to bring his Father Jacob to him The good old man surprised with these glad tydings was overjoyed to think he should satisfie his eyes before he left this world with the sight of him whom he had often bewayled as dead he went then into Egypt and after he had lived there some years in great quiet and peace died in the arms of his Son Joseph Our Ancestors also died there and those that descended of them multiplied extreamly in a few years At last the time of the Divine promise made to Abraham drawing nigh there sate in the Throne of Egypt a Prince who had never heard the name of Joseph time having made him forgotten and seeing the daily increase of our Nation after an extraordinary manner he began to apprehend least those strangers should render themselves Masters of his country whereupon he imployed both craft and violence to work their extirpation To this end there is nothing horrid in Tyranny which he did not impose upon them But notwithstanding their labour and bad dyet they thrived so wel that it seemed rather to contribute to their increase then ruine Hence by an impious edict be commanded their Midwives to stifle all the Male Children of the Israelites and save onely the Female But this inhumane command was not obeyed and God abundantly recompenced the mercy shewed to those innocent creatures whom a barbarous Tyrant would have sacrificed to his jealousie Moses was born in this wonderful persecution His parents after they had concealed him three moneths in their house fearing least he might be discovered exposed him upon the River Pharao's Daughter coming thither to bath her self perceived the Cradle of Bull-rushes in which he floted upon the water she sent to take it up and by that means was the instrument of his preservation She was not satisfied in exhibiting an ordinary compassion towards him but tendered him with a Motherly care and of an Infant exposed she adopted him Son and Heir to a great Kingdom His Education was answerable to so high a fortune and by the progress he made in all the Sciences of the Egyptians by the excellency of his wit his solid judgement his generous courage his modest behavior and the greatness of his actions he shewed himself worthy of the Scepter ordained for him But God had other designs and would make use of him to destroy that Empire which he seemed to be chosen out to govern At the age of forty yeers God inspired him to visit those of his Nation in the places where they dwelt and there he found an Egyptian roughly treating an Israelite whence a just resentment transported him to revenge the Injury done unto his Brother by the death of him that abused him The next day seeing two Israelites quarrelling together he said to them you are Brethren why injure you one another But he that abused his Companion without cause askt him who hath made you our Prince and the Judge of our differences perhaps you will kill me as you did yesterday the Egyptian That discourse troubled Moses and by divine providence made him to fly into the Land of Madian where taking a Wife he begot two Sons He was fourscore years of age when in the Desarts of Mount Sina an Angel appeared to him in the middest of a flaming bush unconsumed This Prodigy astonished him and drawing neer to behold it at a less distance The Lord spake unto him in these words I am the God of thy Fore-fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob put of thy shooes for the earth thou treadest upon is holy I have beheld the affliction of my captive people their complaints have reached my ears I am descended to deliver them from this cruel bondage and upon this occasion I will send you into Egypt Fathers and Brethren observe here that this Moses whom the two Israelites rejected with disdain saying who has established thee Judge and Prince over us was the Prince and Redeemer of the Jewish people with the assistance of that Angel which appeared to him in the burning bush Egypt wondered at the miraculous things of his Rod the Sea divided it self to make passage for the multitude he led in the Desart The rock yeilded him water for the space of forty years a celestial Manâ—◠〈◊〉 every morning from Heaven to 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 And a thousand other wonders â—â—â—…ered his govâ—rnment faâ—â—us May not we here behold an admirable figure of the Saviour which you have rejected notwithstanding that he came to deliver you from a more cruel captivity and more miserable then that of our Fore-fathers But this same Moses whose Doctrine you accuse me to condemn did not he promise to you him whose Gospel I now preach and whose name is so odious to you when he said God will raise from the middest of you a Prophet whom you shall hear as you hear me certainly you heard him as our Ancestors heard Moses and whilest Moses was conversing with our Lord upon the Mountain those ungratefull people inforced Aaron to make molten gods which should conduct them not knowing as they saiea what was become of Moses They adored the Golden Calf and gave that honour to the work of their hands which was due onely to their Creator This horrible Idolatry so incensed God that be exterminated this great multitude by divers punishments Two only of them that remained besides those who were born in the Desarts entered into the Land of Promise under the conduct of Joshua The assistance of our Lord ceased not with the death of this great Captain Our Ancestours alwayes found him favourable so long as they continued faithfull to his service The divers servitudes they were under so long as the government remained in the hands of Judges were onely caused by their Idolatry and prostitution to all sorts of wickedness Ease and plenty corrupted those whom the perils of Warre and feare of Enemies had kept within the bounds of fidelity They contracted unfortunate marriages with the daughters of their neighbours and that conjugall union occasioned their separation from God for by little and little they followed the manners of their Wives and to make themselves good husbands they were not afraid to become wicked men They left the God of Heaven for the stars which he had fixed there and the purity of his sacrifices for the abominations of Moloch Their ingratitude was not left unpunished for our Lord at severall times raysed Infidel Kings against them who made them know their sin by the rigour they used towards them The yoke of the Philistins was the longest and David delivered them entirely from it He was the man according to Gods heart It was he whom God placed in the Throne with a solemn promise that his Posterity should reign for ever This Prince who was as godly as valiant desired to build a house to our Lord that might be stable and firm for since they left Egypt they had adored him in a
