Discourse Concerning Ananias and Sapphira, Discourse
A Diſcourſe concerning ANANIAS and SAPHIRA.
ACT. 5.3.
Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghoſt, and to keep back part of the price of the Land?
IN this Hiſtory of Ananias and Saphira three things are to be conſidered.
Firſt, Their fact in three particulars:
1. Selling of a poſſeſſion.
2. Keeping back part of the price.
3. Laying down a certain part at the Apoſtles feet, V. 1.
Secondly, The Examination and Trial, which was ſeveral; 1. Of Ananias, to v. 7. then of Saphira, to v. 12. Peter is the Juſtice before whom they are brought by Gods Providence: His Examination or Trial of Ananias, hath in it, 1. Three Queſtions. And 2. The Sentence given.
I. The Firſt Queſtion ſheweth the nature of his ſin, v. 3.
II. The Second, That it proceeded from his own will; and that as he was not conſtrained to ſell or give away his Land, ſo there was no outward compulſion uſed to conſtrain him to keep back part of the price: Both before and after the Sale, it was in his own power, v. 4.
III The third Queſtion ſheweth, that his ſin was very abſurd, though firmly ſetled in his mind, and that there was no cauſe why he ſhould ſo reſolutely yield to the temptation of the devil; Why haſt thou conceived this thing in thy heart? v. 6.
2. His definitive ſentence, being the fore-runner of Gods Judgement: Thou haſt not lied unto men, but unto God, v. 4.
3. The events three:
1. In Ananias ſudden death, the ſtrange judgement of God upon him for his ſin, v. 5.
2. In all that heard it, fear, v. 5.
3. In certain young men the performance of a duty, viz. his burial, v. 6.
In the arraignment of Saphira after her appearance, deſcribed by the circumſtance of time, and her ignorance of the precedent judgment, v. 7. we may obſerve the ſame parts as before, viz.
Firſt, Two Queſtions:
1. To the former, whereof ſhe anſwers affirmatively againſt her conſcience, that they ſold it for ſo much, v. 8.
2. In the ſecond Peter aggravates their ſin by their mutuall conſent, and calleth it by another name, viz. A tempting of the Holy Ghoſt, v. 9.
Secondly, The ſentence uttered, with relation to the judgment of her husband, v. 9. end.
Thirdly, The three former events are rehearſed, though not in the ſame order, v. 10, 11.
This is the logical Analyſis, or reſolution of the whole Hiſtory; but becauſe my purpoſe is to ſhew the nature of their ſin, I will forbear to handle any other part ſave only Peters firſt Queſtion, in theſe words: Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghoſt, and to keep back part of the Price of the Land? Wherein this ſin of Ananias is ſet forth by five Arguments:
1. The author, or firſt mover, Satan,
2. The meaſure of corruption, Filled.
3 The ſubject, or ſhop of Satan, the Heart.
4. The matter of their ſin, it was a counterfeiting of, or Lying to the Holy Ghoſt.
5. The manner of it, By turning aſide part of the Price of the Land.
But Peter ſaid, Ananias, &c. Firſt then of the author that ſet them a work, Satan; the word ſignifieth an Adverſary:Why hath Satan. that enemy of Piety, and murtherer of Mankind, that root of malice, and Prince of all wickedneſs, the Father of lies, that great Dragon,Rev. 12.9. that old Serpent called the devil and Satan; he is veteranus, an old experienced Souldier, that rejoyceth not ſo much to have his hand in ſmall attempts, as to be ſeen in great exploits; Facinus magnum, & memorabile, ſome notorious miſchief is to be expected when he comes upon the ſtage: When he tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, he brought a lamentable calamity upon all mankind; when he by one of his evill angels came upon Saul, Saul throws his ſpear at David, thinking to nail him to the wall;1 Sam. 18.11. When Satan ſtood up againſt Iſrael, 2 Sam. 19.10.and provoked David to number the people, it put him into a great ſtraight,1 Chron. 21. and there fell of Iſrael 70000 men: And when Satan, after the Sop,1. —14. entred into Judas, he moſt unnaturally betrayed his Maſter,Joh. 13.2.27. and moſt ungratiouſly ſold him for thirty peeces, that was preſently to redeem us with the ranſome of his moſt precious bloud: So here, when Satan, that old Serpent, crept into the hearts of Ananias and Saphirae, he filled them full of all miſchief, and brought them to deſtruction. Why hath Satan? That ſin cannot be ſmall that proceeds from ſuch an author: All men indeed are ſinners, the beſt that are do ſin through the proneneſs of natural corruption, but when men ſin through the motion and inſtigation of Satan, then their ſin becomes more devilliſh and haynous; now ſome men in ſinning do more immediatly joyn hand in hand with the devil, entertaining his motions, and conſenting to his ſuggeſtions, they joyn with him, and he with them: They as his Vaſſals, he as their Lord; thus combining together, and uniting their ſtrengths, they become the more ſtrong, according to that, Vis unita fortior. Satan indeed, both by long experience, and by nature, is far more wicked than man, therefore when he infuſeth wickedneſs into man, and imparteth to him that helliſh quality of his, then man committeth ſin like the devil himſelf: When he moveth, counſelleth, perſwadeth, filleth, or poſſeſſeth any mans heart (as here he did the hearts of Ananias and Saphira) he then bringeth ſome notorious iniquity to paſs, and their ſin becomes no ſmall ſin.
