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
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
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
Angel descended from Heaven into the prison where he was and found him betwixt two Souldiers of his guard oppressed with sleep The Dungeon was instantly filled with a great light and awaking him by a touch on the side at his command to follow him the chains fell from his hands He obeyed and passing the first and second watch came to the iron gate that led to the street which of it self also opened After he had gone some few steps this Messenger of Heaven vanished and the prisoner who till then thought he was in a dream found indeed that he was delivered out of the hands of Herod and from the fury of the Jewes He came and knockt at the door of Mary the Mother of John sirnamed Mark where many faithfull were gathered together praying for his delivery A young Maid named Rhodes knew him by his voice and presently went up to tell the Assembly some told her she was mad but she affirming that it was certainly he they replyed t is his Angel meaning him whom we call our Angel Guardian and who is given to every one of us When the door was opened and that they saw him they could yet scarce beleive their own eyes He recounted to them what had happened in the prison And giving order to make known this good newes to James the Brother of our Lord who was Bishop of Hierusalem and to the rest of the Faithfull he departed towards the Coast of Palestine there to preach the Gospel From thence he went to Rome where he began to make war against Idolatry and to establish the Seat of his Successors which might be through all Ages of the Church the Center of Ecclesiastical Unity Herod advertised of his delivery grew inraged astainst the Souldiers to whose custody he was committed He caused diligent search to be made after him but in vain and the Divine Vengeance not long after failed not to punish Herod himself For he being at Cesarea the Inhabitants of Tyre and Sydon with whom he was angry the cause is not mentioned in the History of the Acts sent Deputies to him to make their peace He gave them publick audience and to render this action more solemn would appear adorn'd in all the Royal ornaments of Majesty At his Entry the flattering people clapt their hands and when he spake they cryed T is a God that speakes and not a man This unfortunate Prince took pleasure in this Sacrilegious Adulation and with joy received the honour which is onely due to the King of Kings But at the same time the Angel of our Lord strook him with a horrible disease that from his Throne he was carried to his Bed where the worms eating his flesh made it appear that it was the flesh of a mortall man and that God is more elevated above Sovereigns then Sovereigns are above their subjects that by the least of creatures he knowes how to abate the pride of the most formidable Tyrants and that piety and justice are the most solid Bases of an Empire The persecution of this wicked man gave occasion to the Apostles to leave Judaea and divide themselves into all parts of the world for till then they had resided in Jerusalem Before they separated themselves they composed a Summary of Christian Doctrine which is called the Apostles Creed whether it were that every one made an Article or because it was the mark or as it were the watch-word whereby Christians might know one another as being souldiers of one Band. Saint Matthew wrote also before this separation the Gospel which bears his name and of which St. Hierome sayes he saw the Original in Hebrew in the Library of Pamphilius the Martyr Saint Bartholomew going into the Indies transcribed it with his own hand and it was found in the time of Zeno the Emperor with the body of Saint Barnaby In the mean time the Apostle returned to Antioch with Barnaby and another companion called John sirnamed Mark. Their return caused great joy to that Church but she enjoyed not long their presence for the Prophets and Doctors of which that Church was composed amongst whom was Simon sirnamed the Black Lucius the Cyrenian and Manahem Foster-Brother to Herod the Greek word signifies brought up with him Whilest they fasted and were busied in the Ministery of our Lord they received command from the Holy Ghost to separate from amongst all the rest Saul and Barnabas Saint Luke places them in the rank of Doctors for the work unto which he had designed them They presently obeying imposed hands upon them after fasting and prayer There is a great diversity of opinions amongst Interpreters in Explicating what the Imposition of hands signifies in this passage of the Acts and what was the Ministery in which those here named were imployed The word of the Liturgy according to some signifies the celebrating of the Sacrifice of the Mass Saint Chrysostom Explicates it of Preaching Others of any kinde of Ecclesiastical Function By imposition of hands divers modern Interpreters understand Ordination to Episcopacy Their ground is upon this circumstance of the Liturgy because the Church of Antioch did always accompany this action with fasting and prayer But although the Church doe at this day celebrate Ordinations with these Ceremonies it is not therefore to be said they were practised from the beginning nor that every time they were practised it was for Ordination They add also that there is no other passage in the New Testament which shewes St. Paul and