and whatsoever was in his house for which Isaiah the Prophet denounced the carrying away of all these things to Babylon For the pride of his heart there was wrath upon him and Iudah yet he humbled himself both he and the inhabitants of Iudah so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in his dayes He flourished in abundance of riches and honour stopped the upper water-course of Gihon and brought it streight down to the West-side of the Citie of David He reigned 29 years 3 whereof were together with his father being dead they buried him in the chiefest Sepulchers of the sons of David and all Iudah with the Inhabitants of Ierusalem did him honour at his death Manasses 15. Manasses his son succeeded him at the Age of twelve years 2 Kings 21. 2 Chron. 33. A. M. 3304. Olymp. 19. an 4. and therefore was begotten by him after his recovery He did evil in the sight of the Lord above those Nations which the Lord had cast out before Israel being more Idolatrous then any of his Predecessors he was also given to Witchcraft and Divinations built Altars for all the Host of heaven which he served in the two Courts of the house of the Lord wherein he also set up an Image of the Grove which he had made He filled Ierusalem with innocent bloud amongst other Martyrs Isaiah the Prophet as it 's said being sawn asunder with a wooden saw because he was free with him in reproving his ungodly life although he was of the bloud royal as the son of Amos the brother of King Amaziah according to the tradition of the Jews who also have related him to have been father-in-law nay as some Grand-father by the Mothers side to Manasses himself In such wickednesse continued he for several years till such time as God sent upon him the Captains of the King of Assyria Esarchaddon some think who took him lying hid amongst the thorns and carried him bound with fetters unto Babylon which City as it appeareth from this place was now again under the King of Assyria Here having leisure and occasion to bethink himself in his affliction he repented was humbled greatly and besought the Lord who heard his Prayer and restored him to his Kingdom After this he knew that the Lord was God and purged his Realm of Idolatry which Reformation the Jews make to have been in the 33th year before his death He reigned 55 years Amon. 16. Amon his Son succeeded him in his Kingdom and Idolatry A. M. 3359. Olymp. 33. an 4. but not in his Repentance worshipping and sacrificing to all the carved Images which his Father had made and going on to trespasse more and more After two years his servants conspired against him and slew him in his own house Chap. 34. all whom the people of the Land put to death and made Iosiah his Son a child of eight years old King in his stead Josiah He in the eighth year of his reign began to seek after the God of his Fathers and in his twelfth to cleanse his Kingdom and all the Land of Israel from Idolatry although the greatest part of the later was now subject to the King of Assyria 2 Kings 23. 2 Chron. 35. A. M. 3368. Olymp. 35. an 4. In the 18th year of his reign and of his age the 26th he commanded the Temple to be repaired and the Worship of God therein restored where also finding a Book of the Law he renewed the Covenant between God and the people and celebrated such a solemn Passeover as had not been kept in Israel since the time of the Judges Now if the time of the Judges and the Oppressions be not confounded but taken at their full length then this year being the 9â—0th ending or the 931th beginning from the entering into Canaan was the 7th of the 133 week or the last of the 19th Jubilie Iosiah in his 31th year ending disguised himself that he might fight with Necho King of Aegypt who was going up against the Assyrian and would not hearken to his words from the mouth of God labouring with him to refuse fighting against the Lord who had sent him and commanded him to make haste Therefore joyning battell with him in the Valley of Megiddo he was sore wounded and being carried to Ierusalem died there all Iudah and Ierusalem mourning and making great lamentation for him Jehoahaz 17. Whilst Pharaoh was busie in his affairs against the Assyrians the people made Jehoahaz the younger Son of Josias King 2 Chron. 36. A. M. 3392. Olymp. 