two Iosephs to distinguish them the one Barsabas and the other Barnabas two names that are not farre asunder in sound and utterance yet are they in sense and in the Apostles intention if they named the one as they did the other Barnabas is interpreted by the Evangelist himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred generally the sonne of consolation but the Greeke may as well beare the sonne of exhortation for so it is knowne well enough the word familiarly signifieth The Syriack useth indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for consolation Luke 6.24 Phil. 2.1 Rom. 12.8 2 Cor. 1.4 5. and in the place in hand and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the place last cited before it but whether Barnabas may not equally bee deduced from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prophecy or instruct I referre to the Reader Bee it whether it will certaine it is the Etymologie and notation doth very farre recede from that of Barsabas Some conceive that this signifieth the sonne of an Oath others the sonne of fulnesse but the notation to mee seemeth to bee the sonne of wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if wee would bee Criticall wee might observe the various qualifications of a Pastor and Teacher from these two surnames the one a sonne of wisdome and the other of exhortation but our intention only is to shew that the two Iosephs in mention differed in person for they differed in name Sect. And Matthias Who or whence this man was wee cannot determine certaine it is the sense of his name is the same with Nathaneel though not the sound and I should as soone fix upon him for the man as any other and some probabilities might bee tendered for such a surmisall but wee will not spend time upon such conjectures CHAP. II. Vers. 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all together with one accord in one place Sect. 1. The time and nature of the Feast of Pentecost THE expression of the Evangelist hath bred some scruple how it can be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day to bee compleated or fulfilled when it was now but newly begun and the sight of this scruple it is like hath moved the Syrian Translater and the Vulgar Latine to read it in the plurall number When the dayes of Pentecost were fulfilled Calvin saith compleri is taken for advenire to bee fulfilled for to bee now come Beza accounts the fulnesse of it to be for that the night which is to bee reckoned for some part of it was now past and some part of the day also In which exposition he saith something toward the explanation of the scruple but not enough Luke therefore in relating a story of the feast of Pentecost useth an expression agreeable to that of Moses in relating the institution of it Lev. 23.13 And yee shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that yee brought the sheafe of the wave-offering seven Sabbaths shall bee compleate Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty dayes It will not bee amisse to open thâ—se words a little for the better understanding and fixing the time of Pentecost First the Sabbath that is first mentioned in the Text in these words Ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath is to bee understood of the first day of the Passeover week or the fifteenth day of the moneth Nisan the Passeover having been slaine on the day before And so is it well interpreted by the Chaldee Paraphrast that goeth under the name of Ionathan and by Rabbi Solomon upon this Chapter at the 11 verse And hee shall wave the sheafe before the Lord after the holy day the first day of the Passeover And it was called a Sabbath bee it on what day of the weeke it would as it was on the Friday at our Saviours death because no servile work was to bee done in it but an holy convocation to be held unto the Lord vers 7. and the Passeover Bullocke Deut. 16.2 7. 2 Chron. 30.24 35.8 to be eaten on it Iohn 18.28 as the Lambe had been eaten the night before and this Bullock was also called a Passeover and the day the preparation of the Passeover Ioh. 19.14 as well as the Lambe and the day before had been This helpeth to understand that difficult phrase Mat. 28.1 about which there is such difference and difficulty of expounding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the evening of the Sabbath saith the Syriack and the Vulgar And ô utinam for then would the Lords day bee clearly called the Sabbath the Sabbath of the Jews being ended before the evening or night of which hee speaketh did begin In the end of the Sabbath saith Beza and our English but the Sabbath was ended at Sun-setting before It is therefore to bee rendred after the Sabbaths for so signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after in Greek Writers as wel as the Evening and the plurall number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to have its due interpretation Sabbaths Now there were two Sabbaths that fell together in that Passeover week in which our Saviour suffered this Convocationall or Festivall Sabbath the first day of the Passeover week and the ordinary weekly Sabbath which was the very next day after the former was a Friday and on that our Saviour suffered the latter a Saturday or the Jewish Sabbath and on that hee rested in the grave and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after these Sabbaths early in the morning on the first day of the week he rose again Secondly the morrow after this Sabbath of which wee have spoken or the sixteenth day of the moneth Nisan was the solemne day of waving the sheafe of the first-fruits before the Lord and the day