〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Translated to Preach signifies saith Grotius to pronounce with a loud voice like a Cryer As Exod. 32 5. Mat. 3.1 and elsewhere often In the Synagogues By these the Religious Assemblies of the Jews are vulgarly signified yet Grotius thinks that here it may be understood of the Christian Congregations as James 2.2 Theophilus of Antioch speaks thus Synagogues which we call Churches Every Sabbath-Day It was the ancient manner of the Christians which amongst the Moscovites or Russians the Syrians and Melchites and Abyssines yet continues to meet together no less on the sabbath-Sabbath-Days commonly called Saturdays than on the Lords-days Vulgarly called Sundays So the Author of the Constitutions Apostolical under the Name of Clement Bishop of Rome L. 7. Ca. 23. injoyns The Sabbath Day and the Lords Day keep ye Festivals or Holy because that is dedicated to the memory of the Creation this of the Resurrection Constantine the Great as Eusebius Witnesses in his Life L. 4. Ca. 18. Ordained That all who lived in the Roman Empire should on the Days called by the Name of our Lord rest from all work and should also in like manner keep Holy the sabbath-Sabbath-days Gregory Nyssenus in his Oration against those that took Reproofs unkindly With what Eyes canst thou behold the Lords-day who hast despised the Sabbath Dost thou not know that these days are Brethren So that if thou undervaluest one thou offendest the other Asterius Bishop of Amasea in his Homily of Divorce The joyning together and Concourse of these two days is Famous amongst Christians of the Sabbath I mean and the Lords-Day which in a Circle returning time brings about every Week For as Mothers and Nurses of the Church they both Assemble the People and cause the Priests to sit down together to teach them and so both lead and impel as well the Disciples as their Teachers to the care of Souls Socrates in his History L. 10. Ch. 22. Witnesseth That all the Churches every where throughout the World do as duly as the Weeks come about Celebrate the Divine Mysteries on the Sabbath-Day except only the Church of Rome and that of Alexandria And in his 6th Book and 8. Ch. speaking of the Tumults which the Arians stirred up at Constantinople in the time of John Chrysostome saith When the Feasts of every Week came to wit the Sabbath and the Lords-day in which Assemblies use to be held in the Churches c. Sozomen Lib. 7. Ca. 19. Some meet together on the sabbath-Sabbath-day and likewise on the first day of the Week as at Constantinople and amongst most other Christians But at Rome and Alexandria they do not do so Anastasius of Nica The Sabboth and the Lords day L. Quaest q. 77. are Days Holy and Festival Neither is it lawful on them to fast Theodorus â—alsamon The sabbath-Sabbath-days are by the Holy Fathers almost in all things made equal to the Lords days Hence it came to pass That as on the Lords days there was no fasting as being Days of Rejoycing as the Gangrensian Synod teaches Can. 18. So neither on the Sabbath-days except on one only which was that before Easter In the Canons of the Apostles as they are called which tho Learned Men know they deserve not that Title yet they must be confessed to be ancient the 65th Canon runs thus If any Clerk shall be found Fasting on the Holy Lords-day or on the Sabbath except one only which next precedes the Paschal Solemnity on which Christ laid in the Sepulchre let him be deposed or degraded but if he be a Layman let him be with-drawn from or Excommunicated Ignatius in an Epistle to the Phillipians goes higher If any one shall Fast on the Lords-day or on the Sabbath-day save only on the Sabbath before Easter He is a Murtherer of Christ And to omit for Brevity the rest of the Testimonies of Antiquity Tertullian in his 4th Book against Marcion saith That the Sabbath-day from the beginning of the World had this Priviledge to be free from Fasting Therefore when Justin Martyr and Tertullian deny that the Patriarchs before Moses did Sabbatize it is to be understood not of their assembling together on that day but of a strict rest during all the day Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesians Let us not Sabbatize after the manner of the Jews enjoying Idleness For he that Works not let him not eat and in the sweat of thy Brows thou shalt eat thy Bread say the sacred Oracles But let every one of you Sabbatize spiritually applying your selves with Joy to Meditation on the Law of God rather then to indulge the Body with rest admiring the Works of God not Eating or Drinking superfluously and walking Proudly or pleasing your selves with Dances and unreasonable Frolicks And after the Sabbath is over let every Christian keep Holy the Lords-day Origen Hom. 23. on Numbers It is necessary that every Holy and Righteous Man should also observe the Feast of the Sabbath But what is that Feast unless what the Apostle saith Hebr. 4. There remaineth therefore a Sabbatisme that is a keeping of the Sabbath to the People of God Therefore leaving the Judaical Observation of the Sabbath let us see how a Christian ought to keep the same On the Sabbath-day nothing ought to be done of all Worldly Works Therefore if thou dost forbear secular Imployments and dost nothing Worldly but spendest the times in spiritual Exercises coming to the Church hearing the Divine Scriptures read and handled Imploying thy thoughts on Heavenly things careful of thy future Hope and having the approaching Judgment before thine Eyes shall have a regard not to things present and visible but to those that are future and invisible This is the true observation of a Christian Sabbath But on the Sabbaths in the Assemblies of the primitive Christians the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament were wont to be read to the People even as amongst the Jews Which Custom the Synod of Laodicea which was held about the year 364. altered establishing that on the Sabbath-days the New as well as Old Testament should be read Can. 16. 22. Then it pleased c. As if he should say All that were present at this Jerusalem Council approving the Sentence of the Apostle James as most equitable That it might forthwith be put in Execution and the strife kindled at Antioch which easily might spread it self to other Churches be happily Composed by common Consent Judas and Silas Men of principal note and Authority amongst the Brethren and of whom there was no suspicion that they were more addicted to either Party in this Controversy were chosen that they might go along with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch and carry thither the Epistle of the Synod With Paul and Barnabas Since they were as it were one Party in this Controversie touching the Observation of the Mosaical Rites and to some might be suspected as less Impartial it was not thought so fit that they should
is I Luke and Paul From Philippi A City of Macedonia of which we have spoken above Ch. 16.12 After the days of unleavened Bread That is after the Jews feast of the Passover which as yet Paul with the other Jews who were Christians seems to observe that he might Lawfully accommodate himself to the Jews and doubtless he neglected not the occasion of Preaching Christ to the Jews at that Feast Vnto them Our fellow Travellers who went before us To Troas A City of the Country of the same name In five days That is Within five days Where we abode seven days That is we passed seven days in the City called Troas 7. And upon the first day of the Week That is That day as Sozomen saith which is called the Lords day 1 Hist Eccl. Ch. 8. which the Hebrews called the first day of the Week but the Greeks dedicated it to the Sun See what I have noted upon Mat. 28. v. 1. The Table of the Canons lately published by the famous John Baptist Cotelerius Ch. 4.16 It was not before Christs Resurrection called the Lords day but the first day but after the Resurrection it was called the Lords day the Lady of all days and Festivities We have the name of the Lords day in Rev. 1.10 In Ignatius his Epistle to the Trallians and Magnesians and sometimes in Clement's Institutions also in that place of Ireneus which the writer of the answers to the Orthodox in Justin Martyr hath preserved to us The edict of Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria Both custom and honesty requires of us that we should honour the Lords day and celebrate it because Christ our Lord upon that day executed the eminent Office of his Resurrection Lib. 5. Paschal operis Cap. 20. Sedulius In the mean time after that sad Sabbath the happy day began to dawn which being most welcome to the triumphing Lord did take its name from his Majesty called for this honour the Lords day being a day that attained to the Dignity to be the first that beheld the Original of the rising World and the vertue of Christ rising again St. Epist 119. Cap. 13. Augustine The Lords day has been by Christs Resurrection declared not to the Jews but to the Christians Serm. 15. de verb. Apost and from him it began to have its Festivity And this day is called the Lords day because upon this day the Lord rose again or to teach by the very name of it that it ought to be wholly consecrated to the Lord. St. Maximus Taurinensis Hom. 3. in Pentecost The Lords day is therefore venerable and solemn to us because upon it our Saviour as the rising Sun having driven away the infernal darkness shined with the light of his Resurrection and therefore by the common Speech of the World it is called Sunday because Christ the Sun of righteousness being risen did inlighten it The Roman order and Isidor Lib. 2. de Eccl. Offic. Cap. 24. The Apostles therefore did with Religious Solemnity ratifie the Lords day because upon that day our Lord and Redeemer rose again from the dead and which also is called the Lords day that in it abstaining from earthly works or Worldly inticements we should give our selves only to divine Worship giving to wit honour and reverence to this day for the hope of our Resurrection which we have in him Gregorius Turonensis This is the day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ Lib. 1. Hist Cap. 22. which we properly call the Lords day for his holy Resurrection When the Disciples came together From this place and that which is written 1 Corinth 16.2 is gathered that the Christians did then use upon the first day of the week to keep solemn Meetings Justin Vpon the day called Sunday Apolog. 2. all that live in Cities or Country meet in one place To break Bread To wit that was consecrated to be a Symbole of the Body of Christ offered for us upon the cross Hence the Syrian rendred it That we might break the Eucharist The Arabick That we might destribute the Body of Christ The Ethiopick To bless the Table All understood it of this holy Rite by which the Lord Jesus would have the Memory of his bitter Death to be celebrated by his Disciples See what we have said above Ch. 2. Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 26. v. 42. 46. Paul Preached unto them The word of God to wit before they celebrated the Eucharist which is denominated from the breaking of Bread Ready to depart From the City Troas On the Morrow That is The day immediately following 8. And there were many lights To wit to dispel the Darkness of the night or as Jerome saith against Vigilantius for their comfort in the darkness of the Night In the upper Chamber Which as Juvenal speaks the roof only covers In this as in the least esteemed part of the house Men of mean fortunes used to live also in the time of the Apostles the Church assembled there and in it performed their Worship not in Magnificently built Temples Where they were To wit The Christians of Text. 〈◊〉 â—â—ll down from the third loft That is he fell from the third frame or third floor Servius The houses of old were made de tabulis 〈◊〉 Eneid of Boards whence at this day we say in houses that are â—uildedhigh the first and second tabulatum story but the highest that which supports the roof whence what Juvenal calls tabulata tertia Sat. 3. the third story or loft is expounded by the Scholiast upper rooms And was taken up Dead As much as to say And when some of them who saw Eutychus fall had run from that upper room of the house to take him up they found him already destitute of all strength and without Life 10. And Paul went down His holy discourse being interrupted that he might restore Eutychus to Life who was by an unexpected fall killed And sell on him As Elias 1 Kings 17.21 and Elisha 2 Kings 4.34 fell upon them whom they were about to restore to Life And imbracing him Eutychus by the middle Said To them who Lamented Eutychus being dead His Life is in him That is now his Body begins to grow warm and revive 11. When he therefore was come up again c. As much as to say When therefore Paul was again gone up to that Loft where he had Preached and had there celebrated the Rite of the Eucharist and taken Meat he with unwearied Zeal spent the rest of the night until-day light in Preaching So. That is the Night being spent After the same manner the Particle So is used as a note of what was done above Ch. 7.8 Ch. 17.33 below Ch. 28.14 Joh. 8.59 He departed From the City Troas and that on Foot the rest being to go in a Ship as is told below v. 13. 12. And they brought They to wit who came down to take up Eutychus who had