St. Barnabas to be consecrated either Priests or Bishops One might answer that the Apostleship containes these two Orders by that power which is called per Excellentiam for the Apostles were to found particular Churches which composed the Universal Now those could not be founded without Bishops the Church being defined to be a people joyned to their Bishop They ought therefore to have that Character which is necessary for the Ordination of Bishops Certainly it connot be shewed in the Gospel that the other Apostles sent by Jesus Christ were first made Bishops and afterwards Apostles nor is there any likelyhood that the Apostleship of Saint Paul who as St. Ambrose and St. Austin say was not called by Jesus Christ mortal but by Jesus Christ totally God that is to say living by a divine life after his Resurrection did not comprise the excellency which the others had and was less extraordinary Saint Chrysostom whose authority is of great weight in what concernes the Doctor of Nations sayes that he was ordained Apostle in the time we speak of This opinion may be grounded upon this that Saint Luke in this passage ranks him amongst the other Doctors of the Church of Antioch Whence 't is probable if he had been considered as an Apostle and an Apostle of the Gentiles by eminency or if he had exercised that Function he would not have given him a Title much inferiour to the Apostleship For Saint Paul speaking of the Orders of Ministers of the Church
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
ordinarily they are prejudicial and burthensome to Common-wealths The Iewes doubted not but Fornication was unlawful for they well understood that precept of the Decalogue Thou shalt not commit adultery which contained in it this kinde of impurity The women of their Nation were forbidden publique prostitution and Pâ—inees merited the Priesthood for having killed an Israelite that fornicated with a Moabitish woman But it was not so with the Gentiles who had made many strict and rigorous Lawes against adultery and none against fornication nor keeping of Concubines beleeving that neither nature nor the Republick was interessed or endamaged by this action which a general corruption had made common and upon which the Civil Government had made no reflexion The purity of the body no less then that of the minde is an Evangelical vertue and onely Jesus Christ was able to teach a forme of life to men that having bodies they should live as if they had none This digression I thought necessary for those who are not so well instructed with the motives which occasioned the Apostles in this first Councel to make these Decrees Those who were appointed to carry the Letter arrived happily at Antioch where having assembled the Church it was read to the wonderful joy of all the Christians Iudas and Silas who were great Preachers did much comfort the faithful by the admirable discourses which upon divers occasions they made After some few dayes Iudas returned to Hierusalem leaving Silas with Paul and Barnaby who continued in preaching the Gospel with wonderfull fruit not disdaining to have other companions in this Ministery wherein they sought nothing but the glory of Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls It was at that time the famous difference happened betwixt Saint Peter and our Apostle The first having lived indifferently amongst the Gentiles of Antioch without making any other distinction of meats then what the Councel had ordained upon a sudden changed the whole manner of his life and retired himself from them because he would not scandalize certain Iewes who were newly come from Hierusalem This good intention of his produced an ill effect for the authority of his example drew the greatest part of the faithful to follow him and Barnaby also began in his imitation to Judaise Saint Paul seeing the dangerous consequence of this proceeding which might renew the disputes that were happily appeased and trouble the consciences of the converted Gentiles moved with an ardent and dis-interessed zeale for the salvation of the Gentiles opposed him whom otherwise he extreamly honoured in the face of the whole Church but in this occasion he judged him blameable not carrying himselfe according to the truth of the Gospel Saint Peter upon this reprehension did acquiesce and in his owne defence alledged not at all the priviledge of his Primacy There is no doubt but he had his reasons for what he did and t is not to be beleeved that an Apostle so zealous for the glory of the Gospel could propose to himself any other end in this occasion then the salvation of the Iewes who made profession of Christianity and therefore he feared they might be scandalized to see him eat in their presence meats which they held polluted There is no doubt but the observation of the Legal Ceremonies was left to the discretion of the Apostles in what concerned themselves And it appears in effect for after S. Paul thus had blamed Saint Peter in that he seemed to Judaise by his manner of living he himself circumcised Timothy because he would not offend the Iewes and when he came to Hierusalem he practised the Purifications ordained by the Law to the Nazarites as we shall see in the course of this History But as that which is permitted is not alwayes fit and the same action which is done for fear of scandalizing some many times does scandalize others who have different thoughts upon it we must not wonder at the carriage of Saint