Therefore above all things take we heed of devilliſh motions and ſuggeſtions; the devil is oft exceeding ſudden in his aſſaults,Inference. a ſpirit, and very quick; oh that we could be as quick, when he ſets upon us, in flying unto God by prayer, ſaying as the Pſalmiſt, Send help (O Lord) from thy Sanctuary, Pſal. 20.2.70.1.Lord make haſte to help me. When the devil ſeeks to throw his wild-fire into our hearts, let us preſently take to us the ſhield of faith, whereby we may quench thoſe fiery darts of his, and being ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, let us fight the good fight: When the enemy ſuggeſts any wicked thought, let us riſe up againſt it with a holy indignation, and preſently ſmite it down, ſend it as low as hell,Ruth 1.16. from whence it came; and as Ruth to Naomi, Intreat me not, for I am ſtedfaſtly minded to go with thee; ſo let us ſay to the adverſary, Away curſed fiend, thou loſeſt thy labour, never go about to perſwade me, intreat me not, for I am ſtedfaſtly reſolved with purpoſe of heart to cleave unto the Lord. Thus reſiſting we ſhall not be overcome, but ſhall even force Satan himſelf to flight, for reſiſt the devil (ſaith the Apoſtle) and he will flee from you.Jam. 4.7.
Secondly, From the author, let us go on to the quantity and meaſure of their ſin in that word Filled. Filled.It is ſaid in the former Chapter they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt;Acts 4.31. here's now another manner of filling, they are filled with the wicked ghoſt, or ſpirit full of Satan; but how did Satan fill them is a point worthy our enquiry. Firſt, You ſee they conſent together to practice that wickedneſs which the devil put into their hearts, and herein they ſhew their great folly in this, that they had rather at laſt have part of the price wrongfully, and unlawfully, than at the firſt the whole lawfully and juſtly, and what greater folly could there be than this? But how doth Satan draw them to this folly? I anſwer, by his two Counſellors, Covetouſneſs and Vain-glory; Covetouſneſs ſaith, yet at leaſt keep ſomewhat to your ſelves: Vain-glory ſaith, nay, but give all at leaſt in ſhew. So then if to their folly we add Covetouſneſs and Vainglory we ſhall ſee the meaſure already beginning to fill very faſt.
Queſt. But with what reaſons do theſe two Counſellors perſwade the embracing of their contrary directions?
Anſw. I anſwer, To urge contrary concluſions they draw their Arguments from contrary topicks, that is, from Deſpair and Preſumption. Covetouſneſs from deſpair, that is, from want of faith, and from diſtruſt in Gods goodneſs, reaſons thus: What will ye indeed give all away, and leave nothing to your ſelves? How will ye do then when old age comes upon you, and you ſhall not be able to take pains? What if you fall ſick, and keep your beds, will theſe new Deacons and Overſeers then provide for you? Or will they not rather ſleight you, and not regard you? Therefore keep ſomething in ſtore for fear of the worſt, you know not what may happen.