that his very bones might be told and lots should be cast for his garment Is not this Jesus whose doctrine I preach unto you This is the Master whom David invites us to hear speaking in the person of God To day if you hear his voice harden not your hearts as your Fore-fathers have done in the desart where I was made angry against those who durst distrust my power and censure all my workes for the space of forty yeares Their infidelity shall not go unpunished I will make them know that I can revenge my self in my wrath I sweare they shall not enter into the place of rest which I had prepared for them Behold dreadfull words and you will doe well to be warned by their loss lest you be excluded also from that place of repose which is offered to you As it availed them little to give ear to the relation of those who returned from the land of Promise and informed them of the true state of it because they would not believe what was said so it is not enough to heare the Gospel preached it must be received humbly to the end you may obtaine by faith the fruition of that repose which is spoken of in the passage I alledged It cannot be that repose which God assumed after he had made the world that being no other thing then a cessation from work nor is it likewise the repose of the Sabbath whose institution was before the birth of David In summe it is not that repose which our Fathers tasted in the Land whereinto they were led by Ioshua for that long since is past therefore it must needs be that the Psalmist speaks of another repose more holy a Sabbath more excellent which appertains to the people of God and in which the Just do eternally repose from all their labours as formerly our Lord did repose the seventh day from all his works Moyses could not bring us into that place where this divine Sabbath is celebrated Jesus Christ entred there the first to open it to those who should receive his doctrine This is the Priest deserving adoration who to purifie heaven and earth and to reconcile man to God has not not made use of the bloud of goats and bulls but of his owne which he has shed to the last drop upon the Altar of the Cross The high Priest of the Law was obliged to offer Sacrifices for his own sins as well as those of the People Jesus Christ is the Sovereign high Priest pure holy unpolluted uncapable of any spot consequently needs not offer any victime for himself he hath not received his Priest-hood by way of a carnall birth and succession as the Priests according to Aaron did but hee has been established eternal Priest according to the order of Melchisedec as we learn by those words of the Psalmist which you confess are to be understood of the Messias Our Lord hath sworne thou art an eternal Priest according to the order of Melchisedec If the Levitical Priest-hood which the people received together with the Law guided to perfection that is to say gave true Justice what need was there that another Priest should come according to the order of Melchisedec and if the Priest-hood be transferred it then follows that the Law is also changed because these two things are inseparably linked together Now that there has been a translation of the Priest-hood 't is not to be doubted since he of whom that passage I alledged speaks was of the Tribe of Iuda and not of Levi out of which Moyses ordained that the Priests should be chosen Observe also that the Leviticall Priest-hood was not established by oath as is that which I treat and this circumstance shewes the sanctity and immutability of that thing unto which God has pleased to unite it There were to be many Priests according to the order of Aaron because they were mortal But the Priest-hood of Jesus Christ is eternall as well as himself he has alwaies power to guide those to eternall salvation who believe in him He is alwaies in the functions of his Priesthood that is to say in continual oblation of himself to God and in prayer without intermission for hee that sayes Eternal Priest sayes also Eternal Oblation The Levitical Priests stood during the exercise of their Functions Jesus Christ having once offered the Hoast of his body is seated at the right hand of God according to the words of the Psalmist The Lord said to my Lord Take thy place till I have put thy enemies under my feet Be not you of that number my deare Brethren you that are descended from Abraham the Father of the Faithfull you whose Ancestours have been so holy you to whom those promises were made and for whom Jesus Christ principally came doe not permit strangers to carry away the benediction due to lawful children and having hitherto born the heavy yoke of Moyses doe not fear now to submit your selvs to that of Jesus Christ which is so light and pleasing And in this you will even obey Moyses by whom as you know God promised That after many ages hee would raise a Prophet of your Nation to whom hee would have you attend as to himself The Apostle spake much after this manner his discourse raised great Disputes amongst his Auditours some blaming what others approved some believing others continuing obstinate S. Paul finding hee could gaine little upon them hee told them freely I know well that ye will fulfill the prophesie of Esay to whom God spake in these tearms Goe to the Children of Israel and tell them You shall hear with your ears but shall not understand with your mindes you shall see with the eyes of the body but not with those of the soule for the heart of this people is suffocated with fat they have heard with their ears against their wills being incensed have shut their eyes for feare they should see by their eyes take in by their eares consent by their hearts and wills and so work their conversion and their cure The incredulous Jewes were extreamly offended at these words and more which he added viz. That the news of salvation should be carried to the Gentiles who would imbrace it This discourse gave occasion of much dispute to the Audience who not being able to come to an agreement every one returned home possessed with different thoughts and opinions Hitherto we have proceeded securely following the steps of Saint Luke who ends here his story and leaves the Apostle in the Confusion of Rome where he saies he remained two years and during that time preached the Doctrine of Jesus Christ without any let Receiving with freedome all those who came to see him Hence what concerns the rest of his life we know little yet I will endeavour to ground what I shall adde more of this Subject either upon certaine traditions or from his owne Epistles In the second Epistle which he writes to Tymothy his dear
Tabernacle which was portable God accepted his good will but reserved to his Son Solomon the glory of building a Temple that testified no less his piety than his magnificence This place could not contain him who not onely fills all things but is immense who has the Heaven for his Throne and the Earth for his Footstool Princes who are men may busie and delight themselves in Palaces built by the hands of men Our God is a Spirit which resides not in the inclosure of walls and the most magnificent works of Architecture are not worthy of his greatness It is in the hearts of men be delights to dwell but those hearts must then be innocent They must be circumcised with a spiritual circumcision of which that of the body is but the mark You have not these innocent hearts but contrarywise I may without injury call them uncircumcised because they are tyed to earthly things wherewith they are replenish'd and possess'd with a horrid envy and execrable rage against our true Redeemer You are stiff-necked and continually resist the Holy Ghost In this you shew your selves true children of your Fathers for which of the Prophets have not they persecuted Those heavenly men have all of them announced unto you the coming of him whom by a black and ungrateful Treason you have murthered you who received the Law by the ministery of Angels observe it not but most impudently break it every day Jesus of Nazareth hath been required with so much the more ingratitude as his graces were extraordinary It is in him that God hath fulfilld the promise whereof a little before I spake to