41. an 4. who continued but three moneths in the dignity For Pharaoh having finished his work at Euphrates and in Coelesyria came to Jerusalem whence he led away into Aegypt this young King and left his elder Brother Eliakim in his place whose name he changed into Jehoiakim Jehoiakim imposing a taxe of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold upon the Land Though Jeoahaz be said to have reigned three moneths yet some will have a year to have passed betwixt the 31 year of Josias and the first of Jehoiakim partly for that Josias seemeth to have reigned something more than 31 years and some space would be taken up in so solemn a mourning for him before the instalment of Jehoahaz and also to consult about this thing seeing it was against right and custom to give this honour to the younger Brother lastly some time perhaps some moneths was requisite for setling the affairs of Judaea about the instalment of Jehoiakim and the tribute Ludovicus Cappellus moreover giveth a whole year to Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim though the Scripture speaketh but of three moneths a piece that the last year of Zedekiah might fall into the 390th year from the rent of the Kingdom of which more when we arrive at that time 18. Jehoiakim thus advanced by Pharaoh Necho was 25 years old when he began to reign which if so he was born in the fifteenth year of his Father's age as if Jehoahaz was 23 when he began his reign he must also have been born in the sixteenth of Josiah This maketh Josiah to have applied himself to procreation of children at least in the fourteenth year of his life which seeming too early and not agreeable to the Piety of that Prince there are that suspect for 25 ought to be read 15 and 13 for 23 so that the one might be born in the 24 and the other in the 25 year of his Father But thereis no necessity for such a reading of the Text. The fourth year of Jehoiakim fell in with the first of Nebuchadnezar King of Babylon Ierem. 25 1 3. and was the 23th from the 13th of the reign of Josias wherein Jeremiah the Prophet first began to prophesy and hence it also appeareth that Iosias reigned at least full 31 years and that one passed between his death and the beginning of Iehoiakim else 23 onely had passed betwixt the
Chron. 19 20 21. chap. travelling himself from Beersheba unto Mount Ephraim to accomplish it he also constituted Judges to whom he gave a pious and strict charge After this the Moabites Ammonites and a great multitude of others invaded him against which he first strove by Prayer to God and thereby obtained Victory his Enemies being so stricken with madnesse that they fell upon and slaughtered one another Afterwards intending to send Ships for gold to Ophir because he joyned with wicked Ahaziah King of Israel the Lord spoiled the works and the Ships were broken at Esion-geber Some think he made his Son Partner in the Kingdom it self having formerly been but his Vicegerent a year or two before he died He reigned 25 years or rather 24 with some odd months Joram 6. To Jehosaphat succeeded Joram being 32 years old 2 Chron. 21. A. M. 3109. to the best Father the worst Son who being established in his Seat made away all his Brethren and some of the Princes In his dayes the Edomites or Idumaeans who hitherto from the time of David had been in subjection to the Kings of Judah revolted They had heretofore been governed by a Vice-Roy chosen either out of themselves or the Jews but now they made themselves a King the Prophecie of Isaac the common Progenitor of both Nations being now fulfilled that though Esau should serve his younger Brother Jacob yet the time should come when he should break the yoak from off his neck Gen. 27.40 At the same time Libnah a City of the Priest's in the Tribe of Judah revolted because he had forsaken the God of his Fathers for having married Ahab's Daughter he followed the example of his house making high-places in the Mountains of Iudah and causing his Sujects to commit Idolatry therein Because of this 2 Chron. 21. vers 12. there came a Writing to him from the Prophet Elijah rebuking him for his sin and foretelling his punishment Elijah being before this taken up to Heaven the Jews have believed that this Letter was sent down thence Some think there was another Prophet of this name but most are inclined to believe that foreseeing before his assumption the Idolatry of this man he left this Letter with his Schollers to be delivered to him in due time According to the threatnings therein contained God first stirred up against him the Philistins and Arabians who making an invasion took away all his goods his wives and sons except Jehoahaz the youngest otherwise called Ahaziah and Azariah Afterwards God struck him with an incurable disease in his bowels which after two years came out of his body so that he miserably died having reigned eight years three whereof are to be reckoned in conjunction with his father He was buried without honour at Jerusalem not in the Sepulcher of Kings not desired missed nor lamented Ahaziah A. M. 3116. 7. 2 Kings 8. 2 Chron. 22. Ahaziah his son succeeded him who followed the steps of his Grand-father Ahab's wicked family and became a Patron of Idolaters But having scarce reigned one year he went down to Jezreel to visite his Uncle Joram King of Israel where they were both killed by Jehu 2 Kings 9. Joram being slain outright and Ahaziah dying shortly after of his wound at Megiddo Athaliah his mother seized upon the Kingdom Athaliah usurpeth Chap. 11. 