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
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
set out with florishes of words but with the ornament of a real beauty they desired him to entertain them the next Sabboth with the same subject The assembly being dismissed many of the Iews and Gentiles that were faithfull followed him and Barnabas to their lodging where they exhorted them with vehement words to continue firm in profession of the Gospel Upon the Saboth following on which day he had promised to speak unto them all the Town-flocked to the Synagogue to hear him The Jewes seeing such a multitude of Gentiles were transported with so furious a zeal for the honour of the Law that they rose up against the Apostle and contradicting all those verities which he had declared to them uttered many blasphemies against Jesus Christ Then he and Barnabas told them boldly It is to you that we are bound to bring the first news of Salvation but since you render your selves unworthy of it and testifie by dispising the word of God the little care you have of eternal life we will present to the Gentiles those graces which you deserve not The Lord has so commanded us saying by his Prophet I have sent you to serve for a light to Nations to the end you be their Salvation even to the farthest part of the Earth The Gentiles who were in the Assembly hearing them speak so much to their advantage were touched with a pious joy and all those for whom by an election as secret as just God had prepared eternal life received the Doctrine preached unto them and believed in Jesus Christ The Gospel making a great progresse through all that Province and the Jewes not able to endure it intressed the authority of the chiefe men of Antioch and the simplicity of some Women of quality more zealous then the rest for the Law of Moses to raise a sedition against those who as it seemed to them went about to destroy it Their violence must take place The Apostle shaking the dust of his feet against those wicked people left their quarters and came to Iconium a Town situated neer to Mount Taurus in Lycaonia He converted there by his preaching a great number of Jewes and Greekes He stayed there a long time being dismaied neither with their ambushes approbries nor other persecutions from the enemies of faith His miracles confirmed his words and confounded the impiety of those who were incredulous It was in this place where Thecla that famous Virgin whose Sanctity and Courage the ancient Church hath celebrated with so many Panegeriques hearing him speak of the excellency of Virginity resolved to decline a marriage designed for her with a young man worthy of her beauty and extraction He loved her with extreame passion and seeing himself deprived of that hope which he had so much nourished his love was changed into mortal hatred in so much that he became her persecutor when she was exposed to the fury of Lyons to be devoured by them they kissed her feet and cloathed themselves with that humanity which her Persecutors had cast off She was tied to Bulls to be torne in pieces She was put into a hole full of Vipers a great Fire was kindled where she was to be burnt alive but her Heavenly Espouse delivered her from all those torments and in the end suffered her to dye that she might have the glory to be the first Martyr in his Church I know that the acts of her sufferings say she died in peace but the opinion which I follow is more conformable to the sense of the ancient fathers who speak of her as of a true Martyr The Antients believed they could give no higher praise to a Woman of eminent vertue then to call her another Thecla This conversion occasioned unto the Apostles new matter of persecution The Jewes who hated him mortally made so strong a party against him that they were too prevalent for those who were of his side and without doubt they had handled him rudely nay perhaps stoned him to death if he had not fled into other Cities of Lycaonia where he with his companion happily spread the Doctrine of Salvation The people having beheld the miraculous cure in Listris of a man born lame believed that Gods were descended from Heaven to visit them under a humane form And as error easily increases they gave unto Paul the name of Mercury because he preached and unto Barnabas the name of Iupiter The Priest of Iupiter followed by a great multitude came before the door of their lodging with Crownes and Bulls to do them the honour of sacrifice as unto Gods Then the Servants of the true God not being able to endure their impiety came forth and tearing their garments cried out blinde men what go you about to do We are mortal creatures as you are and come to declare unto you that Idolls are Statues without life that you must leave the worship of them and render honour and a doration to God who has made Heaven and Earth Till now be has left the Gentiles in their errors though by the order of his providence which so justly governs all things and by those continual Benefits which he poures upon men giving them rain when it is necessary for the fruits of the Earth and heaping upon them a thousand favors he hath in all times exhibited sufficient proofes of his divinity This discourse could scarce hinder the Licaonians from their sacrilegious designe But soon after they fell into another extremity For there came certain Iewes from Antioch and Iconium who knew