Vain-glory likewiſe from Preſumption draws her Arguments thus: If you give not all, I aſſure you you ſhall want a great part of your praiſe, you ſhall be leſs eſteemed and regarded than ſuch and ſuch; Joſes the Levite ſhall be better thought of, and have more repute amongſt the Brethren, for he hath given all,Acts 4.34-37. wherefore if you will needs keep back part, be it ſo, yet ſeem to give all; who knows that ye do keep any thing back, make ſhew therefore of giving all, ſo ſhall you provide for your ſelves; ſeem as liberal as the beſt, yet loſe no part of your commendation. Theſe then are the two Counſellors Covetouſneſs and Vain-glory, the one looking at their profit, the other at their credit; Vain-glory draweth on Preſumption, Covetouſneſs Deſpair: Vain-glory bears them in hand, that they ſhall be commended though they deal corruptly: And Covetouſneſs would have them think, that if they ſincerely yield to the motion of the Holy Ghoſt, and ſtrictly follow the example of the Godly, then they ſhall be like to ſtarve for want of things neceſſary.
See and obſerve from this,Inference. that as there is a concatenation of Vertues, ſo alſo of Vices, one ſeldom goes alone, but draws and hales on another into the heart, till it be filled therewith; therefore ſaith the Prophet, They draw iniquity with cords of vanity, Iſa. 5.18.and ſin as it were with a Cart-rope; hence it is, that wicked men are ſaid to add ſin to ſin, as Ananias and Saphira here did,30.1. they added one ſin to another, till at laſt they were filled with ſin; a whole band of the devils ſouldiers, Folly, Deſpair, Preſumption, Covetouſneſs, Vain-glory, theſe five are broke into their hearts, to which if you ſhall add two more, that is, their lying and tempting of God, you will eaſily perceive, that the unclean ſpirit which was gone out of them, at their firſt converſion to the faith of Chriſt, is now returned, and finding the room ſwept and trimmed,Luk. 11.26. hath taken ſeven other ſpirits more wicked than himſelf, and they are entred in and dwell there, and their laſt ſtate is worſe than the firſt; you have now ſeen how Satan filled them, theſe particulars that I have named make up the full meaſure of their iniquity, and do ſhew, that it is now come to the height, and that it is ripe, ſo that the Lord muſt needs come and thruſt in his ſickle.
The third particular is the ſubject or ſhop of Satan, which was his heart;Thy heart. theſe ſins were entertained with the beſt welcome, with their mutual conſent, and into the beſt room, their hearts. The heart is the principal place and ſeat of life in the natural man, and of grace in the ſpiritual. Now theſe places that ſhould have been Sancta Sanctorum, the moſt ſacred Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, are entred upon, and prophaned by the devils gueſts; And this is a further aggravation of their ſin, for God hath ſet every man to guard and keep his heart as one would keep and defend a Caſtle, if a man deliver up this Caſtle into the enemies hands 'tis treaſon; evill thoughts are the keyes of this Caſtle, for they open the heart and let in the enemy; to think as the devil would have us think, is to deliver up the keyes of our hearts to him; the rolling up and down of evill cogitations is the turning of the key, and opening of the gates to Satan; And this is that for which Peter ſo ſharply rebuked Ananias: Why hath Satan filled thy heart? That is, why haſt thou betrayed thy truſt? Why haſt thou delivered up the keys into his hands? Why haſt thou done this?
Let us learn from hence what is the cauſe of all our ſin and miſery,Inference 1. even our own hearts. The Apoſtle here laies the fault upon Ananias, expoſtulates with him, not with Satan: He doth not ſay, Satan, why haſt thou filled the heart of Ananias, but Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart? Why didſt thou ſuffer him to do this? And yet more plainly, v. 4. Why haſt thou conceived this wickedneſs in thy heart? foreign, verſ. 4.Or as it is in the Original, Why haſt thou put this wickedneſs in thy heart? The devil could never have got this wickedneſs into his heart if himſelf had not put it in there: If Ananias had not opened the ſack the devil could never have fill'd it; He could never enter, and come into our hearts, did not we open the door to him; therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own luſt, Jam. 1.14, 15.and enticed, then when luſt hath conceived it bringeth forth ſin. The devil indeed filled the heart or Ananias, but it was not till Ananias had conceived this wickedneſs in his heart, or had put it in his heart, that is, he gave it conception, and then the devill nouriſht and augmented it till it came to the birth.
