or Simson of old a Judge of the Hebrews did make this City famous by his noble Acts and Death Judg. 16. from the situation of this the new Gaza is little distant as we learn by Justus the Hebrew and Dominicus Marius Niger in his fourth Book It was called Constantia in the time of Constantine the Great from Constantia his Sister as Eusebius informeth us in his Chronicle From this Town were Procopius Gazaeus also Timotheus Gazaeus who as Suidas writes flourished under Anastasius the Emperour Nathan the false Prophet did arise in it about the year of our Lord 1666. who together with his false Messiah Sebathai Sebi did deceive the foolish Jews not those whom Titan of better clay their inwards fram'd Men and more especially Fools do believe what things they do desire This is desert A Hebraism that is which is desert Some refer this unto the way which in respect of the other way leading to the same place was not very common for the Wilderness of Mount Casius lies between them as Strabo does write in his sixteenth Book Others rather unto the ancient Gaza which remained desert from Jamneius or Jannaeus his time Strabo who flourished about the time of Tiberius beareth witness that this Gaza was not inhabited about the time Luke wrote these things in that notwithstanding he was deceived that he did think it remained desert from the time of Alexander the great 27. And he arose and went c. As if he should say Being about to obey the voice of the Angel he went presently whither he was commanded And behold a man of Aethiopia That is a certain Man of Aethiopia which as it is thought is now called the Kingdom of the Abyssines Zaga Zabo Bishop of the Abyssines in Damianus à Goes We says he did receive Baptism almost before all other Christians from the Eunuch of Candace Queen of Aethiopia whose name was Indich Irenaeus in his third Book ch 21. Eusebius in his second Book ch 1. Hier. on Isa 51. testifie that the seeds of the Gospel were sown by this Eunuch among the Aethiopians and were afterward adorned and farther spread abroad among them by Matthew the Evangelist An Eunuch This Greek name is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Bed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have which signifies a Groom of the Chamber but because truly they who were set over the Nursery of Women as the keepers of the Womens Bed were commonly gelded by this name were all called whose Stones were cut off wounded or bruised which are as the witnesses of Manhood Nature hath denied the use of Venery to this sort of men for their too great coldness The Kings of Persia made use of Eunuchs and Stephanus also naming a certain Village of Persia called Spada in which the custom of gelding began Terence also is a sufficient enough witness in his second Scene of the first Act of his Comedy Eunuchus that Eunuchs were wont to be used in the service of Queens Thou saidst moreover that thou wouldest have a Eunuch because Queens alone make use of those I have found one Therefore if that Aethiopian was gelded that was fulfilled in him which Isaiah did foretel ch 56. v. 4 5. Powerful Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cicero uses this Greek word in his eleventh Philippic Oration Seneca in his Thyeste It is rendred by Tertullian in his Book concerning the Resurrection of the flesh Potentator that is a Man of great Authority Vnder Candace Queen of the Aethiopians Pliny in his sixth Book of his natural History ch 29. saith that Candace was a common name to all the Queens of Aethiopia which had passed unto them for many years since Ludovicus de Dieu says That this Queens proper name was called Lacasa the Catalogue of the Aethiopian Kings doth affirm it which Marianus Reatinus doth subjoyn unto his Grammar although little credit be to be given unto that Catalogue because it is stuffed very full of Fables and Trifles Who had the charge of all her Treasures The Greek word is thought to be a Persian word signifying Riches moveable Goods a common Treasure and whatsoever thing we possess That Eunuch then was the Keeper of the Queens Money or principal Officer of the Queens Treasure which is wont to be called Treasurer The Aethiopian Interpreter addeth that this Eunuch was Governor of the City of Gaza And had come to Jerusalem for to Worship This Eunuch had come to Sacrifice to the true God into the place Consecrated by the Law to his solemn Worship being either a Jew by descent although born in Aethiopia or a Proselyte for Cornelius was the first fruits of the Uncircumcision below ch 10. 28. Was returning c. As if he should say And after the Sacrifices were ended at Jerusalem he was incontinently carried home again into Aethiopia in his own Chariot and was reading in the Prophet Isaiah It is an excellent pattern of Godliness that so great a Potentate did even while he was in his Journey earnestly read the Holy Scriptures although he was but a Lay-man as they commonly call it and a Politician For the reading of the Holy Scriptures is even commended to those as Deu. 17. v. 18 19. Josh 1. v. 8. 29. Said c. As if he should say But the Holy Spirit did speak these words to Philip within Go near unto the Chariot and join thy self to its side 30. Running thither c. As if he should say Philip having chearfully obeyed the Holy Spirit took an opportunity to reveal the truth of the Gospel unto him from the reading whereunto he did see the Potentate earnestly bent 31. And he said how can I c. He speaks not of any testimony of Scripture nor of things commanded and forbidden which are clear of themselves and that stand in need of no explication but concerning mystical Prophecy which as long as it is not accomplished or although the accomplishment be come being unknown to any is not well enough understood but if an interpretation be made upon the present accomplishment by a Man filled with the Spirit of God the Prophecy is very easy to be understood even as this Potentate did know and perceive presently the meaning of a very abstruse and hard place once only proposed to him by Philip. Nobly 2 doct Christ 6. says Augustin And profitably hath the holy Spirit so modified the holy Scriptures that by very clear places he might satiate our hunger by the more dark rub off our contempt or loathing there is almost nothing searched out of these obscurities which may not be found plainly spoken elsewhere Therefore in explaining the obscurer places of Scripture the more learned are to be consulted who are much exercised in them but they are so to be consulted that they may make plain and evident to those that consult them that their exposition is the genuine and true sense of the Scripture but not impose upon their consulters
that Jabesh Gilead was besieged by Nahash and by Saul delivered having scattered the Ammonites Whence at a meeting the whole people had at Gilgal the Kingdom was renewed to Saul 1 Sam. 11.14 15. Samuel confirming his integrity in the execution of his Office complaining of the injuries done him terrifying the people with Thunder and Rain in the time of Wheat-Harvest and then comforting them by proposing the mercy of God 1 Sam. 12.17 c. Whence it appears that these things came to pass about the Feast of Pentecost and at the beginning of the third month one and twenty years after the Ark which the Philistines had carried away was restored at the same time of the Harvest 1 Sam. 6.13 whereby we may gather that as there were twenty years betwixt the bringing again of the Ark and the subduing the Philistines from 1 Sam. 7.2 13. so also that there passed a year betwixt the freeing of the Israelites Land from the Philistines and Saul◠being declared King is gathered from these words 1 Sam. 13.1 Saul Reigned one year and when he had Reigned two years over Israel Whereof a better sense cannot be given then that that one year was past since the subduing of the Philistines by Samuel when Saul began to Reign and that he Reigned two years after free from the yoke of the Philistines For in after-times Saul was by the Philistints stripped of his Authority and the people of Israel oppressed by them with a heavy and long bondage Which being at length removed Saul is said to have taken the Kingdom over Israel that is to have again recovered it 1 Sam. 14.47 It is a proof that this oppression lasted many years that it having began eight years before David was born yet before it was ended Samuel named him to succeed in the Kingdom of Saul 1 Sam. 13.14 The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart and the Lord hath commanded him to be a Captain over his People For that the Israelites might be past all hopes of recovering their liberty lest they might have Weapons the Philistines carried away all the Smiths from them so that when the Israelites came to Battel among all them Saul and Jonathan only were found armed with Sword and Spear 1 Sam. 13.19 22. Daniel Brenius in his Friendly debate against the Jews Quaest 26. How saith he is that consistent which is written Acts 13.21 that Saul who was the first King of Israel Reigned fourty years when the Scripture mentions only two years Answer These two years mentioned 1 Sam. 13.1 may be so taken as not to note the whole sum of Sauls Administration but that time of his Government until he chose these three thousand which are mentioned there v. 2. otherwise if we will absolutely that the whole time of Sauls Reign is described v. 1. then will arise this difficulty To wit how David who began to Reign at thirty years of Age 2 Sam. 5.4 and therefore if Saul Reigned 2 years only appears manifestly to have been twenty eight years of Age when Saul began to Reign and consequently when he killed Goliah is advised by Saul 1 Sam. 17.33 not to fight with Goliah because he was yet but a Youth likewise he is called a Youth v. 42. How I say is he called a Youth being in his nine and twentieth year Not to speak of those many Battels that are said to have been fought against so many People during Sauls Reign 1 Sam. 14.46 and in them the various Conflicts betwixt David and the Philistines 1 Sam. 18.25 Then afterward his flight and his changing of his lurking places so often because of Sauls manifold Persecutions Lastly Davids dwelling among the Philistines one year and four months 1 Sam. 27.7 compared with ch 29.2 where Achish saith that David was with him these days or these years that is some days or some years and other things are mentioned to have fallen out in Sauls Reign all which do abundantly demonstrate that there was more then two years space betwixt Sauls Reign and Davids And these things are thus far so debated as if that place in Samuel were esteemed intire and incorrupt in the Editions which are now extant But now indeed we must know that the Hebrew Copies shew this place to be imperfect when betwixt the word Schanah and Ben they leave a void place for some of them have it thus written Ben schana Schaoul It is probable the numerical note is wanting which expressed the number of the years of Sauls Age when he began to Reign for it is usual in these Books of Kings to insert the Ages of the Kings and the time of their Reign in the beginning of the History of their Acts as 2 Sam. 2.10 where we read thus written Ishbosheth Sauls Son was fourty years old when he began to Reign over Israel and Reigned two years Which same thing is done in David and other Kings Hence some Greek Copies supplying the number here do write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Son of thirty years Seeing therefore that the beginning of the verse here is judged defective what wonder is it that the like fault doth happen as to the number in the latter part of it which defines the time of Sauls Reign and that therefore the number expressed by the Evangelists who might as yet see the place entire did differ so much from what is this day seen in our Copies Especially seeing that in the end of the sixth Book of Josephus's Antiquities Saul is said to have Reigned eight years while Samuel lived and two and twenty after his death Which is a token that of old there was another reading of this place extant having the notes of the numbers though not so much dissering 22. And when he had removed him That is Saul being rejected while yet alive for a punishment of his disobedience 1 Sam. 13.14 15.28 16.1 He raised up unto them David to be their King That is That Jacobs Prophesy Gen. 49.10 might be made good he promoted David of the Tribe of Judah hitherto a mean and obscure man to the Kingly Dignity who upon Sauls death should succeed in the Kingdom See the fore-cited places and Psalm 78.70 71. Psalm 113.7 8. To whom he also gave testimony and said 1 Sam. 13.14 Psal 88. in the Hebrew 89.20 21. I have found As much as to say I have gotten such a man as I would wish in the Person of David who to wit will do whatever I command him whereas Saul against my express command spared the King of the Amalekites and the fattest of the Cattel See 1 Sam. 15.22 28. 23. Of this mans To wit Davids Seed That is Posterity and Off-spring According to his promise 2 Sam. 7.12 1 Chron. 7.11 12 13. Psal 89.37 38. Isa 11. 1 2. Jer. 23.5 6. Mic. 5.2 Raised unto Israel a Saviour Jesus That is He raised the promised Saviour to the people of Israel which is