you that the Scepter should alwayes remaine in the house of David For he is descended from him according to flesh although you esteemed him the Son of a poor Carpenter It is he alone that sets at liberty not onely Israel but all men that are captive under the yoke of hell and sin It is he that is descended from Heaven to establish a Coelestiall Kingdome who apprehends not the vicissitude of humane things nor is subject to the violence of Tyrants and the inconstancy of the people It is he that has proved his Doctrine by miracles and such as Israel had never found in the Scriptures nor seen in the extent of their Provinces and yet his voyce could not soften the hardness of your hearts his Miracles seemed to you to be illusions You have injuriously sullyed the innocency of his life His humility made you become insolent His sufferings made you more bitter against him his patience made you furious and you have as little respect to those who speak to you in his name since his Resurrection But you deceave your selves in your designes That party which you think to root up shall be victorious Innocency shall triumph over Calumny The Church of him that is crucified which we announce unto you shall not destroy the Law but the Law shall serve for a foundation to the Church The true disciples of Moses will acknowledge him in their legal observations and they will hear him as their Master according to that Oracle of Moses which I alledged to you Certainly no man can reprove me to have spoken a word that savours of contempt against him and the testimony of my accusers destroys it self neither their condition nor their vertue render them so credible that I need take much pains to clear my self of their calumny They say I have spoken against the Law I deny it and by my precedent discourse you may understand my opinion of it but it is rather you that one may more justly accuse for the non-observance of it The Judges and others there present hearing so bold and free a discourse and such sharp reproaches from Saint Stephen were filled with despite and fury and began to grinde their teeth against this generous Deacon unto whom God designed a more particular favour in this encounter For as he lifted up his eyes to Heaven and that his heart filled with the Holy Ghost elevated it self by sublime acts of a most pure love he saw the glory of God which so transported him as he he cryed out I see the Heavens open and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God All those who heard these last words made a great out-cry and seized upon him The Judges stopt their eares as if they had heard blasphemy and the multitude presently hurried him away out of the City to stone him There was no alteration in his countenance and if any did appear it was rather that of joy He considered the stones in the hands of those Executioners as precious stones prepared for the making up of his Crown And those that were most cruel seemed to him most merciful He sustained this impetuosity standing like a Rock that mocks at tempests or rather as a Priest who sacrificeth himself In all the time of his suffering he did not once complain and when he felt death approaching he said Lord Jesu receive my soule But when he prayed for those that stoned him he kneeled downe knowing their offence was so great as to obtain their pardon it was necessary to joyn the humility of his countenance to the humility of his heart and to use violence if it may be so said to the goodness of God He cryed out O Lord let not this sin be imputed to them It was to this so ardent and admirable prayer that God according to the opinion of divers Fathers granted the conversion of him whose life we write and whom we will call Soul for a time as Saint Luke does in the Acts. He was not of the number of those who stoned Saint Stephen yet in looking to their garments he stoned him by their hands and made himself partaker of their impiety He was Cousin to the Martyr and they were both brought up by Gamaliel in the study of the Law notwithstanding the false zeal of Religion carried him beyond the Sentiment of nature and their fellowship in studies And having once with pleasure seen the bloud of this holy Deacon spilt he became thirsty after the bloud of those who professed the same Doctrine and made himself remarkable in that bloudy persecution which was enkindled against them He brake into houses and those he took prisoners were by himself conducted into Dungeons after which he sollicited their condemnation In a word he was a wild Boar in the Vineyard of the Son of God After he had filled Hierusalem with executions he would extend his cruelty farther and to that effect demanded of the Princes Priests Commissions and Letters in his favour that he might take all those persons in the City of Damascus who beleeved in him that was crucified His rage afforded him not one moment of rest He breathed nothing but the slaughter and bloud of the poor disciples of Jesus Christ and pleased himself onely with the thought of their punishment which was at hand He contrived in his imagination how he
might take them all and he exhorted himself to use nothing of mercy either to old or young to whom even the most barbarous are wont to shew some compassion and pitty He was entring into the thirty third year of his age and the heat of his youth joyned with the temper of his minde and zeal of Religion easily transported him to resolutions that were extream He was neer to Damasco when an extraordinary light comming from Heaven and invironing him he was thrown downe to the earth and heard a voice that said to him Saul Saul why dost thou persecute me Jesus Christ was uncapable of suffering persecution in his person but he suffered it in his members that were so strictly united to him as he reputed all injuries done unto them done unto his own person This persecutor being affrighted answered Lord who art thou I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou dost persecute continued the voice and it is in vain for thee to kick against the pricks Then Saul astonished trembling and out of himself cryed Lord what wilt thou that I doe It was answered him Rise up and goe into the City and there I will make known to thee what thou oughtest to doe Those who accompanied him were wonderfully astonished at this conference For they heard the sound of a voice but could not distinguish the words nor saw they any body Saul rising up found himself blind The brightness of Heaven had exteriourly blinded him but his soul was delivered from his former darkness and this glorious blinde man shall appear ere long one of the bright Stars of the Church He enquired not what should become of him but made an humble Sacrifice of himself to him whom but a moment before he had persecuted His Conversion was sudden and compleat and so it shall continue to his death He was led by the hand into the City of Damascus where he was three dayes and three nights without eating or drinking but not without receiving the nourishment of heavenly consolations and those great verities whereof he was to be the Apostle Here humane prudence is at a stand that God should choose him a Preacher of faith who but a little before was so furious an enemy to it But the wisedome of heaven wonderfully shewes it self in this conduct for by this appears the efficacy of the grace of Jesus Christ which can soften a heart thus hardened without infringing our liberty and of a mortal adversary make him his most