Peter which was good in respect of the Iewes that came from Hierusalem yet wrought an ill effect in the Gentiles of Antioch so that the fault of Saint Peter was in the success and at the most we can but accuse him not to have well considered what evil the change in his manner of life might occasion Although we owe a great respect to the Head of the Church yet we must not violate the Holy Text to excuse him from any the least failing and accuse his Fellow-brother that he blamed him unseasonably and with too much vanity as the enemies of Christian Religion and Heretikes doe Some of the ancient Fathers beleeved that this Cephas of whom it is spoken was not the Apostle Saint Peter but one of the Disciples of our Lord. This opinion is overthrown by the ensuing Text of Saint Paul who sets down the Relation of this dispute Many Authors of great note amongst whom Saint Chrysostome have maintained that this difference of the two Apostles was a thing agreed on betwixt them for the salvation of the Iewes for seeing the Iewes say they notwithstanding the Decree of the Councel of Hierusalem were alwayes offended at the Gentiles eating of meats forbidden by the Law they agreed that Saint Peter should take occasion upon the arrival of those who came from Hierusalem to retire from the conversation and table of the converted Gentiles and thereupon Saint Paul should reprehend him for this action in the open Assembly of the faithful to the which he replying nothing but contrarywise by his silence acknowledging himself to have failed the Iewes doubtless convinced by the example of their Master would leave their superstition and use the holy liberty which the Councel allowed them or at least would not take it ill that the Geniiles should use it They ground the dissimulation upon this that there is no likelyhood in their judgements Saint Paul could reprehend in Saint Peter a Judaical practise when as he soon after was to circumcise his disciple Timothy and much less blame him in publique which had been a scandal to the faithful Saint Hierome followes this opinion but Saint Augustine holds it to be of dangerous consequence for the truth of the holy Scriptures and for the honour and sincerity of those two Apostles believing that to dissemble in a subject of so great consequence made a notable alteration He honoured Saint Peter yet would not excuse him from having failed so as to accuse Saint Paul of an untruth It seemed also to him as strange as if to purge him from the reproach of having denyed Jesus Christ one should say the Gospel lyed because it reports this weakness of him The difference of their opinions produced betwixt them a contest by Letters which lessened not their charity but was cause that the Church received excellent instructions both from the one and the other and was no less edified in her Infancy by the generous liberty of St. Pauls correction then by the humility of Saint Peter who received it
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
during the space of three years I leave you to the protection of God who by his goodness having promised a heavenly kingdom to his servants is both faithfull and powerfull to fulfill his word For my own part I do not think any one can reproach me I have not taken gold nor silver of any one I have furnished my self and those that were with me with things necessary for our subsistance by the labour of my hands I have lived after this manner to give you example how Charity ought to be dis-interessed with the which you are to provide for the necessities of the poor and also to put you in remembrance of that excellent Maxim of our Lord Jesus Christ It is a more noble thing to give then to receive The Apostle ended this his discourse and kneeling down prayed with those who were present That expression of his when he said It was the last time they should see him caused a great resentment in them they all imbraced him with signes of great love and with teares in their eies bid him farewell They stayed all upon the shore untill they lost sight of the vessell which took its course straight to the Isle of Coo famous by the birth of Hippocrates the Prince of Physitians as also of Apelles so highly celebrated amongst Painters The next day they rode before the Isle of Rhodes renowned for her Colossus of an hundred and five foot high with an hundred of a lesser sort about it From thence they came to Patara the Metropolis of Lycia where finding a vessel bound for Phoenicia they put themselves into it He passed in sight of the Isle of Cyprus which he left on the right hand and landed at Tyre where he stayed seven dayes The faithfull there received him with extraordinary respect with expressions of much tender affection The holy Ghost had revealed to them that he was to suffer much persecution at Hierusalem and therefore they used their utmost endeavours to hinder him from going thither But the same reason invited him to make that voyage He parted thence against their wills and was brought to the shore by men women and children After they had prayed on their knees together he imbarked in another vessel and advancing with full sails landed in the Port of Ptolemais where he stayed but one day The next day he came near to Cesâ—rea the new called the Tower of Straton where the old Herod had made sumptuous works to gain the favour of Augustus Caesar from whom hee gave it the name Philip one of the first seven Deacons lodged him and his stay there was a