Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

brought against them; but it is natural to suppose, that not having sufficient proof of what they alleged, or being informed that the crimes they accused him of, where no violations of the Roman law, they durst not implead him before the emperor, and so permitted him to be discharged of course: but by whatever means he procured his liberty, he wrote his Epis tle to the Hebrews before he left Italy, from whence he dates his salutations to the Jewish churches.

It is necessary to observe, that the principal design of this admirable Epistle is, to magnify CHRIST and the religion of the gospel, above Moses and the Jewish œconomy, in order to establish and confirm the converted Jews in the firm belief and profession of Christianity, notwithstanding the troubles and persecutions that would certainly attend them. He therefore represents our Saviour in his divine nature, as far superior to all angels, and all created beings; and in his mediatorial capacity as a greater priest than Aaron, and a greater king and priest than Melchisedec: he shews that the ceremonies, the sacrifices, and the observances of the law, could have no virtue in themselves, but only as they were the types of JESUS CHRIST; and being now accomplished in his person, were finally and totally abolished: he insists on the necessity of faith; and by the examples of the patriarchs and prophets, proves that justification can be procured no other way, than by the merits of a dying Saviour: and, lastly, he mingles many excellent precepts for the regulation of their lives exhortations to put trust and confidence in CHRIST, in all their sufferings; and strict cautions against apostacy from his religion in the hottest persecutions from their enemies.

St. Paul, having thus discharged bis ministry, both by preaching and writing in Italy, prosecuted his long intended journey into Spain, accompanied by Timothy; and, according to the testimony of several writers,, crossed the sea, and preached the gospel in Britain. What success he had in these western parts, is not known; be however continued there eight or nine months, and then returned again to the East, visited Sicily, Greece, and Crete, and then repaired into Judea.

How long he continued in his native country, is unknown, no further mention being made of him, till his return to Rome, which was probably about the eighth or ninth year of Nero's reign. Here he met with Peter, and was, together with him, thrown into prison, doubtless in the general persecution raised against the Christians, under pretence that they had set fire to the city but besides this general, there were particular reasons for his imprisonment. Some of the ancients say, he was engaged with St. Peter in detecting the impositions of Simon Magus.

St. Chrysostom tells us, that Nero was highly enraged against St. Paul, for his having converted one of his favourite concubines; and the apostle, after he was thrown into prison, persisting to persuade that lady to continue in her chaste and pious resolutions, Nero commanded him to be put to death. How long he remained in prison, is uncertain; nor do we know whether he was scourged before his execution; he was however allowed the privilege of a Roman citizen, and therefore beheaded.

As he was led to the place of execution, he is said to have converted three of the soldiers sent to guard and conduct him, and who soon after became martyrs to the faith. Being come to the place, which was the Aquæ Salvia, three miles from Rome, he cheerfully, after a solemn preparation, gave his neck to the fatal stroke; and from this vale of misery. his spirit passed to the blissful regions of immortality to the kingdom of his beloved Master, the great Redeemer of the human race, in the propa gation of whose gospel, he had so long and faithfully laboured.

His mortal part was buried in the Via Ostiensis, about two miles from Rome; and about the year 317, Constantine the Great, at the instance of Pope Sylvester, built a stately church over his grave, adorned it with an

דיי

hundred marble columns and beautified it with the most exquisite workmanship: but this church being thought too small for the honour of so great an apostle, Valentinian, by a rescript to Sautius, prefect of the city, caused it to be taken down, and a much larger structure to be erected, which was finished after his death by Theodosius; and further beautified, at the persuasion of Leo, bishop of Rome, by the empress Placida.

According to Nicephorus, St. Paul was of a low and small statue, somewhat stooping; his complexion was fair, his countenance grave, his head small, his eyes sparkling, his nose high and bending, and his hair thick and dark, but mixed with grey. His constitution was weak, and often subject to distempers: but how mean soever the cabinet might be, there was a treasure within precious and valuable, as will sufficiently appear, if we view the accomplishments of his mind.

44

His judgment was clear and solid, his understanding quick, and his memory strong and clear; all which were greatly improved by art, and the advantages of a liberal education. The schools of Tarsus and Jerusa lem had sharpened his discursive faculty by logic and the arts of reasoning, instructed him in the institutions of philosophy, and adorned his mind with every kind of human learning. A sufficient proof, that it is not un. lawful to bring the spoils of Egypt into the service of the sanctuary; and to make use of the advantages of foreign studies and human literature to divine and excellent purposes. He seems indeed to have been educated purposely to qualify him for being the apostle of the Gentiles, to contend with, and confute the grave and the wise, the acute and the subtle, the sage and the learned of the heathen world, and to wound them with arrows from their own quivers. He seldom made use of learning and philosophy; it being more agreeable to the designs of the gospel, to confound, by the plain doctrine of the cross, the wisdom and learning of the world.