go and prepare a place Let him go that he may not be seen let him be conceal'd that he may be believ'd For then the place will be prepar'd when our life is according to Faith Let us desire him in whom we believe that being desired he may be enjoyed The desire out of love is the preparation of the Mansion He was lifted up Supply out of Luke 24.51 While he blessed them Thus Plautus uses the word Take this Stone saith he L 2. Hist Saâ— and lift it up Sulpitius Severus hath these words This is wonderful saith he that the place whereon Christ set his last foot-steps when he was taken up in a Cloud into Heaven should still continue marked out and could not be paved with the rest of the place about it For whatsoever else was apply'd the Earth disdaining Humane Workmanship refus'd while the stones flew in the faces of them that attempted it Yea it is such a lasting Monument of the Dust being trampled by Divine feet that the impression of the footsteps still remain And though the multitude of Believers every day carry away some parcels of the place where our Lord set his feet yet the Sand is not diminished and the Earth that received the mark of the footsteps still preserves the same form That men have endeavoured in vain from time to time to cover or pave the place still preserving the footsteps of our Lord (a) Lib. de loc Act. Apost Pseudo-Jerom (b) In Ep. ad Sever. Paulinus and Beda (c) De Loc. Sanct. c. 7. have deliver'd in their Writings But in regard there is no mention made of any such Miracle either by Eusebius Socrates Theodoret Sozomenus or Nicephorus we may thence conjecture the Liberty which former Ages took to frame little stories of their own meerly to impose upon the ignorant people Neither do the Mythologists agree in this Fable For Baronius following Burchardus A. D. 34.11.232 will have these footsteps imprinted in Stone Paulinus in the green Truf Sulpitius Severus in Dust or Sand Pseudo-Jerom and Beda upon the Ground in the Earth it self Which of these must we believe Certainly none of them Nor does Pseudo-Jerom affirm that he ever saw these imprinted footsteps but only says as is reported But one Eye-witness is better than ten hear-say Testimonies Hornius believes this Fable arose from the words of Eusebius misunderstood L. 3. de Vit. Const c. 41. For he speaking of Helena's arrival in Judaea Then saith he she gave decent Reverence to the places where the steps of our Saviour had trod Which was not spoken particularly of Mount Olivet but in general of all Judaea where Christ as man was born Optat. Mâ—levit l. 6. contra Parmen where he set his sacred footsteps where walked his adorable feet where so many and so great miracles were wrought by him A Cloud received him out of their sight Not that the Cloud which having received Christ took him from the sight of the Apostles was to him any assistance in his Ascension for a Cloud is no solid body that can afford any such help besides that the highest Clouds do not arise above a Mile or two above the Earth as being only nourished by the Exhalations of the Land and Water but it was for state and grandeur Thus it is said of God himself Psal 104.3 Who maketh the Clouds his Chariot And that other Psal 18.11 He maketh darkness his secret place For obscurity and gloominess gets devotion and reverence to sacred things 10. And while they looked That is with more eager Eyes and diligent marking As he went up That is into Heaven as appears by the following verse Behold two men That is to say Angels in Humane shape In white Apparel White of all colours is the most pure and spotless it admits no defilement and borrows nothing from any other mixture Therefore is it the most proper Emblem of candour of Mind Justice and Sanctity Matth. 28.3 Mark 16.5 John 20.12 Rev. 3.4 5 c. 4. v. 4.6.11.7.3 13. l. 2. de Vest Sac. Heb. c. 26. n. 34. Thus the Angels both here and in other places as also the Martyrs and all the Saints in Heaven where there is nothing of contamination to be found are said to be cloathed in white Garments And indeed saith the most Learned Brannius the Hebrews themselves confessed that White was a symbol of Cleanness and Sanctity and consequently of Justice and Integrity For whoever among the Priests was polluted by the Law was bound immediately to put off his white Garments as being unworthy to wear them and after he had put on black to depart out of the Temple To which that of St. Rev. 3.4 John seems to have relation where he says They who have not defiled their Garments shall walk in white because they are worthy And for that reason the white colour in the Garments of the High Priest signified the Innocency Rev. 19.8 Justice and Sanctity of Christ Therefore white Linnen is called the Righteousness of the Saints And though the holy Garments were mixed with Scarlet and Purple yet there was also a mixture of white and some of the Garments were white altogether So that although Christ were laden with our sins Isa 1.18 which were signified by the Scarlet colour and sprinkled for our sins with blood which was signified by the Purple yet was he most holy and just 11. Ye men of Galilee The Disciples of Christ are called Galilaeans as being Natives of Galilee though all the Christians were generally so called by the Jews and Ethnicks Matth. 2.22 as we have observ'd upon these words of St. Matthew into the parts of Galilee Julian the Apostate in an Epistle saith That the Religion of the Galilaeans encreased by their kindness to strangers Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven That is in vain do ye now expect the return of Christ with your Eyes fixed upon Heaven L. 2. Quaest Evang. 38. â— 9 Saith St. Austin The Angels by those words Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven What did they mean else but to infer That it was impossible for humane Eyes to penetrate into that secret place whither Christ went when he was carryed up to Heaven in the sight of his Disciples This same Jesus c. The Particle This same is Emphatical and denotes that the Angels pointed with their fingers towards the Lord Jesus Cease therefore to doubt Ep. 187. alias 57. ad Dardan n. 10. saith St. Austin that the man Christ Jesus is now there from whence he shall come but diligently get by heart and faithfully retain the Christian Confession that Christ rose from the dead ascended into Heaven sits at the right Hand of the Father and that he shall come from thence and from no other place to judge the quick and the dead And so shall he come according to the Testimony of that Angelic Voice as he was seen
11. Cretes Saith the abovementioned Spanheim Crete seated between the Lybic and Egean Sea to the South of the Peloponnesus and to the East of the Island Carpathus was one of the first that were illuminated with the light of the Gospel by the Preaching of St. Peter Act. 2. and the great pains of Paul and Titus In disquis Chorograph set before his Notes upon St. Johns Gospel But the most learned Lightfoot believes that by Cretes are understood here the inhabitants of that Region of Palestine which we have already observ'd to be call'd Creth by the Syrians in our Notes upon Sophonia 2.5 because the Cretes are here joyned with the Arabians who are contiguous to the land of Palestine Arabians Arabia is a Country of Asia Neighbouring upon Africa Bounded to the North by Syria and the River Euphrates to the East by the Persian Golph to the West by the Arabian Golph and to the South by the Arabian Sea or part of the Indian Ocean It is three-fold the Desert Arabia where the Israelites abode forty years the Happy or Spice-bearing and the Stony famous for the City of Krac or Harach which in Scripture is call'd Petra of the Wilderness and for Mount Sinai where God promulgated the Law by Moses which Mountain by Ethnic Writers is called Casius Wherefore Solinus calls the Arabians c. 46. a People famous for the Mountain Casius where was the Temple of Jupiter who from thence was entitled Casius There also lay Interr'd the Body of Pompey the Great whose Monument was sumptuously built by Adrian as Aelius Spartianus records in the life of Adrian mov'd thereto perhaps by that famous distich for Adrian was a learned Person Licinius Tomb is large but Cato's small Pompey has none believe me Gods at all There was also another Mount Casius in Syria which is the reason of some confusion among Writers They who desire more of Arabia may read Strabo Ptolomy and Pliny We have heard In the Greek we do hear as in the English version that is to say with our own ears Speaking in our Tongues Not that when one voice was utter'd many other as it were Eccho's dispers'd themselves but that the Disciples of Christ spake in the proper languages of them that heard The wonderful works of God Which God had prepared before the foundations of the world to be given to the faithful by Christ Those wonderful works are call'd Glorious Things Psal 87.3 12. What meaneth this That is to what intent is all this 13. Others mocking In the Greek Cavilling Learn from these Cavillers that there is no miracle so great but scurrilous and impious loquacity will find a quarrel to reproach it They are full of Must These things being done upon the day of Pentecost at what time there is no new Wine or Must properly so call'd Must seems here to be taken for any sweet Wine or Wine boyl'd out of the Must 14. But Peter standing up with the Eleven Arm'd with Boldness and trusting in the assistance of the newly receiv'd Holy Ghost Lift up his voice That he might be heard by all in such a numerous Assembly of Auditors Ye men of Judaea Peter being about to preach forth Christ to the mutinous multitude does not presently begin from the Prophecy of Joel but first removes the false report spread by some that they who spake in various languages were in the extravagancies of their Wine And presently by the pleasing Address of Ye men of Judaea courts the good will of the Auditory For it was an appellation plausible to those who professed the Jewish Religion Ye men of Judaea in regard that they excell'd all other Nations for many reasons to wit in regard of the Law given from Heaven the Honour of the Prophets and the Worship of the true God And all you that live in Jerusalem He addresses himself to these dwellers in Jerusalem particularly because they were both in greater number and of greater quality then the rest Be this known unto you As if he had said Attend with heed to what I am about to say 15. Seeing it is but the third Hour of the day Tho such be the shame of Drunkenness that it abhors the Light and that they who are drunk are drunk in the night 1 Thes 5.7 yet there are not a few who like Swine as soon as they rise do make haste from their Beds to their Cups Against whom the Prophet darts his Woe be to you Isa 5.11 Woe be to you that rise betimes in the morning to follow strong drink In vit sua And though Josephus relates that the Jews upon Festival days were never wont to dine till the sixth hour that is noon yet that Custom was not observ'd by all there being many breakers of the Commandments of God and violaters of human Customs such as liv'd in Isaiah's time Chiefly upon Festival days upon which the Jews were commanded to rejoice before the Lord. Levit. 23.40 The words of Peter are therefore to be understood as if he had said that they were more pious and devout then to be drunk by nine a clock in the morning at what time there is no man but moderately temperate who is not fasting The Chaldee Paraphrase upon Ecclesiastes 10.16 After they have offer'd the usual Sacrifice let them eat bread at the fourth hour which with us is at ten in the morning In gloss ad fol. 83. tract Talmud Baba Metsia Rabbi Salomon Jarchi at the fourth hour saith he which is the hour of eating at what time all people retire to take their meals 16. But this c. As if he had said But it happens to these persons what Joel had foretold by the Spirit of Prophecy In the same manner the Jews refer it to the times of the Messiah as R. Saadia testifies lib. Emounoth cap. 8. Then shall remain a gift of Prophecy among our people so that our Sons and our Servants shall Prophecy according to that of Joel And afterwards I will pour forth my Spirit c. 17. In the last days That is in the times of the Messiah which were the last days of Jerusalem and the Jewish Government Luke follows in the Citation of this place and some others the Hellenist Interpreters though not exactly the words being sometimes chang'd and transpos'd Which Moses does also reciting the Decalogue in Deuteronomy Moreover by this Prophecy of Joel and by others of the same nature God promis'd that he would endue those that believed in him with a larger proportion of Divine Knowledge under the New Testament then he had done under the Old But he did not signify that he would do it alone and without any other means and that there would be no farther use of the Holy Scripture But that on the contrary that extraordinary help the infusion of the Holy Spirit Dreams and Visions should chiefly all tend to that that the mind of God speaking in the Scripture might