Secondly, That ſins of the heart are great ſins, and ſuch as we ſhould moſt ſtrive againſt: For the Apoſtle here ſtrikes at the root of this miſchief, the heart. Why hath Satan filled thy heart? And why haſt thou conceived this wickedneſs in thy heart? Making it, as it were, the engineer and framer of all this miſchief: Such was his dealing with Simon Magus, Pray God, Act, 8 22.if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Thus the Prophet,Jer. 4.14. Waſh thy heart from wickedneſs that thou mayſt be ſaved. It was ordered by a Law called the Law of the twelve Tables, Fontinus.that all ſprings and fountains ſhould be kept from filthineſs and pollution, leſt theſe being corrupted ſhould fill the Land with infection: So here the heart is the fountain; therefore (ſaith Solomon) above all keepings keep thy heart, Prov. 4.2….for out of it are the iſſues of life; If thou wouldſt have any ſin mortified, kill it in thy heart; if any grace entertained, plant it in thy heart. A good man (ſaith our Saviour) out of the good treaſure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; Mat. 12.35.where the word (Good) is thrice repeated; but mark the order, firſt, a good treaſure, then a good man, then good fruits: The treaſure of the heart being good makes all good, gives the owner of this treaſure his denomination, makes him a good man, yea, his ſpeeches, actions, theſe fruits that come from him they are good alſo, the heart being good. It is the goodneſs of the man ſanctifieth all outward things, but it is the goodneſs of the heart that ſanctifieth the man.
To return to my Text.
This ſin of Ananias as you have ſeen it ſet forth by the Author, Quantity, Subject; ſo in the fourth place, it is lively deciphered by the matter of it, and this will put us upon a narrower ſearch concerning the nature of this ſin,foreign. and the natures of things are commonly known by their names: Now this ſin of theirs hath three names in this Chapter, for firſt it is called a counterfeiting of the Holy Ghoſt; Secondly, Lying to the Holy Ghoſt in my Text; Thirdly, Tempting of the Holy Ghoſt,Counterfeiting of the Holy Ghoſt. v. 9. I will endeavour to open them all in order.
Firſt, There was a Counterfeiting of the Holy Ghoſt: It is ſaid of Achan, that he took and ſtole the accurſed thing,Joſh. 7.11. and diſſembled alſo.Vid. Cajetan in loc. p. 13. Joſhua ſent Officers into the Army to charge every man to keep the decree of Almighty God, in not taking the accurſed thing, and when all the people anſwered that they had kept the decree, Achan ſaid ſo too; thus he ſtole the accurſed thing, and diſſembled alſo, faining himſelf as innocent as any in the company. Juſt ſo dealt this ſacrilegious couple, they ſtole part of the Price, and diſſembled alſo; they would ſeem to do as others did, and be thought as devout as any of them, here was a counterfeiting of the Holy Ghoſt, that is, of the grace of the Holy Ghoſt; a faining, and making ſhew of that ſincere grace which was not in them, in that they would ſeem to give the whole, when they gave but part only, here was their hypocriſie, for this is the guiſe of hypocrites, if they can caſt a miſt before your eyes, and walk inviſible, if they can carry it away cleanly, and be reputed juſt and holy, they care for no more: They are like ſome Taverns, having before them the ſign of the Angel, but within nothing but beaſtly drunkenneſs: or as Chriſt ſaith, like whited ſepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, Mat. 23.27.but within are full of dead mens bones, and all uncleanneſs: Fair without, but foul within; outwardly, they appear righteous unto men, but within they are full of hypocriſie and iniquity. Many examples of ſuch are recorded in Scripture, as of Saul, who ſaid that he had done the Commandment of the Lord,1 Sam. 15. when he had done quite contrary;9 — 13. and Gehazi, when he had been running after Naaman the Syrian for a bribe,2 King. 5.25. came and ſtood in a demure poſture before his Maſter Eliſha, ſaying, Thy ſervant went no whither. So Herod ſpake thus to the Magi, Bring me word when ye have found him, Mat. 2.8.that I may come, and worſhip him alſo, when he meant to murther him. As to cover and conceale a fault (in the preſence of God eſpecially, who knoweth all things) is diſſimulation: So to ſet forth a colour and ſhew of vertue and goodneſs there where it is not, is Simulation and Counterfeiting, and both this and that is hypocriſie, and both to be ſeen in Ananias and Saphira, for they kept ſecret their thievery, and make a ſhew of their liberality; they give their heart to Satan, and their face to God; they counterfeit the Holy Ghoſt, being limbs of the devil; they feigned that they had that ſpecial and excellent grace of God in their hearts which was then in the Church, even the Communion of Saints in a rare and extraordinary manner, when indeed they had Communion and Fellowſhip with Satan, and he it was that had filled their hearts with devilliſh qualities.