so readily and dextrously how to change their humors that they were soon perswaded to assist these new comers to Stone Saint Paul whom but a little before they would have adored A remarkable example of the inconstancy of popular favour and an adventure fit for the disciple of him who having been received in Jerusalem as King fix daies after was conducted by the same persons as a Criminal to Mount Calvary These Executioners of the Apostle dragged him out of the gates and there left him for dead But when the people were gon he rose up and invironed with his Disciples went back into the City from whence he parted the next day to Darben with his faithfull companion After he had preached the Gospel there they returned to visit in Listris Iconium and Antioch those whom they had converted teaching them better by their example then discourse to continue firme in the faith of Jesus Christ not to fear persecutions by which they must necessarily pass ear they arrive at a heavenly Kingdom They established Bishops and Priests in those places where there was need and so left the faithful of those parts wishing them increase of all divine graces and benedictions They passed by Pisidia and Pamphilia and preached at Pergen and from thence went downe into Attalia and so returned to Antioch of Syria The Christians there rejoyced wonderfully at their return but they were touched with a more sensible joy when in the first assembly
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
by the Law for Nazarites who had made their vow but for a time or whose vow was intermitted by some legal pollution he by chance was known by some Jewes of Asia who began to cry out that this was the mortal enemy of the law of Moyses and not content to spread his doctrine in remote Provinces was so impudent and wicked as to introduce Gentiles into that holy place They meant Trophimus for having seen him in his company in the city they believed or would have others to believe that he had brought him into the Temple with him At the name of Paul all the town was in commotion the people got together from all parts dragged him out of the Temple and he had certainly been killed if Lysias who commanded a band of Souldiers appointed for the guard of the Temple on festival daies to prevent seditions had not been informed of the Tumult that was beginning and come in haste with his Captaines and Souldiers to appease them The sight of him stopped a little the fury of the people who then ceased to strike and abuse the Apostle Lysias made him presently be bound with two chaines and asked him what he had done and what he was But the noise and cries of the multitude were so great as neither the question nor the answer could be understood Wherefore Lysias was constrained to conduct him to Antoninus Tower that hee might secure him which hee had no small trouble to do for the people who followed would have faln upon him crying out upon every one to kill him Not long before there was an Egyptian in Hierusalem who counterfeited himself to be a Prophet and that by a word onely he could make the walls of the City to fall down this man had got a great multitude of followers amongst them divers murderers The Governour Felix having notice of it sent presently a party of Souldiers who falling upon these poore abused people killed or took the greatest part of them The Egyptian saved himselfe but some of those murthering villaines continued to stirre up the people and to burn the villages where they found any resistance Lysias asked S. Paul if he was not the Commander of those rebels He answered him that hee was a Jew and native of Tharsus in Cilicia a Municipal town well known After the Apostle had made him this answer he desired leave that he might speak to the people which being granted he began his discourse relating how hee had persecuted the Church his miraculous conversion of which wee spake in the first book of this History he added moreover that when hee came to Hierusalem which I believe was the first voyage he made thither Jesus Christ appeared to him as he was praying in the Temple and said to him Depart quickly out of Hierusalem for they will not receive the testimony which thou givest of me and he answering that they ought not to suspect his testimony having shewed himself so zealous in defence of the Law and was not only present at the death of Stephen but consenting to it kept the garments of those that stoned him Our Lord replied again Go do that which I command for I will send thee unto Nations At this word of Nations the Jews lost all patience breaking silence which they had willingly kept hearing him to speak in their tongue they cryed out in a fearfull tone He is a wicked man and ought not to live longer upon the face of the earth let him be put to death they added to those clamours actions which sufficiently manifested their fury for they shook their garments and gathering up dust threw it into the aire to make it known they detested him that had spoken to them This great commotion made Lysias command that he should be led into the Tower of Antoninus for S. Paul had spoken to the people from the top of the staires which lead up to it Lysias his designe was to extort by stripes from him the reason of this great uprore The Apostle would willingly have suffered this great ignominy for the love of his Master but a secret inspiration of the holy Ghost moved