The apostolical history containing the acts, labours, travels, sermons, discourses, miracles, successes, and sufferings of the Holy Apostles from Christ's ascention to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus : a brief description whereof is here inserted : also, a narration of the particular times and occasions upon which the apostolical epistles were written, together with a brief analytical paraphrase of them : to which is added (for the better understanding of this history) a map of the Apostle Paul's travels ... / by Samuel Cradock.

SECT. XIIII.

THe Apostles which remained at Jerusalem hearing of the success of Philip's preaching at Samaria thought fit to send Peter(a) 1.1 and John, to confirm the new Converts there in the Faith, and to settle all convenient order among them. They accordingly coming thither, by their prea∣ching and exhortation confirmed them in the Doctrine of the Gospel. These believing Samaritans had received the grace of the Spirit, whereby they were enabled to believe in Christ; but the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were not as yet fallen upon any of them; whereupon the Apo∣stles by their earnest prayer unto God obtained this mercy for them, and accordingly by the imposition(b) 1.2 of their hands upon certain persons among them, whom they were directed by the Holy Ghost to lay their hands upon (as those God had appointed to be prea∣chers, and ministers of the Gospel, and whom by these their gifts he would enable to understand the language and sense of the Scripture, and to be instructors of the peo∣ple) those miraculous powers were confer∣red on them. Simon Magus seeing this, and being touched with a secret Ambition to get this power of conferring these miracu∣lous gifts of the Holy Ghost upon whom∣soever he pleased, (which would have made him famous and renowned in the world) he offered the Apostles a sum of (c) money to inable him to do it. Peter inflam'd with an holy indignation at this wretched moti∣on, said unto him, Thy mony perish with thee. Assure thy self, No share, or portion of so glorious a priviledg as this is, belongs unto thee.(a) 1.3 For I perceive thou art not upright before God, but thy hypocrisie and ambiti∣on, by which thy heart is as it were bound and fettered, is as odious to him as the bitterness of Gall can be to any mans taste. Repent therefore, and humble thy self un∣feignedly before the Lord for this wicked project of thine, and earnestly seek his pardon, which if thou wilt do sincerely 'tis not impossible but thou mayst obtain it. Simon at this besought them that they would pray for him, that God would pardon this wick∣edness of his, and not inflict on him such punishments as they see∣med to intimate, were like to fall upon him.

When these two Apostles had finished their ministry in those parts they returned to Jerusalem preaching, and disseminating

the Gospel, in the Villages of Samaria as they passed along.

Act. 8. v. 14. Now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John.

v. 15. Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Ghost.

v. 16. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were bapti∣zed in the Name of the Lord Jesus)

v. 17. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the holy Ghost.

v. 18. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands, the holy Ghost was given, he offerred them money,

v. 19. Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the holy Ghost.

v. 20. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

v. 21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

v. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

v. 23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

v. 24. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things, which ye have spoken, come upon me.

v. 25. And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

* 1.4 * 1.5 * 1.6 * 1.7 * 1.8 * 1.9 * 1.10

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Hoc observatu dignum est, quod Petrus mittitur, & deputatur à caeteris Apostolis. Ubi igitur primatus Petri, cui Papa superstruit suum?
• (b) 1.2

  Frat Apostolica praerogativa per impositionem manuum Ecclesiis impe∣trare charismata Spiritus Sancti ad aedi∣ficationem Ecclesiae necessaria. Hi Sa∣maritani habuerunt quidem antea Spi∣ritum regenerationis, sed non Spiritum Prophetiae, seu dona illa, quae quibus∣dam in Ecclesiâ data erant ad Ecclesiam aedificandam, de quibus agitur 1 Cor. 12.28. Et quum datus esset hic Spiritus, ex∣ercebat se per visibilia effecta, e. g. per eloquutionem variarum linguarum per patrationem miraculorum, &c. Stres. Lucas hic non de communi Spiritûs gra∣tiâ loquitur, quâ nos sibi Deus in filios regenerat, sed de singularibus illis donis, quibus Dominus, initio Evangelii, quos∣dam esse praeditos voluit ad ornandum Christi regnum. Hic autem illorum e∣rat usus, ut quisque pro facultatis suae modo Ecclesiae prodesset, Calv.

  The imposition of the Apostles hands mentioned here and elsewhere, was not upon all that believed, and were baptized, but on some certain persons, whom they were directed by the Holy Ghost to lay hands upon, not for their confirmation in grace, but as those God intended to imploy in the propagating of his Gospel, See Lightf. in loc.
• (a) 1.3

  From this deed of Simons, 'tis called Simony to seek to buy spiritual gifts or offices, with money or gifts.
• * 1.4

  v. 16. In nomen Jesu] i. e. in hunc finem, ut testarentur se credere in Dominum Jesum, nec non in Deum Patrem & Spiritum Sanctum, qui simul hic intelligendi sunt per Synecdochen membri, Mat. 28.19.
• * 1.5

  v. 17. Manus imposuerunt illis] Fuit haec ceremonia antiquitùs usitata cum alicu aliquod bonum apprecarentur, & alicui benedicerent, Gen. 48.14. Non quod in Ce∣remoniâ aliqua vis esset, sed quod esset visibile signum cordialis, ac sincerae compreca∣tionis, vel benedictionis.
• * 1.6

  v. 20. q. d. Apostolus, Malim te, & pecuniam tuam perire, quàm me acceptation•• illius pollui, vid. 2 Reg. 5.16, 17. Pecunia tua tecum maneat in exitium, i. e. tibi ma∣neat, & tibi cedat in exitium, Pisc.
• * 1.7

  v. 21. Non est tibi pars neque sors 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro re. Rom. 9.28. Hinc interpretor in hac re, nempe in dono Spiritus Sancti. Tu potestatem tribui cupis etiam aliis donandi Spiritum Sanctum? Absit. Nam ne ipse quidem portio∣nem ullam habes in hac re, De Dieu. Secundum aliquos, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hic significat beneficia per sermonem Evangelii promissa.
• * 1.8

  v. 22. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] interna cogitatio, consilium, & machinatio cordis.

  Si forte remittatur] Apostolus non docet dubitantèr precari, sed vehementèr precari, & Simonem eò magis ad poenitendi studium inflammat.
• * 1.9

  v 23 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Vocatur 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 amaritudo tanta quanta est sellis, vel veneni. De felle amaritudinis, vid. Deut. 29.18. ubi similis phrasis, & Heb. 12.15. De nexu injustitiae, Isa. 58.6. 2 Tim. 2.26. Hisce verbis describit malitiam Simonis, scilicet, hypocrisin, & ambitionem, qua animus ejus veluti devinctus erat, quâque Deum gravissimè offendebat, ut amaritudo sellis offendit hominis gustum, Pisc.
• * 1.10

  v. 24. Sensit se talem esse intus, qualem Apostoli dixerant. Itaque cum ipsos judi∣cet Deo charos, eorum deprecatione uti vult, ut Jobi deprecationi, qui eum laeserant. Grot.