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Cleophas, his wife, and sons, were some of the faithful disciples of Jesuø CHRIST, and of the number who looked upon him as the Redeemer and Salvation of Israel. But Cleophas did not sufficiently understand the mystery of the cross, and what JESUS had so often told his disciples; that it was expedient he should die and return to his Father. Cleophas having beheld our Saviour expire upon the cross, lost all hopes of seeing the kingdom of God established by his means upon earth, expecting, with many of the Jews, a temporal prince & deliverer. This disciple departed from Jerusalem two days after our Saviour's death: that is to say, on the very day of his resurrection: and as he was going to Emmaus with another disciple, while they were entertaining themselves with what had passed during the feast, particularly with respect to JESUS CHRIST, our Saviour joined them in the form of a traveller.

Ecclesiastical historians do not particularly tell us what were the actions of St. Cleophas, during the remainder of his life, after the time our Saviour appeared to him and the rest of his disciples after his resurrection: but Usuardus and Ado affirm, that he suffered martyrdom; and was buried in the same house where he had received JESUS CHRIST at his table.

The Greeks, who style him an apostle, make mention of him on the thirteenth, or rather on the thirtieth of October.

PHILEMON, a Gentile Convert.-This eminent disciple was a rich citizen of Colosse, and probably a native of that place. He was converted, together with his wife, to the christian faith, by Epaphras, a disciple of St. Paul; for St. Paul himself never preached in Colosse, though he wrote an epistle to the brethren there.

We read, that Philemon had made a church of his house; and all his domestics, as well as himself, were of the household of faith. His charity, liberality, and compassion were a sure refuge to all who were in distress: he followed the example of that great Master in whom he believed; and was delighted, when exercised in works of beneficence and mercy. His name is placed on the twenty second of November in the martyrologies.

ONESIMUS, a' Gentile Convert.-Ecclesiastical history relates, that Onesimus was a native of Phrygia, and for many years a slave to Philemon, but was at last converted by St. Paul, in the following manner : Onesimus was a young man, whom his companions had drawn into wicked courses; he refused to listen to the admonitions of his master: on the contrary he robbed him, and fled to Rome about the year sixty-one,' while St. Paul was there in prison the first time. As Onesimus knew the apostle by reputation, his Master Philemon being a Christian, he made it his business to find him out; and being now sorry for the faults he had committed, confessed every thing to St. Paul, and did him all the service that even Philemon himself could have done, had he been at Rome. St. Paul soon brought him to a sense of his crimes, prevailed on him to receive his gospel, instructed him, converted him, baptized him, and soon after sent him back to his master Philemon, with a letter, which we have still amongst St. Paul's epistles, and which is acknowledged as canonical by Christian churches in general.

The martyrologies give him the title of apostle, and say that he ended his life by martyrdom. The Roman martyrology places his festival upon the sixteenth of February; and says, that having succeeded Timothy in the bishopric of Ephesus, and having been charged with the preaching of the gospel, he was taken into custody and sent to Rome, where he was stoned for his faith in JESUS CHRIST.

PRISCILLA, a Jewish, Convert.-In the times of the apostles, Priscilla was very famous in the church, and is often mentioned by the sacred writers before her husband Aquila. They were both Jews; but their country and births are uncertain. They were at Corinth when St. Paul came thither, and had the happiness of entertaining him in their house a very considerable time; the apostle being of the same trade with Aquila;

amely a maker of tents of leather, for the use of the army, and at which they both wrought for some time, for their livelihood.

On St. Paul's leaving Corinth, both Aquila and Priscilla came with him to Ephesus, where they dwelt a considerable time, and preached the gospel with good success. Their house was so well regulated, that St. Paul calls it a church; an example that should, in some measure, be followed by every one who pretends to be a follower of the blessed JESUS, though' shamefully neglected by the greatest part of Christians in the present day. Whether they died in peace or by the hands of those who opposed the progress of the Christian faith, is not known; but however this be, they laboured faithfully to extend the religion of JESUS; and, therefore, have been justly placed amongst the first preachers of the gospel in the apostolic age.