Let it therefore teach us to take heed of this;Inference. Hypocriſie is ſuch a ſin, that it makes him that in ſhew is an Angel of light,Joh. 6.70. to be indeed a Fiend of darkneſs. Judas one of the twelve Diſciples of Chriſt, and Doctors of the World, is called a devil, and therefore a devil becauſe when he betrayed his Maſter he did it with a Kiſs; that execrable venome of Treaſon was blandiſht over with a ſoft and gentle, but hypocritical Kiſs, He came to Jeſus, and ſaid, hail Maſter, and kiſſed him. Mat. 26.49.I end this with that excellent ſaying of Chryſoſtome: O hypocrite, if it be good to be good, why wilt thou not be that which thou wilt ſeem to be? And if it be evil to be evil, why wilt thou be that which thou wilt not ſeem to be? If it be good to ſeem to be good, it is better to be ſo; And if it be evil to ſeem to be evil, it is worſe to be ſo; therefore either ſeem as thou art, or be as thou ſeemeſt to be.
Secondly, It is called Lying to the Holy Ghoſt in this verſe, and Lying to God, v. 4. that is, he lyed to the Holy Ghoſt being God. Lying is ſo linckt to Hypocriſie,Lying to the Holy Ghoſt. that it ſerves the ſame as an officious handmaid. Now this lye of theirs was very cunningly contrived. The proud (ſaith David) have imagined a lye againſt me; Pſal. 119 69.Or it might be read thus: They have trimmed their lyes,Concinnaverunt mendacia. dreſt and trimed them under the ſhadow and colour of truth: So this lye of Ananias was very artificially trimmed up.Jun. vatabl. Many things come here to be conſidered about it.
1. We find that it was a real lye, not uttered in words, but exhibited in their deeds, while their outward and apparent deeds did much differ from a ſecret and concealed action: Ananias in words did not utter an untruth, but his deeds did; he did not ſay, that he did not keep back part; but his deeds made ſhew of giving all, therefore that deed of his was a lye for another ſecret deed, namely, keeping back part did contradict the ſame. There are real lyes then as well as verbal, ſuch was this of Ananias. That is the firſt.
2. This Lye of theirs it was a concealing of the truth, and truth ſometimes may without ſin be concealed; A man is not bound to ſpeak all the truth at all times, yet it doth appear from this preſent example, that to conceale a truth, and not to tell it plainly, when the glory of God is concerned in it, and when it is expedient and profitable for men to know, the ſame is a lye, the making of a lye, though not the telling of a lye; therefore in bying or ſelling, or in any other matter wherein a mans ſilence or concealing the truth may hurt his brother, there his ſilence is a ſin, and his concealing the truth a lye. I know what many will object: If this be ſo, we may go ſhut up our ſhops, for ſhould we tell the fault of our goods, we ſhould hinder our ſelves in the ſale. But is it not better to hinder thy ſelf in thy goods, than to offend thy God; nakedly and plainly to declare the goodneſs or badneſs of thy Commodities, than by taking advantage of the buyers ignorance to have ſingultum cordis, 1 Sam. 25.31.that is, a throbbing heart, an accuſing conſcience. This ſin the of Ananias it was a lye, it was a real lye, and it was a lye in the point of concealment, becauſe they concealed the truth.
3. Further, It is ſaid to be a lye made to God, becauſe it was ſecret, ſo that none but God could find it out; it was cunningly contrived in his deeds, therefore very ſecret and hidden, yet God findeth it out. He who is the Author of all truth hath ſaid it, that there is nothing ſo ſecret but it ſhall be revealed; it is not poſſible for man to conceal his untruth and iniquity from God: He that made the eye, ſhall not he ſee? He that made the heart, ſhall not he underſtand? Pſal. 94.9.Surely he ſees, and knows all the Mazes and Meanders; all the windings and turnings of our vain hearts.
