The Argument of the Acts of the Apostles

THE Gospel having shewed, how the Jews most impiously rejected Christ (as also Moyses and the Prophets had foretold of them:) and therefore deserved to be rejected themselves also of him: now followeth this book of the Acts of the Apostles (* written by S. Luke in Rome the¹ fourth year of Nero, An. Dom. 61) and sheweth, how notwithstanding their deserts, Christ of his mercy (as the Prophets also had foretold of him) offered himself unto that unworthy people, yea after that they had Crucified him, sending unto them his twelve Apostles to move them to penance, and so by Baptism to make them of his Church: and whiles all the Twelve were so occupied about the Jews: how of a persecuting Jew he made an extraordinary Apostle (who was S. Paul) and to avoid the scandal of the Jews (to whom only himself likewise for the same cause had preached) sent him, and not any of his Twelve by and by, who were his known Apostles, unto the Gentiles, who never afore had heard of Christ, and were worshippers of many Gods, to move them also (for, that likewise the Prophets had foretold) to faith and penance, and so by Baptism to make them of his Church: and how the incredulous Jews every where resisted the same Apostle and his preaching to the Gentiles, persecuting him and seeking his death, and never ceasing until he fell into the hands of the Gentiles:² that so (as not only he every where, but also the Prophets afore him, and Christ had foretold) the Gospel might be taken away from them, and given to the Gentiles: even from Jerusalem (whose reprobation also by name had been often foretold) the head city of the Jews, where it began, translated to Rome the head city of the Gentiles. All this will be evident by the parts of the book: which may be these six.

First, how Christ Ascending in the sight of his Disciples, promised unto them the Holy ghost, foretelling that of him they should receive strength, and so begin his Church in Jerusalem: and from thence dilate it into all that Country, that is into all Jewry: yea and into Samaria also, yea into all Nations of the Gentiles, be they never so far off. You shall receive (saith he) the virtue of the Holy ghost coming upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, & in all Jewry, and Samaria, and even to the utmost of the earth. Chap. 1.

Secondly, the beginning of the Church in Jerusalem, accordingly. Chap. 2.

Thirdly, the propagation of it consequently into all Jewry, 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 Jews, and giving of it to the Gentiles, by the ministry of S. Paul and S. Barnabee. Chap. 13.

Sixthly, of taking it away from Jerusalem itself, the head city of the Jews, and sending it (as it were) to Rome the head city of the Gentiles, and that, in their persecuting of Paul so far, *that he appealed to Caesar and³ so delivering him after a sort unto the Romans: as they had * before delivered to⁴ them also Christ himself. whereas S. Peter's first coming thither, was upon an other occasion, as shall be said anon. Of which Romans and Gentiles therefore, the same S. Paul being now come to Rome (the last Chap. of the Acts) foretelleth the obstinate Jews there⁵, saying: Et ipsi audient. You will not hear, but, they will hear. that so the prediction of Christ above rehearsed might be fulfilled: And even to the utmost of the earth. And there doth S. Luke end the book, not caring to tell so much as the fulfilling of that which our Lord had foretold (Acts 27, 24) to S. Paul, Thou must appear before Caesar. because his purpose was no more but to shew the new Jerusalem of the Christians, where Christ would place the chief seat of his Church, as also indeed the Fathers and all other Catholics have in all ages looked thither, when they were in any great doubt: no less then the Jews to Jerusalem, as they were appointed in the old Testament. Deuteronomy 17, 8.

And so this Book doth shew the true Church, as plainly, as the Gospel doth shew the true Christ, unto all that do not wilfully shut their own eyes. to wit, this to be the true Church, which beginning visibly at Jerusalem, was taken from the Jews, and translated to the Gentiles (and namely to Rome) continuing visibly, and visibly to continue hereafter also, Until the fulness of the Gentiles shall⁶ be come in: that then also All Israel may be saved. and then is come the end of the world. For so did Christ most plainly foretell us: This Gospel of the Kingdom shall⁷ be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all Nations. and then shall come the consummation. For the conversion of which Nations and accomplishing the fulness of all Gentiles, the foresaid Church Catholic, being mindful of her office, to be Christ's witness even to the utmost of the earth, doth at this present (as always) send preachers to convert and make them also Christians: whereas the protestants and * all other Heretics do⁸ nothing else but subvert such as before were Christians.

And this being the Sum and scope of this Book, thus to give us historically a just sight of the fulfilling of the Prophets & Christ's prediction about the Church: it is not to be marvelled at, why it telleth not of S. Peter's coming to Rome: considering that his first coming thither, was not, as S. Paul's was, by the Jews delivery of him, working so to their own reprobation, but upon another occasion, to wit, to confound Simon Magus. Eusebius Hist. lib. 2. c. 12. 13. For who also seeth not, that it maketh no mention of his preaching to any Gentiles at all, those few only Acts 10 excepted, who were the first, and therefore (lest the Gentiles should seem less cared for of God, then the Jews) Peter being the Head of all, was elected of God, to incorporate them into the church, as before he had done the Jews. God (saith he) among us chose,⁹ that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. and S. James thereupon: Simon hath told how God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name.¹⁰ But otherwise (I say) here is no mention of Peter's preaching to any Gentiles: no nor of the other eleven Apostles. Will any man therefore infer, that neither Peter, nor the other Eleven preached to any Nation or city of the Gentiles? No. the meaning of the Holy ghost was not to write all the Acts of all the Apostles, no nor the preaching of Peter and his, to the Gentiles, but only to the Jews: thereby to set out unto the world, the great mercy of Christ toward those unworthy Jews, and consequently their most worthy reprobation for contemning such grace and mercy. as also on the other side to shew, how readily the Gentiles in so many Nations, were converted by one Apostle only, who From Jerusalem even to Illyricum replenished¹¹ the Gospel of Christ. And this parting of the work so made by S. Peter with the rest, doth S. Paul himself touch: That we unto the Gentiles,¹² and they unto the Circumcision. Nevertheless before his coming to Rome, not only was the Church come to Rome (as it is evident Acts the last chap.) there planted by S. Peter and others (as likewise by S. Peter it was planted in the first Gentiles, before that S. Paul began the taking of it away from the multitude of the Jews, and the translating of it to the multitude of the Gentiles) but also so notable was the same Church of Rome, that S. Paul writing his Epistle to the Romans, before he came thither, saith: Your faith is renowned in¹³ the whole world. and therefore they with the rest of the Gentiles, be that Nation whereof Christ told the Jews, saying: The Kingdom of God shall be taken away¹⁴ from you, & shall be given to a Nation yielding the fruits thereof.

As before we noted the Gospels, as they are read both at Mattins and Mass, throughout the year, in their convenient time and place: so the books following (as also the books of the old Testament) are read in the said Service of the Church, for Epistles and Lessons, in their time & place, as hereafter shall be noted in every of them. See the very same order and custom of the primitive 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. Gregory in his 40 homilies upon the Gospels.