APOLLOS, a Jewish Convert.-The ancient writers give no account either of the birth or family of Apollos; all they mention is that he was a Jew of Alexandria, and came to Ephesus during St. Paul's absence, who was gone to Jerusalem, to visit the other apostles and the church in that city,

This eminent person was distinguished for his eloquence, and knowl edge of the Scriptures. He was instructed in the way of the Lord, and as he spoke with zeal and fervour, taught diligently the things relating to the kingdom of heaven, though he knew only the baptism of John.

Apollos was no sooner come to Ephesus, than he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and to shew that JESUS was the CHRIST. Aquilla and Priscilla, having heard him, took him home with them, instructed him more fully in the ways of the Almighty, and baptized him. He was very useful at Corinth, in convincing the Jews out of the Scriptures, and demonstrating to them that JESUS was the CHRIST. Thus he watered what Paul had planted in that city.

It is allowed by all, that he was an active and powerful preacher of the gospel; and that numbers were, by his preaching, rendered obedient to the faith of CHRIST.

TITUS, a Gentile Convert.-This eminent person was a Heathen by religion and birth, but converted by St. Paul, who calls him his son. Titus was sent by St. Paul to Corinth, upon occasion of some disputes which then divided the church. He was very well received by the Corinthians, and very much satisfied with their ready compliance; but would receive nothing from them, imitating thereby the disinterestedness of his Master, who sought not theirs, but them.

He went from Corinth to St. Paul into Macedonia, and gave him an account of the state of the Christian church. A little while after, the apostle desired him to return again to Corinth, to set things in order against his coming. Titus readily undertook this journey, and departed immediately carrying with him St. Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. Titus was made bishop of the isle of Crete, about the sixty-third year of CHRIST when St. Paul was obliged to quit this island, in order to take care of the other churches. The following year he wrote to them to desire, that as soon as he should have sent Tychicus or Artemas to him for supplying his place in Crete, Titus would come to him to Nicecopolis in Macedonia, or to Nicopolis in Epirus upon the gulf of Ambracia where the apostle intended to pass his winter. The subject of this epistle is to represent to Titus what are the qualities that a bishop should be endued with.

St. Paul's epistle to Titus has always been acknowledged by the church. Marcionities did not receive it, nor did the Basilidians, and some other Heretics; but Tatian, the head of the Encratites, received it, and preferred it before all the rest. It is not certainly known by whom it was sent, nor from what place it was written.

It appears that Titus was deputed to preach the gospel in Dalmatia and he was still there in the year sixty-five, when the apostle wrote his

second epistle to Timothy. He died at the age of ninety-four, and was buried in Crete. His festival is kept by the Greeks on the 25th of August, and on the 4th of January by the Latin church.

TIMOTHY, a Gentile Convert.-He was born according to some at Lystra; or, according to others, at Derbe. His father was a Gentile, but his mother a Jewess, whose name was Eunice and that of his grandmother Lais. He was a convert and disciple of St. Paul.

We take notice of these particulars, because St. Paul commends their piety, and, the good education they had given Timothy. When St. Paul came to Derbe and Lystra about the year of CHRIST fifty-one or fifty-two, the brethren gave a very advantageous testimony of the merit and good dispositions of Timothy; and the apostle would have him along with him; but he circumcised him at Lystra, before he received him into his company.

Timothy applied himself to labour with St. Paul in the business of the gospel; and did him very important services, through the whole course of his preaching.