him to tell a Captain who was at hand and had charge to see the orders of Lysias put in execution That they should take heed what they did for besides his innocency which ought to exempt him from being whipped he was a Citizen of Rome This was presently told to Lysias who would be assured of it from his owne mouth saying That the Priviledge of a Citizen which he boasts of had cost him a great summe of money The Apostle answered it had cost him nothing for my birth saies he obtained me this honour Indeed amongst many other Priviledges which Julius Caesar Augustus had bestowed on Tharsis in recompence of the services done by the Inhabitants of that place in the warres of Pompey and Brutus one was to be Citizens of Rome Now by a Law of Valerius Publicola confirmed after by a Law of Sempronius and by the Law Porcien Magistrates were forbidden to whip a Citizen of Rome Whereupon Lysias caused the chaines to be taken off the Apostle and that he might sound the depth of this business commanded the Priests of the Jewes to assemble themselves the next day in some place near the fortress which accordingly they did Thither they led this Criminal which made a great uprore and when silence was made he began his discourse with a Protestation that he had lived untill till that time without any reproach both before God and man But he was presently interrupted by the Prince of the Priests there assembled who was called Ananias This man very unworthy of the rank he held being transported with fury against the cause as well as against the advocate or it may be offended in that the Apostle had not given him those titles of honour which he expected saluting them all by the name of Brothers commanded those who were next the Apostle to buffet him S. Paul having as yet advanced no proposition of the Gospel in revenge of which to have received this injury would have been delightfull and judging that in this occasion he ought to defend the honor of his Masters ministery told Ananias in a prophetick spirit and in the tone of a Master God will strike thee whited wall Thou sittest here to judge me according to the Law and contrary to the Law thou makest me to be abused before I have said any thing to deserve this usage Whereupon one of the assistants sayed What doest thou mean to threaten and injure the high Priest of God in this manner The Apostle whom passion had not transported and who perhaps had heard the voice of Annanias and not observed his person in regard of the disorder in the Assembly whence perhaps he sat not in the accustomed place which was used in meetings or for some other reason which imports not much to know replied quietly Brethren if I had
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
The necessity of providing for the salvation of the Gentils who were endangered by that action of Saint Peter to be aversed from the Gospel and the troubles again to be revived which the Councel had happily quieted obliged him who was their Apostle to tax in publique a publique conduct which he judged not to be conformable to to the verity of the Gospel But we must also admire the generous and profound humility of him upon whom our Lord had founded the building of his Church that he endured so mildely and with such patience a publique correction without either alledging his Rank or his good intentions in defence of what he had done Certainly he who was reprehended in this manner appears more admirable then he who reprehended him and much harder to imitate for it is more facile to see in another that which is ill and correct it then to see what is fit to be corrected in ones selfe and quietly to endure reproach for it in the face of al the faithful who by that action might have a less good opinion of him then they had before This Dispute which made no diminution of charity amongst those who propose nothing for the end of all their actions but the glory of God was presently followed with another Dispute which also dis-united not their hearts though it did their persons St. Paul judging it fit to visit the Churches where he and Barnabas had preached acquainted him with his designe he presently approved of it knowing well that those new Plants stood in need of being cultivated by the same hands which had planted and watred them with so much labour But he was of opinion it was fit to take to their companion John sirnamed Mark. The Apostle held this choice neither reasonable nor profitable because he had left them in Pamphilia and came not with them to those Townes which they were to visit and so consequently being a stranger to all things there and unknown he could not labour there with profit Barnaby wanted not reasons for his opinion so that not agreeing they chose rather to sever themselves and divide betwixt them the imployment of their Ministery and this no doubt by the conduct of the Holy Ghost which brought great advantages to the places where they preached by their separation The Apostle by this rigour towards St. Mark intended to make him know the fault he had committed in leaving them whether it was for the apprehension of discommodities he was to suffer or for some other reason which Saint Luke sets not down or perhaps foreseeing he was to run more dangers and greater discommodities then before and fearing he might not have sufficient courage to resist so that abandoning them the second time it would encrease the shame of