Original Douay Rheims Bible (1582 & 1610)

The Actes of the Apostles


THE Gospel hauing shewed, how the Iewes most impiously rèiected Christ (as also Moyses and the Prophets had foretold of them:) and therefore deserued to be reiected themselues also of him: now foloweth this booke of the Actes of the Apostles ( * written by S. Luke in Rome the fourth y•r• of Nero, An. Dom. 61) and sheweth, how notwithstanding their desertes, Christ of his mercy (as the Prophets also had foretold of him) offered him selfe vnto that vnworthy people, yea after that they had Crucified him, sending vnto them his twelue Apostles to moue them to penance, and so by Baptisme to make them of his Church: and whiles al the Twelue were so occupied about the Iewes: how of a persecuting Iewe he made an extraordinarie Apostle (who was S. Paul) and to auoide the scādal of the Iewes (to whom onely him selfe likewise for the same cause had preached) sent him, and not any of his Twelue by and by, who were his knowen Apostles, vnto the Gentiles, who neuer afore had Heard of Christ, and were worshippers of many Gods, to moue them also (for, that likewise the Prophets had foretold) to faith and penance, and so by Baptisme to make them of his Church: and how the incredulous Iewes euery where resisted the same Apostle and his preaching to the Gentiles, persecuting him and seeking his death, and neuer ceasing vntil he fel into the handes of the Gentils: that so (as not onely he euery where, but also the Prophets afore him, and Christ had foretold) the Gospel might be taken away from them, and giuen to the Gentiles: euen from Hierusalem (whose reprobation also by name had been often foretold) the headcitie of the Iewes, where it began, translated to Rome the headcitie of the Gentiles. Al this wil be euident by the partes of the booke: which may be these sixe. First, how Christ Ascending in the sight of his Disciples, promised vnto them the Holy ghost, fortelling that of him they should receiue strength, and so begin his Church in Hierusalem: and from thence dilate it into al that Countrie, that is into al Iurie: yea and into Samaria also yea into al Nations of the Gentiles, be they neuer so far of. You shal receiue (saith he) the vertue of the Holy ghost cōming vpon you: and you shal be witnesses vnto me in Hierusalem, & in al Iurie, and Samaria, and euen to the vtmost of the earth. Chap. 1. Secondly, the beginning of the Church in Hierusalem, accordingly. Chap. 2. Thirdly, the propagation of it consequently into al Iurie, and also to Samaria. Chap. 8. Fourthly, the propagation of it to the Gentiles also. Chap. 10. Fifthly, the taking of it away from the obstinate Iewes, and geuing of it to the Gentiles, by the ministerie of S. Paul and S. Barnabee. Chap. 13. Sixthly, of taking it away from Hierusalem it selfe, the headcitie of the Iewes, and sending it (as it were) to Rome the headcitie of the Gentiles, and that, in their persecuting of Paul so far, * that he appealed to Caesar, and so deliuering him after a sort vnto the Romanes: as they bad * before deliuered to them also Christ him selfe. where as S. Peters first cōming thither, was vpon an other occasion, as shalbe said anone. Of which Romanes and Gentiles therfore, the same S. Paul being now come to Rome (the last Chap. of the Actes) foretelleth the obstinat Iewes there, saying: Et ipsi audient. You wil not heare, but, they wil heare. that so the prediction of Christ aboue rehearsed might be fulfilled: And euen to the vtmost of the earth. And there doth S. Luke end the booke, not caring to tel so much as the fulfilling of that which our Lord had foretold (Act. 27, 24) to S. Paul, Thou must appeare before Caesar. because his purpose was no more but to shew the new Hierusalem of the Christians, where Christ would place the cheefe seate of his Church, as also in deede the Fathers and al other Catholikes haue in al ages looked thither, when they were in any great doubt: no lesse then the Iewes to Hierusalem, as they were appointed in the old Testament. Deut. 17, 8. And so this Booke doth shew the true Church, as plainely, as the Gospel doth shew the true Christ, vnto al that do not wilfully shut their