2 Chron. 24. wherein to establish her self she destroyed all the Royal seed Onely Jehosheba the daughter of Joram and wife to Jehojada the High-Priest withdrew Joash an infant her brother's son and hid him six years in the house of God At the end of these years Jehojada brought him out to the people then seven years old and anointing him King slew Athaliah restored the worship of God and destroyed the house of Baal whose Priest Matthan he slew before the Altar Joas 8. Joas then succeeded his father after six years 2 Kings 12. A. M. 3122. who did what was good and just as long as Jehojada the Priest lived and through his advice took care to repair the Temple which now had stood 155 years But Jehojada being dead who lived 130 years the Jews observing that he the repairer of the Temple was born the same year that the builder thereof died Idolatry brake out afresh through his connivance The Prophets exclaimed against it in vain especially Zacharias the son and successor of Jehojada against whom Joas was so far transported beyond the bound's of piety gratitude to his father's memory that he commanded him to be stoned and that in the Court of the house of the Lord. Whil'st as he died he said The Lord look upon it and requite it So he did for after a years time the forces of Hazael King of Syria though but small invaded Judah destroyed all the Princes of the people and sent the spoyl to their King Joas himself they left very sick of great diseases but when they were departed from him his own servants conspired against him for the bloud of the sons of Jehojada the Priest and slew him on his bed in the 40th year of his reign A. M. 3160. 9. Amaziah his son succeeded him Chap. 14. who also seemeth to have reigned with him the three last years seeing he is said to have begun his reign in the second year of Joas King of Israel When he was confirmed in his seat 2 Chron. 25. A. M. 3160. he put those to death that slew his father sparing their Children according to the Law of Moses In his 12th year he undertook an expedition against the Edomites with 300000 of his own Subjects and 100000 Israelites which he hired for 100 Talents of silver But as he was about to begin his march a Prophet dehorted him from joyning to himself the Idolatrous Israelites so that he dismissed them and they returned home in great discontent He prospered against the Idumaeans but the Souldiers dismissed fell upon his Cities and smiting 300 of them took much spoyl Yet he at his return to amend the matter having brought home the gods of the Edomites set them up to be his gods bowed down before them and burnt incense to them The Lord being sore angry for this sent first a Prophet to him whom he rejected But burning with a desire to be revenged upon the Israelites he sent and defied Joas their King who admonished him to be well advised but this being in vain they met and joyned battel wherein Amaziah was taken and led back to Jerusalem the Wall of which Citie Joas demolished 400 Cubits and plundering the house of the Lord with the Kings house then departed Fifteen years after Amaziah lived but then having turned away from following the Lord a conspiracy was made against him in Ierusalem whence he fled to Lachish and there was slain by the pursuers after he had reigned 29 years Uzziah 10. He left a son named Uzziah and Azariah who succeeded him 2 Kings 15. but being
all their minds upon the Isthmus the advise of Themistocles was not at all regarded and they resolved to weigh Anchors and to be gone that night and notice hereof was given to the Mariners 47. For now Xerxes his Fleet was drawn down so repaired and increased by a new Accession of ships that it was altogether as considerable as before the shipwrack at Sepâ—as and taking all Nations as he passed along with them his Land Army contained as great a number as heretofore at Thermopylae The King came down from Athens to Phalerus the Port and called a Council to deliberate what should be done All the Captains were for a Sea-fight the Kings of Tyre and Sidon being first asked their opinions by Mardonius onely a woman Artemisia Queen of Halicarnassus a wise and valiant woman who had followed Xerxes in this expedition with five ships with grave and important arguments disswaded a Sea-fight and advised him to enter Peloponnesus with his Land Army for thereby he would presently dissolve the Greekish Fleet and finish the War Though this advice followed would have been enough and Xerxes could not but commend it yet the major and worse part carried it and it was resolved to fight the Graecians out of hand at Salamine The Anchors then were weighed and the Fleet made thitherwards but night coming on