very great consolation to the faithfull of that Church His host had four daughters who being endued with the gift of Prophesie declared unto him the evils which were prepared for him But Agabus of whom we have already spoken following the custome of antient Prophets joyned the sign to his words For taking the girdle of the Apostle and tying his own feet and hands with it sayed to those that were present Hear the Oracle of the holy Ghost The man to whom this girdle belongs shall be tyed as I am by the Jews who shall deliver him up to the Gentiles This discourse much afflicted all those who heard it and caused every one with teares in their eies to conjure S. Paul not to go to Hierusalem But his great courage could not be mollified neither by the certainty of the danger nor by their intreaties nor the tears of his Disciples He sayed to them Why will you by afflicting your selves give me affliction hinder me from giving testimony to my Master how much I love him I am not onely ready to be bound and imprisoned at Hierusalem but if I be to loose my life I shall esteem my self happy to sacrifice it for the truth of the Gospell This answer stopt the mouthes of the faithful who replied no other thing then Gods will bâ— done Some daies after he departed thence with many Christians amongst whom there was a Cyprian named Mnason with whom he was to lodg at Hierusalem THE LIFE of the Apostle S. PAUL The second Book THe Apostle S. Paul arriving at Hierusalem made it his first care to visit James called the Brother of our Lord who was Bishop thereof and in his house hee found all the Priests of the Church assembled there to receive him After he had saluted them he made an exact relation of the things which God had wrought by him amongst the Gentiles for the glory of the Gospel every one giving thanks for it to our Lord who would so deliver the world by little and little from the dark clouds of Infidelity But as the salvation of the Iews also was very considerable very important for the glory of God the progress of the Gospel to unite by little and little these two people and to make them one S. James and the Priests told him You see dear Brother the great number of Jewes who make profession of believing in Christ but notwithstanding their faith they are very zealous observers of their antient Law for the honor of which they continue a most ardent zeal Now some have made them believe that you are a declared enemy of it and teach That those Jews who are spread amongst the Gentiles ought not to circumcise their children nor practise any legal observance In fine they are perswaded you endeavour to make them revolt openly against their Law This report has scandalized and animated them against you so as we fear some troublesom tumult when they shall understand you are here and shall see you in the Assembly which cannot be hindred from being summoned upon your arrival But if you will follow our advice you may appease these spirits and purge your self of the calumny cast upon you We have here amongst us four men who are to perform a vow they have made to offer their haire to God in the Temple according to the Ceremony ordained to Nazaraeans Do you joyn your self with them in this action contribute also to the charge of the necessary Sacrifices and ohserve all that is practised in this occasion that it may be known those reports which go of you are false and that you observe the Law Nor can this give to the Gentiles any subject of murmuration or fear that the same yoke shall be imposed on them for we have determined long since as you know that it suffices for them to abstain from meats offered to Idols from bloud from strangled flesh and from fornication The Apostle was too charitable not to condescend to the infirmity of his Brethren and would not refuse to be a Jew with Jewes he that made himself all things to all men that he might gaine all to Jesus Christ The next day therefore he began the Ceremony of Purification as had been counselled him the which lasted seven dayes as we have before observed But as he was in the Temple offering the Sacrifice ordained
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
this unknown voyage he spent eight yeares during which time the Church lost many of her Masters and Children or rather sent them to heaven by a glorious martyrdom The death of S. James who was called the brother of our Lord according to the testimony of Jesephus himselfe drew upon the city of Hierusalem the horrid calamities of that famous siege which ruined it intirely Hee had governed that Church twenty nine yeares with so great a reputation of sanctity that the people when hee walked in the streets thought themselves very happy if they could but touch the hemm of his garment Eusebius and before him Hegesippus sayes that he was sanctified in his mothers womb that he ever abstained from all sort of liquours which might cause drunkenness and from flesh that a rasor never toucht his head that hee was never in the bathes and that by his long continuance in prayer there was a scale like to the skin of a Camel grown over his knees The Scribes Pharisees alwaies the same could not support the credit reputation of this man who converted sinners by his example as well as words Wherefore in a great assembly of the people they endeavoured to perswade him publickly to profess Judaism which hee refusing was forthwith precipitated from the top of the Temple where at the foot a dyer with a Lever