1    ^noteAnd Peter and Iohn vvent vp into the temple, at the ^note ninthe houre of praier.

2   And a certaine man that vvas lame from his mothers vvombe, vvas caried: vvhom they laid euery day at the gate of the temple, that is called Specious, that he might aske almes of them that vvent into the

temple.

3   He, vvhen he had seen Peter and Iohn about to enter into the temple, asked to receiue an almes.

4   But Peter vvith Iohn looking vpon him, said, Looke vpon vs.

5   But he looked earnestly vpon them, hoping that he should receiue some thing of them.

6   But Peter said, Siluer and gold I haue not, but09Q0871 that vvhich I haue, the same I giue to thee: In the name of Iesvs Christ of Nazareth arise, and vvalke.

7   And taking his right hand, he lifted him vp, and forth vvith his feete and soles vvere made strong.

8   And springing he stoode, and vvalked: and vvent in vvith them into the temple vvalking, and leaping, and praising God.

9   And al the people savv him vvalking and praising God.

10   And they knevv him, that, it vvas he vvhich sate for almes at the Specious gate of the temple: and they vvere excedingly astonied and agast at that that had cha&ubar;ced to him.

11   And as he held Peter and Iohn, al the people ranne to them vnto the porche vvhich is called Salomons, vvondering.

12    ^noteBut Peter seing them, made ansvver to the people, Ye men of Israël, vvhy maruel you at this, or vvhy looke you vpon vs, as though09Q0872 by our povver or holines vve haue made this man to vvalke?

13   The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his sonne Iesvs, vvhom you in deede deliuered and denied before the face of Pilate, he iudging him to be released.

14   But you denied the holy and the iust one, ^note and asked a mankiller to be giuen vnto you.

15   but the authour of life you killed, vvhom God hath raised from the dead, of vvhich vve are vvitnesses.

16   And in the ^note faith of his name, this man vvhom you see and knovv, his name hath strengthened: & the faith vvhich is by him, hath giuen this perfect health in the sight of al you.

17   And novv (brethren) I knovv that you did it through ignor&abar;ce, as also your princes.

18   But God vvho foreshevved by the mouth of al the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, hath so fulfilled it.

19   Be Penitent therfore & conuert, that your sinnes may be put out. &cross4;

20   that, vvhen the times shal come of refreshing by the sight of our Lord, and he shal send him that hath been preached vnto you Iesvs Christ,

21    ^notevvhom ^note heauen truely must receiue vntil the times of the restitution of al things, vvhich God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets from the beginn&ibar;g of the world.

22   Moyses in deede said, That a prophet shal the Lord your God raise vp to you of your brethren, as my self: him you shal beare according to al things vvhatsoeuer he shal speake to you.

23   And it shal be, euery soule that shal not heare that prophet, shal be destroied out of the people. ^note

24   And al the Prophets from Samuël and aftervvard that haue spoken, told of these daies.

25   You are the children of the Prophets and of the testament vvhich God made to our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy seede shal al the families of the earth be blessed. ^note

26   To you first God raising vp his sonne, hath sent him blessing you: that euery one should conuert him self from his naughtines. ^{note note} Chap. IIII. The Rulers of the Ievves oppose them selues and imprison Peter and Iohn. 4 But yet thousands of the people are conuerted: 5 and to the Rulers also, Peter boldly auoucheth by the forsaid miracle, that Iesvs is Christ, telling them of their heinous fault out of the Psalmes, and that vvithout him they can not be saued. 13 They though confounded vvith the miracle, yet procede in their obstinacie, forbidding them to speake any more of Iesvs, adding also threates. 23 Wherevpon the Church fleeth to praier, vvherein they comfort them selues vvith the omnipotencie of God, and prediction of Dauid, and aske for the gift of boldnes and miracles against those threates. 31 And God sheweth miraculously that he hath heard their praier. 32 The vvhole Churches vnitie and communitie of life. 36 Of Barnabas by name.

1   And vvhen they vvere speaking to the people, the Priests and magistrates of the temple and the Sadducees came vpon them,

2   being greeued that they taught the people, and shevved in Iesvs the resurrection from the dead:

3   and they laid handes vpon them, and put them into vvard, vntil the morovv, for it vvas novv euening.

4   And ^note many of them that had heard the vvord, beleeued: and the number of the men vvas made fiue thousand.

5   And it came to passe on the morovv, that their princes, and Auncients, and Scribes vvere gathered into Hierusalem.

6   and Annas the high priest, and Caiphas and Iohn, and Alexander, and as many as vvere of the priests stocke.

7   And setting them in the middes, they asked: In vvhat povver or in vvhat name haue you done this?

8   Then Peter replenished vvith the holy Ghost, said to them, Ye princes of the people & Auncients:

9   If vve this day be examined for a good deede vpon an impotent man, in vvhat he hath been made whole,

10   be it knovven to al you and to al the people of Israël, that in the name of Iesvs Christ of Nazareth, vvhom you did crucifie, vvhom God hath raised from the dead, in this same this man standeth before you vvhole. ^note

11   This is the stone that vvas reiected of you the builders: vvhich is made into the head of the corner. ^note

12   and there is not saluation in any other. for neither is there any other name vnder heauen giuen to men, vvherein vve must be saued. ^note

13   And seeing Peters constancie and Iohns, vnderstanding that they vvere men vnlettered, and of the vulgar sort, they marueled, and they knew them that they had been vvith Iesvs:

14   seeing the man also that had been cured, standing vvith them, they could say nothing to the contrarie.

15   But they commaunded them to goe aside forth out of the councel: and they conferred together,

16   saying, Vvhat shal vve doe to these men? for a notorious signe in deede hath been done by them, to al the inhabitants of Hierusalem: it is manifest, and vve can not denie it.

17   But that it be no further spred abrode among the people, let vs threaten them, that they speake no more in this name to any man.

18   And calling them, they charged them that they should not speake at al, nor teache in the name of Iesvs.

19   But Peter and Iohn ansvvering, said to them, ^note If it be iust in the sight of God, to heare you rather then God, iudge ye.

20   for vve can not but speake the things vvhich vve haue seen and heard.

21   But they threatening, dimissed them: not finding hovv they might punish them, for the people, because all glorified that vvhich had been done, in that vvhich vvas chaunced.

22   For the man vvas more then fourtie yeres old in vvhom that signe of health had been vvrought.

23   And being dimissed they came to theirs, and shevved al that the cheefe priests and Auncients had said to them.

24   Vvho hauing heard it, with one accord lifted vp their voice

to God, and said, Lord, thou that didst make heauen & earth, the sea, and al things that are in them,

25   vvho in the holy Ghost by the mouth of our father Dauid thy seru&abar;t hast said, Vvhy did the Gentiles rage, and the people meditate vaine thinges:

26   the kings of the earth stand vp, and the princes assemble together against our Lord, and against his Christ? ^note

27   For there assembled in deede in this citie against thy holy childe Iesvs vvhom thou hast anointed, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, vvith the Gentiles and the people of Israël,

28   to doe vvhat ^note thy hand & thy counsel decreed to be done.

29   And novv Lord looke vpon their threatenings, and giue vnto thy seruants vvith al confidence to speake thy vvorde,

30   in that, that thou extend thy hand to cures and signes and vvonders to be done by the name of thy holy sonne Iesvs.

31   And vvhen they had praied, the place vvas moued vvherein they vvere gathered: and they vvere al replenished vvith the holy Ghost, and they spake the vvord of God vvith confidence.

32   And the multitude of beleeuers had one hart and one soule: neither did any one say that ought vvas his ovvne of those things vvhich he possessed, but al things vvere common vnto them.

33   And vvith great povver did the Apostles giue testimonie of the resurrection of Iesvs Christ our Lord: and great grace vvas in al them.

34   For neither vvas there any one needie among them. For as many as vvere ovvners of landes or houses, ^note sold and brought the prices of those things vvhich they sold,

35   and laid it before the feete of the Apostles. And to euery one vvas deuided according as euery one hade neede.

36   And Ioseph vvho vvas surnamed of the Apostles Barnabas (vvhich is by interpretation, the sonne of consolation) a Leuite, a Cyprian borne,

37   vvhereas he had a peece of land, sold it, and brought the price, and laid it09Q0873 before the feete of the Apostles. ^note

Chap. V. Ananias and his vvife Saphira, 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 streates 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 casteth a doubt among them, lest the matter be of God, and therfore impo&esset;ible to be dissolued. 40 Finally, the Apostles being scourged by them, count it an honour, and cease no day from preaching.

1   But a certaine man named Ananias, vvith Saphîra his vvife sold a peece of land,

2   and09Q0874 defrauded of the price of the land, his vvife being priuie thereto: and bringing a certaine portion, laide it at the feete of the Apostles.

3   And09Q0875 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?

4   Remaining, did it not remaine to thee: and being sold, vvas it not09Q0876 in thy povver? Vvhy hast thou put this thing in thy hart? Thou hast not lied09Q0877 to men, but to God.

5   And Ananias hearing these vvordes, fel dovvne, and gaue vp the ghost. And there came great feare vpon al that heard it.

6   And yong men rising vp, remoued him, and bearing him forth buried him.

7   And it vvas the space as it vvere of three houres, and his vvife, not knovving vvhat vvas chaunced, came in.

8   And Peter ansvvered her, Tel me vvoman, vvhether did you sel the land for so much? But she said, Yea, for so much.

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.

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.

11   And there fel great ^note feare in the vvhole Church, and vpon al that heard these things.

12    ^noteAnd 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.

13   But of the rest

none durst ioyne them selues vnto them: but the people magnified them.

14   And the multitude of men and vvomen that beleeued in our Lord, vvas more increased:

15   so that they did bring forth the sicke into the streates, and laid them in beddes and couches, that vvhen Peter came,09Q0878 his shadovv at the least might ouershadovv any of them, and they all might be deliuered from their infirmities. ^note

16   And there ranne together vnto Hierusalem the multitude also of the cities adioyning, bringing sicke persons and such as vvere vexed of vncleane spirits: vvho vvere al cured. &cross4;

17   And the high priest rising vp, and al that vvere vvith him, vvhich is the heresie of the Sadduces, vvere replenished vvith zeale:

18   laid hands vpon the Apostles, and put them in the common prison.

19   But an Angel of our Lord by night opening the gates of the prison, & leading them forth, said, ^note

20   Goe: and standing speake in the temple to the people al the vvordes of this life.

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 together the Councel & al the auncients of the children of Israël: and they sent to the prison that they might be brought.

22   But vvhen the ministers vvere come, and opening the prison, found them not: returning they told,

23   saying, The prison truely vve found shut vvith al diligence, and the keepers standing before the gates: but opening it, vve found no man vvithin.

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.

25   And there came a certaine man and told them, That the men, loe, vvhich you did put in prison, are in the temple standing, and teaching the people.

26   Then vvent the Magistrate vvith the ministers, and brought them vvithout force, for they feared the people lest they should be stoned.

27   And vvhen they had brought them, they set them in the Councel. And the high priest asked them,

28   saying, ^note 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.

29   But Peter ansvvering and the Apostles, said, God must be obeied, rather then men.

30   The God of our Fathers hath raised vp Iesvs, vvhom you did kil, hanging him vpon a tree.

31   This Prince and

Sauiour God hath exalted vvith his right hand, to giue repentance to Israël, and remission of sinnes.

32   and vve are vvitnesses of these vvordes, and the holy Ghost, vvhom God hath giuen to al that obey him.

33   Vvhen they had heard these things, it cut them to the hart, and they consulted to kil them.

34   But one in the Councel rising vp, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of lavv honorable to al the people, commaunded the men to be put forth a vvhile.

35   and he said to them, Ye men of Israël, take heede to your selues touching these men vvhat you meane to doe.

36   For before these daies there rose Theódas, 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. ^note

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 consented to him, vvere dispersed.

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:

39   but if it be ^note of God, you are not able to dissolue ^note them, lest perhaps you be found to resist God also. And they consented to him.

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.

41   And they vvent from the sight of the councel reioycing, because they vvere accounted vvorthy to suffer reproche for the name of Iesvs.

42   And euery day they ceased not in the temple and from house to house to teach and euangelize Christ Iesvs. ^{note note}

^{note note note} Chap. VI. By occasion of a murmur in the Church (vvhose number novv is so grovven that it can not be numbred) Seuen of them being ordered by the Apostles in the holy order of Deacons: 1 one of them, Steuen, worketh great miracles: and is by such as he confounded in disputation, falsely accused in the Councel, of blasphemie against the Temple and rites thereof.

1   And in those daies the numbre of disciples increasing, there arose a09Q0879 murmurming of the Greekes against the Hebrues, for that their vvidovves vvere despised in the daily ministerie.

2   And the Tvvelue calling together the multitude of the disciples, said, It is not reason, that vve leaue the vvord of God, and serue tables.

3   Consider therfore brethren, 09Q0880 seuen men of you of good testimonie, ful of the holy Ghost and vvisedom, vvhom vve may appoint ouer this busines.

4   But vve vvil be instant in praier and the ministerie of the vvord. ^note

5   And the saying vvas liked before al the multitude. And they chose Steuen a man ful of faith and of the holy Ghost, and Philippe, and Próchorus, and Nicánor, and Timon, and Pármenas, and Nicolas a ^note stranger of Antioche.

6   These they did set in the presence of the Apostles: and praying they imposed handes vpon them.

7   And the vvord of God increased, and the number of the disciples vvas multiplied in Hierusalem excedingly: a great multitude

also of the ^note priests obeied the faith.

8    ^noteAnd Steuen ful of grace and fortitude did great vvonders & signes among the people.

9   And there arose certaine of that vvhich is called the Synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them that vvere of Cilicia and Asia, disputing vvith Steuen:

10   and they could not resist the vvisedom and the Spirit that spake.

11   Then they suborned men, to say they had heard him speake vvordes of blasphemie against Moyses and God.

12   They therfore stirred vp the people, and the Auncients, and the Scribes: and running together they tooke him, and brought him into the Councel,

13   and they set false vvitnesses that said, This man ceaseth not to speake vvordes against the holy place and the Lavv.

14   for vve haue heard him say, that this same Iesvs of Nazareth shal destroy this place, and shal change the traditions, vvhich Moyses deliuered vnto vs.

15   And al that sate in the Councel beholding him, savv his face as it vvere ^note the face of an Angel. ^{note note}

Chap. VII. Steuen being permitted to answer, beginning at Abraham, shovveth that God was with their fathers both in other places, and also long before the Temple. 48 and that after it vvas built, it could not be (as they grosly imagined) a house for God to dwel in. 51 then he inueigheth against their stifneckednes, and telleth them boldly of their traiterous murdering of Christ, as their fathers had done his Prophets afore him. 54 Whereat they being vvood, he seeth heauen open, and Iesvs there in his Diuine Maiestie. 57 Whereat they become more mad, so that they stone him to death (Saul consenting) he commending his soul to Iesvs, and humbly praying for them.

1   And the cheefe priest said, Are these things so?

2   Vvho said, Ye men, brethren and fathers, heare. The God of glorie appeared to our father Abraham vvhen he vvas in Mesopotamia, before that he abode in Charan,

3   and said to him, Goe forth out of thy countrie, and out of thy kinred, and come into a land that I shal shevv thee. ^note

4   Then vvent he forth out of the land of the Chaldees, and dvvelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father vvas dead, he translated him into this land, vvherein you doe novv dvvel.

5   And he gaue him no inheritance in it, no not the pase of a foote: and he promised to giue it him in possession, and to his seede after him, vvhen as he had no childe.

6   And God spake to him, That his seede shal be a seiourner in a strange countrie, and they shal subdue them to seruitude, and shal euil intreate them fourehundred yeres:

7   and the nation vvhich they shal serue, vvil I iudge, said God. and after these things they shal goe forth, and ^note shal serue me in this place. ^note

8   And he ^note gaue him the testament of circumcision, and so he ^note begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eight day: and ^note Isaac, Iacob: and ^note Iacob, the tvvelue Patriarches.

9   And the Patriarches through emulati&obar;, ^note sold Ioseph into Ægypt. and God vvas vvith him:

10   and deliuered him out of al his tribulations. and he ^note gaue him grace and vvisedom in the sight of Pharao the king of Ægypt, and he appointed him Gouernour ouer Ægypt and ouer al his house.

11   And there came famin vpon al Ægypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation: and our fathers found no victuals.

12   But vvhen ^note Iacob had heard that there vvas corne in Ægypt: he sent our

fathers first:

13   and at the ^note sec&obar;d time Ioseph vvas knovven of his brethren, and his kinred vvas made knovven vnto Pharao.

14   And Ioseph sending, called thither Iacob his father and al his kinred in seuentie fiue soules.

15   And ^note Iacob descended into Ægypt: and ^note he died, and our fathers.

16   And they vvere ^note translated into Sichem, and vvere ^note laid in the sepulchre that Abraham ^note bought for a price of siluer of the sonnes of Hemor the sonne of Sichem.

17   And vvhen the time drevv neere of the promisse vvhich God had promised to Abraham, the people ^note increased and vvas multiplied in Ægypt,

18   vntil an other king arose in Ægypt, that knevv not Ioseph.

19   This same circumuenting our stocke, afflicted our fathers: that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept aliue.

20   The same time vvas ^note Moyses borne, and he vvas acceptable to God, who was nourished three moneths in his fathers house

21   And vvhen he vvas exposed, Pharaos daughter tooke him vp, and nourished him for her ovvne sonne,

22   And Moyses vvas instructed in al the vvisedom of the Ægyptians: and he vvas mightie in his vvordes and vvorkes.

23   And ^note vvhen he vvas fully of the age of fourtie yeres, it came to his minde to visite his brethren the children of Israel.

24   And vvhen he had seen one suffer vvrong, he defended him: and striking the Ægyptian, he reuenged his quarel that susteined the vvrong.

25   And he thought that his brethren did vnderstand that God by his hand vvould saue them: but they vnderstoode it not.

26   And the day folovving ^note he appeared to them being at strife: and he reconciled them vnto peace, saying, Men, ye are brethren, vvherfore hurt you one an other?

27   But he that did the iniurie to his neighbour, repelled him, saying, Vvho hath appointed thee prince and iudge ouer vs?

28   Vvhat, vvilt thou kil me, as thou didst yesterday kil the Ægyptian?

29   And Moyses fled vpon this vvord: and he became a seiourner in the land of Mádian, vvhere he begat tvvo sonnes,

30   And after fourtie yeres vvere expired, there ^note appeared to him in the desert of mount Sina an Angel in the fire of the flame of a bush.

31   And Moyses seeing it, marueled at the vision. And as he vvent neere to vevve it, the voice of our Lord vvas made to him,

32   I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. And Moyses being made to tremble, durst not vevve it.

33   And our Lord

said to him, Loose of the shoe of thy feete: for the place vvherein thou standest, is09Q0881 holy ground.

