certaine of the Iews and hee killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword The first words About that time relate to what went before in the preceding Chapter vers 28. and meaneth in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. Now what should bee the incentive of the spleene of Agrippa against the Church it is not specified it may well bee supposed it proceeded from that his Ceremoniousnesse and strict observance of Mosaick Rites which is mentioned by Iosephus Concerning the Martyrdome of Iames under this his spleene wee will content our selves with the words of the Text He killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword accounting all other additionall circumstances which may bee found in officious Authors to bee nothing else but gilded legends and fond inventions As that mentioned by Eusebius out of Clemens his Hypotyposeâ—n concerning his accuser that seeing his constancy to the death confessed the faith and was martyred with him That by Epiphanius that hee lived and dyed a virgin and that by Surius who is the bell-weather for old winter tales that telleth That his body after his martyrdome was shipped by Ctesiphon and his fellow-Bishops for Spaine that the Ship in six dayes was directed thither without Pilot or Compasse but onely by the influence of the Corpse that it carryed That at the landing the body was taken up into the aire and carryed neare the place of its buriall twelve miles off That Ctesiphon and his fellows were led to it by an Angel And more such trash that it is but labour lost either to read or mention Sect. II. The Apostles Creed The Creed was made upon this occasion saith Rabanus Maurus as our Ancestors have delivered unto Vs. The Disciples after the Ascension of our Saviour being inflamed with the holy Ghost c. And being chaâ—ged by the Lord to goe to all Nations for the preaching of the Gospel when they are to part one from another they fiâ—st make a common platforme among themselves for their future preaching Lest being severed in place divers and different things should bee preached to those that were invited to the faith of Christ. Being therefore together in one place and filled with the holy Ghost they compose a short platforme for their preaching conferring together what they thought And this they appoint to bee given to them that beleeve and to bee called Symbolum Thus hee and very many others with him conceiving that the Apostles supplyed not onely the matter of the Doctrine contained in the Creed but the very forme and words also For Peter said say they I beleeve in God the Father Almighty John The maker of Heaven and Earth James And I beleeve in Iesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. Andrew Which was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Philip Suffered under Pontius-Pilate was crucified dead and buryed Thomas Hee descended into hell the third day hee rose againe from the dead Bartholomew Hee ascended into heaven sitteth at the right hand of God the father Almighty Matthew From thence shall he come to judge both the quicke and the dead James the sonne of Alpheus I beleeve in the holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church Simon Zelotes The communion of Saints the forgivenesse of sinnes Judas the brother of James The resurrection of the flesh Matthias The life everlâ—sting Amen Thus the hundred and fifteenth Sermon de Tempore that goeth under the name of Austen but apparent that it is noâ— his by this that here is â—eckoned the descent into hell which in his book de Fâ—de Symbolo is quite omitted Now were this tradition as true as it is punctuall it would readily plead for its owne place in Chronologie namely about this time at which wee now are before Iames his death for hee gave in his symbolum according to this tradition among the rest But that this opinion of the Apostles casting in every one his parcell is of no validity but a presumptuous and false surmise may bee evinced by these Arguments First Because the titlâ— of The Catholick Church is neither used in any of the Apostles writings nor is it likely that it came into use till after the Apostles dayes when the Church was dispersed into all parts of the earth Secondly because the Article Hee descended into hell is not owned or acknowledged at all by the Nicene Creed nor by any of the ancientest Fathers next the Apostles times in their reckoning up of the Articles of the Creed as see instances in abundance in Polanus his Syntagma lib. 6. cap. 21. Thirdly if the matter and words of the Creed had beene from the Apostles themselves why is it not then Canonicall Scripture as well as any of the sacred Writ Fourthly in the giving in of their severall symbols or parcellâ— after the manner opinionated before there is so great disproportion and inequality some giving so much and some so little that it maketh the contribution it selfe to bee very suspitious Fifthly the Summary Collection of the points of Christian religion taught by the Apostles and delivered by them to others to teach by consisteth of two heads faith and love 2 Tim. 1.13 But the Creed consisted of faith onely I rather thinke therefore saith Mr. Perkins that it is called the Apostles Creed because it doth summarily containe the chiefe and principall points of Religion handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles and because the points of the Creed are conformable and agreeable to their Doctrine and writings Sect. III. Traditions With their framing of the Creed before their parting hath Baronius joyned alâ—o their delivery of Traditions Sicut symbolo saith hee ita etiam aliis absque Scripturâ traditionibus Ecclesiae impertitis diviserunt sibi ad quas singuli proficiscerentur orbis terrae provincias Having thus imparted the Creed and also traditions without Scripture to the Church they parted among themselves what Countrey every one of them should goe unto These Traditions the Councell of Trent divideth into those which were received by the Apostles from the mouth of Christ or delivered from hand to hand from the Apostles to our times the holy Ghost dictating them unto them And these those Fathers hold of equall authority with the Scriptures and the Councell curseth them that shall willingly and knowingly contemn them And well doe they deserve it if they did but certainly and assuredly knâ—w that they came from such hands Bellarmine hath stretched the name and peece oâ— traditions to one tainterhook higher For Traditions saith he are Divine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Divine are those which were received from Christ himselfe teaching his Apostles and yet are not to bee found in the Scriptures such are those which concerne the matter and forme of the Sacraments Apostolicall are those which were instituted by the Apostles not without the assistance of the holy Ghost and yet are not to bee found in their Epistles Ecclesiasticall traditions are properly called
the Country And so is Luke to bee understood here Philip came downe to the Citie of Samaria that is to the Metropolis of that Country which indeed was Sychem and so saith Iosephus Antiq. lib. 11. cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Samaritans had then Sichem for their Metropolis And in the same Chapter hee saith againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which his Latine interpreter hath rendred thus Illis Samaritis dicentibus Hebraeos quidem se esse sed Sichimitas vocari a Sodoniis which translation how true it is and whether Iosephus meane not that the Samaritans said that they were indeed Hebrewes but were called Sidonians that dwelt at Sichem whether in that story they call not themselves so for advantage let the learned censure This Citie Iohn the Evangelist calleth Sychar in stead of Sychem Ioh. 4.5 not that the text is there corrupted as some have held but that the Jewes seeme to have pronounced the word so corruptly in derision of the Samaritans to whom they were bitter enemies For by this name they reviled them for drunkards for so the word signifieth and this taunt seemeth to have beene taken up from Esay 28.1 woe to the drunkards of Ephraim of which Sichem was the chiefe Citie Vers. 6. And the people gave heed c. Sect. III. Samaria converted Our Saviour gave it in lesson to his disciples both by precept and his owne example that they should preach first in Ierusalem then in Iudea and then in Samaria For so did hee himselfe Ioh. 1. and 2. and 4. So commanded he them to doe Act. 1.8 and so doe they now Act. 8. Philip one of the seven travailing in the common affliction and in preaching the Gospel as the rest of the 108. did being backed with this warrant of his master goeth downe to Samaria and preacheth there though they were enemies to the Jewes It was but three yeares or little more since Christ had beene there among them himselfe Ioh. 4. and whether it were the good remembrance of what hee had taught them then or the extraordinary hand of God with what was delivered now or both together such effect have Philips doctrine and miracles that the Citie for the generall doth beleeve and is baptized Vers. 13. Simon himselfe beleeved Sect. IIII. Simon Magus Hee who had long caused the people to wonder at his miraculous delusion is now himselfe amazed at Philips reall miracles But conceiving that hee had wrought them by a Magicall facultie above his owne and desiring to fish and get the trick out of him hee insinuateth himselfe the more neerely into his company by taking on him to beleeve so that he is baptized for any other beleefe of Simon Magus is not imaginable For when hee saw that Peter and Iohn exceeded Philip as hee thought Philip did exceed himself for to Apostles onely belonged to bestow the holy Ghost the whole venome and mischiefe of his heart brake forth at once first by offering money for the same Apostolicall power and then in a scornefull intreaty of the Apostles to pray for him when they advised him to repent and pray for so should I understand his words Vers. 24. Pray yee to the Lord for mee for an Ironicall taunt and finally by open Heresie and opposall of the Gospel Hee had a whore which hee led about with him was called Helena or as some will have it Selene of Tyrus Of whom if wee understand Revel 2.20 which speaketh of Iezabel that called her selfe a Prophetesse it would not bee unconsonant for as Simon like Ahab was of Samaria so Helena like Iezabel was of Tyre Nor were their doctrines much different for the one seduced men to commit fornication and to eate things sacrificed to Idols and the other taught them to do what they would and not to feare the threats of the Law for that they should bee saved by the grace of Simon Many such monsters of Doctrine and Hydraes of opinion did this Lerna of Heresie breed and this first borne of Satan vomit forth As these that in Iudea hee was the Sonne of God in Samaria the Father and in other nations the Holy Ghost That Helena bred Angels and Angels made the world That bee himselfe came downe from heaven for his Helena and that shee was the lost sheepe mentioned in the Gospel and that shee was that Helena that occasioned the destruction of Troy And a great deale more of such hideous and blasphemous matter recorded by Irenaeus Epiphanius Augustine Philastrius and others Histories have traced this Magicall wretch from Samaria to Rome and there have brought Simon Peter and him contending before Nero in working of miracles and Peter bringing him to harme and shame which shall bee tried in its proper place Sect. V. The Holy Ghost given ver 17. The Apostles at Jerusalem hearing the glad tidings of the conversion of Samaria send downe unto them Peter and Iohn And why these two rather then any other of the twelve is not so easie to resolve as it is ready to observe that if in this imployment there was any signe of Primacy Iohn was sharer of it as well as Peter Being come they pray and lay their hands upon them and they receive the Holy Ghost Here Episcopacy thinketh it hath an undeniable Argument for proofe of its Hierarchy and of the strange rite of confirmation For thus pleadeth Baronius for the former From hence saith hee it may bee seene that the Hierarchicall order was instituted in the Church of God even in this time for Philip doth so baptize those that beleeve that yet hee usurpeth not the Apostolicall priviledge namely the imposition of hands granted to the Apostles And thus the Rhemists both for it and for the latter in their notes on Act. 8.17 If this Philip had beene an Apostle saith S. Bede hee might have imposed his hands that they might have received the Holy Ghost but this none can doe saving Bishops For though Priests may baptize and annoint the baptized also with Chrisme consecrated by a Bishop yet can hee not signe his forehead with the same holy oyle because that belongeth onely to Bishops when they give the holy Ghost to the baptized And after this testimony of Bede they subjoyne their owne inference This imposition therefore of hands together with the prayers here specified which no doubt was the very same that the Church useth to that purpose was the ministration of the Sacrament of Confirmation Now let the Reader with indifferency and seriousnesse but ruminate upon these two Queries and then judge of those two inferences First whether Apostleship were not an Order for ever unimitable in the Church for besides the Reason given to prove that it was upon the choosing of Matthias others may bee added to make it the more cleare As 1. the end of their Election was peculiar the like to which was not to bee in the Church againe for they were chosen to bee with Christ Marke 3.14 to bee eye-witnesses