did repent And notwithstanding the Ancients with one consent do write that he was a grievous Adversary to Peter afterward and that he did dispute with him three days at Rome There is a written disputation that goes under the name of Clement but which contains such unpleasant dotings that it is a wonder Christian Ears can bear it Afterwards Augustin sheweth unto Januarius that there were divers and fabulous reports spread about that matter in his time at Rome wherefore there is nothing safer then having renounced uncertain Opinions simply to embrace what is written in the Scripture What elsewhere we have read written concerning Simon may deservedly be suspected for many Causes Epiphanius counteth it among the Heresies of Simon that he said the Old Testament was from an evil God when notwithstanding a great many other Fathers do write of him that he did say that he himself was the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and in the Person of the Father he did give the Law to the Jews upon Mount Sinai and that he did appear in the Person of the Son in the time of Tiberius and did suffer an imaginary death and that afterwards he did descend in fiery Tongues in the Person of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and that Christ neither did come nor did suffer any thing by the Jews Again others do write that he did teach that he himself was God and descended in Samaria as the Father and did appear to the Jews as the Son in the rest of the Nations he did descend as the Holy Ghost Ignatius unto the Trallians calls Simon Magus The first begotten Son of the Serpent Apol. 2. ad Antoninum that was the Prince of Wickedness Justin Martyr telleth us that at Rome in the Island of Aesculapius in the River of Tiber betwixt the two Bridges that the same Simon was rewarded with a Statue and Altar having this Inscription in Latin letters To Simon the holy God Photius says that Simon did carry an Image of Christ about him in his Epist 38. Epiphanius Haer. 21. telleth us that he brought in the Worship of Images We may see in Beda in the fifth Book of his History of England chap. 28. that a certain kind of shaving was invented by him Haer. 39. From him says Austin did come the Angelicks so called because they did Worship Angels Religiously whom the Apostle rebukes Col. 2.18 The which Heresy Theodoretus writes that it did arise in the Apostles time on the cited place of the blessed Paul and that the thirtieth Canon of the Council of Laodicea is to be understood concerning the same Hereticks who in the same Country of Asia did build Oratories to Saint Michael the Arch-Angel From him did also proceed the Collyridians who did Worship Christs Mother with Divine Honour witness Epiphanius Simon did say that how many soever believed in him do not fear the threats of the Law but act whatsoever they act as Free-men for they were not to obtain Salvation by good Works but by Grace Theodoretus declareth that of him in his abridgment of Heresies It is manifest out of Origens Book against Celsus that the Simon his Disciples did deny Jesus to be the Son of God and the same Origen in his sixth Book against Celsus testifies unto us that he did shun Martyrdom and without difference Worship Idols The same Simon is reported to have had for a Companion of his Crimes one Selene that is the Moon or as others call her Helen a Harlot of Tyre whom after he had taken out of the Custom-house that he might commend her to all as Numa Pompilius his Egeria he did call her Goddess the Holy Spirit and Divine good pleasure and did affirm that of her he did beget Angels and that the Trojan War in time past was undertaken for her who is that lost sheep whom he came down from Heaven for to seek having disguised his form of God that the Angels that are over every one of the Heavens might not know him Let the belief of all these and other things which are reported of Simon lie upon the Authors Credit 25. And they indeed To wit Peter and John who were lately sent thither from Jerusalem Testified and Preached the Word of God As if he should say After they had faithfully uttered what things they had learned from our Lord Christ that the sure Authority of the Gospel Doctrine Preached by Philip the Deacon might continue and flourish as a well witnessed and authentical Verity Hence it is manifest therefore that not only Peter and John came down to Samaria from Jerusalem that they might enrich the Samaritans with the gifts of the Holy Spirit but also that they might establish them in the Faith they had even now received by approving of the Doctrine of Philip. And Preached the Gospel in many Villages of the Samaritans As if he should say They Preached the Gospel in many of the Towns of the Samaritans through which they went 26. And the Angel c. Our Lord Jesus in his unparallel'd Clemency and Mercy useth one of the Heavenly Messengers who now are subject unto him since he is gone into Heaven 1 â—et 3. v. 22. to communicate that knowledge that bringeth Salvation unto men Spake unto Philip. Viz. The Deacon and now an Evangelist who in Samaria first Preached the Doctrine of Christ and declared it to be true by Miracles Arise c. The Angel neither speaking any thing rashly nor concealing any thing craftily expresseth unto Philip whither he must go to try his Obedience shews him what Christ would have him to do with what profit and unto what end he hideth and keepeth it secret from him So whosoever committing the success unto the Lord shall go wherever he shall command him he shall find by experience that it shall happily prosper whatever thing he undertaketh at his command Vnto Gaza Gaza is the pure Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This name signifies fortified strong The LXX are wont to pronounce the letter Ain by g and sometimes they omit it whence this City of Phoenicia is called Aza or Gaza in ancient times it did belong to the Philistines afterwards to the Jews for Juda took it Judges 12.18 afterwards in process of time Alexander the great did vanquish it in besieging of which he received a wound upon his Shoulders as Arrianus doth write in his second Book concerning Alexanders expedition whose situation he doth thus describe Gaza is distant from the Sea about twenty furlongs and there is a sandy and deep ascent unto it and the Sea that is near the City is slimy the City itself is great and situated on a high hill and compassed about with a strong wall it is the utmost inhabited to one that goeth out of Phoenicia unto Aegypt at the entrance of the Wilderness At length Alexander King of the Jews who also was called Janneus 3 Antiq. 21. Aristobolus Brother did demolish it witness Josephus Samson
Timothy a believer as is clear from 2 Tim. 1.5 And Erastus It seems to be him of whom mention is made Rom. 16.23 2. Tim. 4.20 But he himself stayed in Asia for a season To wit at Ephesus as appears from what follows which was the chief Metropolis of Asia more strictly so called 23. The same time To wit when Paul stayed at Ephesus No small stir That is A great uproar About the way That is Because of that Doctrine of Christ which Paul Preached So by occasion of good Doctrine See above v. 9. evil Men stir up evil Tumults by which that Doctrine is opposed 24. A Silversmith Who works in cutting ingraving and moulding of Silver such workmen from the excellency of the matter in which they work we call Goldsmiths Which made Silver shrines for Diana That is Little houses of Silver wherein Diana's little Images which were commonly bought by them who visited Diana of the Ephesians were laid up And perhaps saith Causabon these little houses resembled the cunning Work of the Temple of Ephesus The Caskets or little Boxes in which the Images of the Gods or Goddesses were kept were called Aediculae Shrines Petronius Moreover I saw a big Cage in a Corner in whose Shrines were Silver houshold-Gods Apuleius I beheld at the middle Pillar Lib. 3. Miles which upheld the beams of the Stable almost in the very midst the Image of the Goddess Hippona 36. Nat. Hist 5. dwelling in a shrine Plinius speaking of the Image of Venus carved by Praxiteles at Gnidos saith While its shrine is opened that the Image of the Goddess may be seen round about which is believed to have been made by her own help it is equally admired on every side See also Juvenal in his eighth Satyr Tertullian If you furnish its Temple its Altar or its Shrine De Idol Cap. 8. it is no matter whether you build or adorn it Tibullus calls a Shrine exigua aedes a little house The wooden God stood in a little house by Arnobius these Shrines or little houses are called little Cottages Conclaves little Cells Tuguriola Conclavia Cellulae For Diana The Daughter of Jupiter by Latona brought forth in the same birth with Apollo upon Mount Cynthus situated in Delos an Island in the Aegean Sea She is said for love of her Virginity to have shunned the company of Men and that she might remove from her self the itch of lust to have lived in woods hunting contented with the company of a few Virgins she is in Hell called Hecate in the Woods Diana in Heaven Luna Phaebe Delia Cynthia Labouring Women invoked her by the name of Juno Lucina She had a famous Temple at Ephesus which is said to have been one of the seven wonders of the World whose Architect was Chersiphron Lib. 14. as Strabo saith Plinius saith that in four hundred years time Nat. hist Lib. 16. Ch. 40. all Asia building it it was finished and seven times repaired but he agrees not with himself for Book 36. Ch. 14. he saith it was finished by all Asia in the space of two hundred and twenty years there also he draws the structure of it This so sumptuous and Magnificent a Temple Herostratus burnt that the memory of his wickedness might spread his fame as Solinus saith whose words out of his 43. Chap. I will here subjoyn The Temple of Diana the Ornament of Ephesus the building of the Amazons so Magnificent that Xerxes when he burnt all the Temples of Asia he spared this alone But this Xerxes his Clemency kept not the sacred house long from evil For