After their shipwracke hauing wintered in the Iland (now named Malta) where many miracles were
wrought by Paul, they take ship againe, and so by Cicilie they come to Puteoli in Italie, the
Christian Romans comming a great way to meet 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 Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ
vnto them. 28. but that the Gentils wil not be incredulous. 30. To whom there preacheth two whole yeares
without prohibition.
1. AND when we had escaped, then we knew that the
✟
This Iland (now Malta) is the seat of the Knights of the Rhodes: the
inhabitants wherof haue a special deuotion to S. Paul: to whom both the
cheefe Church (being the Bishops Seat) is dedicated, and the whole Iland
(as they count it) consecrated. Where the people shew yet to strangers,
his prison and other memories of his miracles.
Iland was called
✟
'Melita'
Mitilene. But the
Barbarous shewed vs no smal courtesie.
2. For, kindling a fire they refreshed vs al, because of the imminent raine and
the cold.
3. And when Paul had gathered together some number of stickes, and had laid then
on the fire, a viper issuing out of the heat, inuaded his hand.
4. But as the Barbarous saw the beast hanging on his hand, they said one to
another: Vndoubtedly this man is a murderer, who being escaped out of the sea,
✟
ἡ 𝛿ίκη.
vengeance doth not
suffer him to liue.
5. and he indeed
Shaking off the beast.
Malta hath S. Paules blessing vntil this day.
The promise of Christ (Mark 16.) that venemous serpents should
not hurt them that beleeue in him, is fulfilled; not in al beleeuers, but in such as had the
guift of miracles, as S. Paul had: whom here a viper, by nature so venemous that the people thought
he should haue died out of hand, did no whit annoy; he extinguishing by the power of Christ
al the poison of the beast. Yea and (as the Christian people there til this day *beleeue) by
S. Paules prayers the Iland was deliuered for euer from al such venemous serpents, in so much
that children there play with scorpions euer since that time: and Pilgrimes daily carie with
them peeces of stones out of the place where S. Paul abode, by which they affirme that they heale
them which in other countries adioyning are bitten of scorpions, the medicine therfore being
called, S. Paules grace.
Gods miraculous vertue in certaine countries and creatures, by his Saints.
The Heretikes that know not the power of God, nor the
miraculous vertues giuen to his Saints, maruel and blaspheme, when they heare such things as be proper
to certaine countries, attributed sometimes to Gods miracles done by his Saints: as though that were not
possible, or were not as much to Gods honour, and more, then things proceeding only of natural causes.
Such profane men would not haue attributed the holesomnes of the waters of Iericho to Eliseus his
vertue and miracles, amending them by casting salt into them, if the **Scripture had not expresly
testified the same. It is the part of al faithful men to referre such things to God, when any iust occasion
is giuen thereunto, rather then to nature: though the incredulous doe alwaies contrarie, for feare of
superstition & dishonouring God. As though this escape of drowning, might better and more to Gods
glorie, be referred to chance and the mariners industrie, then to S. Paules praiers and extraordinarie
working.
*Tho. Fazellus de rebus Siculis de cad. 1. li. 16. c. 1.
**4. King. 2,19.
shaking off the beast into the fire, suffered no harme.
6. But they supposed that he should be turned into a swelling, and that he would
sodenly fal and die. But expecting long and seeing that there was no harme done on him, being
changed they said that he was a God.
7. And in those places were land of the Princes of the Ile, named Publius, who
receiuing vs, for three daies intreated vs courteously.
8. And it chanced that the father of Publius lay vexed with feuers and the bloudy
flixe. Vnto whom Paul entred: and when he had praied,
✟
Miraculous healing by imposition of the Apostles hands.
and imposed hands on him, he healed him.
9. Which being done, al in the Ile also that had infirmities, came, and were cured:
10. who also honoured vs with many honours, and when we were sailing away, laded vs
with necessaries.
11. And after three moneths, we sailed in a ship of Alexandria, that had wintered in
the Iland, whose signe was the Castors.
12. And when we were come to Syracusa, we taried there three daies.
13. Thence compassing by the shore, we came to Rhegium: and after one day the
South-wind blowing, we came to second day to Puteoli,
14. where finding Brethren, we were desired to tarie with them seuen daies: and so
we came to Rome.