be the sooner understood To the end that no Person who should with attentive devotion search them and implore the Assistance of the Holy Spirit should stand in much need of the instruction of another to understand those things which are necessary to be known for Salvation Vpon all flesh That is upon all Conditions and Sexes believing in Christ and ready to lead their lives according to his Precepts Wherefore Infrà c. 5.30 saith Peter The Lord has given his holy Spirit to those that obey him Shall prophesie As c. 21. the four Daughters of Philip the Evangelist and Agabus Shall see Visions That is to say caused from above as did Ananias and Peter c. 9.10.10.11 Says Macrobius upon Scipio's Dream There are five principal diversities and names of things which people seem to see in their sleep For either it is a Dream or a Vision or an Oracle or an Inspiration or a Phantasm which Cicero calls Visum as oft as he needed make use of this word See our litteral explanation upon Joel 2.28 18. And I c. See our Annot. Joel 2.29 19. And will shew wonders Such were the Signs fore-running the Extirpation of the Jews which they suffered under the Romans for rejecting Jesus the Doctor of perfect Justice and contemning the Doctrine of the Apostles inspir'd with his Spirit and inviting them to Repentance Such were Comets hovering over Jerusalem like flaming Swords Chariots and Armys rushing together in the Air with like events upon the Earth as Slaughters burning of Towns and Cities and other calamities that befell the Jews in Galilee and Judea which use first to portend and then to bring a peoples utter destruction See what we have already said upon Joel 2.30 20. The Sun shall be turned c. See our litteral explication upon Joel 2.31 The great day of the Lord. That is the great and terrible Judgment of God upon the Refractory Jews In the first sense saith Brenius Joel spake this of the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar but mystically of the destruction by the Romans which is called by way of super-eminency the day of the Lord. Thus also saith Beza These things I refer to the Nation of the Jews whose utter destruction being shortly to fall upon the obstinate contemners of the Gospel is foretold as Christ also positively declares Mat. 24. however joyning them with that last day when the same calamity which formerly befel Jerusalem shall be the ruin of the whole world guilty of the same great and outragious obstinacy Moreover the destruction of the Jews by the Romans is called the great and terrible day of the Lord as Lightfoot observes in his Annotations upon Mark 9.1 It is describ'd as the end of the World Acts 2.20 2 Thes 2.2.3 Jer. 4.24 c. Mat. 24.29 c. Isa 2.2 Acts 2.17 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Pet. 3.3 Isa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.13 Jo. 22.21 Heb. 10.37 Rev. 1.7 Matt. 19.28 Luk. 22.30 By Periphrase it is call'd the last days or latter times that is the last times of the continuance of this City and Government From that time begins the New World It is also describ'd as the coming of Christ His coming in the Clouds in glory with the Angels and then again as the Inthroning of Christ and his twelve Apostles judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Thus far Lightfoot And notable In the Greek is Epiphanes by which word the Septuagint use to render the Hebrew word Hanora that signifies Terrible Nor is it to be question'd saith Ludovicus De Dieu but that from thence that cruel Tyrant Antiochus was call'd Epiphanes Terrible rather than Illustrious This Antiochus is call'd by Polybius Epimanes that is to say Furious or Raging Mad. 21. And it shall come to pass that all c. As if he had said that whosoever shall in word and deed religiously worship Christ sent by God shall be delivered from the grievous calamity prepar'd for the Jews Rom. 10.12 13. Gen. 12.8.13.4.26.25 1 Chr. 13.6 Psalm 79.6 Isa 41.25 Jer. 10.25 Acts 9.14 21. 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Tim. 2.22 Thus Paul adapts this Prophesy to Christ our Saviour But as the Invocation of God is not only taken for prayer directed to him but frequently for any act of Divine Worship so is also the Invocation of Christ or of his name taken in the same sense Now that the Christians were freed from the common calamitys of the Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem 3. Hist 5. we find in Eusebius But whereas the whole Commonalty and Body of Believers at the Church of Jerusalem by Oracular foresight inspir'd into some devout and holy persons were admonished to depart the City before the War and seat themselves in a Town beyond Jordan call'd by the name of Pella And now all those that believed in Christ having translated themselves from the forsaken Jerusalem to Pella and then it was that the Royal City and Capital Seat of the Nation being deserted by the holy people was overwhelm'd by Divine Vengeance for so many crimes committed both against Christ and his Apostles so that the whole race of those wicked people perished See my Annotations upon Joel 2.32 Jesus of Nazareth In the Greek Jesus the Nazarean who being conceiv'd educated and leading the most part of his life in Nazareth of Galilee according to the predictions of the Prophets might well be call'd Nazarean See our Literal Explanation Mat. 2.23 Approved of God As if he had said The person whom God by most powerful and not to be contradicted proofs had demonstrated to be by him to you sent seeing that he wrought so many and such great Miracles in your sight which no man could have effected but by a Divine Power The same also Nicodemus acknowledg'd Master John 3.2 said that great Senator of the Sanedrim We know that thou com'st from God for no man can work those Miracles which thou dost unless God were with him Among you An Hebraisin for to you that is to say to be by him sent to you By Miracles Wonders and Signs A Synonymy which Figure we make use of when we think one word not sufficient to explain the dignity and value of the thing But why Miracles are callâ—d both Miracles Wonders and Signs we have already declar'd upon Mat. 24.24 In the midst of you That is Jo. 12.37 before your Eyes But when he had wrought so many Signs before them they believed not in him 23. This c. This Jesus by the Decree of the Father to whom he in all things voluntarily obey'd being surrender'd into your power with an incredible importunity you forc'd the Romans to nail him to the Cross By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God delivered In the Greek yielded up They are said to be yielded up saith Grotius who are deliver'd up to their Enemies Therefore Christ by the determinate decree of God was given up into the power and disposal of his Enemies whose hostile and inhumane rage God did not
sins That is to seal the Remission of your sins either received or to be received by the full assurance of the Conscience Therefore the most learned Ames Bellarmin Enervat Tom. 3. c. 3. The remission of sins consists in the sentence of the offended God nor can be attributed to any outward Ceremony unless it be as to a sign or a seal whereby that sentence of God is manifested to us 4. D. 1. Art 1. Q. 4. Says Bonaventure As the Royal Letters sealed with the Kings Seal are of high Dignity power and value and are said to do great things yet there is not in them any absolute force but only an Ordainment through the efficacy of the Royal Power the same thing is to be understood of the Sacraments And thus speak the texts of the holy Fathers according to common acceptation And ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit That is ye shall be indued with the Prophetick Spirit a specimen of which ye saw in the diversity of Languages For saith Calvin this place ought not to be understood of the Grace of Sanctification which is generally conferred upon all the Godly According to the usual Hebrew phrase the Prophetick Spirit is called the Holy Spirit which by their own confession failed among the Jews after the second year of Darius the Son of Hystaspes but was in a more ample measure restor'd by Jesus Christ according to the Prophesy of Joel 39. To you c. As if he had said For you who believe the Gospel preached by me together with your posterity that shall believe and all that shall obey the call of God are comprehended in their number to whom belongs the above mentioned Promise by the mouth of Joel Who are far off That is aliens from the common-wealth of Israel Peter most skilful in the Scriptures and now enlightned by the Holy Ghost knew very well that the call of the Gentiles was to be Mat. 28.19 Acts 1.8 yea he had learnt it also from Christ But at what time and under what conditions he was ignorant Therefore below c. 11. when the Gentiles were not yet called he shunn'd their Converse as polluted but having known the will of God that they were to be called without the observation of the Mosaical Law he presently made it his business to go amongst them Even as many as the Lord our God shall call That is whoever shall obey the voice of God calling to them For saith Grotius in words that signifie a Benefit the acceptation of the benefit is frequently understood Thus the appellation of called is taken 1 Cor. 1.24 Jude 1. Thus the word to be revealed is taken Is 33.1 Thus God is said to give Repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 To give Bread from Heaven John 6.32 To give a Heart Deut. 29.4 and elsewhere many others of the same kind See our Annot upon Joel 2.32 upon the words Whom the Lord shall call 40. And with many other words c. As much as to say And he was urgent and press'd them with Exhortations follow'd them close perswaded and earnestly entreated them to separate themselves from the rest of the Jews that were unwilling to believe in Christ and contumaciously refusing the Divine Grace that was offered them to prevent their being involved with them in the same destruction 41. They then who gladly received his words were baptiz'd Walafridus Strabo who in the ninth Century was Abbot of Augia the Rich c. 26. in the Diocess of Constans in his work of the beginning and increase of Ecclesiastical things You must observe saith he that in the prinitive times the ordinance of Baptism was only administred to those who through perfection of body and mind had attain'd to this that they knew and understood what profit they received by Baptism what was to be professed what to be believed and lastly what was reserv'd for those that were born again in Christ. Amba Macaire Bishop of Memphis who was Secretary to Cosmus the third of that name Patriarch of the Cophti or Christians of Egypt and lived in the eight Century says as Father Vansleb reports in his History of the Church of Alexandria c. 23. that in the primitive times Baptism was not administred in the Church of Alexandria but once a year and that was upon Good Friday and only to those of thirty years of age Curcellaeus our Country-man Baptism of Infants saith he Institut