396 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE A3F our BLESSED LORD Before this conteft at Antioch, St. Peter had preached the gofpel in various parts of the world, enlarging the kingdom of his great Mailer,and fpreading the glad-tidings . of falvation amongft the inhabitants of va- rious countries ; and, amongft the ref, thofe of Rome, then the mifrefs of the world. In that capital he is laid to have continued feveral years, till the emperor Claudius, taking advantage of forne fedi- tious tumults raifed by the Jews, publilhed an edia, whereby they were.banifhed from Rome, and amongft the ref St. Peter, who returned to Jerufalem, and was pre- fent at the fynod already mentioned: but how long he continued in the capital of Judea is uncertain ; for we have no ac- count of his tranfaflions for many years. This however is certain, that he was not idle in the fervice of his great Mailer; and Eufebius tells us, from Metaphrafes, that he vifited feveral of the wefern parts, and particularly this islandof Great-Britain; where he continued feveral years, fpread- ing the glad-tidings of falvation in there remote parts, and converting the feveral nations to the faithof the gofpel. However this be, whether St. Peter was or was not in England, it is certain, that towards the latter end of Nero's reign he returned to Rome, where he found the minds of the people strangely bewitched, and hardened against the doarines of the gofpel by the forceries of Simon Magus, who, as I have already obferved, was chaf- tifed by Peter for his wickednefsat Samaria. This monster ofimpiety not only oppofed the preachingof the apofles,, but alto did all in his power to render them and their do&rine odious to the emperor. St. Peter forefeeing that the calumnies of Simon and his adherents would hasten his death, took the greater pains, and was fill more asfi- duous to confirm thofe he had been any ways instrumental in converting in the fu- blime truths they had received. In order to this, the apofle frongly op- pofed the great deceiver of mankind: for in the laf year of his life, he feems to have -3 written his two epifles to the difperfed Jews in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bythinia; and, in an appointed encounter. with Simon, difcovered his magical im- poftures, and through the power and the aífiflance of the Almighty, brought him to an exemplary and miferable death. The account ofthe miferable end of this unhappy man no fooner reached the em- peror's ears, than he vowed revenge, both for the death of his favourite, and the en- deavours ufed by the apofles to turn man- kind from darknefs unto light, and from thepower ofSatan unto God. Accordingly, he ifiied orders for apprehending St. Peter, together with his companion St. Paul. St. Ambrofe tells us, that when the people perceived the danger to which St. Peter was now expofed, they prayed him to quit Rome, andrepair for while to fome fecure retreat, that his life might be preferved for the benefit of the church. Peter, with great reluaance, yielded to their entreaties, and made his efcape by night : but as he paffed the gate, he was met by a perfon in the form of his great and beloved Mal-, ter, and on Peter's afking him, whither he was going, anfwered, " To Rome to be crucified a fecond time :" which Peter ta- king for a reproof of his cowardice, re- turned again into the city, was loon after apprehended, and call, together with St. Paul, into, the Mamertine prifon. Here they were confined eight or nine months, but fpent their time in the exercifesof reli- gion, efpecially in preaching to the pri- loners, and thofe who reforted to them and during this confinement, it is gene- rally thought St. Peter wrote his fecond Epiflle to the difperfed Jews ; wherein he endeavours to confirm them in the belief and pra&ice of Chriftianity, and to fortify them againf thofe poifonous and pernici- ous principles and allions, which began to break in upon the church, then in it's in- fancy. At length, Nero returning fromAchaia, he entered Romein triumph; and, loon after his arrival, refolved that the apofles should fall
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=