owne •ies, to wit, this to be the true Church, which beginning visibly at Hierusalem, was taken from the Iewes, and translated to the Gentils (and namely to Rome) continuing visibly, and visibly to continue hereafter also, Vntil the fulnes of the Gentiles shal be come in: that then also Al Israël may be saued. and then is come the end of the world. For so did Christ most plainely foretel vs: This Gospel of the Kingdom shalbe preached in the whole world, for a testimonie to al Nations. and then shal come the consummation. For the conuersion of which Nations and accomplishing the fulnes of al Gentiles, the foresaid Church Catholike, being mindful of her office. to be Christes witnes euen to the vtmost of the earth, doth at this present (as alwaies) send preachers to conuert and make them also Christians: whereas the protestants and * al other Heretikes do nothing els but subuert such as before were Christians. And this being the Summe and scope of this Booke, thus to giue vs historically a iust sight of the fulfilling of the Prophets & Christes prediction about the Church: it is not to be marueiled at, why it telleth not of S. Peter cōming to Rome: considering that his first cōming thither, was not, as S. Paules was, by the Iewes deliuerie of him, working so to their owne reprobatiō, but vpō another occasion, to wit, to confound Simon Magus. Eus. Hist. li. 2. c. 12. 13. For who also seeth not, that it maketh no mention of his préaching to any Gentiles at al, those few onely Act. 10 excepted, who were the first, and therefore (lest the Gentiles should seeme lesse cared for of God, then the Iewes) Peter being the Head of al, was elected of God, to incorporate them into the church, as before he had done the Iewes. God (saith he) among vs chose, that by my mouth the Gentiles should heare the word of the Gospel, and beleeue. and S. Iames therevpon: Simon hath told how God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name. But otherwise (I say) here is no mention of Peters preaching to any Gentiles: no nor of the other eleuen Apostles. wil any man therfore inferre, that neither Peter, nor the other Eleuen preached to any Nation or citie of the Gentiles? No▪ the meaning of the Holy ghost was not to write al the Actes of al the Apostles, no nor the preaching of Peter and his, to the Gentiles, but onely to the Iewes: thereby to set out vnto the world, the great mercy of Christ toward those vnworthy Iewes, and consequently their most worthy reprobation for cōtemning such grace and mercy as also on the other side to shew, how readily the Gentiles in so many Nations, were conuerted by one Apostle onely, who From Hierusalem euen to Illyricum, replenished the Gospel of Christ. And this parting of the worke so made by S. Peter with the rest, doth S. Paul him selfe touche: That we vnto the Gentiles, and they vnto the Circuncision. Neuerthelesse before his cōming to Rome, not onely was the Church come to Rome (as it is euident Act. the last chap.) there plāted by S. Peter and others (as likewise by S. Peter it was planted in the first Gentils, before that S. Paul began the taking of it away from the multitude of the Iewes, and the translating of it to the multitude of the Gentils) but also so not able was the same Church of Rome, that S. Paul writing his Epistle to the Romanes, before he came thither, saith: Your faith is renowmed in the whole world. and therefore they with the rest of the Gentiles, be that Nation whereof Christ told the Iewes, saying: The Kingdom of God shal be taken away from you, & shal be giuē to a Nation yelding the fruites thereof. As before we noted the Gospels, as they are read both at Mattins and Masse, through out the yere, in their conuenient time and place: so the bookes folowing (as also the bookes of the old Testament) are read in the said Seruice of the Church, for Epistles and Lessons, in their time & place, as hereafter shal be noted in euery of them. See the very same order and custome of the primitiue Church, in S. Ambrose ep. 33. S. Augustine Serm. de Tempore 139, 140, 141, 144. S. Leo Ser. 2 & 4 de Quadrag. & Ser. 13 & 19 de Pass. Domini. S. Gregorie in his 40 homilies vpon the Gospels.