Herostratus that the Memory of his wickedness might spread his fame did with his own hands fire this noble Fabrick out of a desire as he himself confessed of acquiring greater fame It is observed that the Temple of Ephesus was burnt the same day on which Alexander the Great was born at Pella Who as Nepos saith was born when M. Fabius Ambustus and T. Quinctius Capitolinus were Consuls three hundred ninety and nine years after the building of Rome When the Ephesians rebuilded this Temple for a more reverent Worship Dinocrates was the chief Workman over the Work which Dinocrates we told already did by Alexander's orders measure out Alexandria in Aegypt Timaeus said wittily in his History as Cicero relates De Nat. Deor. Lib. 2. It is no wonder if Diana 's Temple at Ephesus was burnt the same night that Alexander was born because that when she would be at Olympias her labour she was from home Brought no small gain to the Craftsmen That is To the Masters of the same craft with Demetrius 25. Whom To wit his Collegues With the Workmen of the like occupation That is With the Workmen which Demetrius with his Collegues the Masters of the Craft made use of in working those Silver Shrines for Diana By this craft That is by the gain of this Trade We have our Wealth That is We grow rich So Riches is their Goddess and to this Goddess they spread their Sails under colour of Diana's Sacredness 26. Ye see That is yee see what is done in your presence before your Eyes And hear What is done elsewhere That not only at Ephesus Where we live and exercise our Trade But almost throughout all Asia More strictly so called of which our Ephesus is chief Metropolis This Paul This wanderer Hath perswaded and turned away much People That is by his perswasion took off very many from Worshiping their Gods Saying c. That is denying that there was any Divine Vertue in Images of either Gods or Goddesses which are made with hands 27. So that not only this our Craft That is our Trade by which we have our gain To be set at nought That is become a reproach as if it were a Wicked and detestable thing to our great loss But also that the Temple of the great Goddess Diana should be despised That is should be neglected and forsaken Diana is called a great Goddess because that among the great and indefinite number of Gods which the Gentiles religiously Worshipped she was of the twelve chief Gods which Ennius comprehends in these two Verses Juno Vesta Minerva Ceres Diana Venus Mars Mercurius Jovis Neptunus Vulcanus Apollo And her Magnificence should be destroyed That is And the very Majesty of the Goddess her self will be vilified Whom all Asia and the World worshippeth Apuleius expressed this in these Words whose sole Diety is Worshipped through the whole World though not under the same name or figure neither with the same rites This erroneous Superstition and abominable Idolatry did reign so far that it was thought by the Inhabitants of the habitable World the Catholick or universal Religion as Popery is this day 28. And when they heard these things From Demetrius They were full of Wrath. That is the Tradesmen Demetrius his Colleagues and the Workmen were stirred up with fury And cryed out They defend not their Idolatry with reasons
it speaks as a familiar friend without sophistication to the hearts of the Unlearned and Learned And those things that it hides in Mysteries it does not raise them up beyond our Capacities by loftiness of style so as a Dull and Illiterate Mind dare not approach as one that is poor to a Rich person but it invites all by its low style whom it may not only feed by manifest Truth but also exercise with hidden having the same things in what is manifest as in what is hid But that the things being plain might not be loathed the same things being again hidden are desired being defired they are in some manner renewed being renewed they are delightfully received By these both depraved Minds are wholesomly amended the mean are nourished and the great delighted He only is an Enemy to this Learning who either by reason of his mistakes is ignorant of its soundness or by reason of his distemper has an aversation to Medicine The Golden Saying of St. Prosper REader tho in the Sacred Books thou long'st to know Many things are conceal'd and hid thee fro Yet watch and still pursue thy good intent Gifts that are â—stai'd for move thy Mind if bent That Fruit's more grate which hope drawn out brings forth Things easily attain'd are nothing worth Even hidden Mysteries solace the Mind Who gave to ask will further give to find THE ACTS OF THE Holy Apostles Literally Explained THE Authority of this Book which is entitled the Acts of the Holy Apostles has been deny'd by Cerinthus Har. 36. who liv'd in those Primitive Times as Philastrius records Easâ—â— Hist l. 4. c. 29. as also by Tatianus and Severus in the Reign of Marcus Aurelius For whatever Book of the New Testament the Hereticks thought to be opposite to their own mad Inventions that they presently condemn'd Hence it was that the Manichaeans likewise refus'd to give credit to this Book because the Author of it writes that the Comforter even the Spirit of Truth promised by Christ did descend upon the day of Pentecost long before Manes who presum'd to call himself the Holy Ghost promised by Christ was born But seeing this Book Lib. de util crâ—â— c. 3. as St. Austin well observes doth contain so many things like those which the Manichaeans themselves take for granted and believe to be parts of the Holy Scriptures it seems a very great folly that they do not also believe and allow its Authority St. Luke declares himself to be the Author of this Book in his Proem to the same Theophilus to whom he makes his Address at the beginning of his Gospel and intimates that he had before that time committed to writing the several Acts of Christ Epist ad Faulâ—â— Surpassingly well therefore saith St. Hierom The Acts of the Apostles seem to represent a bare History and to set forth the Infancy of the growing Church but if once we know St. Luke the Physician whose praise is in the Gospel to be the Writer thereof we shall also find all his words to be the Thysick of a Languishing Soul Philostratus who flourish'd under Severus Augustus affords us a singular Testimony of the Antiquity not only of the Evangelical History in general but in particular of the Gospel of St. Luke and of the Acts of the Apostles by him written For he has transcribâ—d into his Apollonius many Miracles of Christ and his Apostles so manifestly out of those Books that he has not forborn to make use of the very words themselves as the most famous Huetius apparently makes out Demonstrat Eâ—ing Prop. non c. 147. nâ—m 4. Josephus by Birth a Jew honoured with the Dignity of an Earl as Epiphanius witnesseth Haer. 30. which is of the Ebionites In Bâ—â—â—othâ—e Sanct. three hundred and seventy years after Christs Nativity as Sixtus Senensis reports found at Scythopolis in a private Treasury of the Jews this Book which records the most remarkable Acts of the Apostles translated out of Greek into Hebrew together with the Gospel of St. Matthew written with his own hand in the Hebrew Language and the Gospel of St. John translated likewise out of Greek into the same Language This Golden Book quite through displays the singular Providence of God in gathering together to himself and preserving his Church It opens and explains what was the Beginning and Rise of the Christian Religion after what manner the Apostles began the Preaching of the Gospel how strenuously and couragiously a few obscure unarmed and contemptible persons opposed by the power of the whole World while all the Potentates of those Ages imploy'd their Forces to oppress the Gospel relying only upon the Assistance of the Spirit and Truth indefatigably defended the Faith of Christ refusing no Labours nor Dangers but combating with an unshaken constancy against all opposition till at length they became Victors and the Power of God magnificently triumph'd over all the Pride of the Earth under the Ignominy of the Cross The Chapters of this Book are twenty eight the principal parts are four The first of which in the first eight Chapters sets down the Original and Progress of the New Testament-Church among the Jews The next from the ninth to the sixteenth declares how greatly the Church was multiplied and propagated among the Gentiles The third part from the sixteenth to the twentieth relates the several Travels and Voyages of St. Paul to his very last Journey to Jerusalem The last from the twentieth to the end gives an account with what perseverance St. Paul endured a thousand Troubles Hardships and Indignities with what patience he surmounted the raging Floods of Persecution and lastly how mildly and with what an equal temper he carry'd himself in the midst of all manner of Calumnies and Reproaches and all sorts of Miseries CHAP. I. 1. THE Former The Evangelist St. Luke makes this Introduction as he passes from the History of the Gospel comprehending the Sayings and Acts of Christ to the Acts of the Apostles Now whereas the Vulgar Latine Interpreter rendring here the Positive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 has us'd the Superlative First instead of the Comparative Former the words having relation to Lukes former Book which he had published before he has been therein follow'd by Beza who justifies himself by the Authority of Cicero who in his second Book of Invention citing his former calls it his first c. 1. v. 15. 30 c. 15. v. 18. Epist 1. c. 4. v. 19. You shall also find the Prositive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us'd for the Comparative former by St. John in his Gospel Discourse have I made This is a Graecism as much as to say The former Book have I made Thus in Lucian The first Discourse of the true History is the first Book And Galen calls his seventh Book his seventh Discourse Of all But not setting down all things For though a person might discourse of the Works and Doctrine of Christ to a considerable extent