Relig. Christian l. 1. c. 12. in the two first Centuries after Christ was altogether unknown but in the third and fourth was allowed by some few in the fifth and following Ages it was generally received into â—ustom See our Annot. upon c. 8.37 But from thence that the Jews who were circumcised in their Infancy before Circumcision was abrogated were here baptized by the order of Peter it appears that by Baptism and Circumcision two Covenants altogether differing were to be sealed of which the one was with those who by the Law of nature were born of the Seed of Abraham the other with those who by the gift of Faith like Abraham were spiritually reborn as that great Divine eminent for all manner of Learning Nehemiah Cox by most weighty and solid Arguments has demonstrated in his excellent Discourse of the Covenants that God made with men before the Law Were added That is to the body of the Church which then consisted of a hundred and twenty Disciples Souls That is Persons which in other places we wont to call Heads by Synecdoche of the Member About three thousand There is no wonder to be made that three thousand persons should be plung'd in one day by Peter a Fisherman and used to the Water in regard that in the beginning of the fourth Century Gregory the first Bishop of the Armenians baptiz'd in one day by Immersion no less than twelve thousand as we read in his Authentick Life and which also Isaac Patriarch of the same Nation confirms in his first Invective Serm. in Die Sancti Andreae apud No varin St. Eucherius The Lord saith he calls Fishers to the Apostleship because such were of necessary use who being accustomed to the Water were skilled both in Fishing and Diving Therefore he did not ordain them to change their Art but only made them Fishers of a far nobler degree That person famous for his most exquisite learning both Divine and Humane James Benignus Bossuet formerly Bishop of Condom Tutor to the most Serene Dolphin and now prime Almoner to his most Serene Consort and Bishop of Meaux speaking of the three thousand baptiz'd by Peter The great number of Converts In tr ctat de Commun â—ub binis speciebus saith he is no Argument that he baptiz'd them by Aspersion as some conjecture for besides that there is no obligation upon us to believe that he baptiz'd them all in one day certain it is that St John the Baptist who baptiz'd no less baptiz'd by Immersion and his example
1 Sam. 24. c. And of David who would not kill Saul when he might Also the Examples which Gamaliel produceth are true Now whereas Gamaliel feared that they should fight against God that came afterward to pass which if they had followed his advice had never been And a little after Whereas Calvin saith that this advice of Gamaliels is such as would overthrow all Political Order and enervate Church-Discipline he saith not true for the Discipline of the Apostles was not quite without Nerves though it had no such Nerves as Calvin speaks Also Political Order is in force in sins that are certain and without Controversy In the Law of Moses the LXX Elders judged in smaller and more easy Causes and brought the more hard and difficult to Moses and he consulted with God concerning them So may it also be done now Adultery Manslaughter false Witness and other certain and known Crimes may without hazard be judged But for Hereticks the matter is controverted for if it were not controverted it would not be debated any more then Murder and therefore are to be referred to the Oracle Therefore as Moses waited the time of the Oracle and yet did not in the mean while overthrow the Political Order so we are to wait the time of Gods Judgment which will be a certain Oracle in this Controversy Yet God in the mean time will make use of the service of his Ministers in things not controverted These are Castellio's words with which agree these choice words of the Sermon Preached before the House of Lords on Nov. 5. 1680. Of Societies of Men Christians of all others are most averse from ways of violence and blood especially from using any such ways upon the account of Religion And among Christian Churches where they differ among themselves if either of them use these ways upon the account of Religion they give a strong presumption against themselves that they are not truly Christians Thus far the Right Reverend Bishop of St. Asaph William Lloyd a Man of excellent Parts great Erudition singular Piety and Benignity to whom I do and shall all my life time acknowledge my self to be extreamly bound Orat. 32. We do not says Gregory Nazianzen brand our Enemies with Reproaches as many do covering the weakness of their Reasons and Arguments with foul Language as is said of the cuttle Fish that it vomits its ink in the Water to escape the Fisher but we make it appear by this infallible proof that we fight for Christ because we fight with Meekness and Humility as Christ did Salvianus a Presbyter of Marseille lib. 5. de Provid speaking of the Arrians whose Heresy every Orthodox Man abhors They are Hereticks says he but they do not know it They are Hereticks with us but with themselves they are not such for they so far judge themselves Catholicks that they defame our selves with the brand of Heretical overthwartedness What therefore they are to us we are the same to them The Truth is with us but they presume it to be with themselves Gods Honour is with us but they think that what they believe is for his Honour They are Vngodly but this they think to be true Godliness They err but they err with a good intention thinking that they both Honour and Love God Though they have not an Orthodox Faith yet they think it to be a perfect love of God and how they shall be punished for this heterodox Errour in the day of Judgment none can know except the Judge In the mean time God as I think therefore lengthens his patience to them because he sees that although they believe not aright yet they do err only out of love to a Judgment which they suppose to be religious 40. And to him they agreed To wit That they should not kill the Apostles but not that they should send them away untouched which yet was fit and agreeable to what Gamaliel spoke And when they had called c. As much as to say When they had called in the Apostles whom before they commanded to go aside or be carried out of the Council and lest the Council should seem to Assemble against them as Innocents and guilty of no Crime they punished them with that Judicial punishment of forty stripes enjoyned Deuter. 25. v. 2 3. which was inflicted upon the disobedient and was commonly called by the Hebrews a striking The Jews by the Romans permission had power to correct their own in Judea and some Neighbouring places even with stroaks They commanded c. As much as to say They strictly forbad them that they should not henceforth Preach the Gospel of Christ and that they should speak nothing to any man that tended to the praise of Jesus of Nazareth 41. And they To wit The Apostles were dismissed by the Sanhedrin after being basely beaten as Christ foretold Mat. 10.17 21 35 23.34 Mark 12.5.13.9 Luke 12.11 Mat. 5.11 12. Luke 6.22 23. also remembring his Command Departed from the presence of the Council rejoycing By these words is meant That the Apostles did with so much constancy of mind endure these Persecutions that they not only did not complain but also greatly rejoyced The most Pious and eminent for Learning Dr. J. Sharp Dean of Norwich who formerly by his own Beneficence and the Liberality of the Right Honourable Lord Heneage Finch late High-Chancellor of England did frequently and largely supply my wants in that famous Sermon made before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London upon Michaelmas day An. Dom. 1680. saith most truly and elegantly of the just Man Let what will happen to him he is full of Peace and Joy for he hath met with no disappointment of his designs His great aim was to please God and his Conscience from Gods Word assures him that he hath done it and he hath nothing to do further but to wait for the happy time when the secrets of all hearts will be revealed and every Mans Conscience and Actions will be made manifest and then he doubts not to receive approbation and praise and a great reward in that day of the Lord Jesus and so much the rather because this light affliction wherewith he is now exercised 1 Cor. 2.17 he is assured will work for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory That they were c. As much as to say That they had this singular proof of the Grace of God to be afflicted for Christs sake Phil. 1.19 and the propagating of his Kingdom Here saith Calvin the Cause should be respected which associates us to the Son of God who not only with his Glory swallowed up the dishonour of the World but turned its Reproaches Mockeries and Abuses to a great Honour 42. And daily c. As much as to say But the Apostles relying upon the protection of Christ no wise frighted with the Adversaries Threats or Punishments did contrary to the unjust prohibition of the
Damascus that he might there be taught of him what he himself would have him do to whom he should commit that charge from Heaven And the men which journied with him That is They who were Pauls Companions in his Journey to Damascus Stood speechless That is Being astonished at the strangeness of this admirable thing they stood unmoved or that I may use Virgils phrase they stuck immoveable to the ground To stand here denotes not a posture of the body but a meer staying and is opposed to going forward not to lying prostrate seeing below ch 26.14 that Pauls Companions fell upon the Earth So Gen. 19.17 Neither stay thou in all the plain that is do not tarry nor delay Lev. 13.37 If the scall be at a stay that is spread no farther Hearing a voice To wit Sent from Heaven which beat upon their Ears although as it is said below ch 22.9 they understood not the meaning and signification of the words either because they were not skilful in the Hebrew Dialect wherein Christ spake to Saul as may be seen below ch 26.14 or because they indeed heard the sound of the voice but in the mean time did not exactly take up the words of that sound They heard saith famous Lightfoot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a voice but they heard not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word The like happened Jo 12.29 Therefore to hear below chap. 22.9 is put for to understand as Gen. 11.7.42.23 Deut. 28.49 2 Kings 18.26 Isaiah 36.11 Jer. 5.15 1 Cor. 14.2 21. But seeing no man Although they lifted up their Eyes to Heaven whence the voice came that they might see who spake to Saul This saith Beza is the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place For otherwise it were no wonder that they saw none who being struck with fear durst not lift up their Eyes Saul only saw him who spake to him as Dan. 10.7 8. And Saul arose from the earth The Greek hath it he was raised up as Daniel was Dan. 8.18 And when his Eyes were opened he saw no man That is His Eye-lids which were shut being separated he saw nothing at all because his Eyes were dazled with the great brightness of that Heavenly light which shone round about him v. 3. as appears from the verse immediately following v. 12 17 18. and below ch 22.11 But they led him by the hand As blind men are usually led So Saul who intended to lead the Disciples of Christ bound from Damascus to Jerusalem he himself is led as it were bound to Damascus 9. And he was three days without sight It is probable that in these three days wherein he was deprived of his bodily sight the Lord Jesus did make known to him the Doctrine of the Gospel by internal visions that he might truly say that he did not receive nor learn the Gospel from any mortal man but Jesus Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father revealing it to him Gal. 1.12 And neither did eat nor drink Esth 4.16 As the Jews of old for three days This he did partly to give an outward testimony of his inward repentance for his former doings partly to be excited to pray with fervency Adv. Psych For Tertullian saith well We are much more powerful in spirit and lively in heart for spiritual things while fasting then when that dwelling house of the inner man is stuffed with Food and overwhelmed with Wine The Jews were forbidden to drink upon that day wherein they fasted so that it was accounted a breach of their Fast if they should swallow a drop of Wine or Water They allowed one to wash his mouth and wipe it