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.