faithful couragious Champion He was to be the Doctor of this new grace necessary to the state of corrupted nature He was to heal the infirmity of the will captivated to concupiscence and rectifie the ignorance of the understanding And how could he better conceive the necessary and efficacy of this celestial remedy then by his own experience Certainly he who had so long time before the heavy yoak of the Law and having his inclinations so contrary to the faith of Christ had yet received it by a meanes so extraordinary whereby the Soule was illuminated and the heart so suddenly mollified so strongly and yet nevertheless so gently could not beleeve that man had the cheifest part in his own conversion and that grace was not a slave to the will but rather a gentle and amorous Mistress which prevents fortifies moves and makes the Soule active He was far from imagining there was any merit in him in order to his election and therefore he might with more efficacy announce unto the Jewes That the works of the Law did not render them worthy to receive the Gospel and to the Gentiles likewise If they were called that it was out of the meer choice and pure goodness of God He was to labour in the conversion of sinners and God to shew him that he must deale mildly and sweetly with them made choise of him even when he was guilty of the greatest sin that man could commit Before for the same reason he had established Saint Peter Head of the Church after he had thrice denyed him Ananias a Priest of very great piety governed then the Infant Church of Damasco Jesus Christ by apparition commanded him to goe into the house of one Jude and told him the street where he should finde a man named Saul borne at Tarsis who was earnest in prayer Ananias astonished took the boldness to answer him in a manner which shewed he was accustomed to the like Visions Saying Lord I have understood from divers persons of the great harm this man hath done to your Church and now he is here in this place with commissions to apprehend all those who invocate thy name Fear nothing answered the Son of God he is no more a persecutor but a vessel of election and an instrument by whom I will work great wonders I have chosen him to announce my doctrine to Nations and to Princes without fearing the fury of one or the power of the other He shall preach to the Children of Israel those truths which he hath endeavoured to abolish and I will let him know what he is to suffer for my name Ananias replying no more went presently and obeyed He found this new Convert and approaching to him laid his hands upon his head saying Saul my dear Brother the Lord Jesus who appeared himself unto you on the way to Damascus that you may see how dear to him your salvation is has sent me to you to the end that in his name you should recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost that you may afterwards pour it forth upon others and acquit your self of the Ministery to which he hath ordained you Immediatly the Scales which covered the eyes of Saul fell from them and he saw as he did before and at the same instant of this miracle he was baptized and received it with such disposition of minde as we may imagine to be in one whose Conversion was so extraordinary and whom Jesus Christ himself took the pains to instruct For Ananias did neither Catechise him nor send him to the Apostles to be Catechised knowing well that he who had drawn him out of the darkness of the Law would have him immediately to receive from him the Heavenly Doctrine of the Gospel as being particularly his Apostle He issued from the water of Baptisme not onely pure but full of courage And unwilling to lose one hour of time without imploying it to the honour of his new Master he began his Function going into the Synagogues and there teaching that Jesus Christ was the Son of God His condition his Doctrine the fame which was spread amongst the Jewes of his zeal for the Law and the designe upon which he came to Damascus made them at the first to hear him with great attention But when he was heard to speak of Christ crucified as of the Messias it was strange to see the astonishment amongst his Audience they could hardly beleive their own eares What said they this man who does now
Mother of Love but it was truly famous amongst the Christians for the birth of St. Barnaby and many other great men which she gave unto the Church In Salamina since called Constantia they preached to the Jewes and continuing their Voyage came to Paphos where God prepared for the Apostle a most important Victory Sergius Paulus the Proconsul a man stiled in the Acts with the Title of prudent desired to hear him whose reputation was so great in the Country There was a Jew called Elimas who counterfeited himself to be a Prophet but was an abominable Magician This man opposed the doctrine of St. Paul whereat he justly offended and in a tone full of authority spake in this manner O thou childe of the Devil thou man full of malice and deceit wilt thou never leave to oppose the designes of God and pervert his wayes Thou doest endeavour to hinder the Proconsul from receiving the light of the Gospel but for a just punishment thou shalt lose the light of the Sun and for a time remaine blinde The effect presently followed his words and thick scales covered the eyes of this wicked man who having feigned himself to be a God stood in need of a guide to conduct him Yet this punishment altered him not for he continued in his impiety and afterwards composed a book against the Christians However his blindness gave light to the Proconsul and finished his conversion He received with joy and admiration that verity which he saw so miraculously confirmed and afterwards became a zealous preacher of it The Church of Narbone glories to have had him for her first Bishop and the Roman Martyrologe celebrates his memory on the 22. of March but that is a dispute which I leave to Chronologers In this place Saint Luke begins to give the name of Paul to the Apostle and from thence some have drawne an argument in their opinion very strong that till then he was called Saul and that after this great conversion he took the name of his Cathecumen as the Ancient Romans did of those people they subdued by their Arms. But this is repugnant to the humility of a man who sayes of himself that he was not worthy to be called an Apostle It is more likely that the Proconsul in acknowledgement of the good which he had received from him desired him to take his name which was one of the noblest of Ancient Rome and that he accepted of it not out of vanity but because it might gaine him a better admittance amongst the Gentils to whom he was particularly to preach Some say that perhaps he received both those names at his circumcision that the one was better known before his own conversion and the other more used after this which we now relate I should be of opinion he had both those names that amongst the Jews he was called Saul and at Tharsis which was a Roman Colony he took the name of Paul it being a Roman name This dispute is of no great importance and we speak of it onely by the way After the Proconsul's Conversion his Family being also converted and many others the Apostle departed to sow the Seed of the Gospel which had so happily prospered in Cyprus in other places He did but pass by Pergen of Pamphilia judging that there was a greater harvest to be made in Antioch of Pisidia On a Sabbath-day he went into the Synagogue and