provided he did spit it out again As may be seen in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Treatise of a Fast They except from this concession that fast which they keep upon the day of pardon which they call Jom Kippur and upon the ninth day of the fifth month which they call Ab upon these days they think it not lawful to wash the mouth 10. And there was a certain Disciple Oecumenius calls this Ananias a Deacon and thinks him to have been one of the LXX Disciples who adhered to Jesus Christ while he was conversant upon Earth next to the Apostles Augustine will have him a Presbyter Dorotheus writes that afterward he was made Bishop of Damascus In a vision Divinely excited See what we have said above chap. 2.17 Behold I am here Lord. An Hebraism That is I am ready to receive and do thy commands 11. Go into the street which is called Straight That is Into that street of Damascus which is called Straight the Greeks call it Euthia perhaps because it was plainer and straighter than any other street of that City Of Tarsus That is Born in Tarsus that most famous City of Cilicia See below chap. 21.39 ch 22.3 For behold he prayeth Luke shews that Saul during his three days fast was continually taken up in praying 12. And he hath seen a vision To wit Saul with the Eyes of his mind They are the words of Luke telling that Saul saw Ananias laying his hands upon him at that very time wherein the Lord spake to Ananias concerning Saul It is a vision saith Macrobius when one seeth that which falls out in the same manner that it appeared to him Suetonius in the life of Augustus M. Cicero having pursued C. Caesar into the Capitol by chance told his former nights dream to his intimates that a Child of a comely countenance being let down from Heaven in a golden Chain stood at the door of the Capitol and that Jupiter gave him a scourge afterward having on a sudden seen Augustus whom as yet being unknown to the most part of them his Vncle Caesar had called to the Sacrifice he affirmed it to be him whose Image appeared to him in his sleep In the same place a little before of Q. Catulus And the next day having met Augustus being otherwise unknown to him beheld him not without admiration and said he was most like the Boy of which he dream'd Thus Ovidius says As I dreamed to see men by order such do I perceive and see by order Lib. 11. Asin Aurei Apuleius saith I presently perceived one of the Holy Priests beside the mark of his foot also in the rest of his habit and carriage agreeing exactly with a night Image whom afterward I knew to have been called Asinus Marcellus Which places though taken out of the writings of Heathens do most fitly illustrate this Narration For although Luke mentions only his name and the laying on of his hands yet it is probable that Saul did see Ananias as if he did view him with his Eyes To wit his countenance stature and all the rest of his complexion and therefore when he recovered afterwards his sight he knew them to agree perfectly with his vision See what we have said above ch 2. v. 17. And
being putrified up to the Groin and swarming with Worms Eusebius 8 Hist 16. says that out of the Emperour Galerius Maximianus's bowels came out infinite quantities of Worms which caused a deadly smell Dioclesian saith Cedrenus before he died had his Tongue putrified and great heaps of Worms came out of his Jaws His body saith Eutychius Alexandrinus of the same Emperour was so full of Worms that it dropt them on the ground and his Tongue with his Jaws were consumed and so he died Concerning Julian Unkle of Julian the Apostate whose privy Members rotted off Sozomenus lib. 5. c. 8. And there the putrified flesh was turned into Worms and the malignity of his Distemper was above the Physicians Art Nestorius also if we may believe Evagrius lib. 1. c. 1. having his Tongue eaten out with Worms passed out of the miseries of this life to suffer more grievous punishments inflicted on him by God's just Judgments and those to last to all Eternity Like to this is that which Baronius out of Surius ad Annum 698. relates of Dodon who had slain Lambert the Bishop of Tongres All Dodons bowels of a sudden putrified and he voided them out at his mouth stinking strangely At length his body being corrupted by a Consumption and the Worms stunk so intolerably that it was thrown into the Meuse He gave up the Ghost In the fifty fourth year of his Age the seventh of his Reign and the fourth year of Claudius Caesar the fifth day after those vehement Gripes which the Lord by his Angel inflicted on him because he had not left Gods honour untouched as Peter before ch 10.26 And Paul and Barnabas hereafter ch 14.14 15. The Children which Herod Agrippa left were one Son named Agrippa about seventeen years of Age who at that time was educated at Rome by Claudius But he had three Daughters Of which Berenice was seventeen years old and Married to her Unkle Herod King of Chalcis in Syria The other two were then Virgins Mariamne Aged ten years and betrothed by her Father to Julius Archelaus the Son of Chelcias and Drusilla six years old and betrothed to Epiphanes the Son of Antiochus the King of Comagena Joseph 19 Antiq. 7. 24. But the Word of God grew and multiplyed That is This Enemy of the Servants of Christ being dead in this manner the Preachers of the Gospel gathered new strength and every day more and more were converted to the faith 25. When they had fulfilled their Ministry That is When by a supply of Money sent them by the Antiochians as before ch 11.29 30. they had relieved the necessities of the Brethren dwelling at Jerusalem And taken John with them whose sirname was Mark. The Son of that Matron which is described by him before v. 12. CHAP. XIII PRophets Who being by Inspiration made privy to hidden things did also foretel things to come to know which the Church was concerned And Teachers Who did find out and interpret the meaning of the Word of God which was not obvious to every one With Herod the Tetrarch Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee is simply called Herod the Tetrarch Mat. 14.1 Luke 9.7 2. And they ministred That is Publickly discharged their Office This Office seems to have been that of Prophesying and Teaching for in the verse immediately preceeding they are called Prophets and Teachers So cardinal Cajetan understood it therefore Chrysostom Theophylact and Oecumenius render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preaching But the Syrian and Arabian interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praying For they restrained here the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to publick Prayers only because of the Fast mentioned next to it to which in the next following verse Prayer is joined In the same sense Erasmus renders Sacrificing for Prayers and the Praises of God are esteemed as Sacrifices Heb. 13.15 There is none saith Beza that is indifferently versed in the Greek Tongue who knows not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is mainly said of publick Offices Hence Paul himself Rom. 13. calls Magistrates sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And fasted Fasting is acceptable to God when it is for a good end to wit to tame the body that the mind may be the fitter for works of Piety See our Literal Explanation Mat. 6.16 The Holy Ghost said To wit To the Prophets of the Church of Antioch and by them to the whole Church Separate me c. The Holy Ghost bids to sepâ—rate Barnabas and Saul not to the Lord but to himself whereby is meant that the Lord and the Holy Ghost hath the same vertue and power which if he were less then the Lord he would have said Separate Saul and Barnabas to the Lord or to God He commands them to be separated to him for that to which he himself called them He therefore constituted them Ministers to himself he calls them his own Servants But as we cannot be Mens Servants in such things as concern Religion and Conscience so neither can we be the Servants of Angels for the same reason which Paul adduces 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a Price be ye not the Servants of Men militates against both these Services The Servant of Men there is opposed to the Servant of Christ who subjects his whole self Soul and Body to him For he Redeemed us and addicted us to his service by the Price of his own Blood He who thus is the Servant of Christ cannot in the same sense be the Servant of Men he is therefore bound by Christ for his Servant So for the same reason he cannot be the Servant of Angels who are our Fellow Servants Therefore the Holy Ghost who so bound Paul and Barnabas to his own Service is not an Angel nor a company of Angels but Lord of all who hath the same worship and glory with the Father and the Son as the Fathers of the second Occumenick Council at Constantinople say in the Symbol of that Council For the work c. That work which they ought to do for the Holy Ghost is described in this Chapter and the next unto the 26th verse where they are said to have fulfilled that work They were sent by the Holy Ghost to Preach the Gospel and bring many to the obedience of the Faith This work is peculiarly the work of the Holy Ghost who is the Author and useth to be called the worker of Faith which yet is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 therefore the Holy Spirit is God which worketh and produceth that Faith in the Saints and so the whole work of Regeneration by the super-abundant Riches of his Grace I have called That is Appointed 3. And then c. As much as to say Having prayed and fasted they blessed Saul and Barnabas separated by the Holy Ghost in the name of God and Christ by the solemn Rite of imposition of hands and then bad them farewel The laying on
that the Apostles did not long after continue their Residence there but divided the Parts of the World between them by Lot in which each of them should repair to preach the Gospel Concerning which may be consulted Origen on Genesis and Eucherius of L on s who write that the East fell to Thomas and Bartholomew The South to Simon and Matthew The North to Philip and Thaddeus The Midland Regions to Matthias and James surnamed the Just The Provinces of the Mediterranean Sea to John and Andrew The West to Peter and James the Son of Zebedee but all the World alike to Paul whence in some Calendars of the Roman Church the separation of the Apostles is celebrated on the Fifteenth of July But as to the year when the same happened there is almost every where a total silence There is another Division of their Work made amongst the Apostles mentioned Gal. 2. v. 7. viz. how the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed to Paul and that of the Circumcision to Peter but that relates not to this place This Council at Jerusalem seems to have been holden after that first separation of the Apostles and that there were then no more Apostles residing in that City but Peter and James who also alone are read to have delivered their Sentence in that Council Although I think we ought to add unto them John who is mentioned Gal. 2.9 For that which Paul says there v. 1. that he after fourteen years went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking also Titus with them appears by the Circumstances which he there recounts to be meant of this Journey which he made thither that he might be present at this Council whereof we are treating So that at least four Apostles appeared there Peter James John and Paul besides those Apostolical Preachers Barnabas Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas of whom we find mention Acts 15.22 As also Titus as appears Gal. 2.2 and other famous men of whom consisted the Church at Jerusalem So that there never was a more eminent Convention than this unless when the Apostles were all present Thus Curcellaeus Others conceive all the Twelve Apostles were here actually present and that the distribution of the Provinces of the World which the Ancients speak of was made afterwards amongst the Apostles when the Gentiles all abroad began to flock into the Church And Elders Who are elsewhere called Bishops Presbyters or Elders and Bishops were then the same see what is said before on Verse the second But in this Council besides the Apostles and Presbyters of Jerusalem there were present other Members of the Church viz. meer Brethren as we find afterwards v. 22. and 23. 