of his resurrection Acts 1.22 2.32 10.41 as they had been of his actions and passion Luke 1.2 And therefore Paul pleading for his Apostleship useth this argument from a property necessary for an Apostle That hee had seene the Lord 1 Cor. 9.1 and in the relation or story of his calling this particular is singularly added That hee saw that just one and heard the voice of his mouth Act. 22.14 Secondly the name of Apostles keepeth it selfe unmixed or confounded with any other Order It is true indeed that the significancy of the word would agree to other Ministers that are sent to preach but there is a peculiar propriety in the sense that hath confined the title to the twelve Paul as any indifferent eye will judge and censure upon the weighing of it in the New Testament Thirdly when Paul reckoneth the severall kinds of Ministery that Christ left in the Church at his ascension Ephes. 4.11 and 1 Cor. 12.28 there is none that can thinke them all to bee perpetuated or that they should continue successively in the like order from time to time For within an hundred yeeres after our Saviours birth where were either Prophets or Evangelists miracles or healings And if these extraordinary kinds of ministration were ordained but for a time and for speciall occasion and were not to be imitated in the Church unto succeeding times much more or at the least as much were the Apostles an Order much more at least as much extraordinary as they Fourthly the constant and undeniable Parallel which is made betwixt the twelve Patriarchs the Fathers of the twelve Tribes and the twelve Apostles not onely by the number it selfe but also by the New Testament in the fouâ—e and twenty Elders Rev. 4.4 and in the gates and foundations of the new Ierusalem Rev. 21.12 14. doth argue and prove the latter order as unimitable as the first These things well considered if there were no more it will shew how improbable and unconsonant the first inference is that is alledged that because there was such a subordination betwixt the Apostles and Philip that therefore the like is to bee reputed betwixt Bishops and other Miniâ—ters and that Bishops in the Church are in the place of the Apostles A second Quaere and very materiall to the matter in agitation is whethâ—â— imposition of hands were ever used by the Apostles but for ordination to some Office in the Church For whereas their giving of the holy Ghost to Samaritans in this sâ—orâ— and 〈◊〉 others elswhere is adduced as an example and argument for that which is now called confirmation and which hath 〈◊〉 indifferently given to all for it is good cheape that this act of the Apostles aimed not nor intended to any such thing may bee reasonably conjectured and guessed at by these considerations First that the holy Ghost thus given meaneth not his ordinary worke of sanctification and confirming in Grace but his extraordinary gifts of Tongues Prophecying and the like And this is evident by the meaning of that Phrase the holy Ghost in the Scriptures when it denoteth not exactly the Person of the holy Ghost or the third Person in the Trinity For as it is a Rabbinick expression very common in the writings of the Jewes and in the use of the Nation and evermore in their use and sense meaneth only the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit mentioned so doth it constantly signifie in the Scripture and it is very hard if not utterly impossible to find it signifying any other sense Secondly it is yet more evident by the very historicall relation of Luke concerning the matter in hand for in Acts 19.6 telling how Paul laid his hands upon certaine men at Ephesus and they received the holy Ghost hee instantly explaineth what were the gifts of the holy Ghost that they received for they spake with tongues saith hee and prophecyed And it is not possible to thinke but that Simon Magus when hee offered money for this fruit of the imposition of his hands that he might give the holy Ghost saw some visible apparent signe of the gift by the hands of the Apostles which if it were onely sanctifying or confirming grace how could hee have seene it So did they of the Circumcision perceive when the gifts of the holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles Acts 10.45 For they saw it by their speaking with tongues and magnifying God ver 46. Fourthly it being then thus undeniable that the gifts conferred by the imposition of hands were the extraordinary ones of the holy Ghost it can as little also bee denyed that they were imparted onely to some singular and particular persons and not to all whatsoever without distinction For otherwise 1. It must bee granted that Simon Magus received them as well as others which I know not who will grant for by his familiarity with Philip and the Apostles hee having also beene baptized with the rest and his wickednesse and his villany not yet broken forth hee might have gotten a precedency in this gift before others if it had been generall 2. It would bring Women under imposition of hands which can hardly be dreamed of or ever was of any one It is true indeed that women might did receive some of these extraordinary gifts but it was by immediate influence from Heaven and not by any imposition of hands So that now if wee looke upon this Story and upon others of the like nature through these spectacles it will appeare that this Imposition of the Apostles hands was not upon all the Samaritans but upon some selected number nor upon those selected ones for their confirmation in grace but for their ordination to the Ministery and with the imposition of hands they received the holy Ghost to inable them for that work Vers. 26. Which is desert This is to bee applyed to the way â—o Gaza and not to Gaza itselfe and so the Syriack and Arabick apply it expressely and warrantably seeing the way was through the wildernesse of Iudah and there was but one Gaza Vers. 27. A man of Aethiopia There is mention of a double Cush or Ethiopia in scripture for so is it rendred the one in Arabia and the other in Africk and Homer even in his time speaketh of a twofold Ethiopia Odys 1. but it is questionable whether hee meane the same with the Scripture or no since hee calleth them Easterne and Westerne whereas these were East and South Now this man is held and that upon good ground to bee of Ethiopia in Africk where the name of Candace is renowned even in Heathen Authors Vers. 33. Who shall declare his generation This Prophecy of Esay which the Eunuch was reading is exceedingly much mistaken by the Jewes and this clause of the Prophecy is exceedingly controverted among Christians The Jewes understand it some of them concerning Iosiah others concerning the whole people of Israel but the holy Ghost hath in the place put us out of all doubt of whom it
certaine old customes began either by Prelates or by people which by little and little by the tacit consent of the people obtained the power of a Law Under these heads especially under the two first hath he placed these particulars The perpetuall Virginity of Mary the number of the Canonicall bookes Baptizing of Infants blessing the water before bidding them renounce Satan and his workes signing them with the signe of the crosse anointing them with oyle not re-baptizing after Heretiques Lent Ember weeke inferiour Orders in the Church worshipping of Images c. To which others adde The oblation of the Sacrament of the Altar Invocation of Saints Prayer for the dead the Primacy Confirmation Orders Matrimony Penance extreme Vnction Merits necessity of satisfaction auricular confession c. Into which controversie not to enter concerning the thing it selfe which so many grave and learned pens have handled sufficiently reckoned by Bellarmine though with small good will in his entry upon this question let but reason and indifferency censure concerning that which is more proper to this discourse namely the time of delivering these Traditions whether this or any other And here in the first place let the Reader but consider that at this time there was no more of the New Testament written then the Gospels of Matthew and Marke if so bee that those also were written at this time And then let him judge how senselesse a thing it is to speake of delivering unwritten Traditions to the Church when almost all the New Testament was yet to bee written Or take it at the Councell at Ierusalem which was divers yeares hence when all the Apostles were all together and giving rules to the Church or take it at Pauls apprehension at Ierusalem when imagine all the Apostles to bee together againe and even even at either of those times will the same absurdity follow still for no more of the New Testament was written or very little more then now And then how ridiculous doth it appeare That the Apostles should offer to give rules to the Church by unwritten tradition when they had all their Epistles for rules of the Church yet to write If they would leave the Church to bee regulated by unwritten traditions why should they write after And if they would have her regulated by their writings why should they give her unwritten traditions before A quick wit will nimbly answer that they left her such traditions as were not to bee expressed in their writings but let an honest conscience and an unprejudicate judgement censure whether this will abide the test yea or no. For is it within any compasse of likelihood that these Apostles did know what things Paul would not write of in his Epistles that they should deliver such things before-hand for tradition when as yet they hardly knew whether hee was to be an Apostle of the Gentiles or no when they did not know whether he would write any Epistles or no much lesse did they know what Epistles he would write Appello conscientiam and so much for traditions Vers. 3. Hee proceeded to take Peter also c. Sect. Peters imprisonment and delivery Iames his death was seconded by Peters imprisonment but his time for martyrdome was not yet come as was the others Agrippa having laid hold upon him deferred his execution till after the Passeover either because hee would not defile that holy feast with effusion of humane blood or because hee would afflict Peter the more and give the Jewes the greater content by his long restraint and strait imprisonment or rather because hee feared a tumult if hee should have slaine him in that concourse of people as was there at Passeover time Thus lay hee guarded with foure quaternions or as the Syriack hath it with sixteene Souldiers which as it seemeth watched him by course for the foure watches of the night two close by him and two at the gate Besides these two and two successive jaylors hee was bound with two chaines and if some say true his two keepers were tied for the more surenesse in the same chaines with him Happy men were they sure that had so great interest in these happy chaines which if you dare beleeve Surius had the virtue to work miracles to diffuse grace to procure holinesse to heale diseases to affright the Devill and to defend Christians They were preserved saith hee by some of Herods servants that beleeved and in processe of time laid up for a sacred relique at Constantinople and there either hee or they lie That very night that preceded Peters intended execution hee being fast asleepe between his keepers is waked loosed and delivered by an Angel Baronius maketh a great matter of it that the whole Church prayed for Peter whilest hee was in prison and since the like is not related to have been done by them for any other hee will needs from hence inferre his primacy the whole flock praying for her universall Pastor whereas the reasons of this expression are apparent to bee onely these two First to shew that the Church was praying for him whilst hee was sleeping for alter hee had taken a part of his first sleepe this night hee commeth to the house of Iohn Marke and they are there still out of their beds and at prayer Secondly because the fruit of their prayers were shewed in his delivery There is no doubt but constant prayers were made for Iames by the whole Church whilst hee was in prison as well as for Peter but so much is not expressed because the story could not answer that relation with relation of his delivery And Atheisme and profanenesse would have been ready to have scoffed that the whole Church should have prayed in vaine The Angell and Peter thus loosed passe two watches and then come to the iron gate there are some that hold these watches to bee two prisons and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee taken as it were passively for places where men are kept and that Peter was in a Gâ—ole within these two as in the worst basest and surest place and that all were closed with a gate of Iron But others hold these watches to bee guards of men and that the prison was without the Citie between or within the two outmost walls but in these things it is not materiall to insist for determination The latter is farre the more probable both in regard of the signification of the Greek word and that Iosephus mentioneth three walls about Ierusalem and divers towers in every wall as also in regard of the greater hightning of the miracle in that Peter escapeth not onely his owne sixteen mens watch at the prison doore but also two watches more at the two walls gates and the second which was the Iron gate gave them free passage of its owne râ—cord Peter being cleared of the danger and left of the Angel betaketh himselfe to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn Marke where when
A COMMENTARY UPON THE Acts of the Apostles Chronicall and Criticall The Difficulties of the Text explained And the times of the Story cast into ANNALS The First Part. From the beginning of the Booke to the end of the Twelfth CHAPTER With a briefe Survey of the Contemporary Story of the JEVVES and ROMANS By JOHN LIGHTFOOTE Staffordiens a Member of the Assembly of Divines London Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke and are to bee sold at the Signe of the Green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1645. TO The Right Honourable the Truly Noble and Renowned ROBERT EARLE OF ESSEX c. Illustrious Sir THE inducements that have swayed mee to the Compiling of this Tripartite History have been partly for mine owne satisfaction in the survey and prospect of the times and occurrences of the world coincident and contemporary with those of the Church partly for the satisfaction of the Reader in the same contemplation and for the mixture of some delight with that satisfaction in such a mixture of variety But chiefly for both our observation of the hand of God good and gracious in the preservation and propagation of his Church and just and avengefull in his indignation and judgements upon those two Nations that persecuted the Church if they could have done it to the death and that executed to the death the Lord of the Church the Lord of Life For as there were two Theeves that were crucified with our Saviour the one on the right hand and the other on the left so were there two worse by far that crucified him the Iew and the Roman The former of ignorance and so shall once obtaine mercy the latter even against the confession of his innocency and so shall perish for ever Both persecutors of the Church as well as crucifiers of the Lord of it the Iewes while they continued to bee a Nation the Romans while the Church shall bee a Church The consideration of this very thing doth not onely warrant but even challenge a mixture of study of the Story of these three together that the footsteps of providence might bee traced the more clearly in those two impressions of Mercy and Judgement dispensed in the world in their contrariety the former to the Church and the latter to these two Nations the enemies and persecutors of her and of her Lord. I have therefore taken them up in one discourse from that very time that thâ—se two people did undoe themselves by doing violence to the Lord of Glory and for how long a processe of time the discourse doth carry them on this volumne will speak for the present mine intentions aime at a longer extent if the Lord permit The Story of the Church I have traced in the Acts of the Apostles and there have rather set my selfe to explaine and cleare what difficulties are in the Text then to write out the full History and Occurrences that are there related for since the Euangelist hath done it with a divine Pen it was utterly needlesse that I may say no more to redoe it with mine The times of the Stories there I have been the more curious to search after and