34   Seeing I haue seen the affliction of my people vvhich is in Ægypt, and I haue heard their groning, and am descended to deliuer them.

35   And novv come, and I vvil send thee into Ægypt.

35   This Moyses, vvhom they denied, saying, Vvho hath appointed the prince and Captaine? him God sent prince & ^note redeemer, vvith the hand of the Angel that appeared to him in the bush.

36   He ^note brought them forth doing vvonders and signes in the land of Ægypt, and in the redde sea, and in the ^note desert fourtie yeres.

37   This is that Moyses vvhich said to the children of Israël, A prophet vvil God raise vp to you of your ovvne brethren as my self: him you shal heare. ^note

38   This is he that ^note vvas in the assemblie in the vvildernesse, vvith the Angel that spake to him in Mount-Sina, and vvith our fathers: vvho receiued the vvordes of life to giue vnto vs.

39   To vvhom our fathers vvould not be obedient: but they repelled him, and in their hartes turned avvay into Ægypt,

40   saying to Aaron: Make vs goddes that may goe before vs. for this Moyses that brought vs out of the land of Ægypt, vve knovv not vvhat is befallen to him. ^note

41   And they made a calfe in those daies, and offered sacrifice to the Idol, and reioyced in the vvorkes of their ovvne handes.

42   And God turned, and ^note deliuered them vp ^note to serue the host of heauen, as it is vvritten in the booke of the Prophets: Did you offer victims and hostes vnto me fourtie yeres in the desert, O house of Israël?

43   And you tooke vnto you the tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of your God Rempham, figures vvhich you made, to adore them. And I vvil translate you beyond Babylon. ^note

44   The tabernacle of testimonie vvas among our fathers in the desert, as God ordained speaking to Moyses, that he should make it according to the forme vvhich he had seen. ^note

45   Vvhich our fathers ^note vvith ^note Iesus receiuing, brought it in also into the possession of the Gentiles, vvhich God expelled from the face of our fathers, till in the daies of Dauid,

46   Vvho found grace before God, and ^note desired that he might finde a tabernacle for the God of Iacob.

47   And ^note Salomon built him a house.

48   But the Highest dvvelleth09Q0882 not in houses ^note made by hand, as the prophet faith:

49   Heauen is my seate: and the earth the foote-stole of my feete. Vvhat house vvil you build me, saith our Lord? or vvhat place is there of my resting?

50   Hath not my hand made al these things? ^note

51   You stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hartes and eares, you alvvaies resist the holy Ghost: as your fathers, your selues also.

52   Vvhich of the prophets did not your fathers persecute?

And they slevve them that foretold of the comming of the Iust one, of vvhom novv

53   you haue been betraiers and murderers: vvho receiued the Lavv by the disposition of Angels, and haue not kept it.

54   And hearing these things they vvere cut in their hartes, and they gnashed vvith their teeth at him.

55   But he being ful of the holy Ghost, looking stedfastly vnto heauen, ^note savv the glorie of God, and Iesvs standing on the right hand of God.

56   And he said, Behold I see the heauens opened, and the Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God.

57   And they crying out vvith a loude voice, stopped their eares, & vvith one accord ranne violently vpon him.

58   And casting him forth vvithout the citie, they09Q0883 stoned him: and the vvitnesses laid of their garments ^note beside the feete of a yong man that vvas called Saul.

59   And they stoned Steuen inuocating, and saying: Lord Iesvs, receiue my spirit.

60   And falling on his knees, he cried vvith a loude voice, saying: ^note Lord, lay not this sinne vnto them. ^note And vvhen he had said this, he fel a sleepe. And Saul vvas consenting to his death. ^{note note note}

Chap. VIII. ^noteSo farre is persecution from preuailing against the Church, that by it the Church groweth from Hierusalem into al Ievvrie and Samaria. 5 The second of the Deacons, Philip. conuerteth vvith his miracles the citie it self of Samaria, and baptizeth them, euen Simon Magus also him self among the rest, 14 But the Apostles Peter and Iohn are the Ministers to giue them the Holy Ghost. 18 Which ministerie Simon Magus vvould bie of them. 26 The same Philip being sent of an Angel to a great man of Æthiopia, Who came a Pilgrimage to Hierusalem, first catechizeth him: 16 and then (he profe&esset;ing his faith and desiring Baptisme) doth also baptize him.

1   And the same day there vvas made a great persecution in the Church, vvhich vvas at Hierusalem, and al vvere dispersed through the countries of Ievvrie and Samaria, sauing the Apostles.

2   And09Q0884 deuout men ^note tooke order for Steuens funeral, and made great mourning vpon him.

3   But Saul ^note vvasted the Church: entring in from house to house, and dravving men and vvomen, deliuered them into prison.

4   They therfore that vvere dispersed, passed through, ^note euangelizing the vvord.

5    ^noteAnd Philippe descending into the citie of Samaria, preached Christ vnto them.

6   And the multitudes vvere attent to those things vvhich vvere said of Philippe, vvith one accord hearing, and seing the signes that he did.

7   For many of them that had vncleane spirits, crying vvith a loud voice, vvent out. And many sicke of the palsey and lame vvere cured.

8   There vvas made therfore great ioy in that citie. &cross4;

9   And a certaine man named Simon, vvho before had been in that citie a Magician, seducing the nation of Samaria, saying him self to be some great one.

10   vnto vvhom al harkened from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the povver of God, that is called great.

11   And they vvere attent vpon him, because a long time he had bewitched them vvith his magical practises.

12   But vvhen they had beleeued Philippe euangelizing of the kingdom of God, and of the name of Iesvs Christ, they vvere baptized, men and vvomen.

13   Then Simon also him self beleeued: and being baptized, he cleaued to Philippe. Seing also signes and very great miracles to be done, he vvas astonied vvith admiration.

14    ^noteAnd vvhen the Apostles vvho vvere in Hierusalem, had heard that Samaria had receiued the vvord of God: they09Q0885 sent vnto them ^note Peter & Iohn.

15   Vvho vvhen they vvere come, praied for them, that they might receiue the holy Ghost.

16   For he vvas not yet come vpon any of them, but they vvere only baptized in the name of our Lord Iesvs.

17   Then did 09Q0886 they impose their handes vpon them, and they09Q0887 receiued the holy Ghost. &cross4;

18   And vvhen Simon had seen that by the imposition of the hand of the Apostles, the holy Ghost vvas giuen, he09Q0888 offered them money,

19   saying, Giue me also this povver, that on vvhomsoeuer I impose my handes, he may receiue the holy Ghost.

20   But Peter said to him, Thy money be vvith thee vnto perdition: because thou hast thought that the gift of God is purchased vvith money.

21   Thou hast no part, nor lot in this vvord. For thy hart is not right before God. ^note

22   09Q0889Doe penance therfore from this thy vvickednesse: and pray to God,09Q0890 if perhaps this cogitation of thy hart may be remitted thee.

23   For I see thou art in the gall of bitternes and the obligation of iniquitie.

24   And Simon ansvvering said,09Q0891 Pray you for me to our Lord, that nothing come vpon me of these things vvhich you haue said.

25   And they in deede hauing testified and spoken the vvord of our Lord, returned to Hierusalem, and euangelized to many countries of the Samaritans.

26    ^noteAnd an Angel of our Lord spake to Philippe, saying: Arise, and goe tovvard the South, to the vvay that goeth dovvne from Hierusalem into Gaza:09Q0892 this is desert.

27   And rising he vvent. And behold, a man of Æthiopia, an eunuch, of great authoritie vnder Candáce the Queene of the Æthiopians, vvho vvas ouer al her treasures, vvas come to Hierusalem ^note to adore:

28   and he vvas returning and sitting vpon his chariot, and reading Esay the prophet.

29   And the Spirit said to Philippe, Goe neere, and ioyne thy self to this same chariot.

30   And Philippe running therevnto, heard him reading Esay the prophet, and he said: Trovvest thou that thou vnderst&abar;dest the things vvhich thou readest?

31   Vvho said, And ^note hovv can I, vnlesse some man shevv me? & he desired Philippe that he vvould come vp and sit vvith him.

32   And the place of the scripture vvhich he did reade, vvas this: As a sheepe to slaughter vvas he led: and as a lambe before his shearer, vvithout voice, so did he not open his mouth.

33   In humilitie his iudgement vvas taken avvay.

His generation vvho shal declare, for from the earth shal his life be taken? ^note

34   And the eunuch ansvvering Philip, said, I beseeche thee, of vvhom doth the Prophet speake this? of him self, or of some other?

35   And Philip opening his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, euangelized vnto him Iesvs.

36   And as they vvent by the vvay, they came to a certaine vvater: and the eunuch said, Lo vvater, ^note vvho doth let me to be baptized?

37   And Philip said, If thou beleeue vvith al thy hart, thou maiest. And he ansvvering said, I beleeue that Iesvs Christ is the sonne of God.

38   And he commaunded the chariot to stay: and both vvent dovvne into the vvater, Philip and the Eunuch, and09Q0893 he baptized him.

39   And when they vvere come vp out of the vvater, the Spirit of our Lord tooke avvay Philip, and the eunuch savv him no more. And he vvent on his vvay on his vvay reioycing.

40   But Philip vvas found in Azótus, & passing through, he euangelized to al the cities, til he came to Cæsaréa. &cross4; ^{note note note}

^note

^{note note note note note note} Chap. IX. Saul not content to persecute so cruelly in Hierusalem, 3 in the vvay to Damascus told by our Lord Iesvs of his vaine attempt, and miraculously conuerted to be an Apostle: and after great penance, restored to his sight by Ananias, and baptized. 20 And presently he dealeth mightily against the Ievves, prouing Iesvs to be Christ, to their great admiration, 23 But such is their obstinacie, that they lay al Damascus to kil him, 26 From thence he goeth to Hierusalem, and there ioyneth vvith the Apostles, and againe by the obstinate Ievves his death is sought. 31 The Church being novv grovven ouer al Ievvrie, Galilee, and Samaria, Peter visiteth al: and in his visitation, 33 healing a lame man, 36 and raising a dead vvoman, conuerteth very many.

1    ^{note note}And Saul as yet breathing forth threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of our Lord, came to the high priest,

2   and asked letters of him vnto Damascus to the synagogs, that if he had found any men and vvomen of this vvay, he might bring them bound vnto Hierusalem.

3   And as he vvent on his iourney, it chaunced that he drevv nigh to Damascus: and ^note sodenly a light from heauen shined round about him.

4   And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ^note Saul, Saul vvhy persecutest thou me?

5   Vvho said, Vvho art thou Lord? And he, I am Iesvs vvhom thou doest persecute, it is hard for thee to kicke against the pricke.

6   And trembling and being astonied he said, Lord, vvhat vvilt thou haue me to doe?

7   And our Lord to him, Arise, and goe into the citie, and it shal be told thee vvhat thou must doe. But the men that vvent in companie vvith him, stood amased, hearing the voice, but seeing no man.

8   And Saul rose vp from the ground, and his eies being opened, he savv nothing. And they dravving him by the h&abar;des, brought him into Damascus.

9   And he vvas three daies not seeing, and he did neither eate nor drinke.

10   And there vvas a certaine disciple at Damascus, named Ananias: and our Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. But he said, Loe, here I am Lord.

11   And our Lord to him, Arise, & goe into the streate that is called Straight: and seeke in the house of Iudas, one named Saul of Tarsus. for behold he prayeth.

12   (And he savv a man named Ananias, comming in and imposing handes vpon him for to receiue his sight.)

13   But Ananias ansvvered, Lord, I haue heard by many of this man, hovv much euil he hath done to thy sainctes in Hierusalem:

14   and here he hath authoritie from the cheefe priests to binde al that inuocate thy name.

15   And our Lord said to him, Goe, for a vessel of election is this man vnto me, to carie my name before the Gentiles, and kinges, and the children of Israël.

16   For I vvil shevv him hovv great things he must suffer for my name.

17   And Ananias vvent, and entred into the house: and imposing handes vpon him, he said, Brother Saul, our Lord Iesvs hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the vvay that thou camest: that thou maiest see and be filled vvith the holy Ghost.

18   And forthvvith there fel from his eies as it

vvere scales, and he receiued sight. and rising he vvas ^note baptized.

19   And vvhen he had taken meate, he vvas strengthened.

19   And he vvas vvith the disciples that vvere at Damascus, for certaine daies.

20   And in continent entring into the synagogs, he preached Iesvs, that this is the sonne of God.

21   And al that heard, vvere astonied, and said, Is not this he that expugned in Hierusalem those that inuocated this name: and came hither to this purpose that he might bring them bound to the cheefe priests?

22   But Saul vvaxed mightie much more, and confounded the Ievves that dvvelt at Damascus, affirming that this is Christ. &cross4;

23   And vvhen many daies vvere passed, the Ievves consulted that they might kil him.

24   But their conspiracie came to Sauls knovvledge. And ^note they kept the gates also day and night, that they might kil him.

25   But the disciples taking him in the night, conueied him avvay by the vvall, letting him dovvne in a basket.

26   And vvhen he vvas come into Hierusalem, he assaied to ioyne him self to the disciples, & al feared him, not beleeuing that he vvas a disciple.

27   But Barnabas tooke him & brought him to the Apostles, and told them hovv in the vvay he had seen our Lord, and that he spake vnto him, and hovv in Damascus he dealt confidently in the name of Iesvs.

28   And he vvas vvith them going in and going out in Hierusalem, and dealing confidently in the name of our Lord.

29   He spake also to the Gentiles, and disputed vvith the Greekes: but they sought to kil him.

30   Vvhich vvhen the brethren had knovven, they brought him dovvne to Cæsaréa, and sent him avvay to Tarsus.

31   The ^note Chvrch truely through al Ievvrie & Galilee and Samaria had peace, & vvas edified, vvalking in the feare of our Lord, and vvas replenished vvith the consolation of the holy Ghost.

32   And it came to passe, that Peter as he passed through al, came to the saincts that dvvelt at Lydda.

33   and he found there a certaine man named Æneas, lying in his bed from eight yeres before, vvho had the palsey.

34   And Peter said to him, Æneas, our Lord Iesvs Christ ^note heale thee: arise, and make thy bed. And incontinent he arose.

35   And al that dvvelt at Lydda and Saróna, savv him: vvho conuerted to our Lord.

36   And in Ioppé there vvas a certaine disciple named Tabitha, vvhich by interpretation is called Dorcas. This vvom&abar; vvas ful of ^note good vvorkes and almes-deedes vvhich she did.

37   And it came to passe in those daies, that she vvas sicke and died. Vvhom vvhen they h&abar;d vvashed, they laid her in an vpper chamber.

38   And vvhereas Lydda vvas nigh to Ioppé, the disciples hearing that Peter vvas in it, they sent tvvo men vnto him, desiring him, Be not loth to come so farre as to vs.

39   And Peter rising vp came vvith them. And vvhen he vvas come, they brought him into the vpper chamber: and al the vvidovves stoode about him vveeping, ^note and shevving him the coates and garments vvhich Dorcas made them.

40   And al being put forth, Peter falling on his knees praied, and turning to the body he said: Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eies: and seeing Peter, she sate vp.

41   And giuing her his hand, he lifted her vp. And vvhen he had called the saincts and the vvidovves, he presented her aliue.

42   And it vvas made knovven through out al Ioppé: and many beleeued in our Lord.

43   And it came to passe that he abode many daies in Ioppé, vvith one Simon a tanner. Chap. X. ^noteBecause the Ievves so much abhorred the Gentils, for the better vvarrant of their Christening, an Angel appeareth to Cornelius the deuout Italian. 9 and a vision is shevved to Peter him self (the cheefe and Pastor of al) 19 and the Spirit speaketh to him, 34 yea and as he is Catechizing them about Iesvs, 44 the holy Ghost commeth visibly vpon them: and therfore not fearing any longer the offense of the Ievves, he commaundeth to baptize them.

1   And there vvas a certaine man in Cæsaréa, named Cornelius, Centurion of that vvhich is called the Italian band,

2   religious, & fearing God vvith al his house, 09Q0894 doing many almes-deedes to the people. And alvvaies praying to God,

3   he savv in a vision manifestly, about the ninthe houre of the day, an Angel of God comming in vnto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

4   But he beholding him, taken vvith feare, said, Vvho art thou Lord? And he said to him, Thy praiers and thy almes-deedes are ascended into remembrance in the sight of God.

5   And novv send men

vnto Ioppé, and call hither one Simon that is surnamed Peter.

6   he lodgeth vvith one Simon a tanner, vvhose house is by the sea side. he vvil tel thee vvhat thou must doe.

7   And vvhen the Angel vvas departed that spake to him, he called tvvo of his houshold, and a souldiar that feared our Lord, of them that vvere vnder him.

8   To vvhom vvhen he had told all, he sent them vnto Ioppé.

9   And the next day vvhiles they vvere going on their iourney, and dravving nigh to the citie, Peter vvent vp into the higher partes,09Q0895 to pray about the sixt houre.

10   And being hungrie, he vvas desirous to take somevvhat. And as they vvere preparing, there fel vpon him an excesse of minde:

11   and he savv the heauen opened, and a certaine vessel descending, as it vvere a great li&nbar;en sheete vvith foure corners let dovvne from heauen to the earth,

12   vvherein vvere al foure-footed beastes, and that creepe on the earth, and foules of the aire.

13   And there came a voice to him, Arise Peter: kil, and eate.

14   But Peter said, God forbid, Lord: for I did neuer eate any common and vncleane thing.

15   And ^note a voice came to him againe the second time, That vvhich God hath purified, doe not thou cal common.

16   And this vvas done thrise. and forthvvith the vessel was taken vp againe into heauen.

17   And vvhiles Peter doubted vvithin him self, vvhat the vision should be that he had seen, behold the men that vvere sent from Cornelius, inquiring for Simons house, stood at the gate.

18   And vvhen they had called, they asked, if Simon that is surnamed Peter, vvere lodged there.

19   And as Peter vvas thinking of the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold three men doe seeke thee.

20   Arise therfore, and get thee dovvne, and goe vvith them, doubting nothing: for I haue sent them.

21   And Peter going dovvne to the men, said, Behold, I am he vvhom you seeke: vvhat is the cause, for the vvhich you are come?

22   Vvho said, Cornelius the Centurion, a iust man & that feareth God, and hauing testimonie of al the nation of the Ievves, receiued an ansvver of an holy Angel to send for thee into his house, and to heare vvordes of thee.

23   Therfore bringing them in, he lodged them.

23   And the day folovving he arose and vvent vvith them: and certaine of the brethren of Ioppé accompanied him.

24   And on the morow he entred into Cæréa. And Cornelius expected them, hauing called together his kinne, and special

frendes.

25   And it came to passe, Vvhen Peter vvas come in, Cornelius came to meete him, and falling at his feete09Q0896 adored.