7. And when there had been much disputing On both sides Peter rose up To make an Oration to the Synod And said to them That is to all the Christians of what Calling or Condition soever that were present in the Synod Men Brethren So Peter calls not only the Apostles and Elders but all other Christians present in the Council being so taught by Christ Matth. 23.8 Ye know that a good while ago According to the Greek from the ancient or first days The famous Lightfoot doubts not but in these Words Peter had respect to what Christ said to him Matth. 16.19 I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven which is as he the said Lightfoot Interprets it Thou first shalt open the Door of Faith to the Gentiles Then the Lord chose him that by his mouth the Gentiles might first hear the Word of the Gospel and Believe And this he says was done a good while ago or in the first days that is as he speaks before in the first Ch. v. 21. in the time when the Lord went out and in among us which time is expressed Luke 1.2 by these Words from the beginning Among us Who of the Circumcision believed in Christ That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear To wit first 8. And God who knoweth the hearts c. As if he should say Which when I performed God the searcher of hearts witnessed by a manifest Sign that he had adopted the uncircumcised Gentiles that embraced the Faith of Christ communicating to them the same Gifts of the Holy Spirit which he hath imparted to us who are Believers Circumcised 'T is plain Peter here respects the History of the Conversion of Cornelius by his Ministry set forth at large in the tenth and eleventh Chapters In Diatrib de Esu Sang. Between the Conversion of Cornelius the Centurion saith Curcellaeus and this Council of Jerusalem about twenty years as most Chronologers acknowledge were elapsed and 't is very strange that in so long a space after God by that most illustrious Example had manifested his Will to admit the uncircumcised into his Church and to partake of all Spiritual Blessings yet the Opinion that Circumcision was still necessary to please God would not be rooted out of the hearts of the believing Jews But the Reverence of those Rites of the Law as being divinely instituted had made such Impression on their Minds that it was not easie presently to remove them and to convince them of the Liberty purchased for us by the Blood of Christ For even after this celebrated Council the same Opinion seems to have remained in many of the Church of Jerusalem as appears Acts 21.20 and other Monuments of Ecclesiastical History particularly in Sulpitius Severus who in the second Book of his Sacred History treating of the Emperour Hadrian saith That then almost all did believe Christ to be God under the Observation of the Law Purifying their Hearts by Faith That is when he had cleansed the Minds of these uncircumcised Gentiles from the sins wherewith they were defiled by a lively Faith on Christ with which whosoever is endued presently resolves to renounce all Impiety and worldly Desires and to live soberly justly and godlily in this World 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God That is why do you grievously offend God He that offends God saith Grotius tempts his Patieâ—ce and he offends him who opposes his Will sufficiently revealed To put c. As going about to impose the Yoke of all the Ceremonies of the Law on the Necks of all such Gentiles as have believed on Christ which the Israelites themselves were never able to bear but with the greatest molestation The Yoke To wit of Bondage as Paul calls the Legal Rites Gal. 5.1 because they consisted in things indifferent which of themselves were neither good nor requisite but depended only on the pleasure of the Law-giver so that they seemed suited rather to the state of Servants than to men of a free Condition 'T is true the Precepts of Christ are also called a Yoke but an easie one and a Burthen but a light one Matth. 11.30 For what says Salvian does he require of us what does he command us to follow but only Faith Chastity Humility Sobriety Mercy and Holiness all which do not Burthen
besides the People of Israel heretofore subject to it the rest of the Nations shall submit thereunto and be numbred amongst the People of God This in the Literal and Typical Sense was made good when the Maccabees subjected to themselves great Numbers of the Ishmaelites Ammonites and Moabites And when Hyrcanus subdued the Edomites Joseph 12. Antiq. 11. 12. Idem 13. Ant. 17. But in the Mystick Sense intended by the Holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of Amos is fulfilled in the Conversion of the Gentiles to Christ that they together with the Jews embracing Christianity may sincerely and religiously worship him and live according to his Requirements This Verse is often expounded of the Call of the Gentiles in Bereschith Rabah Sect. 88. Seek In the Hebrew Text of Amos it is Jirshou might possess for which the Seventy read Jidreshou might seek unless perhaps they took the Verb of possessing for the study and endeavour of possessing as it is taken Deut. 2. v. 24. and 31. The rest of men The Hebrew Text of Amos is wont to be translated The rest of Edom But the Seventy took the Hebrew Particle Eth which for the most part is set before the Accusative to be here a Note of the Nominative Case as 't is used 1 Sam. 17. v. 34.2 Kings 6.5 and Ch. 9.25 Nehem. 9. v. 32 and 34. Jer. 33.5 and Ch. 38.16 Ezech. 39.14 And for Edom they seem to have read Adam or rather says the famous Ludovicus De Dieu as often elsewhere so here they might think Edom to be taken in a larger sense than for the People properly so called for as of the Two Sons of Rebecca Jacob represented the Church so the elder Son viz. Esau or Edom shadowed out all the rest of mankind that were Aliens from the Church For which reason in the Writings of the Rabbins the Roman Empire especially as it extended far and wide through almost the whole World was stiled the Kingdom of Edom and to this day by Children of Edom they mean all Christians Since therefore here the Prophet opposes to the Tabernacle of David that is the Kingdom of Israel the Reliques of Edom they fitly enough thereby understood the rest of men The Lord. The Words of Amos as translated by the Seventy bear no sense unless understood as just before was said of the Tabernacle of David restored instead of which James puts The Lord that is God the Restorer and Master of this Tabernacle for whom men seek that Tabernacle Vpon whom my Name is called See what was said on Amos 9.12 In the Greek by an Hebrew Pleonasm is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon them which Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nations for since by Nations are understood Men of the Nations there is in the Gender of the Adjective more regard had to the sence of the Substantive than to the Substantive Word See Matth. 28.19 Rom. 2.14 18. Known unto the Lord are his Works c. As much as to say 'T is nothing strange that God should heretofore about 800 years ago by his Prophet Amos publish his Intention of calling the Gentiles which now he executes for whatever God does or is any time to do was foreseen and ordained by him before the beginning of the World That from the beginning or before the beginning of the World are used in one and the same sense will be evident to any that shall compare Eph. 1.4 and 2 Tim. 1 9. with 2 Thess 2.13 and Rev. 13.8 19. Wherefore c. As much as to say Therefore from the Word of God I judge that the importune Yoke of Legal Ceremonies is not to be obtruded upon Gentile Christians but an Epistle Exhortatory to be sent to them that they abstain from those things which cannot be done without Detriment to Piety Hesychius a Presbyter of Jerusalem speaks of this our Apostle James deciding here the Controversie of the necessity of observing the Ceremonial Laws in this manner Apud Photium in Bibliothecâ Cod. 275. How shall I celebrate James the Servant and Brother of Christ the chief Captain of New Jerusalem the Prince of Priests Head of the Apostles amongst the Heads the Crown amongst the Lamps over-shining and amongst the Stars the most Illustrious Peter preaches James decrees and a few Words dispatch the Question I judge that they should not be disquieted c. I judge whose Judgment it is not lawful to abrogate nor deprave the Decrees for in me the Judge both of Quick and Dead speaketh by my Organ I yield indeed a Tongue but the Voice proceeds from him who is the Father of Language and Giver of Speech 20. That they abstain from the Pollutions of Idols That is from things that have been offered to Idols as appears v. 29. Meats offered to Idols saith Curcellaeus James calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Diatriba de Esu Sang. Pollutions of Idols For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Pollution but not of any sort promiscuously but only that which proceeds from unclean Meats such as were those that Moses's Law did forbid unto the Israelites and specially things offered to the Gods of the Heathen Whence God Mal. 1.7 Complains that the Jews offered upon his Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread polluted And we read of Daniel and his Companions whom Nebuchodonosor appointed to be fed daily with his Victuals and of the Wine whereof himself drank that they resolved not to be polluted from the King's Table nor from his Wine Dan. 1. Because they feared that amongst the same there might be somewhat forbidden them by the Law Lev. 11. Deut. 14. or offered to Idols touching which they had this Command Exod. 34.15 Thou shalt not make a Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land of Canaan lest when they have committed Whoredom with their Gods and adored their Images some of them should invite thee to eat of what they have sacrificed A dangerous Example of which there is Numb 25.1 c. Now things offered to Idols may be considered two ways when the Question is put about eating them 1. As Flesh to be sold in the Market or privately offered to us by an Infidel that has invited us at his own private House 2. As Flesh consecrated to Idols and so having a peculiar Sanctity especially when in the place where Idols are kept they are eaten in honour of some certain false God as 't was the manner to celebrate Banquets in the Sacrifices of the Heathen And in both these respects they are considered by St. Paul 1 Cor. 8. and the 10. As to the former respect to feed on Idolothytes or things offered to Idols is a thing altogether midling or indifferent provided it be done without administring Scandal to the weak 1 Cor. 10. v. 24.25 c. But in the latter regard it is a thing Evil as being conjoyned with the Profession of Idolatry or which may at least so be