consum'd with anguish of mind For the Greek word us'd there if we may credit Heinsius Grotius and Brenius is to be tormented with grief and sadness and stoppage of the breath whether the person die of those torments or no. So that Matthew does not speak of the death of Judas which happen'd after the same manner here by St. Luke related but of the unsupportable torment of an exulcerated Conscience Hom. 22. ad Antiochen Which Chrysostom calls to be strangled with Conscience that is to be oppress'd with the guilt of his Crimes Lightfoot renders the Greek word in St. Matthew he was strangl'd And so he believes the death of Judas happen'd For now says he after he had thrown back the price of his Treason when Judas was departed with an intention to return to his own Family the Devil who dwelt in him snatching him up into the Air strangl'd him and threw him down headlong so that dashing against the Earth he burst in two in the middle his guts tumbling forth after which horrible Exit the Devil left him But whereas the most Antient Author of the Epistle to the Philippians under the name of Ignatius the Martyr ascertains hanging to be the death of Judas De locis Sanctis and Juvencus affirms that he hanged himself upon a Fig-tree and Beda testifies that the same was to be seen in his time near Jerusalen The Vulgar Latine Version of St. Matthew seems to be preferred before the rest which though it seems to vary something from the Relation of Peter concerning his casting down headlong yet does it carry no contradiction to it Matthew gives an account of the beginning of the Action Peter of the End supplying by divine Inspiration what was wanting in the Relation of Matthew Judas fits the Halter to his neck and springs downward with the greater violence to the end he might the sooner choak himself But that the Vengeance of God might more eminently appear in the horrid and immature death of the infamous Traitor by an unexpected accident the Rope broke so that Judas fell headlong upon some craggy stone or sharp pointed stump of a Tree so that his bursten belly let forth all his bowels Thus Casaubon Concerning the ten thousand Idumeans thrown headlong by the Jews from a Rock who all of them burst their guts 2 Chron. 25.12 the story still is exstant Papias who as Eusebius declares was a Writer of little worth and one that feigned trifles from false Interpretation confounding the Greek word signifying headlong with another Greek word signifying swollen up and thence erecting his own dreams relates that the body of Judas was swell'd to that immensity that so much ground as was sufficient to drive a Cart thorow could not contain it and that thereupon the Cart went over him and squeez d out his guts In like manner the Authors of another Fable when they read that Judas possess'd or purchas'd a field with the hire of iniquity affirm'd that that same field in regard that Judas died in it by reason of the horrid stench which he left behind remain d barren and untill'd 19. And it was known to all the Dwellers at Jerusalem That is to say that horrid sort of death which ended the ignominious life of the Sacrilegious betrayer of Christ Insomuch as that field is called That is to say that field which was purchas'd with the hire of Treachery and infamous for the burial and perhaps the death of the Traitor For many are persuaded that Judas deservedly perished in that field and that by this Event the Priests were the rather instigated to desire the purchase of that field In their proper Tongue The Greek has it in their proper Dialect that is to say which was us'd by the Inhabitants of Jerusalem This Peter speaks as a Galilean and speaking to the Disciples of Christ who were for the most part Galileans Now the Galileans had a distinct Dialect from those of Jerusalem As appears from the History of Christs Passion where Peters Tongue betrayed him Hakeldama The field of Blood Saith the most Learned Lightfoot as well because it was purchas'd with the price of blood as waterâ—d with the blood of the Traitor 20. For it is written Now Peter alledges the Scripture which before v. 16. he had said was to be fulfilled that is to say according to the Mystical sense intended by the Holy Ghost as the Disciples had learnt it from the lips of Christ explaining the Scripture Luke 24.44 In the Book of Psalms That work which the Hebrews are wont to call the Book of Hymns because the chief part of it celebrates the praises of God the Greeks and Latines call it the Psalter from the name of the Instrument to which those Hymns were sung They are in all a hundred and fifty in the Hebrew Copies For the hundred fifty first which is added in the Greek is fictitious rejected not only by the Hebrews but by the Council of Laodicea Theodoret and many others as well Antient as Modern affirm David to be the only Author of all the Psalms Hâ—â— 126. Philastrius also accompts them to be Hereticks who think otherwise l. 17. de Civ Dei c. 14. But St. Austin wavers sometimes ascribing the whole work to David alone sometimes allowing him to have compos'd no more than only nine affirming the rest to have been made by the four Singers of whom he made choice for that purpose In 〈◊〉 aâ— In. pâ—â—i Psâ—â—i But it is apparent from the Arguments of the Psalms wherein their Authors are discover'd or from the express words and subjects of the Psalms by which the time of their composure may be conjectur'd that all the Psalms were not the work of David only but of several Authors Deservedly therefore Hilarius in his Preface to the Psalmâ— concludes the whole composure to be called not the Psalms of David but the Book of Psalms as here it is called by Peter and by Christ himself Luke 20.42 The Author of the Synopsis attributed to Athanasius and Hilarius say that the Psalms were reduced into one Volume by Esdras and digested into that order as now they are extant Prâ—â— in Psâ—l Esâ—i ad Sâ—pâ—â—â— Câ—p. As for that division of the Psalms into five parts which Hilarius and Jerom affirm to have been us'd by the Hebrews and is at this day observ'd in their Book I believe to be no antienter than the Times of the Maccabees saith a person among the Eloquent most highly Learned and among the Learned surpassingly Eloquent Peter Daniel Huetius Dâ—â—â—â—â— Evarg Prâ—p 4. Let his habitation What David out of his Zeal to Justice and the Honour of God imprecating upon his Enemies had prophesied that the Holy Ghost also speaking by the mouth of David would have foretold concerning the persecutors of Christ typifi'd by David And thus Peter being taught the sense of the holy Scriptures by Christ deservedly applys to Judas the Leader of
by way of Anticipation Mesopotamia where the Euphrates runneth close by it Frid. Spanhem Hist Job 1. c. 7. n. 4. towards the South and East is adjoyning to Arabia the Desert being only parted from it by the River so that there are indeed some Cities such as even at this day are Ana or Anna of the largest and most famous of that Countrey some whereof on this side of the River are accounted Cities of Mesopotamia Hence they have one and the same Language Religion and Customs the nature of the Ground is the same being plain and barren and running out into waste Deserts producing the same Herbs and Twigs the same Emir also or Prince of the Arabians extending his Dominion a great way in Mesopotamia Whence it is that the Southern part of Mesopotamia is by Xenophon l. 1. Anabas Pliny Hist l. 5. c. 24. Strabo Geogr. l. 16. and others reckoned a part of Arabia But now Charan the place of Nachors abode called by Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also Charrhai by Stephen Ptolomy and Sozomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Acts by Jerom Aran as also Carrae if it be the same City with that of the Roman Writers of the Crassian Overthrow Charan by the Georg. Gen. 24.10 of Nubia called also Nachor from Nachor who built and inhabited it is situate in that part of Mesopotamia which the River Chabora watereth between Euphrates and Ascorus for by Holy Writ we may learn that Charan lay in the Way that leadeth from Chaldea into Canaan Gen. 11.31 So that it is altogether more Southerly towards Arabia the Desert and Syria Palmyrena or Aram Tsaba For the Way from Vr of the Chaldees to Palestine is from the East to the West except where to avoid the unpassable places of Arabia Travellers turn toward the North through that part of Mesopotamia that is more Southerly which is to the Northwards of Chaldaea Again the Country of Charan was said to be Easterly in respect of Palestine Gen. 29.1 Hence it is certainly in the Southerly part of Mesopotamia which borders with that part of Arabia where the Inhabitants dwell in Tents according to the Stile of the Scripture and the insight of Maps For the Northern parts of both the Syria's and the Country of Assyria are not said to be Eastward but Northward Hence we may discern their mistake who will have Charan to be situate a great way towards the North and the Mountains of Armenia about the 36 or 37 degrees of Latitude and who confound it with Edessa or Orfa as R. Benjamin Peter Appian Jacob Ziglerus Joseph Moletius and others And the Carrae that are there marked towards the Assyrians whence Lucan called them the Assyrian Carrae as in the Book of Tobit they are placed between Niniveh and Raghes are of necessity altogether different from the Charan of Nachor and Abraham Charan therefore in Mesopotamia was fituated betwixt Babylonia and that part of Syria which led into Palestine hence it lies more towards the South not far from the River Euphrates as the Chaldaean Paraphrase hath it the Nubian Geographer confirms this who will have Harran to be more Southerly than the City Aleppo about the 31 Deg. North. Lat. Hence Arias Montanus on Gen. 24. v. 10. declareth the City Padan to be in that Tract nearer to Babylonia which more truly was the Country in which Charan the City of Nachor was situate nor was it contiguous to Palestine as Adrichomius will have it in the Theater of the Holy Land which as being in Mesopotamia is rather contiguous to Arabia the Desert as this is extended Northward to Euphrates wherein we have placed Jobs Habitation yea those of the East do declare that Charan in Abrahams days was inhabited by the Sabaean Arabians as also the famous Huttinger in his Oriental History c. 8. out of Keesseus the Muhammedan And he said unto him To Wit When he was addicted to the Superstition and Idol-Worship of the Chaldaeans or as those of the East say of the Zabians Jos 24.2 3. Get thee out of thy Country The uninterrupted tenor of the words sufficiently importeth that he speaketh of one call when Abraham dwelt at Vr of the Chaldees where he was born and brought up The call it self together with the Promise is extant Gen. 12.1 2 3. Stephen indeed left out the Promise because it was not needful to touch upon every particular Come into the Land which I shall shew thee He promiseth that he will at length shew him the Land which he did not express in the Call it self Hence also Heb. 11.8 Abraham is said to have gone out not knowing whither he went If Abraham knew not whither he went and the Land towards which he must go could not be shewed him till after his setting out whence is it that by a Prolepsis Abraham is said to have set out from Vr of the Chaldees together with Therach his Guide in his Pilgrimage and Sarah and Lot his Companions therein that he might go into the Land of Canaan Torniellus answers in the year of the World 2113 num 3. That it might very well be that Abraham when he set out knew that God would have him go to the Land of Canaan but that he did not know whether God would have him to settle there or go further to some more remote Countrey and therefore he came into Charan not with a design to settle there but to pass over towards the Land of Canaan firmly believing that there the Lord would shew him the Land whereto he must go and in which he must abide even as a little after it truly came to pass For when he came to Sichem in the Land of Canaan he heard from God Gen. 12.7 To thy Seed will I give the Land 4. Then To wit after Abraham understood both Gods Commands and Promises He came out of the Land of the Chaldaeans As if he had said He utterly forsook his Fathers House and together with his Father Sarai and Lot departed from Vr of the Chaldaeans Stephen will have Mesopotamia the same with Chaldaea The Arabians saith Ludovicus de Dieu are still of Opinion that Chaldaea belongs to Mesopotamia For the Geographer of Nubia in the sixth part of the fourth Climate where he describeth Mesopotamia saith that Bagdad extendeth thither which is that we now call Babylon the Metropolis of Chaldaea whose Province Benjamin in his Itinerary concludeth to be Beretz Sinear in the Land of Shinar which is Chaldaea But although Gods call commanding Therach together with Abraham Sarah and Lot to depart from Vr of the Chaldaeans was directed to Abraham yet because Therach was Father of the Family therefore Gen. 11. v. 31. the business of Migration is ascribed to him not to a Son of his Family as Scaliger * In Elencho Pareano hath rightly observed And dwelt in Charan For no long time saith the most Eloquent of the Jews Philo in his Book of Dreams Aug. 16.