from which they began to count their seven weeks to Pentecost Lev. 23.11 Deut. 16.9 This day then being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or second day in the Passeover week and being the date from whence they counted to Pentecost all the Sabbaths from hence thither were named in relation to this day as the first Sabbath after it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 6.1 Not as it is rendred the second Sabbath after the first but the first Sabbath after this second day the next Sabbath after was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the rest accordingly Thirdly now in their counting from this morrow after the Sabbath or this day of their first-fruit sheafe to Pentecost seven Sabbaths or Weeks were to bee compleat whereupon R. Solomon doth very well observe that the count must then begin at an evening and so this day after the Sabbath was none of the fifty but they were begun to bee counted at Even when that day was done so that from the time of waving the first-fruit sheafe Pentecost was indeed the one and fiftyeth day but counting seven weekes compleate when an evening must begin the account it
of so divine a gift For the Iews of the strange Nations and languages that perceived and understood that the Disciples did speak in their languages were amazed and said one to another What meaneth this Ver 12. But these other Jews Natives of Ierusalem and Iudea that understood onely their own Syriack and did not understand that they spake strange languages indeed these mocked and said These men are full of new or sweet wine grounding their accusation the rather because that Pentecost was a feasting and rejoycing time Deut. 16.11 And according to this conception it is observable that Peter begins his speech Ye men of Iudea Ver. 14. But Peter standing up with the eleven said c. Reason it self if the Text did not would readily resolve that it was not Peter alone that converted the 3000 that are mentioned after but that the rest of the Apostles were sharers with him in that worke For if Peter must bee held the onely Oratour at this time then must it needs bee granted that either the 3000 which were converted were al of one language or that the one language that he spake seemed to the hearers to be divers tongues or that hee rehearsed the same speech over and over againe in divers languages any of which to grant is senselesse and ridiculous and yet unlesse wee will runne upon some of these absurdities wee may not deny that the rest of the twelve preached now as well as Peter But the Text besides this gives us these arguments to conclude the matter to bee undoubted First it saith Peter stood forth with the eleven vers 14. Now why should the eleven be mentioned standing forth as well as Peter if they spake not as well as hee They might as well have sitten still and Peters excuse of them would as well have served the turn It was not Peter alone that stood forth to excuse the eleven but Peter and the eleven that stood forth to excuse the rest of the hundred and twenty Secondly it is said They were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles What shall we doe Vers. 37. Why should they question and aske counsell of the rest of the Apostles as well as Peter if they had not preached as well as hee Thirdly and it is a confirmation that so they did in that it is said Ver. 42. They continued in the Doctrine of the Apostles of the rest as well as Peter Fourthly iâ— that were the occasion that wee mentioned why they suspected the Apostles and the rest drunke then will it follow that Peter preached and spake in the Syriack tongue chiefly to those Jewes of Iudea and Ierusalem that would not beleeve because they could not understand that the Disciples spake strange languages but thought they canted some drunken gibberish And to give some probability of this not onely his preface Ye men of Iudea but also his â—aying flatly the murder of Christ to their charge Verse 22 23. doe helpe to confirme in and the conclusion of his Sermon and of the story in the Evangelist doth set it home that if Peter preached not onely to these Natives of Iudea yet that hee onely preached not at this time but that the others did the like with him in that it is said They that gladly received his words were baptizâ—d and then as speaking of another story hee saith there were added the same day about 3000 soules Now the reason why Peters Sermon is onely recorded and the story more singularly fixed on him we observed before Sect. Briefe observations upon some passages in Peters Sermon Vers. 15. It is but the third houre of the day And on these solemne Feastivall dayes they used not to eate or drinke any thing till high noone as Baronius would observe out of Iosephus and Acts 10. Verse 17. In the last dayes The dayes of the Gospel because there is no way of salvation to bee expected beyond the Gospel whereas there was the Gospel beyond the law and the law beyond the light of the ages before it Vpon all flesh Upon the Heathens and Gentiles as well as upon the Iews Act. 10.45 contrary to the axiome of the Iewish Schooles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The divine Majesty dwelleth not on any out of the Land of Israel Vers. 20. Before the great and notable day of the Lord come The day of Ierusalems destruction which was forty yeares after this as was observed before so that all these gifts and all the effusion of the Spirit that were to bee henceforward were to bee within the time betwixt this Pentecost and Ierusalem destroyed And they that from hence would presage prophetick and miraculous gifts and visions and revelations