its Flesh be thrown away And Ch. 65. Animals which are worried by Wolves and Dogs are not to be eaten by any but Dogs and Hoggs Nor is a Deer or Goat if found dead But of Fish you may eat because they are of another Nature but Birds and other Creatures if they are strangled in Nets are not to be eaten Rabanus Maurus Archbishop of Mentz upon Leviticus L. 5. Ca. 8. It is therefore necessary to keep this Commandment Litterally and in no wise to eat Blood For thou wilt find that the same thing is also commanded by the Apostles Most remarkable is that Ordinance of the Emperor Leo Sixth of that name Surnam'd the Philosopher Anno Ch. 886. Const 58. Although God both of old by Moses the Law-giver commanded that Blood should not be eaten And by the Preachers of Grace declared that men ought to abstain from such Food And although the eating thereof as well under the New Testament as the Old hath ever been condemned as an infamous and unlawful thing Yet to that degree of Obstinacy or rather Madness are men grown that they refuse to yield Obedience to either Law but on the contrary some for Gain and some for Gluttony do with the highest Impudence contemn the Command and turn Blood whereof we are forbidden to eat into a Food For Information hath arrived at our Ears that stuffing Blood into Guts as in Bags they presume to eat the same as usual Meat which our Imperial Majesty judging not fit to be tolerated nor enduring that both the Divine Precepts and the Honour of our Commonwealth should be violated by such an ungodly invention of men whose whole Devotion is for their Belly doth hereby ordain and command that no Person shall dare practise that wickedness in any kind either for his own use or to defile others by selling them such detestable Food And let him know whoever he be that shall henceforth be found to contemn the Divine Command and convert Blood into Food whether Buyer or Seller He shall forfeit all his Goods and after he shall also have been severely whipt and his head for dishonour shaven close to the skin he shall be sent in perpetual Banishment Regino Abbot of Pruym in the Diocess of Triers L. 2. de Eccl. Discip cap. 373. 374. If any one shall eat the Blood of any Animal let him do Pennance forty days The faithful are to be admonished that none of them presume to eat Blood For in the beginning when License to eat Flesh was granted by God to man we find Blood is forbidden For the Lord says to Noah and his Sons Every thing that moveth and liveth shall be to you for Food except ye shall not eat Flesh with the Blood Which not only is very often reinforced in the Old Law but also in the New Testament the Apostles upon great Deliberation write to the Gentiles of the Primitive Church that they should keep themselves from the Defilements of Idols and Fornication and what is Strangled and Blood which Jerome expounding saith That these Commands according to the Letter belonging to every Christian that he eat not what dies of it self whether of Bird or Beasts to wit where their Blood is not powred forth which the Apostles Epistle sent from Jerusalem necessarily requires Nor what is taken and killed by any Beast for that too is likewise Strangled And from Blood that is not to eat it with the Blood If therefore these things were written to such as came over from Heathenism as the very Rudiments of Faith and were sufficient as to the Salvation of those who by inveterate Custom had wallowed in Impiety and Unbelief with what face can any think light of transgressing them Especially considering that Blood and things Strangled are there equalled with Idolatry and Fornication Whereby all are taught what a grievous sin it is to eat Blood since it is compared with Idols and Whoredom Therefore if any shall violate these Commands of the Lord and his Apostles let him be suspended from the Communion of the Church until he shall worthily have repented These Canons have I alledged under the name of Regino because he has not informed us from whence he collected them Amongst the Canons of the British Church collected by Sir Henry Spelman the fifty second Canon made under Edgar King of England Anno Chr. 967. Requires that no Christian eat Blood of any kind Adam of Bremen in the fourth Book of Eccles Hist Ca. 20. Amongst other Errors of the Pagans wherewith Adalbert Archbishop of Bremen complained that the Christians of that Place were infected even unto his days reckons these That they licentiously did use to eat things that died of themselves or were strangled and also the Blood as well as the Flesh of Cattle that draw or bear burdens as Mules Asses and Horses Johannes Zonaras cites the Fathers of the beforementioned Sixth Council held in Trullo at Constantinople whose sixty seventh Canon we cited before and proves out of Genesis that they followed the Authority of the Divine Scripture Theodore Balsamon on the same Canon saith The Latines without distinction eat things strangled and as I hear the People of Adrianople do use the Blood of Animals in certain Dishes And on the sixty third of those that are called the Apostles Canons As for those Creatures which are taken by Hawking or Hunting and are strangled how they are eaten by some that is how they dare eat them I do not understand Otto Bishop of Bamberg in the Year 1124. as Conrade Abbot of Vrsperg witnesses having converted the People of Pomerania injoyn'd them not to eat any thing unclean that is nothing that died of it self or was strangled or offered to an Idol nor yet the Blood of any Animal And to this day amongst the Christians the Greeks do refrain eating of Blood as is certain from the Testimony of Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica in his Book of the Primacy of the Pope And of Jeremy the second of that Name Patriarch of Constantinople The same thing we are assured of the Muscovits and Russians by Sigismund Baron of Heberstein of the Abyssines by Damianus à Goes and of the Maronites inhabiting in Syria and Egypt by Edw. Brerewood From all which Proofs which I have here brought 't is evident that there is no Opinion at this day disputed amongst Christians which has been so constantly and universally believed as this that we are still obliged to abstain from Blood Neither indeed do those other Texts of Scripture which only in general grant Liberty to feed on all things make any thing against this particular and express Apostolical Prohibition of Blood For 't is well known that general Laws ought to be limited and restrained by particular ones And what is strangled That it the Blood being not taken out as Origen saith in his 8th Book against Celsus See what we have said before v. 20. The Greeks saith Grotius and other Nations as we learn from two places
immortal And Anaximander the Disciple of Thales that first invented the Sphaere as saith Plinius Lib. 7. Ch. 56. and the first that published a Geographical Map as Strabo saith Lib. 1. The Inhabitants of Miletus acquired great fame by the first called the Branchides then Apollo Didymaeus's Oracle which Xerxes the Son of Darius and Grandchild of Cyrus by his Sister Atosa burnt as he did all the rest of the Temples that of Ephesus only excepted and because that after Xerxes burnt the Temple they built it the highest of all that for its height it remained without a roof and Strabo reports that it was most sumptuously adorned with gifts of divers ancient arts Lib. 14. It was also Famous for its most precious wool of which Carpets were made which for their exceeding softness became a Proverb Historians tell us that the Milesians of old were stout Warriers But afterward being addicted to their pleasures they lost their Warlike vertues with their Riches and Reputation whence comes the Proverb The Milesians were Stout of old Hence also the Milesian Speech is taken by Apuleius for a wanton and merry Speech In Asino auree But I will set out Various Fables for you in this Milesian Speech and will sooth your benevolent ears with a pleasant Whisper 16. For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus That is beyond Ephesus Because he would not spend time in Asia As much as to say Lest if he should go then to the chief Metropolis of Asia strictly so called he should by the Christian Brethren Inhabiting there be detained too long For he hasted if it were possible for him To wit for the shortness of the time which was to Pentecost or the fiftieth day from the Feast of the Passover which day was Festival and in it the first fruits were offered by the Jews to whom upon the same day the old Law was promulgated upon Mount Sinai To be at Jerusalem the Day of Pentecost That is that he might be at Jerusalem against the frequent concourse of the Jews from divers Coasts to the approaching Feast 17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus Some one or more of his Fellows and Companions Called That is sent for The Elders of the Church That is such as were set over the Government of the Church of Ephesus who were so called because they were of greater age or because by the gravity of their manners they did resemble old Men when they were set up like Senators to Govern the Christian Commonalty without whose advice the Church acted nothing Jerom says We have in the Church our Senate In Is. 3. a company of Elders See what is noted below v. 28. and above Ch. 14.23 15.2 4 6 28. 18. And when they The Elders of Ephesus having the same fellowship of Power and Honour Were come to him To wit to the Apostle Paul He said unto them To wit Paul himself to the same Elders of the Church of Ephesus Ye know That is Ye are Witnesses From the first day that I came into Asia Strictly so called whose chief Metropolis is your Ephesus After what manner I have been with you at all Seasons That is how I have behaved my self among you See the like Phrase 1 Thess 2.5 10. 19. Serving the Lord. That is With all my might promoting the Glory of God in Preaching the Gospel holily and performing duties of Charity towards God and my Neighbours With all humility That is With perfect humility and such modesty of Mind as did not despise others neither usurped any Dominion over my Brethren over which I was set a Teacher And tears Breaking out from my heart pitying those who were more negligent in their Station And Temptations That is Vexations and Afflictions 1 Thess 3.5 with which the Devil who is called by Antonomasia the Tempter useth by Wicked Men his Instruments to sollicite and Tempt believers to fall away from Faith and Godliness by Gods permission such things come to pass to try and prove the Faith and Piety of his own Likewise by Temptations are understood vexations and afflictions Luke 22.28 1 Cor. 10.13 Gal. 4.14 Jam. 1.2 1 Pet. 1.6 2 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 3.10 or the things which are called adverse Which befell me by the laying in wait of the Jews Obstinate and unbelieving Jews persecuting the Disciples of Christ with deadly hatred See above v. 3. and Ch. 9.24 Ch. 14. v. 2. 5. 20. And how I kept back nothing That is hid nothing from you either for fear of Dangers or hope of Gain That was profitable unto you That is of such things as I thought to conduce to your Salvation But have shewed you That is I Preached unto you those wholsome Doctrines And have taught you That is and diligently instructed you in them Publickly In the Assemblies of the Believers And from house to house That is And privately while I visited the Believers in every house 21. Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks That is earnestly teaching as well the Jews by birth who were long ago esteemed the Lords People but by their Sins were turned away from God and would not acknowledge Jesus to be the Messias nor believe in him as them who were born of the Gentiles being aliens from the People of God and were called Greeks as above Ch. 18.4.19.10 17. Repentance toward God That is Conversion from an evil and vicious Life to a good and laudable manner of Living pleasing God and conformed to his Precepts See below Ch. 26.20 and meet of repentance And Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ That is that all your confidence should be placed in that Jesus of Nazareth who is the Messias promised in the Law and in the Prophets now become the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 22. And now behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem As much as to say And now the fourth time since my conversion to Christ by a certain Instinct and Command of the Holy Ghost I go to Jerusalem See above Ch. 13.4 So Paul saith of his other Journey to Jerusalem that he went up thither by Revelation Gal. 2.2 which to wit was made to him by the Holy Ghost So our Lord Jesus is said to be led of the Spirit unto the Wilderness to be tempted by the Devil Not knowing the things that shall befal me there Matth. 4.1 That is Knowing nothing certainly of these Tortures which I am to undergo at Jerusalem 23. Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City That is In every City where I came since I directed my course towards Jerusalem Witnesseth That is Positively foretells me That bonds c. That is That at Jerusalem where of old I greatly persecuted the Church of Christ I shall for the same Church be bound in Chains and all manner of ways tortured 24. But none of those things move me As much as to