de Civ Dei 16. says that Abrahams departure from Vr of the Chaldaeans and from Charan fell out in one and the same year which Josephus confirms while he writeth 1 Ant. 8. That Abraham left Chaldaea when he was 75 years of age Moses speaking saith Heidegger of Therach Abraham and the rest that went with them to Charan saith Gen. 11. v. 31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they dwelt there And of Therach indeed that when he was aged 205 years he there put a period to his last day But Moses hath not expressed how long Abraham and the rest of his Companions dwelt there Yet 't is probable that he did not stay long there yea not a whole year that he might not seem refractory to the Divine Call For what else but Sickness and Infirmity of Body could detain Therach from accomplishing his Journey he had undertaken whom Piety towards God caused to forsake his Native Countrey and his own House What also but dutifulness toward his dying Father who on the account of Religion had given himself for a guide and a companion in this Pilgrimage could hinder Abraham whose ready obedience in obeying the Divine Call is so much spoken of in the Scripture from going straight into the Land of Canaan For that Therach either taken with the pleasantness of the place as Aben Ezra fondly imagines or making a relapse unto his old Idolatry as others alledge tarried at Charan and would not accompany his Son is as like a Fiction as may be Nor are we much moved with Petavius Bonfrerius and Harvilleus Arguments by which they would evince that Abraham dwelt at Charan several years First say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stephen saith that Abraham dwelt in Charan But it is probable that by the word dwelt some years are denoted 2. Abraham is said Gen. 12.5 to have made Souls that is to have purchased Slaves Beasts and Cattel whereby his Goods were encreased Now in purchasing these and gathering them together there must of necessity several years be spent 3. Abraham calls Charan his own Land Gen. 24.4 But he would not have called it his own Land if he had not dwelt in it for some years For who would call that his own Land which he only passed over These Arguments have no solidity in them Not the first for let us suppose that Therach and Abraham departed from Vr of the Chaldeans toward the latter end of the Spring and that Therach's sickness interupting them continued there all the Summer and Winter following and then that Abraham again parted from Charan in the beginning of the next Spring was not the interval of time long enough that he might be said to have dwelt there So he who hires a House for six Months although a lesser time is yet no less said to have dwelt there than he who has continued his Habitation in it for six years And the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also the Chaldaic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not only to dwell but also to sit so that the shortest stay in a place is enough to say these words of an inhabitant Not the 2d for there is no necessity why we should rather understand Moses of gathering together Riches Slaves and Cattel brought forth in his House than of procuring by Emption Slaves Cattel and other things whereby his Patrimony left by his Father might be encreased And this Acquisition in how small a time might it be performed Not the 3d. for neither does Abraham call Charan his own Land but Aram Naharaim or Mesopotamia as appears Gen. 24.4 compared with v. 10. But not Charan only was in Mesopotamia but also Vr of the Chaldaeans as we have shewed above And from thence c. Therach Abrahams Father is said to have lived 205 years when he died at Charan Gen. 11.32 But Abraham whom Stephen here saith plainly not to have gone from Charan till after Therach's decease Gen. 12.4 he is said expresly to have been 75 years of age when he departed Charan If we substract these 75 years from the 205 of Therachs age the remainder will be 130 years Abraham was therefore born in the 130th year of Therach And therefore when Gen. 11. v. 26. Therach is said at the 70th year of his age to have begotten Abram Nachor and Haran the meaning is Therach began to beget three Sons Abraham the first in Merits and Dignity but the youngest by birth the second Nachor Haran the third whom many will have to have been the eldest of all seeing he was Father to Melcha the Wife of Nahor and Jescha whom the Hebrews think to be Sarah Abrahams Wife Abraham therefore after the death of his Father went forward to the Land of Canaan according as the Lord had commanded him when he was yet in Vr of the Chaldaeans taking with him Sarah and Lot who came with him from Vr of the Chaldaeans and all the substance that he had purchased at Charan Josephus 1 Ant. 8. reports that Abraham in his Journey from Charan to Canaan made a stop at Damascus and Reigned there his words are these Nicolaus the Damascene in the fourth Book of his History writeth thus Abraham reigned in Damascus when he was a Stranger as who had come with an Army from the Countrey situate above Babylon which is called Chaldaea Nor much different is that of Justin Trog Pompeius's Epimator * l. 36. The City had its name from Damascus King thereof After Damascus Azelus then Adores and Abraham and Israel were Kings thereof But as Pererius excellently reasoneth * On Gen. 12.11 Abraham had sinned grievously nor had he fulfilled the command of God whereby he was enjoyned to depart from Mesopotamia into Canaan as was fitting if he had attempted not only to stay at Damascus but also making light account of Gods Promises to purchase himself a Kingdom Add that Abraham every where professed himself a Pilgrim and Stranger and Jacob acknowledged the same of himself and his Forefathers He therefore had no where a proper Seat and Habitation much less a Kingdom Nor does the account of Time permit that Abraham should be said to have made any long stay at Damascus that he might reign there For seeing the year in the which he departed Charan was the 76 year of his age and the same Abraham after he had dwelt ten years in Canaan took Hagar to Wife of whom in the 86 year of his age he begot his Son Ishmael * Gen. 16. it appears that he went directly from Mesopotamia to Canaan and that he no where fixed any settled Habitation till he came to Canaan Moreover whether he had obtained that Kingdom by force or entreaty he would not so soon have deserted it especially when he was constrained by Famine to undertake a Journey to Egypt nor would the Sacred Writers have neglected to give some hints of a passage so considerable and which would have tended so much to the glory
by their Enemies that they were to be delivered afterwards by God from the Tyranny of the Egyptians by his means which yet they did not understand By this Testimony of Stephen Moses seems to have killed the Egyptian on this account as being acquainted with his call to deliver the Israelites from the grievous Bondage of the Egyptians Which the Scripture is silent in Exod. 2.12 This Augustin observed in his second Question on Exodus 26. And the next day That is The next day after that Moses killed the Egyptian and covered him with Sand after he had killed him He shewed himself to them as they strove That is He saw two Israelites quarrelling as the Vulgar Latin Interpreter renders it Exod. 2.13 Jonathan and Rabbi Solomon say that these two Hebrews that contended were Dathan and Abiram And he would have set them at one again Gr. And he forced them to Peace That is he used all means to reconcile them The name of the Effect saith Grotius is given to the Endeavour and the word signifying as it were Violence denoteth the earnestness of the agent as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to constrain Luke 14.23 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use forceable means Luke 24.29 See the like expressions Gen. 19.3.33.11 in the vulgar Latin 12. Matt. 14.22 Mark 6.45 Gal. 2.14 Saying c. He does not cite the very words which Moses Exod. 2.13 is said to have spoke to him that did the wrong to his Neighbour but he expresses the sense very well For saith Grotius there he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neighbour who is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brother Countryman descended of the same Ancestors 27. But he that did his Neighbour wrong He in the Original Hebrew is called wicked who has an evil Heart and malitious Mind Equity commandeth saith Aristotle in his Book of the Art of Oratory that we make a difference betwixt Injuries and Faults as also betwixt Faults and Misfortunes Misfortunes are which can neither be provided against nor are committed with a malicious Mind Faults which might have been prevented yet are not done out of malice but Injuries are done both designedly and maliciously Who made thee c. Chrysostom on 2 Cor. 7.13 saith of Moses Even before he had brought out the People with his hand he led them by his Actions Wherefore that Hebrew was very foolish in that he said to him Who made thee a Ruler and a Judge over us What sayst thou Thou seest the deeds and doest thou make controversie of the name Just as if one that saw a Physician cut exactly according to Art and so help a distempered member of the Body and then should say unto him Who made thee a Physician Who gave thee a power to cut My Art good man and thy Disease So also his skilfulness made Moses a Judge For to govern is not only a Dignity but also an Art and that indeed the sublimest of Arts. The same Master of the Church handling this Subject on Eph. 3. in the end saith Thy Injustice thy Cruelty hath made me a Ruler and a Judge 29. Then fled Moses at this saying As much as to say Moses understanding by this upbraiding Language that it was publickly known that he killed tho justly the Egyptian that wronged the Hebrew and fearing what might befal him by reason thereof he fled The Egyptians as Grotius observeth esteemed the Hebrews as Slaves yea as Beasts whom they would have every one perswaded to be incapable of Injury And was a Stranger in the Land of Madian Tâ—â—â— is And he was an Exile in the Land of 〈◊〉 Eusebius maketh mention of two Cities of that name 〈…〉 The first is beyond Arabia towards the South in the Desert of the Saracens to the East of the Red Sea whence they are called Madianaei and the Country of Madianaea The other is near Arnon and Areopolis whose Ruins are only to be shewen now A Learned Author under the name of Jerom writes * In Loc. Heb. Act. Apost that Moses was an Exile in the latter Where he begat two Sons As if he had said Where after having taken to Wife Sephora or Zippora Daughter to Hobab or Jethro Niece to Raguel he begat two Sons of her Gersom and Eliezer as Sulpitius Severus expresseth it Book 1. Hist. Sac. 30. And when forty years were expired To wit During his Exile at Madian There appeared to him To wit To Moses while he kept the Flock of Jethro his Father-in-law In the Wilderness of Mount Sina Where there were excellent Pastures To the South of Judaea are Sinim Isa 49.12 Sinaeans as the Vulgar Interpreter has translated Sini Gen. 10.17 whence the Barren Countrey of Sin and in it Mount Sinai has its name Exod. 16.1 Moreover it is certain that the same Mountain is called both Horeb and Sin or Sinai yet so that towards the East 't is properly called Sinat or Sina but that part that looks to the West Horeb. An Angel Heb. Exod. 3.2 An Angel of Jehovah that is an Angel acting in the name of the most high God In a flame of Fire in a Bush Gr. In a flame of Fire of the Bush That is the species of the flaming Fire did shew that God came in his Embassador to revenge the Injuries the Egyptians had done to his People but the Bush not consumed was a Type of that same People that should be preserved alive amidst all these Calamities caused by the wicked 31. When Moses saw it To wit The burning Bush pot consumed He wondered at the sight Astonisht at the strangeness of this Miracle And as he drew near To the Bush To behold it That is That he might look more nearly into it The voice of the Lord came unto him As if he had said The Angel the Messenger of the Lord spake to him to this purpose In diverse and sundry manners God spake to the Fathers but at length in the last days he began to speak to us by his Son Heb. 1.1 32. I am the God c. Orat. 6. Athanasius says But that Angel was not the God of Abraham but God spake in the Angel and it was the Angel that was seen but God spake in him The Author of the Answers to the Orthodox in Justin Martyr Quest 112. The Angels who in Gods stead appeared and spoke to Men were called by the name of God himself as that which spoke to Jacob and to Moses Yea Men also are called Gods It is given to both by virtue of the Office injoyned them both to be in the stead and bear the name of God But when the Office is fulfilled they are no more called Gods who only obtained that name on the account of some work they were to do The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. When God is said to be the God of any it is to be understood a special Favourer and Bountiful Patron of him as sufficiently
