Ecclesiastical history epitomized containing a faithful account of ye birth life & doctrine, crucifixion & ascension of ye holy Iesus : with the lives of ye apostles evangelists & primitive fathers & other famous men in ye Christian Church both antient & modern who have couragiously confessed & suffered glorious martyrdomes & persecutions under several tyrannical governours both heathenish and Romish : faithfully continued to ye reformation and since deduced to this present age / carefully collected by J.S. ... ; in two parts.

The Life and Martyrdom of St. JUDE the Apostle.

THis Apostle goes under three several names as Jude, Thaddaeus, and Lebbaeus, but accord∣ing to the Opinions of such as have inqui∣red into their significations, they signifie all one and the same thing. As for his Descent and Pa∣rentage, he was one of the four that were called our Lord's Brothers, Son to Joseph, and Brother to St. James Bishop of Jerusalem; that he was one of the Twelve Apostles is certain, being often numbred with them by the Evangelists; and espe∣cially in the 14 Chapter of St. John's Gospel, we find upon our Saviour's declaring to his Disciples what great things he and his Father would do; and what glorious Manifestations he would make of his Power and Godhead, after his Resurrecti∣on to such of his Disciples as persevered in their Obedience. St. Jude (who looked for nothing less than a Temporal Kingdom of the Messiah, not thinking how that mean condition in which our Saviour continued in upon Earth, could con∣sist with the Pomp and Magnificence that was ex∣pected upon that occasion) demanded of our Sa∣viour, why he would manifest himself to his disciples and not to the world? to which our Lord replyed, that the world was not capable of such divine Manife∣stations as should be revealed unto them.

Eusebius tells us that a short time after the As∣cension of our Lord St. Thomas dispatched Thad∣daeus

the Apostle to Abgarus the Governour of Edessa, which according to the Name is supposed to be this St. Jude, unless it might be another of the same name; for as we have it in another place, this Thaddaeus was one of the 70; and then it could not be St. Jude, for he was one of the 12 Apostles, as is before mentioned: but howso∣ever 'tis certain that at his first setting out, he Preached the Gospel in Judaea, Samaria, Galilee, Idumea, and the Cities of Arabia, and the Coun∣tries adjacent; from thence he went into Syria and Mesopotamia. And Nicephorus tells us, that after all he came to Edessa, where Abgarus was Governour, and where the other Thaddaeus who was one of the 70 had been before him, and there perfected what was begun, and having by his Preaching and Miracles established the Gospel, he died a Peaceable and Quiet Death. But Dorotheus affirms that he was slain at Berytus, and Buried there in a stately Tomb, although by the General consent of the Latin Church he went Preaching the Gospel in Persia, where after he had brought many over to the Faith, and established the Chri∣stian Religion there for many years, he at last was, for his reproving and strongly opposing Idolatrous and diabolick Devices of the Magi, by their procurement cruelly put to death.

That he was married and had Children appears by the sequel. Domitian the bloody Emperour being jealous of his long continuance in the State of Empire, upon notice had that there remained some Persons of the Line of David, he ordered them to be brought before him, viz. two young men, who were the Grand Sons of St. Jude, and Kinsmen to our Lord; when they were come into

his Presence, they confessed that they were of the Race and Posterity of David, whereupon he asked them what possession they had? they told him, but a few Acres of Land, which they manured and improved to maintain themselves; shewing him their hands, that thereby he might guess at their Labour. Then he asked them about the Messiah, what his Kingdom was, and when to commence? to which they answered, that it was not of this world, but in the highest heavens; and that when he saw his good time, he would come in the Clouds of Heaven, attended with Glory and Power to Judge the Quick and the Dead, and render to every man accord∣ing to his Deserts. At which the Emperour smil∣ing dismissed them. And thus much for St. Jude.

The End of the Life of St. JUDE.