Timothy accompanied St. Paul to Macedonia, to Philippi, to Thessalon ica, to Berea; and when the apostle went from Berea, he left Timothy and Silas there to confirm the converts. When he came to Athens, he sent to Timothy to come thither to him; and when he was come, and had given him an account of the churches of Macedonia, St. Paul sent him back to Thessalonica, from whence he afterwards returned with Silas, and came to St. Paul at Corinth. There he continued with him, and the apostles mention im with Silas at the beginning of the two epistles, which he then wrote to the church at Thessalonica. In the year sixty-three, when St. Paul wrote to the Hebrews, he tells them that Timothy was come out of prison; but he gives us no circumstances either of the imprisonment of this disciple, or of his release. In sixty-four when St. Paul returned from Rome, he left Timothy at Ephesus to take care of that church, of which he was the first bishop, as he is recognized by the council of Chalcedon St. Paul wrote to Timothy from Macedonia, the first of the two letters which are addressed to him.

We may safely affirm, that if he did not die before the year ninety-seven, he be the angel of the church of Ephesus, to whom St. John writes, Rev. ii. 2-5, though the reproaches. which the Holy Ghost make to him, &c. of having left his first love, do not seem to belong to so holy a man as Timothy was.

S. STEPHEN, the Proto-Martyr.-In the year fifty-three, the seven deacons were thosen, and we find St. Stephen always placed at their head, as the chief and most worthy; and it is generaly believed, that he had been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. However, he was remarkably zealous for the cause of religion, and full of the Holy Ghost; working many wonderful miracles before the people, & pressing them with the greatest earnestness to embrace the doctrines of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST. The Jews were highly provoked at the zeal of Stephen, and some of the synagogue of the freed men of Cyrenia, Alexandria, and other places, entered into dispute with him; but being unable to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake, they suborned false witnesses against him toq testify that they heard him blaspheme against Moses and against God.Nor did they stop here: they stirred up the people by their calumnies); so that they dragged him before the council of the nation, or great Sanhes drim, where they produced false witnesses against him, who deposed, that they had heard him speak against the temple, and against the law, and afhem that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy the holy place, and abolish the law of Moses. Stephen, supported by his own innocence and an jos: visible Power from on high, appeared undaunted in the midst of this as sembly, and his countenance shone like that of an angel.

The Jewish council were so highly engaged at the speech of Stephen, especially the latter part of it that they gnashed their teeth against hima

but Stephen lifting his eyes to heaven, saw the glory of God, and JESUS standing at the right hand of Omnipotence; upon which

to the

council," I see the heavens open and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God." This so greatly provoked the Jews, that they cried out ith one voice, and stopped their ears, as if they had heard some dreadful blasphemy; and falling upon him, they dragged him out of the city, and

stoned him to death.

It is related in Scripture, that St. Stephen while they were mangling his body with stones, was praying to God for their pardon, "Lord," said he, lay not this sin to their charge.' And then calling on his dear Redeemer to receive his spirit, he yielded up his soul. Some pious persons who beheld the martyrdom of this good man, took care to bury his remains and the church attended his funeral with great lamentations.

St. SILAS or SYLVANUS, an Hebrew Convert.This holy person was according to St. Luke, a chief man amongst the brethren, an expression which indicates that he was one of the seventy disciples: but the first account we have of him is in the transaction relating to the dispute between the Jewish and Christian converts, with regard to the neces sity of keeping the law of Moses, when they chose Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas, to go to Jerusalera, to advise with the apostles concerning this question.

Be that as it may, when the dispute happened between Paul and Barnabas: which terminated in a rupture. Silas joined himself to Paul, and became his companion and assistant in the great work of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. They first visited the churches of Syria and Cilicia; from thence they passed into Lyconia. Phrygia, and Galatia; and, lastly, they crossed the sea, and came into Macedonia.

During their stay at Philippi, they found a young woman possessed of an unclean spirit, who followed them several days, till Paul cast out the evil spirit, and delivered her from so dreadful plague. This action provoked the masters of the young woman; for she acquired considerable gains by the oracles and predictions the devil pronounced by making use of her organs they therefore seized upon Paul and Silas dragged them before the magistrates, and accused them of introducing customs amongst them, contrary to those of the Romans; so that the magistrates ordered that Paol and Silas should be scourged, and committed to prison: but in the night time there was a great earthquake, the doors of the prison opened, and the fetters of the prisoners fell off without any human assistance.