killed him out-right We have a Canonical Epistle of his in which hee labours principally to prove the necessity of good works to refute the error of Simon the Magician who said faith alone was sufficient to salvation After him Simon the son of Cleophas also called the brother of Jesus Christ because he was his cozen was chosen Bishop of Hierusalem S. Barnaby the faithfull companion of the Apostle in his peregrinations at the same time time received also the crown of martyrdom in the Isle of Cyprus On the other side Mark the disciple of S. Peter and one of the Evangelists after he had governed the Church of Alexandria with great sanctity was taken on a Sunday by the Gentiles who put a rope about his neck and so dragged him for two dayes together about the streets and in rough and uneven places where in the end he finished his life The Christians that were under his conduct led a marvelous holy life Philo the Jew composed a book expresly in their praise called The Contemplative Life wherein hee gives them the name of Essens taking them for Jewes because in that time they retained many legal Ceremonies I know there are great disputes among learned men upon this passage but since I write not for them it were to little purpose to go about to cleare tha difficulty more curious then profitable wee shall doe better to return to Rome where the Church was agitated with a horrible persecution Nero in the tenth of his Empire increasing in wickedness as he grew up in years gave fire himself to the Citie of Rome The streets were too narrow for him and he had a mind to rebuild it that it might bear his name The fire began in that part of the Cirque which joyned to the Mounts Palatine and Caelius and from thence meeting with Magazines filled with combustible matter and being carried with the winde which began to rise it spread it selfe with such violence that remedies were too late to resist its fury The air ecchoed with the lamentable cryes of Women and children who in that apprehension of fear knew not whither to go for safety and hindered those that would have helpt them for whilest some either expected or would secure others they so troubled one another that they found themselves encompassed with flames In the narrow streets where there were many turnings the throng was so great there was no passing When men were gotten so far as they thought the fire could not reach them then they were suddenly surprised by it as it seemed rather to flie then to creep along Many to save their wives perisht themselves and others would not out-live them although they might easily have been saved Fathers lost their lives staying by their children in fine never was seen so horrible a spectacle such as would have brought water or pulled down houses before the fire were hindered with Officers who at the corners of streets throwing about fiery balls cryed out that what they did was by order meaning by the command of the Emperour who as is commonly reported during this sad calamity was singing on the stage the Burning of Troy Notwithstanding he sought to suppress this opinion causing many hutts to be built in his gardens for those who had lost their houses by the fire Of fourteen quarters which composed the city there were but four left intire The houses of three of them were intirely levelled with the ground and in the other seven there remained onely the tops of buildings half burnt and ruined Thus all the riches heaped together since the foundation of the Common-wealth of so many Statues so many Pictures and other other rarities transported from all the Nations of the world of so many Temples built with such magnificence and by the Superstition of the people rendered so famous and renowned there remained onely a little heap of Ashes a sad example of the vanity of all humane things But to see that great City all in flames was not so dreadfull as afterwards to behold a great number of Christians tormented by Nero as authors of the fire without distinction either of age or quality and adding derision to his cruelty hee commanded some to be covered with the skins of wilde beasts to the end they might be worried to death by fierce dogs Others he nailed upon Crosses and caused their bodies to be rubbed over with pitch and other things apt to take fire that in the night time they served for torches to light those who passed by whilest they consumed like living holocausts for the defence of the name of J. Christ His gardens were the theatre of this abominable execution Although the Christians were odious to the Romanes who distinguished them not from the Jewes Hereticks of that time whose abominations indeed by right deserved their publick hatred yet they had compassion of these for every one saw they perished not for their own crimes but to satisfie the unsatiable cruelty of the Emperor who would justifie himself at their costs This was the first persecution in which God would try his Church amongst the Gentiles It was a while interrupted by a conspiracy discovered against this Tyrant in which Seneca being accused to have a hand was forced to make satisfaction with his life let out by his veins a greater resolution could not be desired then what he shewed in his death but me thinks 't is yet to be deplored since this constancy was only Philosophical not Christian Plautus Lateranus whose Palace was afterwards changed into a Church which yet bears the name of Lateran many other persons of quality perished for