slower then that it can express Baptism which is rather a sign both of Death and Resurrection Being moved by this reason I would have those that are to be Baptized to be altogether dipt into the water as the word doth sound and the mystery doth signify John Bugenhagius Pomeranus both a Fellow and Successor in the Ministry of Luther at Wittenburg whom Thuanus and Zanchius witness to have been a moderate very godly very learned Man doth affirm about the end of his Book published in the German Tongue in the Year 1542. That he was desired to be a Witness of a Baptism at Hamburgh in the year 1529. that when he had seen the Minister only sprinkled the Infant wrapped in swathling Clothes on the top of the head he was amazed because he neither heard nor saw any such thing nor yet read in any History except in case of necessity in Bed-rid Persons In a general Assembly therefore of all the Ministers of the Word that was convened he did ask of a certain Minister John Fritz by name who was sometime Minister of Lubic how the Sacrament of Baptism was Administred at Lubec Who for his Piety and Candor did answer gravely that Infants were Baptized naked at Lubec after the same fashion altogether as in Germany But from whence and how that peculiar manner of Baptizing hath crept into Hamburg he was ignorant At length they did agree among themselves that the Judgment of Luther and of the Divines of Wittenburg should be demanded about this point which thing being done Luther did write back to Hamburg that this sprinkling was an abuse which they ought to remove Thus plunging was restored at Hamburg Common Fonts big and large enough were in Ancient times fitted and accommodated to dipping in the which Fonts by Conduits or certain inferior passages the water overflowing upon the Baptized did run away as is manifest even by this memorable History of Socrates 7 Hist Eccl. 17. which we do here bring in A certain Deceiver a Jew by Nation counterfeiting himself to be a Christian was oftentimes Baptized and by this sort of Cheat had scraped together much money When he had deceived many Christian Sects by this Craft for he had been Baptized both by the Arrians and Macedonians having none more whom he could deceive at length he came to Paul Bishop of the Novatians and affirming that he had an earnest desire to be Baptized he prayed the Bishop that he would be pleased to Baptize him himself He indeed praised the Jews will and desire but did deny that he could give him Baptism before he had been instructed in the principles of Faith and besides all this had fasted many days But the Jew who contrary to his wish or expectation was compelled to fast did so much the more urge that he might be Baptized The Bishop therefore not willing to offend him with a longer delay when he pressed and urged him to it prepares the things that are necessary to Baptism And when he had bought a white Garment to the Jew and commanded the belly of the Font to be filled with water he brought the Jew thither as if he were going to Baptize him But a certain secret vertue and power of God made the water suddenly to vanish But when the Bishop and those who were present suspecting nothing of what then was done they did think that the water ran out by some secret passage underneath where it was wont to be let out they fill the belly of it again after they had carefully stopped all the passages And when the Jew was brought again to the Font the water did again altogether vanish Then Paul said Either O Man thou deceivest or has unknowingly received the Sacrament of Baptism before When therefore a great many men flocked together to see this Miracle one that knew the Jew found him to be the self same man that was Baptized before by Bishop Atticus Hereto belongs also what the Maidenburg Centuriators do relate of Rathold 8 Cent. 6. In the Year of the Lord say they 718. Rathold General of the Frisians was brought unto this by the Preaching of Bishop Vulfran that he was to be Baptized When he had entred into the Font with one foot drawing back the other foot asked where the most part of his Ancestors were Whether in Hell or in Paradise And hearing that more were in Hell drawing back his foot that was in the Water It is better says he that I follow the greater part then the fewer And being so deceived by the Devil promising that he would give him three days hence matchless gifts the self same third day he perished with a sudden and eternal death Sigebertus Henry of Erford does relate the same out of the Acts and Monuments of Vulfran chap. 26. Bergomensis says that 't was in the year 729. Hither also pertaineth the History of Constantine who from hence got the Sirname of Copronymus because when he was Baptized in his Infancy he defiled the waters of the holy Font with the Excrements of his Belly in the Year of Christ 720. We have a like example in the Emperor Wenceslaus the Son of Charles the Fourth who was born at Norinburg the 28th of September in the Year M.CCC.LXI For he also is reported to have defiled the water with his Dung when he was Baptized Moreover it is reported that while the water that was to be applied to the Baptism of Wenceslaus was warming the Pastors house by Saint Sebald was set on fire and burned out Which things certainly could not happen if both the Copronymus's the one in the West and the other in the East had been sprinkled and poured with a little water being wrapped up in their swadling Bands and Clouts About the end of the eleven hundredth Year after the birth of Christ Odo Apud Andream S. Michaelis Abbatem in Othonis Actis lib. 2. c. 15. or Otho Bishop of Banberg who first Preached the Gospel to the Inhabitants of Pomerania as Suffridus his assisting Presbyter doth witness When there were three Fonts built he did so order that he himself should Baptize the Male Children alone in one of the Fonts and the rest of the Priests the Women apart and the Men apart What manner of Fonts these were and after what fashion all were Baptized is declared there after this manner The good Father caused the Administration of the Sacrament to be done with so much diligence also with so great neatness and honesty that nothing undecent nothing to be ashamed of nothing ever might be done there which might not please any of the Gentiles For he commanded very big Hogsheads to be digged a little deep into the Earth so that the mouths of the Hogsheads did stand above ground unto the heighth of a mans knee or less which being filled with water it was easy to descend into them And he caused Curtains to be hanged about the Hogsheads upon small Pillars set up and Cords put
Incense For saith Grotius that is properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a memorial Levit. and elsewhere And the smoke of the Incense is said to ascend Rev. 8. v. 4. But this Incense was a Type of Prayers Rev. 5. v. 8. 8. v. 3. Prayer say the Ancients is carried up by two wings fasting and the works of mercy 5. And now That is Now therefore The Angel shews him the Apostle and the Apostle shews him Christ 6. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do That is as it is expounded chap. 11. v. 14. Who shall speak words to thee in which thou and all thy Family shall be saved As if he should say He will instruct thee in the knowledge of Christ which is the only way to Salvation that thou and thy whole house may be saved God uses no other way but the Instrument of preaching to instil into men the knowledge of the Gospel This is Gods ordinary way which he hath established and we may not expect another most truly saith and proves it from Rom. 10. v. 14. My dearest Wifes Uncle the reverend Samuel Gardner Doctor of Divinity one of his Majesties Chaplains in ordinary in his grave and learned Sermon on the Dignity and Duty of the Ministers of the Gospel Printed in 1672. 7. A Souldier fearing God All the Domesticks of Cornelius feared the Lord as is said before v. 2. but all the Souldiers which were under his Command were not Godly and Religious We have a like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Souldiers and Domesticks Matt. 8. v. 9. Of them that waited on him That is They waited before the doors to receive his Commands Ovid speaking of a Lover and a Souldier saith This tends his Mistresses but that his Captains doors 8. When he had declared all these things to them Cornelius explained all things to his Souldier and Servants the more to encourage them to perform a Command which they saw was more Gods than Man ' s. He doubted not saith Calvin to trust those with this great secret whom he had before trained honestly up 9. Peter went up to the house top Gr. to the roof of the house The Jews built the roofs of their houses flat not spire wise Hierom in his Epistle to Sunia and Fretela says that in the Eastern Provinces that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latins call tectum For in Palestine and Egypt or in those places where the holy Bible was writ or interpreted their houses are not ridged but flat roofed which at Rome they call Leads or Balcony's that is flat roofs supported by Beams placed across The Vulgar Translation uses this word for a house Prov. 21. v. 9. 25. v. 24. Anselm on Matth. fol. 45. In Palestine they use to make their Roofs flat not copped Even so the Temple of Solomon was made flat above and in the Circuit of the Gallery there were Grates lest any one should unawares fall down and the Doctors had there their Seats that they might from thence speak to the People To pray To wit Secretly and without interruption Suetonius says of Augustus If at any time he desired to do any thing in secret and without interruption he had an apartment above for that purpose c. About the sixth hour That is As the famous Drusius interprets it The time of Prayer which they call The Prayer of Sacrifice or of Oblation which begun at half an hour past six and lasted till half an hour past nine It was also the hour of Dining therefore in the Book whose Title is Principium Sapientiae it is called The time of Refreshment Before this Prayer they tasted not of any thing and it was of great esteem amongst the Ancients See what is said above ch 2. v. 15. ch 3. v. 1. 10. Would have eaten Gr. Tasted That is Eaten A Metonymia of the design'd effect saith Piscator for we tast Meats for this Reason that if they please us we may eat them From hence we may gather that the Jews were wont to Dine at Mid-day which with them was the sixth hour and Josephus in his own Life says that this was the hour of their Dinner on their Sabbath See before ch 2. v. 15. He fell into a Trance That is He was entranced or without himself that he minded not what was done about him neither had he any sense of any outward thing but was wholly intent upon his Internal Idea's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is saith Price as saith Apuleius in his Apology to be astonished even to the forgetfulness of things present and the Memory being by little and little removed from Corporeal Things is made intent upon that Nature which is Immortal and Divine Augustine says of his Mother 9 Confess 5. she suffer'd a defection of mind and for a time was estranged from noticing things present 11. And he saw Heaven opened That is Heaven seemed to him to be divided as it were with a wide opening and that way it opened a covering like a great sheet did descend to him bound at the four Corners hanging from Heaven down to the Earth But saith Grotius that sheet seemed to hang from Heaven to signify our liberty indulg'd from Heaven See what we have said before chap. 7. v. 56. A certain Vessel as it had been a sheet Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although I am not ignorant saith the most famous Heinsius how large signification the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Heb. and the Vas of the Romans hath yet I had rather in this place call it involucrum a Cloak or something like it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cloak as it were a Sheet especially since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the Greeks for a Cloak Hesychius the most learned of Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every thing that serveth to cover It may be he alludes to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Hebrew Shepherds which was either a Cloak or a Satchel in which they used to put their Meat and Cups out of which they drank and their other Necessaries Such a one is that of Zech. 11. v. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vessel of a foolish Shepherd Although there the Greeks render Vessels in the plural number Knit at the four Corners and let down to the Earth That is Being bound at the four Corners to hang from Heaven to Earth 12. Wherein were Not in reality but in appearance as says Cyrill of Alexandria lib. 9. against Julian All. That is All sorts Four-footed Beasts of the Earth and creeping things Gr. Four-footed Beasts and wild Beasts and creeping things The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four-footed Beasts in the Vulgar Latin Edition is taken in as large a sense here as amongst the Naturalists But in the Greek Text it only comprehends Domestick Creatures and which are wont to be kept for the common use of Men as Camels Horses Asses Dogs Oxen