to settle as neare as I can and to bring into Annals not onely for the profit that ariseth to the Reader from the knowledge of them which is not little but also for the bringing and reducing of the Story of the other Nation into a parallel and collaterall current and coincidency with them What difficulty I have met withall in this particular any one will readily judge that doth but observe how sparing the holy Ghost hath been through all that Booke to expresse the circumstance of the time with the relation of the things And what I have done towards the fixing of the times in this difficulty I have tendered under the notion of conjecture for I could goe no further yet have I grounded those conjectures upon such reasons as are much to mâ—ne owne satisfaction in that matter and so it may bee they will bee something to others I have led on the Story in this present piece but to the end of the Twelfth Chapter for thitherto hath the Evangelist that wrote the Booke more especially discoursed the planting of the Church and the propagation of the Gospel among the Iews And as for the rest of the Booke from thence to the end that bringeth the Church and Gospel among the Gentiles I have reserved it for another part if the Lord vouchsaâ—e life leisure and assistance The customes and carriage of those Apostolicke times in Worship and Discipline I have been sparing in discussing for the Text for as far as this present discourse goeth is sparing in offering occasion to fall upon such a thing in that part that is behind where the Epistles of Paul are to be taken into hand as they fall in in time such considerations will bee usefull and they will bee inevitable The Story of the Iewes out of their owne Josephus and Philo Egesippus and others the Reader will generally finde to be but a Commentary upon their owne words His blood bee upon us and upon our children written even in Letters of their own blood from time to time For when that perverse and ungodly generation had so farre refused the Gospel and their owne good that it had crucified the Lord that tendered it to them ex illo fluere from that time forward their ruine and decaying is written in all their stories in such Capitall Letters that hee that runs may read it and he that reads them reads them not if hee doe not observe it This short tract of time that this Volume containeth will tell you of three or four or more such Anatomy Lectures in lesse then twelve yeares space of many and many thousands of that Nation that perished and were miserably destroyed in Judea Alexandria and Babylonia and this but as a Preface and beginning of sorrowes and miseries that were to follow in the destruction of the whole Nation for despising and destroying of him that held out life unto them but they chose his and their owne death Some of the same Authors that have given us these prologues of their miseries will continue the scene with further Tragedies till their utter extirpation and we shall borrow an abridgement thereof from them in the parts succeeding if the Lord carry us on and prosper us in that worke And how gratefull and excellent a worke and paines might it bee if where Josephus and Egesippus end their Story and where Jerusalem ended her dayes thence some learned and industrious pen would out of the Iewes own Talmud and Rabbins and other writers continue the story of this dispersed and condemned nation till these later times for the Illustration of the truth of those predictions of Scripture that foretell their doome and for the evidencing of that justice that hath ever since haunted them for the murder of the righteous one whom they crucified These are the two maine things that I
Secondly the name of a family continueth in the males but is lost in the females and therefore in the Hebrew a male is called Zacar from remembrance and women Nashim from forgetting and in the New Test Greek men are called Names upon the like reason Sect. Were about an hundred and twenty This summeth the men that are spoken of in the verse preceding the twelve Apostles the seventy Disciples and about thirty eight more all of Christs own kindred country or converse These one hundred and twenty here spoken of are not to bee reputed or accompted as the whole number of beleevers at Ierusalem at this time but only those that had followed Christ continually Verse 21. were of his owne Countrey stood in more neare relation to him as being of his owne family and society and appointed by him for the Ministery The Beleevers at Ierusalem no doubt were many hundreds if not thousands at this time though wee read of no converts in this booke till the next Chapter For what fruit or accompt can else be given of all Christs preaching and paines bestowed in that City let but Ioh. 2 23. 3.2 4.1 Mar. 3.8 Ioh. 7.31 8.30 11.28 45. 12.19.42 and divers other places be well weighed and it will bee utterly unimaginable that there should be lesse beleevers in Ierusalem now then many hundreds much more unimaginable that these one hundred and twenty were al who were all Galileans and no inhabitants of Ierusalem at all This number therefore mentioned by the Evangelist of one hundred and twenty is not to be thought all the Church in that City but onely the society and company that were of Christs own traine and retinue whilst hee was upon earth that companied with him all the time that hee went in and out among his Disciples Acts 1.21 And this company though it bee mingled and dispersed among the Congregations in the City for preaching the Word and administring the Sacraments and joyning in acts of worship yet did they keepe together as a more intire and peculiar society and standing Presbytery Act. 4.21 and of the rest durst none joyne himselfe unto them Acts 5.13 and thus they continued till the persecution at Stephens death dispersed them all but the Apostles Acts 3.1 Ver. XVI This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled I apprehend not what the word have doth in this clause for it had been both more proper for the sense and more facil for the reader to have it read This Scripture must needs bee fulfilled Now the application of these places so pertinently and home to Iudas sheweth the illumination and knowledge that the breathing and giving of the holy Ghost Ioh. 20.22 had wrought in the Disciples Verse XVIII This man purchased a Field with the reward of iniquity Not that he himself bought this field for Matthew resolves the contrary Matth. 27.7 and tells that it was bought by the Chief Priest for his damned bribe Nor was any such thing in his intention when he bargained for his money but Peter by a bitter irrision sheweth the fruit and profit of his wretched covetise and how he that thought to inlarge his Revenues and to settle his habitation by such horrid meanes came home by it with the contrary his revenues to purchase land for others his habitation to be desolate and himselfe to come to so sad an end Sect. And falling headlong c. Universality antiquity and consent have so determinately concluded that Iudas hanged himselfe that there is no gain-saying yet hath the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 left it so indifferent whether hee hanged himself or were strangled by the Devill that if I were not tyed up by the consent of all to the contrary I should the rather take it the latter way And if I durst so interpret it I should render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this purpose that Satan tooke him away bodily strangled him in the aire and then flung him headlong and burst out his bowels For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui vel a seipso vel ab alio praecipitatur saith Stephanus And to this purpose may that verse of Matth. 27.5 bee very well interpreted And hee cast down the silver pieces in the Temple and departed and going away hee was strangled the Devill catching him away and stifling him and then casting him headlong and bursting out of him with the eruption of his intralls and this terrible occurrence would soone bee noted of all the inhabitants of Ierusalem Acts 1.19 Vers. XIX Aceldama 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a field of blood by a double relation First because it was bought with a price of blood Matth. 27.7 And secondly because it was sprinkled with his blood that tooke that price for so this verse intimateth Verse XXI Wherefore of these men that have companied with us Sect. Observations upon the election of Matthias First that there was a necessity the Apostles should be twelve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and this that the Founders of the Christian Church might bee parallel to the twelve Tribes the founders of the Jewish for now Jewes and Christians were to joine together and this is hinted in the twenty foure Elders the representative body of the Church so often mentioned in the Revelation and spoken out Rev. 21.12.14 Secondly that Matthias and Ioses being chosen to bee presented to the Apostles the election was not the choice of the whole Church as if every member of the Church and believer in Ierusalem either did or might give his vote to the choosing of them but it was onely the choice of the whole Presbytery or the hundred and eight among themselves for so is it most plaine vers 15. 21. being compared together Observe the phrase Of these men that have companied with us Thirdly that the Apostles could not ordain an Apostle by imposition of hands as they could ordain Elders but they are forced to use a divine lot which was as the immediate hand of Christ imposed on him that was to bee ordained that opinion took little notice of this circumstance that hath placed Bishops in the place of the Apostles by a common and successive ordination Vers. 25. Joseph called Barsabas who was sirnamed Justus This seemeth to bee hee that is called Ioses Mark 6.3 15.40 the brother of Iames the lesse and the rather to bee so supposed because he is surnamed Iustus as Iames was And so saith Beza one old Copy readeth Ioses here and the Syriack for Ioses readeth Ioseph in Chapter 4.36 so indifferently are the names used one for another And from this indifferency have some concluded that Ioseph here and Ioses in that Chapter are but one and the same person the nearnesse of the sound of Barsabas and Barnabas helping forward that supposall But first that Ioses or Ioseph in Chapt. 4.36 was borne in Cyprus this Ioseph or Ioses here was born in Galilee Secondly although the Apostles belike had named these
is but the fiftyeth Fourthly to this therefore it is that the phrase of the Evangelist speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English hath very well uttered the day of Pentecost was fully come thereby giving an exact notice how to fix the day that is now spoken of from our Saviours death and to observe that he speaketh of the time of the day indeed and not of the night which was now over and the day fully come The dependance of Pentecost upon this day of waving the first-fruit sheafe was upon this reason because on this second day of the Passeover barley harvest began and from thence forward they might eat parched corne or corne in the eare but by Pentecost their corne was inned and seasoned and ready to make bread and now they offered the first of their bread This relation had this feastivall in the common practise but something more did it beare in it as a memoriall for it recorded the delivering of the Law at mount Sinai which was given at the very same time And thus the giving of the Law at Sinai for the bringing of the Jews into a Church and the gift of the holy Ghost at Sion for the like of the Gentiles did so nearely agree in the manner of their giving both in fire and in the time both at Pentecost Onely as the Christian Sabbath was one day in the week beyond the Jewish Sabbath so this Pentecost when the holy Ghost was given was one in the moneth beyond the Pentecost at the giving of the Law that being on the sixth day of the moneth Sivan and this on the seventh Sect. 2. The Pentecost on which the holy Ghost was given was the first day of the weeke namely Sunday or the Lords day As our Saviour by rising on the first day of the weeke had honoured and sealed that day for the Christian Sabbath instead of the Jewish which was the day before and as is said by the Psalmist that was the day which the Lord had made when the stone refused was become the head of the corner so did he againe augment the honour and set home the authority and dignity of that day in pouring out the holy Ghost upon the Disciples and performing the great promise of the Father on it Which that it may bee the more clearely seene it will not be amisse to lay down the time from our Saviours passion to this time in manner of a Calendar that the readers eye may bee his Judge in this matter And let it not be tedious to take in the account of five or six dayes before his passion which though it may bee a little Parergon or besides this purpose yet may it not be uselesse or unprofitable nay in some respect it is almost necessary since we cannot in reason but begin our Kalendar from the beginning of the moneth Nisan though our Saviour suffered not till the fifteenth day of it Nisan or Abib the first moneth of the year stilo novo Exod. 12.2 I  II  III  IV  V  VI  VII  VIII  IX This night our Saviour suppeth at Bethany where Mary anointeth his feet and Judas repineth at the expence of the ointment Joh. 12.1 X The next day he rideth into Jerusalem c. Joh. 12.12 Mat. 21.1 to vers 17. Mark 11.1 to vers 11. Luke 19 29. to vers 45. At night he goeth again into Bethany Mat. 21.17 Mar. 11.11 Nisan or Abib XI The next pay he goeth to Ierusalem again and curseth the Fig-tree Matth. 21.18 19. Mark 11.12 13 14. and comming to the Temple casteth out buyers and sellers Mar. 11.15 16 17 18. Luk. 19.45 46 47. c. At Even he goeth to Bethany again Mar. 11.19 XII Hee goeth to Ierusalem againe Mar. 11.20 Peter and the rest of the Disciples note the withered Fig-tree Mar. 11.20 21. c. Mat. 21 20. c. They come to the Temple and the Scribes and Pharisees question his authority Mar. 11.27 c. Mat. 21.23 Luke 20.1 which hee answereth with a question about the Baptist Mat. 21.24 c. Mar. 11.29 c. Luke 20.3 Propoundeth the Parable of the Vineyard Matth. 21.28 to the end Mark 12.1 c. Luke 20.9 c. And hee speaketh all contained in Matthew 22 and 23 Chapters and Mark 12. from verse 13 to the end and Luke 20. from verse 20 to verse 5 of chap. 21. At night hee goeth towards Bethany againe and on Mount Olivet looketh on the Temple and uttereth all contained in Matth. 24 and 25. and Mark 13. and Luke 21. from verse 5 to the end This night he suppeth in Bethany with Simon the Leper Matth. 26.1 2 6. Mark 14.1 2 3. and hath ointment powred on his head after Supper hee riseth from the Table and washeth his Disciples feet and giveth Iudas the sop Ioh. 13.2.26 c. With the sop the Devill entereth into him and hee goeth in the dark from Bethany to Ierusalem and bargaineth for the betraying of Jesus XIII Christ is still at Bethany Iudas having done his hellish work with the Chief Priests is returned to Bethany again XIV The Passeover Christ eateth it this day as well as the Jews Mark 14.12 Luk. 22.7 After the Passeover hee ordaineth the Sacrament Mar. 14.22 Iudas received the Sacrament Luke 22.14.21 Upon our Saviours hinting of his treacherousnesse a question ariseth among the Disciples about it and that breedeth another question among them which of them should be the greatest Vers. 23 24. That debate Christ appeaseth telleth Peter again of his denyall maketh that divine speech contained in the fifteenth sixteenth seventeenth Chapters of Iohn singeth the 113 or the 114 Psalme goeth into the Mount of Olives is apprehended brought to Annas the head or chief Judge in the Sanhedrin by him bound and sent to Caiaphas Ioh. 18.13 14. c. and there is in examination and derision all the night XV. The forenoon of this day was the preparation of the Passeover Bullock Ioh. 19.14 the afternoone is the preparation of the Sabbath Luk. 23.54 Mar. 15.42 Early in the morning Christ is brought to Piâ—ate the Roman-Deputy Mar. 15.1 At nine a clock hee is delivered to the Souldiers and common Rabble Mar. 14.25 and brought out to the Jews Ioh. 19.1 to 13. At twelve a clock or high none hee is condemned and presently nailed to his Crosse Iohn 19.13 14. the time of the day that our first Parents ate and fell Now began the darknesse Luke 23.44 and lasted three houres the very space that Adam was under the darknesse of sin without the promise At three a clock in the afternoone Christ yeeldeth up the Ghost Mar. 15.34 the very time when Adam had received the promise of this his passion for his redemption At Even he is buried Mat. 27 57. This day being the first in the Passeover week was called a Sabbath Lev. 23.11 a very solemn day it should have