Though these were great accomplishments, yet they were only a shadow of that divine temper of mind he enjoyed, and which discovered itself through the whole course of his life. He was humble to the lowest step of abasement & condescension, none ever thinking better of others, or more meanly of himself. And though, when he had to deal with envious and malicious adversaries, who endeavoured, by vilifying his person, to_obstruct his ministry, he knew how to magnify his office, and to let them know that he was not inferior to the chiefest of the apostles; yet, at other times, he always declared to the world, that he considered himself as an abortive, or an untimely birth, as "the least of the apostles, not meet to be called an apostle ;" and, as if this were not enough, he formed a word on purpose to express his humility, styling himself Elachistoteron, shan the least of the saints ;” nay," the very chief of sinners.”

less

How freely and frequently does he confess, that, before his conversion, he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, a person that injured both God and man: though honoured with the highest grace and favour taken up to an immediate converse with God in heaven, yet he never shewed the least loftiness over his brethren; he was intrusted with the greatest power and authority in the church, but never affected to govern the faith of men; he only endeavoured to be an helper of their joy, How studiously did he decline all the honours and commendations that were heaped upon him: when some in the church of Corinth magnified him, and, under the patronage of his name, began to set up for a party, he severely rebuked them, told them that it was CHRIST, not he that was crucified for them; that they had not been baptized in his name, nor did he remember to have baptized above three or four of them, and he was heartily glad he had no oftener performed the ceremony, lest a foundation might have been laid, from that circumstance, for charging him with Judaizing.

St. Paul's temperance and sobriety were remarkable: for he often abridged himself of the conveniency of lawful and necessary accommoda

tions: his hungerings and thirstings were frequent; by which means he reduced the extravagancy of the sensual appetites to a perfect subjection of the law of reason. Hence he easily got above the world, with all it's charms and frowns, and his mind was continually conversant in 'heaven, where his thoughts were fixed, and whither Eis desires always ascended. What he taught to others, he practised himself; his conversation was în heaven, and his desires were to depart, and to be with CHRIST: This world neither arrested his affection nor disturbed his fears: he was neither pleased with it's applauses, nor terrified with it's threatenings: he studied not to please men, nor valued the censures they passed upon him: he was not greedy of a great estate, titles of honour, or rich presents from men ; food and raiment was his bill of fare, and more than this be never cared for; accounting, that the less he was clogged with these things the lighter he should pass to heaven, especially as he was travelling through a world overrun with trouble and persecutions. And hence it is, very probable, that he always led a single life, though some of the ancients rank him amongst those apostles who were married.

No less exemplary was his kindness and charity; for he had a com passionate tenderness for the poor and a quick sense of the wants of others. To what church soever he came, it was always one of his first cares to make provision for the poor and to stir up the bounty of the rich and wealthy; nay, he himself worked often with his own hands, not only to maintain himself, but also to help and relieve them but his charity to the souls of men was infinitely greater, fearing no dangers, refusing no labours, going through good and evil report, that he might gain men over to the knowledge of the truth, bring them out of the crooked paths of vice and idolatry, and place them in the straight way that leadeth to life eternal : nay, so insatiable was his thirst for the good of souls, that he affirms that he would sooner himself be accursed from CHRIST, than that his coun trymen should miscarry. And as he was infinitely solicitous to gain them over to the religion of the Son of God, so the was equally careful to keep them from being seduced from it; ready to suspect every thing that might corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in CHRIST :: “ I am jealous over you," says he to the church of Corinth, with a godly jealousy," an affection of all others the most active and vigilant, and which inspires men with the most passionate care and concern for the good of those for whom they have the highest degree of love and kindness. Pauð Nor was his charity to men greater than his zeal for God, labouring with all his might to promote the honours of his master. How remarably zealous was be while he continued a member of the Jewish religion, of the tradition of the fathers! How earnest to vindicate and assert the divinity of the Mosaic dispensation, & to persecute all who were of a contrary faith, even to rage and madness? And when his zeal was afterwards turned into a right channel, it ran with swift current, carrying him out against all opposition, to vanquish the kingdom and the powers of darkness, to beat down idolatry, & plant the world with the right apprehensions of God, and the true knowledge of religion. When at Athens he saw them involv ed in the grossest superstition and idolatry, and giving the honour that was due to God alone to statues and images, this fired his zeal, and he could not but let them know the resentment of his mind, and how greatly! they dishonoured God, the great maker and preserver of the world. This zeal must have rendered him remarkably diligent and industrious in the execution of his office, warning, reproving, entreating, persuading, preaching in season and out of season, by night and by day, by sea and by land he thought no pains too much to be taken, no dangers too great to be overcome.

For thirty-five years after his conversion he seldom staid long in one place, travelling from Jerusalem through Arabia, Asia, and Greece, to

Illyricum, to Rome, and to the utmost bounds of the western world, preaching the gospel of CHRIST. Running, says St. Jerom, from ocean to ocean, like the sun in the heavens, of which it is said, his circuit is from the one end of the heaven to the other, sooner wanting ground to tread on than a desire to propagate the faith of CHRIST. Nicephorus compares him to a bird in the air, which, in a few years, flew round the world: Isidore, to a winged husbandman, who flew from place to place, to cultivate the world with the most exact rules and instructions of life. And while the other apostles confined themselves, as it were, to one spot, choosing this or that particular province and place for their ministry, St." Paul overran the whole world to it's utmost bounds and corners, planting all places where he came with the divine doctrines of the gospel. Nor in this course was he tired with the dangers and difficulties he met with," the troubles and oppositions that were raised against him: but all these served only to reflect a greater lestre on his patience; of which he was a most eminent pattern, enduring the greatest troubles and persecutions, with a patience triumphant and unconquerable.

