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. LUKE the Evangelist.

ST. Luke was born at Antioch the Chief City of Syria, and there brought up in all manner of Learning; that place being accounted the Academy or Cheif place of Humane Policies. Not did he only confine himself to that place, but as many that write on him Affirm, he studied in most of the Schools of Greece and Aegypt. Skil∣ful he was in Painting beyond any of his time; and it is confirmed by many, that he drew the Picture of the blessed Virgin so exactly to the Life, that it was wondered at by all that beheld it.

That he was a Jewish Proselyte is certain, being according to the report that Epiphanius gives 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him, one of the 70 Disciples; the inference from whence he takes that belief, being the Evangelist own Confession, whereby he declares that he wa•• not an Eye-witness and Minister of the word. After he had been inspired by the Sacred Spirit of Truth he set forward to Preach the Doctrine of o•• blessed Lord, and joyned himself with St. Pa•••• though Nicephorus will have it that he met St. Pa•••• at Thebes, the Metropolis of Boeotia; though 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sacred Writ no mention is made, that ever St. Pa•••• was there, nor can we find it in any writings b•• his own; which makes most Imagine 'tis ground•• upon his bare Conjecture, but that he was with S•• Paul both at Jerusalem and Rome is certain; n••

did he desert him in any of his troubles, but al∣ways proved a steady and faithful Friend and Mi∣nister. He it was that wrote the Acts of the A∣postles and there we find him all along; when he is speaking of St. Paul's Voyage to Rome, he speaks all of himself which could not be unless he was present with him; nor is it at all to be questioned that he was with him at Rome in his Confinement, nor that he carried Messages from the Apostle to the Churches to strengthen and support them, most of the Fathers being of Opinion, that it was meant of our Evangelist, when St. Paul men∣tions these words, the Beloved brother whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches.

Nor is it in all likelyhood probable that he left the Apostle, till Death made a fatal (though in one sence happy) separation, by Crowning him with Martyrdom; though Metaphrastus would have it, that he left St. Paul at Rome, and return∣ed to Preach the Gospel in Aegypt, Lybia and o∣ther Eastern Countries, and that there by work∣ing Miracles, and powerful Preaching, he Con∣verted a great number to the Faith; settling Re∣ligion under a set form and order by Instituting Guides and Pastors to Instruct and Confirm the People in his Absence, and that he himself was Bishop of Thebais. But on the Contrary, Epi∣phanius tells us that he preached the Gospel in Dal∣matia, Galatia and France; and that from thence he went into Italy and Macedonia, where he run many great hazards of his Life, by reason that in many places the inveterate Jews stirred up the People to stone him, yet he undauntedly persever∣ed in his teaching all men the way to Saving Know∣ledge; untill at last the Devil so far inspired se∣veral

Barbarous Villains with Malice and Revenge as to destroy the Holy Man; but as to the man∣ner and place of his death the contest amongst the Antients is not fully decided to this day, some af∣firming that he dyed in Egypt; Others in Greece and the Author of the Roman Martyrology will have it in Bythinia. And Dorotheus contradicting him, will have it at Ephesus; some again there are, that say he died a Natural Death. But Nazian∣zen and Paulinus Bishop of Nola, with some others, positively affirm that he received the Crown of Martyrdom.

Of which Nicephorus gives us this following Ac∣count, viz. that St. Luke coming into Greece, suc∣cessfully Preached the Gospel, Baptizing many Converts into the Christian Faith, and working many Miracles; till at last a Party of Infidels (encouraged by their Preists, whose Idolatrous Worship the Evangelist sharply reproved) fell at unawares upon him, and forcibly dragged him to the Place of Execution, where not having a Cross in readiness, they hanged him upon an Olive Tree, in the Eightieth year of his Age, or as St. Hie∣rom has it, in the Eighty fourth.

Now contrary to this, Kirstenus having taken it from an Antient Arabick Author, tells us, that he suffered Martyrdom at Rome, which might perhaps be after St. Paul's first imprisoment there, and his departure from that City, when probably St. Luke was left behind as his Substitute or Depu∣ty, to strengthen and confirm the Brethren in his Absence, and so might suffer in the General Perse∣cution under Nero; and the main Reason that has induced many to give more than ordinary Credit to this Relation, is, because he no longer con∣tinued

his History of the Acts of the Apostles: for had he out-lived Paul or Peter, he would, past doubt, have recorded so remarkable a Transacti∣on as their Martyrdoms, and have given a larger Account of the state of the Church. But certain it is that he was put to Death. Nor are some wanting who affirm that his Body was at the Command of Constantine the Great, or his Son Constantius, brought to Constantinople and there so∣lemnly interred in the Great Church, Founded there to the Honour of the Apostles.

That he was not only a man of great Learning, but also, more than ordinary, inspired by the Holy Spirit; his two Books, viz. his Gospel, and the Acts of the Apostles testifie: In the former he sets down the Life of our Saviour, and many of his glorious Works and Actions, from the time of his Birth, till the time of his glorious Ascen∣sion; though, as many Believe, he never saw our Saviour, or at most had little or no Converse with him. As for his second Book, we may ima∣gine that he took great pains to Travel with the Apostles, especially with St. Paul, as I have before recited, that by that means he might be the bet∣ter enabled to give a faithful Account of their Actions, that so he might Record them for the be∣nefit of the Church in all Ages. And thus much for the Glorious Life and Death of this blessed Evangelist, whose praise is in the Gospel, and his immortal Soul singing Halelujahs before the Throne of the Lamb, who liveth for ever and ever.

And thus I shall conclude the Holy Lives and Victorious Deaths of the Ever blessed Apostles and Evangelists, who all of them (St. John excepted)

sealed their Testimonies with their Blood; fol∣lowing the Example of their great Master, who went before to prepare them a Mansion, not built with hands, but in the highest Heavens. Whose coming into the World, and laying down his Life for the Redemption of Lost Man, and for the blessed Examples of those his constant and coura∣geous Servants and Followers, let us give all pos∣sible Praise and Thanks to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, three Persons, and one God blessed for evermore, Amen.

The End of the Apostles Lives.