26   But Peter lifted him vp saying, Arise, my self also am a man.

27   And talking vvith him, he vvent in, and findeth many that vvere assembled,

28   and he said to them, You knovv hovv abominable it is for a man that is a Ievve, to ioyne, or to approche vnto a stranger: but God hath shevved to me, to call no man c&obar;mon or vncleane.

29   For the vvhich cause, making no doubt, I came vvhen I vvas sent for. I demaund therfore, for vvhat cause you haue sent for me?

30   And Cornelius said, Foure daies since, vntil this houre, I vvas ^{note note} praying the ninthe houre in my house, and behold ^note a man stoode before me in vvhite apparel,

31   and said: Cornelius, thy praier is heard, and thy almes-deedes are in memorie in the sight of God.

32   Send therfore to Ioppé, and call hither Simon that is surnamed Peter: he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner by the sea side.

33   Immediatly therfore I sent to thee: and thou hast done vvel in comming. Novv therfore al vve are present in thy sight, to heare al things vvhatsoeuer are commaunded thee of the Lord.

34   And Peter opening his mouth, said, In very deede I perceiue that God is not an accepter of persons.

35   but in euery nation, he that feareth him, and ^note vvorketh iustice, is acceptable to him.

36   The word did God send to the children of Israël, preaching peace by Iesvs Christ (this is Lord of al.)

37    ^noteYou knovv the vvord that hath been made through al levvrie, for ^note beginning fr&obar; Galilee, after the baptisme vvhich Iohn preached.

38   Iesvs of Nazareth hovv God anointed him vvith the holy Ghost and vvith povver, vvho vvent through out doing good and healing al that vvere oppressed of the Deuil, because God vvas vvith him.

39   And vve are vvitnesses of al things that he did in the countrie of the Ievves and in Hierusalem, vvhom they killed hanging him vpon a tree.

40   Him God raised vp the third day and09Q0897 gaue him to be made manifest,

41   not to al the people, but to vs, vvho did eate and drinke vvith him after he rose againe from the dead. ^note

42   And he commaunded vs to preach to the people, and to testifie that it is he that of God vvas appointed iudge of the liuing and of the dead.

43   To him al the prophets giue testimonie, that al receiue remission of sinnes by his name, vvhich beleeue in him. &cross4;

44   As Peter vvas yet speaking these vvordes, the holy Ghost fel vpon al that heard the vvord.

45   And the faithful of the Circumcision that came with Peter, vvere astonied, for that the grace of the holy Ghost vvas poured out vpon the Gentiles also.

46   For they heard them speaking with tonges, and magnifying God. Then Peter ansvvered,

47   Can any man forbid vvater, that these should not be09Q0898 baptized vvhich haue receiued the holy Ghost as vvel as vve?

48   And he comma&ubar;ded them to be baptized in the name of our Lord Iesvs Christ. &cross4; Then they desired him that he vvould tarie vvith them certaine daies. ^{note note}

^{note note note} Chap. XI. The Christian Ievves reprehend the foresaid fact of Peter in baptizing the Gentils 4 But he alleaging his foresaid vvarrants, and shevving plainly that it vvas of God, 18 they like good Catholikes do yeld. 19 By the foresaid persecution, the Church is yet further dilated, not only into al Ievvrie, Galilee, and Samaria, but also into other Countries: specially in Antiochia Syria the increase among the Greekes, is notable, first by the foresaid dispersed, 23 then by Barnabas, thirdly by him and Saul together: so that there beginneth the name of Christians: 27 vvith perfite vnity betvvene them and the Church that vvas before them at Hierusalem.

1   And the Apostles and brethren that vvere in Ievvrie, heard that the Gentiles also receiued the vvord of God.

2   And vvhen Peter vvas come vp to Hierusalem, they that vvere of the Circumcision reasoned against him, saying,

3   Vvhy didst thou enter in to men vncircumcised, and didst eate vvith them?

4   But Peter began and declared to them the order, saying:

5    ^noteI was in the citie of Ioppé praying, & I savv in an excesse of minde a vision, a certaine vessel descending as it vvere a great sheete with foure corners let dovvne from heauen, and it came euen vnto me.

6   Into vvhich I looking c&obar;sidered, and savv foure footed beastes of the earth, and cattel, and such as creepe, and

foules of the aire.

7   And I heard also a voice saying to me, Arise Peter, kil and eate.

8   And I said, Not so Lord: for common or vncleane thing neuer entred into my mouth.

9   And a voice ansvvered the second time from heauen: That vvhich God hath made cleane, doe not thou call common.

10   And this vvas done thrise: and al vvere taken vp againe into heauen.

11   And behold, three men immediatly vvere come to the house vvherein I vvas, sent to me from Cæsaréa.

12   And the spirit said to me, that I should goe vvith them, doubting nothing. And there came vvith me these sixe brethren also: and vve vvent in to the mans house.

13   And he told vs, hovv he had seen an Angel in his house, standing and saying to him, Send to Ioppé, and cal hither Simon, that is surnamed Peter,

14   vvho shal speake to thee vvordes vvherein thou shalt be saued and al thy house.

15   And vvhen I had begonne to speake, the holy Ghost fel vpon them, as vp&obar; vs also in the beginning.

16   And I remembred the vvord of our Lord, according as he said, Iohn in deede baptized vvith vvater, but you shal be baptized vvith the holy Ghost. ^note

17   If therfore God hath giuen them the same grace, as to vs also that beleeued in our Lord Iesvs Christ: vvho vvas I that might prohibite God?

18   Hauing heard these things, they ^note held their peace: and glorified God, saying, God then to the Gentiles also hath giuen repentance vnto life.

19    ^noteAnd they truely that had been dispersed by the tribulation that vvas made vnder Steuen, vvalked through out vnto Phœnîce and Cypres & Antioche, speaking the vvord to none, but to the Ievves only.

20   But certaine of them vvere men of Cypres and Cyréne, vvho vvhen they vvere entred into Antioche, spake to the Greekes, preaching our Lord Iesvs. ^note

21   And the hand of our Lord vvas vvith them: and a great number of beleeuers vvas conuerted to our Lord.

22   And the report came to the eares of the Church that vvas at Hierusalem, touching these things: and they sent ^note Barnabas as farre as Antioche.

23   Vvho vvhen he vvas come, and savv the grace of God, reioyced: and he exhorted al vvith purpose of hart to continevv in our Lord:

24   because he vvas a good man, and ful of the holy Ghost and faith. And a great09Q0899 multitude vvas added to our Lord.

25   And he vvent, forth to ^note Tarsus, to seeke Saul:

26   vvhom vvhen he had found, he brought him to Antioche. And they c&obar;uersed there

in the church a vvhole yere: and they taught a great multitude, so that the disciples vvere at Antioche first named 09Q0900 Christians. ^note

27   And in these daies there came Prophets from Hierusalem to Antioche,

28   and one of them rising, named Agabus, did by the Spirit signifie a great famine that should be in the vvhole vvorld, vvhich fel vnder Claudius.

29   And the disciples according as eche man had, purposed euery one to send, for to serue the brethren that dvvelt in Ievvrie:

30   vvhich also they did, sending to the auncients by the handes of Barnabas and Saul. ^{note note}

Chap. XII. ^noteHerod the first king that persecuted the Church, hauing at Hierusalem (vvhen Barnabas and Saul vvere there vvith the collation of the Antiochians) killed Iames the Apostle, 3 and to please the Ievves imprisoned Peter vvith the minde to kil him also, but frustrate by an Angel sent of God at the continual praiers of the Church made for her cheefe Pastor, 19 being puffed vp vvith such pride that at Cæsaréa he refuseth not to be honoured as God: 23 is miraculously striken of Gods Angel. 24 And so after the persecutors death, the Churches preaching prospereth excedingly.

1   And at the same time Herod the king set his h&abar;des, to afflicte certaine of the Church.

2   And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn vvith the svvord.

3   And seing that it pleased the Ievves, he added to apprehend Peter also. And it vvas the daies of the Azymes.

4   Vvhom vvhen he had apprehended, he cast into prison, deliuering him to ^note foure quaterni&obar;s of souldiars to be kept, meaning after the Pasche to bring him forth to the people.

5   And Peter in deede vvas kept in prison. But09Q0901 praier vvas made of the Church vvithout intermission

vnto God for him.

6   And vvhen Herod vvould haue brought him forth, the same night Peter vvas sleeping betvvene tvvo souldiars, bound vvith09Q0902 tvvo chaines: and the keepers before the doore kept the prison.

7   And behold an Angel of our Lord stoode in presence: and light shined in the house: and striking Peters side, he raised him, saying, Arise quickely. And the chaines fel from his handes.

8   And the Angel said to him, Gird thee, and put on thy shoes. And he did so. And he said to him, Put thy garment about thee, & folovv me.

9   And going forth he folovved him, & he knew not that it vvas true vvhich vvas done by the Angel: but he thought that he savv a vision.

10   And passing through the first & the second vvatch, they came to the yron gate that leadeth to the citie, vvhich of it self opened to them. And going out, they vvent forvvard one streate: and incontinent the Angel departed from him.

11   And Peter returning to him self, said: Novv I knovv in very deede that our Lord hath sent his Angel, and deliuered me out of Herods hand, & from al the expectation of the people of the Ievves. &cross4;

12   And considering, he came to the ^note house of Marie the mother of Iohn, vvho vvas surnamed Marke, vvhere many vvere gathered and praying.

13   And vvhen he knocked at the doore of the gate, there came forth a vvenche to see, named Rhodè.

14   And as she knew Peters voice, for ioy she opened not the gate, but running in she told that Peter stoode before the gate.

15   But they said to her, Thou art mad. But she affirmed that it vvas so. But they said, It is09Q0903 his Angel.

16   And Peter c&obar;tinued knocking. And vvh&ebar; they had opened, they savv him, & vvere astonied.

17   And beckening vvith his hand to them, that they should hold their peace, he told hovv our Lord had brought him out of prison, and he said,09Q0904 Tel these things to Iames & to the brethren. And going forth he vvent ^note into an other place.

18   And when day vvas come, there vvas no litle a doe betvvene the souldiars, vvhat vvas become of Peter.

19   And Herod, vvhen he had sought him, and had not found, making inquisiti&obar; of the keepers, c&obar;ma&ubar;ded them to be led avvay: & going dovvne fr&obar; Ievvrie into Cæsaréa, there he abode.

20   And he vvas angrie vvith the Tyrians and the Sidonians. But they vvith one accord came to him, and persuading Blastus that vvas cheefe of the kings chamber, they desired peace, for that their countries vvere nourished by him.

21   And vpon a day appointed, Herod being araied vvith kingly attire, sate in the iudgement seate, and made an oration to them.

22   And the people made acclamation, The voices of a God, & not of a man.

23   And forthvvith an Angel of our Lord ^note strooke him, because he had not giuen the honour to God: and being consumed of vvormes, he gaue vp the ghost.

24   But the vvord of our Lord increased and multiplied.

25   And Barnabas and Saul returned from Hierusalem, hauing accomplished their ^note ministerie, taking vvith them Iohn that vvas surnamed Marke. ^{note note note note} Chap. XIII. ^noteThe preachers of the Church of Antioche preparing th&ebar; selues, the Holy Ghost out of them al, chooseth Saul and Barnabas. 3 They being first consecrated Bishops, 4 goe their appointed circuite ouer al the land of Cypres, the Proconsul vvhereof is also conuerted, seing the miraculous excecation of a levv by Paul. 13 Thence, into Pamphilia: 14 and Pifidia, vvhere in Antioche Paul preacheth to the Ievves, shevving that Iesvs is Christ, 38 and that in him is saluation, and not in their Lavv of Moyses: 40 vvarning them to bevvare of the reprobation foretold by the Prophets. 44 But the next Sabboth, they blaspheming, he in plaine termes forsaketh them, and turneth to the Gentiles. Whereat the Gentils be as glad on the contrarie side. 50 Finally the Ievves raising persecution, they forsake them, pronouncing them to be obstinate contemnors.

1   And there vvere in the Church vvhich vvas at Antioche, Prophets and Doctors, among vvhom vvas Barnabas, & Simon that vvas called Niger, and Lucius of Cyréne, and Manahen vvho vvas the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.

2   And ^note as they vvere09Q0905 ministring to our Lord, and fasting, the holy Ghost said:09Q0906 Separate me Saul and Barnabas vnto the vvorke, vvhereto I haue taken them.

3   Then they09Q0907 fasting and praying, and09Q0908 imposing hands vp&obar; them, dimissed them.

4   And they being09Q0909 sent of the holy Ghost, vvent to Seleucia, and thence sailed to Cypres.

5   And vvhen they vvere come to Salamîna, they preached the vvord of God in the synagogs of the Ievves. And they had Iohn also in their ministerie.

6   And vvhen they had vvalked through out the vvhole iland as farre as Paphos, they found a certaine man that vvas a magician, a false-prophete, a Ievv, vvhose name vvas ^note Bar-iesu,

7   vvho vvas vvith the Proconsul Sergius Paulus a vvise man. He sending for Barnabas & Saul, desired to heare the vvord of God.

8   But Elymas the magician (for so is his name interpreted) resisted them, seeking to auert the Proconsul from the faith.

9   But Saul, othervvise Paul, replenished vvith the holy Ghost, looking vpon him,

10   said: O ful of al guile, and al deceit, sonne of the deuil, enemie of al iustice, thou ceasest not to subuert the right vvaies of our Lord.

11   And novv behold the hand of our Lord vpon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seing the sunne vntil a time. And forthvvith there fel dimnesse and darkenesse vpon him, and going about he sought some body that vvould giue him his hand.

12   Then the Proconsul, vvhen he had seen that vvhich vvas done, beleeued, marueling at the doctrine of our Lord.

13   And vvhen Paul and they that vvere vvith him had sailed from Paphos, they came to Pergè in Pamphylia. And Iohn depárting from them, returned to Hierusalem.

14   But they passing through Pergè, came to Antioche in Pisidia: and entring into the synagogue on the day of the Sabboths, they sate dovvne.

15   And after the lesson of the Lavv and the Prophets, the princes of the Synagogue sent to them, saying, Men brethren, if there be among you any sermon of exhortation to the people, speake.

16   And Paul rising vp, and vvith his hand beckening for silence, said, Ye men of Israël, and you that feare God, harken:

17   The God of the people of Israël chose our fathers, and exalted the people vvhen they vvere seiourners in the land of Ægypt, and in a mightie arme brought them out thereof, ^note

18   and for the space of fourtie yeres tolerated their maners in the desert.

19   And destroying seuen nations in the land of Chanaan, by lot he deuided their land among them, ^note

20   as it vvere after foure hundred and fiftie yeres: and after these things he gaue Iudges, vntil Samuël the prophet.

21   And thenceforth they desired a king: and he gaue them ^note Saul the sonne of Cis, a man of the tribe of Beniamin, fourtie yeres.

22   and remouing him, he raised them vp ^note Dauid to be king: to vvhom giuing testimonie, he said, I haue found Dauid the sonne of Iesse, a man according to my hart, vvho shall doe al my vvilles. ^note

23   Of his seede God according to his ^note promisse hath brought forth to Israël a Sauiour Iesvs,

24   Iohn ^note preaching before the face of his comming, baptisme of penance to al the people of Israël.

25   And vvhen Iohn fulfilled his course, he said, Vvhom doe ^note you thinke me to be? I am not he, but behold there commeth after me, vvhose shoes of his feete I am not vvorthie to vnloose.

26    ^noteMen brethren, children of the stocke of Abraham, & they among you that feare God, to you the vvord of this saluation vvas sent.

27   For they that inhabited Hierusalem, and the princes thereof, not knovving him, nor the voices of the prophets that are read euery Sabboth, iudging haue fulfilled them,

28   and finding no cause of death in him, ^note desired of Pilate, that they might kil him.

29   And vvhen they had c&obar;summated al things that vvere vvritt&ebar; of him, taking him dovvne from the tree, they put him in a monument.

30   But God raised him vp from the dead the third day:

31   vvho vvas ^note seen for many daies of them that came vp together vvith him from Galilee into Hierusalem, vvho vntil this present are his vvitnesses to the people.

32   And vve preach vnto you that promisse vvhich vvas made to our fathers:

33   that God hath fulfilled this same ^note to our children, raising vp Iesvs, as in the second Psalme also it is vvritten: My sonne art thou, this day haue I begotten thee. ^note

34   And that he raised him vp from the dead, not to returne novv any more into corruption, thus he said, That I vvil giue you the holy things of Dauid faithful. ^note

35   And therfore

in an other place also he saith, Thou shalt not giue thy holy one to see corruption. ^note

36   For Dauid in his generation vvhen he had serued, according to the vvil of God slept: and he vvas laid to his fathers & savv corruption.

37   But he vvhom God hath raised vp, savv no corruption.

38   Be it knovven therfore to you, men brethren, that through him, forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached to you, from al the things from the vvhich you could not be iustified by the lavv of Moyses.

39   In him euery one that beleeueth, is iustified.

40   Take heede therfore lest that come vpon you vvhich is spoken in the prophets,

41   See ye c&obar;temners, and vvonder, and perish: because I vvorke a vvorke in your daies, a vvorke vvhich you vvil not beleeue, if any man shal tel it you. ^note

42   And they going forth, ^note they desired them that the Sabboth folovving they would speake vnto them these wordes.

43   And vvhen the synagogue vvas dimissed, many of the Iewes, and of the ^note strangers seruing God, folovved Paul & Barnabas: vvho speaking exhorted them to continue in the grace of God.

44   But the next Sabboth the vvhole citie almost assembled to heare the vvord of God.

45   And the Ievves seing the multitudes, vvere replenished vvith enuy, & contradicted those things vvhich vvere said of Paul, blaspheming.

46   Then Paul and Barnabas constantly said, To you it behoued vs first to speake the vvord of God: but because ^note you repell it, and iudge your selues vnvvorthie of eternal life: behold vve turne to the Gentils.

47   For so7 our Lord commaunded vs: I haue put thee to be the light of the Gentils: that thou maiest be saluation vnto the vtmost of the earth. ^note

48   And the Gentils hearing it, vvere glad, and glorified the vvord of our Lord: and there beleeued as many as vvere preordinate to life euerlasting.

49   And the vvord of our Lord vvas spred through out the vvhole countrie.

50   But the Ievves stirred vp religious and honest vvomen, and the cheefe of the citie, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas: and they did cast them forth out of their coastes.

51   But they ^note shaking of the dust of their feete against them, came to Icónium.

52   The disciples also vvere replenished vvith ioy and vvith the holy Ghost.

^{note note note note note} Chap. XIIII. Next in Iconium they preach, vvhere many being conuerted of both sortes, the obstinate Ievves raise persecution. 6 Then in the tovvnes of Lycaonia, vvhere the Heathen first seing that Paul had healed one borne lame, are hardly persuaded but they are Gods. 18 but aftervvard, by the instigation of the malitious Ievves, they stone Paul, leauing him for dead. 20 And so hauing done their circuite, they returne the same vvay confirming the Christians, and making Priests for euery Church. 25 And being come home to Antioche in Syria, they report al to the Church there.