This will easily appear if we take a survey of what trials and sufferings he underwent ; some part whereof are thus briefly summed up by himself: "In labours abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons frequent, in deaths oft; thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice suffered shipwreck, a night and a day in the deep in journeyings often, in perils of water, in perils by his countrymen, in perils by the Heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils amongst false brethren: in weariness, in painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst; in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; and besides those things that were without, which daily came upon him, the care of all the churches. " An account, though very great, yet far short of what he endured. All which he cheerfully underwent with a soul as calm and serene as the morning sun; no malice or rage, nor fury or storms, could ruffle or discompose his spirit: nay, they animated him to rise up with the greater eagerness and resolution to perform his duty. Could all the powers of men and devils, spite and opposition, torments and threatenings, have been able to baffle him out of that religion he had embraced, he must have deserted his station: but his soul was steeled with a courage and resolu tion that was impenetrable; and on which no temptation, either from hopes or fears could make any more impression, than an arrow shot against a wall of adament.

་་

He did not want solicitations both from Jews and Gentiles; and might, doubtless, in some measure, have made his own terms, would he have been false to his trust, and quitted that way which was then every where spoken against. But, alas! these things weighed little with our apostle, who counted not his life dear unto him, so that he might finish his course with joy, and the ministry which he had received of the Lord Jesus ;" and therefore, when he thought himself under the sentence of death, could triumphantly say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." In short, he was a man in whom the divine life eminently displayed itself; he lived piously and devoutly, soberly and temperately, justly and righteously; careful" always to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and man.". This, he tells us, was his support under all his sufferings; this the foundation of his confidence towards God, and his firm hopes of his happiness in another world. "This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world." In short, as the love of this great apostle to his divine Master knew no bounds, so the beauty and energy of his writings, as well as bis sufferings in support of the truth he espoused and inculcated, are beyond example.

The LIFE of St. JAMES,

The APOSTLE, surnamed the GREAT.

THIS apostle was a native of Galilee, born in all probability either at Capernaum or Bethsaida, as he was a partner with Simon Peter in the fishing trade. The epithet of Great was given him, to distinguish him from another apostle of the same name.

He was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman, who kept several servants to carry on his trade, and therefore must have been a person of consequence in his way. His mother's name was Mary, surnamed Salome, the daugh ter of Cleophas, and sister or rather cousin-german to Mary the mother of our Lord; so that he had the honour of being a near relation to CHRIST himself. He was brought up to the trade of his father; a mean occupa tion, indeed, in the eye of the world, but no employment is mean that is honest and industrious; and it should be remembered that the Son of God himself stooped so low, as to become the reputed son of a carpenter, an d during the retirement of his private life laboured himself at his fathers trade; not merely devoting himself to contemplations, nor withdrawing from all useful society with the world, and hiding himself in the solitudes of an anchoret, but busying himself in an active course of life as he continually went about doing good to the souls and bodies of reankind.

I

Not in the least discouraged at the meanness of his father's trade, St. James applied himself to it with remarkable assiduity, and was exercising his employment when the Saviour of the world passing by the sea of Gal ilee, saw him with his brother in the ship, and called them both to be his disciples. Nor was the call in vain; they carefully complied with it, and immediately left all to follow him: they did not stay to dispute his come mand, or solicitously inquire into the minute consequences of the under-taking, the troubles and dangers that might attend this new employment but readily delivered themselves up to preform whatever service he should

call them to.

7.

He was called soon after this from the station of an ordinary disciple, i to the apostolic office, and even honoured with some particular favours be yond most of the apostles, being one of the three whom the Lord made choice of, as his companions in the more intimate transactions of his life,' from which the rest were excluded. Thus, with Peter and his brother John, he attended his Master when he raised the daughter of Jarius from the dead; he was admitted to CHRIST's glorious transfiguration on the mount, and heard the discourses that passed between him and the great ministers from the court of heaven; and when the holy Jesus was to undergo his bitter agony in the garden, as preparatory sufferings to his pas-> gion, James was one of the three taken to be a spectator of them.

It is not easy to determine what reasons induced the great Redeemer of mankind to admit those three apostles to peculiar acts of kindness; though he doubtless did it for wise and proper ends. Whether he designs these three to be more solemn and peculiar witnesses of some remarkable transactions of his life than the other apostles; or that they would be more eminently useful and serviceable in some parts of the apostolic office; or to encourage them thereby to prepare for the sufferings that would attend them in the ministry; or whether he designed them for some more eminent kinds of martyrdom than the rest of his disciples.

It was not the least instance of particular honour that our Lord conferred on these apostles, when he called them to the apostolate, that he gives them a new name and title. A thing not uncommon of old, for the Almighty often imposed new names on persons, when he intended them for...

« AnteriorContinuar »