to bee towards the end of the world might doe better to weigh what the expression The great and terrible day of the Lord meaneth here and elsewhere in the Prophets The blood of the Son of God the fire of the holy Ghosts appearance the vapour of the smoke in which Christ ascended the Sun darkned and the Moon made blood at his passion were all accomplished upon this point of time and it were very improper to looke for the accomplishment of the rest of the prophecy I know not how many hundreds or thousands of yeares after Vers. 24. Having loosed the paines of death or rather Having dissolved the paines of death meaning in reference to the people of God namely that God raised up Christ and by his resurrection dissolved and destroyed the pangs and power of death upon his owne people Vers. 27. Thou wilt not leave my soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Thou wilt not give my soule up And why should not the very same words My God my God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be translated to the same purpose Why hast thou left me and given me up to such hands and shame and tortures rather then to intricate the sense with a surmise of Christs spirituall desertion In Hell Gr. Hades the state of soules departed but their condition differenced according to the difference of their qualities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piphilus apud Clem. Alex. Strom. 5. Vers. 38. Be baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ. Not that their Baptism was not administred in the name of the Father and the holy Ghost also but that hee would specially worke them up to the acknowledgement of Christ. For the Father and the holy Ghost they acknowledged without any scrupling but to owne Christ for God whom they had crucified and to bee initiated into Jesus of Nazaret was the great worke that the Apostles went about to work upon them and therefore especially endeavour to enter them into Jesus and to have them baptized in his Name Bee baptized and yee shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost Not that every one that was baptized was presently indued with these extraordinary gifts of tongues and prophecy for they were bestowed hence-forwaâ—d by imposition of the Apostles hands save onely
the like expresse it sine merito nostro meruimus wee have obtained it without our merit PART II. The Roman Story Sect. I. The state of the City hitherto THe Citie Rome was built by Romulus in the yeare of the world 3175. in the fifteenth yeare of Amaziab King of Iudah and in the first yeare of Ieroboam the second the King of Israel It had stood from the time of its first foundation to this yeare in which it put the Lord of life to death seven hundred fourescore and five yeares And had undergone and passed thorough two different and diverse kinds of government and was now but lately entred upon a third The first was under Kings for 243. yeares and the foundation of this government as of the Citie it selfe was laid in the blood of Remus shed by his brother Romulus who was the founder of the Citie The second was under Consuls 467. yeares from the expulsion of Tarquin the last King to the Consulship of Hirtius and Pansa which was the yeare that Augustus began to rule with Antony and Lepidus This change of the government was likewise founded in blood as the former had beene namely of Lucrece Aruns and Brutus and in the extirpation of Tarquiâ—s house A thiâ—d manner of government had the Citie and Empire now begun upon and had beene under it threescore and two yeares namely a monarchy againe but the name onely changed from a King to an Emperour And the foundation of this change was also laid in blood as the other had beene namely in the death of Iulius Caesar Antony and Cleopatra The carriage of Tarquin the last of the Kings had brought the Citie into an opinion that monarchy was an enemy to liberty And the growth and flourishing of that State under another manner of government had so confirmed this opinion that they were sooner put out of their liberty then out of beleefe of that position Brutus and Collatinus who were the expellers of Tarquin and of Monarchy with him had found out a government likely enough in all humane judgement to heale all these mischiefes and miscarriages that monarchicall tyranny did bring upon them when they appointed two supreme governours in stead of one and their power and rule to bee but annuall in stead of for life The successe was agreeable to the policy and so happily and prosperously did the State grow under these rulers and some others mixt as occasion urged that to offer to reduce it to a Monarchy againe was infallibly held to bee to reduce it to slavery and Iulius Caesar found how deeply grounded this opinion was in the heart of a Roman by the losse of his life they supposing his affecting the Empire single aimed at the losse of their liberties Augustus his Nephew and adopted sonne though hee had before his eyes in Iulius his death a cleare and convincing Lecture how dangerous and desperate an attempt it was to affect the monarchy yet did hee dare it but managing his desires and designes with so much discretion and noiselesnesse that the government was gotten into his hands alone and the Empire slipt into a monarchicall subjection even before it was aware Tacitus hath described this strange transition to this purpose After that Brutus and Cassius being slaine there was now no publicke hostility Pompey was crushed at Sicily and Lepidus being stipped of his power and Antony slaine there remained now no commander on Iulius his party but onely Caesar hee laying downe the name of