1   And it came to passe at Iconium that they entred together into the synagogue of the Ievves, and so spake, that a very great multitude of Ievves and of the Greekes did beleeue.

2   But the Ievves that vvere incredulous, stirred vp and incensed the hartes of the Gentils to anger against the brethren.

3   A long time therfore they abode, dealing confidently in our Lord, vvho gaue testimonie to the vvord of his grace, graunting signes and vvonders to be done by their handes.

4   And the multitude of the citie vvas deuided: and certaine of them in deede vvere vvith the Ievves, but certaine vvith the Apostles.

5   And vvhen the Gentils and the Ievves vvith their princes had made an assault, to vse them contumeliously, and to stone them,

6   vnderstanding it, they fled to the cities of Lycaónia, Lystra and Derbe, and the vvhole countrie about, and there they vvere euangelizing.

7   And a certaine man at Lystra impotent of his feete sate there, lame from his mothers vvombe, that neuer had vvalked.

8   This same heard Paul speaking. Vvho looking vpon him, and seeing that he had faith for to be saued,

9   he said vvith a loud voice, Stand vp right on thy feete. And he leaped & vvalked.

10   And the multitudes vvhen they had seen vvhat Paul had done, lifted vp their voice in the lycaónian tongue, saying, Gods made like to men, are descended to vs.

11   And they called Barnabas, Iupiter: but Paul, Mercurie, because he vvas the cheefe speaker.

12   The Priest also of ^note Iupiter that vvas before the citie, bringing oxen & garlands before the gates, vvould vvith the people09Q0910 sacrifice.

13   Vvhich thing vvhen the Apostles Barnabas & Paul heard, renting their coates, they leaped forth into the multitudes, crying

14   and saying, Ye men, vvhy doe you these things? Vve also are mortal, men like vnto you, preaching to you for to conuert from these vaine things, to the liuing God that made the heauen, and the earth, and the sea, and al things that are in them:

15   vvho in the generations past suffred al the Gentils to goe their ovvne vvaies.

16   Hovvbeit he left not him self ^note vvithout testimonie, being beneficial from heauen, giuing raines, and fruiteful seasons, filling our hartes vvith foode & gladnes.

17   And speaking these things, they scarse appeased

the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

18   But there came in certaine Ievves from Antioche and Icónium: and persvvading the multitudes, and ^note stoning Paul, they drevv him out of the citie, thinking him to be dead.

19   But the disciples compassing him round about, he rising vp, entred into the citie, and the next day he vvent forth vvith Barnabas vnto Derbè.

20   And vvhen they had euangelized to that citie, and had taught many, they returned to Lystra and Icónium, and to Antioche:

21   confirming the hartes of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that by many tribulations vve must enter into the kingdom of God.

22   And vvhen ^note they09Q0911 had ordained to them09Q0912 Priests in euery Church, and had praied vvith fastings, they commended them to our Lord in vvhom they beleeued.

23   And passing through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,

24   and speaking the vvord of our Lord in Pergé, they vvent dovvne into Attalia:

25   and from th&ebar;ce they sailed to Antioche, ^note vvhence they had been deliuered to the grace of God vnto the vvorke vvhich they accomplished.

26   And vvhen they vvere come, and had assembled the Church, they reported vvhat great things God had done vvith them, & that he had opened a doore of faith to the Gentils.

27   And they abode no litle time vvith the disciples. ^{note note}

^note Chap. XV. Some of those Ievves also that vvere Christians, do fall, and are authors of the Heresie of Iudaizing. 2 They referre the matter to Councel: 7 Wherein after great disputation, Peter striking the stroke, 12 and other confirming his sentence vvith miracles, 13 and vvith Scriptures: 22 the Apostles and Priests do vvrite and c&obar;maund in the name of the Holy Ghost vvhat is to be done. 30 And the faithful thereby are straightvvaies quieted minde. 36 After vvhich, Paul and Barnabas thinking to goe againe their aboue said circuite together, are by occasion of Marke parted, to the greater increase of the Church.

1   And certaine comming dovvne from Ievvrie, taught the brethren: That ^note vnles you be circumcised according to the maner of Moyses, you can not be saued.

2   No litle sedition therfore being risen to Paul and Barnabas against them, they09Q0913 appointed that Paul and Barnabas should goe vp, & certaine others of ^note the rest, to the Apostles and ^note priests vnto Hierusalem, vpon this question.

3   They therfore being brought on their vvay by the Church, passed through Phœnîce and Samaria, reporting the conuersion of the Gentiles: and they made great ioy to al the brethren.

4   And vvhen they vvere come to Hierusalem, they vvere receiued of the Church and of the Apostles and ^{note note} Auncients, declaring vvhatsoeuer God had done vvith them.

5   And there arose certaine of the heresie of the Pharisees that beleeued, saying, That they must be circumcised, commaunded also to keepe the lavv of Moyses.

6   And the09Q0914 Apostles and Auncients09Q0915 assembled to consider of this vvord.

7   And vvhen there vvas made a ^note great disputation,09Q0916 Peter rising vp said to them, Men brethren, you knovv that ^note of old daies God among vs09Q0917 chose, that by my mouth the Gentiles should heare the vvord of the Gospel, and beleeue.

8   And God vvhich knovveth the hartes, gaue testimonie, ^note giuing vnto them the holy Ghost as vvel as to vs,

9   and hath put no difference betvvene vs and them, ^note by faith purifying their hartes.

10   Novv therfore vvhy tempt you God, to put a yoke vpon the neckes of the disciples, vvhich neither our fathers nor vve haue been able to beare?

11   but by the grace of our Lord Iesvs Christ vve beleeue to be saued, in like maner as they also.

12   And al the multitude held their peace: and they heard Barnabas and Paul telling vvhat great signes and vvonders God had done among the Gentiles by them.

13   And after they held their peace,09Q0918 Iames ansvvered, saying, Men brethren, heare me.

14   Simon hath told hovv God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name.

15   And to this accord the vvordes of the prophets, as it is vvrirten:

16   After these things I vvil returne, and vvil reedifie the tabernacle of Dauid vvhich vvas fallen, and the ruines thereof I vvil reedifie, and set it vp:

17   that the residue of men may seeke after the Lord, and al nations vpon vvhom my name is inuocated, saith the Lord that doeth these things. ^note

18   To our Lord vvas his ovvne vvorke knovven from the beginning of the vvorld.

19   For the vvhich cause09Q0919 I iudge, that they vvhich of the Gentiles are conuerted to God, are not to be disquieted,

20   but to vvrite vnto them that they refraine them selues from the contaminations of Idols, and 09Q0920 fornication, and strangled things, and bloud.

21   For Moyses of old times hath in euery citie them that preach him in the synagogs, vvhere he is read euery Sabboth.

22   Then it pleased the Apostles and Auncients vvith the vvhole Church, to chose men out of them, & to send to Antioche vvith Paul and Barnabas, Iudas, vvho vvas surnamed Barsabas, & Silas, cheefe men among the brethren,

23    ^notevvriting by their handes.

23   The Apostles and Auncients, the brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioche and in Syria and Cilicia, greeting.

24   Because vve haue heard that certaine09Q0921 going forth from vs, haue troubled you vvith vvordes, subuerting your soules, to vvhom vve gaue no commaundement:

25   It hath pleased vs being gathered in one, to chose out men and to send them vnto you vvith our deerest Barnabas and Paul,

26   men that haue giuen their liues for the name of our Lord Iesvs Christ:

27   Vve haue sent therfore Iudas & Silas, vvho them selues also vvil in vvordes report vnto you the same things.

28   For it hath seemed good09Q0922 to the holy Ghost & to vs, to lay no further burden vpon you then these necessarie things:

29   that you absteine from the things immolated to Idols, and bloud, and that vvhich is strangled, and fornication, from the vvhich things keeping your selues, you shal doe vvell. Fare ye vvel.

30   They therfore being dimissed vvent dovvne to Antioche: and gathering the multitude, deliuered the epistle.

31   Vvhich vvhen they had read, they09Q0923 reioyced vpon the consolation:

32   but Iudas and Silas, them Selues also being prophets, vvith many vvordes comforted the brethren, and confirmed them.

33   And hauing spent some time there, they vvere vvith peace dimissed of the brethren vnto them that had sent them.

34   But it seemed good vnto Silas to remaine there: and Iudas departed alone:

35   and Paul and Barnabas taried at Antioche, teaching and euangelizing vvith many others the vvord of our Lord.

36   And after certaine daies, Paul said to Barnabas, Let vs returne and ^note visite our brethren in al cities vvherein vve ^note haue preached the vvord of our Lord, hovv they doe.

37   And Barnabas vvould haue taken vvith them Iohn also that vvas surnamed Marke.

38   But Paul desired that he (as vvho ^note had departed from them out of Pamphylia, and had not gone vvith them to the vvorke) might not be receiued.

39   And there rose a09Q0924 dissention, so that they departed one from an other, & that Barnabas in deede taking Marke sailed to Cypres.

40   But

Paul chosing Silas departed, being deliuered of the brethren to the grace of God.

41   And he vvalked through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches: ^note commaunding them to keepe the præcepts of the Apostles and the Auncients. ^{note note note}

^{note note note note note note}

^{note note} Chap. XVI. Paul hauing for his part visited the Churches of Syria, Cilicia, and Lycaonia, deliuering vnto them vvithal to keepe the Decrees of the Councel: 6 beginneth a nevv iourney, ouer Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia: 8 Yea into Europe also he passeth, admonished by a vision, and commeth into Macedonia, 12 and there he beginneth the Church of the Philippians, vvorking miracles, and suffering persecution.

1   And he came to Derbé and Lystra. And behold, there vvas a certaine disciple there named Timothee, the sonne of ^note a vvidovv vvoman that beleeued, of a father a Gentile.

2   To this man the brethren that vvere in Lystra and Iconium, gaue a good testimonie.

3   Him Paul vvould haue to goe forth vvith him: and taking him he circumcised him because of the Ievves that vvere in those places. For they al knevv that his father vvas a Gentile.

4   And vvhen they passed through the cities, they deliuered vnto them to keepe the ^note decrees that vvere decreed of the Apostles and Auncients which were at Hierusalem.

5   And the Churches vvere confirmed in faith, and did abound in number daily.

6   And passing through Phrygia and the countrie of Galatia, they vvere ^note forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the vvord in Asia.

7   And vvhen they vvere come into Mysia, they attempted to goe into Bithynia: and the Spirit of Iesvs permitted them not.

8   And vvhen they had passed through Mysia, they vvent dovvne to Troas:

9   and a vision by night vvas shevved to Paul: There vvas a certaine man of Macedónia standing and beseeching him, and saying, passe into Macedónia, and helpe vs.

10   And as soone as he had seen the vision, forthvvith vve sought to goe into Macedónia, being assured that God had called vs to eu&abar;gelize to them.

11   And sailing from Troas, vve came vvith a straight course to Samothrácia, and the day folovving to Neapolis:

12   and from thence to Philippi, vvhich is the first citie of the part of Macedonia, a ^note colónia. And vve were in this citie certaine daies, abiding.

13   And vpon the day of the Sabboths, vve vvent forth vvithout the gate beside a riuer, vvhere it seemed that there vvas praier: & sitting vve spake to the vvomen that vvere assembled.

14   And a certaine vvoman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the citie of the Thyatirians, one that vvorshipped God, did heare: vvhose hart our Lord opened to attend to those things vvhich vvere said of Paul.

15   And vvhen she vvas baptized, and her house, she besought vs, saying: If you haue iudged me to be faithful to our Lord, enter in vnto my house, and tarie. And she constrained vs.

16   And it came to passe as vve vvent to praier, a certaine vvenche hauing a Pythónical spirit, mette vs, that brought great gaine to her maisters by diuîning.

17   This same folovving Paul and vs, cried saying, ^note These men are the seruants of the high God, vvhich preach vnto you the vvay of saluation.

18   And this she did many daies. And Paul being sorie, and turning, said to the spirit, I c&obar;maund thee in the name of Iesvs Christ to goe out from her. And he vvent out the same houre.

19   But her maisters seeing that the hope of their gaine vvas gone, apprehending Paul and Silas, brought them into the market place to the Princes:

20   and presenting them to the magistrates, they said, These men trouble our citie, being Ievves:

21   and they preach a fashion vvhich it is not lavvful for vs to receiue, nor doe, being Romanes.

22   And the people ranne against them: and the magistrates tearing their coates, commaunded

them to be beaten vvith roddes.

23   And vvhen they had laid ^note many stripes vpon them, they did cast them into prison, commaunding the keeper that he should keepe them diligently.

24   VVho vvhen he had receiued such commaundement, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feete fast in the stockes.

25   And at mid-night, Paul and Silas praying, did praise God. And they that vvere in prison, heard them.

26   But sodenly there vvas made a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison vvere shaken. And forthvvith al the doores vvere opened: and the bands of al vvere loosed.

27   And the keeper of the prison vvaked out of his sleepe, and seeing the doores of the prison opened, dravving out his svvord, vvould haue killed him self, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28   But Paul cried vvith a loud voice, saying, Doe thy self no harme, for vve are al here.

29   And calling for light, he vvent in, and trembling fel dovvne to Paul and Silas at their feete:

30   and bringing them forth, he said, Maisters, vvhat must I doe that I may be saued?

31   But they said, ^note Beleeue in our Lord Iesvs: and thou shalt be saued and thy house.

32   And they preached the vvord of our Lord to him vvith al that vvere in his house.

33   And he taking them in the same houre of the night, ^note vvashed their vvoundes: and him self vvas baptized and al his house incontinent.

34   And vvhen he had brought them into his ovvne house, he laid the table for them, and reioyced vvith al his house, beleeuing God.

35   And vvh&ebar; day vvas come, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men goe.

36   And the keeper of the prison told these vvordes to Paul, That the magistrates haue sent that you should be let goe. novv therfore departing, goe ye in peace.

37   But Paul said to them: Being vvhipped openly, vnc&obar;demned, men that are Romanes, they haue cast vs into prison: & novv do they send vs out secretly? Not so, but let them come, & let vs out them selues.

38   And the sergeants reported these wordes to the magistrates. And they vvere afraid hearing that they vvere Romanes:

39   and comming they besought them, & bringing them forth they desired them to depart out of the citie.

40   And going out of the prison, they entred in vnto Lydia: and hauing seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Chap. XVII. Hovv in other parts of Macedonia he planted the Church, and namely at Thessalonica, 5 vvhere the obstinate Ievves are so malicious, that they pursue him also into Berœa. 14 From vvhence being conducted into Greece, he preacheth at Athens both to the Ievves and Gentiles, disputing vvith the Philosophers, 19 and in Areopagus, persuading them from their Idols vnto one God and Iesvs Christ raised from the dead.

1   And vvhen they had vvalked through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, vvhere there vvas a synagogue of the Ievves.

2   And Paul according to his custome entred in vnto them, & three Sabboths he discoursed to them out of the Scriptures,

3   declaring and insinuating that it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead: and that this is Iesvs Christ, vvhom I preach to you.

4   And certaine of them beleeued, and vvere ioyned to Paul and Silas, and of the Gentiles that serued God a great multitude, and noble vvomen not a fevv.

5   But the Ievves ^note enuying, & taking vnto them of the rascal sort certaine naughtie men, and making a tumult, stirred the citie: and besetting Iasons house, sought to bring them forth vnto the people.

6   And not finding them, they drevv Iason and certaine brethren to the princes of the citie, crying, That these are they that stirre vp the vvorld, and are come hither,

7   vvhom Iason hath receiued, and al these doe against the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is an other king, Iesvs.

8   And they moued the people, and the princes of the citie hearing these things.

9   And taking a satisfaction of Iason and of the rest, they dimissed them.

10   But the brethren forthvvith by night sent avvay Paul and Silas vnto Berœa.

10   Vvho vvhen they vvere come, entred into the synagogue of the Ievves.

11   (And these were more noble then they that are at Thessalonica, vvho receiued the vvord vvith al greedines, daily09Q0925 searching the scriptures, if these things vvere so.

12   And many surely of them beleeued, and of honest vvomen Gentiles, and men not a fevv.)

13   And vvhen the Ievves in Thessalonica vnderstood, that at Berœa also: the vvord of God vvas preached by Paul, they came thither also, mouing and troubling the multitude.

14   And then immediatly the

brethren sent avvay Paul, to goe vnto the sea: but Silas and Timothee remained there.

15   And they that conducted Paul, brought him as farre as Athens, and receiuing commaundement of him to Silas and Timothee, that they should come to him very speedily, they departed.

16   And vvhen Paul expected them at Athens, his spirit vvas incensed vvithin him, seeing the citie giuen to Idolatrie.

17   He disputed therfore in the synagogue vvith the Ievves, & them that serued God, and in the market-place, euery day vvith them that vvere there.

18   And certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and the Stoikes disputed vvith him, and certaine said, Vvhat is it that this ^note vvord-sovver vvould say? But others, He seemeth to be a preacher of nevv ^note gods. because he preached to them Iesvs and the resurrection.

19   And appreh&ebar;ding him, they led him to Areopagus, saying, May vve knovv vvhat this new doctrine is that thou speakest of?

20   for thou bringest in certaine nevv things to our eares. Vve vvil knovv therfore vvhat these things may meane.

21   (And al the Athenians, and the strangers seiourning there, emploied them selues to nothing els but either to speake, or to heare some nevves.)

22   But Paul standing in the middes of Areopagus, said: ^note

22   Ye men of Athens, in al things I perceiue you as it vvere 09Q0926 superstitious.

23   For passing by and seeing your ^{note note} Idols, I found an altar also vvherevpon vvas vvritten, To the vnknovven God. That therfore vvhich you vvorshippe, not knovving it, the same do I preach to you.

24   The God that made the vvorld and al things that are in it, he being Lord of heauen & earth, dvvelleth ^note not in ^note temples made vvith hand,

25   neither is he serued vvith mens hands, needing any thing, vvhereas him self giueth life vnto al, and breathing, and al things:

26   and he made of one al m&abar;kinde, to inhabite vpon the vvhole face of the earth, assigning set times, and the limits of their habitation,

27   for to seeke God, if happily they may feele or finde him, although he be not farre from euery one of vs.

28   For in him vve liue and moue and be, as certaine also of your ovvne poëtes said, For of his kinde also vve are. ^note

29   Being therfore of Gods kinde, vve may not suppose,09Q0927 the Diuinitie to be like vnto gold or siluer, or stone, the grauing of art and deuise of man.

