Antiquitates apoitolicæ, or, The history of the lives, acts and martyrdoms of the holy apostles of our Saviour and the two evangelists SS. Mark and Lvke to which is added an introductory discourse concerning the three great dispensations of the church, patriarchal, Mosiacal and evangelical : being a continuation of Antiquitates christianæ or the life and death of the holy Jesus / by William Cave ...

THE LIFE OF S. MATTHEW.

[illustration]

S. MATHEW.

S. Mathew the Apostle and Evangelist, preached the Gospel in Aethiopia and was there slayn with an Halbert Bed et Borea Sept 21

[illustration]

S^t. Mathew his Martyrdom.

1 Pet. 3.14

If ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy are ye, & be not afraid of their terrour, neither be ye troubled:

His Birth-place and Kindred. His Trade, the Office of a Publican. The great dignity of this Office among the Romans. The honours done to Vespasian's Fa∣ther for the faithful discharge of it. This Office infamous among the Greeks, but especially the Jews. What things concurr'd to render it odious and grievous to them. Their bitter abhorrency of this sort of men. S. Mat∣thew's employment wherein it particularly consisted. The Publican's Ticket what. S. Matthew's call, and his ready obedience. His inviting our Lord to Dinner. The Pharisees cavil, and our Saviour's answer. His Preaching in Judaea. His travels into Parthia, Aethiopia, &c. to propa∣gate Christianity. The success of his Ministry. His Death. His singular contempt of the World. Censured herein by Julian and Porphyry. His exemplary temperance and sobriety. His humility and modesty. Unreason∣able to reproach Penitents with the vices of their former Life. His Gospel when and why written. Composed by him in Hebrew. The general consent

of Antiquity herein. Its translation into Greek, when and by whom. The Hebrew Copy by whom owned and interpolated. Those now extant not the same with those mentioned in Antiquity.

1. SAINT Matthew, called also Levi, was, though a Roman Officer, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, (both his Names speaking him purely of Jewish extract and Original) and probably a Galilean, and whom I should have concluded born at, or near Capernaum, but that the Arabick * 1.1 Writer of his life tells us, he was born at Nazareth, a City in the Tribe of Zebulun, famous for the habitation of Joseph and Mary, but espe∣cially the education and residence of our Blessed Saviour, who though born at Bethlehem, was both conceiv'd and bred up here, where he lived the whole time of his private life, whence he derived the Title of Jesus of Naza∣reth. S. Matthew was the Son of Alpheus and Mary, Sister or Kinswoman to the Blessed Virgin; in the same Arabick Author his Father is called Ducu, and his Mother Karutias, both originally descended of the Tribe of Issachar, nothing being more common among the Jews, than for the same Person to have several names, these latter probably express'd in Arabick according to their Jewish signification. His Trade or way of life was that of a Publican or Toll-gatherer to the Romans (which probably had been his Father's Trade, his Name denoting a Broker or Money-changer) an Office of bad report amongst the Jews. Indeed among the Romans it was accounted a place of power and credit, and honourable reputation, not ordinarily conferred up∣on any but Roman Knights; insomuch that T. Fl. Sabinus, Father to the Em∣peror Vespasian, was the Publican of the Asian Provinces, an Office which he discharged so much to the content and satisfaction of the People, that they erected Statues to him with his Inscription, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉* 1.2, To him that has well managed the Publican-Office. These Offi∣cers being sent into the Provinces to gather the Tributes, were wont to em∣ploy the Natives under them, as Persons best skilled in the affairs and cu∣stoms of their own Country. Two things especially concurred to render this Office odious to the Jews. First, that the Persons that managed it were usually covetous, and great Exactors; for having themselves farmed the Customs of the Romans, they must gripe and scrape by all methods of Extor∣tion, that they might be able both to pay their Rent, and to raise gain and advantage to themselves: which doubtless Zachaeus, the Chief of these Far∣mers, was sensible of,* 1.3 when after his Conversion, he offered four-fold resti∣tution to any Man,* 1.4 from whom he had taken any thing by fraud and evil arts. And upon this ac∣count they became infamous, even among the Gentiles themselves, who commonly speak of them as Cheats, and Thieves, and publick Robbers, and worse members of a community, more vora∣cious and destructive in a City, than wild Beasts in the Forest. The other thing that made the Jews so much detest them was, that this Tribute was not only a grievance to their Purses, but an affront to the liberty and freedom of their Nation; for they looked upon themselves as a Free-born People, and that they had been im∣mediatlely invested in this priviledge by God himself, and accordingly be∣held this as a daily and standing instance of their slavery, which of all other things they could least endure, and which therefore betrayed them into

so many unfortunate Rebellions against the Romans. Add to this, that these Publicans were not only obliged by the necessity of their Trade to have fre∣quent dealing and converse with the Gentiles (which the Jews held unlaw∣ful and abominable) but that being Jews themselves they rigorously exacted these things of their Brethren, and thereby seemed to conspire with the Ro∣mans to entail perpetual slavery upon their own Nation. For though * 1.5 Tertullian thought that none but Gentiles were employed in this fordid of∣fice, yet the contrary is too evident to need any argument to prove it.