suffered them not that day to reach the Island 48. At this time were the Peloponnesians ready to depart homewards Plutarch in Themistoc and thereby the Estate of Greece to be ruined by their breaking their united power and reducing themselves into their particular and inconsiderable conditions had not Themistocles born for the preservation of his Countrey relieved it by his wisdom in its great necessity There was one Sicinus a Persian who taken prisoner was a great lover of Themistocles and taught his Children Him he sent privately to the King to tell him that he preferring his good before that of the Graecians gave him now first to understand that they were about to fly and advised him not to suffer it but prevent them and set upon them whilest they were disordered and the Fleet was severed from their Land Army Xerxes gladly hearing the message as believing it to proceed out of Themistocles his affection to him communicated it to his Officers and whilest the rest could be furnished with Souldiers sent 200 ships about the Island to block up the Straights so that none of the Enemies might escape Themistocles communicated what he had done to Aristides who approving of it went to perswade the Greeks to fight when presently whilest theit minds hung in suspense came a ship of Tenedos from the Persian Fleet and acquainted them with what was done in the Straights so that necessity compleated what was but half effected by the speech of Aristides 49. Then prepared they themselves unanimously to the battel Idem Herod ut priùs Themistocles made a speech unto them wherein he shewed where their concernments lay exhorting them to fight manfully for their Countrey and Liberty for their Parents Wives Children and whatsoever was dear to them with which being provoked they applied themselves to their ships and put forth the Fleet into the Main Xerxes placed himself on an high Throne to behold the fight over against Salamine and had some with him to write down the particulars thereof A bloudy fight was fought with great earnestnesse on both sides the one fighting under the eyes of their King who marked every passage and accordingly was affected and the other for as much as could be dear to them in so dangerous a condition Herein the Greeks had the advantage that they were more exercised in Sea matters and having all they had lying at the stake they did it with the more earnestnesse and in that they fought with greater order the Persian with so great a multitude of ships fought in disorder and hindred one another and if the Vessels sunk were all lost whereas their Enemies by their skill in swimming saved themselves At length their Ionians sollicited as was said by little and little withdrawing themselves from the fight Xerxes his Fleet defeated the rest what by that discouraged and overcome by the pertinacious valour of their enemies began to fly the Athenians pressing hard upon them and destroying many of their ships of such as fled towards Phalerus many were intercepted by the Aegenaetans the Emulators of the other in deserving well of Greece such as escaped them and got to the Port thence withdrew themselves to the Land Army 50. Of all the Graecians the Athenians and Aeginaetans deserved best and amongst them Themistocles the Captains of the Fleet each one when upon their Oaths they pronounced who merited most naming him after themselves Amongst the Persians the valour of Artemisia the Queen was most conspicuous acknowledged by Xerxes himself who thereupon said that his men were turned women and women became men she was saved as it hapned and escaped to Phalerus Many Noble Persians fell amongst the rest Ariabignes the Kings brother few of the Graecians Xerxes exceedingly discouraged with this great losse considered of his safe retreat out of Europe fearing the Ionians might break the bridge laid over the Hellespont yet that he might colour any such intention he began a new project by casting earth into the Straights to joyn the Island Salamina with the Continent But Mardonius understanding his temper and bethinking himself in what case he himself might stand for being the first adviser to the War went to him and extenuating the losse the Land Army being left intire at length proposed to him to leave to him 300000 men with which he would engage to revenge him upon Greece and reduce it all under his power if he pleased to depart himself into Asia being nothing tainted in honour for that things had not so well succeeded in this encounter because the miscarriage was procured by the Cowardise of the Egyptians Phoenicians Cilicians and others no better than slaves the Persians having gallantly enough behaved themselves and he their Prince having subdued already the greater part of Greece and taken Athens it self against which the War was principally intended 51. He