Departing from Philippi, they travelled to Thessalonica and Berea, where they preached the doctrines of the gospel; and Paul continuing his journey sent Silas thither, did not

both arrived at Corinth, where St. Paul wrote his two epistles to the Thessalonian church.

St. PHILIP, a Deacon, an Hebrew Convert. It is supposed that St. Philip was a native of Cesarea in Galilee, it being certain that his daughters lived in that city; however he was one of the seven deacons chosen by the apostles soon after our Saviour's resurrection.

All the Christians, except the apostles, having after the death of St. Stephen, left Jerusalem, and dispersed themselves in several parts, St. Philip went down to preach the gospel at Samaria, where he wrought several miracles, and converted great numbers to the faith; he also baptized them, but being only a deacon, could not administer the sacrament of the Lord's supper.

It is probable St. Philip was at Samaria, when the angel directed him to go towards the South, to the road that leads from Old Gaza, an ancient city in the rout to Egypt. Philip obeyed the summons of the heavenly messenger, and there met with an Ethiopean eunuch, belonging to Can dace, queen of Ethiopia; a person who was highly esteemed by his mistress, as well as entrusted with the care of all her revenues, and who had been at Jerusalem, to worship the Almighty in that city.

When the Chariot of this Ethiopian appeared in the sight of Philip, the angel bid him advance towards the stranger: he immediately obeyed, and heard the eunuch reading a passage of the Prophet Isaiah; upon which Philip asked him, if he understood what he was reading? And the eunuch answered. How should I understand, except some person explain i to me; desiring Philip, that he would come and sit down by him in the chariot The passage he read was this; "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."Having finished the passage, the eunuch desired to know whom the prophet intended: Is it, says he, himself the prophet here means, or other man." In answer to the question proposed by the eunuch, Philip began to instruct him concerning the Redeemer of the world, the man CHRIST JESUS; and afterwards baptized him, and he became a member of the church of CHRIST.

some

The sacred writers are silent with regard to the actions of St. Philip, after the time of his baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch-but the ecclesiastical writers say, that he left Palestine and travelled to Tralles, in the Lesser Asia, where he founded a church, of which he was both bishop and apostle; and where after long labouring in the vineyard of his Master, and working many miracles, he slept in peace, and was buried in the church he had caused to be erected.

St. THADDEUS, the Disciple.-It is generally suppossed that St. Thaddeus was the brother of St. Thomas, and one of our Saviour's seventy disciples. He is not mentioned particularly in the evangelical history, but in common with the rest of the seventy: he constantly attended the disCourses, and was an eye-witness of the miracles of his great Master the Son of the Living God.

What the transactions of Thaddeus were respecting the propagation of the gospel, cannot be ascertained, because he has not been well distinguished from St. Jude. The Latins honour one St. Thaddeus on the eleventh of May, whom they seem to make a martyr in Asia: and the Greeks remember him on the twenty-first of August. They say, that he died in peace at Berytus in Phoenicia, after baptizing many persons in that city and the neighbouring parts.

A COMPLETE GENERAL VIEW OF THE

APOSTLES and their SUCCESSORS,

In the FIVE GREAT CHURCHES founded by them, thence called by the Ancients, APOSTOLIC CHURCHES: namely, Antioch, Rome, Jerusalem, Bizantium or Constantinople, and Alexandria; during the first three hundred years of the Christian Æra.

THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH IN SYRIA.

WE place this first, partly because it is generally acknowledged, even by the Romish writers, that a church was founded here by St. Peter some considerable time before that at Rome; partly because here it was that the venerable name of Christians did first commence. In which respect the fathers in the council at Constantinople under Nectarius, in their synodicon to them at Ronie, style the church at Antioch," The most ancient, and truly apostolical;" and, "St. Crysostom, the head of the whole world." The succession of it's bishops till the time of Constantine (which all be the boundary of this account) was in the following order,