mingled himself with the Assistants to hear the Lecture which was made there out of the Holy Scriptures When that was done the chief of the Assembly being willing to honour him according to the custome of the Jews sent to him and to Barnaby to know if either of them would speak Then Paul rose up and making a signe with his hand inviting silence began in this manner The Discourse I have to make unto you Men Israelites and all you who have the fear of our Lord is of so great importance as I must beg an extraordinary attention You know that God who owns to be his all the Nations of the World chose through an admirable effect of his goodness the Posterity of Abraham and Jacob to be unto him a particular people and a beloved Nation Whilest our Ancestors were captives in Egypt he took pity of their afflictions and delivered them by miracles worthy the strength of his Arme. He opened to them the bosome of the Sea and for the space of forty years fed them in the desart and with incredible patience suffered their revolts and murmurs He brought their Children into the Land of promise the which he distributed amongst them after he had extirpated seven Nations for their sakes He governed them by Judges till the time of Samuel This government not pleasing them he accommodated himselfe to their Ingratitude and chose for their King Saul the Son of Cis of the Tribe of Benjamin But he not answering to the favours received from God by his disobedience to Samuels command by his attempt to offer sacrifice to the Lord and by his other wicked actions occasion was given to reprove him and elect David of whom God himself has vouchsafed to give this testimony I have found David the Son of Jesse a man according to my own heart who will doe all my commands From his Posterity that Jesus Christ the Saviour of Israel is descended according to the promise made to our Fore-fathers John the Baptist announced his comming preaching to all people the Baptisme of pennance His Sanctity and Doctrin made men doubt if he were not the Messias But instead of attributing that honour to himself he told all his Auditors that he was not the Messias but onely his humble Precursor and that he held himselfe not worthy to unty his shooes My dear Brethren holy Posterity of Abraham t is for you that he is come T is unto those who amongst you have the fear of God that these tidings of Salvation are directed The Lawe given to Moses upon the Mountaine is holy no doubt since the Author of it is holy But that onely exhorts men to Sanctity and cannot give it by any peculiar efficacy of its owne nature It forbids our consent to the motions of concupiscence but does not furnish us with force to withstand those furious assaults Concupiscence is a Monster too strong for it a poyson which surpasses all its remedies a yoak of death which the Law alone cannot break Our Fathers have groned under the weight and have found it as difficult as shameful Notwithstanding it was good and even necessary that our Nation should remaine long under this captivity to the end men acknowledging their incapacity of observing the precepts of the Lawe and the weaknesse of the Law in it selfe might have recourse to that Physitian and Redeemer who is able to cure all their evils and free them from their servitude This Physitian this Redeemer is Iesus Christ which I announce unto you it is he who offers unto you the perfect liberty of
they understood the wonderfull things which God had wrought by them and the great Harvest they had made amongst the Gentiles to whom God had opened the gate of the Gospel for which they rendered thanks to Jesus Christ and every one took occasion thereby to be more inflamed with the love of him who rejects no person but desires that all should come to the knowledge of his name without distinction either of Sex Nation or Quality At this same time the Emperor by an Edict banished all the Jewes from Rome amongst whom the Christians found themselves comprised because there was noe distinction then made betwixt the one and the other The cause of this banishment it may be was that Saint Peter preaching the Gospel in the Synagogue many were obstinate in opposition to it and many also embraced it which gave occasion of so many disputes and troubles amongst them that Claudius to prevent the evill which might happen upon these differences and withall making little esteem of that Nation commanded them all out of the Town The words of Suetonius give me ground to attribute the banishment I spake of to this cause For he expresly saies that the Emperor drove them out of the City by reason of the continual tumults about Christ Now it is no wonder this Historian being not well versed in the affairs of Christian Religion if he explicate himself so imperfectly upon this occasion besides the Jewes were hated and contemned by the Romans Hence Saint Peter obeying the command of the Emperor left Italy and came to Hierusalem where he hapned to be by a particular conduct of the Divine Providence to assist and preside in the first Councell of the Church Certain persons coming from Judea to Antioch began both to publish that Circumcision was necessary to Salvation and that it ought to be received by those Gentiles who were converted to the faith of Jesus Christ Many of the Pharisean Sect who made profession of the Gospel maintained this Doctrine and Cerinthus afterwards a notorious Heresiarch was the chief of this faction that sprung up amongst the faithful which raised no small sedition against Paul and Barnabas To hinder what might happen upon so dangerous a division it was agreed upon by common consent that the two last and some other persons of the contrary opinion should go up to Hierusalem to consult with the Apostles and Priests of that Church about this question which had so much troubled the Church of Antioch In passing by Phenicia and the Region of Samaria Paul and Barnabas recounted to the faithful how great a number of Gentiles were converted which caused an extraordinary and very sensible joy in them Arriving at Hierusalem the Apostles Priests and the rest of the Brethren received them with testimonies of extraordinary love and respect and were much comforted to understand the great things which God had wrought by them for the establishment of the Gospel The Pharisees that were converted gave them little rest for presently upon the conversion of the Gentiles they made a great noise maintaining that they ought to be Circumcised and were obliged to the other Cerimonies of the Law of Moses This occasioned the journey of Paul and Barnabas as we have already said and thereupon the Apostles and Priests assembled themselves at Hierusalem to debate this difficulty which they did with great care Their opinions were different and every one upheld his own sense with strong reasons so that the question began to be more and more intricate the more they endeavored to cleere it Saint Peter seeing this made a signe that he would speak which he did in this manner Brethren you know long since God was pleased to make use of me to declare his Gospel to the Gentiles and conduct them to his faith I had difficulty in it at the beginning and he with drew me from that error as I have formerly told you by a vision which I had in Joppa a sheet filled with all sort of creatures by the Law uncleane A voice commanded me to kill and eat I answered that I never used to touch any meat uncleane as those were I then beheld and it was replied to me that