Let this therefore teach us to hate and deteſt this ſin of Lying. Theſe are the things wich ye ſhall do, Inference.ſpeak ye every man the truth to his neighbour, Zac 8.16, 17.execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates; Let none of you imagine evill in your hearts againſt his neighbour, and love no falſe oath; for all theſe are things that I hate ſaith the Lord. In like manner the Apoſtle, Laying aſide Lying, ſpeak ye the truth every man to his neighbour, Epheſ. 4.25.for ye are members one of another: So deal therefore one with another as one member of the body would deal with the reſt. Conſider what hath been ſaid againſt this ſin, That every lye is againſt the God of truth, and he will find it out; that it was the ſin of theſe two notable hypocrites, and a ſin that muſt help them out in their hypocriſie; they could never have made the World think ſo well of them if the lye had not come in to help them. Further, Lying is the devils badge, a mark of his diſciples,Joh. 8.44. who himſelf is the father of lies. It is joyned and coupled together by the Prophet Hoſea with four other capital ſins,Hoſ. 4.2. Swearing, Murther, Theft, Adultery. Surely they that hide themſelves under falſhood and deceit,Iſa. 28.15. and make lyes their refuge, will in the end be found to be but under a bad ſhelter; For (ſaith David) the Lord who loveth truth and righteouſneſs, Pſal. 45.7.and hateth iniquity, Pſal. 5 6.he will deſtroy them that ſpeak lies; and how will he deſtroy them? St. John faith it ſhall be with an everlaſting deſtruction,Rev. 21.8.22.15. he will ſhut them out of the heavenly Hieruſalem. Let every one of us therefore labour for truth in our ſpeeches, and for truth in our actions, ever ſaying with David, Lord, Pſal. 119.29.remove from me the way of Lying.
Thirdly, You have ſeen what was the ſecond ingredient, the ſin of lying, they counterfeited the Holy Ghoſt,Tempting of the Holy Ghoſt. and they lyed to the Holy Ghoſt; In the ninth verſe it is called a Tempting of God. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? This then is to be taken in as a third branch of their ſin, and a devilliſh ſin it is,Mat. 4 6. becauſe when the devil tempted Chriſt in the Wilderneſs he tempted him to tempt God, ſaying, Caſt thy ſelf down headlong. This ſin left the remembrance of it in giving a name to a place, where the people of Iſrael tempted God at Rephidim, for it is not only called Me…ibah of their contending and ſtriving againſt Moſes, but alſo Maſſah of their tempting of God; therefore Moſes doth admoniſh them, that they ſhould not tempt God as they tempted him at Maſſah, ſaying,Deut. 6.16. Is the Lord amongſt us, or not. Exod. 17 7.The Pſalmiſt alſo teſtifieth that they tempted him in the Wilderneſs, and required meat for their luſt, ſaying, Behold, he ſmote the Rock that the waters guſhed out, Pſal. 78.20.and the ſtreams overflowed, can he give bread alſo? Can he provide fleſh for his people? As if it were not as eaſie for God to give bread as well as water, but they would needs tempt him, and try what he could do: So here Ananias and Saphira are ſaid to tempt the Spirit of the Lord, becauſe they meant to try concluſions, and prove whether or no the Holy Ghoſt could eſpy and find out their jugling, and whether he could puniſh it being found out.
This then being ſo great a ſin to tempt God, let us take the more heed of it; let us take heed of preſuming upon the mercy of God; let us not venture to commit any ſin, entertaining ſuch a thought as this into our hearts, Why? What if we do? God is not able, or he is not willing to puniſh us. Do we provoke the Lord to anger, are we ſtronger than he?2 Cor. 20.22. Oh let us do nothing with an evill conſcience, nor againſt the knowledge of a good conſcience, praying ſtill with David, Lord keep thy ſervants from preſumptuous ſins, Pſal. 19.13.and let them not have dominion over us.
Their ſin then, for the nature of it, was like Cerberus, a beaſt, as the Poets feign, having three heads; or like a poyſon mixt, and made up of three ingredients, Hypocriſie, Lying, and Tempting of God.
I have done with the fourth particular, the matter of their ſin, and proceed to the fifth and laſt,foreign. Keeping back part of the price of the Land. which is the Quomodo or manner of it; they made a lye to God, they tempted God, but how? Saint Luke ſaith, it was by turning aſide part of the price of the Land; here was to uſe the School term Formale, the very formality of it. The devil that old Serpent had compounded and infuſed a new poyſon into their hearts, conſiſting of three ingredients, they were the matter of their ſin; now the manner of acting, and working, and what operation this poyſon had, appears by their actions too open and known, the firſt, and the third, ſelling of their Land, and bringing part of the price to the Apoſtles feet; but the ſecond was ſecret and unknown, viz. keeping back part of the price.