Triumvir and bearing himselfe as Consull and as content with the Tribunate for the defense of the Commons when he had won the Souldiers with gifts the people with provision and all men with the sweetnesse of peace hee began to get up by degrees and to draw to himselfe the power of the Senate Magistrates and Law no man gainsaying him For the fiercest persons were either dispatcht in the armies or by banishment the rest of the Nobles by how much the more they were the readier for vassallage by so much the more they were preferred with wealth and honours and being thus inriched by these innovations they desired rather the safe and present condition then the ancient and dangerous Nor did the provinces refuse this state of things they having the rule of the Senate and people in suspition because of the quarrelings of the great ones and the avarice of the Magistrates the Lawes affording no reliefe but themselves destroyed by power prowling or money Thus did the very posture of things as it were conspire with the desires of Augustus to bring the Roman state into a monarchy and himselfe to bee the monarch the decrees and determination of heaven having so ordered that here should begin a fifth Monarchy after the destruction of the foure Dan. 2. and 7. which should equall all the foure in power pompe and cruelty and should be the continuall persecutor of the Church of the Christians as they had beene of the Church of the Jewes And thus doth the Gospell and the State that should persecute it in a manner arise at once and Christ and Antichrist after a sort are borne together Sect. II. The qualities of Tiberius the present Emperour his damnable dissimulation Augustus as hee had got the sole government into his hands by a great deale of wisdome and daring so did hee keepe it with the same wisedome and as much moderation Hee sate Emperour for the space of foure and fortie years honoured and beloved and died desired and lamented though hee had thus impropriated as it was conceived the whole liberty of the Empire into his owne hand Now whether it were the native gentlenesse and goodnesse of the Emperour that kept him in such a sweetnesse and moderation or whether it were some policy mingled with it as knowing it not to bee safe to bee too busie and rigid so neare the change hee so demeaned himselfe for the benefit of the City and love of the people that as he was the first of all the Emperours so in a manner was hee the last that shewed such mildnesse goodnesse and noblenesse either to people or City Tyberius succeeded him his Wives son by nature and his by adoption a man as incomparably evill unworthy and cruell as Augustus had been glorious noble and humane And if that were true which some supposed and beleeved That Augustus had nominated Tyberius for his Successor that his owne worth might be the better set off by the others wickednesse that hee might bee the better spoken of because the other was so odious this his last action was more to his dishonour then all his former and howsoever Tyberius might do him honour by his miscarriage yet did he doe himselfe dishonour in Tyberius This wretch whose Story wee are now to follow was as his owne Tutor used to define him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A lumpe of clay mingled with blood and that clay and blood mingled with as much mischievousnesse as it was almost
shewed elsewhere that it is no uncouth thing with this and the other Evangelists to make such briefe transitions sometimes in stories of a large distance and Paul himself plainely sheweth us in the place alledged how to make the briefe story of Luke full and compleat and to speak it out Namely that Paul upon his comming after his conversion into Damascus began there to preach and increased more and more in strength and confounded the Iewes that dwelt at Damascus proving that Iesus was the very Christ And having preached a while in Damascus hee goeth into Arabia which countrey was now under the same government with Damascus namely under King Aretas and after a while hee returned into Damascus againe And then do the Jewes there seek to kill him and they incense the governour of the Citie under Aretas against him so that hee setteth a watch to take him but he escapeth over the wall by night in a Basket Acts 9.25 2 Cor. 11.33 We shall see by and by that there were preparations for warre this yeere betwixt Aretas the King of Arabia and Herod the Tetrarch and it is not improbable that the Jewes in those times of commotion did accuse Paul to the governour of Damascus under Aretas for a spie or for a man that was an enemy to the Kings cause and so they interest the governor in a quarrell against him And this very thing being considered may helpe somewhat to confirme this for the yeare of Pauls comming from Damascus for feare of his life to Ierusalem if his owne accounting the yeers did not make it plaine enough Vers. 26. And when Saul was come to Ierusalem c. His errand to Ierusalem as himselfe testifieth was to see Peter Gal. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for any homage to his primacy as is strongly pleaded by the Popish crew for hee maketh no distinction betwixt him and Iames and Iohn in point of dignity Gal. 2.9 nay is so farre from homaging him that he rebuketh and reproveth him Gal. 2.11 But his journey to Peter at this time was that hee might have acquaintance with him and some knowledge of him for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more properly signifieth and that hee desired the rather because then Peter was the minister of the Circumcision as hee himselfe was to bee of the uncircumcision Gal. 2.8 and because there had been some kind of remarkable parallel betwixt them in their recovery the one from denying and forswearing Christ himselfe and the other from persecuting of Christ in his members Sect. But they were all affraid of him and beleeved not that hee was a Disciple This very thing hath caused some to conceive that Paul had a journey to Ierusalem a little after his conversion and before ever he went into Arabia because they cannot conceive how it should be possible that hee should have beene a convert and a Preacher of the Gospell three yeers together and yet his conversion and his present qualities should bee unknowne to the Church at Ierusalem and the rather because hee himself saith that the wonder of his conversion was not done in a corner Acts 26.26 Answ. But these two or three considerations may helpe to resolve the scruple 1. The distance betwixt Damascus and Ierusalem which was exceeding great 2. The quarrels betwixt Herod and Aretas which were a meanes to hinder intercourse betwixt those two places 3. The persecution that continued still upon the Church of Iudea which would keepe Disciples of Damascus from going thither And 4. the just feare that might possesse the Disciples at Ierusalem in the very time of persecution For though it was said before the Church at Ierusalem and of Iudaea injoyed a great deale of rest and tranquillity after the conversion of Paul their great persecutor in comparison of what they had done before yet was not the persecution of the Church utterly extinct to the very time of Pauls comming up to Ierusalem but continued still and therefore it is the lesse wonder if the Disciples there bee the more fearefull and cautelous Vers. 27. But Barnabas tooke him c. How Barnabas came acquainted with the certainty of Pauls conversion better then the other Disciples is not easie to resolve It is like that hee being abroad for feare of the persecution as the other of the Preachers were all but the Apostles went in his travailes towards Damascus or Arabia and so had heard and learned the certainty of the matter However it is pregnant to our observation that hee that was afterwards to be fellow traveller and labourer with Paul in the Gospel to the Gentiles is now made the instrument and meanes of his first admission to the societie of the Apostles It is possible that there had been some acquaintance betwixt these two men in former times they being both Grecizing Jewes the one of Cyprus the other of Ciâ—icia and both in all probability brought up and educated at Ierusalem but whether it were so or no the hand of God is to bee looked after in this passage when Pauls future partner in the ministery to the Gentiles is now his first intertainer into the societie of the Church at Ierusalem Sect. And brought him to the Apostles That is to Peter and Iames the lesse for other of the Apostles hee himself relateth that hee saw none Gal. 1.18 What was become of the rest of the twelve is not determinable it is more then probable they were not now at Ierusalem otherwise it is hardly possible for Paul not to have seene them in fifteene dayes abode there It is likely they were preaching and setling Churches up and down the Country and Peter and Iames the two most peculiar Ministers of the Circumcision abode at Ierusalem to take care of the Church there For that these were so and in what particular the dispensation of their Ministery differed wee shall take occasion to shew afterward onely here wee cannot omit to take notice of that temper as I may so call it which the Text holdeth out against the Primacy and Prelacy that is held by some to have been among the Apostles For whereas some conceive Iames to have been Bishop of Ierusalem this Text sets Peter in the same fourme and equality with him in that place and whereas it is conceived againe that Peter was Prince of the Apostles this Text hath equalled Iames with him 1. And thus that persecution that began about Stephen had lasted till this very same time of Pauls comming to Ierusalem for so it is apparent both by the feare and suspitiousnesse of the Disciples at Ierusalem as also by the very clausure of the Text Vers. 31. Then had the Churches rest 2. The length of this persecution by computation of the times as they have been cast up before seemeth to have beene about three yeers and an halfe the renowned number and time so oft mentioned and hinted in Scripture 3. The company of Disciples or beleevers continued still at Ierusalem
addresse themselves to Asinaeus and demand the vindication of their native Laws and Religion hee rebuketh his brother Anilaeus and is therefore poisoned by the Parthian Lady because that her husband might bee from under rebuke and might bee commander of all He being now so indeed first invadeth the country of Mithridates son in Law to Artabanus and forrageth that and by a surpizall getteth Mithridates prisoner yet sendeth him home again to his own possessions having hardly delivered him from his souldiers fury that they did not kill him Mithridates sensible of the disgrace of his usage for they had set him naked upon an Asse and instigated by the haughty and revengefull spirit of his wife raiseth what force he can get and giveth Anilaeus battell and routeth him But Anilaeus himselfe escaping and recruting an army of dissolute and resolute fellowes againe hee beginneth to spoile some townes of the Babylonians but the Babylonians finding a fit opportunitie fall upon Anilaeus and his troope and slew many of them and Anilaeus himselfe among the rest This bridle and curbe of the Jewes which had laine so long and so heavy upon the