1.15 it is used here in reference to the whole hundred and twenty and to the whole number of beleevers Chap. 2.46 Now the reason why the Evangelist doth so often harpe upon this string and circumstance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of their conversing together with one accord may bee either in respect of the twelve and one hundred and twenty or in respect of all the believers First the Apostles had been exceedingly subject in the life-time of Christ to quarelsomnesse and contention about priority and who should be the chiefest as Mar. 9.34 Mark 20.24 Yea even at the very Table of the Lords last Passeover and Supper Luke 22.24 And therefore it hath its singular weight and significancy and sheweth a peculiar fruit of Christs breathing the holy Ghost upon them Ioh. 20.22 when it is related that they now so sweetly and unanimously converse together without emulation discord or comparisons Secondly the 108 Disciples were in a subordinate or lower fourm in regard of some particulars to the twelve Apostles and yet was there no heart-burning scorning or envying no disdaining defying or controlling of any one towards another but all their demeanor carryed in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace Thirdly if those two places in Chap. 2.46 5.12 bee to bee applyed to the whole multitude of beleevers of the latter there may be some scruple the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there doth singularly set out the sweet union that the Gospel had made among them though they were of severall Countries severall conditions and severall Sects yet in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in singlenesse of heart as they did convenire in the tertio of the Gospel so did they convenire affectionately inter se. And this began to bee the accomplishment of those prophecies that had foretold the peacemaking of the Gospel as Esa. 11.6 60.18 65.25 66.42 Zeph. 3.9 c. and it was an eminent fruit of Christs doctrine Ioh. 15.12 of his prayer Ioh. 12.17 and of his legacy Ioh. 14.27 Ver. 2. Cloven tongues like as of fire Ver. 3. They began to speake with other tongues Sect. Of the gift of tongues The confusion of tongues was the casting off of the Heathen Gen. 11. For when they had lost that language in which alone God was spoken of and preached they lost the knowledge of God and Religion utterly and fell to worship the Creature in stead of the Creator Rom. 1. Two thousand two hundred and three yeares had now passed since that sad and fatall curse upon the world the confusion of languages and millions of soules had it plunged in Error Idolatry and Confusion And now the Lord in the fulnesse of time is providing by the gifts of tongues at Sion to repaiâ—e the knowledge of himselfe among those Nations that had lost that Jewell by the confusion of tongues at Babel The manner of exhibiting this gift was in tongues of fire that the giving of the holy Ghost at the initiating of the Christian Church might answer and parallel the giving of the Law at the initiating of the Jewish so it did both in time manner that being given at Pentecost and in appearing of fire and so likewise this as was said before Verse 5. And there were dwelling at Ierusalem Iews c. It was indeed the Feast of Pentecost at this time at Ierusalem but it was not the feast of Pentecost that drew those Jewes from all Nations thither First it was not required by the Law that these Jewes that dwelt dispersed in other Nations should appeare at Ierusalem at these Feasts Secondly it was not possible they should so doe for then must they have done nothing else but goe up thither and get home againe Thirdly these Jews are said to dwell at Ierusalem and they had taken up their residence and habitation there but those that came up to the Feastivalls stayed there but a few dayes and so departed to their own homes The occasion therefore of these mens flocking so unanimously from all the Nations of the world was not the Feast of Pentecost but the generall knowledge and expectation of the whole Nation of the Jews that this was the time of Messias his appearing and comming among them This they had learned so fully from the Scriptures of the old Testament especially from Dan. 9. that both the Gospel and their owne writers witnesse that this was the expectation of the whole Nation that the Messias was now ready to appeare In the Scripture these passages assert this matter Luke 2.26 38. 3.15 19 11. Ioh. 1.20 21. In the Hebrews own writings we may finde divers that speak to the same matter as that The Sonne of David shall come about the time when the Romans have reigned over Israel nine moneths from Mic. 5.3 that his appearing shall bee under the second Temple that it shall bee not very long before Ierusalem should bee destroyed and many such passages fixing the time of the Messias his comming to the very time that Iesus of Nazaret did appeare and approve himselfe to bee the Christ as may bee seen in Sanedrin cap. Heleh Galat. lib. 4. Ieronym a Sanctâ Fide Mornaeus de Veritat Christ rel And this so clearly and undeniably that when the wretched and blasphemous Jewes cannot tell what to say to their own Doctors that assert the time so punctually agreeable to the time of Christs appearing they have found out this damnable and cursed way to suppresse that truth as to curse all those that shall bee industrious to compute these times for they have this common execration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let their spirit burst or expire that compute the times And to these assertions of the Jews owne Authors concerning this opinion of their Nation wee may adde also the testimony of Suetonius affirming the very same thing Percrebuerat Oriente toto saith hee vetus constans opinio esse in fatis ut eo tempore Judea profecti rerum potirentur In Vespas And so likewise Tacitus Pluribus persuasio inerâ—t antiquis sacerdotum literis contineri eo ipso tempore fore ut valesceret Oriens profectique Judea rerum potirentur Histor. lib. 5. That is An old and constant opinion had growne through the whole East that it was foretold that at that time some comming out of Judea should obtain the rule of things And many were perswaded that it was contained in the old records of the Priests that at that very time the East should prevaile and some comming out of Judea should obtain the rule which though the blind Authors apply to Vespasian and Titus their obtaining of the Empire yet there can bee no Christian eye but will observe that this opinion that was so prevalent regarded matters of an higher nature namely the comming of Christ and the conquest of the world by the Gospel which came forth from Judea and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem And to these might bee added
house of Judah Tâ—e the youth for a Festivall sacrifice with cords untill yee offer him up and poure his blood at the hornes of the altar said Samuel the Prophet c. At which Psalme and place how farre the Chaldee in Bibliis Regiis and the Chaldee in Bibliis Buxtorsianis and Venetis do differ it is worth the learneds observation Vers. 13. And ignorant men Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word exceedingly much taken into use by Jewish writers both in them and in Greeks it signifieth Private men or men in no publike employment and men of inferiour rank and men ignorant or unskilfull Examples of all these significations might be alledged Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The common multitude whom wise men call Idiotae Galen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unskilfull in Physicke Aben. Ezr. on Levit. 13. vers 2. Aaron that is the Priest anointed in his stead or one of his sons that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotes Idiotae the inferiour Prieâ—ts Rab. Sol. on Levit. 1.1 To what purpose served the pausingâ— To give Moses space to understand betwen division and division sense and sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more to a private man that learneth from a private man In all these senseâ— may it very well be applyed here and it is more then probable all these senses were in the thoughts of the Councell concerning Peter and Iohn at this time they saw they were unlearned private inferiour ignorant men and thereupon they could not but wonder at the miracle and cure that they had wrought Vers. 23. They went to their own company That is to the Societie of the one hundred and twenty mentioned Acts 1.15 Vers. 25. Who by the mouth of thy Servant David hast said c. The second Psalme which ownes not its Author in the Title the holy Ghost ascribeth here to David and seemeth by this very passage to give us close intimation that every Psalme that telleth not in its title who was the author and Penman of it is to bee ascribed to David as the Penman The rule of the Jews that every Psalme that beares not the author of it in the title is to bee reputed of his making who was last named in a title before is at a nonplus at these two first Psalmes and helpes us nothing at all to understand who made them and thereupon Aben Ezra conceiveth not that this second Psalme was made by David but by some of the Singers But this passage of the Apostles in their prayer doth not onely owne David for the Compiler of this Psalme but also teacheth us to own him so of every Psalme whose author is not mentioned in the title of it as might be further confirmed if it were ad hic nunc from Psalme 96. 105. 107. 132. compared with 1 Chron. 16.7 The ancient Rabbins and Doctors of the Jewes interpreted this Psalme concerning Christ even as the Apostles doe here as it is confessed by Solomon Iarchi at his entrance into it though himself and some other latter Jewes apply it to David and it may be in spite to Christ. Verse 32 and 33. Sect. Community of goods This community of goods howsoever it sorted and suited with the present state of the Church at Ierusalem at that time yet can it not bee taken up for an example or president for the time to come For first the thing was not done by command but at the free disposall of whosoever was minded so to doe Acts 5.4 Secondly the Lands that were sold were many of them out of the Land of Canaan for the converts were Jewes from all Nations one instance is given in the Land of Barnabas in Cyprus now when these men were resolved to cleave to the Apostles and not to return to their own Countrey what good would their Lands in those forain Countries do them Thirdly if these Lands and Houses were in Iudea as it is undoubted many of them were it may bee supposed that the faithfull owners thereof tooke notice of the threatned destruction of Ierusalem spoken of by our Saviour and so would part with their estates for the benefit of the Church before they should bee surprized by the enemy And fourthly thus did God provide against persecution to come that neither the poore of the Church should fall off through penury nor the rich start back through worldy mindednesse but by a competent distribution among them the one might have enough and the other not too much And lastly such was the state of the Church at this time as never was the like to be again It was but newly borne it was all in one City the most of the people far resident from their own houses all in a possibility to bee scattered by persecution they could not tell how soon and therefore that present administration of the Church in such a case cannot bee any copy for times to come either to follow as a command or to imitate as a perfection This very yeare was a Jubilee among the Jewes in the very proper sense it being the eight and twentyeth that the Land had had since their setling in it and these people now converted to the Gospel are so farre from returning to their possessions if they had sold or morgaged them as the Jubilee priviledged them that they part with their possessions that they had in their hands having by this time learned that the earthly Canaan and inheritance was not that possession that was to bee looked after and that the Kingdome of the Messias should not be earthly Vers. 36. Barnabas a Levite and of the Countrey of Cyprus c. As Saul a Benjamite of the Countrey of Tarsus yet educated and lived at Ierusalem so did Barnabas in Canaan though a Cypriot borne Hee had land to sell though hee were a Levite for the Levites might purchase Lands of their owne even in the Land of Canaan much more might they in forain Countreys Samuel a Levite was borne upon his Fathers own Land which had been purchased by his great Grandfather Zuph 1 Sam. 1.1 9.5 Now Barnabas had one motive more to sell his Land then other of the common beleevers had namely those words of our Saviour to those Disciples that were to bee Preachers Provide neither silver nor gold c. Matth. 10.9 10. and this was the ground of Peters answer Silver and gold have I none Chap. 3 6. ACTS CHAP. V. Vers. 1. But a certaine man named Ananias AMong the offerings of others that sold their Lands there creepeth in the hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira a couple that at once would have served God and Mammon Vain-glory or Policy or both did here strive with covetousnesse and distrust or rather to speake truly indeed did conspire They had the formality to sell their Lands as others did but they had not the sincerity to part with the money as others had Their double dealing both in word and deed is fearefully