15. And from thence, when the Brethren had heard, they came to meete vs vnto
Apii-forum, and the Three-tauerns, whom when Paul had seen, giuing thanks to God, he tooke
courage.
16. And when we were come to Rome, Paul was permitted to remaine to himself with
a souldiar that kept him.
17. And after the third day he called together the cheefe of the Iewes. And when they
were assembled, he said to them: Men Brethren, I doing nothing against the people, or the custome
of the fathers, was deliuered prisoner from Hierusalem into the hands of the Romanes,
18. who when they had examined me, would haue released me, for that there was no
cause of death in me.
19. But the Iewes contradicting it, I was 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 is Israel, am I compassed with this
Chaine.
S. Pauls chaines honoured.
I would wish now (saith S. Chrysostome) to be for a time in the place where
these chaines remaine, and to see the fetters which Diuels feare, and Angels reuerence. homil.
5. ad populum Antiochenum. See also S. Gregorie lib. 3. epistol. 30. of the miracles
done by S. Paules chaines, and that he sendeth to the Emperesse Constantia some dust thereof
filed off, for a great Relike and holy guift.
chaine.
21. But they said to him: We neither receiued letters concerning thee from Iewrie,
neither did any of the Brethren that came hither, report or speake any euil of thee.
22. But we desire of thee to heare what thou thinkest: for
Concerning this Sect.
The name of Sect is wel giuen to al Heresies, though the Christian
religion at the first was falsely so called.
The Heretikes of al sortes comfort themselues much, when they find here
or els where the Christian faith called of the Iewes or incredulous persons, a Sect or an Heresie,
& sometimes in contempt of Christs person the Maister of the same, the Sect of the Nazarens: as
though the Church of God might as wel erre in naming their doctrine Heresie, as the Iewes and Pagans
might and did misse in condemning Christian religion for an Heresie: or as though the Protestants
doctrine were as wel proued & tried to be no Heresie, by the Prophets and other Scriptures, miracles,
and consent of al Nations and Ages, as Christs blessed doctrine is. Whereas indeed the Protestants
doctrine is euidently conuinced to be heretical, by the same arguments that Christs religion is proued to
be the only true doctrine of saluation, and not an Heresie. And whosoeuer can deduce the Christian faith
from Adam to this day, throughout al the Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests, Apostles, & Bishops,
by descent and succession of al Lawes and States of true worshippers and beleeuers (which is the only or
special way to proue that the Christian faith is no Heresie) he shal by the same meanes al at once proue
the Protestants doctrine to be an Heresie & a false Sect. That the Iewes therfore and il men in al
places contradicted the Christian religion, calling it an Heresie, or a Sect, as though it had a beginning
of some certaine Sect-Maister other then God himself, they were deceiued: and the Church of God
neuerthelesse calling the Protestants doctrine Heresie in the worst part that can be, and in the worst
sort that euer was, doth right and most iustly.
concerning this
✟
αἱρέσεως.
Sect, it
is knowen to vs that it is gainesaid euery where.
23. And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him vnto his lodging very
many: to whom he expounded, testifying the Kingdom of God, and vsing persuasion to them of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ,
out of the Law of Moyses and the Prophets, from morning vntil euening.
24. And certaine beleeued those things that were said: but certaine beleeued not.
25. And whereas they did not agree among themselues, they departed, Paul saying one
word: That wel did the Holy Ghost speake by Esaie the Prophet to our Fathers,
26. saying:
*
Isai. 6,9.
Mat. 13,14.
Mark 4,12.
Luke 8,10.
Iohn 12,40.
Rom. 11,8.
Goe to this people, and say to them: With 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 waxen groffe, and with their eares haue
they heauily heard, and their eyes
✟
Here also (as Mat. 13.) it is plaine that they would not see, nor
heare, and that their execation is to be attributed to themselues & not to
God. See annot. Io. 12,40.
they haue shut: lest perhaps they may see with their eyes, and
heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their hart, and be conuerted, and I heale them.
28. Be it knowen therfore to you, that this Saluation of God is sent to the Gentils,
and they wil heare.
29. And when he had said these things the Iewes went out from him, hauing much
questioning among themselues.
30. And he taried ful two yeares in his hired lodging: and he receiued al that came
to him,
31. preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things that concerne our Lord
Iesvs Christ with al confidnce, without prohibition.