The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ, translated faithfully into English, out of the authentical Latin, according to the best corrected copies of the same, diligently conferred vvith the Greeke and other editions in diuers languages; vvith arguments of bookes and chapters, annotations, and other necessarie helpes, for the better vnderstanding of the text, and specially for the discouerie of the corruptions of diuers late translations, and for cleering the controversies in religion, of these daies: in the English College of Rhemes

CHAP. V.

Ananias and his vvife Saphîra, for their sacrilege, at Peters word fall downe dead, to the great terrour of the rest. 12 By the Apostles miracles, not onely the number, but also their faith so increaseth, that they seeke in the streate•• to the very shadow of Peter, the townes also about bringing their diseased to Hierusalem. 17 The Rulers againe oppose them selues, but in vaine. 19 For out of prison an Angel deliuereth them, bidding them preach openly to al: 27 and in their Councel Peter is nothing afraid of their bigge wordes: 34 Yea Gamaliel being one of them selues cas••eth a doubt among them, lest the matter be of God, and therfore impossible to be dissolued. 40 Finally, the Apostles being scourged by them, count it an honour, and cease no day from preaching.

[verse 1] BVT a certaine man named Ananias, vvith Saphîra his vvife sold a peece of land, ✝ [leftJustify 2] and ″ defrauded of the pri∣ce of the land, his vvife being priuie thereto: and bringing a certaine por∣tion, laide it at the feete of the Apo∣stles. ✝ [leftJustify 3] And ″ Peter said, Ananias, vvhy hath Satan tempted thy hart, that thou shouldest lie to the holy Ghost, and defraude of the price of the land? ✝ [leftJustify 4] Remaining, did it not remaine to thee: and being sold, vvas it not ″ in thy povver? Vvhy hast thou put this thing in thy hart? Thou hast not lied ″ to men, but to God. ✝ [leftJustify 5] And Ananias hearing these vvordes, fel dovvne, and gaue vp the ghost. And there came great feare vpon al that heard it. ✝ [leftJustify 6] And yong men ri∣sing vp, remoued him, and bearing him forth buried him. ✝ [leftJustify 7] And it vvas the space as it vvere of three houres, and his vvife, not knovving vvhat vvas chaunced, came in. ✝ [leftJustify 8] And Peter ansvvered her, Tel me vvoman, vvhether did you sel the land for so much? But she said, Yea, for so much. ✝ [leftJustify 9] And Peter vnto her, Vvhy haue you agreed together to tempt the Spirit of our Lord? Behold, their feete that haue buried thy husband, at the doore, and they shal beare thee forth. ✝ [leftJustify 10] Forthvvith she fel before his feete, and gaue vp the ghost. And the yong men going in, found her dead: and caried her forth, and buried her by her husband. ✝ [leftJustify 11] And there fel great∷ 1.1 feare in the vvhole Church, and vpon al that heard these things.* 1.2

✝ [leftJustify 12] And by the handes of the Apostles vvere many signes and vvonders done among the people. And they vvere al vvith one accord in Salomons porche. ✝ [leftJustify 13] But of the rest

none durst ioyne them selues vnto them: but the people ma∣gnified them. ✝ [rightJustify 14] And the multitude of men and vvomen that beleeued in our Lord, vvas more increased: ✝ [rightJustify 15] so that they did bring forth the sicke into the streates, and laid them in beddes and couches, that vvhen Peter came,* 1.3 ″ his shadovv at the least might ouer shadovv any of them, and they all might be deliuered from their infirmities. ✝ [rightJustify 16] And there ranne together vnto Hierusalem the multitude also of the cities ad••oyning, bringing sicke persons and such as vvere vexed of vncleane spirits: vvho vvere al cured. ⊢