punished with suddaine death at this beginning of the Christian Church as Nadab Abilou and the Sabbath-breaker were at the beginning of the Jewish that future times might learne from this to beware dissembling with God and not to dishonour and shame the gifts of the holy Ghost Vers. 3. To lye to the holy Ghost or rather to belie the holy Ghost It was not the sinne onely barely and simply considered that provoked and procured so fearfull a Judgment upon him but the sinne as it was circumstantiated and aggravated by some respects For it seemeth that Ananias was not a common or ordinary beleever but one of the Ministeriall ranke and one that had received the gift of the holy Ghost as well as the rest of the 120. And considerable to this purpose are these two things First that as soon as the Evangelist hath mentioned the pious and upright dealing of Barnabas which was a Preacher in the sale of his Lands hee commeth to the story of Ananias as a man of the same function relateth his wretchednes in the Secondly that though it bee said in vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he lied to God yet is hee said in this third verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To belie the holy Ghost By which Phrase it seemeth that hee had received the holy Ghost among the rest that did receive it and yet for all that excellent gift in himselfe and the excellent gift that he knew in the Apostles hee durst by this base dissembling belie and shame the gifts that were in himselfe and tempt the power of the holy Ghost that was in Peter And thus was Ananias much like Iudas exceedingly qualified and eminently gifted with the gifts of the Spirit but like him undone with covetousnesse and for it perished by an exemplary end There was none among all the twelve so fit to give sentence upon this fact as Peter as who might hereby shew his owne repentance for his lying and perjury in denying his Master and that hee was intirely repaired and recovered from it when hee durst passe so heavy a doome and judgement upon a lie Vers. 13. And of the rest none durst joyne himselfe unto them It is some difficultie to resolve who these rest were that durst not knit themselves to the Apostles the matter may bee construed so many wayes that it is hard to fix which is the right First it is understood by Beza of such as were as yet out of the Church and yet not strangers to the Kingdome of God but such as for feare durst not shew themselves either because of the Jewes or because of the judgement afflicted on Ananias Secondly it may be understood of those that were within the Church yet durst not joyne themselves in consistory or Presbyteriall societie with the 120. Disciples but kept their distance in regard of judging though they knit with them in communion Or thirdly it may be understood of the 108. Disciples that were appointed by Christ to be Ministers and kept in continuall society and consistoriall association with the Apostles yet durst not joyne themselves to them in the forme or dignitie of Apostleship nor durst offer to parallel themselves to that ranke yet the people magnified them also And this I take to bee the very meaning of the place and that upon these grounds First because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth to import a residue or the rest of their owne company and not the people that were out of the Church for of them it had beene more proper to have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the skilfull in the Greeke language will readily judge Secondly the joyning here spoken of in regard of the object to whom is to the Apostles and not to the Church as is apparent by the very Grammaticall construction Especially thirdly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vers 12. being understood not of the Congregation or whole company of beleevers but of the Apostles as the words immediatly before might argue or rather of the whole number of the 120. as it is taken Chap. 2.1 And so the sense of all redounds to this that besides that terrible and dreadfull worke that was done by Peter upon Ananias and Sapphira all the other eleven Apostles did great and wondrous miracles among the people and the whole Colledge and Presbytery of the 120. were unanimously in Solomons Porch joyning together in association and advancing the Gospel but the rest of the 120. durst not one of them joyne themselves to the twelve in the peculiar office and dignitie of Apostleship properly so called having seene so lately the dreadfull judgement that one of the twelve had brought upon Ananias one of their owne number and seeing the continuall wonders that they did in an extraordinary manner among the people howbeit the people magnified them also they also having the admirable and wondrous gifts of the Spirit upon them Vers. 15. Sect. Peters shadow Many miracles were wrought by the Apostles hands and many as it seemeth by Peters shadow but the Text hath left it so indifferent that it is hard to determine whether it is to be taken in a good sense or a bad and indeed some that have taken it the better way have made it the worst of all Luke saith onely thus They brought forth the sicke into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them But it neither telleth who they were that laid them nor a word at all that those were healed that were laid And it may be thought they were unbeleeving Jewes that laid them as well as otherwise for beleevers might have brought them to the Apostles or brought the Apostles to them And it may possibly bee thought that they laid them there either out of a superstitious blindnesse thinking his shadow to be miraculous as well as his person or out of a cheating perversnesse thinking to gaine by his power though they would none of his doctrine and that none of their sicke were healed because there is no mention of any such healing at all If wee should thus understand the story surely wee should doe lesse wrong to the Text and to our owne understandings then some have done that have taken it in a better sense For be it that God intending to magnifie Peter the minister of the circumcision in the eyes of the circumcised did give him a more extraordinary power of miracles for their sakes that stood upon miracles so much so that not onely himselfe but his shadow also could heale diseases yet how ridiculous and senselesse is that which Baronius would infer hereupon namely That Peter therefore was Prince of all the Apostles and that therefore the shadowes or images of holy men are of holy use and religious worship and that the Pope who is Peters shadow and representation hath Peters power and qualification Vers. 20. All
here related as appeares by Pauls owne relation of it Act. 26.16 17 18. but the holy Ghost frequently useth to speake out stories to the full some parts in one place some in another challenging the readers paines and study to pick them up 2. That whereas in Chap. 9.7 it is said that those that travailed with Paul heard the voyce but in Chap. 22 9. that thâ—y heard not the voyce it is to bee understood that they heard the voyce of Paul speaking to Christ but not Christs voyce to him or if they heard the voyce from heaven yet they understood not what it said 3. Whereas in Chap. 9.7 it is said these men stood speechlesse but in Chap. 26.14 that they fell all to the ground the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Chap. 9.7 standeth in opposition to their going forward and not to their falling to the earth and meaneth that their amazednesse fixed them that they could not flee nor stirre Sect. II. The yeare of his conversion Some have conceived that hee was rapt into the third heaven and learned the Gospel by revelation as 2 Cor. 12. in those three dayes that hee was blind after the sight of this glorious light and whilst hee fasted and prayed Act. 9.9 And from this conceit hath another growne as a supporter of that that bred it namely that hee was not converted till seven yeers after our Saviours Ascension This latter opinion was first invented that his writing of the second Epistle to the Corinthians might bee brought within the compasse of about foureteene yeeres after his conversion for so long a time and no more hee setteth betwixt his rapture and that Epistle 2 Cor. 12.2 and it was also originally grounded upon this supposition that his rapture was in the time of that his blindnesse Two surmises probable and plausible enough to behold at distance but approaching nearer to them they will lose of their beautie and upon serious weighing they will prove but a shadow The question how hee came to the knowledge of the Gospel so soone in so much that hee so soone preached it very likely gave the first occasion of the first opinion namely of his rapture in his three dayes blindnesse A question to which an answer may bee easily given and yet no such consequence concluded upon it 1. It is true indeed that hee received not the knowledge of the Gospel of man nor was hee taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ as himselfe saith Gal. 1.12 yet might he have such a revelation without any such rapture For there were three other speciall wayes whereby God used to reveale himselfe and his will to his Prophets and servants and those were by dreames by visions and by a suddaine and immediate suggestion or revelation which is called telling in the eare as 1 Sam. 9.15.17 2 King 20.4 And as for raptures they were the most extraordinary and the least familiar of all other And how easily might Paul bee taught the mystery of the Gospel by some of the other meanes especially since the Text hath expressely told that he had his visions Act. 9.12 2 Paul himself telleth of an ecstasie or rapture that hee was in as hee was praying in the Temple at Ierusalem Act. 22.17 Now that that was in the second yeare of Claudius as shall bee shewed by and by when hee went to carry the almes of the Disciples to Ierusalem Act. 11.30 it may bee confidently concluded upon because that God in that his rapture telleth him that hee must thence forward goe farre away to preach unto the Gentiles Act. 22.21 and when he returneth from Ierusalem to Antioch he is sent by the Church upon that imployment by a speciall charge of the holy Ghost Act. 13.2 And that from that time to the time of his writing the second Epistle to the Corinthians were about foureteene yeares as himselfe summeth it wee shall evidence by some particulars before wee part from this subject Thus then in the first place wee see that neither his rapture was at the time of his conversion nor that his conversion is to bee cast six or seven yeares forward that it may bee within foureteene of that Epistle in regard of his rapture But not to intricate our selves any more in the varietie of opinions that have fixed some one time some another to the conversion of this Apostle the next readiest and surest way that I have found to resolve upon this doubtfull question and to determine this scruple is to goe by these collections and degrees I. That the famine prophecied of by Agabus and which is said to have fallen out in the time of Claudius the Emperour Act. 11.28 fell out and came to passe in his second yeare And for this wee have the testimony of a Roman Historian even Dion Cassius who under the Consulship of Claudius II. and Cajus Largus which was in the second yeare of Claudius his reigne speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which his translater hath rendred fames ingeâ—s Dion lib. 60. Now although it might seeme that that famine only referred to the Citie of Rome and was caused there through the unnavigablenesse of the River Tiber which should have brought in Provisions because he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— that Claudius provided not onely for the present famine but also for future times by mending the Haven and clearing the River yet Suetonius writing the very same story ascribeth the cause of the famine not to the fault of the River or Haven but to a constant sterilitie or barrennesse and so inlargeth the extent of it further then Rome Arctiore autem annona ob assiduas sterilitates c. In Claud cap. 18. Iosephus Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 2. speaketh of this great famine in Iudea and relateth how Helena the Queene dowager of the Adiabeni and Izates her sonne then reigning shee being at Ierusalem in her owne person and hee in his owne kingdome did bring in provisions in an exceeding plenty to the Jewes at Ierusalem for their sustenance in the famine for they were both converted to the Jewes religion and Izates circumcised Eusebius hereupon hath set this famine in Claudius his fourth yeare and after the death of Herod Agrippa because that he found that Iosephus had placed it after Agrippaes death which was in Claudius his third But wee find not in Iosephus any thing that may fix it to that yeare more then the subsâ—quence of one story to another which is an argument of no validitie onely this hee relateth as concerning the time of Izates that when hee first came to the Crowne and found his elder brethren imprisoned that he might come to the Throne the more quietly hee was griâ—ved at the matter and on the one hand accounting it impietie to kill them or to keepe them prisoners and on the other hand knowing it unsafe to keepe them with him and not imprisoned hee chose a meane betweene both and sent them for hostages to Rome to