2. BY these means Publicans became so universally abhorred by the Jew∣ish Nation, that it was accounted unlawful to do them any office of common kindness and courtesie, nay they held it no sin to couzen and over-reach a Pub∣lican, and that with the solemnity of an Oath; they might not eat or drink, walk or travel with them; they were looked upon as common Thieves and Robbers, and Money received of them might not be put to the rest of a Man's Estate, it being presumed to have been gained by rapine and vio∣lence; they were not admitted as Persons fit to give testimony and evidence in any cause: so infamous were they, as not only to be banished all commu∣nion in the matters of Divine Worship, but to be shunned in all affairs of civil society and commerce, as the Pests of their Country, Persons of an infectious converse, of as vile a Classe as Heathens themselves. * 1.6 Hence the common Proverb among them, Take not a Wife out of that Family, wherein there is a Publican, for they are all Publicans, that is, Thieves, Robbers, and wicked sinners. To this Proverbial usage our Lord alludes, when speaking of a contumacious sinner, whom neither private reproofs, nor the publick censures and admonitions of the Church can prevail upon, Let him be unto thee (says he) as an Heathen and a Publican; as elsewhere Publicans and sinners are yoked together, as Persons of equal esteem and reputation. Of this Trade and Office was our S. Matthew, and it seems more particu∣larly to have consisted in gathering the Customs of Commodities that came by the Sea of Galilee, and the Tribute which Passengers were to pay that went by Water; a thing frequently mentioned in the Jewish writings, where we are also told of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Ticket, consisting of two greater Let∣ters written in Paper, or some such matter,* 1.7 called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Ticket or signature of the Publicans, which the Passenger had with him to certifie them on the other side the Water, that he had already paid the Toll or Cu∣stom: upon which account the Hebrew Gospel of S. Matthew published by Munster, renders Publican by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Lord of the Passage. For this purpose they kept their Office or Custom-house by the Sea-side, that they might be always near at hand; and here it was (as S. Mark intimates) that Matthew had his Toll-both, where He sate at the Receipt of Cu∣stom.

3. OUR Lord having lately cured a famous Paralytick, retired out of Capernaum to walk by the Sea-side,* 1.8 where he taught the People that flocked after him. Here he espied Matthew sitting in his Custom-office, whom he called to come and follow Him. The Man was rich, had a wealthy and a gainful Trade, a wise and prudent Person (no fools being put into that Of∣fice) and understood no doubt what it would cost him to comply with this new employment, that he must exchange Wealth for Poverty, a Custom-house for a Prison, gainful Masters for a naked and despised Saviour. But he overlooked all these considerations, left all his Interests and Relations, to be∣come our Lord's Disciple, and to embrace 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as * 1.9 Chryso∣stom observes) a more spiritual way of commerce & traffick. We cannot suppose that he was before wholly unacquainted without Saviour's Person or Doctrine,

especially living at Capernaum, the place of Christ's usual residence, where his Sermons and Miracles were so frequent, by which he could not but in some measure be prepared to receive the impressions, which our Saviour's call now made upon him. And to shew that he was not discontented at his change, nor apprehended himself a loser by this bargain, he entertained our Lord and his Disciples at a great Dinner in his House, whither he invited his Friends, especially those of his own Profession, piously hoping that they also might be caught by our Saviour's converse and company. The Phari∣sees, whose Eye was constantly evil, where another Man's was good, and who would either find or make occasions to snarle at him, began to suggest to his Disciples, that it was unbecoming so pure and holy a Person as their Ma∣ster pretended himself to be, thus familiarly to converse with the worst of men, Publicans and sinners, Persons infamous to a Proverb. But he pre∣sently replied upon them, that they were the sick that needed the Physician, not the sound and healthy, that his company was most suitable, where the necessities of Souls did most require it, that God himself preferred acts of Mercy and Charity, especially in reclaiming sinners, and doing good to Souls, infinitely before all ritual observances, and the nice rules of Persons conversing with one another, and that the main design of his coming into the World was not to bring the righteous, or those who like themselves proudly conceited themselves to be so, and in a vain Opinion of their own strictness loftily scorned all Mankind besides, but sinners, modest, humble, self-convinced offenders, to repentance, and to reduce them to a better state and course of life.