And Homer calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-taught whom God hath taught And going out they passed through one street Or one broad way within the City And forthwith the Angel departed from him Leaving the rest to Peters Industry now he was plac'd in safety 11. Peter coming to himself His Amazement being shaken off Now I know c. That is Now I perceive that my deliverance has happened in reality not in vision and that by the help of an Angel sent from Heaven by the Lord lest I should be slain by Herod as the Enemies of the Christian Religion the Jews desired 12. And considering That is Deliberating with himself what he should do He came to the house of Mary This Matron seems to have been a Widdow because the House was called hers without mentioning her Husband Hereby also it appears that whereas ch 4.34 't is said that as many as had Houses sold them those Houses are to be excepted in which they dwelt and met together as also is shewn before ch 2.46 Whose sirname was Mark. This John Mark the Son of Mary seems to be called Barnabas's Sisters Son Col. 4.10 Betwixt this Man and Paul there happened a little Coldness ch 15.39 But they were soon reconciled as good Men use to be and then a strict Friendship succeeded this Coldness Hence it is that Paul Col. 4.11 numbers him with Jesus Justus alone of the Circumcised among his helpers and 2 Tim. 4.11 desires Timothy to bring him along with him to Rome as one that would be very useful to him Where many were gathered together For seeing that the Believers of whom there was already a great number could not meet together all in one body they divided themselves into divers Congregations in several Houses to pray to God for Peter See v. 17. From hence it appears that when necessity and the rage of Persecutors force us to it holy Meetings though in the night are not unlawful For that this Meeting was held in the night is plain from v. 6 18. 13. The door of the Gate Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judg. 18.16 17. Ezek. 40.11 That is called saith Kimchi in his Book of Roots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is without the doors of the Gate For all that which is within and without as also the doors and outward Threshold is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as much as it is joined to the door post and apper Threshold But that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is always open and though the doors be shut is always left open A Damsel came to see Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hearken that is to spy who it was that knockt at the door so late at night She came saith Grotius that she might know by his voice who he was lest she should rashly let any one in Named Rhoda Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rose Many Womens Names are derived from Flowers Herbs and Trees as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Susanna from a Lilly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hadessa from a Myrtle The Greek name Rhode 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also mentioned in the fragments of Menander 15. It is his Angel That is A Messenger sent from him So John the Baptist is called an Angel that is a Messenger Mat. 11.10 The Disciples of John sent to Christ Angels Messengers Luke 7.24 The Disciples of Christ sent into a Village of the Samaritans Luke 9.52 The Spies sent by Joshuah whom Rahab entertain'd James 2.25 This is the simple interpretation of the Greek Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither have we any reason to think that the Believers understood it here otherwise since they had never heard that Heavenly Angels needed to knock at the door to obtain entrance and they knew it did not agree with the Nature of Spirits who with their subtileness can penetrate the most solid Bodies Therefore they thought that the Damsel out of her earnest desire of Peters deliverance which all the Godly had had understood the Messenger discoursing of Peter as if he had said that himself was Peter 16. They were astonished That is They were struck with an unlook'd for joy 17. But he beckening unto them with his hand to hold their peace That is Desiring silence by the beckening of his hand as afterwards ch 13.16.19.33.21.40 Quimilian speaking of the Hands saith They are either held up or down according as we consent or deny How the Lord had brought him out Peter does not give the honour of his deliverance out of Herod's Prison to the Angel but to the Lord of Angels who made use of the Angel in it Tell ye to James An eminent Servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ peculiarly selected together with John and me to Preach the Gospel to the Jews Gal. 2.9 and who some believe governed then the Church at Jerusalem And to the Brethren That is And to the rest of them who live in the strict brotherly Fellowship of Christs Disciples So also in other places by Brethren are meant Christians as before ch 2.30.10.23.11 1 12. James 1. 2 9 c. But Peter would have this deliverance told to all the Christians living in Jerusalem that so he might free them from their trouble about him and they render thanks to God And going out he went out into another place Out of Jerusalem as it seems Some say he went towards Antioch and then by long Journies came to Rome But Lactantius has recorded in his Golden Book of the Deaths of the Persecutors that Peter came not to Rome till the Reign of Nero 25 years after Christs Ascension into Heaven Moreover Damasus to whom is ascribed the Book of the Popes inserted in the first Tome of the Councils says that Peter came to Rome in Nero's time Ration Temp. p. 1. lib. 5. cap. 7. Therefore what Petavius writes The Acts of the rest of the Apostles besides Peter and Paul not being treated of with any faithfulness or credit worthy of an History remain in obscurity this also may deservedly be said of both Peters Bishopricks of Antiâ—ch and Rome of this being extended to 25 years of 〈◊〉 Acts at Rome of the Popedom there erected 〈◊〉 his contention with Simon Magus which began theâ—â— and of a Successor appointed by him 18. Amongst the Soldiers That is Those 〈◊〉 guarded Peter What was become of Peter That is What had happened to Peter that they could not see him in the Prison 19. Examining the Keepers That is Causing a Judicial Process to be made about the Keepers He commanded them to be brought out That is To be haled out to Punishment Plin. lib. 10. Ep. to Trajan speaking of the Christians saith When they again confess'd and that I had the third time questioned them with threats of punishment seeing them obstinate I commanded them to be brought out that is to be put to death And this is a common phrase amongst the Ancients as may be seen in
is no wonder therefore if Saul who was born out of the Land of Israel and was a Roman should have a Roman name together with his Jewish name And it is worth observation that he being now made the Apostle of the Gentiles does always call himself by his Gentile never by his Jewish name and that Luke writing his Acts doth call him Saul while the scone of the History was among the Jews but Paul while among the Gentiles Filled with the Holy Ghost As much as to say Finding himself full of a Prophetick Spirit that he might foretel Gods vengeance against Elymas 10. Subtilty The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth easiness of doing from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I work and so it is taken here by Erasmus for craftiness but by others for a ready boldness for any wickedness Thou Child of the Devil As much as to say Thou who resemblest and imitatest the perverse inclinations and wicked temper of the Devil even as if thou hadst been born of him See John 8.39 40 41 44. Enemy of all righteousness As much as to say Who art contrary to all just and righteous things Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord. As much as to say Wilt thou always with thy blasphemous Cavils traduce the Righteous Doctrine which came from God full of equity and goodness as deformed vitious and full of unrighteousness Paul seems to allude to Hos 14.10 where see our Literal Explanation 11. And now That is And now therefore as above ch 10.5 Behold Beside your expectation The hand of the Lord is upon thee That is The terrible hand of a revenging God is lifted up against thee to give thee a terrible blow And thou shalt be blind not seeing the Sun The same thing expressed with a double phrase beats the more strongly upon the Ears of the hearers and demonstrates the efficacy of him that speaketh For a season Defined and limited And immediately As much as to say Paul had scarcely foretold the imminent stroak of God upon Elymas when the prediction took effect 12. Then c. As much as to say When Sergius Paulus saw the Doctrine of the Gospel Preached by Paul confirmed by the sudden blindness of Elymas its great Opposer he believed the Gospel being struck with admiration that this Doctrine of Christ was joyned with such marvellous Vertue 13. Now when Paul and his Company That is His Companions When saith Calvin he saith that Pauls Companions loosed from Paphos he in the first place means Paul himself then the rest excepting one Thus by observing that ones delicateness he praised others who with unwearied constancy followed Paul They came to Perga in Pamphilia Perga was one of the most famous Cities of Pamphilia which the Temple of Diana called by Cicero Verrina sexta The most Holy and most Ancient did beautify To this Temple as Strabo tells us lib. 14. there was a Sacred Gathering every Year Appollonius Pergeus whose four Books of Cones are extant in Greek and Latin as Andreas Quenstedt saith de patriis illust vir whence he was called by the Men of that Age The Great Geometrician owes his Birth to this City Of Pamphilia we have spoken above ch 2.10 John Mentioned above v. 5. Departing from them Perhaps shunning the pains and the danger of the rest of the Journey See below ch 15.38 Came to Jerusalem To his Mother 14. They came to Antioch in Pisidia Which was called the Caesarean Colony as Pliny saith Nat. Hist. lib. 5. c. 27. He added saith Beza the name of Pisidia to distinguish this Antioch from that other in Syria from whence they went Pisidia was to the North of Pamphilia and it had Lycaonia upon the East which of old was a part of Pisidia upon the West Phrygia Pacatiana being situated between these two Provinces it was formerly governed by a President then by a Praetor under Justinian Nov. 24. And went into the Synagogue That is Into the meeting place of the Jews On the Sabbath day The Evangelists in Greek use to call the Sabbath day Sabbata in the plural according to the Custom of the Septuagint See their Translation Exod. 20.10 And sate down To wit To hear something taken out of the Law and Prophets read as was usual to be read in the Synagogues according to the most Ancient Jewish Custom as may be seen below v. 27. ch 15.21 15. And after the reading of the Law The reason why the five Books of Moses only are called the Law are given by the Author of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because these Books of Moses were given to all Ages But the Prophets Sermons are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they received every Prophesy from the Holy Ghost according to the exigence of the time or of any fact Whichreason saith Ludovicus de Dieu is not altogether to be despised But the five Books of Moses being divided into fifty four Sections which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are read yearly by the Jews in their Synagogues They begin the reading of them the next Sabbath after the Feast of Tabernacles and thenceforward they read one Section every Sabbath day except two whereon they join two lesser Sections to be read together at once that so in a years time all may be read over and may be finished the ninth day of the Feast of Tabernacles which therefore the Jews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gladness of the Law There are some that do not read over the whole Law but once in three years but this is not the common Custom saith Maimonides In summa Talmudica tract de precibus Benedict sacerdotum cap. 13. And the Prophets Every Sabbath-day the Jews read a Section taken out of the Prophets in their Synagogues answering to the lesson read out of the Pentateuch And they call it the Dismission because the Prophetical Section being read the People are dismissed Antiochus Epiphanes saith Elias in his Thisbi did by an Edict forbid the Israelites the reading of the Law What did the Israelites do They took one Section out of the Prophets whose matter was like the things which were treated of in that Section of the Law which was assigned for that Sabbath As for example upon that Sabbath whereon that Section 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be read they read out of the Prophesy of Isaiah ch 42.5 Thus saith the Lord the Lord that created the Heavens c. but when the Section of Noah Gen. 6.1 was to be read they substituted a Section answering to it out of Isai 54.9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me And so also of the rest of the Sections But now though this Decree of Antiochus be void yet that Custom of reading Sections taken out of the Prophets accommodated to the Sections of the Pentateuch is not taken away for even to this day they read such Sections as these of