what he had formerly done Barnaby on the other side who loved him as his Kinsman thought this weakness of his was to be forgotten and that he ought to be received againe into their company to give him meanes thereby to repair his errour Thus each of them had most pure intentions and far from any particular or self-interests But in the event Mark profited by Saint Pauls severity and in his Epistle to the Colossians he speaks of him as one of his deare disciples The Apostles thus separated Barnaby and Mark took the way of Cyprus Tradition sayes he came into Italy and there founded the Church of Milan Ancient Ecclesiastical Authors cite an Epistle under his name which contains most holy instructions Some have attributed to him that Epistle which is directed to the Hebrews and received by the Church into the number of Apostolical and Canonical Letters But we will speak of this difficulty in another place The Apostle having chosen Silas for his companion took leave of the faithfull of Antioch who could not part with him without much sorrow being very sensible of his charitable obligations towards them He passed through Syria and Cilicia and in all places where he came confirmed and exhorted all the Christians to continue firme in their faith and in the observation of the Apostolical Decrees newly published In Listris a Disciple of our Lord named Timothy the son of Eunice a Iew by Nation and of a Father that was a Centile lived in so great fame and sanctity that the Inhabitants and those of Iconium had him in great esteem This man he took along with him and lest the Iewes who accompanied him might murmur and also to open him a way the better to announce the Gospel unto others he circumcised him In all places where he passed the efficacy of his speech not onely confirmed the faithfull but converted unbeleevers and produced dayly to the Church a notable increase The Holy Ghost was their guide and it was by his command that passing by Phrygia and Galatia they preached not there If one should ask the reason of it humane wisdome would be at a stand but true piety will acknowledge that she knowes no other then the will of God who owing to none the light of the Gospel injures not any from whom by a hidden judgement this heavenly ray is with-held or to whom it is not discovered before the time he has ordained Being in Mysia they meant to goe to Bithinia but the Spirit of Jesus would not suffer them Having therefore traverst Mysia they descended into the Town of Troad where in the night the Apostle had this Vision A man attired after the Macedonian manner appeared and spake to him in an humble and ardent way Come into Macedonia and assist us This was an evident proofe to him that it was the will of God he should preach the Gospel in that Country He would not therefore defer it but the next morning embarked himself with his company to whom Luke the Evangelist who penned the Acts of the Apostles was joyned From Troad they cam directly to the Isle of Samothrace from thence to Neapolis and afterwards to Phillipis a famous City of Macedonia and then a Colony of the Romans It was there he began to preach the Gospel carrying himselfe with great prudence because the Inhabitants were almost all Gentiles living under the Roman Lawes and under an Emperour enemy to the Jewes who were there but in a small number so that a little Oratory without the Towne was sufficient for their Assembly Upon a Sabbath-day the Apostle went thither and speaking to some women whom he there met there was one of them called Lidia whose Trade was to dye purple the heart of this woman God opened to receive the Doctrine which Saint Paul announced He baptized her and all her Family She willing in some manner to acknowledge the great grace which she had received by his Ministery said unto him If you beleeve that I am truly faithfull to our Lord grace me so much as to retire into my house The Apostle granted her that consolation and came to lodge in her house Not long after as he went with Silas to the place of
publique prayer a young Maid in whom the Devil spake and foretold hidden things followed them and cryed out aloud severall times These men are the servants of Almighty God and they announce unto you the way of Salvation Saint Paul was angry to have this testimony from the Father of lyes wherefore turning himselfe towards this young Maid he said to the Devil I command thee in the name of Iesus Christ to goe out of this body and at the very instant he departed from her The Masters of this Divining Maid seeing themselves deprived of the great gaine which they made by her means laid hands on S. Paul and Silas and carried them before the Magistrates accusing them to be Iewes and that they sought to raise sedition in the City and to teach a Doctrine which was not lawfull for the Romans to embrace The people without any other information fall upon them and the Magistrates seconding their fury caused them to be cruelly whipt and after that punishment sent them to prison with express order there to be strictly guarded which the Goaler being rigorous enough of himselfe did easily obey He put them into a deep dungeon and tyed their feet in such sort that they could not stir But their minds were free though their bodies were not And thinking not of what they had suffered nor of what they might feare when every one slept they sung hymnes to God who presently manifested