nothing which God had purified was uncleane In the mean time I received a message from Cornelius the Centurion who by birth was a Gentile but conversing with the Jewes had learnt to live religiously and fear the true God Then suddainly I understood what was meant by the vision I came to Cesarea where I found him with a great number of his friends assembled to hear the word of life He told me that an Angell had appeared and assured him that his almes deeds and prayers were mounted up to Heaven before God and that by his command he had sent to seek me Vpon this relation I preached the Doctrine of Salvation to the company and I was happily interrupted by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them by which they praised God in Languages unknown to them before So that I was no longer in doubt whether it was needfull to give them the Baptisme of Water having received that of the Holy Ghost which sanctified them At that time I was blamed for preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles but when I had reported to the same Church that which had happened in Cesarea every one was satisfied with my proceeding and all that heard me praised the goodness of God in that he had withdrawen the Gentiles from the darknesse of infidelity Now since he is pleased to shew them this mercy that he makes no difference between them and us and that he purifies the hearts of the one and the other by faith in his Son why then would you impose upon the faithful that which neither our Fathers nor we have been able to bear since we believe that they and we shall be saved alike by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ The Assembly were all attentive to this discourse which Paul and Barnabas observing took the opportunity of their silence and recounted the miracles which God had wrought by their hands for the conversion of the Gentiles and having ended this relation which gave much comfort to all there present Saint James who was Bishop of Hierusalem demanded Audience and sayed Brethren I desire you to hear me Simon has related unto you how that by his Ministry God has visited the Gentiles and how those whom we thought to be wholly abandoned are now made his faithfull people and obedient to his truth The testimonies of the Prophets do accord with this his Conduct Amos saies after this I will returne and I will rebuild the Tabernacle of David which is fallen and I will repaire its ruins and I will reedifie it to the end the rest of men may seek after the Lord and all Nations by whom his name is invocated saies the Lord that does these things The work of the Lord is known unto him before the beginning of all times Let us not then
that is his Church and consequently deprived of the food which he has prepared to nourish his Spouse during her Pilgrimage and if they eat it they shall eat their judgement the body of Jesus Christ shall enter into their breasts and there engrave in characters undeleble the arrest of their death and whilest they think to receive a pledge of their salvation it shall prove the assurance of their damnation For they will be not onely guilty persons but persons already condemned and adjudged to death and the separation of them from the Elect shall be justly grounded upon the litle distinction they made of the body and bloud of the Sonne of God taking ordinary meat with more care and circumspection Alas there are but too many who are guilty of this Sacriledge Men know them not but they cannot lye hid from God who reads their most secret thoughts and sees clearly the evil dispositions of their carnal soules We see young men perish in the flower of their age we behold strong and lusty men fall into languishing diseases of which we know not the cause Suddain death dayly takes away divers persons who in respect of their age and health might have promised themselves a long life These accidents are ordinarily attributed to natural causes but beleeve it 't is a secret punishment for the profanation of the body of Jesus Christ Therefore judge your selves to the end you be not judged Yet be not seized with so great a fear as to hinder you from approaching to him who is as wel bread to strengthen the weak and fraile as to nourish the strong and is a medicine as well as food Eat dayly of this bread but then let your life correspond with your food and as the one is heavenly let not the other savour of the corruption of the Earth As you eat of the same bread and drink of the same cup at the Table of your Father so let there be a perfect union in your desires and in your thoughts as to be one thing This bread which is made of many graines of corn and the wine which is drawne from many grapes teach you to unite your hearts by charity You must be to one another as one bread by an amorous communication of your gifts either spiritual or temporal that all shadow of division even of singularity may be banished from the Church Goe on then my dear Brethren in such a manner as may answer the Sanctity of your name and vocation You are called Christians and this name shewes your Royal Unction and Priesthood together You are of that Kingly Stock doe not then make your selves slaves of sinne which is the most infamous and cruel Master you can choose You are Priests therefore cloath your selves with justice Offer your selves to God as a holy Host immaculate by Jesus Christ our Lord who is the Eternal Priest by whom and in whom our oblations are made acceptable to the heavenly Father I behold here persons of all conditions and therefore I will briefly set down some rules how to performe the duty of Christians Husbands and Wives I would have you know that marriage which has joyned you together is a great Sacrament in Jesus Christ and his Church It represents the adorable union of the heavenly Espouse and this Chaste Bride whom he has purified from all uncleanness by the word of life so that she who before was black and soyled in the time of her disorders now appears more white then Lilies without any spot or wrinckle to dishonour her He has not onely expressed his love to her by these favours but also given his life for her and made his bloud the Seale of his love Therefore love your Wives after this model and consider their bodies as a thing that is yours and consequently ought to be the subject of your care But as the love which Jesus Christ beares to his Church is pure so let the love which you bear to the companions of your bed be likewise pure As Jesus Christ beares with the frailties of his Church so you must bear the infirmites of those whose Sex being more fraile is more excusable and may better claim to be supported when you love them you love your selves for marriage makes that you are two in one flesh Wives be you subject to your husbands as to those who hold the place of our Lord over you they are your heads as Jesus Christ is head of the Church The head conducts the rest of the body take them therefore for the guides of your life and repose more trust in their conduct then in that of your own reason As the Church is subject to the will of Jesus Christ be you obedient to the wills of your husbands never give them any cause of anger nor occasion to distrust you Think not of pleasing any but them to that end adorn your selves modestly as Sarah did and those holy women in times past who were so carefull of gaining the hearts of their husbands as they called them their Lords and were much more carefull in the adorning of their souls then bodies