liked very well the motion but still dissembled the matter answering he would refer it to his Council which he accordingly called and asked the advice particularly of Artemisia She approved of Mardonius his Counsel for that if he should subdue Greece it would be to the Kings advantage and if he miscarried it would be no disgrace to him who in his own person had accomplished the main design of the expedition in taking and wasting Athens he was pleased therewith sent her beforehand away with his sons he had brought with him and gave liberty to Mardonius to make choice of what and how many Forces he pleased all this being done the same day with the fight at Salamis The night following in great fear and disorder the Fleet loosed from Phalerus and
well he died full of honour at Syracuse after he had held the Principality about thirteen years In the third year of the 75 Olympiad his elder brother Hieron succeeded him Hieron of Syracuse He rebuilded Catana and changed it's name into Aetna the Mountain of which name about this time brake out into flames as fifty years after it did also In the beginning of his reign he was much unlike to his brother Gelon being suspicious cruel covetous and turbulent then caught with a lingering disease he was much amended by the conversation of most Learned men After this he fought prosperously against the Carthaginians who now again returned into Sicilie overthrew Thrasydaeus of Agrigentum in a great battel and drove him to desperation at length he incurred the hatred of the Syracusians uncertain for what cause and shortly after withdrawing himself to Catana there died in the second year of the 78 Olympiad when he had held the Principality from the death of Gelon eleven years and eight moneths Thrasybulus 15. After him his brother Thrasybulus seized upon the power A. M. 3538. Ol. 78. an 2. V. C. 287. whose practices stirred up the Citizens to recover their liberty with the hastening of his ruine For being set upon by them he was overthrown and reduced to such a straight that he fled into Locri on the Coast of Italy and there killed himself having held the Soveraignty ten moneths from the death of Hieron The Syracusians recover their liberty The Syracusians now gladly resumed their liberty yet not therewith content that they might the more secure it they freed also many other Cities of Sicilie from Tyranni and forein Garrisons But not long after they fell into a most pernicious Sedition Arist Polit. l. 5. c. 3. For excluding those from honours whom Gelon had brought into Syracuse for the establishment of his own interest they themselves bearing all Offices of Magistracy and governing the Commonwealth though they took not away from the other the freedom of the City the lately made Denizons not enduring it conspired together being in number 7000 of 10000 which Gelon had brought in Three years after liberty recovered they sodainly fell upon two parts of the City the Island and Acradina The natural Inhabitants overpowering them in numbers besieged them close and overthrowing them in a Sea fight at length constrained them to acquiesce in the present state of things or else quit the City after the Sedition and tumult had endured two years In the mean time by the conduct of Ducetius a Sicilian those planters that Hiero had placed in Catana were thence ejected and the old Inhabitants restored to the place whom he had cast out now also the whole Island was restored to it's antient condition the Exiles being repossessed and new comers driven out who setlâ—d themselves at Messana the utmost part of the Island The form of the Syracusian Common-wealth 16. That form of a Commonwealth was now established at Syracuse which Aristotle properly calleth Policie mixed of Oligarchie and Democracie which how dangerous it was appeared shortly For after some years the State continuing in this form and the number of Citizens increasing one Tyndarides an Eminent man and very rich egged on by his ambition brought it into great danger For binding to him the indigent rabble by his gifts and using them as a Guard he manifestly pressed towards the soverainty but by the Union of those who were in greatest grace with the people he was repressed and when the beggerly sort would needs undertake his protection killed in a tumult When others not at all deterred by this example aspired after such power as threatned liberty the people for to humble those that carried their heads highest in imitation of the Athenians brought in the use of the Petalism The Petalism As they by their Ostracism removed such Citizens for ten years who for their reputation and interest were dangerous to the freedom of the Citie so the Syracusians by the Petalism removed such like for five years This kind of banishment without losse of honour or fortune was called in Greek Pesalismos because his name whom any one would have banished was written in a leaf of an Olive according to * Quom lege ad Olymp. 