the Christians especially the Monks of the primitive times who together with their strict professions and almost incredible exercises of devotion each took upon him a particular Trade whereat he daily wrought and by his own hand-labour maintained hemself The Trade our Apostle was put to was Tent-making whereat he wrought for some particular reasons even after his being called to the Apostolat Having at Tarsus laid foundations of humane learning he was by his Parents sent to Jerusalem to be perfected in the Study of the Law and put under the Tuterage of Rabban Gamaliel this Gamaliel was the Son of Rabban Simeon probably supposed to be the same Simeon who came into the Temple and took Christ in his arms President of the Court of the Sanhedrim he was a Doctor of the Law a Person of great Wisdom and Prudence and Head at that time of one of the Families of Schools at Jerusalem a Person of Chief Eminence and Authority in the Iewish Sanhedrim He it was that made the wise and excellent Speech in the Sanhedrim in favour of the Apostles their Doctrine nay he himself is said to have been a Christian and his sitting in the Senate to have been connived at by the Apostles that he might he the better friend to their Affairs At the Feet of this Gamaliel St. Paul tells us he was brought up alluding to the custom of the Iewish Masters who were wont to sit while their Disciples and Schollars stood at their feet which honorary custom was continued till the death of this Gamaliel and then left off Vnder the Tuition of this great Masteâ— St. Paul was educated in the knowledg oâ— the Law wherein he made such quick anâ— vast improvement that he soon out-striped aâ—â— his fellow Disciples amongst the variouâ— Sects at that time in the Iewish Church hâ— was especially educated in the Principles anâ— Institutions of the Pharisees of which Seâ—â— were both his Father and his Master This Sect was excessively proud and insolent censuring whoever was not of their way aâ— Villains and Reprobates All Religion anâ— Kindness with them was bound within thâ— confines of their own Party the first Printiâ—ples wherewith they inspired their new converts were That none but they were thâ— Godly party and that all others were Sons of the Earth But though this appears to have been the grâ—â—neral temper of that Party yet doubtless therâ— were some among them of better and morâ— honest Principles than the rest in which number we have Iust reason to reckon our Apostle who yet was deeply leavened with the active and fiery Genius of this sect not able tâ—â— brook any opposite Party in Religion especially if late and Novel insomuch that when thâ— Iews were resolved to do execution upon Stephen he stood by and kept the cloaths oâ— them that did it whether he was any further engaged in the death of this innocent and holy man we do not find however this was enough Loudly to proclaim his approbation and consent The Storm thus begun increased apace and a violent Persecution began to arise which miserably afflicted and dispersed the Christians at Jerusalem in which our Apostle was a prime Minister and Agent being imployed by the High Priest to hunt and find out these new upstart Hereticks who Preached against the Law of Moses as they thought accordingly having made strange havock at Jerusalem he addressed himself to the Sanhedrim and there took out a Warrant to go down and ransack the Synagogues at Damascus whether many of the poor dispersed Christians had fled but God who had designed him for work of another Nature stopt him in his Journey drawing him back with a strong hand The particulars of which are at large set down in the Holy Story Now for his Travels in Palestine and the adjacent Countries as also his acts sufferings in that fearful and dangerous voyage to Rome being they are recorded particularly in the Acts of the Apostles we shall not trouble the reader with it but shall begin where it ends and so meet him at Rome
their Nation This name he seems afterwards to have changed for Thaddeus a word of the very same import and signification as some think from a particular dislike of the Name of Judal among the Apostles the bloody and Treasonable practices of Judas Iscariot having rendred that name very odious and detestable to them wherefore to put a difference he often styles himself Judas the Brother of James for his name Lebbeus it seems to have been derived from an Hebrew word signifying a Lyon and therein to have respect to old Jacobs Prophesie That he should be as a Lyon which probably might have a main stroke to fasten this name upon St. Jude From this Patriarchal Prophesie we are told that one of the Schooles of Learned men among the Jews took occasion to denominate themselves Labij as accounting themselves the Schollars and Descendants of this Lyon like Son of Jacob and that St. Jude was of this Society and because of his Eminency among them retained the Title of Labius or as it was corruptly pronounced Lebbeus For his descent and Parentage he was of our Lords Kindred the Son of Joseph and the Brother of James the Less We find not when he was called to the Discipleship not meeting with him till we find him enumerated among the Catalogue of the Apostles nor is any thing particularly recorded of him afterward more than one question that he propounded to our Saviour Who having told them what great things he and his