into question by his unkind and inhumane accusation and into hold and custody untill this time It was the common opinion that the cursed instigation of Sejanus whom the Emperour had raised purposely for the ruine of Germanicus his house had set such an accusation a foot and made the man to bee so cruell towards his owne family but when the two accused ones had miserably survived the wicked Sejanus and yet nothing was remitted of their prosecution then opinion learned to lay the fault where it deserved even on the cruelty and spite of Tiberius himselfe Drusus is adjudged by him to die by famine and miserable and woefull wretch that he was hee sustaineth his life for nine dayes together by eating the flockes out of his bed being brought to that lamentable and unheard of dyet through extremity of hunger Here at last was an end of Drusus his misery but so was there not of Tiberius his cruelty towards him for he denyed the dead body buriall in a fitting place he reviled disgraced the memory of him with hideous and feigned scandals and criminations and shamed not to publish in the open Senate what words had passed from the pining man against Tiberius himselfe when in agony through hunger hee craved meat and was denyed it Oh what a sight and hearing was this to the eyes and eares of the Roman people to behold him that was a child of their darâ—ing and delight Germanieus to be thus barbarously and inhumanely brought to his end and to heare his own Grandfather confesse the action and not dissemble it Agrippina the woefull mother might dolefully conjecture what would become of her selfe by this fatall and terrible end of the poore Prince her son And it was not long but she tasted of the very same cup both of the same kind of death and of the same kind of disgracing after For being pined after the same manner that it might be coloured that she did it of her self a death very unfitting the greatest Princesse then alive she was afterward slandered by Tiberius for adultery with Gallus that died so lately and that shee caused her owne death for griefe of his She and her son were denyed buryall befitting their degree but hid in some obscure place where no one knew which was no little distaste and discontentment to the people The Tyrant thought it a speciall cause of boasting and extolling his owne goodnesse that she had not been strangled nor dyed the death of common base offenders And since it was her fortune to die on the very same day that Sejanus had done two yeares before viz. Octob. 17. it must be recorded as of speciall observation and great thankes given for the matter and an annuall sacrifice instituted to Iupiter on that day Caius her son and brother to poore Drusus tooke all this very well or at least seemed so to doe partly glad to bee shut of any one that was likely to have any colour or likelyhood of corrivality with him in his future reigne and partly being brought up in such a schoole of dissimulation and growne so perfect a Scholar there that he wanted little of Tiberius This yeare hee marryed Claudia the daughter of M. Silanus a man that would have advised him to good if hee would have hearkened but afterward he matched with a mate and stock more fitting his evill nature Ennia the wife of Macro bvt for advantage resigned by her husband Macro to the adulterating of Caius and then to his marriage Sect. 7. Other Massacres The death of Agrippina drew on Plancinaes a woman that never accorded with her in any thing but in Tiberius his displeasure and in a fatall and miserable end This Plancina in the universall mourning of the state for the losse of Germanicus rejoyced at it and made that her sport which was the common sorrow of all the State How poore Agrippina relished this being deprived of so rare a husband can hardly be thought of without joyning with her in her just and mournfull indignaon Tiberius having a spleen at the woman for some other respect had now a faire colour to hide his revenge under to call her to account and that with some applause But here his revenge is got into a strait for if he should put her to death it may bee it would be some content to Agrippina And therefore not to pleasure her so much hee will not pleasure the other so much neither as with present death but keepeth her in lingring custody till Agrippina be gone and then must she follow but her resolutenesse preventeth the Executioner and to escape anothers she dyeth by her own hand Let us make up the heape of the slaughtered this yeare in the vvords of Dion Such a number of Senators to omit others perished under Tiberius that the Governours of Provinces were chosen by lot and ruled some three yeares some six because there were not enough to come in their roome THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE JEWISH and the ROMAN FOR The Yeare of Christ 35. And of Tiberius 20. Being the Yeare of the World 3962. And of the City of Rome 787. Consuls Lucius Vitellius P. Fabius Priscus or Persicus London Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke 1645. PART I. Affaires of Rome Sect. I. Thanklesse officiousnesse OF the state and occurrences of the Church this instant yeere there is neither any particular given by S. Luke nor any else where to bee found in Scripture save onely what may be collected from the words of Paul concerning himselfe namely that he is this yeere either in Arabia or Damascus or both spending one part of it in the one place and the other in the other The Church now this great persecutor is turned Preacher injoyed no doubt a great deale of ease in the ceasing of the persecution and benefit by the earnestnesse of his ministery And so let us leave her to her peace and comfortable times now growing on and turne our story to the Romans Tiberius his reign being now come to the twentieth yeer the present Consuls L. Vitellius and Fabius Priscus do prorogate or proclaime his rule for ten yeers longer A ceremony used by Augustus whensoever hee came to a tenth yeer of his reign but by Tiberius there was not the like cause One would have thought the twenty yeers past of his inhumane and barbarous reigne should have given the City more then enough of such an Emperour and have caused her to have longed rather for his end then to have prolonged his dominion But shee will make a virtue now or complement rather of necessity and will get thanks of him for continuing of that which shee cannot shake off and is willing that he shall reign still because she knew he would do so whether shee will or no. It is the forlorne way of currying favour to please a man in his owne humour when we dare not crosse it The flattering Consuls received a reward befitting such unnecessary officiousnesse for they kept the
shewed elsewhere that it is no uncouth thing with this and the other Evangelists to make such briefe transitions sometimes in stories of a large distance and Paul himself plainely sheweth us in the place alledged how to make the briefe story of Luke full and compleat and to speak it out Namely that Paul upon his comming after his conversion into Damascus began there to preach and increased more and more in strength and confounded the Iewes that dwelt at Damascus proving that Iesus was the very Christ And having preached a while in Damascus hee goeth into Arabia which countrey was now under the same government with Damascus namely under King Aretas and after a while hee returned into Damascus againe And then do the Jewes there seek to kill him and they incense the governour of the Citie under Aretas against him so that hee setteth a watch to take him but he escapeth over the wall by night in a Basket Acts 9.25 2 Cor. 11.33 We shall see by and by that there were preparations for warre this yeere betwixt Aretas the King of Arabia and Herod the Tetrarch and it is not improbable that the Jewes in those times of commotion did accuse Paul to the governour of Damascus under Aretas for a spie or for a man that was an enemy to the Kings cause and so they interest the governor in a quarrell against him And this very thing being considered may helpe somewhat to confirme this for the yeare of Pauls comming from Damascus for feare of his life to Ierusalem if his owne accounting the yeers did not make it plaine enough Vers. 26. And when Saul was come to Ierusalem c. His errand to Ierusalem as himselfe testifieth was to see Peter Gal. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for any homage to his primacy as is strongly pleaded by the Popish crew for hee maketh no distinction betwixt him and Iames and Iohn in point of dignity Gal. 2.9 nay is so farre from homaging him that he rebuketh and reproveth him Gal. 2.11 But his journey to Peter at this time was that hee might have acquaintance with him and some knowledge of him for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more properly signifieth and that hee desired the rather because then Peter was the minister of the Circumcision as hee himselfe was to bee of the uncircumcision Gal. 2.8 and because there had been some kind of remarkable parallel betwixt them in their recovery the one from denying and forswearing Christ himselfe and the other from persecuting of Christ in his members Sect. But they were all affraid of him and beleeved not that hee was a Disciple This very thing hath caused some to conceive that Paul had a journey to Ierusalem a little after his conversion and before ever he went into Arabia because they cannot conceive how it should be possible that hee should have beene a convert and a Preacher of the Gospell three yeers together and yet his conversion and his present qualities should bee unknowne to the Church at Ierusalem and the rather because hee himself saith that the wonder of his conversion was not done in a corner Acts 26.26 Answ. But these two or three considerations may helpe to resolve the scruple 1. The distance betwixt Damascus and Ierusalem which was exceeding great 2. The quarrels betwixt Herod and Aretas which were a meanes to hinder intercourse betwixt those two places 3. The persecution that continued still upon the Church of Iudea which would keepe Disciples of Damascus from going thither And 4. the just feare that might possesse the Disciples at Ierusalem in the very time of persecution For though it was said before the Church at Ierusalem and of Iudaea injoyed a great deale of rest and tranquillity after the conversion of Paul their great persecutor in comparison of what they had done before yet was not the persecution of the Church utterly extinct to the very time of Pauls comming up to Ierusalem but continued still and therefore it is the lesse wonder if the Disciples there bee the more fearefull and cautelous Vers. 27. But Barnabas tooke him c. How Barnabas came acquainted with the certainty of Pauls conversion better then the other Disciples is not easie to resolve It is like that hee being abroad for feare of the persecution as the other of the Preachers were all but the Apostles went in his travailes towards Damascus or Arabia and so had heard and learned the certainty of the matter However it is pregnant to our observation that hee that was afterwards to be fellow traveller and labourer with Paul in the Gospel to the Gentiles is now made the instrument and meanes of his first admission to the societie of the Apostles It is possible that there had been some acquaintance betwixt these two men in former times they being both Grecizing Jewes the one of Cyprus the other of Ciâ—icia and both in all probability brought up and educated at Ierusalem but whether it were so or no the hand of God is to bee looked after in this passage when Pauls future partner in the ministery to the Gentiles is now his first intertainer into the societie of the Church at Ierusalem Sect. And brought him to the Apostles That is to Peter and Iames the lesse for other of the Apostles hee himself relateth that hee saw none Gal. 1.18 What was become of the rest of the twelve is not determinable it is more then probable they were not now at Ierusalem otherwise it is hardly possible for Paul not to have seene them in fifteene dayes abode there It is likely they were preaching and setling Churches up and down the Country and Peter and Iames the two most peculiar Ministers of the Circumcision abode at Ierusalem to take care of the Church there For that these were so and in what particular the dispensation of their Ministery differed wee shall take occasion to shew afterward onely here wee cannot omit to take notice of that temper as I may so call it which the Text holdeth out against the Primacy and Prelacy that is held by some to have been among the Apostles For whereas some conceive Iames to have been Bishop of Ierusalem this Text sets Peter in the same fourme and equality with him in that place and whereas it is conceived againe that Peter was Prince of the Apostles this Text hath equalled Iames with him 1. And thus that persecution that began about Stephen had lasted till this very same time of Pauls comming to Ierusalem for so it is apparent both by the feare and suspitiousnesse of the Disciples at Ierusalem as also by the very clausure of the Text Vers. 31. Then had the Churches rest 2. The length of this persecution by computation of the times as they have been cast up before seemeth to have beene about three yeers and an halfe the renowned number and time so oft mentioned and hinted in Scripture 3. The company of Disciples or beleevers continued still at Ierusalem
knowne before but onely her brother and shee troubled them as much in her heaven as hee did on the earth For now was it impossible for any man so to behave himselfe but hee was intrapped on the one hand or the other about this new found Goddesse To mourne for her death it was criminall because shee was a Deity and to rejoyce for her Deity was capitall because shee was dead so that betwixt this Dilemma of pietie teares and devotion that man was very wary indeed that suffered not inhumanity and violence For to laugh feast bath sing or dance was mortall because the Emperours sister and darling was dead and yet to mourne or sorrow for her death was as deadly because shee was immortall This last stale did hee make of this his deceased sister when shee would now serve him for no other use that both sorrow for her mortalitie and joy for her being immortall did alike bring in money to his treasures which were now almost drained of his many millions either by bribes for the saving of the life of some or by confiscation upon the Death of others But how must hee doe now for another Paramour after his deare Drusilla Why that needeth not to breed any great difficultie when his unbridled lust is not very curious of his choice and his as unbridled power might choose as it list Hee first married Lollia Paullina the wife of C. Memmius sending for her from another country where her husband was Generall of the Army and all the reason of this his choice was because hee was told that her grandmother was an exceeding great beauty but hee soone put her away againe and forbad that any should touch her for ever after him Next came Caesoâ—ia into his affections and there continued a mother of three children and of more age then beauty but of a lasciviousnesse and beastiality so well befitting his that now hee had met with his match and it was pitie they should have missed meeting Hee would sometimes shew her to the Souldiers in armor and sometimes to his friends starke naked transforming her by these vicissitudes into two extreames equally unbefitting her sex to a man and to a beast By her hee had a daughter whom hee named Iulia Drusilla and whom hee brought to the shrines of all the Goddesses in Rome and at last committed to the lap of Minerva for her tutorage and education But this his behaviour is nothing in comparison of that which followed Hee slew divers of the Senate and yet afterward cited them to appeare as if they had been alive and in the end pretended that they had died by their owne hands others came off with a scourging and so they escaped with life but hee caused the Souldiers to tread on them as they lay and as they whipped them that they might have them at the more command And thus hee used some of all rankes and 〈◊〉 Being disturbed at midnight one night by the noyse of same that were getting places in the Circus against the next day hee fell upon them with Clubs and slew twenty knâ—ghts as many matrons and an infinite company of the 〈◊〉 people Hee threw a great multitude of old men and decrepit housholders to the wild beasts that hee might 〈◊〉 such unserviceable men as hee thought them out of the way and hee caused the granaries to bee often shut up that they that had escaped the wild beasts might perish with famine Hee used to fatten the beasts that hee desired to have fed with the inhumane