how pleasing they were unto him for the prison was shaken with a great Earthquake the gates opened of themselves and the chains of all the prisoners fell off The Goaler waking at this fearful noise and seeing all the doors open thought those he had in custody were all fled which so much troubled him knowing his life must pay for their escape that drawing out his sword he would have killed himself but Saint Paul cryed out with a loud voice Hurt not yonr selfe we are all here and not one of us thinks of escaping Those words brought the Goaler to himselfe and made him change the desperate desigâ—e he had taken And at the same time the grace of God assured him that the Earthquake which then happeâ—ed and the flying open of the prison-dores proceeded not from any natural cause and that those who from the dungeon could know what he was about to doe must needs be extraordinary men He lighted a candle and going into the dungeon where the Apostle was cast himselfe at his feet then led him and Silas into another room where being pressed by the secret impulse of his conscience he demanded of them what he was to doe that he might be saved They answered Beleeve in Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved After that they explicated to him and to all his Family in what this faith consisted The Goaler embracing it was baptised with his whole Family he wash'd their wounds as they had done those of his soule He presently caused the Table to be covered and gave his instructers to eat who had need of it and devoutly rejoyced with them for the great mercy which God had pleased to shew unto him by their means At break of day certain Officers came from the Magistrates into the prison and commanded the Goaler to free the prisoners they had sent thither the day before What sayes the Apostle after you have whipped innocent Citizens of Rome and without any forme of justice and after you have put them in prison doe you think to make them goe thus privately away without reparation as if they were culpable of some crime for which they had deserved to be so shamefully treated No we cannot doe so great an injury to our innocence Therefore let those who sent us hither come themselves if they will have us out The Judges informed of this discourse perceived the error they had committed the danger to which they were exposed in treating thus persons whom the priviledge of a Citizen exempted from the punishment of whipping For by Saint Pauls discourse they beleeved Silas had also the same priviledge although it was onely the Apostle that could claime it but they would not make this distinction to terrifie the more those who had so unjustly treated both of them for one same cause This answer caused them to come and entreat the prisoners with fair words to goe out of prison and out of the Town and to impute that which had happened to the sedition of the people for which they were very sorry The Apostles went away and returned to the house of Lidia where after they had stayed some time and recounted to the faithfull what had passed and by their discourse fortified their courage they left this ungrateful City and taking circuit through Amphipolis and Apollonia from thence went to Thessalonica St. Paul went into the Synagogue of the Jewes three Sabbath dayes successively according to the custome which he observed first of all to speak to those of his Nation He shewed them by the authority of Holy Scriptures and by a cleare Explication of the Prophets that Christ who was promised them had already suffered and was risen againe from the dead He announced unto them this Jesus Christ and that he was the true Messias whereupon some who were by Nation Jewes received the faith He converted a far greater number of Gentiles by birth who made profession of Iudaisme or who without observing the Law beleeved in one sole God and feared him for the Greek Text of the Acts may be explicated in this double sense and amongst them were divers women of condition who also embraced the Gospel The Iewes that remained obstinate unable to endure the success of the Apostles preaching gained some wicked men of the people by whose meanes they raised a sedition in the Town They came in great numbers to the house of Iason where Paul and Silas lodged and not finding them there discharged their rage upon their Host and dragged him out of doores together with some other faithfull before the Magistrates The pretence was that they had harboured seditious men who troubled the publique quiet and offended the Imperial Majesty of Caesar giving out that a certaine Jesus Christ was King The principal Citizens of Thessalonica and such of the people as understood this discourse were presently moved with choler but Iason so well satisfied them whether by assuring that those who were accused and brought before them had no more designe then himselfe to trouble the publique peace or whether it was by giving caution for their innocency and undertaking for their appearance the Text of the Acts not mentioning what satisfaction he gave that they dismissed him with the rest of his company Saint Paul makes mention of this Iason in his Epistle to the Romans and some Authors will have that he was afterwards Bishop of Tharsius When night was come the faithfull whom this danger had alarm'd conveyed Paul and Silas out of Thessalonica Those who performed this Office in perswading them to