✝ [rightJustify 17] And the high priest rising vp, and al that vvere vvith him, vvhich is the heresie of the Sadduces, vvere replenished vvith zeale: ✝ [rightJustify 18] laid hands vpon the Apostles, and put them in the common prison. ✝ [rightJustify 19] But an Angel of our Lord by night opening the gates of the prison,* 1.4 & leading them forth, said, ✝ [rightJustify 20] Goe: and standing speake in the temple to the people al the vvordes of this life. ✝ [rightJustify 21] Vvho hauing heard this, early in the morning entred into the temple, and taught. And the high priest comming, and they that vvere vvith him, called toge∣ther the Councel & al the auncients of the children of Israël: and they sent to the prison that they might be brought. ✝ [rightJustify 22] But vvhen the ministers vvere come, and opening the prison, found them not: returning they told, ✝ [rightJustify 23] saying, The prison truely vve found shut vvith al diligence, and the keepers stan∣ding before the gates: but opening it, vve found no man vvithin. ✝ [rightJustify 24] And as soone as the Magistrate of the temple and the cheefe priests heard these vvordes, they vvere in doubt of them, vvhat vvould befall. ✝ [rightJustify 25] And there came a certaine man and told them, That the men, loe, vvhich you did put in pri∣son, are in the temple standing, and teaching the people. ✝ [rightJustify 26] Then vvent the Magistrate vvith the ministers, and brought them vvithout force, for they feared the people lest they should be stoned. ✝ [rightJustify 27] And vvhen they had brought them, they set them in the Councel. And the high priest asked them,* 1.5 ✝ [rightJustify 28] saying, * Commaunding vve commaunded you that you should not teach in this name: and behold you haue filled Hierusalem vvith your doctrine, and you vvil bring vpon vs the bloud of this man. ✝ [rightJustify 29] But Peter ansvvering and the Apostles, said, God must be obeied, rather then men. ✝ [rightJustify 30] The God of our Fathers hath raised vp IESVS, vvhom you did kil, hanging him vpon a tree. ✝ [rightJustify 31] This Prince and

Sauiour God hath exalted vvith his right hand, to giue re∣pentance to Israël, and remission of sinnes. ✝ [leftJustify 32] and vve are vvitnesses of these vvordes, and the holy Ghost, vvhom God hath giuen to al that obey him. ✝ [leftJustify 33] Vvhen they had heard these things, it cut them to the hart, and they consulted to kil them.

✝ [leftJustify 34] But one in the Councel rising vp, a Pharisee named Ga∣maliel, a doctor of lavv honorable to al the people, com∣maunded the men to be put forth a vvhile. ✝ [leftJustify 35] and he said to them, Ye men of Israël, take heede to your selues touching these men vvhat you meane to doe. ✝ [leftJustify 36] For before these daies there rose Theódas,* 1.6 saying he vvas some body, to vvhom consented a numbre of men about foure hundred, vvho vvas slaine: and al that beleeued him, vvere dispersed, and brought to nothing. ✝ [leftJustify 37] After this fellovv there rose Iudas of Galilee in the daies of the Enrolling, and drevv avvay the people after him, and he perished: and as many as euer con∣sented to him, vvere dispersed. ✝ [leftJustify 38] And novv therfore I say to you, depart from these men and let them alone: for if this counsel or vvorke be of men, it vvil be dissolued: ✝ [leftJustify 39] but if it be∷ 1.7 of God, you are not able to dissolue` 1.8 them', lest perhaps you be found to resist God also. And they consented to him. ✝ [leftJustify 40] And calling in the Apostles, after they had scourged them, they charged them that they should not speake in the name of IESVS, and dimissed them. ✝ [leftJustify 41] And they vvent from the sight of the councel reioycing, because they vvere accoun∣ted vvorthy to suffer reproche for the name of IESVS. ✝ [leftJustify 42] And euery day they ceased not in the temple and from house to house to teach and euangelize Christ IESVS.

ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V.

2. Defrauded.)* 1.9 In that (saith S. Augustine) he withdrew any part of that which he promised, he was guilty at once, both of sacrilege, and of fraude, of sacrilege, because he robbed God of that which was his by promes:* 1.10 of fraude, in that he withheld of the whole gift, a peece. Let now the Heretikes come, and say it was for lying or hypocrisie onely that this facte was condemned: be∣cause they be loth to haue sacrilege counted any such sinne, who haue taught men not onely to take away from God some peece of that or al that them selues gaue, but plainly to spoile & apply to them selues al that other men gaue.