diet of humane bodies yet alive that thereby hee might save other charges Many men hee first mâ—ngled and maimed and then condemned to the mines or to the wild beasts or to little-ease-prisonâ— and some he caused to bee sawed in sunder Hee forced parents to bee present at the execution of their children and for one that could not come to such a miserable spectacle hee sent a letter and another hee invited to a feast after hee had caused him to bee a spectator of the execution of his owne sonne One of the masters of his games that had offended him he kept in chaines and caused him to bee beaten every day before his face till the offensivenesse and stench of his wounded braine obtained his death A Roman Knight being cast by him to the wild beasts and crying out of the injustice done to him hee caused to bee taken out againe and his tongue to bee cut out and then hee cast him to them againe Hee caused all the banished men that were in the Ilands about Italy to bee slaine at once because having asked one that was banished in the time of Tiberius what hee did all the time of his exile and hee answered that hee prayed continually for the death of Tiberius and the succession of Caius hee thought that all the present exiles prayed for his death likewise Every tenth day hee caused an execution to bee had of those that were condemned boasting and vaunting that hee scoured the prisons And ever as any one came to suffer hee commanded the executioners to end him with such deliberate tortures as that hee should bee sure to feele himselfe to die involving many deaths in one and causing men that were to die to live even in death that they might die with the more paine THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE JEWISH and the ROMAN FOR The Yeare of Christ 40. And of Caius Caligula 3. Being the Yeare of the World 3967. And of the City of Rome 792. Consuls Caius Caesar II. L. Apronius Celianus or Cestianus London Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke 1645. ACTS Chap. 9. Vers. 32. And it came to passe as Peter passed through all quarters THe occasion of Peters travaile at this time may bee well apprehended to bee for the setling and confirming of those Churches that were now begun by the Ministery of the dispersed Preachers One thing was most necessary for these new founded Churches which the Preachers themselves could not provide for them and that was Ministers or Pastors unlesse they would have stayed there themselves which in all places they could not doe and in many places they did not if in any place at all they did longer then for a little space the necessitie of dispersing the Gospell calling them from place to place Therefore it was needfull that the Apostles themselves should goe after them to ordaine Ministers by the imposition of their hands with which they did not onely install or institute into the office of the ministery but also bestowed the holy Ghost for the inabling of those that they did ordaine for the performance of that office which gift the other Disciples could not bestow and this may bee conceived one reason why ten of the twelve Apostles were absent from Ierusalem at Pauls comming there as was observed before namely because they were dispersed abroad over the new planted Churches for this purpose And this was one cause why Peter travailes thus at this time the
plantations of the Churches still increasing and his comforting confirming and setling the Churches was another Through all quarters This referreth to those places mentioned in the verse preceding Iudea Galilee and Samaria onely whereas that verse speaketh of the places themselves this Verse in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of the masculine gender referreth to the people of the places and this is all the difference And therefore Baronius is besides the Cushion who upon this very place and out of this very word would conclude that Peter in this his peregrination did found the Episcopacy at Antioch His words are these Luke saith hee being intent as it appeareth to commend to memory the more remarkable miracles wrought by Peter hath omitted in silence the rest of his actions performed in this visitation of the province and among other things the institution of the Church of Antioch which that it was erected by him in this very yeer wee shall easily shew by the testimony of the ancients Eusebius may bee alledged as one of these ancients and one for all who speaketh much to the same purpose and somewhat further but onely with this difference that hee hath set downe this matter a little before the death of Tiberius Peter the Apostle saith hee founded the Church of Antioch and having there gotten his chaire bee sate five and twenty yeers Thus Eusebius ad annum Christ. 38. Parisiis 1511. Now to take up this position and story in its severall particulars almost every parcell will prove a stumbling block and before beleefe can bee given to it it must passe thorow and overcome these difficulties 1. Whereas his journey to Antioch is laid in this visitation it is strained beyond the letter and beyond the Spirit and meaning of the Text. For that speaketh onely of the Churches of Iudea Galilee and Samaria and then how came in Antioch in another country And those words through all quarters run at a very uncertaine randome if they bee uncircumscribed by the Verse before 2. It is past all peradventure that as yet there was no Church at Antioch at all much more that there was no Episcopall Chaire and See there For it is a yeer yet to come before there be any mention of a Church there Act. 11. and that that story of the first beginning of that Church lieth in its proper place and time without any transposition or Hysteron-proteron is so plaine to him that will but view it that it needeth no proof 3. How is it consistent with Peters imprisonment at Ierusalem Chap. 12. to sit Bishop in another country Much more is it inconsistent or rather to speak plainly impossible that he should fit five and twenty yeers at Antioch and as many at Rome and yet goe thither in the second of Claudius as hee is held to have done Now Baronius hath espied these two stumbling blocks and laboreth to remove them but in his striving about the one hee throweth dirt into Eusebius his best Authors face for hee saith hee is corrupted and indeed hee doth little lesse about the other For whereas Eusebius saith in plaine termes ibi sedit Peter there sate this his Paraphrast glosseth that it sufficed though hee never came there For with him Peter was as a Creator of Churches and Bishopricks for if dixit factum est if hee but spake the word bee hee where hee would there was a Metropolis or an Episcopacy created in any place whatsoever But not to spend much labour where wee are sure but of little profit let it suffice the reader to have but a Catalogue and particular of his arguments let him censure them according to his own judgment Argum. 1. It was Peters office to oversee and take care of the whole stock and for this hee visited all the Churches that lay round about Ierusalem pag. 306. But that draweth on another question which will bee harder to prove then this and it maketh Paul but an intruder thâ—t took upon him such a care Arg. 2. Peter taking opportunitie of the Churches tranquillity pag. 306. visited all the Christians which were in Syria pag. 309. But here hee is besides his warrant of the Text and maketh a History of his owne head Arg. 3. Peter wheresoever hee was might raise an Episcopall or metropoliticall See at any place distant where hee pleased by the Authoritie wherewith hee was indewed pag. 309. When this is proved wee may beleeve the other that hee would prove Arg. 4. The number of Eusebius of his sitting 25. yeers at Antioch is an error crept into the Text but the number of his 25. yeers at Rome in him is right pag. 306. but if hee bee at liberty to suspect the one sure wee may have the like liberty to suspect the other Arg. 5. The Hierarchicall order seemeth not to indure that the prime Church that had been as yet instituted should bee governed by any but the prime Apostle pag. 309.330 It will bee some worke to prove any Hierarchicall order at all or Peter Prime Apostle or Antioch a chiefe Church above others more then by humane preferring or Antioch yet a Church and were all these proved which never will bee yet is the inference or argumentation thereupon but of small value and validity 6. His last Argument is from Authorities which at last hee gathereth into the Center of a Councell at Rome pag. 332. But Amicus Plato amicus Aristoteles magis amica veritas As for his answers to Eusebius that calleth Evodius the first Bishop of Antioch his answer to Ignatius that saith hee was placed there by the Apostles more then one and to Onuphrius that maketh Peter Bishop of Rome before hee was Bishop of Antioch bee they referred to the perusall in his owne Text for the matter is not worth the labour of examining them Vers. 32. Lydda This seemeth to bee the same with Lod 1 Chron. 8.12 A Citie in the Tribe of Benjamin mentioned Ezra 2.33 Vers. 35. Saron Heb. Sharon A fertile valley famous in Scripture as 1 Chron. 27.29 Esa. 33.9 Cant. 2.1 c. where the Targum renders it the garden of Eden and the Seventie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a field or pâ—aine the masculine Article sheweth it is not the name of a Citie And so do the Seventie article it Esa. 33.9 There is menâ—ion of a Sharon beyond Iordan 1 Chron. 5.16 inhabited about by Gileadites by which it seemeth that it was a common name for plaine champion grounds wheresoever Vers. 36. Tabitha which by interpretation is called Dorcas Tabitha the Syriack and Dorcas the Greek do both signifie a Hind or Doe Capream as Beza renders it Now the reason why Luke doth thus render the one into the other seemeth to be because Tabitha was a Grecizing Jewesse and so was commonly called by these two names by the Syrian among the Hebrews and by the Greeke among the Greeks Vers. 37. Whom when they had washed Whether it were a common custom among the Jews
universall Bishopship that hee was invested withall but rather because hee was the most singular minister of the Circumcision for his bringing in of the Gentiles would stop the mouth of the Judaizing beleevers the more Eighthly and for this thing hee had a speciall ingagement and deputation from our Saviour a good while agoe as hee himselfe speaketh Act. 15.7 And that was when Christ giveth him the keyes of the kingdome of heaven Matth. 16.19 that is putteth into his hand the peculiar priviledge to open the doore of faith and the Gospel to the Gentiles and giveth him power withall to bind and to loose the use of Moses Law among the Heathens when hee brought the Gospell among them some of it to fall and some to stand according as the Spirit should direct him and accordingly it should bee ratified in heaven And that this is the genuine proper and onely meaning of that so much disputed place will bee undeniable to him that shall consider what is the proper meaning of the kingdome of heaven in Scripture and loosingâ—n â—n Jewish authors from whom that Phrase is taken Vers. 1. In Caesarea Called of old Turris Stratonis Stratons Tower but new built by Herod the great and named Caesarea in honour of Augustus It lay upon the Sea shore betwixt Ioppa and Dorae saith Iosephus Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 13. where hee describeth it at large Sect. The Italian band Not to spend time in inquiring what Italian band this was whether Ferrata or Dives or Voluntariorii or the like it seemeth to me that the consideration of the place it selfe where Cornelius was will help â—o understand what Luke intendeth by it For Caesarea was the place where the Roman Governor or Proconsull resided as appeareth Act. 23.23 24. and 24.6 and that partly for the bravery of the Citie and chiefly for the commodiousnesse of the haven Now this Italian band may very properly bee understood of that band that attended the Governours person or were his life-guard and which had come out of Italy for this purpose to bee his defence and the defence of the Citie where hee lay Vers. 2. A devout man c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man that worshipped the true God and followed not Idolatry And a man that feared Good indeed as well as hee worshipped him in profession Sect. Which gave much almes to the people To the Jewes to whom almes was not uncleane though given by a heathen to which thing our Saviour seemeth to allude in that speech Luk. 11.41 But rather give almes of such things as yee have and behold all things are cleane unto you And upon this respect it is like that almes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousnesse so commonly among the Jewish authors and used by the Syriack and Arabick here because they lost not their nature or qualitie of cleannesse or puritie and righteousnesse though they came even from an uncleane yea a heathen person Sect. And prayed to God alway Beza hath made this clause the beginning of the next verse and that as hee saith with the warrant of one copy The Arabick doth the like They thinke they mend the sense with it in which they mistake because they mind not the scope For it is the intent of the holy Ghost to shew the constant carriage of Cornelius in his devoutnesse as Vers. 4. and not his devoutnesse as occasion of his vision Vers. 3. Hee saw in a vision evidently The word evidently or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to shew that he saw it waking and with his bodily eyes for there were visions in dreames as Gen. 20.3 and 28.12 Iob 4.13 Sect. About the ninth houre The houre of the evening sacrifice three a clocke after noone compare Dan. 5.21 Cornelius though hee were not yet proselyted by circumcision to the Jewish Church yet followed hee their manner and forme of worship Vers. 9. To pray about the sixt houre About twelve a clocke or high noone and this was the time of the Mincha gedolah as the Jewes called it or the very beginning of it And so doe they expound Dan. 6.10 and Psal. 55.17 accordingly Daniel prayed three times a day that is say R. Saadias and R. Solomon Morning Evening and at the Minchah And Evening and Morning and at noone will I pray R. Sol. Evening Morning and at Minchah the three times of prayer Now this Minchah time is described by their Doctors thus Minchah gedolah is the beginning of the time of the daily sacrifice betweene the two evenings when the Sun begins to decline which is from the sixth houre and forward untill night some say from the sixth houre and an halfe which was according to our phrase in hand about the sixth houre Now this their accounting was not for that they alwayes began to fall about their evening sacrifice at twelve a clock or half an houre after but because that it was lawfull then to begin to fall about it for when there were additionall sacrifices besides the daily as the Passeover or the like then it was necessary for them to begin to prepare the sacrifices from that time that it was lawfull to begin about them which from that time of the day it was all the time from thence forward till night being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the evenings according to the letter of the Law Exod. 12.6 Numb 28.4 And to this sense speaketh the Text 1 King 18.29 When noonetide was passed and they had now prophecied till the offering of the Minchah not till the very time of the firing of the sacrifice for that the verses following deny but to the time of the Minchah in that sense that wee have in hand and to this purpose the difference of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 36. is very remarkable So that Peter in this practise of praying about the sixth houre imitated the custome of the Jewes and though hee had so long been a Convert to the Gospell yet doth hee not forsake their manner of worship no more did the other Disciples as hath been shewed elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An extasie fell upon him and so Chap. 22.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was in an extasie This was the highest and excellentest way of all other of revelations when a man was rapt even from himselfe into heaven for so Paul calls it 2 Cor. 12.2 and was wholly in the spirit for so Iohn calls it Rev. â— 10 being for the time as it were out of the body and in the very next degree to soules departed enjoying God Seven manner of extraordinary wayes did God use to reveale himselfe and his will to his people in ancient times 1. By dreames 2. By apparitions when they were awake 3. By visions when they were asleepe 4. By voyce from heaven 5. By Vrim 6. By inspiration or revealing of the eare 7. By rapture or extasie and this last the excellentest as to him