81. ann 2. Diodorus both which in the same language were signified by the word Petalos But this constitution as the other at Athens could not long continue For those Eminent persons who were most fit for State Affairs for fear thereof bv little and little withdrew themselves from publick businesse to a private life Hereby the Commonwealth fell into the hands of bold Quickly abrogated for weighty reasons rash unskilfull and the naughtiest sort of men whence grievous incommodities and dangers followed By these things the people were moved to abrogate the Law of Petalism and the better sort returned to the care of the Commonwealth after which it remained in quietnesse for some time but again relapsed as necessarily it must from the informity of Antimonarchical Government The Wars of the Syracusians 17. Abroad the Syracusians had War with the Tuscans in Italy with Ducetius Captain of the Siculi as also the Agrigentines Trinacrians Leontines and Egestans in Sicily wherein most commonly they had the better and either fully brought under or bound to them by Leagues most of the Cities in the Island Leontium a most flourishing Town was utterly destroyed when it now gaped after the Empire of Sicily the principal Citizens being removed to Syracuse and the multitude driven into Exile Out of these motions they fell into the Athenian War in the first year of the 91th Olympiad concerning which we have already sufficiently spoken Syracuse was so exhausted therein with expences and slaughters that upon the brink of ruin it was meerly preserved by the wisdom and valour of Gylippus a stranger of Sparta and not onely preserved but made victorious to admiration and inabled to return to the Athenians so great overthrows by Land and Sea This War which begun in the 50th year after the recovery of their liberty by means of the Egestans who craved aid of Athens against them and the Selinuntians lasted not fully three years leaving a sufficient warning to all of the vicissitude of humane affairs and shewing that they who gape after Dominion and are busie to inlarge their bounds being carried out by the force of ambition rather than reason often fall into a necessity of defending their own Estate and sometimes lose all 18. The multitude grown exceeding high upon this successe would not rest satisfied with its former privileges but so ordered the matter that the temper of this Commonwealth more and more degenerated Lib. 2. cap. 4. Diod. Diocles a man of principal note who had perswaded them to put to death Nicias and Demosthenes the Athenian Generals being of a most severe and rigid disposition A.M. 359â— Olymp. 92. ann 1. V.C. 342. Darii
his Passion and Resurrection to Tiberius and the Senate with the miracles done by him or by them in his name and how the multitude of believers daily increasing he was accounted a God Tiberius hereupon reported the matter to the Senate with his favourable suffrage that Christ might be accounted a God But the Senate because they were displeased that they had not first moved it refused to canonize him and by an Edict commanded that Christians should be banished the City especially by reason that Seianus the great minister of State most obstinately contradicted this Religion But Tiberius by another Edict threatened death to the accusers of Christians These things thus related by (a) Lib. 7. c. 4. Orosius are also witnessed by (b) Ecc. Hist l. 2. c. 2. Eusebius Tertullian and Justin Martyr whereof the testimonies of the two later are incontrolable for in their Apologies they durst not mention such things and cite such testimonies as they must needs know would be easily confuted 84. (a) Apologet. c. 5. Tertullian writeth that Tiberius referred it to the Senate with the prerogative of his own suffrage but they having not approved the thing refused it Caesar notwithstanding remained firm in his resolution and threatned such as should accuse the Christians This he openly asserteth in his Apology to the Pagans writing also in another (b) Cap. 21. place of the same excellent Work that Pilate who in his heart believed in Christ at the same time wrote all the History of him to the Emperour Tiberius whereupon the Caesar ' s themselves had worshipped our Master if their Government in so doing had been consistent with the men of this World and Christians permitted to have been saluted Caesars He giveth another reason why Christ was not at first worshipped as a God There was an antient Law that forbad introducing new ceremonies into Religion as worshipping strange Deities unlesse approved by the Senate and this was an unviolable and unalterable Law to which the Prince himself was subject He instanceth that Marcus Aemilius would