in Athenaeus esteemed things strangled amongst their chiefest Dainties that is such flesh wherein the Blood was carefully preserved and kept in That the same might be boiled together and so eat more delicately which thing was also against the Law of not eating Blood And that in Africk in Austines time as he tells us in his 32. Book against Faustus the Manichee Ca. 13. those were laught at who made it a Religious scruple to eat things strangled Is no Argument saith Curcelleus excellently of their Error but rather of the prophaness of those who mock't them and undervalued and contemned the Commands of God as often we see happen at this day So those that desire Baptism might be administred not by sprinkling but as in the ancient Church it was used by an Immersion of the whole Body into the Water are scofft at And because they are thus derided by men that have very little or no Religion others are ashamed to approve and practise it tho Convinced it ought so to be done And Fornication This Sin was prohibited to the Israelites In some Copies there is added Deut. 28.17 And those things which ye would not should be done to your selves do not you do to others As we noted before v. 20. From which keeping your selves you shall do well The most Ancient Copies add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Ancient Interpreter of Irenaeus renders walking in the Holy Spirit And Tertullian in his Book of Pudicitia You being born or carried by the Holy Ghost Fare well As the Latines at the close of their Epistles use the Imperative Vale or Valete so the Greeks the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this is wanting in those Ancient Books wherein are the last mentioned Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 30. So when they that is Paul and Barnabas were dismissed that is by the Synod of Jerusalem they came to Antioch the Metropolis of Syria They delivered the Epistle Synodical of the Council of Jerusalem to the Brâ—thren of the Church at Antioch being assembled together 31. Which when they that is the Brethren of Antioch had read they rejoyced for the Consolation That is they rejoyced for the Comfort received by that Epistle whereby they were freed from the Burthen of all Legal Ceremonies and only to observe those things which were altogether necessary 32. Being Prophets also themselves That is instructed with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit whereby they were able to apprehend and interpret the true Sense of the Word of God where it was not to every one obvious they being thus qualified as well as Paul and Barnabas Did with many Words exhort and confirm the Brethren As much as to say They did more largely from the Word of God propose to the Antiochean Christians Comforts against Dangers and Difficulties that neither their Faith nor Piety might waver or fluctuate with uncertain Errors 33. And after they had tarried c. When those sent from the Church of Jerusalem had for some time continued at Antioch they had leave from the Antiochians to return back to those that sent them with wishes of Peace in which Word the Hebrews comprehend all things happy and prosperous But whereas it is commonly read even in the Greek Copies That they were let go in Peace from the Brethren unto the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Alexandrine Manuscript and many others read it more truly thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To those who had sent them As also the Vulgar Latin has it I conceive saith Beza that in this place by Apostles ought to be understood the Church of Jerusalem in general not those peculiarly so called of whom 't is probable very few were then at Jerusalem and perhaps none but James For this was some pretty while after the Synod held there 34. Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to continue there still As much as to say Yet after they had leave to return Silas thought fit of his own accord to remain a little longer with Paul and Barnabas And Judas returned alone to Jerusalem These Words in most Common Greek Copies are only understood but in some they are expressed 35. Paul also and Barnabas continued c. That is they stay'd at Antioch after the departure of Judas where with many others mentioned before Ch. 11. V. 19 20 27 and 28. and Ch. 13. V. 1. they daily preached the Doctrine of Jesus Christ contained in the Gospel and inspired unto them by the Holy Ghost 36. In every City where we have Preached Viz. of Syria Pamphylia Pisidia Lycaonia and Lycia And see how they do That is whether they continue stedfast in the Faith received and grow and profit in Godliness 37. And Barnabas determined to take with them John c. To be their Companion in this Journey proposed by Paul 38. â—ut Paul thought not good to take him with them The Ethiopick translates it But Paul desired Barnabas not to take Mark. Concerning this John Mark. See before Ch. 12. V. 12. Who departed from them from Pamphylia See Ch. 13. V. 13. And went not with them to the Work Viz. of Preaching the Gospel through the several Towns of the lesser Asia 39. And the Contention In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A sharp Commotion or stirring up That is by an eager dispute between Paul perswading what was more Just and Barnabas desiring what was more kind there arose an incensing to Anger and an Offence but without any Hostile Hatred or Malice They departed asunder As Abraham and Lot did yet conserving still their Friendship Gen. 13.9 This Contention arising by humane weakness between these two Apostles otherwise most agreeing did by the Divine Providence produce this Good That those two Eminent Preachers of God's Word being separated and taking different Journeys into Places remote from each other they the more promoted the Common Work of their Lord and Master and further propagated the Doctrine of the Gospel Barnabas took Mark. Who was his Sister's Son Col. 4.10 Yet the suppositious Dorotheus Tyrius in his little Book of the Life and Death of the Prophets Apostles and Disciples of Christ distinguishes this Mark from him mentioned Col. 4. making one Bishop of Byblos the other of Apollonias 40. And Paul chose Silas That is for the Companion of his Journey and Ministry and departed that is from Antioch Being recommended c. That is commended to God by the Prayers of the Christians there that God would bless his Journey and Labours with prosperous Success We may saith Calvin from the Context collect that in this Contest Paul's Conduct was most approved of by the Church For when Barnabas went away with his Companion there is no mention of the Brethren as if he had privately withdrawn himself without taking leave of them But Paul is recommended by the Brethren to the Grace of God whence it appears that the Church rather took part with him than with Barnabas in this
Syracusans But I know not on what account he calls so admirable a Man contemptuously vile little Man If ye desire to know more of this City consult Cluverius l. 1. Sicil. Ant. c. 12. and Goltzius on Syracuse We tarried there To wit at Syracuse 13. Thence That is When we had tarried three days at Syracuse we parted thence We fetcht a compass and came to Rhegium A City of Greeks built by the Inhabitants of Chalcidia as Strabo testifies l. 6. Hence Solinus c. 8. It is well known that Rhegium was built by the Chalcidians It retains the name at this day for it is called Reggio by the Italians it was of old the Chief City of the Brutii now of Calabria the farther in the Kingdom of Naples It is situate on the border of the Sicilian streights over against Sicily it is dignified with a Bishops Seat according to the testimony of Alexandrinus and Michael Antonius Bandrand of Paris on his Geographical Lexicon Authors are not agreed as to the Etymology of its name some say that it was so called because it was a large City and as it were Royal but others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be broken because that before that I may use Virgils Words Aen. 3. that Land and Sicily Divided were land that conjoyned was A huge Flood did with violence divide Parting Sicilia from Hesperia 's side Cities and Fields retired with swelling Waves A narrow Sea their Margine interlaves Strabo in the forecited sixth Book and Eustathius on Dionysius's Perieget v. 345. are my Authors for both the Originations Strabo in the same Book reporteth that it was destroyed by Dionysius the first of that name King of Sicily and repaired by his Son and called Phoebia and that it was augmented by Augustus Caesar out of his own Navy when it was but thinly Peopled It is called Rhegium Julium by Ptolemy l. 3.1 either for that Julius Caesar sent a Colony thither or because Julia the Daughter of Augustus by Scribonia being banished into Rhegium for her lewdness died there as Tacitus testifies Book 1. of his Annals If any desire to know further of this City let him consult Leander Albertus his Description of Italy dedicated to Henry 2. King of France Cluverius and others And after one day To wit past at Rhegium The South Wind blowing the next day After our departure from Rhegium We came to Puteoli In the Gr. the Latin name being a little corrupted 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Varro Book 4. of the Latin Tongue From the Word Putei Wells the City Puteoli has its name because about that place are many cold and hot Waters except it be rather called so from Putor stench because it has often a noisome smell of Brimstone or Allum This City of Tuscany that is Hetruria is called by three names by Stephen Byzantius in their proper places For by him it is called Dicaea Dicaearchia and Potioli In Potioli he saith that it was built by the Samians and in Dicaea that it was a Colony of the Ionians S. Jerome in Euseb Chron. Lib. 2. Olymp. 64. A. 4. The Samians built Dicaearchia which is now called Puteoli Strabo saith of this City after his Description of the Lakes Lucrinus and Avernus Next are the Shoars or the Coasts about Dicaearchia and the City itself It was once a Dock of the Cumans built on the Brink of the Shore But about the time of the War with Annibal the Romans sent a Colony thither and changing its former name Dicaearchia they called it Potioli from Putei Wells Others from Putor stench because of the stench of its Waters The same Strabo a little after But the City was made a great Mart Town having Artificial Harbors for Ships by reason of the natural convenience of the Sand. Dicaearchia as for most part it is called by the Greeks is by Pliny l. 3. c. 5. called the Colony Dicaearchia It appears from the thirty fourth Book of Livy that Puteoli Vulturnus and Liternus were made Colonies of Roman Citizens when Publius Cornelio Scipio Africanus was Consul for the second time in the Consulship of Titus Sempronius Longus and that 300 Men were sent into each of them If Puteoli did not afterwards lose its right of Colony Cornelius Tacitus was mistaken when he said Book 14 of his Annals Puteoli an ancient City in Italy obtained the right of a Colony and Surname from Nero. Benjamin Tudelensis saith in his Itinerary but without any Author for it that this City was anciently called Surento and that it was built by Hadarezer who is made mention of 2 Sam. 8.3 when he fled from before the face of David as the Hebrews express it which fable the counterfeit Joseph Ben. Gorion also relateth l. 1. c. 3. but the contrary appears from Ptolomy with whom Chap. 1. of his third Book of Geography Puteoli and Surentum are distinct Cities Puteoli is now by the Italians called Pozzuolo which is the same name a little corrupted C. Caesar Caligula joyned Baiae to its Bulwark by a Bridge which were most four Miles distant either in aemulation of Xerxes who bridged over the Hellespont or that he had a mind to terrifie Germany and Brittany whom he was invading by War with the report of this huge Work or rather because Thrasyllus the Mathematician had foretold that Caius the Emperor should not more be Emperor than he could ride upon Horses over the Bay of Baia as Suetonius relateth in his Caeligula Marcus Tullius Cicero saith Thomas de Pinedo called his Village Puteolanum because it was near Puteoli where Aelius Spartianus in the Life of Adrian the Emperor saith that this Emperor was interred in which Antoninus Pius his Successor made him a Temple insâ—ead of his Sepulchre and a Game every five years like to the Olympian and Priests and Colledges and many other things which belonged to the Honour as it were of a God as the same Spartianus declareth In the middle of the City there is a most ancient Temple to be seen somewhat defaced by the violence of Earthquakes of old consecrated to Augustus but now to Saint Proculus where Mens bones are to be seen of a vast bigness as Leander Albertus an Eye-witness testifieth in his Campania For he placeth this City in that part of Italy 14. Where we found the Brethren That is The Christians who possibly were converted from Judaism to Christianity Josephus makes mention of the Jews that dwelt at Dicaearchiu that is Puteoli Ant. l. 17. c. 4. And were desired By the same Brethren To tarry with them Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Lewis de Dieu is seldom put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at yet it is not altogether out of use as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the doors at the Gate is in use almost with all Wriers and in Thucidydes l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was situate by the River Seven days To wit as many as Julius the Centurion had appointed to stay