Curled hair with affectation your costly Jewels garments of gold and silver and other dressings of vanity by which you desire to draw the eies of others upon you are unworthy of a Christian wife and indeed in stead of setting her forth renders her deformed Fathers and Mothers breed your Children in the fear of our Lord Suffer them not in your presence to offend him unto whom they appertain more then to your selves and for whose service you ought to bring them up Be carefull rather to make them good then rich and breed them rather for heaven then the earth Never provoke them to anger nor make them despair by holding too vigorous a hand over them but rather use indulgence towards them to reduce them to reason if they fly out Children obey your Fathers and Mothers the observance of this command for your encouragement is recompenced with the promise of a long life The honour which you give them returns to God who is the fountain of all Paternity both in heaven and earth Bear with their froward humors shun all occasions of displeasing them and assuredly believe you can never acquit your selves of the obligations you owe in duty to them You that are servants respect your Masters with a sincere and upright heart and believe that in serving them as you ought you serve Jesus Christ Do not render them service only when they look upon you for hope of reward or fear of punishment but do it in conformity to the faith and religion you profess Consider your selves as Servants of our Lord for the love of whom you serve men whose providence you ought to adore that has put you in that condition Think not of freeing your selves of that bondage but to use it well and to make it voluntary Expect from him the rewards due to your service your fidelity and diligence with love and
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
stand upon thy feet I have appeared to thee to the end I may ordain thee a preacher of those things thou hast seen make thee boldly to render publike testimony in all places of the world both of these and other verities which I will in due time reveale unto thee Be not affraid I will deliver thee from the ambushes and violence of the people unto whom I send thee that thou mayest open their eyes and reduce them from that deplorable siate of darkness in which they are unto the light of my Gospel that thou mayest free them from the power of the devil and place them under the protection of God to the end they may from his goodness receive remission of their sinnes and share in the inheritance of Saints by a firm faith in my name I rejected not by a misbelief O King Agrippa this heavenly vision for presently I began to preach to the Jewes of Damasco and afterwards at Hierusalem and in Judea and then to the Gentiles exhorting them to return to God by a true conversion of heart and to do workes worthy of pennance not to obtain the possession of a land flowing with milk and honey such other recompences as are promised by a carnall Law but to obtain the fruition of heaven which is infallible to those who live according to the Maxims of Jesus Christ This Doctrine is not new I have deduced it from the writings of Moyses and those of the Prophets who all speak clearly of the sufferings of the Messias of his ignominious death and of the glory of his resurrection in which order he with great reason holds the first place since hee is the first-born of God before all creatures He is begotten in light and he is come into the world to enlighten the Jewes and Gentiles to make of them but one people or rather one body of which he is the head diffusing admirable influences of a new life amongst his members for he is the new man who destroyes the old in us and who brings us all sorts of benedictions as the other had brought us all manner of miseries it is he after whom all our Fore-fathers have fighted it is he who has taken upon him that curse to which the Jews and Gentiles were subject it is he who upon the tree of the Cross has abolished the fatal sentence of death in which all men were engaged The Law of Mâ—yses had truly Sacrifices to expiate sin but that expiation was but exteriour the bloud of Goats and Bulls could not purifie the hearts of those that offered it only the bloud of Jesus Christ has this divine vertue and indeed it is onely hee that has taken away all the sins of the world It was needfull to re-iterate the Sacrifices of the Temple but this divine Priest of whom I speak being once offered hath drawn dry the very source of sinne has for ever taken away that which hindered sanctification has appeased the divine Justice opened to himself to his members a heavenly Sanctuary which till then was shut up This was figured by the high Priests entering once a year into the material Sanctuary with the bloud of a Goat offered for his own and the peoples sins for all that which our Fore-fathers beheld was in figure God would dispose them by carnall things unto spiritual by shaddowes conduct them to the light which his Son was to bring to the world in the fulness of time where he has contracted an alliance incomparably more holy and more glorious then was the first Hear what a Prophet speaks a long time before his coming Behold sayes hee the dayes approach in which I will make a new alliance with the house of Israel and Juda far different from that which I contracted with their fathers when I withdrew them from the bondage of Egypt They were not faithfull in the observation of my Law they mocked at it and I treating them as they treated me have scorned them The testament which I promise to the Children of Israel is that I will grave my ordinances in their hearts I wil be their God they shal be my people they shall not need any laborious study or serious consultations with learned Masters to be instructed in my Truthes because I will be their Tutour and by an interiour unction will teach them all I would have them to know so that one neighbour shall not teach another with trouble and one shall not say to another Doest thou know the Lord because from the least to the greatest all shall perfectly know me I will remit their offences with so full a pardon that I will not so much as remember them Behold in this passage hee speakes of a new testament the old then is to be abolished and consequently another is to succeed and to the end there should be some resemblance betwixt them it was necessary this should be confirmed by the bloud of the Testatour as that was given with a ceremony of bloud when Moyses sprinkled the people saying This is the bloud with the which the Lord confirms his alliance which he hath this day contracted with you Behold great Prince that which I preach Behold how I destroy the Law Behold how I am an enemy to God Festus unable to comprehend the sublime discourse of the Apostle interrupted him and called out O Paul thy great learning doth make thee mad thou doest utter extravagant things The Apostle humbly answered I speak nothing that is extravagant what I propose is truth and the King who has daigned me his attention perfectly knowes those things which I have said For what concerns Jesus Christ his life was so publick and so famous and the wonders he hath wrought so lately done that there is not any amongst the Jewes who can be ignorant of them Having spoken thus to Festus he addressed himself to the King and said Agrippa Doe you believe the Prophets I know you believe them Agrippa touched in his conscience and with the force of his reasons could not but answer Paul thou hast almost convinced me to be a Christian S. Paul replied I would to God great Prince that you and all here present had embraced the Doctrine which I preach and that you were like me in all but my Captivâ—ty I do not wish you the chaines I bear but on the contrary I would willingly give not onely my liberty but even my life for you At this word the King the Governour Berenice and all the rest rose up and Agrippa said to Festus That if he had not made his appeale he might be returned back absolved But the providence of God had ordained this meanes to bring him to the Capital City of the world where the Gospel which Judea would not receive should gain noble victories over Idolatry Festus willing to be rid of his prisoner imbarked him in an Affrican vessel of the city of Adrumetum and gave the charge of conducting him and others