Babylonians being now taken off they begin now to rise up and to curbe and oppresse the Jewes who for their safety flee to Seleucia and there they reside quietly for the space of five yeers but in the sixth yeer a hot plague driving the rest of them that had staied behind at Babylon into Seleucia also providence did as it were bring them all thither together to execution for a quarrell being first betweene the Greeks and Syrians that dwelt in that Citie and the Syrians getting the better through the helpe of the Jewes at last Greeks and Syrians joyne both together against the Jewes and destroy fiftie thousand of them And this was a second notable vengeance that hath overtaken that nation since the murder of the Lord of life THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE JEWISH and the ROMAN OF The Yeare of Christ 43. And of the Emperour Claudius 2. Being the Yeare of the World 3970. And of the City of Rome 795. Consuls C. Largus Claudius II. London Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke 1645. ACTS Chap. XI Vers. 28. Great dearth throughout all the World which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. THat this famine was in the second of Claudius wee have shewed before not onely out of Dion the Roman Historian but even by necessary collection from other things Now whether it proceeded from want of Raine or from what other cause it is not determinable it appeareth by Sutton that it came to this height through a continued sterility of the ground which it seemeth had beene some yeares together This yeare was Helena the Queene of the Adiabeni present at Ierusalem and her presence there was a happinesse to the City for from Cyprus and Alexandria shee sent for Provisions and distributed them among the people when divers had perished of famine before Vers. 30. Sent it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Sect. Pauls rapture into the third Heaven Although it bee not mentioned in this Chapter that Paul went up to Ierusalem but was sent onely with provisions to the poore brethren in Iudea yet have wee also proved before that at this journey hee had his trance in the Temple Acts 22.17 and in that trance he was rapt up into the third Heaven The story of which hee himselfe relateth 2. Cor. 12.2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell c. And there hee relateth also the story of the messenger of Satan buffeting him and himselfe praying and God giving him a gracious answer all which wee shall explaine by Gods permission in another place In this trance God bids him get out of Ierusalem and gives him commission to goe preach among the Gentileâ— Acts 22.18 21. And so he returneth from Ierusalem to Antioch where wee shall have him the next yeare Sect. II. Peter not this yeare at Rome This yeare the Romanists have brought Peter to Rome and made this the first yeare or beginning of his Episcopacy there For thus Baronius That Peter came to Rome this second yeare of Claudius the Emperour it is the common Opinion of all men And to this purpose he alledgeth Eusebius his Chronicle and Ierome de scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis and concludeth that others have written the same things concerning the time that there can bee no doubt left of it It may be tolerated to insist a little the more largely upon the examination of this opinion not for that it is of any such great import in its owne nature as for that it is made of so great by them for their owne advantage For were it granted that Peter was Bishop of Rome and that he went thither in this yeare yet what great matter were there in this in common sense and reason But because unreasonable men have from hence or upon this foundation built the supremacy of the Pope the great delusion of the world let the same common sense and reason equally and impartially judge of the probability or improbability of this thing in these two parts into which this tenet doth fall of it self 1. Whether it be probable that Peter was Bishop of Rome at all 2. Whether it bee possible that hee could come thither this yeare according as they themselves have laid his progresse and that hee should set up an Episcopacy there Weigh the first by these First Peter was Minister of the Circumcision why then should hee goe settle himselfe to live and dye among the uncircumcised Hee might indeed have preached to the uncircumcised as hee travailed up and downe as Paul did to the circumcised being the Minister of the uncircumcision but to take up his abode and residence and thereto settle to live and die among them was a thing neither probable in the eyes of other men nor justifiable in him himself Secondly if Peter were at Rome in the sense and extent that the Romanists will have it then hath the Scripture omitted one of the greatest points of salvation that belongeth to Christianity For how many maine points of faith hath Popery drawne out of this one conclusion that Peter was Bishop of Rome as the Primacy of the Pope the infallibility of his Chaire his absolute power of binding and loosing no salvation out of the Church of Rome and divers other things which all hang upon the Pin forenamed And it is utterly incredible 1. That the holy Ghost that wrote the Scriptures for mans salvation should not expresse or mention a thing that containeth so many points of salvation 2. That Luke that undertooke to write the Acts of the Apostles should omit this one act of Peter which is made of more consequence then all the actions of all the Apostles beside It is above all beleef that he that would tell of Philips being at Azâ—tus and going to Caesarea chap. 8.40 Sauls going to