VEIL, CHARLES MARIE DE, also called Duveil, was born at Metz, in Lorrain, circa 1625. Being of a highly respectable Jewish family, he received from his youth an excellent Hebrew education, and he soon distinguished himself in the learning of his fathers. Through contact with learned Roman Catholics, and an examination of tbe O. T. prophecies, he was led to the conviction that Jesus was the Messiah promised to his fathers, and accordingly embraced the Roman Catholic faith (circa x655). His learning and great abilities soon secured for him a high position in the Gal lican church, of which he became a distinguished preacher. The University of Anjou conferred on him the diploma of Doctor of Divinity, and he was appointed public teacher of divinity in the univer sity (1665). Whilst occupying this high position he devoted his time to the exposition of the Scrip tures, and published, in Latin (r), a commentary on the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Angers 1672 ; (2) a commentary on the Song of Songs and Ec clesiastes, Paris 1676 ; and (3), a commentary on Joel, Paris 1676. De Veil so ably defended the doctrines of the Roman church in these commen taries, that he was requested to hold a controversy with the Huguenots, who were at that time the great opponents of Romanism in France. But the diligent inquiry into the points of difference between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism which he instituted in order to refute the latter, resulted in his convic tion that the doctrines of Protestantism were true. He had therefore to escape to Holland, where he openly abjured Romanism (1678), and soon after came over to England, where his extraordinary endowments and great piety secured for him the friendship of Drs. Stillingfleet, Sharp, Tillotson,
Patrick, Lloyd, Compton, etc., and the appoint ment of chaplaincy and tutorage to a noble family. He now published new editions of the commen taries on Matthew and Mark (London 1678), and the Song of Songs (London 1679), discarding therefrom and refuting therein the doctrines of the Romish church. He moreover published (4), a commentary on the Minor Prophets, London 16So. As these commentaries became the text books of the clergy at home, and the Reformed churches abroad, Dr. Compton, bishop of London. encouraged De Veil to prosecute his Biblical labours, and gave him free access to his library at all times. 'It was in this library that De Veil discovered some works of the English Baptists which led him to inquire into the controversy, and which resulted in his joining the Baptist community (1682), at the loss of all his friends, with the honoumble exception of Tillotson. De Veil continued his Biblical labours, and published (5), a commentary on the Acts, London 1684, in which he defended his Baptist principles. This commentary, which, like all his other works, was written in Latin, he himself translated into English, and published in London 1685. A new edition of it appeared in London 1851. De Veil's commentaries are valuable con tributions to Biblical literature ; they abound with extracts from the Fathers and the best Jewish writers ; and his thorough acquaintance with the manners, customs, and rites of the Jews, has often enabled him to throw light upon many an obscure allusion in the N. T.—C. D. G.