30   And the times truely of this ignorance vvhereas God dispised, novv he denounceth vnto men that al euery

vvhere doe penance,

31   for that he hath appointed a day wherein he vvil iudge the world in equitie, by a man vvhom he hath appointed, giuing al men faith, raysing him vp from the dead.

32   And vvhen they had heard the resurrection of the dead, certaine in deede mocked, but certaine said, Vve vvil heare thee againe concerning this point.

33   So Paul vvent forth out of the middes of them. ^note

34   But certaine men ioyning vnto him, did beleeue: among vvhom vvas also09Q0928 Dionysius Areopagîta, and a vvoman named Dámaris, and others vvith them. &cross4; ^{note note note}

^note Chap. XVIII. At Corinth in Achaia, he vvorketh vvith his ovvne hands, preaching Iesvs to be Christ, vnto the Ievves vpon their Sabboths. 6 But they being obstinate and blaspheming, he in plaine termes forsaketh them, and turneth to the Gentils, among vvhom according to a vision that he had to embolden him, he planteth the Church in great numbers, 12 the obstinat Ievves in vaine soliciting the Proconsul against him. 18 From thence at length departing he returneth 19 by Ephesus (vvhere he promiseth the Ievves to returne to them) 22 and so to Antioch in Syria (from vvhence he began his iourney Act. 15) 23 but not resting, by and by he goeth againe to visite the nevv Churches that he planted Act. 16 in Galatia and Phrygia: 24 Apollo in his absence mightily confounding the Ievves at Ephesus, 27 and aftervvard at Corinth.

1   After these things, departing from Athens, he came to Corinth.

2   and finding a certaine Ievv, named Aquila, borne in Pontus, vvho of late vvas come out of Italie, and Priscilla his vvife (because Claudius had commaunded al Ievves to depart from Rome,) he came to them.

3   And because he vvas of the same craft, he remained vvith them, and vvrought, (and they vvere tentmakers by their craft.)

4   And

he disputed in the synagogue euery Sabboth, interposing the name of our Lord Iesvs, and he exhorted the Ievves and the Greekes.

5   And vvhen Silas and Timothee vvere come from Macedonia, Paul vvas instant in preaching, testifying to the Ievves that Iesvs is Christ.

6   But they contradicting and blaspheming, he shaking his garm&ebar;ts, said to them, Your bloud vpon your ovvne head: I being cleane, from hence forth vvil goe to the Gentiles.

7   And departing th&ebar;ce, he entred into the house of a certaine man, named Titus Iustus, one that serued God, vvhose house vvas adioyning to the synagogue.

8   And Crispus the prince of the Synagogue beleeued our Lord, vvith al his house: and many of the Corinthians hearing beleeued, and vvere baptized.

9   And our Lord said in the night by a vision to Paul, Doe not feare, but speake, and hold not thy peace,

10   for-because I am vvith thee: and no man shal set vpon thee to hurt thee: for I haue much people in this citie.

11   And he sate there a yere & sixe moneths, teaching among them the vvord of God.

12   But Gallio being Proconsul of Achaia, the Ievves vvith one accord rose vp against Paul, and brought him to the iudgement seate,

13   saying, That this man contrarie to the Lavv persuadeth men to vvorshippe God.

14   And Paul beginning to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Ievves, If it vvere some vniust thing, or an heinous facte, O you men Ievves, I should by reason beare you.

15   But if they be questions of vvord & names, and of your lavv, your selues looke vnto it: I vvil not be iudge of these things.

16   And he droue them from the iudgement seate.

17   And al appreh&ebar;ding Sósthenes the prince of the synagogue, strooke him before the iudgement seate: and Gallio cared for none of those things.

18   But Paul vvhen he had staied yet many daies, taking his leaue of the brethren, sailed to Syria, (and vvith him Priscilla and Aquila,) vvho had shorne his head in Cenchris. for he had ^note a vovv.

19   And he came vnto Ephesus, and them he left there. But him self entring into the synagogue, disputed vvith the Ievves.

20   And vvhen they desired him, that he vvould tarie a longer time, he consented not,

21   but taking his leaue, and saying, I vvil returne to you againe God vvilling, he departed from Ephesus.

22   And going dovvne to Cæsaréa, he vvent vp, and saluted the Church, and came dovvne to Antioche.

23   And hauing taried there a certaine time, he departed, vvalking in order through the countrie of Galatia and Phrygia, confirming al the disciples.

24    ^noteAnd a certaine Ievv, named Apollo, borne at Alexandria, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, mighty in the scriptures.

25   This man vvas taught the vvay of our Lord: and being feruent in spirit he spake, and taught diligently those things that pertaine to Iesvs, knovving only the baptisme of Iohn.

26   This man therfore began to deale confidently in the synagogue. Vvhom vvhen Priscilla and Aquila had heard, they tooke him vnto them, and expounded to him the vvay of our Lord more diligently.

27   And vvhereas he vvas desirous to goe to Achaia, the brethren exhorting vvrote to the disciples to receiue him. Vvho, vvhen he vvas come, profited them much that had beleeued.

28   For he vvith vehemencie conuinced the Ievves openly, shevving by the scriptures, that Iesvs is Christ. Chap. XIX. Hovv Paul began the Church of Ephesus, first in 12 that vvere baptized vvith Iohns baptisme, 8 then preaching three moneths in the Synagogue of the Ievves, vntil for their obstinacie and blaspheming, he forsooke them, disputing aftervvard in a certaine schoole for tvvo yeres space to the maruelous increase of the Church, specially through his great miracles also, in healing diseases vvith the touche of his clothes, and expelling diaels, 13 vvho yet contemned the Exorcists of the Ievves, 18 Hovv the Christians there confesse their actes, and burne their vnlavvful bookes: 21 and hovv he foretold that after he had been at Hierusalem, he must see Rome. 23 and vvhat a great sedition vvas raised against him at Ephesus, by them that got their liuing of vvorking to the idolatrous Temple of Diana.

1    ^noteAnd it came to passe vvhen Apollo vvas at Corinth, that Paul hauing gone through the higher partes came to Ephesus, and found certaine disciples:

2   and he said to them, Haue you receiued the holy Ghost, beleeuing? But they said to him, Nay, neither haue vve heard Whether there be a holy Ghost.

3   But he said, In vvhat then vvere you baptized? Vvho said, ^note In Iohns baptisme.

4   And Paul said: ^note Iohn baptized the people vvith the baptisme of penance, saying: That they should beleeue in him that vvas to come after him, that is to say, ^note in Iesvs.

5   Hearing these things, they vvere baptized in the name of our Lord Iesvs.

6   And vvhen Paul had ^note imposed hands on them, the holy Ghost came vpon them, and they spake vvith tongues, and prophecied.

7   And all the men vvere about tvvelue.

8   And entring in to the synagogue, he spake confidently for three moneths, disputing and exhorting of the kingdom of God. &cross4;

9   But vvhen certaine vvere indûrate, and beleeued not, il-speaking the vvay of our Lord before the multitude, departing from them, he separated the disciples, daily disputing in the schole of one Tyrannus.

10   An this vvas done for the space of tvvo yeres, so that al vvhich dvvelt in Asia, heard the vvord of our Lord, Ievves and Gentils.

11   And God vvrought by the hand of Paul miracles not common:

12   so that there vvere also brought from his body 09Q0929 napkins or handkerchefs vpon the sicke, and the diseases departed from them, and the vvicked spirits vvent out.

13   And certaine also of the Iudaical exorcists that vvent about, assaied to inuocate vpon them that had euil spirits, the name of our Lord Iesvs, saying, I adiure you by Iesvs vvhom Paul preacheth.

14   And there vvere certaine sonnes of Sceua a Ievve, cheefe priest, seuen, that did this.

15   But the vvicked spirit ansvvering, said to them, Iesvs I knovv, and09Q0930 Paul I knovv: but you, vvhat are ye?

16   And the man in vvhom the vvicked spirit vvas, leaping vpon them, and mastring ^note both, preuailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and vvounded.

17   And this vvas made notorious to al the Ievves and the Gentiles that dvvelt at Ephesus: and feare fel vpon al them, and the name of our Lord Iesvs vvas magnified.

18   And many of them that beleeued, came confessing and declaring ^note their deedes.

19   And many of them that had folovved09Q0931 curious things, brought together their09Q0932 bookes, and burnt them before al: and counting the prices of them, they found the money to be fiftie thousand pence. ^note

20   So mightely increased the vvord of God and vvas confirmed.

21   And vvhen these things vvere ended, Paul purposed in the Spirit, vvhen he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to goe to Hierusalem, saying, After I shall haue been there, I must see ^note Rome also.

22   And sending into Macedonia tvvo of them that ministred vnto him, Timothee and Erastus, him self remained for a time in Asia.

23   And at that time there vvas made no litle trouble about

the vvay of our Lord.

24   For one named Demetrius, a siluersmith, that made siluer ^{note note} temples of Diána, procured to the artificers no smal gaine:

25   vvhom calling together and them that vvere the same kinde of vvorkemen, he said, Sirs, you knovv that our gaine is of this occupation:

26   and you see, and heare that this same Paul by persuasion hath auerted a great multitude not only of Ephesus, but almost of al Asia, saying, That they are not gods vvhich be made by handes.

27   And not only vnto vs is this part in danger to be reproued, but also the temple of great Diana shal be reputed for nothing, yea & her maiestie shal begin to be destroied, vvhom al Asia & the vvorld vvorshippeth.

28   Hearing these things, they vvere replenished vvith anger, and cried out saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

29   And the vvhole citie vvas filled vvith confusion, & they ranne violently vvith one accord into the theátre, catching Gaius and Aristarchus Macedonians, Paules companions.

30   And vvhen Paul vvould haue entred in to the people, the disciples did not permit him.

31   And certaine also of the Princes of Asia that vvere his frendes, sent vnto him, desyring that he vvould not adu&ebar;ture him self into the theátre:

32   and others cried an other thing. For the assemblie vvas confuse, & the more part knevv not for vvhat cause they vvere assembled.

33   And of the multitude they drevv forth Alexander, the Ievves thrusting him forvvard. But Alexander vvith his hand desiring silence, vvould haue giuen the people satisfaction.

34   Vvhom as soone as they perceiued to be a Ievve, there vvas made one voice of al, almost for the space of tvvo houres crying out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

35   And vvhen the Scribe had appeased the multitudes, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, for vvhat man is there that knovveth not the citie of the Ephesians to be a vvorshipper of great Diana, & ^{note note} Iupiters childe?

36   Forasmuch therfore as these things can not be gainsaid, you must be quieted, and doe nothing rashly.

37   For you haue brought these men, being neither sacrilegious, nor blaspheming your Goddesse.

38   But if Demetrius and the artificers that are vvith him, haue matter to say against any man, there are Courtes kept in the common place, & there are Proconsuls, let them accuse one an other.

39   And if you aske any other matter: it may be resolued in a lavvful assemblie.

40   For vve are in danger also to be accused for this daies sedition:

vvhereas there is no man guilty by vvhom vve may giue an account of this concourse. And vvhen he had said these things, he dimissed the assemblie. ^{note note note note} Chap. XX. Hauing visited the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia (as he purposed Act. 19) and novv about to saile from Corinth tovvard Hierusalem, because of the Ievves lying in vvaite for him, he is constrained to returne into Macedonia. 6. And so at Philippos taking boate, commeth to Troas, vvhere vpon the Sunday, vvith a sermon, and a miracle, he greatly confirmeth that Church. 13 Thence comming to Milétum, 17 he sendeth to Ephesus for the Clergie of those partes: to vvhom he maketh a Pastoral sermon, committing vnto their charge the flocke beg&ubar;ne by him there, and novv like to be seen of him no more, considering the troubles that by reuelation he looketh for at Hierusalem.

1   And after that the tumult vvas ceased, Paul calling the disciples, and exhorting them, tooke his leaue, and set forvvard to goe into Macedonia.

2   And vvhen he had vvalked through those partes, & had exhorted them vvith much speach, he came to Greece:

3   vvhere vvhen he had spent three moneths, the Ievves laid vvait for him as he vvas about to saile into Syria: and he had councel to returne through Macedonia.

4   And there accompanied him Sosípater of Pyrrhus, of Berœa: and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus, and Secundus: and Caius of Derbè, and Timothee: and of Asia, Tychicus and Tróphimus.

5   These going before, staied for vs at Troas:

6   but vve sailed after the daies of Azymes from Philippi, and came to them vnto Troas in fiue daies, vvhere vve abode seuen daies.

7   And in the first of the Sabboth vvhen vve vvere assembled to ^note breake bread, Paul disputed vvith them, being to depart on the morovv, and he continued the sermon vntil midnight.

8   And there vvere a great number of lampes in the vpper chamber vvhere vve vvere assembled.

9   And a certaine yong man named Eútychus, sitting vpon the vvindovv, vvhereas he vvas oppressed vvith heauy sleepe (Paul disputing long) driu&ebar; by sleepe, fel from the third loft downe, and vvas taken vp dead.

10   To vvhom vvhen Paul vvas gone dovvne, he lay vpon him: and embracing him he said, Be not troubled, for his soule is in him.

11   And going vp and breaking bread and tasting, and hauing talked sufficiently to them vntil day light, so he departed.

12   And they brought the lad aliue, and vvere not a litle comforted.

13   But vve going vp into the ship, sailed to Asson, from thence meaning to receiue Paul. for so he had ordained, him self purposing to iourney by land.

14   And vvhen he had found vs in Asson, taking him vvith vs vve came to Mityléne.

15   And sailing thence, the day folovving vve came ouer against Chios: and the other day vve arriued at Samos: and the day folovving vve came to Milétum.

16   for Paul had purposed to saile leauing Ephesus, lest any stay should be made him in Asia. For he hastened, if it vvere possible for him, to keepe the day of09Q0933 Pentecost at Hierusalem.

17   And sending from Milétum to Ephesus, he called the ^{note note} Auncients of the Church.

18   Vvho being come to him, and

assembled together, he said to them, You knovv ^note from the first day that I entred into Asia, in vvhat maner I haue been vvith you al the time,

19   seruing our Lord vvith al humilitie and teares, and tentations that did chaunce to me by the conspiracies of the Ievves:

20   Hovv I haue vvithdravven nothing that vvas profitable, but that I preached it to you, & taught you openly and from house to house,

21   testifying to Ievves and Gentils ^note penance tovvard God and faith in our Lord Iesvs Christ.

22   And novv behold, being bound by the spirit, I goe to Hierusalem: not knovving vvhat things shal befall me in it,

23   but that the Holy Ghost through out al cities doth protest to me, saying: that bands and tribulations abide me at Hierusalem.

24   But I feare none of these things, neither doe I make my life more pretious th&ebar; my self, so that I may c&obar;s&ubar;mat my course & ministerie vvhich I receiued of our Lord Iesvs, to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God.

25   And novv behold I doe knovv, that you shal no more see my face al you, through vvhom I haue passed preaching the kingdom of God.

26   Vvherefore I take you to witnesse this present day that I am cleere from the bloud of al.

27   For I haue not spared to declare vnto you al the counsel of God.

28   Take heede to your selues and to the vvhole flocke vvherein the ^note Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God vvhich he hath purchased with his ovvne bloud.

29   I knovv that after my departure there vvil09Q0934 rauening vvolues enter in among you, not sparing the flocke.

30   and out of your ovvne selues shal arise men speaking peruerse things, to dravv avvay disciples after them selues.

31   For the vvhich cause be vigilant, keeping in memorie that for three yeres night and day I ceased not vvith teares to admonish euery one of you.

32   And novv I commend you to God and to the vvord of his grace, vvho is able to edifie, and to giue inheritance in al the sanctified.

33   No mans siluer and gold or garment haue I coueted.

34   Your selues knovv that for such things as vvere needful for me and them that are vvith me, these hands haue ministred.

35   I haue shevved you al things, that so labouring, you must receiue the vveake, and remember the vvord of our Lord Iesvs, because he said,09Q0935 It is a more blessed thing to giue rather then to take.

36   And vvhen he had said these things, falling on his knees he praied vvith al them.

37   And there vvas great vveeping

made of al, and falling vpon the necke of Paul, they kissed him,

38   being sorie most of al for the vvord vvhich he had said, that they should see his face no more. And they brought him going vnto the shippe. ^{note note note} Chap. XXI. From Milétum going on his iourney, 4 he can not be dissuaded neither at Tyre, 8 nor at Cæsarea (in both vvhich places the Holy Ghost reueled hovv he should be handled in Hierusalem, 10 the Prophet Agabus expresly foretelling that the Ievves there should deliuer him to the Gentils) 15 but to Hierusalem he c&obar;meth: vvhere being vvelcome to the Christians, and namely to Iames the Bishop, and to the Priests, vvhile he goeth about to satisfie the Christian Ievves there, vvho had been misinformed of him as if he had taught it to be vnlawful for the Iewes to keepe Moyses Lavv: 27 he is inuaded by the infidel Ievves, and ready to be murdered by them, vntil the Romane souldiars do rescue him.

1   And vvhen it came to passe that vve sailed, being caried from them, vvith a straight course vve came to Cóos, and the day folovving to Rhodes, and from thence to Pátara.

2   And when vve had found a ship that passed ouer to Phœnîce, going vp into it vve sailed.

3   And vvhen vve vvere in the sight of Cypres, leauing it on the left hand, vve sailed

into Syria, and came to Tyre: for there the ship vvas to discharge her lode.

4   And finding disciples, vve taried there seuen daies: vvho said to Paul by the Spirit, that he should not goe vp to Hierusalem.

5   And the daies being expired, departing vve vvent forvvard, al bringing vs on the vvay, vvith their vviues and children, til vve vvere out of the citie: and falling vpon our knees on the shore, vve praied.

6   And vvhen vve had bid one an other farevvel, vve vvent vp into the ship: and they returned vnto their ovvne.

7   But vve hauing ended the nauigation, from Tyre came dovvne to Ptolomáis: and saluting the brethren, vve taried one day vvith them.

8   And the next day departing, vve came to C&ecedil;sarêa. And entring into the house of ^note Philip the Euangelist, vvho vvas one of the seuen, vve taried vvith him.

9   And he had ^note foure daughters09Q0936 virgins, that did prophecie.

10   And as vve abode there for certaine daies, there came a certaine prophet from Ievvrie, named Agabus.

11   He, vvh&ebar; he vvas come to vs, tooke Paules girdle: and binding his ovvne handes & feete, he said, Thus saith the holy Ghost: The man vvhose girdle this is, so shal the Ievves binde in Hierusalem, & shal deliuer him into the handes of the Gentiles.

12   Vvhich when vve had heard, vve & they that vvere of the same place, desired him that he would not goe vp to Hierusalem.

13   Then Paul ansvvered, and said, Vvhat doe you, vveeping and afflicting my hart? for I am ready not only to be bound, but to die also in Hierusalem for the name of our Lord Iesvs.

