The Sum of the Acts of the Apostles

THE SUM OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, CONTAINING SPECIALLY THE GESTS OF THE TWO PRINCIPAL Apostles, SS. Peter and Paul, in such order of time and years of the Emperors, and from Christ's Nativity, and Ascension, as they were done: so far as by holy Scriptures or Ecclesiastical writers may be gathered. Wherein though it be not possible to set down the precise and undoubted time or year of every thing, because neither S. Luke nor others do note particularly and orderly the moments of every action of the said Apostles: yet we follow the most probable and plain plat that we find in holy Scripture and ancient writers. Whereby the studious reader may easily discover the folly of the Protestants, that can find no time When * Peter might possibly come to Rome¹, be Bishop, and die there: divers things in S. Paul's acts being no less hard to reconcile to the course of S. Luke's narration, then any thing touching the history of S. Peter, namely his * three years preaching in Arabia:² all which must needs be true, whether we hit the very just time or no, and how so ever authors differ about the same.

A Table of S. Peter

Tiberij	Nat. Domini	Ascen.
18	34	1	PETER causeth the Disciples to proceed to the election of another Apostle in Judas' room. Act. 1.
			Receiving with the rest the gifts of the Holy Ghost on Whit-sunday, he made the first Sermon, and converted 3000. Act. 2.
			He cureth one born lame, preacheth Christ and penance to the Jews: so that 5000 believed. Act. 3 & 4 .
			He is imprisoned, released again, threatened and commanded to preach no more: but he with John answereth, that they must obey God more then man. Act. 4.
			He striketh to death with a word, Ananias and Saphira, for sacrilege. Act. 5.
			He is sent with John to Samaria, to confirm the newly baptized, where he reproveth Simon Magus. Act. 8.
19	35	2	He healeth Aeneas at Lydda, and raiseth Tabitha from death at Joppe. Act. 9.
			He is warned and taught by a vision, to preach to Cornelius a Gentile. Act. 10. He defendeth his receiving of the Gentiles Act. 11. and recordeth (Act. 15) that God called the first Gentiles by his ministry. so that Paul's first preaching to them, and his going to Arabia, must be after this. See S. Chrys. in Act. ho. 22. Euseb. li. 2 c. 3.
20	36	3	He continueth preaching in divers parts of Jewry and the provinces adjoining. About two years after this, S. Paul visiteth him at Jerusalem. Gal. 1.
			He preacheth in Syria and the Provinces of Asia minor, Bythynia, Pontus, Galatia, Cappodocia, ordaining Bishops and Priests in divers places. 1 Pet. 1. Nicepho. li. 2 c. 35. Platina in Petro.
23	39	6	He goeth to Antioch, preaching there, and making that his Seat, yet not remaining there continually, but for the affairs of the Church, departing thence, sometime to Jerusalem, sometime to other places. Hiero. in Catalogo. Ignat. ad Magnesianos.
			At Jerusalem he is cast into prison after the putting of S. James to death, by the commandment of Herod. he is prayed for by the whole Church, & delivered out of prison by an Angel. Act. 12.
Claudij 2	44	11	Avoiding the fury of Herod, he leaveth Jewry again. He appointeth Euodius Bishop in Antioch. Euseb. in Chron. & li. 3 c. 16. Suidas. Ignat. ad Antiochen. And passing by Corinth, HE CAME TO ROME, to convince Simon Magus. Hiero. in Catalogo. Euseb. li. 2 c. 12.13 .24 . Concil. to. 1.
			He approveth & declareth the Gospel of S. Mark to be Canonical. Hiero. in Catalo. Euseb. li. 2 c. 14.
			Having founded the Church at Rome, and planted his Apostolical Seat there, afterward absent from the city (either expelled thence with other Jews, Cornel. Tacit. in Claudio: or rather according to the office of his Apostleship) leaving it for a time, he visited other Churches, and came to Jerusalem again, using both in his absence and presence, Linus and Cletus for his coadjutors. To. 2 Concil. pag. 656 . Epiph. to. 2. Haeres. 27 .
9	51	18	He holdeth the first Council. Act. 15. He is reprehended at Antioch by S. Paul. Galat. 1. except that difference fell before the Council, as some think. August. ep. 19.
			He returneth to Rome again, the Roman faith by his diligence now made famous through the world. Ro. 1. & 15 . Theodoret. in 16 . Ro. Thence he writeth his first epistle. 1 Pet. 5 . Euseb. li. 2 c. 14. Hiero. in Catalogo.
			He sendeth S. Mark to Alexandria, and others to plant the faith in divers parts of the world. Grego. li. 5 ep. 60. & li. 6 ep. 37. Nicepho. li. 2 c. 35.
			He writeth his second epistle a little before his death, which Christ revealed to him to be at hand. 2 Pet. 1. He taketh order for his successor.
Neronis 14	70	37	He was finally crucified at Rome. See the last Annot. Ioan. c. 21.