Father would do and what particular manifestations after his Resurrection he would make of himself to his Disciples and followers St. Jude whose thoughts as well as the rest were taken up with the expectation of a Temporal Kingdom of the Messiah not knowing how that could consist with the Publick Solemnity of that Glorious State they looked for asked them what was the reason that he would manifest himself to them and not to the World Our Lord replied That the World were not capable of those Divine Manifestations as being a Stranger and an Enemy to what should fit them for Heaven that they were only good Men Persons of a Divine temper of Mind and Religious Observers of his Lawes and will whom God would honour with these familiar Converses Eusebius faith expresly That soon after our Lords Ascension St. Thomas dispatched Thaddeus the Apostle to Abgarius Governour of Idessa where he healed diseases wrought Miracles expounded the Doctrine of Christianity and Converted Abgarus and his People to the Faith for all which pains when he offered him vast gifts and presents he refused them with a noble scorn telling him They had little reason to receive from others what they had relinquished themselves Here he is said to have died peaceably and to have been most Honourably Buried But by the general consent of the Latin Church He is said to have Travelled to Persia where after great success in his Apostolical Ministry for many years he was at last for his free and open reproving the superstitious rites and usages of the Magi cruelly put to death That he was one of the Marryed Apostles appears sufficiently from his Grand-Sons mentioned by Fusebius of whom one gives this account Domitian the Emperour whose heinous Wickedness had awakened in him the quickest Iealousies and made him suspect every one that looked like a corrival in the Empire had heard that there were some of the Line of David and Christs Kindred that did yet remain Two Grand-Children of St. Jude the Brother of Our Lord were brought before him having confessed that they were of the Family and race of David he asked them what Possessions and Estates they had They told him that they had but a very few Acres of Land out of the Improvement thereof they both payed him Tribute and maintained themselves with their own hard Labour as by the hardness and brawniness of their hands which then they shewed him did appear He then enquired of them concerning Christ and concerning the State of his Kingdom what kind of Empire it was and when and where it would commence To which they reply'd That his Kingdom was not of this World nor of the Seiginories and Dominions of it but Heavenly and Angelical and would finally take place at the end of the World when coming with great Glory he would Judg the quick and the dead and reward every one according to their deeds At length looking upon the meanness and simplicity of the men as below his Iealousies and Fears He dismissed them without using any severities against them who being now looked on not only as Kinsmen but as Martyrs of Our Lord were honoured by all and preferred to great places of Authority amongst the Christians and lived till the time of Trajan St. Jude left only one Epistle of Catholick and Vniversal Concernment inscribed at large to all Christians It was some time before it met with a general reception in the Church or was taken notice of The Author indeed stiles not himself an Apostle no more doth St. James St. John nor sometimes St. Paul himself and why should he fair the worse for calling himself The Servant of Jesus Christ when he might have added not only an Apostle but Brother of our Lord Being satisfied in the Canonicalness of this Epistle none but St. Jude could be the Author of it for who but he could be the Brother of St. James a Character by which he is described in the Evangelical story more than once A Modern Writer indeed will needs have it Written by a yunger Jude the Fifteenth Bishop of Jerusalem in the reign of Adrian And finding that that passage the Brother of James stood full in his way He concludes but without any reason that it was added by some Transcriber But this is too bold dealing with sacred things no wise to be allowed The design of the Epistle is to preserve the Christians from being infected by the Doctrine of the Gnosticks the Loose and Debauched Principles vented by Simon Magus and his followers whose wretched Doctrines and Practices he briefly and elegantly represents perswading Christians heartily to avoid these pernicious Seducers as pests and Firebeands not to communicate with them in their sins lest they perished with them in that terrible vengeance that was ready to overtake them The Life of St. Matthias S MATHIAS PArticular Remarks concerning St. Matthias are not to be expected from the History of the Gospel he not being an Apostle of the first election He was one of our Lords Disciples and probably one of the Seventy that had attended upon him the whole time of his Publick Ministry and after his Death was Elected unto the Apostleship upon this occasion Judas Iscariot who had been one of the Twelve immediately called by Christ to be one of his intimate Disciples equally impowered and commissioned with the rest to Preach and Work Miracles and yet all this while was a Man of Vile and Corrupt designes branded with no meaner Character than Thief and