belief of the future Resurrection Hence Why are such yet baptized with Water for the Dead whose Resurrection they believe if there be no such Resurrection XIX It 's Refuted But 1. That expression What will they do who are baptized And why are they baptized does denote a vain and fruitless Action provided there were no Resurrection but the Apostle would not have pronounced that Baptism of Water vain which Cornelius Saul c. underwent without any respect to the Resurrection For there was necessity of Praecept for it as commanded by Christ there is also as the Papists speak that of means 2 Neither can that phrase for the Dead without great wresting signifie in hope of the Resurrection 3. It is false also that the principal or only use of Baptism is a Representation of the Resurrection For it was a Symbol of Regeneration and washing away of sins 4. If the Apostle had respect to them in special who before their Baptism with Water were dead to sin and restored to the life of Righteousness why did he so generally design them who are baptized Why might not he rather have said What shall they do who having before been restored to a life of Righteousness were yet afterwards baptized by reason of their hope of the Resurrection of Bodies c. XX. Finally The Opinion of John Cloppenburgius the Ninth Opinion is that of Cloppenburgius in his Syntagm of Select Exercitations Disput 6. Jan. 1642. who says that Pauls discourse was only of the Sacrament of Baptism which many earnestly desired for the Dead that is to the memory of the Dead for their Honour as a Duty of respect due to the Dead from whom they gloried that they learned Christ That this duty was as it were that Commemoration more than once mentioned in the Gospel Matth. 25.13 Luke 1.48 That they presented themselves to be thus baptized as Maintainers and Defenders of the Cause of the Dead And that hence sprung the Superstition of celebrating the Memories of the Martyrs in their Burying-places XXI Which truly agree sufficiently with the words of St. Paul without any wresting as it seems It is also certain that many of them who presented themselves to be baptized were stirred up to it by the Institution Example and Constancy of the Martyrs But 1. It is not true of some only but of all that were baptized that they confirmed the Faith and Cause of the Dead by their Baptism But Pa l seems to have had respect to some in special 2. Nor could the Baptism that was received by Believers have been called an Office due to the Martyrs or undertaken for the Dead that is to their Honour Veneration and Memory which is altogether superstitious Yea it was rather after their Example in commemoration of the Blood of Christ for a Seal of the washing away of their sins 3. But neither could this Baptism be accounted the Original of that Commemoration of Martyrs which afterwards obtained in the Ancient Church This had its Original in the heat of the Persecutions by reason of the Multitude Courage and Constancy of the Martyrs out of their singular affection to them and that they might provoke them to Emulation by Baptized Believers that met at their Burying-places to pray and not to be baptized Of the Original of which Superstition some have spoken at large as we shall also elsewhere And so much of the difficulties of their Interpretations who have taken the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a strict and proper sense CLASS 2. Of those who have taken Baptism in a proper but more lax sense to wit for Ablution Purging c. I. THose of this Class have not explained the Apostles meaning the same way For some were of Opinion The Opinion of Beza Paraeus Chamierus c. that he had respect to the Rite of washing the Dead Bodies with Holy Water Apuleius called it the last Bath Plautus the Funeral Ablution The Gentiles indeed performed this out of ancient Superstition but the Jews in hope and as a Symbol of the Resurrection which they observe till this day Yea the Christians retained it from the Jewish Discipline or after the Example of the Apostles who washed the dead Body of Tabitha By which Ceremony they signified that the Body though vile and base will be transformed by a glorious Resurrection This Interpretation is the Reverend Beza's as also Bullinger's and Paraeus's c. II. Yet they do not all in the same manner construe the Apostles words Beza indeed taketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for those that use Baptism What shall they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who perform Ablution on the Dead to wit Bodies Or if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be taken in a Passive sense What shall they do or what will become of them who are washed with the Ablution that was used to the Dead But Paraeus thus What shall they do who are purged or washed for the Dead that is already dead or after Death Others understood it of the washing for the Dead on the Sepulchres or Burying-places Bullinger rendred the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actively by Enallage of the Passive who baptize purge c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Dead with respect to the Custom of the Heathen III. To recount which is enough to refute them 1. We grant that that Rite of washing the Dead was sometimes in use It was formerly usual among the Egyptians Greeks Romans as appears by Homer Plato c. Anna in Virgil speaking of Dido's dead Body saith Water to bath the wounds It is certain that the Jews and Mahumedans at this day are very stiff holders of this Custom whether they wash at home or in the Burying-places The Benjanenses carefully wash the dead Bodies with Water as in H. Lord and T. Herbert Those of Pegu as Balbius says Those of Siam as J. Schouten the Chinenses as Mendoza the Formosans according to late Relations Those in Southern Africk in Congo Angola c. as T. Herbert besides Lotion they used also Unction even in barbarous Nations whence Perfuming and Embalming as the Chinneses sometimes preserve Bodies that are not buried till three years after They added also Abrasion which is even at this day in use in Siam and other Idolatrous Places Now we cannot understand by any proof that these had respect to the Resurrection especially being used by those who knew nothing of it Why therefore might not that washing be used as the last Testimony of Honour to the deceased for the Ornament of their Bodies and seemly sight longer Preservation of them especially as a Symbol of the Purity of their Minds So also many believed that they were purged from the remaining Uncleanness contracted from the Living that so they might be presented pure to the Gods Moreover that of the Disciples to Tabitha was rather out of Jewish Custom than out of any Christan view of the Resurrection
words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence a doubt arises why the Apostle used the ambiguous word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he never made use of in this sense But espe â—â—y that when he has respect to this Rite elsewhereâ—â—â— uses the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sprinkle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sanctâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purifie VI. The same Paul 〈◊〉 these words to the Corinthians who were for the greatest part converted from Greeks and Gentiles who were very prone to things offered to Idolâ—◠〈◊〉 wavered in the belief of the Resurrection They seem not to have been so well versed in the Law that by that obscure and ambiguous phrase of the Apostle they could readily discern the force of his Argument Certainly Paul would have insisted more particularly on its design And if he had a mind he might have had more plain Symbols or Testimonies or Examples out of the Old Testament than that to prove the Resurrection VII There is no sufficient certainty that that Rite of Sprinkling was instituted to point out the Resurrection And considering all its circumstances which are described Num. 19. it appears that it typified both the Sprinkling of the Blood of Christ and the Purging of the Conscience from dead works or from the Pollution contracted by sin And the Apostle himself declares this * Heb. 19.13 14. Whence also there are so many allusions of the Prophets David Paul and John to those kinds of Sprinklings all referred to the purging of Souls by the Blood of Christ And although from such purifying of Souls the glorification of Bodies may be mediately inferred yet Paul would scarce have immediately deduced it from that Rite as if it had reference to nothing else and that by this form of speech What shall they do For what other use c VIII 4. It is certain that the Gentiles also every where accounted that touching of the Dead as a thing unclean which was to be expiated by Ablution And to say nothing of others the Ancient Persians especially whom it is certain that they held nothing more Sacred than to shun all pollution from contact of the Dead and to separate the polluted nine days and purge them by Ablution of their Body as H. Lord has set down at large out of their Persian Ritual which they call Zundavastaw in his History of the Religion of the Ancient Persians the same also was generally observed by all the Gentiles yet it is certain that in that Rite they had no respect to the future Glorification of Bodies but intended only the Purification of their Souls IX 5. That Question of the Apostle What shall they do seems also to answer to the foregoing verses Then they are perished * v. 18 19. we are of all men most miserable So that 't is an Argument not only from the absurdity but also from the hurt and misery that abideth such But that Legal Ablution inferred no misery or hurt though the Dead did not rise For it had both its external and politick use both spiritual and mystical Besides if the Apostle had designed that Ablution he would have spoke more plainly after the manner of the Hellenist Interpreters What shall they do who are washed purified c. X. These are the difficulties which overturn an Opinion otherwise sound enough without which we would have approved of it as the soundest and truest of all the rest But a more simple hath lately offered it self to me and that obvious enough tho it is either mentioned obscurely or not at all in the Commentations of so many Learned men XI We suppose which none can easily deny that it is most likely that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is twice repeated in this sentence should rather be rendred in its usual ordinary and proper signification than in any other less usual in regard the former is more constant with Paul nor does he use that word in another sense both in all this Epistle which it may not be amiss to have observed and also in his other Epistles unless ye except that its derivative Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is once used to signifie the Levitical Ablutions in his Epistle to the Hebrews Wherefore this one thing remains whether the words can be rightly explained reâ—aining that signification whether it be true of some that were then baptized in the Church that they took upon them that Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Dead and that on the account of the Prospect they had of the Resurrection XII And first it needs not seem so strange or unusual an Enallage of number if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dead Christ Jesus he who was put to death crucified c. as frequently in the N. Testament And hence that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for him who was dead so it is said of him elsewhere I was dead Hence he is called the first begotten of the dead And in this sense such as were baptized may be said to have come to the Holy Font because of him who was dead or as beholding him who was dead in as much as death could not hold him nor did he continue under it being raised the third day as is apparent by so many undeniable Testimonies And this begot an assured confidence in those who were ingrafted in Christ by Baptism that as he had conquered Death by his Resurrection so they also by vertue thereof should obtain victory over Death by theirs * 1 Cor. 15.20 57. I grant that the Apostle might have said more expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular or also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that living one into the communion of whose Life and Resurrection they were baptized But it may be replied that this first did not please him because in Christ he principally had respect to his Death as gloriously triumphed over whence a certain confidence was wrought in the baptized of the likeness of his death as being one with him Nor would he use that other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.5 because of the excellency of that dead one and the Enallage familiar in that case because all the baptized are accounted as dead in him who was dead Nor was it necessary to say the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing it was usual with the Apostle to rouse up the faithful with the hope of the Resurrection from thence that they were baptized into the death of Christ or into the faith participation Rom. 6.3 4. or likeness of his death Yea by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout this chapter the dead are design'd with respect to Life and the Resurrection And who can deny that the Belief of the Resurrection or future Immortality was implied in the Faith of him who