FOELIX ECCLESIA, cui totam doctrinam Apostoli cum suo sanguine profuderunt: ubi PETRUS Passioni Domini adaequatur, ubi PAULUS Ioannis (Baptistae) exitu coronatur. Tertul. de Praescript.

NON ita coelum splendescit, quando radios sol demittit, quemadmodum ROMANORUM URBS duas illas lampades ubique terrarum effundens. Chrys. in ep. Ro. hom. 32 in moral.

Hic nempe iam regnant duo ³⁴ Apostolorum principes: Alter vocator Gentium, Alter cathedram possidens Primam, recludit creditas Aeternitatis ianuas.

A Table of S. Paul

Tiberij	Nativit.	Ascen.
18	34	1	SEVEN Deacons are elected and ordered by imposition of hands. Act. 6.
			Steven the principal of them maketh a blessed sermon, for which he was stoned to death, Saul (afterward Paul) consenting and aiding thereunto. Act. 7.
19	35	2	Saul by commission persecuteth. Act. 9.
			In his journey to Damascus he is converted. Ibid.
			He goeth into Arabia and preacheth there. Galat. 1.
22	38	5	Paul returneth to Damascus, where being in danger he escapeth, let down in a basket by the wall. Act. 9.
			Thence he cometh to Jerusalem to see Peter, Galat. 1. Where being in danger of his life, the brethren convey him out of the city to Caesarea, and thence to Tarsus. Act. 9.
			He preacheth in the parts of Syria and Cilicia. Galat. 1. and at Antioch, where the Christians were first called by that name. Act. 11.
			He and Barnabas being severed from the rest of the Disciples by the appointment of the holy Ghost, and after fasting and prayer, by imposition of hands consecrated Apostles and Bishops, they come to Cypres, where he converted the Proconsul. Act. 13.
			He preacheth in Lycaonia, and at Lystra is almost stoned to death. He appointeth Priests in every Church, and returning by Pisidia, came again to Antioch whence they first departed. Act. 14.
Claudij 9	51	18	At Antioch and there about he remaineth (Act. 14) until the controversy touching the observation of Moyses' law. for resolution whereof he and Barnabas ascend to Jerusalem. Where they are appointed to bring the determination of the Council to Antioch. And from thence passing through Syria and Cilicia, they teach the Christians to observe the decrees of the Apostles and Ancients. Act. 15.
			Doing the same in the cities of Lycaonia and others adjoining, by a vision he is warned to pass over the sea, and so cometh into Macedonia, where he planteth the Gospel. Act. 16.
			Hence forward S. Luke pursueth S. Paul's story, chapter by chapter, until his apprehension in Jerusalem, and arrival at Rome, in this order.
			He returneth from Macedonia by Thessalonica to Athens, where he converteth many, namely S. Denys Areopagita. Act. 17.
			From Athens he cometh to Corinth, where he remaineth 18 months. Act. 18. and having visited the Churches of Asia Act. 19) he cometh back to Corinth Act. 20. Whence he writeth his epistle to the Romans. Ro. 15 .
			From Corinth he saileth to Troas in Asia, where upon a Sunday he raised Eutychus from death, preaching till midnight. from Troas he cometh to Miletum by sea, and there sendeth for the Bishops and Ancients of Ephesus, and exhorteth them. Act. 20.
Neronis 2	58	25	Thence coming to Jerusalem he is taken, Act. 21: and from the Tribune Lysias delivered to Felix the Governor, Act. 23: and by him left to Festus, Act. 24. he appealeth to Caesar, Act. 25: and so is SENT TO ROME, Act. 27: where he arriveth. Act. 28.
			At Rome he remaineth in free prison two year, Act. 28. and then is delivered, 2 Tim. 4 .
			After his delivery he preached in sundry countries of the west, namely in Spain. Hiero. in Catalogo. Epiph. Haeres. 27 . Himself writeth that he purposed so to do. Ro. 15 .
			In his Epistle to the Philippians (c. 1) he minded to visit the Churches of Asia, which also he did. Genebrard. in Chron.
			He writeth last of all, his second Epistle to Timothee a little before his death. 2 Tim. 4 . being now the second time apprehended and in bands at Rome. Theodoret.
14	70	37	He was beheaded at Rome, the same day that Peter was crucified. S. Ambros. ser. 66. 68 . S Maximus.

no time When * Peter might possibly come to Rome — See the annot. Rom. 16 , 15 . ↩
namely his * three years preaching in Arabia — Gal. 1. ↩
Hic nempe iam regnant duo — Merita Petri & Pauli propter eundem Passionis diem celebrius & solenniter Roma commendat. S. Aug. de cons. Euang. li. 1 c. 10. ↩
Hic nempe iam regnant duo — Prudent. in Hymno de S. Laurent. ↩

The Sum of the Acts of the Apostles

A Table of S. Peter

A Table of S. Paul

Footnotes