14   And vvhen vve could not persuade him, we ceased, saying, The vvil of our Lord be done.

15   And after these daies, being prepared, vve vvent vp to Hierusalem.

16   And there came also of the disciples from Cæsarêa vvith vs, bringing vvith them one Iason a Cyprian (vvith vvhom vve should lodge) an old disciple.

17   And vvhen vve vvere come to Hierusalem, the brethren receiued vs gladly.

18   And the day folovving Paul vvent in vvith vs to Iames, and al the Auncients vvere assembled.

19   Vvhom vvhen he had saluted, he told particularly vvhat God had done among the Gentiles by his ministerie.

20   But they hearing it, magnified God, and said to him: Thou seest (brother) hovv many thousands there are among the Ievves that haue beleeued: and al are zelátours of the Lavv.

21   But they haue heard of thee that thou doest teach those Ievves

that are among the Gentiles, to depart from Moyses: saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, nor vvalke according to the custome.

22   Vvhat is it then? needes must the multitude assemble: for they vvil heare that thou art come.

23   Doe this therfore vvhich vve tel thee, There are vvith vs foure men, that haue a vovve on them.

24   Taking these vnto thee, sanctifie thy self vvith them: and bestovv on them, that they may ^note shaue their heads: and al shal knovv that the things vvhich they heard of thee, are false: but that thy self also vvalkest09Q0937 keeping the Lavv.

25   But concerning them that beleeue of the Gentils, ^note vve haue written, decreeing that they should refraine them selues from the immolated to Idols, and bloud, and suffocated, and fornication.

26   Then Paul taking the men vnto him, the next day being purified vvith them entred into the temple, shevving the accomplishment of the ^note daies of the purification, vntil an oblation vvas offered for euery one of them.

27   But vvhiles the seuen daies vvere a finishing, those Ievves that vvere of Asia, vvhen they had seen him in the temple, stirred vp al the people, and laid handes vpon him,

28   crying, Ye men of Israël, help: this is the man that against the people & the Lavv and this place teaching al men euery vvhere, hath also moreouer brought in Gentiles into the temple, and hath violated this holy place.

29   (For they had seen Tróphimus the Ephesian in the citie vvith him, vvhom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

30   And the vvhole citie vvas in an vproare: and there vvas made a concourse of the people. And apprehending Paul, they drevve him forth of the temple: and immediatly the doores vvere shut.

31   And as they sought to kil him, it vvas told the Tribune of the band, That al Hierusalem is in a confusion.

32   Vvho forthvvith taking vnto him souldiars & Centurions, ranne dovvne to them. Who, vvh&ebar; they had seen the Tribune and the souldiars, ceased to strike Paul.

33   Then the Tribune comming neere apprehended him, and commaunded him to be bound vvith tvvo chaines: and he demaunded vvho he vvas, and vvhat he had done.

34   And some cried one thing, some an other, in the multitude. And vvhereas he could not knovv the certaintie for the tumult, he commaunded him to be led ^note into the castel.

35   And vvhen he vvas come to the staires, it chaunced that he vvas caried of the souldiars because

of the violence of the people.

36   For the multitude of the people folovved, crying, Avvay vvith him.

37   And vvhen Paul began to be brought into the castel, he saith to the Tribune, Is it lavvful for me to speake some thing to thee? Vvho said, Canst thou speake Greeke?

38   Art not thou the Ægyptian that before these daies did raise a tumult, and didst lead forth into the desert foure thousand men that vvere murderers?

39   And Paul said to him, ^note I am a man truely a Ievve of Tarsus, a citizen not of an obscure citie of Cilicia. And I desire thee, permit me to speake to the people.

40   And vvhen he had permitted him, Paul st&abar;ding on the staiers, beckened with his hand to the people and great silence being made, he spake vnto them in the Hebrevv tongue, saying. ^{note note} Chap. XXII. Being licensed by the Tribune to speake to the people, he shevveth them that he vvas once as earnest on that side as they novv be: 6 and hovv strange and miraculous his conversion vvas. 17 They heare him quietly, vntil he began to make mention of a vision that sent him avvay from them to the Gentils. 22 Then they crie out vpon him so, 23 that for their crying the Tribune commaundeth him to be scourged. 25 Which yet by his vvisedom he escapeth.

1   Men brethren and fathers, heare vvhat account I doe render novv vnto you.

2   (And vvhen they had heard that he spake to them in the Hebrevv tongue, they did the more keepe sil&ebar;ce.

3   And he saith,) ^note I am a man a Ievve, borne at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought vp in this citie, at the feete of Gamaliel instructed according to the veritie of the lavv of the fathers,

an emulátour of the Lavv as also al you are this day:

4   vvho ^note persecuted this vvay vnto death, binding & deliuering into custodies men & vvom&ebar;,

5   as the high Priest doth giue me testimonie, and al the auncients.

6   of vvhom ^note receiuing letters also to the brethren, I vvent to Damascus, that I might bring them thence bound to Hierusalem, to be punished.

7   And it came to passe as I vvas going, and dravving nigh to Damascus at midday, sod&ebar;ly from heauen there shone round about me much light:

8   and falling on the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, vvhy persecutest thou me?

9   And I ansvvered, Vvho art thou Lord? And he said to me, I am Iesvs of Nazareth, vvhom thou persecutest.

10   And they that vvere vvith me, savv the light in deede, but the voice they heard not of him that spake vvith me.

11   And I said, Vvhat shal I doe Lord? And our Lord said to me, Arise and goe to Damascus: and there it shal be told thee of al things that thou must doe.

12   And vvhereas I did not see for the brightnesse of that light, being led of my companions by the hand, I came to Damascus.

13   And one Ananias, a man according to the Lavv hauing testimonie of al the Ievves inhabitants,

14   comming to me, and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, looke vp. And I the self same houre looked vp on him.

15   But he said, The God of our fathers hath prëordained thee, that thou shouldest knovv his vvil, and see the Iust one, and heare a voice from his mouth:

16   because thou shalt be his vvitnes to al men, of those things vvhich thou hast seen and heard.

17   And novv vvhat tariest thou? Rise vp, and be baptized, & ^note vvash avvay thy sinnes inuocating his name.

18   And it befel me returning into Hierusalem, and praying in the temple, that I vvas in a traunce,

19   and savv him saying vnto me, Make hast, and depart quickely out of Hierusalem: because they vvil not receiue thy testimonie of me.

20   And I said, Lord, they knovv that I did cast into prison and beate in euery synagogue them that beleeued in thee.

21   And vvhen the bloud of Steuen thy ^note vvitnes vvas shed, ^note I stoode by and consented, and kept the garments of them that killed him.

22   And he said to me, Goe, for into the Gentiles a farre vvil I send thee.

23   And they heard him vntil this vvord, and they lifted vp their voice, saying, Avvay vvith such an one from the earth: for it is not meete he should liue.

24   And vvhen they cried

out, and threvv of their garments, and cast dust into the aire,

24   the Tribune commaunded him to be caried into the castel, and to be beaten vvith vvhippes, and that he should be tormented: to knovv for vvhat cause they did so crie at him.

25   And vvhen they had bound him very straight vvith th&obar;gs, Paul saith to the Centurion standing by him: Is it lavvful for you to vvhippe a man that is a Romane and vncondemned?

26   Vvhich the Centurion hearing, vvent to the Tribune, and told him, saying, Vvhat vvilt thou doe? for this man is a citizen of Rome.

27   And the Tribune comming, said to him, Tel me, art thou a Romane? But he said, Yea.

28   And the Tribune ansvvered, I obtained this citie vvith a great summe. And Paul said, But I vvas also borne to it.

29   Immediatly therfore they departed from him that vvere to torment him. The Tribune also feared after he vnderstoode that he was a citiz&ebar; of Rome, and because he had bound him.

30   But the next day meaning to knovv more diligently for vvhat cause he vvas accused of the Ievves, he loosed him, and commaunded the ^note Priests to come together and al the Councel: & bringing forth Paul, he set him among them. Chap. XXIII. As the people in the tumult, so also the very cheefe of the Ievves in their Councel shevv them selues obstinate, and vvilful persecutors of the truth in S. Pauls person. Whose behauiour tovvardes them is ful of constancie, modestie, and vvisedom. 11 (Christ also by a vision encouraging him, and foretelling that he shal to Rome.) 12 Yea they conspire vvith 40 men to kil him traiterously. 16 But the matter being detected, the Romane Tribune conueigheth him strongly to Cæsaréa.

1   And Paul looking vpon the Councel, said, Men brethren, I vvith al good conscience haue conuersed before God, vntil this present day.

2   And the high Priest Ananias commaunded them that stoode by him, to smite him on the mouth.

3   Then Paul said to him, ^note God shal strike thee, thou vvhited vvall. And thou sitting iudgest me according to the lavv, and contrarie to lavv doest thou commaund me to be smitten?

4   And they that stoode by, said, Doest thou reuile the high Priest of God?

5   And Paul said, 09Q0938I knevve not, brethren, that he is the high Priest. For it is vvritten: The prince of thy people thou shalt not misspeake. ^note

6   And Paul

knovving that the one part vvas of Sadducees, and the other of Pharisees, ^note he cried out in the Councel, Men brethren, ^note I am a Pharisee, the sonne of Pharisees: of the hope and resurrection of the dead am I iudged.

7   And vvhen he had said these things, there rose dissension betvvene the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the multitude vvas diuided.

8   For the 09Q0939 Sadducees say ^note there is no resurrection, nor Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confesse both.

9   And there vvas made a great crie. And certaine of the Pharisees rising vp, stroue saying, Vve finde no euil in this man. vvhat if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an Angel?

10   And vvhen there vvas risen great dissensi&obar;, the Tribune fearing lest Paul should be torne in peeces by them, c&obar;maunded the souldiars to goe dovvne, and to take him out of the middes of them, and to bring him into the castel.

11   And the night folovving our Lord standing by him, said, Be constant: for as thou hast testified of me in Hierusalem, so ^note must thou testifie at Rome also.

12   And vvhen day vvas come, certaine of the Ievves gathered them selues together, &09Q0940 vovved them selues, saying, that they vvould neither eate nor drinke til they killed Paul.

13   And they vvere more then fourtie men that had made this conspiracie:

14   vvho came to the cheefe priests and the auncients, and said, By execration vve haue vovved our selues, that vve vvil eate nothing, til vve kill Paul.

15   Novv therfore giue you knovvledge to the Tribune vvith the Co&ubar;cel, that he bring him forth to you, as if you meant to knovv some more certaintie touching him. But we, before he come neere, are ready for to kil him.

16   Vvhich vvhen Paules sisters sonne had heard, of their lying in vvaite, he came and entred into the castel and told Paul.

17   And Paul calling to him one of the Centurions, said, Bring this yong man to the Tribune, for he hath some thing to tel him.

18    ^noteAnd he taking him, brought him to the Tribune, and said, The prisoner Paul desired me to bring this yong man vnto thee, hauing some thing to say to thee.

19   And the Tribune taking him by the hand, vvent aside vvith him apart, and asked him, Vvhat is it that thou hast to tel me?

20   And he said, The Ievves haue agreed to desire thee, that to morovv thou vvilt bring forth Paul into the Councel, as though they meant to inquire some more certaintie touching him.

21   But doe not thou credite them, for there lie in vvaite for him more then fourtie men

of them, vvhich haue vovved neither to eate nor to drinke, til they kil him: and they are novv ready, expecting thy promisse.

22   The Tribune therfore dimissed the yong man, commaunding that he should speake to no man that he had notified these things vnto him.

23   And calling tvvo Centurions, he said to them, Make ready tvvo hundred souldiars, to goe as farre as Cæsaréa, and seuentie horsemen, and launces tvvo hundred, from the third houre of the night:

24   and prepare beasts that setting Paul on, they might bring him safe to Felix the President

25   (For he feared lest perhaps the Ievves might take him avvay, and kil him, and him self aftervvard should sustaine reproche, as though he vvould haue taken money)

26   vvriting a letter conteining this much.

26   Claudius Lysias to the most excellent President Felix, greeting.

27   This man being apprehended of the Ievves, and ready to be killed of them, I comming in vvith the band deliuered him, vnderstanding that he is a Romane:

28   and meaning to knovv the cause that they obiected vnto him, I brought him downe into their Councel.

29   Vvhom I found to be accused concerning questions of their lavv: but hauing no crime vvorthie of death or of bandes.

30   And vvhen it vvas told me of embushments that they had prepared against him, I sent him to thee, signifying also to the accusers, to speake before thee. Fare vvel.

31   And the souldiars according as it vvas commaunded them, taking Paul, brought him by night to Antipatris.

32   And the next day sending avvay the horsemen to goe vvith him, they returned to the castel.

33   Vvho vvhen they vvere come to Cæsaréa, and had deliuered the letter to the President, they did set Paul also before him.

34   And vvhen he had read, and had asked of vvhat prouince he vvas: and vnderstanding that of Cilicia:

35   I vvil heare the, said he, vvhen thy accusers are come. And he commaunded him to be kept in Herods palace. ^note

^{note note} Chap. XXIIII. They prosecute him to Cæsarea, bringing vvith them an oratour, vvho before the President Felix accuseth him. 10 He ansvvereth, defending him self from the crimes they charged him vvith, but confe&esset;ing his religion plainly. 22 The Iudge perceiuing his religion to be irreprehensible, yeldeth not to condemne him at their pleasure, 24 yea he oftentimes vvith his vvife heareth his preaching, 27 but yet doth not his dutie to deliuer him out of prison.

1   And after fiue daies the high priest Ananias descended, vvith certaine auncients and one Tertullus an oratour, vvho vvent to the President against Paul.

2   And Paul being cited, Tertullus began to accuse, saying.

2   Vvhereas vve liue in much peace by thee, & many things are corrected by thy prouidence:

3   vve doe alvvaies and in al places receiue it, most excellent Felix, vvith al thanks geuing.

4   But lest I hinder thee any longer, I desire thee of thy clemencie breifely to heare vs.

5   Vve haue found this man pestiferous, and raising sediti&obar;s to al the Ievves in the vvhole vvorld, and authour of the sedition ^note of the secte of the Nazarenes,

6   vvho also hath attempted to violat the temple,

vvhom also being apprehended vve vvould haue iudged according to our lavv.

7   But Lysias the Tribune comming in, vvith great force tooke him avvay out of our handes,

8   commaunding his accusers to come to thee, of vvhom thou maiest thy self iudging, vnderstand of al these things, vvhereof vve accuse him.

9   And the Ievves also added, saying that these things vvere so.

10   But Paul ansvvered, (the President making a signe vnto him for to speake.)

10   Knovving that of many yeres thou art iudge ouer this nation, I vvil vvith good courage ansvver for my self.

11   For thou maiest vnderstand that it is not aboue tvvelue daies to me, since I vvent vp to adore in Hierusalem.

12   and neither in the temple did they finde me disputing vvith any man, or causing concourse of the multitude, neither in the synagogs, nor in the citie:

13   neither can they proue vnto thee the things vvhereof they novv accuse me.

14   But this I confesse to thee, that ^note according to the ^note secte, vvhich they call heresie, I doe so serue ^note the father my God, beleeuing al things that are vvritten in the Law & the Prophets:

15   hauing hope in God, the vvhich these also them selues expect, that there shal be a resurrecti&obar; of iust and vniust.

16   In this my self also doe studie to haue a c&obar;science vvithout offense tovvard God & toward men alvvaies.

17   And after many yeres ^note I came to bestovv almes vpon my nation, & oblations, and vovves.

18   In the vvhich they fo&ubar;d me ^note purified in the t&ebar;ple: not vvith multitude nor vvith tumult.

19   But certaine Ievves of Asia, vvho ought to be present before thee and to accuse, if they had any thing against me:

20   or let these men th&ebar;selues say, if they haue found in me any iniquitie, forasmuch as I st&abar;d in the Councel,

21   but of this one voice only that I cried st&abar;ding among them, That ^note of the resurrection of the dead am I iudged this day of you.

22   And Felix differred them, knovving most certainely of this vvay, saying, Vvhen Lysias the Tribune is come dovvne, I vvil heare you.

23   And he commaunded the Centurion to keepe him, and that he should haue rest, neither to prohibit any of his to minister vnto him.

24   And after some daies, Felix comming vvith Drusilla his vvife, vvhich vvas a Ievve, called Paul, and heard of him the faith that is in Christ Iesvs.

25   And he disputing of ^note iustice and chastitie, and of the iudgement to come, Felix

being terrified, ansvvered, For this time, goe thy vvay: but in time conuenient I vvil send for thee.

26   hoping also vvithal, that money vvould be giuen him of Paul, for the vvhich cause also oftentimes sending for him, he spake vvith him.

27   But vvhen tvvo yeres vvere ended, Felix had a successour Portius Festus. And Felix being vvilling to shevv the Ievves a pleasure, left Paul in prison. Chap. XXV. After tvvo yeres emprisonment the Ievves continevv their sute against him, soliciting the nevv President Festus, 6 first at Hierusalem, then at Cæsarea: 9 vvhere through the Ievves partialitie he is faine to appeale vnto the Emperour: 13 and is in the meane time brought forth by Festus (giuing him good testimonie, notvvithstanding the exclamations of the Ievves against him) vnto king Agrippa and his Queene Bernice.

1   Festvs therfore vvhen he vvas come into the prouince, after three daies vvent vp to Hierusalem from Cæsaréa.

2   And the cheefe priests, & principal men of the Ievves vvent vnto him against Paul: and they desired him,

3   requesting fauour against him, that he vvould commaund him to be brought to Hierusalem, laying vvaite for to kil him in the vvay.

4   But Festus ansvvered, that Paul is in Cæsaréa: and that he vvould very shortly goe thither.

5   They therfore, saith he, that are of abilitie among you, going dovvne vvith me, if there be any crime in the man, let them accuse him.

6   And hauing taried among them not aboue eight or ten daies, he vvent dovvne to Cæsaréa, and the next day he sate in the iudgement seate: and he commaunded Paul to be brought.

7   Vvho being brought, there stoode about him the Ievves that vvere come dovvne from Hierusalem, obiecting many and greuous ^note causes vvhich, they could not proue,

8   Paul making ansvver, That neither against the lavv of the Ievves, nor against the temple, nor against Cæsar haue I any thing offended.

9   But Festus vvilling to shevv the Ievves a pleasure, ansvvering Paul, said, Vvilt thou goe vp to Hierusalem, and there be iudged of these things before me?

10   And Paul said, At Cæsars iudgem&ebar;t seate doe I stand, vvhere I ought to be iudged: the Ievves I haue not hurt, as thou very

vvel knovvest.

11   For if I haue hurt them, or done any thing vvorthie of death, I refuse not to die. but if none of those things be, vvhereof these accuse me, no man can giue me to them. ^noteI appeale to Cæsar.