4. AFTER his election to the Apostolate, he continued with the rest till our Lord's Ascension, and then for the first eight Years at least Preached up and down Judaea. After which being to betake himself to the Conversi∣on of the Gentile-world, he was intreated by the Convert Jews to commit to Writing the History of our Saviour's Life and Actions, and to leave it among them as the standing Record of what he had Preached to them; which he did accordingly, and so composed his Gospel, whereof more in due place. Little certainty can be had what Travels he underwent for the advancement of the Christian Faith, so irrecoverably is truth lost in a crowd of Legendary stories. * 1.10 Aethiopia is generally assigned as the Province of his Apostolical Ministry. ‖ 1.11 Metaphrastes tells us, that he went first into Parthia, and ha∣ving successfully planted Christianity in those Parts, thence travelled into Aethiopia, that is, the Asiatick Aethiopia, lying near to India: here by Preaching and Miracles he mightily triumphed over error and Idolatry, con∣vinced and converted Multitudes, ordained spiritual Guides and Pastors to confirm and build them up, and bring over others to the Faith, and then fi∣nished his own course. As for what is related by * 1.12 Nicephorus of his going into the Country of the Cannibals, constituting Plato, one of his followers, Bishop of Myrmena, of Christ's appearing to him in the form of a beautiful Youth, and giving him a Wand, which he pitching into the ground, im∣mediately it grew up into a Tree, of his strange converting the Prince of that Country, of his numerous Miracles, peaceable Death, and sumptuous Fu∣nerals, with abundance more of the same stamp and coin, they are justly to be reckoned amongst those fabulous reports, that have no Pillar nor ground either of truth or probability to support them. Most probable it is (what an Ancient * 1.13 Writer affirms) that he suffered Martyrdom at Naddaber a City in Aethiopia, but by what kind of Death, is altogether un∣certain. Whether this Naddaber be the same

with Beschberi, where the Arabick * 1.14 Writer of his Life affirms him to have suffered Martyrdom, let others enquire: he also adds,* 1.15 that he was buried Arthaganetu Caesarea, but where that is, is to me unknown. ‖ 1.16 Dorotheus makes him honourably buried at Hierapolis in Parthia, one of the first places to which he Preached the Gospel.

5. HE was a great instance of the power of Religion, how much a Man may be brought off to a better temper. If we reflect upon his circumstances while yet a stranger to Christ, we shall find that the World had very great advantages upon him. He was become a Master of a plentiful Estate, en∣gaged in a rich and a gainful Trade, supported by the power and favour of the Romans, prompted by covetous inclinations, and these confirmed by long habits and customs. And yet notwithstanding all this, no sooner did Christ call, but without the least scruple or dissatisfaction, he flung up all at once, and not only renounced (as S. Basil * 1.17 observes) his gainful incomes, but ran an immediate hazard of the displeasure of his Masters that employed him, for quitting their service, and leaving his accounts entangled and con∣fused behind him. Had our Saviour been a mighty Prince, it had been no wonder, that he should run over to his service: but when he appeared un∣der all the circumstances of meanness and disgrace, when he seemed to pro∣mise his followers nothing but misery and suffering in this life, and to pro∣pound no other rewards but the invisible encouragements of another World, his change in this case was the more strange and admirable. Indeed so ad∣mirable, that Porphyry and ‖ 1.18 Julian (two subtil and acute adversaries of the Christian Religion) hence took occasion to charge him either with falshood, or with folly; either that he gave not a true account of the thing; or, that it was very weakly done of him, so hastily to follow any one that call'd him. But the Holy Jesus was no common Person, in all his commands there was somewhat more than ordinary. Indeed S. Hierom conceives that besides the Divinity that manifested it self in his Miracles, there was a Divine bright∣ness and a kind of Majesty in our Saviour's looks, that at first sight was attra∣ctive enough to draw Persons after him. However his miraculous powers, that reflected a lustre from every quarter, and the efficacy of his Doctrine accompanied with the grace of God, made way for the summons that were sent our Apostle, and enabled him to conquer all oppositions that stood in the way to hinder him.

