Saul not content to persecute so cruelly in Hierusalem. 3. is in the way to Damascus told by
our Lord Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ of his vaine attempt, and miraculously conuerted to be an Apostle and after
great pennance, restored to his sight be Ananias, and baptized. 20. And presently he dealeth mightily
against the Iewes, prouing Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ 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, & there
ioyneth with the Apostles, and againe by the obstinate Iewes his death is sought. 31. The Church
being now growen ouer al Iewrie, Galilee, and Samaria, Peter visiteth al: and in his visitation,
33. healing a lame man, 36. and raising a dead woman conuerteth very many.
1.
⋮
The Epistle vpon the Conuersion S. Paul Ianu. 25.
*
Act. 22,4.
Gal. 1,13.
AND Saul as yet breathing forth threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of
our Lord, came to the high Priest,
2. and asked letters of him vnto Damascus to the Synagogues that if he had found
any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound vnto Hierusalem.
3. And as he went on his iourney, it chanced that he drew nigh to Damascus: and
*
1. Corinth. 15,8.
sodenly a light from Heauen shined round about him.
4. And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him
✟
The Heretikes that conclude CHRIST so in heauen that he can be no where els til
the day of Iudgment, shal hardly resolue a man that would know where CHRIST was
when he appeared here in the way, & spake these words to Saul.
Saul, Saul why
persecutest thou me?
5. Who said: Who art thou Lord? And he: I am Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ whom thou doest persecute.
It is hard for thee to kicke against the pricke.
6. And trembling and being astonished he said: Lord, what wilt thou haue me to doe?
7. And our Lord to him: Arise and goe into the citie, & it shal be told thee what
thou must doe. But the men that went in companie with him, stood amased, hearing he voice, but
seeing no man.
8. And Saul rose vp from the ground, and his eyes being opened, he saw nothing. And
they drawing him by the handes, brought him into Damascus.
9. And he was there three daies not seeing, and he did neither eate nor drinke.
10. And there was 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, and goe into the streete that is called Straight: and
seeke in the house of Iudas, one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold he praieth.
12. (And he saw a man named Ananias, comming in and imposing handes vpon him for to
receiue his sight.)
13. But Ananias answered: Lord, I haue heard by many of this man, how much euil he hath
done to thy Saintes in Hierusalem:
14. and here he hath authoritie from the cheefe Priests to bind 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 Gentils, and Kings, and the children of Israël.
16. For I wil shew him how great things he must suffer for my name.
17. And Ananias went, and entred into the house: and imposing hands vpon him, he said:
Brother Saul, our Lord Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way that thou
camest; that thou maiest see and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18. And forthwith there fel from his eyes as it were scales, and he receiued sight:
and rising he was
✟
Paul also himself, though with the diuine and heauenly voice prostrated and
instructed, yet was sent to a man to receiue the Sacraments, & to be ioyned
to the Church. August. de doct. Chr. lib. 1. in proœm.
baptized.
19. And when he had taken meate, he was strengthened. And he was with the Disciples
that were at Damascus, for certaine daies.
20. And incontinent
✟
'in the Synagogues he.'
entring into the Synagogues, he preached Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, that this
is the Sonne of God.
21. And al that heard, were astonished, and said: Is not this he that expunged 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 waxed mightie much more and confounded the Iewes that dwelt at Damascus,
affirming that this is Christ.
23. And when many daies were passed, the Iewes consulted that they might kil him.
24. But their conspiracie came to Sauls knowledge. And
*
2. Corinth. 11,32.
they kept the gates also day
and night, that they might kil him.
25. But the Disciples taking him in the night, conueied him away by the wal, letting
him downe in a basket.
26. And when he was come into Hierusalem, he assaied to ioyne himself to the
Disciples, & al feared him, not beleeuing that he was a Disciple.
27. But Barnabas tooke him & brought him to the Apostles, and told them how in the
way he had seen our Lord, and that he spake vnto him, & how in Damascus he dealt confidently in
the name of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ.
28. And he was with them going in & going out in Hierusalem, & dealing confidently
in the name of our Lord.
29. He spake also to the Gentils, & disputed with the Greekes: but they sought to kil
him.
30. Which when the Brethren had knowen, they brought him downe to Cesaream & sent him
away to Tarsus.
31. The
✟
The Church visibly proceedeth stil with much comfort and manifold increase
euen by persecution.
Chvrch truely through al Iewrie & Galilee and Samaria had peace, & was
edified, walking in the feare of our Lord and was replenished with the consolation of the Holy
Ghost.
32. And it came to passe, that Peter as he passed through al, came to the Saints that
dwelt at Lydda.
33. and he found there a certaine man named Æneas, lying in his bed from eight yeares
before, who had the palsey.
34. And Peter said to him: Æneas, our Lord Iesvs Christ
✟
'healeth.'
heale thee: arise, and
make thy bed. And incontinent he arose.
35. And al that dwelt at Lydda and Saróna, saw him: who conuerted to our Lord.
36. And in Ioppe there was a certaine Disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation
is called Dorcas. This woman was ful of
✟
Behold good workes and almes-deed, and the force therof reaching euen to the
next life.
good workes & almes-deeds which she did.
37. And it came to passe in those daies, that she was sicke and died. Whom when they
had washed they laid her in an vpper chamber.
38. And whereas Lydda was nigh to Ioppe, the Disciples hearing that Peter was in it,
they sent two men vnto him, desiring him: Be not loth to come farre as to vs.
39. And Peter rising vp came with them. And when he was come, they brought him into
the vpper chamber: and al the widowes stood about him weeping,
✟
The praiers of our Almes folke & beadsmen may doe vs great good euen after our
departure. For if they procured her temporal life, much more may they help vs
to Gods mercie and to release of punishment in Purgatorie.
and shewing him the coates and
garments which 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 eyes: and seeing Peter, she sate vp.
41. And giuing her his hand, he lifted her vp. And when he had called the Saints and
the widowes, he presented her aliue.
42. And it was made knowen throughout al Ioppe: and many beleeued in our Lord.
43. And it came to passe that he abode many daies in Ioppe, with one Simon a tanner.