follow it whither the nature and inclination of it doth incline Hence his allegorizing of whatsoever commeth to his hand and his peremptory confidence in whatsoever hee doth allegorize insomuch that sometimes hee perswadeth himselfe that hee speaketh mysteries as pag. 89. and sometimes hee checketh the Scripture if it speake not as hee would have it as page 100. How too many of the Fathers in the primitive Church followed him in this his veine it is too well knowne to the losse of too much time both in their writing and in our reading Whether it were because hee was the first that wrote upon the Bible or rather because hee was the first that wrote in this straine whose writings came unto their hands that brought him into credit with Christian Writers he was so farre followed by too many that while they would explaine Scripture they did but intricate it and hazarded to lose the truth of the story under the cloud of the Allegory The Jewes have a straine of writing upon the Scripture that flyeth in a higher region then the writings of Christians as is apparent to him that shall read their Authors Now Philo being a Jew and naturally affecting like them to soare in a high place and being by his education in the Grecian wisdome more Philosophical then the Iews usually were and by inclination much affected with that learning hee soareth the Jewish pitch with his Grecian wings and attaineth to a place in which none had flowne in before unlesse the Therapeutae of whom hereafter writing in a straine that none had used before and which too many or at least many too much used after of his many strange and mysterious matters that hee findeth out in his veine of allegorizing let the Reader taste but some As see what hee saith of the invisible Word of God pag. 5. pag. 24. 169. 152. How hee is a Pythagorean for numbers pag. 8. pag. 15 16 31. where hee is even bewitched with the number Seven and pag. 32 33. as the Therapeutae were 695. from whom hee seemeth to have sucked in his Divinity Pag. 9. Hee accounteth the Starres to presage future things whom in pag. 12. hee almost calleth intelligible Creatures pag. 168. and immortall Spirits pag. 222. Pag. 12. Hee seemeth to thinke that God had some Coadjutors in mans Creation Pag. 15. God honoured the seventh day and called it holy for it is festivall not to one people or region onely but to all which is worthy to bee called the festivity of the people and the nativity of the world Pag. 43. Hee distinguisheth betwixt Adam formed and made earthly and heavenly Pag. 57. He teacheth strange Doctrine which followeth more copiously pag. 61. about two natures created in man good and bad Pag. 68. Observe his temperance when his list Pag. 86. Hee beleeveth that his soul had sometime her raptures and taught him strange profound and unknowne speculations as there she doth concerning the Trinity and in pag. 89. He thinketh he talketh mysteries Pag. 94. Faith the most acceptable Sacrifice an unexpected confession from a Jew Pag. 100. He checketh Ioseph the Patriarch for impropriety of speech and hee will teach him how to speak Pag. 102. Speaking of the death of Moses hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hee is not gathered or added fainting or failing as men had done before for hee admitted not either of addition or defection but hee is translated or passeth away by the Authoritie of that efficient word by which the universe was made Pag. 122. Hee is againe very unmannerly and uncivill with Joseph and so is hee againe in pag. 152. hee had rather lose his friend then his jest and censure so great a Patriarch then misse his Allegory That Aaron used imposition of hands upon Moses pag. 126. Pag. 127. That Abel slaine yet liveth as Heb. 11. Pag. 152. God like a Shepherd and King governeth all things in the world by right and equity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Setting over them his upright word which is his first begotten Son who taketh the care of this sacred heard like the Deputy of some great King Pag. 161. He sheweth his learning is the great Encyclica Pag. 168. Hee calleth Angels Genii and Heroes according to the Greekes and holdeth that they were created in the aire but in the superiour part of it neer the Skie and fly up and downe there pag. 221 222. Pag. 170. His Allegories make him impious and hee counteth the story of Paradise to bee but foolery if it bee taken literall Pag. 180. Hee talketh a Rabinall tale about the invention of musicke Hee constantly followeth the Lxx as appeareth pag. 160 179 218 245 255. Pag. 190. He maketh God and his wisdome as it were father and mother of whom the world was generate but not humano more Ibid. He readeth that place Prov. 8.22 The Lord created me the first of his workes For saith hee it was necessary that all things that came to generation should be younger then the mother and nurse of all things Pag. 191. He is very uncivill with Iethro Pag. 205. He holdeth Lots wife to have been turned into a stone Pag. 206. He was in the Theater at a play Pag. 213. Hee holdeth Isaac weaned at seven yeares old And mentioneth certaine Dialogues made by himselfe personating Isaac and Ismael He calleth cap. 32. of Deuteronomie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canticum majus according to the Rabbins phrase so likewise pag. 179. Pag. 214. Iacob praying for Ioseph saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is very questionable where this speech is to bee found Pag. 223. The spirit of God is an immortall knowledge Pag. 232. He treateth de Primogenito secundogenito Dei that is of his Word and the World Pag. 234. Hee holdeth freewill but it is in comparison of the actions of men with the effects of Plants and Brutes Pag. 241. He is fallen out with Ioseph againe Pag. 251. Hee telleth a fable how all Birds and Beasts spake the same language and understood one another but that their tongue was confounded because they petitioned that they might never grow old but renew their youth as the Serpent doth who is the basest of them But this is more then enough for a taste wee shall conclude his Character with that Apophthegme that came from him when Caius was in a rage against him and his fellow-Commissioners How ought wee to cheare up saith he though Caius bee angry at us in words seeing in his deeds hee even opposeth God Iosephus relateth it Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 10. Part III. The Roman Story Sect. I. Caius still foolish and cruell THis yeare did Caius make an expedition to the Ocean as if hee would have passed over into Britaine but the greatest exploit that hee did was that first hee went a little upon the Sea and then returning hee gave a signall to his Souldiers that they should fall to battaile which was nothing else but that they should gather
Tarsus ch 9.30 And Barnabas his going thither to him and divers other things of smal import in comparison should omit the greatest most matteriall of the infinitest import that ever mortall mans journey was for to that height is the journey of Peter to Rome now come if there had ever been such a thing at all Thirdly it is as incredible that Paul sending salutationâ— to so many in Rome and againe from so many there should omit to have named Peter at one time or other if hee had been there What was become of Peter in these reciprocall kindnesses and salutations of the Saints one to another was hee a sleep or was hee sullen or what shall we make of him or was hee not indeed at Rome at all But not to insist upon this question whether Peter were at Rome at all which hath been proved negatively by many Authors and by many undeniable Arguments let us looke a little upon this foundation of his being there which hath been laid namely his comming thither this year which is the second thing to be taken into consideration And about this point there have been divers simple Ignoramusses in former time who so they held this first Article of the Roman Creed That Peter was Bishop of Rome five and twenty years and dyed in the last year of Nero and so beleeved as the Church beleeved they never cared to bring the head and heels together or to observe how the times agreed but have easily swallowed this camell of senselesse computation that Peter went from the Councell of Ierusalem Acts 15. to Rome and there sate Bishop five and twenty yeares which expired in the last of Nero whereas betwixt the Councell at Ierusalem and the last of Nero there were but twenty yeares in all if there were so many But nimbler wits that cannot bee caught in so plaine and apparent a trap as this have found out a quainter and more curious date from which to begin the Chaire of Peter at Rome then this and that is from the Story in the twelfth of the Acts of the Apostles Where Peter being apprehended by Herod after his murder of Iames the great and being delivered by an Angel and having acquainted the Disciples with his delivery they being together in Iohn Markes house hee is said to depart to another place which they say and you must beleeve it or they will take it very ill was to Rome and this was say they the second year of Claudius A long journey beleeve it to run to Rome to avoid danger at Ierusalem and Rome but a mad place to set up an Episcopacy in at this time as hath been plaine in the preceding and will bee also in the subsequent story of it But that we may see if not the impossibility yet the utter improbability of that his journey in this second of Claudius if that were the journey in the twelfth of the Acts it will not bee impertinent to insert a story out of Iosephus concerning Agrippaes returne from Rome to Ierusalem where hee slew Iames and imprisoned Peter PART II. The Jewish Story Sect. Herod Agrippa his comming to Ierusalem CLaudius the Emperour having attained the Empire as wee have seene the more easily and readily by the mediation and agitating of Agrippa hee would requite him like an Emperour for that his service and therefore hee confirmed to him by Charter that Kingdome in which hee had been inthroned by Caius adding also Iudea and Samaria which had belonged to his Grandfather Herod from hence it may seeme that he tooke that name and Abilene and the region neare it and appertaining to it in Lebanon which had belonged to Lysanias He caused also the Articles of a League betwixt himselfe and the King to bee cut in brasse and to bee set up in the midst of the Forum There was now some sedition and civill hostility in Alexandria for the Jewes having beene supprest and opprest by the Greekes all the time of Caius began after his death to stand in their owne defence and to rise up against those that had opposed them Claudius by Letter commands the Governour of Egypt to quell the tumult and at the request of Agrippa and of Herod King of Chalcis hee sendeth forth an Edict into Syria and Alexandria in behalfe and favour of the Jewes And another Decree hee sent also through the rest of the Roman Empire to the same tenor and for the benefit of the same people beginning with these his Titles Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Pont. Maximus Trib. Pleb or Tribunitia Potestatis Consul designatus II. or second time Consul and so it goes on By these decrees saith Iosephus being thus sent to Alexandria and through the whole Empire Claudius declared what opinion hee had of the Jewes And presently hee sent away Agrippa to manage his Kingdome with inlarged Honours and wrote to the Governours of the Provinces and to the Magistrates to favour him And hee as it befitted a man that had had happy successe returned with speed And comming to Ierusalem hee performed or offered Thankes-Offerings omitting nothing that was injoyned by the Law Wherefore hee caused many Nazarites to bee shaven and the golden Chaine which was given him by Caius weighing equally with the iron chaine that had bound his royall hands hee hung up in the consecrate Court over the Treasury for a memoriall of his adversity and for a witnesse of his better fortune Thus Agrippa having performed rightly this his service to God hee removed Theophilus the son of Ananus from the High-priesthood and conferred the honour upon Simon the son of Boethus whose name was also Cantheras thus Iosephus Antiq. l. 19. c. 4. Sect. Peter not imprisoned in the second yeare of Claudius To which let us joyne some of St. Lukes text in the twelfth of the Acts and then let us make use of both together Now about that time saith hee Herod the King stretched forth his hands to vexe certaine of the Church and hee killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword And because he saw it pleased the Iews he proceeded further to take Peter then were the dayes of unleavened bread Now let the Reader observe in either story one speciall circumstance of time as in Iosephus That Claudius was now second time Consul and in St. Luke that Iames was slaine before Easter and then let him cast whether it were possible at the least probable that so many things should bee done and intercede betweene the beginning of January when Claudius entered his Consulship and Easter as in these Stories must intercede if Peter were imprisoned at the Easter of this yeare yea though it fell the latest or furthest in the yeare that ever Easter yet fell For for Claudius to make his decree and disperse it for Agrippa to provide for his journey and part from his friends in Rome for him to travaile from Rome to Ierusalem to performe his Sacrifices and Ceremonies there to