City. His Parents were both Jews; and therefore he calleth himself an Hebrew of the Hebrews, or an Hebrew both by Father and Mother. His discent was of Benja∣min, which from the general division under Jeroboam the first, had adhered constant to the Tribe of Juda, and so kept Registers of their Genealogies, as that Tribe did. Ac∣cording to his double Nation, he also bare a double name, Saul, as he was an Hebrew by birth, and Paul as he was a Roman by freedom: His education was in the Schools of Tarsus, where as Strabo recordeth were Scholars no whit inferiour to the Students in Athens. Here he attained the Greek Language and Learning, and grew expert in their Philosophy and Poems, his skill wherein he sheweth, in alledging Epimenides, Ara∣tus, and Menander. From thence he was sent to the University at Jerusalem, for the study of Divinity and of the Jewish Law. His Tutor was Gamaliel a Pharisee, a man of spe∣cial note and reverence among the people. His proficiency was above many of his equals of his own Nation, he being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of the Fathers. From his youth he also learned a handy trade of making Tents, and joyned the working in that by some vicissitudes with his studies: which thing was common with the Scholars of the Jews, partly for the earning of their maintenance, and partly for the avoiding of idleness and sin. So Rabbi Juda the great Cabalist, bare the name and trade of Hhajat a Shoomaker or Taylor.
Yet was the learning of this great Scholar but gorgeous ignorance, and his forward zeal, but the more excellent impiety. When he thought he followed holiness, he per∣secuted it, and when his studies should have overtaken the truth, then had he lost both them and it and himself and all.
As for Saul, saith Luke, he made havock of the Church, entring into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. He began now to write his positions in blood, and it must be no less than death or abjuration not to be of his opinion. Neither was this his fury confined within the walls of Jerusalem, or the compass of Judea, but overflowed also unto forreign Cities: where the Jewish Synagogues acknow∣ledging subjection to the metropolitan See, submit to her letters, and are too ready to perform her will. Among the rest he obtaineth commission for Damascus, whither a poor Church having but lately overrun persecution, is ready now to be overrun by it again: But by the way, he is met with by Christ, and from a Lion made a Lamb, and he that went to lead captivity is himself captived.
In the story of this great wonder, the Text and the matter it self calleth upon us to consider these things.
- 1. That the most notorious persecutor that the Gospel had yet found, is chosen of all others to be the Doctor of the Gentiles: that even his own example, or rather the glo∣rious example of Gods mercy in his conversion, might be a comfortable Doctrine to those notorious sinners of the Gentiles as well as his preaching.
- 2. That the like divine violence was never used for the converting of a sinner either before or since: but 1. it was necessary that he should see Christ, as Vers. 17. because it was a necessary ingredient toward the making of an Apostle, to have seen the Lord, 1 Cor. 9. 1. And 2. it was needful, that the Lord should appear to him in such daunting power, not only for his own quelling, but also for the terrour of all persecutors for the time to come.
- 3. This appearance of the Lord unto him, was not so much in his person as in his glory, nor what he saw of him, besides the light that stroke him blind, was with the eyes of his body but of his spirit.
- 4. The place was near Damascus from whence had sprung one of the sharpest per∣secutors that Israel had groaned under, 2 Kings 11. 32. Amos 13. compare Gen. 14. 15.
- 5. The manner is so plainly set down in the Text, that it is needless to insist upon it: only these two or three things may not unfitly be touched upon and taken to thought. 1. That more was spoken from heaven, than Luke hath here related, as ap∣pears by Pauls own relation of it, Acts 26. 16, 17, 18. but the Holy Ghost frequently useth to speak out stories to the full, some parts in one place, some in another, chal∣lenging the readers pains and study, to pick them up. 2. That whereas in Chap. 6. 7. it is said that those that travailed with Paul heard the voice, but in Chap. 22. 9. that they heard not the voice, it is to be understood, that they heard the voyce of Paul speaking to Christ, but not Christs voice to him: or if they heard the voice from heaven, yet they understood not what it said. 3. Whereas in Chap. 9. 7. it is said these men stood speechless, but in Chap. 26. 14. that they fell all to the ground: the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Chap. 9. 7. standeth in opposition to their going forward and not to their falling to the earth, and meaneth, that their amazedness fixed them that they could not flee nor stir.