have had divine honours rendred to his Idol called the god Albarnus but could not obtain it As for Justin Martyr he maketh it more evident telling plainly the Pagans in his second Aplogy that they may know these things thus to have been in the Acts which were written under Pontius Pilate and again that they might know that Christ wrought such miracles from the Acta or Acts made under Pontius Pilate Now the word Acta signifieth sometimes the Journal Book of the Senate then called Acta Senatus and otherwhiles the Records of the People or of the Publick then named Acta Publica De Actis consulant omaino Tirones Justum Lipsium in Comment ad Taciti Annal. lib. 5. Diurna and Urbana In the former sort was contained whatsoever was done or said by the Fathers In the later things concerning the People as Publick Judgments punishments Assemblies buildings nativities the death of eminent persons mariages and divorces These afforded matter for Historians to digest and adorn Now Justin Martyr either meaneth those Acta Publica wherein might be recorded what notable things hapned in the Provinces and set under the administration of the several Deputies or Governours or rather those Acta which Pilate himself composed in his Province For we cannot but imagine that care would be taken for the recording of things memorable as well in other places as in the City it self The Provinces had their Subcensors and their Tables And the Presidents and Deputies not onely certified by letters occasionally what happened but as we may easily apprehend did refer in Acta all memorable things which were sent to Rome and there it 's probable either transcribed into or laid up with the Acta Publica But thus much of the testimonies of Jews and Heathens concerning Christ 85. the Lord Jesus having risen the third day from the dead and after his resurrection given commission and instructions to his Disciples whom he ordained his Ambassadors to the whole World forty dayes after he arose ascended into Heaven The Ascension of Christ and sent down the Holy Ghost upon his Disciples according to his promise for the furnishing of them to the Work ten dayes after his ascension Many being converted to the Faith the Church increased and living in Love and Unity together they had all things common none calling any thing his own which he possessed About the end of the year as is rationally computed the Greeks or Hellenists Jews which living out of Judaea spake Greek in a peculiar dialect which is called Hellenistick and used the Scriptures in their Synagogues in that language murmured against the Hebrews or those who both read and spoke Hebrew for that their widdows were neglected in the daily ministration Hereupon the Apostles committed it to the number of the faithful to chuse seven men who should take care of what was gathered for the poor The seven Deacons made and these Ecclesiastical Writers call Deacons About this time James the Apostle the son of Alphaeus who is also called the brother of the Lord and was sirnamed Just was created the first Bishop of Jerusalem For thus Clemens wrote in the sixth Book of his Hypotyposewn as he is cited by Eusebius Peter and James and John though they were preferred after the ascension of the Lord contended not amongst themselves for glory and honour but with one consent appointed James the Just Bishop of Jerusalem The same Clemens in his first Book distinguished thus concerning the two which bore the name of James There were two James James the first Bishop of Jerusalem the one termed Just who was thrown down headlong from the pinacle and brained with a Fullers club the other beheaded Of him that was called Just Paul made mention saying I saw none of the Apostles save James the brother of the Lord. In the year following Christ's resurrection a great persecution was raised by the Jews against the Church wherein Stephan one of the seven Deacons and the Protomartyr was stoned to death by the procurement especially of Saul a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia But in this same year as this Saul was journying to Damascus to make havock of the Church he was converted and called to the Apostleship A. D 33. Ol. 203. an 1. V. C. 787. after which he went from Damascus into Arabia as he himself testifieth in his Epistle to the Galathians Saul converted Pilate making a slaughter of the Samaritans Eusebius in his Chronicon placeth the conversion of Saul afterwards called Paul in the nineteenth year of Tiberius 86. About this time it happened that a certain man who sought by all means the favour of the multitude Joseph Antiq. l. 18. c. 5. drew the Samaritans to Mount Gerizim which they accounted holy above all other mountains promising to shew them there the holy Vessels buried in a certain place by Moses Many had gathered themselves to the foot of