12   Then Festus hauing conferred vvith the Councel, ansvvered, Hast thou appealed to Cæsar? to Cæsar shalt thou goe.

13   And vvhen certaine daies vvere passed, king Agrippa & Bernice came dovvne to Cæsaréa to salute Festus.

14   And as they taried there a good many daies, Festus signified to the king, of Paul, saying, A certaine person vvas left prisoner by Felix,

15   concerning vvhom, vvhen I vvas at Hierusalem, the cheefe priests and the auncients of the Ievves came vnto me, desyring condemnation against him.

16   To vvhom I ansvvered, That it is not the Romanes custome to yeld vp any man before that he vvhich is accused haue his accusers present and take place to make his ansvver for to cleere him self of the crimes.

17   Vvhen they therfore vvere assembled hither, vvithout any delaie, the day folovving, sitting in the iudgement seat, I commaunded the man to be brought.

18   Of vvhom, vvhen the accusers stoode vp, they brought no cause vvhich I thought il of:

19   but certaine questions of their ovvne superstition they had against him, and of ^note one Iesvs deceased, vvhom Paul affirmed to liue.

20   Doubting therfore of this kinde of question, I said, vvhether he vvould goe to Hierusalem, & there be iudged of these things.

21   But Paul appealing to be kept vnto the knovvledge of Augustus, I commaunded him to be kept, til I send him to Cæsar.

22   And Agrippa said to Festus, My self also vvould heare the man. To morovv, said he, thou shalt heare him.

23   And the next day vvhen Agrippa and Bernice vvere come vvith great pompe, and had entred into the hall of audience vvith the Tribunes and principal men of the citie, at Festus commaundement Paul vvas brought.

24   And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and al ye men that are present together vvith vs, you see this man, concerning vvhom al the multitude of the Ievves called vpon me at Hierusalem, requesting and crying out that he ought not to liue any longer.

25   Yet haue I found nothing that he hath committed vvorthie of death. But forasmuch as he him self appealed to Augustus, I haue determined to send him.

26   Of vvhom vvhat to vvrite for certaintie to my lord, I haue not. For the vvhich cause I

haue brought him forth to you, and especially to thee, king Agrippa, that examination being made, I may haue vvhat to vvrite.

27   For it seemeth to me vvithout reason, to send a prisoner, & not to signifie ^note his causes. Chap. XXVI. In that honorable Audience being permitted to speake, 2 he declareth to the king vvhat he first vvas, 12 and hovv miraculously he vvas conuerted, 19 and that he hath preached since, as he vvas commaunded from heauen, and as the Prophets had foretold of Christ. 24 Which strange tale Festus the Heathen President hearing, saith that he is mad. 25 But he ansvvereth, and exhorteth them al to be Christians as he is. 30 They finally pronounce that he might be set at libertie, but only for his appeale.

1   Bvt Agrippa said to Paul, Thou art permitted to speake for thy self. Then Paul stretching forth his hand, began to make his ansvver.

2   Touching al things vvhereof I am accused of the Ievves, king Agrippa, I account my self happie for that I am to defend my self this day before thee,

3   especially vvhereas thou knovvest al things that are among the Ievves, customes and questions: for the vvhich cause I beseeche thee, heare me patiently.

4   And my life truely from my youth, vvhich vvas from the beginning in my nation in Hierusalem, al the Ievves doe knovv:

5   knovving me before from the beginning (if they vvil giue testimonie) that according to the most sure ^note secte of our religion I liued a Pharisee.

6   And novv for the hope of the promisse that vvas made of God to our fathers, doe I stand subiect to iudgement.

7    ^notethe vvhich, our tvvelue tribes ^note seruing night and day, hope to come vnto. Of the vvhich hope, o king, I am accused of the Ievves.

8   Vvhat incredible thing is it iudged vvith you, if God raise the dead?

9   And my self truely had thought that I ought to doe against the name of Iesvs of Nazareth many contrarie things.

10   Vvhich also I ^note did at Hierusalem, and many of the saincts did I shut vp in prisons, hauing receiued authoritie of the cheefe priests: and vvhen they vvere put to death, ^noteI brought the sentence.

11   And through out al the synagogs often times punishing them, I c&obar;pelled them to blaspheme:

and yet more mad against them, I persecuted them euen vnto foraine cities.

12   Among vvhich things vvhiles ^note I vvent to Damascus vvith authoritie and permission of the cheefe priests,

13   at midday, in the vvay, I savv (o king) from heauen a light to haue shined round about me and them that vvere in companie vvith me, aboue the brightnes of the sunne.

14   And vvhen al vve vvere fallen dovvne on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, vvhy persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kicke against the pricke.

15   And I said, Vvho art thou Lord? And our Lord ansvvered, I am Iesvs vvhom thou doest persecute.

16   But rise vp and stand vpon thy feete: for to this end haue I appeared to thee, that I may ordaine thee a minister and vvitnes of those things vvhich thou hast seen, and of those things vvherein I vvil appeare to thee,

17   deliuering thee out of the peoples & nati&obar;s vnto the vvhich novv I send thee,

18   to op&ebar; their eies, that they may be conuerted from darkenes to light, and from the povver of Satan to God, that they may receiue remission of sinnes and lot among the saincts by the faith that is in me.

19   Vvherevpon, king Agrippa, I vvas not incredulous to the heauenly vision:

20   but to them first that are at Damascus, and at Hierusalem, and vnto al the countrie of Ievvrie, and to the Gentiles ^note did I preach that they should doe ^note pen&abar;ce, and turne to God, doing vvorkes vvorthie of penance.

21   For this cause the Ievves, vvhen I vvas in the temple, ^note apprehending me, att&ebar;pted meaning to kil me.

22   But aided by the help of God, I stand vntil this day, testifying to small and to great, saying nothing beside those things vvhich the Prophets did speake should come to passe, & Moyses,

23   if Christ vvere passible, if the first of the resurrection from the dead, he vvere to shevv light to the people and to the Gentiles.

24   As he spake these things and made his ansvver, Festus vvith a loud voice said, Thou art mad, Paul: much learning turneth thee to madnesse.

25   And Paul said, I am not mad, most excellent Festus: but I speake vvordes of veritie and sobrietie.

26   for the king knovveth of these things, to vvhom also I speake constantly. for I thinke none of these things to be vnknovven to him. For neither vvas any of these things done in a corner.

27   Beleeuest thou the prophets, king Agrippa? I knovv that thou beleeuest.

28   And Agrippa said to Paul:

A litle thou persuadest me to become a Christian.

29   And Paul said, I vvish of God, both in litle, and in much, not only thee, but also al that heare this day, to become such as I am also, except these bandes.

30   And the king rose vp, and the President, and Berníce, and they that sate by them.

31   And going a side, they spake among them selues, saying, That this man hath done nothing vvorthie of death or bandes.

32   And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might be released, if he had not appealed to Cæsar. Chap. XXVII. What a dangerous nauigation he had tovvards Rome: and that by his prediction and counsel the ship might haue been saued. And for his sake (as God also reuealed to him before) al the companie vvas preserued, being 276 persons.

1   And after it vvas decreed that he should saile into Italie, and that Paul vvith other prisoners should be deliuered to a Centurion named Iulius, of the band Augusta,

2   vve going vp into a ship of Adrumétum, beginning to saile about the places of Asia, loosed from the land, Aristarchus the Macedonian of Thessalonica continuing vvith vs.

3   And the day folovving vve came to Sidon. And Iulius intreating Paul courteously, permitted him to goe to his frendes, and to take care of him self.

4   And vvhen vve had loosed th&ebar;ce, vve sailed vnder Cypres: because the vvindes vvere c&obar;trarie.

5   And sailing the sea of Cilicia and Pamphilia, vve came to ^note Lystra, vvhich is in Lycia:

6   and there the Centurion finding a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italie, remoued vs into it.

7   And vvhereas many daies vve sailed slovvly, & vvere scarse come ouer against Gnidus, the vvinde hindering vs, vve sailed neere Crete by Salmóne:

8   and vvith much a doe sailing by it, vve came into a certaine place that is called Good-hauens, nigh to the vvhich vvas a citie Thalassa.

9   And vvhen much time vvas spent, and vvhereas novv it vvas not safe sailing, because the ^note fast novv vvas past, Paul comforted them,

10   saying to them, Ye men, I see that the sailing beginneth to be vvith hurt and much damage not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our liues.

11   But the

Centurion beleeued the gouernour and maister of the ship, more then those things vvhich vvere said of Paul.

12   And vvhereas it vvas not a commodious hauen to vvinter in, very many taking counsel appointed to saile thence, if by any meanes they might comming to Phœníce, vvinter there, a hauen of Crete looking tovvard the ^note Afrike and the Chore.

13   And the southvvinde blovving, they thinking that they had obteined their purpose, vvhen they had parted from Asson, sailed along by Crete.

14   But not long after, a tempestuous vvinde that is called Euro-aquilo, droue against it.

15   And vvhen the shippe vvas caught and could not make vvay against the vvinde, giuing vp the ship to the vvindes, vve vvere driuen.

16   And running vpon a certaine iland, that is called ^note Cauda, vve could scarse get the cock-boate.

17   Vvhich being taken vp, they vsed helps, girding the ship, and fearing lest they should fall into ^note the Syrte, letting dovvne the vessel, so vvere they caried.

18   And vvhen vve vvere mightily tossed vvith the tempest, the next day they cast forth,

19   And the third day vvith their ovvne handes they threvve forth the tacklinges of the ship.

20   And neither sunne, nor starres appearing for many daies, and no smal storme being tovvard, al hope vvas novv taken avvay of our sauing.

21   And vvhen there had been long fasting, then Paul standing in the middes of them, said, You should in deede, O ye men, haue heard me, and not haue parted from Crete, & haue gained this hurt and losse.

22   And novv I exhort you to be of good cheere. for there shal be no losse of any soule am&obar;g you, but of the ship.

23   For09Q0941 an Angel of the God vvhose I am, and ^note vvhom I serue, stoode by me this night,

24   saying, Feare not Paul, thou must appeare before Cæsar: and behold God hath ^note giuen thee al that saile vvith thee.

25   For the vvhich cause be of good cheere ye men: for I beleeue God, that it shal so be, as it hath been said to me.

26   And vve must come vnto a certaine iland.

27   But after the fourtenth night vvas come on vs, as vve vvere sailing in Adria about midnight, the shipmen deemed that there appeared some countrie to them.

28   Vvho also sounding, found tvventie fadomes: and being parted a litle from thence, they found fiftene fadomes.

29   And fearing lest vve should fall into rough places, casting out of the sterne foure ankers, they vvished

that day vvere come.

30   But as the shipmen sought to flee out of the ship, hauing let dovvne the cock-boate into the sea, pret&ebar;ding as if they vvere about to cast out ankers out of the fore part of the ship,

31   Paul said to the Centurion and to the souldiars,09Q0942 Vnles these tarie in the ship, you can not be saued.

32   Then the souldiars cut of the ropes of the cock-boate: and suffered it to fal avvay.

33   And vvhen it began to be light, Paul desired all to take meate, saying, This day is the fourtenth day that you expect and remaine fasting, taking nothing.

34   For the vvhich cause I desire you to take meate for your health sake: for there shal not an heare of the head perish of any of you.

35   And vvhen he had said these things, taking bread, he gaue thankes to God in the sight of them al: and vvhen he had broken it, he began to eate.

36   And being al made of better cheere, they also tooke meate.

37   And vve vvere in al in the ship, soules tvvo hundred seuentie sixe.

38   And being filled vvith meate, they lighted the ship, casting the vvheat into the sea.

39   And vvhen day vvas come, they knevv not the land: but they spied a certaine creeke that had a shore, into the vvhich they minded, if they could, to cast a land the ship.

40   And vvhen they had taken vp the ankers, they committed them selues to the sea, loosing vvithal the rudder bands: and hoising vp the maine saile according as the vvinde blevve, they vvent on tovvard the shore.

41   And vvhen vve vvere fallen into a place betvvene tvvo seas, they graueled the ship: and the fore-part truly sticking fast remained vnmoueable: but the hinder part vvas broken by the violence of the sea.

42   And the counsel of the souldiars vvas, that they should kil the prisoners: lest any svvimming out, might runne avvay.

43   But the Centurion vvilling to saue Paul, forbade it to be done: & he commaunded them that could svvimme, to cast out them selues first, and escape, and goe forth to land:

44   and the rest, some they caried on bordes, and some vpon those things that vvere of the ship. And so it came to passe, that al the soules escaped to land.

^{note note} Chap. XXVIII. After their shipvvracke hauing vvintered in the Iland (novv named Malta) vvhere many miracles vvere vvrought by Paul, they take ship againe, and so by Sicile they come to Puteoli in Italie, the Christian Romans comming a great vvay to meete him, to his great ioy. 16 Finally being come to Rome, in his lodging he declareth to the Iewes his cause, 23 and on a day appointed preacheth Iesvs vnto them. ^note 25 And seeing their incredulitie, he shevveth hovv it vvas foretold by Esay: 28 but that the Gentils vvil not be incredulous. 30 To vvhom he there preacheth tvvo vvhole yeres vvithout prohibition.

1   And vvhen vve had escaped, then vve knevv that the ^note iland vvas called ^note Mityléne. But the Barbarous shevved vs no smal courtesie.

2   For, kindling a fire they refreshed vs al, because of the imminent raine and the colde.

3   And vvhen Paul had gathered together some number of stickes, and had laide them on the fire, a viper issuing out of the heate, inuaded his hand.

4   But as the Barbarous savv the beast hanging on his hand, they said one to an other, Vndoubtedly this man is a murderer, vvho being escaped out of the sea, ^note Vengeance doth not suffer him to liue.

5   And he in deede09Q0943 shaking of the beast into the fire, suffred no harme.

6   But they supposed that he should be turned into a svvelling, and that he vvould sodenly fall and die. But expecting long and seeing that there vvas no harme done on him, being changed they said, that he vvas a God.

7   And in those places vvere lands of the prince of the ile, named Publius, vvho

receiuing vs, for three daies intreated vs courteously.

8   And it chaunced that the father of Publius lay vexed vvith feuers and the bloudy flixe. Vnto vvhom Paul entred: and vvhen he had praied, and imposed hands on him, he healed him.

9   Vvhich being done, al in the ile also that had infirmities, came, and vvere cured:

10   vvho also honoured vs vvith many honours, and vvhen vve vvere sailing avvay, laded vs vvith necessaries.

11   And after three moneths, vve sailed in a ship of Alexandria, that had vvintered in the iland, vvhose signe vvas the Castors.

12   And vvhen vve vvere come to Syracusa, vve taried there three daies.

13   Thence compassing by the shore, vve came to Rhegium: and after one day the Southvvinde blovving, vve came the second day to Puteoli,

14   vvhere finding brethren, vve vvere desired to tarie vvith them seuen daies: and so vve came to Rome.

15   And from thence, vvhen the brethren had heard, they came to meete vs vnto Apij-forum, and the Three-tauerns. Vvhom vvhen Paul had seen, giuing thanks to God, he tooke courage.

16   And vvhen vve vvere come to Rome, Paul vvas permitted to remaine to him self vvith a souldiar that kept him.

17   And after the third day he called together the cheefe of the Ievves. And vvhen they vvere assembled, he said to them,

17   Men brethren, I doing nothing against the people, or the custome of the fathers, vvas deliuered prisoner from Hierusalem into the hands of the Romanes,

18   vvho vvhen they had examined me, vvould haue released me, for that there vvas no cause of death in me.

19   But the Ievves contradicting it, I vvas compelled to appeale vnto Cæsar, not as hauing any thing to accuse my nation.

20   For this cause therfore I desired to see you and to speake to you. for, because of the hope of Israël, am I compassed vvith this09Q0944 chaine.

21   But they said to him, Vve neither receiued letters concerning thee from Ievvrie, neither did any of the brethren that came hither, report or speake any euil of thee.

22   But vve desire of thee to heare vvhat thou thinkest: for09Q0945 concerning this ^note secte, it is knovv&ebar; to vs that it is gainesaid euery vvhere.

23   And vvhen they had appointed him a day, they came to him vnto his lodging very many: to vvhom he expounded, testifying the kingdom of God, and vsing persuasion to them

of Iesvs out of the lavv of Moyses and the Prophets, from morning vntil euening.

24   And certaine beleeued those things that vvere said: but certaine beleeued not.

25   And vvhereas they did not agree among them selues, they departed, Paul saying one vvord: That vvel did the holy Ghost speake by Esaie the prophet to our fathers,

26   saying, Goe to this people, and say to them, Vvith the eare you shal heare, and shal not vnderstand: and seeing you shal see, and shal not perceiue.

27   For the hart of this people is vvaxen grosse, and vvith their eares haue they heauily heard, and their eies ^note they haue shut: lest perhaps they may see vvith their eies, and heare vvith their eares, and vnderstand vvith their hart, and be conuerted, and I heale them.

28   Be it knovven therfore to you, that this Saluation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they vvil heare.

29   And vvhen he had said these things, the Ievves vvent out from him, hauing much questioning among them selues.

30   And he taried ful tvvo yeres in his hired lodging: and he receiued al that came into him,

31   preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things that concerne our Lord Iesvs Christ vvith al confidence, vvithout prohibition. ^{note note}

^note The end of the Actes of the Apostles. Vvherevnto we ioyne for the readers behalfe, tvvo Tables of the tvvo cheefe Apostles, and a note of the rest, as an abridgement of the said booke, and a supply of some things not there mentioned.

THE SVMME OF THE ACTES OF THE APOSTLES, CONTEINING SPECIALLY THE GESTES OF THE TVVO PRINCIPAL Apostles, SS. Peter and Paul, in such order of time and yeres of the Emperours, and from Christs Natiuitie, and Ascension, as they vvere done: so far as by holy Scriptures or Ecclesiastical vvriters may be gathered. Wherein though it be not po&esset;ible to set dovvne the precise and vndoubted time or yere of euery thing, because neither S. Luke nor others do note particularly and orderly the moments of euery action of the said Apostles: yet vve folovv the most probable and plaine plat that vve finde in holy Scripture and auncient vvriters. Whereby the studious reader may easily discouer the folly of the Protestants, that can finde no time when ^note Peter might po&esset;ibly come to Rome, be Bishop, and die there: diuers things in S. Paules actes being no lesse hard to reconcile to the course of S. Lukes narration, then any thing touching the historie of S. Peter namely his ^note three yeres preaching in Arabia: al vvhich must needes be true, vvhether vve hit the very iust time or no, and hovv so euer authors differ about the same. A TABLE OF S. PETER.