6. HIS contempt of the World further appeared in his exemplary tem∣perance and abstemiousness from all the delights and pleasures, yea the ordi∣nary conveniences and accommodations of it; so far from indulging his ap∣petite with nice and delicate curiosities, that he refused to gratifie it with lawful and ordinary provisions, eating no flesh, his usual Diet being nothing but Herbs, Roots, Seeds and * 1.19 Berries. But what appeared most remark∣able in him, and which though the least vertue in it self, is the greatest in a wise Man's esteem and value, was his humility,* 1.20 mean and modest in his own conceit, in honour preferring others before himself. Whereas the other Evangelists in describing the Apostles by pairs, constantly place him before Thomas, he mo∣destly places him before himself. The rest of the Evangelists openly mention the honour of his Apostleship, but speak of his former sordid, dishonest, and disgraceful course of life, only under the name of Levi, while he himself sets it down, with all its circumstances, under his own proper and common name. Which as at once it commends his own candor and ingenuity, so it administers to us this not unuseful consideration.

That the greatest sinners are not excluded the lines of Divine grace; nor can any,* 1.21 if penitent, have just reason to despair, when Publicans and sinners are taken in. And as S. Matthew himself does freely and impartially record his own vile and dishonourable course of life, so the two other Evangelists, though setting down the story, take notice of him only under another name; to teach us to treat a penitent Brother with all modesty and tenderness. If a man repent (say the Jews) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Let no man say to him, remember thy former works; which they explain not only con∣cerning Israelites, but even strangers and Proselytes. It being against the rules of civility, as well as the Laws of Religion, when a Man hath repent∣ed, to upbraid and reproach him with the errors and follies of his past life.

7. THE last thing that calls for any remarks in the life of this Apostle is his Gospel, written at the intreaty of the Jewish Converts, and as Epiphanius tells * 1.22 us, at the command of the Apostles, while he was yet in Palestine, about Eight Years after the death of Christ: though ‖ 1.23 Nicephorus will have it to be written Fifteen Years after our Lord's Ascension, and * 1.24 Irenaeus yet much wider, who seems to imply that it was written while Peter and Paul Preached at Rome, which was not till near Thirty Years after. But most plain it is, that it must be written before the dispersion of the Apostles, see∣ing S. Bartholomew (as we have noted in his Life) took it along with him into India, and left it there. He wrote it in Hebrew, as primarily designing it for the use of his Country-men, and strange it is, that any should question its being originally written in that Language,* 1.25 when the thing is so universally and uncontroula∣bly asserted by all Antiquity, not one that I know of, after the strictest enquiry I could make, dissen∣ting in this matter, and who certainly had far greater opportunities of being satisfied in these things, than we can have at so great a distance. It was no doubt soon after translated into Greek, though by whom S. Hierom professes he could not tell; * 1.26 Theophylact says it was reported to have been done by S. John, but ‖ 1.27 Athanasius more ex∣presly attributes the Translation to S. James the less. The best is, it matters not much whether it was translated by an Apostle, or some Disciple, so long as the Apostles approved the Version, and that the Church has ever received the Greek Copy for Authentick, and reposed it in the Sacred Canon.

8. AFTER the Greek Translation was entertained, the Hebrew Copy was chiefly owned and used by the * 1.28 Nazaraei, a middle Sect of Men be∣tween Jews and Christians; with the Christians they believed in Christ, and embraced his Religion, with the Jews they adhered to the Rites and Cere∣monies of the Mosaick Law, and hence this Gospel came to be stiled the Go∣spel according to the Hebrews, and the Gospel of the Nazarenes. By them it was by degrees interpolated, several Passages of the Evangelical History, which they had heard either from the Apostles, or those who had familiarly con∣versed with them, being inserted, which the ancient Fathers frequently re∣fer to in their Writings; as by the ‖ 1.29 Ebionites it was mutilated, and many things cut off, for the same reason for which the followers of Cerinthus, though making use of the greatest part of it, rejected the rest, because it made so much against them. This Hebrew Copy (though whether exactly the same as it was written by S. Matthew, I will not say) was found among

other Books in the Treasury of the Jews at * 1.30 Tiberias, by Joseph a Jew, and after his Conversion a Man of great honour and esteem in the time of Con∣stantine; and another ‖ 1.31 S. Hierom assures us was kept in the Library at Caesarea in his time, and another by the Nazarenes at Beraea, from whom he had the liberty to transcribe it, and which he afterwards translated both into Greek and Latin, with this particular observation, than in quoting the Texts of the Old Testament, the Evangelist immediately follows the Hebrew, with∣out taking notice of the Translation of the Septuagint. A Copy also of this Gospel was Ann. CCCCLXXXV dug up and found in the Grave of Barnabas in Cyprus, transcribed wih his own * 1.32 hand. But these Copies are long since perished, and for those that have been since published to the World, both by Tile and Munster, were there no other argument, they too openly betray themselves by their barbarous and improper stile, not to be the genuine issue of that less corrupt and better Age.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apud Kir∣sten. Vit. 4. Evangel. p. 22.
• * 1.2

  Sueton. in vit. Vespas. cap. 1. p. 722.
• * 1.3

  Luke 19.8.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Xeno Comic. apud Dicaearch. de vit. Graeciae. cap. 4. p. 29.

