8. Q. What was the Sell of the Zealots ? A. It began in Mattathias, the Root of the Maccabean Family, and was continued among the Jews till our Saviour's Time. They looked Num. 25. upon Phineas as their Patron, who in a mighty Zeal for the Honour of God, did immediate Excution upon Zimri and Cosli. They took upon them a Power of executing the Law upon Offenders, without any formal Trial and Accufation; and that not only by Connivance, but with the Leave both of the Rulers and the People. Under this Pretence, their Zeal afterwards degenerated into Licentioufnefs and Extravagance, and they became the Occafion of De Bel- great Miferics to their own Nation; as is largeJud. lib.4.ly related by Jofephus. Q. What Account is there of St. Simon after our Lord's Paffion? A. He continued with the other Apostles and Difciples of Christ at Jerufalem, joining in Worship and Communion with them; and did not leave that City till after the Feast of Penticoft, when they were all furnished with the neceffary Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, in order to the Exercife of their Miniftry in all Parts of the World. Q. Where is it thought St. Simon planted Chriftianity, and fuffered Martyrdom? A. Some fay he went into Egypt, Cyrene, and Africa, and there preached the Gospel; and after fome Time from thence into Lilya and Mauritania for the fame Purpofe. He is faid alfo to have paffed into Britain, where, after having converted many to the Faith, and fuffered many Perfecutions, he was crucified by the Infidels, and there buried. Others, in their Martyr Martyrologies affirm, that the idolatrous Priests put him to Death at Suanir, a City of Perfia; though where this City stood in Perfia, Histories mention not. Q. What Account have we of St. Jude? A. That, as to his Defcent and Parentage, he was of our Lord's Kindred, being Brother to James the Lefs, and stiled himself Brother of Fe- Mat. 13. fus Chrift. It is not certain when he was called 55. to be an Apoftle, nothing appearing of him till we find him in that Catalogue. But from that Time he became a conftant Attendant upon Christ's Perfon and Miniftry, which was a probable Evidence, that he was eminent for his Zeal in the Chriftian Faith. Q. In what Senfe was be Brother of our Lord? A. Some of the Ancients would have it understood to be a Coufin-German, though the greatest Part of them make him, and them that were ftyled Brethren of our Lord, Children of Jofeph by a former Wife. Q. By what Name is St. Jude defcribed? A. By two befides Jude, Thaddeus and Lebbaus: It being ufual for the fame Perfon in holy Writ to have more proper Names than one. These Names were given him partly to diftinguish him from Judas the Traitor, and partly as a Commendation of his Wifdom and Zeal. Lebbeus, according to St. Jerom, denoting Prudence and Understanding; and Thaddeus fignifing a Perfon zealous in praifing God. Q. What is particularly recorded of St. Jude at our Lord's laft Supper? A. That upon our Saviour's having told his Difciples what particular Manifeftations he would John 14. 22. would make of himself after his Refurrection to his fincere Followers, St. Jude asked him what was the Reason he would manifeft himself to them, and not to the World? Which feems to hint at fome Expectation of our Saviour's temporal Grandeur. Q. How doth our Saviour answer St. Jude's Inquiry? A. That because the World had no Refpect ver. 23. for him and his Doctrine, therefore they should not enjoy the Happiness of his Prefence; but fince they, who had been his conftant Disciples, had fhewed their Love to him, by obeying his Laws and attending upon his Perfon, he would make them the comfortable Returns of his Love, by revealing himself to them. Q. What may we learn from this? A. That after the Refurrection of our Saviour, his Appearances were neceffary to be made to the Apoftles, because they were to be the Witneffes of his Refurrection to the World; but not to his Enemies, who had rejected him and his Doctrine. That good Men, Perfons of Godlike Tempers and Difpofitions, religious Obfervers of God's Laws, are qualified to be admitted to particular Acts of God's Grace and Favour. Q. What Province was allotted to St. Jude for the Exercife of his Ministry? A. It is moft probable that he preached in Judea and Galilee, and from thence went thro' Samaria into Idumea; and to the Cities of Arabia and neighbouring Countries, yea to Syria and Mefopotamia. Q. Where did be fuffer Martyrdom? A. By the general Confent of the Writers of the the Latin Church, he is faid to have travelled into Perfia, where, after great Success in the Labours of his Ministry, he was, for his free and open reproving the fuperftitious Rites of the Magi, cruelly put to Death. Q. What Account have we of his Family? A. That he was a married Man, and that his two Grandchildren bore Evidence to the Truth of Chriftianity before Domitian the Emperor; who being jealous of any Co-rival in the Empire, fummoned them before him, as fome of the Remains of the Pofterity of David, and of those that were related to Chrift. Q. How did they escape when they appeared before the Emperor? A. They were difmiffed without any fevere Ufage; for, anfwering with great Sincerity, and owning themselves of the Race of David, but that they were very poor, and lived by Hufbandry, as was manifeft by the Hardness of their Hands; and that as to the Meffiah, though he was a King, yet it was in Heaven, not on Earth, where his Kingdom fhould not appear till the End of the World, when he fhould come in Glory to judge both the Quick and Dead: Domitian defpifed their Poverty and Meanness, as below his Jealoufy and Fears. Q. What Writings did this Apoftle leave bebind him? A. He left but one Epiftle, infcribed at large to all Chriftians; but it is thought to have been chiefly intended for the converted Jews in their feveral Difperfions. He exhorts them to ftand manfully upon the Defence of the Faith once de- Jude 3. livered to the Saints, and to oppofe the falfe Teachers, the Nicolatians, and the Gnafticks, who who laboured fo much to corrupt it. But because true Chriftian Charity, though zealous, is without Bitterness and Hatred, he exhorts all Christians by all gentle Means to fave them, and to pull them out of the Fire, into which their own Folly had cast them. Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Feftival? A. To be content that our beft Actions fhould be known to God only, fince there remains fo little Remembrance of many eminent Apostles. That our Labours in doing good fhould rather ap❤ pear by the happy Effects of them, than by any Publication from ourselves or others. That to court the Applaufe of Men is Vanity; and that nothing is worth our Care more than to approve ourfelves to that Almighty Being who cannot be impofed upon. That in all our Undertakings we ought to be diligent and faithful in the Dif charge of our own Duty, and leave the Success quietly to the All-wife Difpofer of all Things. That Men of great Piety and Virtue are chiefly prepared to receive particular Acts of God's Grace and Favour. That Zeal ought to be applied, in the first place, to the most solid and fubftantial Parts of Religion; but that upon all Occafions it ought to be governed by Chriftian Measures in the Manner of its acting. Q. Wherein confifts the Nature of Zeal? A. It is an earreft Concernment for or against fomething, and a violent Purfuit and Profecution of it; and is in its own Nature indifferent, like the reft of the Paffions, but good or bad, according to the Object and Degree of it. And after this manner it is used in the holy Scriptures: In a good Senfe when applied to thofe Things where |