who had likewise appealed to Caesar to Iulius Captain of the first company of a legion Aristarchus a Thessalonian accompanied the Apostle S. Luke also followed him in this voyage the passages whereof hee hath carefully set down The next day after their departure they arrived at Sidon where the Apostle with leave of his Conductor who used him very civilly visited the faithfull of that town and reposed himselfe a little After their departure from thence a contrary winde forced the marriners to slack their course and coast the Island of Gyprus They passed the sea of Cilicia and Pamphilia landed at Lystris a town of Licia where they found a vessel of Alexandria that was bound for Italy Iulius imbarked his company in her the weather proved so foule as they had much adoe to get so farre as Gnidos which obliged them to steer for Crete They first reached a Promontory called Salmon which lyes Eastward from thence they sailed towards the South part of the Island and cast anchor at a place called Bonport which is neer to a little town of Thessaly The many difficulties which occurred had made them let slip much time so that the season apt to tempests overtook them and rendered navigation very dangerous In the Acts of the Apostles S. Luke sayes the dayes of fasting were past but he not specifying what fast and Interpreters much differing in their opinions upon this subject wee cannot from thence draw any light whereby to know precisely the time when the Apostle put to sea Many hold that it was in the beginning of Winter and about the moneth of December or Ianuary in which falls the tenth fast of the Iewes for the destruction of the Temple during the captivity of Babylon Others hold that he meanes the Fast which falls in the moneth of September because that was the most solemn which was called the Fast per excellentiam This I account the most probable and if we follow it then the time should be about the beginning or end of October The Commander would have them put againe to sea notwithstanding the Apostle told them they should run the hazzard of shipwrack But he not knowing that S. Paul spake from a cleerer light then the art of Navigation thought the harbor where they lay not safe and that it was necessary to remove to another called Phenix which lay towards the South and was subject onely to South and South-West windes which are gentle and more tolerable in the Winter This resolution being followed they hoised sail and went from Asson with a favourable gale at first but presently the winde turned about North-East and blew so strong as the Pilot being forced to let goe the helm the ship was carried against a little Island which lyes direct West unto Crete at this day called Gosa There they thought to take the Cock-boat endeavour to stay the ship with cords and anchors lest she should runne her selfe upon the bankes of sand But to do that they must first take down Mast and Sails and the storm encreasing they were constrained to cast all the merchandise and a good part of their provision and all their armes into the sea to lighten the ship They were deprived of the light of the Sun and Stars by a profound darkness The waves roared and went higher and higher and there appeared all the signs of a most horrid tempest nigh at hand so that the masters are now useless there was no other refuge but to the assistance of God There the Apostle placed his hope and desirous to encourage the dismayed hearts of those that were in the ship he told them They need not fear for that the Angel of God whom he served had appear'd to him in the night assured him that none of those who were in his cōpany should perish The Lord to whom the windes are obedient having granted their safety to his prayers for himself he knew he should infallibly be presented to Caesar and that they should all come safe to an Island In fine he was assured that what he told them by Gods appointment would infallibly happen wherefore he desired them to be of good courage They had been fourteen dayes in continual fear of shipwrack when this man of God spake thus to them and not long after they conceived some sparks of hope that his prediction might prove true For the night following the Marriners thought they saw land and sounding they found they had not above twenty fadomes of water and a little farther not fifteen This made them apprehend the dashing upon a rock and obliged them to cast out foure anchors so to stay the vessel Every one was impatient for day that they might better discern things but whilest the passengers were at their prayers the Marriners thought to get in the Cock-boat and so to save themselves S. Paul perceiving this told the Captain and the Souldiers that if those men stayed not in the ship they should all certainly perish The Captain believed him and forthwith cut the cable of the boat letting it go whither the tide and winde would carry it At last the long desired light of day appeared Then the Apostle advised every one to take some sustenance and to give them example he brake a loaf the first and after he had given God thanks he are of it with so saintly a joy as all those who were in the vessel and the text of the Acts sayes they were in all two hundred threescore and twelve persons were so comforted and filled with a secret assurance of coming safe to land as they could not but express it The Marriners perceiving a little bay they resolved to guide the ship into it if it were possible hence waying their anchors and plying the helm they left onely the top sail up and so left the ship to the winde and tide to gain the shore But their project did not hit for they fell upon a neck of land which advanced into the sea there every one gave himselfe for lost for on the one side the prow was struck so far into the sand that there was no moving it and on the other side the poup was shattered to pieces by the violence of the waves Then the Souldiers thought to fall upon the Prisoners and kill them lest they should make an escape but the Captain who desired to preserve S. Paul hindered them from executing that barbarous resolution and commanded those that could swim to get first to shore and for the rest they made passage for them with boards and plancks so that they all gat safe to land a while after being come to themselves they found the Tempest had drove them upon the Island of Malta It was at that time inhabited with Barbarians but such as were very humane who received them with much charity and courtesie making fires to dry them Whilest every one brought wood for their provision the Apostle took up an armfull of sticks from whence by