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Muson. apud Stob Serm. 2 de Malit. p. 31. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Suid. in voc. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.5

  De pudicit. c. 7. p. 561.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Matth. 18.17.
• * 1.7

  Vid. Buxtorf. Lex in voc. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.8

  Matth. 9.9. Mark 2.13, 14 Luke 5.27, 28, 29.
• * 1.9

  Homil. 11. in 1. ad Co∣rinth. p. 419.
• * 1.10

  Socr. l. 1. c. 19 p. 50.
• ‖ 1.11

  Apud Sur. ad diem 21. Septemb. Vol. 3. p. 217.
• * 1.12

  H. Eccl. lib. 2. c. 41. p. 203.
• * 1.13

  Inde triumphantem fert India Bartholomaeum: Matthaeum eximium Naddaber alta virum. Ven. Fortun. de Senat. Cur. Cael. Poem. lib. 7. p. 817.
• * 1.14

  Vbi supr. p. 30.
• * 1.15

  Ibid. p. 31.
• ‖ 1.16

  Synops. de vit. & mort. App. in Bibl. Pp. Tom. 3. p. 148.
• * 1.17

  Reg. fusius disput. Interrog. VIII. pag. 545. Tom. 2.
• ‖ 1.18

  Ap. Hierom. in Matth. 9. p. 26 Tom. 9.
• * 1.19

  Clem. Alex. Paedag. lib. 2. c. 1. p. 148.
• * 1.20

  Caeteri Evangelistae in conjunctione nominum, primum ponunt Matthaeum, & postea Thomam: iste verò & post Thomam se ponit, & publicanum appellat; ut ubi abundavit iniquitas, superabundet & gratia. Hieron. Comm. in Matth. c. 10. p. 29. T. 9.
• * 1.21

  Caeteri Evan∣gelistae nec Pub∣licani nomen ascribunt: ne antiquae con∣versationis re∣cordantes, su∣gillare Evange∣listam videren∣tur. Hieron. ibid. Bava Metsia fol. 58.2.
• * 1.22

  Haeres. 51. p. 185.
• ‖ 1.23

  H. Eccl. lib. 2. c. 45. p. 213.
• * 1.24

  Adv. Haer. lib. 3. c. 1. p. 229.
• * 1.25

  Papias ap. Euseb. l. 3. c. 39. p. 113. Iren. l. 3. c. 1. p. 229. Origen. Exposit. in Matth. l 5. ap. Euseb. lib. 6. c. 25. p. 226. Athan. Synops. S. Script. p. 493. Cyril. Hierosolym. Catech. 14. p. 341. Epiphan. Haeres. 29. p. 59. Haer. 51. p. 185. Chrysost. Homil. 1. in Matth. p. 4. Hieron. de Script. Eccl. in Matth. Praes. in 4. Evang. ad Dam. Tom 3. p. 30. & alibi saepe. August. de Consens. Evang. lib. 1. c. 2. col. 372. Doroth. Synops. de vit. App. p. 148. Anast. Sinait. Hexaem. lib. 8. Arabs quidam in vit. MS. Matthaei apud Kirsten. de vit. Quat. Evangel. n. 10. p. 29. Paraphr. Syrus ad calc. Evangel. S. Matth. Ita Arabs, & versio Persic. Praefat. ad id. Evangel.
• * 1.26

  Praef. Comment. in Matth. pag. 2.
• ‖ 1.27

  Synops. S. Script. p. 493.
• * 1.28

  Epiph. Haeres. 29. p. 59.
• ‖ 1.29

  Epiph. Haeres. 40. p. 64. id. Haer. 27. p. 54.
• * 1.30

  Epish ib. Hae∣res. XXX. p. 61. vid. p. 60.
• ‖ 1.31

  De Script. Eccl. in Matth.
• * 1.32

  Theodor. Lect. Collectan. lib. 2. non longe ab init. p. 184.