Tiberij	Nat. Dni.	Ascen.
			Peter causeth the Disciples to procede to the election of an other Apostle in Iudas roome. Act. 1.
18	34	1	Receiuing vvith the rest the gifts of the Holy Ghost on Vvhit-sunday, he made the first Sermon, and conuerted 3000. Act. 2.
			He cureth one borne lame, preacheth Christ and penance to the Ievves: so that 5000 beleeued. Act. 3 & 4.
			He is imprisoned, released againe, threatened and commaunded to preache no more: but he vvith Iohn ansvvereth, that they must obey God more then man. Act. 4.
			He striketh to death vvith a vvord, Ananias and Saphîra, for sacrilege. Act. 5. He is sent vvith Iohn to Samaria, to confirme the nevvly baptized, vvhere he reproueth Simon Magus. Act. 8.
19	35	2	He healeth Æneas at Lydda, and raiseth Tabitha from death at Ioppè. Act. 9.
			He is vvarned and taught by a vision, to preach to Cornelius a Gentil. Act. 10. He defendeth his receiuing of the Gentiles Act. 11. and recordeth (Act. 15) that God called the first Gentiles by his ministerie. so that Paules first preaching to them, and his going to Arabia, must be after this. See S. Chrys. in Act. ho. 22. Euseb. li. 2 c. 3.
20	36	3	He continueth preaching in diuers partes of Iurie and the prouinces adioyning. About tvvo yeres after this, S. Paul visiteth him at Hierusalem. Gal. 1.
			He preacheth in Syria and the Prouinces of Asia minor, Bythynia, Pontus, Galatia, Cappodocia, ordaining Bishops and Priests in diuers places. 1 Pet. 1. Nicepho. li. 2 c. 35. Platina in Petro.
23	39	6	He goeth to Antioche, preaching there, and making that his Seate, yet not remaining there continually, but for the affaires of the Church, departing thence, sometime to Hierusalem, sometime to other places. Hiero. in Catalogo. Ignat. ad Magnesianos.
			At Hierusalem he is cast into prison after the putting of S. Iames to death, by the commaundement of Herod. he is praied for by the vvhole Church, & deliuered out of prison by an Angel. Act. 12.
Claudij
2	44	11	Auoiding the furie of Herod, he leaueth Iurie againe. He appointeth Euodius Bishop in Antioche. Euseb. in Chron. & li. 3 c. 16. Suides. Ignat. ad Antiochen. And passing by Corinth, He came to Rome, to conuince Simon Magus. Hiero. in Catalogo. Euseb. li. 2 c. 12. 13. 24. Concil. to. 1.
			He approueth & declareth the Gospel of S. Marke to be Canonical. Hiero. in Catalo. Euseb. li. 2 c. 14.
			Hauing founded the Church at Rome, and planted his Apostolical Seate there, aftervvard absent from the citie (either expelled thence vvith other Ievves, Cornel. Tacit. in Claudio: or rather according to the office of his Apostleship) leauing it for a time, he visited other Churches, and came to Hierusalem againe, vsing both in his absence and presence, Linus and Cletus for his coadiutors. To. 2 Concil. pag. 656. Epiph. to. 2. Hæres. 27.
9	51	18	He holdeth the first Councel. Act. 15. He is reprehended at Antioche by S. Paul. Galat. 1. except that difference fell before the Councel, as some thinke. August. ep. 19.
			He returneth to Rome againe, the Romane faith by his diligence novv made famous through the vvorld. Ro. 1. & 15. Theodoret. in 16. Ro. Thence he vvriteth his first epistle. 1 Pet. 5. Euseb. li. 2 c. 14. Hiero. in Catalogo.
			He sendeth S. Marke to Alexandria, and others to plant the faith in diuers partes of the vvorld. Grego. li. 5 ep. 60. & li. 6 ep. 37. Nicepho. li. 2 c. 35.
			He vvriteth his second epistle a litle before his death, vvhich Christ reuealed to him to be at hand. 2 Pet. 1. He taketh order for his successor.
Neronis 14	70	37	He vvas finally crucified at Rome. See the last Annot. Ioan. c. 21.

Foelix Ecclesia, cui totam doctrinam Apostoli cum suo sanguine profuderunt: vbi Petrvs Passioni Domini adæquatur, vbi Pavlvs Ioannis (Baptissæ) exitu coronatur. Tertul. de Præscript.

Non ita cœlum splendescit, quando radios sol demittit, quemadmodum Romanorvm vrbs duas illas lampades vbique terrarum effundens. Chrys. in ep. Ro. hom. 32 in moral.

Prudent. in Hymno de S. Laurent.

Hic nempe iam regnant duo Apostolorum principes: Alter vocator Gentium, Alter cathédram po&esset;idens Primam, recludit creditas Æternitatis ianuas.

Merita Petri & Pauli propter eundem Passionis diem celebrius & solenniter Roma commendat. S. Aug. de cons. Euang. li. 1 c. 10.

A TABLE OF S. PAVL.

Tiberij	Natiuit.	Ascen.
18	34	1	Seven Deacons are elected and ordered by imposition of handes. Act. 6. Steuen the principal of them maketh a blessed sermon, for vvhich he vvas stoned to death, Saul (aftervvard Paul) consenting and aiding therevnto. Act. 7.
19	35	2	Saul by commission persecuteth. Act. 9.
			In his iourney to Damascus he is conuerted. Ibid.
			He goeth into Arabia and preacheth there. Galat. 1.
22	38	5	Paul returneth to Damascus, vvhere being in danger he escapeth, let dovvne in a basket by the vvall. Act. 9.
			Thence he commeth to Hierusalem to see Peter, Galat. 1. Vvhere being in danger of his life, the brethren conuey him out of the citie to Cæsaréa, and thence to Tarsus. Act. 9.
			He preacheth in the partes of Syria and Cilicia. Galat. 1. and at Antioche, vvhere the Christians vvere first called by that name. Act. 11.
			He and Barnabas being seuered from the rest of the Disciples by the appointm&ebar;t of the holy Ghost, and after fasting and praier, by imposition of handes consecrated Apostles and Bishops, they comme to Cypres, vvhere he conuerted the Proconsul. Act. 13.
			He preacheth in Lycaonia, and at Lystra is almost stoned to death. He appointeth Priests in euery Church, and returning by Pisidia, came againe to Antioche vvhence they first departed. Act. 14.
Claudij
9	51	18	At Antioche and there about he remaineth (Act. 14) vntil the controuersie touching the obseruation of Moyses lavv. for resolution vvhereof he and Barnabas ascend to Hierusalem. Vvhere they are appointed to bring the determination of the Councel to Antioche. And from thence passing through Syria and Cilicia, they teach the Christians to obserue the decrees of the Apostles and Auncients. Act. 15.
			Doing the same in the cities of Lycaonia and others adioining, by a vision he is vvarned to passe ouer the sea, and so commeth into Macedonia, vvhere he planteth the Gospel. Act. 16. Hence forvvard S. Luke pursueth S. Pauls storie, chapter by chapter, vntil his apprehension in Hierusalem, and arriual at Rome, in this order.
			He returneth from Macedonia by Thessalonica to Athens, vvhere he conuerteth many, namely S. Denys Areopagita. Act. 17.
			From Athens he commeth to Corinth, vvhere he remaineth 18 moneths. Act. 18. and hauing visited the Churches of Asia Act. 19) he commeth backe to Corinth Act, 20. Vvhence he vvriteth his epistle to the Romanes. Ro. 15.
			From Corinth he saileth to Tróas in Asia, vvhere vpon a Sunday he raised Eutychus from death, preaching til midnight. from Tróas he commeth to Milétum by sea, and there sendeth for the Bishops and Auncients of Ephesus, and exhorteth them. Act. 20.
			Thence comming to Hierusalem he is taken, Act. 21: and from the Tribune Lysias deliuered to Felix the Gouernour, Act. 23: and by him left to Festus, Act. 24. he appealeth to Cæsar, Act. 25: and so is Sent to Rome, Act. 27: vvhere he arriueth. Act. 28.
Neronis 2
2	58	25	At Rome he remaineth in free prison tvvo yere, Act. 28. and then is deliuered, 2 Tim. 4.
			After his deliuerie he preached in sundrie countries of the vvest, namely in Spaine. Hiero. in Catalogo. Epiph. Hæres. 27. Him self vvriteth that he purposed so to doe. Ro. 15.
			In his Epistle to the Philippians (c. 1) he minded to visite the Churches of Asia, vvhich also he did. Genebrard. in Chron.
			He vvriteth last of al, his second Epistle to Timothee a litle before his death. 2 Tim. 4. being novv the second time apprehended and in bandes at Rome. Theodoret.
14	70	37	He vvas beheaded at Rome, the same day that Peter vvas crucified. S. Ambros. ser. 66. 68. S Maximus.

The Actes of the rest of the tvvelue Apostles be not much vvritten of in this booke: but as ^note other Ecclesiastical writers do testifie, they preached specially in these nations, as folovveth. Andrevv in Achaia, Iohn in Asia, Philip in Phrygia, Iames in Ievvrie, Bartholomevv in Scythia, Thomas in India, Matthevv in Aethiopia, Simon in Persia, Thaddæus in Mesopotamia, the other Iames in Spaine, Matthias in Palestine. So distributing them selues through out the vvorld, to gather one Catholike Church of al Nations, according as Christ gaue them commission Mat. 28, 19: and as it vvas prophecied of them before Psal. 18. Their sound is gone forth into euery countrie, and their wordes into the endes of the whole world. But before they departed one from an other (the time vvhereof is not certainely knovven) ^note al Tvvelue assembling together, & ful of the Holy Ghost, eche laying dovvne his sentence, agreed vpon tvvelue principal articles of the Christian faith, and appointed them for a rule to al beleeuers: Vvhich is therfore called and is The apostles crede: Not vvritten in paper, as the Scripture, but from the Apostles deliuered by tradition. Ruff. & Hiero. locis citatis. Vvhich, as of old (Hiero. cont. Lucifer) so at this day al solemnely professe in their Baptisme, either by them selues or by others: and al that be of age and capacitie, are bound to know and beleeue euery article of the same. Vvhich are these that folovv. THE APOSTLES CREDE, or Symbolvm Apostolorvm.

1 I beleeue in God the Father, almightie, creator of heauen and earth. 2 And in Iesvs Christ, his only Sonne, our Lord. 3 Vvho vvas conceiued by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Marie. 4 Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: Descended into Hel. 5 The third day he rose againe from death: 6 Ascended into heauen: Sitteth at the right h&abar;d of God the Father almightie. 7 From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead. 8 I beleeue in the Holy Ghost. 9 The holy Catholike Church: the communion of saincts. 10 Forgiuenesse of sinnes. 11 Resurrection of the flesh. 12 Life euerlasting. Amen.

THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLES IN GENERAL.

After the Gospels, vvhich is a storie of Christ himselfe, and after the Actes of the Apostles, Vvhich is a storie of Christes Church: novv folovv the Epistles of the Apostles, vvhich they vvrote of such matters, as they had then occasion to vvrite of. For being the founders and the Doctors of the Church, they did in their time, as the Doctors that succeded them, did after them: vvho from the beginning vnto this day, haue vvritten Epistles & Bookes against heresies, euer as they arose, and of al other Ecclesiastical matters, as they had occasion ministred vnto them. Of vvhich their doing the Apostles first gaue here the ensample: as also S. Luke in the Actes of the Apostles, led the vvay to al the writers of the Ecclesiastical Historie after him. For al though there be no comparison betvvene them for authoritie, for asmuch as these are Canonical Scripture, and so are not any vvritings of their successors: yet the occasions and matters (as I haue said) are like.

Most of these Epistles are S. Paules Epistles: the rest are called ^note Catholicæ Epistolæ, the Epistles Catholike. For S. Paul vvriteth not any Epistle to al (hovvbeit euery one of them is for al the Church:) but some to particular Churches of the Gentils, as to the Romanes, to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colo&esset;ians, to the Thessalonians: some to particular persons, as to Timothee, to Tite (vvho vvere Bishops among the Gentiles, to vvit, of Ephesus, and of Crete) and to Philémon, and then one to the Hebrevves, vvho vvere the Ievves of Hierusalem and Iurie. But the Epistles of the other Apostles, that is, of S. Iames, S. Peter, S. Iohn, and S. Iude, are not so intituled to any one Church or person (except S. Iohns tvvo later short Epistles, vvhich yet might not be separated from his first, because they vvere al of one Author) and therefore they are termed Catholike, that is, vniuersal. For so vvriteth S. Iames: To the tvvelue tribes that are in dispersion, greeting. and S. Peter in his first Epistle, thus: To the elect str&abar;gers of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, & Bithynia. in his second, thus: To them that haue obteined equal faith vvith vs. likevvise S. Iude: To them that are in God the father beloued, and in Iesus Christ preserued, and called. S. Iohns first is vvithout title.

Novv, for the occasions of their vvriting, vvhereby vve shal perceiue the matters or arguments that they handle: it must be remembred (as the Storie of that time in the Actes of the Apostles doth at large declare) that the Church then beginning, vvas planted by the Apostles not onely in the Ievves, but also in the Gentiles: yea and specially in the Gentiles. Vvhich thing offended the Ievves many waies. For, they could not abide to see, so much as their owne Countrie to receiue him for Christ, vvhom they had reiected and crucified: much lesse, to see, them preach him to the Gentiles also. that offended euen those Ievves also, that,

beleeued him to be Christ. Hovvbeit such of them as vvere Catholikes, and therefore not obstinat, vvere satisfied vvhen they vnderstood by the Apostles that it vvas Gods pleasure, as Act. 11. vve reade. But others of th&ebar; became heretikes, & preached to the Christian Gentiles, that it vvas necessary for them to receiue also the Ievves religion. Of such vve reade Act. 15. Vnles you be circumcised, you can not be saued. And as these did so preach against the truth, so did the vnchristened Ievves not onely them selues persecute, but also stirre vp the Idolatrous Gentiles euery vvhere to persecute the Christians: by such obstinacie prouoking God to reprobate theire Nation: vvhich yet they thought vnpo&esset;ible to be done, because they vvere the seede of Abraham, and vvere circumcised, and had receiued the Lavv by Moyses. for such carnal respects they trusted in themselues, as though God and Christ vvere vnseparably bound vnto them: attributing also so much to their ovvne workes, (vvhich they thought they did of them selues, being holp&ebar; with the knovvledge of their lavv,) that they vvould not acknovvledge the death of Christ to be necessarie for their saluation: but looked for such a Christ, as should be like other princes of this vvorld, and make them great men temporally.

Herevpon did S. Paul vvrite his Epistles, to shevv both the vocation of the Gentiles, and the reprobation of the Ievves. Moreouer, to admonish both the Christian Gentiles, not to receiue Circumcision and other ceremonies of Moyses lavv, in no vvise: and the Ievves also, not to put their trust in the same, but rather to vnderstand, that novv, Christ being come, they must cease. Againe, to shevv the nece&esset;itie of Christs comming and of his death: that vvithout it, neither the Gentiles could be saued: no nor the Ievves, by no vvorkes that they could doe of them selues, although they vvere also holpen by the Lavv, telling them what vvas good & what vvas bad: for so much as al vvere sinners, and therfore also impotent or infirme: and the Lavv could not take avvay sinne, and infirmitie, and giue strength to fulfil that vvhich it gaue knovvledge of. but this vvas God onely able to doe, and for Christs sake onely vvould he doe it. Therfore it is necessarie for al to beleeue in Christ, and to be made his members, being incorporat into his Body vvhich is his Catholike Church. For so (although they neuer yet did good vvorke, but al il) they shal haue remi&esset;ion of their sinnes, and nevv strength vvithal, to make them able to fulfil the c&obar;ma&ubar;dem&ebar;ts of Gods lavv, yea & their vvorkes after this shal be so gracious in Gods sight, that for them he vvil giue them life euerlasting. This is the nece&esset;itie, this is also the fruite of Christian Religion. And therfore he exhorteth al, both Gentils and Ievves, as to receiue it humbly, so also to perseuêre in it constantly vnto the end, against al seduction of heresie, and against al terror of persecution: and to vvalke al their time in good vvorkes, as novv God hath made them able to doe.

^noteThe same doctrine doth the Catholike Church teach vnto this day most exactly: to vvit, that no vvorkes of the vnbeleeuing or vnbaptized, vvhether they be Ievves or Gentiles, can saue them: no nor of any Heretike, or Schismatike, although he be baptized, because he is not a member of Christ: yea more then that, no vvorke of any that is not a liuely member of Christ, although othervvise he be baptized, and continue vvithin his Church, yet because he is not in grace but in mortal sinne, no vvorke that he doth, is meritorious or able to saue him.

^noteThis very same is S. Paules doctrine: he denieth to the vvorkes of such as haue not the Spirit of Christ, al vertue to iustifie or to saue: neither requireth he a man to haue had knovvledge of the Lavv, or to haue kept it afortime, as though othervvise he might not be saued by Christ: but yet vvhen he is Christened, he requireth of nece&esset;itie, that he keepe Gods commaundements, by auoiding of al sinne, and doing good vvorkes: and to such a mans good vvorkes he attributeth as much vertue as

any Catholike of this time.

Neuerthelesse there vvere certaine at that time (as also al the Heretikes of this our time) vvhom S. Peter termeth vnlearned and vnstable, vvho reading S. Paules Epistles, did misconster his meaning, as though he required not good vvorkes no more after Baptisme, then before Baptisme: but held that onely Faith did iustifie and saue a man. ^{note note} Therevpon the other Apostles vvrote their Epistles, as S. Augustine noteth in these vvordes: Therfore because this opinion (Ad salutem obtinendam sufficere Solam fidem, that onely faith is sufficient to obteine saluation) was then risen: the other Apostolical Epistles, of Peter, Iohn, Iames, Iude, do against it specially direct theire intention: to auouch vehemently, fidem sine operibus nihil prodesse, that faith vvithout vvorkes profiteth nothing, As also Paul him selfe did not define it to be quamlibet fidem, qua in Deum creditur, whatsoeuer maner of faith, vvherevvith vve beleeue in God, but that holesome & expresse Euangelical faith, vvhose vvorkes procede from loue, and the faith (quoth he) that vvorketh by loue. vvherevpon that faith, vvhich some thinke to be sufficient to saluation, he so affirmeth to profite nothing, that he saith, If I should haue al faith so that I could remoue mountaines, and haue not charitie, I am nothing. ^{note note}

He therfore that vvill not erre in this point, nor in any other, reading either S. Paules Epistles, or the rest of the holy Scriptures, must sticke fast to the doctrine of the Catholike Church, vvhich Church S. Paul termeth the piller and ground of the truth: assuring him self that if any thing there sound to him as contrarie herevnto, he faileth of the right sense: and bearing alvvaies in his minde the admonition of S. Peter, saying: As also our most deere brother Paul according to the vvisedom giuen to him, hath vvritten to you: as also in al his Epistles, speaking in them of these things, in the vvhich are certaine things hard to vnderstand, vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue, as also the rest of the Scriptures, to theire ovvne perdition. ^{note note} You therfore brethren, foreknovving, take heede lest ye be led amis by the error of the vnvvise, and fall avvay from your ovvne stedfastnes.

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