3. Peter said.) S. Peter (as you see here) without mans relation knew this fraude and the cogi∣tations of Ananias,* 1.11 and as head of the College and of the whole Church against which this robbery was committed, executed this heauy sentence of Excommunication both against him, and his wife consenting to the Sacrilege. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it was excommunication by S. Augustines judgement, (li. 5. cont. ep. Parm. c. 1 to. 7) and had this corporal miraculous death ioyned withal, as the Excom∣munication

that S. Paul gaue out against the incestuous and others,* 1.12 had the corporal vexation of Satan incident vnto it.

4. In thy povver.) If is displeased God (saith S. Augustine) to vvithdravv of the money vvhich they had vovved to God,* 1.13 hovv is he angry vvhen chastitie is vovved and is not performed? for to such may be said that vvhich S. Peter said of the money: Thy virginitie remaining did it not remaine to thee, and before thou didst vovv, vvas it not in thine ovvne power? for, whosoeuer haue vowed such things and haue not paied them, let them not thinke to be condemned to corporal deaths, but to euerlasting fire. August. Ser. 10. de diuersis.* 1.14 And S. Gregorie to the same purpose writeth thus, Ananias had vovved money to God, vvhich aftervvard ouercome vvith diuelish persuasion he vvithdravv: but vvith vvha•• death he vvas punished, thou knovvest. If then he vvere vvorthy of that death, who tooke avvay the money that he had giuen to God, consider vvhat great peril in Gods iudgment thou shalt be vvorthy of, vvhich hast vvith∣dravven, not money, but thy self from almighty God, to vvhom thou hadst vovved thy self vnder the habits or vveede of a Monke.

4. Not to men, but) To take from the Church or from the Gouernours thereof, things dedi∣cated to their vse and the seruice of God, or to lie vnto Gods Ministers, is so iudged of before God, as if the lie were made, and the fraude done to the Holy Ghost him self, who is the Churches Presi∣dent and Protector.

15. His shadovv.)* 1.15 Specially they sought to Peter the cheefe of al, who not onely by touching, as the other, but by his very shadow cured al diseases, wherevpon S. Augustine faith, If then the shadow of his body could helpe, how much more now the fulnes of power? And if thē a certaine litle vvind of him passing by did profite them that humbly asked, how much more the grace of him now being permanent & remaining? Ser. 29 de Sanctis, speaking of the miracles done by the Saincts now reigning in heauen.

Notes

• ∷ 1.1

  Herevpon rose great reue∣rence, awe, and feare of the vul∣gar Christians toward the ho∣ly Apostles, for an example to al Christian peo¦ple how to be∣haue thē selues toward their Bishops and Priests.
• * 1.2

  The Epistle vpō Imber wenes∣day in whitson-weeke. And within the octa¦ue, & in a votiue of SS. Peter and Paul.
• * 1.3

  Peters sha∣dow.
• * 1.4

  An Angel lea∣deth them out of prison.
• * 1.5

  Act. 4, 18.
• * 1.6

  Theudas▪
• ∷ 1.7

  Time, and the euident successe of Christes Church and re∣ligion, proue it to be of God: no violence of the Iewes, no persecution of the Heathen Princes, no en∣deuour of do∣mestical Aduer∣saries, heretikes, Schismatikes, or il liuers, p••uailīg against it, as on the other side, many attempts haue been ma∣de by Arius Macedonius, Nestorius, Lu∣ther, & the like, who thought them selues so∣me body: but after they had plai••d their partes a while, their memory is buried, or liueth only in maledi∣ctiō & infamie, & their scholers come to naught Therfore let no Cath. man be scandalized that this heresie hol∣deth vp for a time. For the Arians & some others ••lorished much lōger thē these, and were better suppor∣ted by Princes and learning, & yet had an end.
• ` 1.8

  it,
• * 1.9

  Aug. ser. 9 in append. de diuersis tom. 10.
• * 1.10

  Sacrilege.
• * 1.11

  Excōmunicatiō ioyned vvith corporal pai∣ner.
• * 1.12

  1 Cor. 5.
• * 1.13

  Vow of Cha∣stitie, & the bre∣ache thereof.
• * 1.14

  Greg. li. ••. ep. 13.
• * 1.15

  Peters shadow & intercession.