They began no doubt by the motion of the Holy Ghoſt to ſell their poſſeſſion, and in ſelling of it aimed at a good and holy end, that it might be diſtributed to the ſeveral neceſſities of the Church, therefore they bring it, and lay it at the Apoſtles feet: A good beginning, and a good end intended; but Satan creeps in between them, ſets his foot in the midſt, and mars all; like the envious thief in the Goſpel, he ſows tares amongſt the good ſeed; yea, ſo far he bewitcheth them, that they preſume through their hypocriſie to beguile and deceive the Holy Ghoſt, in concealing part of the price. Their ſin then was a ſecret and voluntary withholding and keeping back ſome part of that which they began to give openly; and in concluſion a ſhew of performing the whole, when indeed they did but perform only ſome part. They gave all to God, they ſtole ſome of it again, and would have the reſt to ſtand for the whole. Their own being given to God was no longer their own, but Gods, therefore their ſecret keeping back part was Sacriledge, that is, ſtealing of a holy and conſecrated thing. Now this was a ſly kind of Sacriledge, and hard to be exemplified out of Gods Word, and it ſeems but a ſmall matter for them to take ſome of that which ſo lately was their own; yet ſeeing they were led to it by the inſtigation of Satan, he was the Parent, and that in travelling to bring it forth, they grew very big, being full of Diſtruſt, Preſumption, Covetouſneſs, Vainglory, and having brought it forth, it appears in the light to be a monſtrous birth, a hell-hound with three heads, Hypocriſie, Lying, and Tempting of God, (as you have already heard.) And laſtly, ſeeing (as the Story ſhews) it was puniſht with a ſudden and fearful death as it were, the ireful breath of the Holy Ghoſt, blaſting and ſmiting them both to death by the mouth of the Apoſtle; therefore it is apparent from hence, that this their Sacriledge, ſuppoſe the loweſt degree of Sacriledge, this their ſtealing of part of their own gifts from God, was a moſt fearful, and grievous ſin. And from hence I propound theſe Queries following:
I. If to take it away Secretly were ſuch a ſin, what is it to do it Openly?
II. If to take away Part, what is it to take away All?
III. If to take away a mans Own gift were ſo great a ſin, what is it then to take away Another mans gift?
But theſe things require a fuller debate, therefore let us conſider of them ſeverally.
I ſay therefore, Firſt, If to ſteal Secretly that which hath been given and Dedicated to God were ſuch a ſin, what is it to do it Openly? Doth not this argue greater contempt of God, greater boldneſs in ſinning, and conſequently greater diſobedience? Therefore as it is an aggravation of the drunkenneſs of our times, that whereas this ſin was heretofore committed in the night,1 Theſ. 5.7. it is now committed in the light, and is become, as it were,Pſal. 91.6. a noonday devil: So it is not likewiſe an aggravation of the Sacriledge of our daies, that whereas Ananias and Saphira hid their ſin,Job 31.33. as Adam, and kept it cloſe, many do now on the contrary,Iſa. 3.9. ſhew and declare their ſin, as Sodom, they hide it not. We ſay, he is a bold Thief that will ſteal when men look on: Are they not then bold Thieves that will rob God of the means of his Worſhip, though all the World look on. That is the firſt.
The ſecond Quere is this, If it be ſo great a ſin to keep back Part a mans gift, what is it then to take away the Whole? He that takes away all, and leaves nothing behind him, he is a bold thief indeed: Even ſo againſt God, Is not he a bold and graceleſs thief, who when he hath opened his mouth to God ſhrinks back, and will performe nothing of that he hath promiſed? When men will give to God, and when they have ſo done, take it away again, when Covetouſneſs comes in and parlies with them, (as here it did with Ananias) ſo a revocation is made of their gifts: This queſtionleſs cannot be without ſin; for in matters of God we are not to deliberate,In …e ſancta deliberatio non habet locum. that is, not to reaſon with fleſh and bloud, but to do as we have promiſed: When thou vowest a Vow unto the Lord thy God, Cypr.thou ſhalt not be ſlack to pay it, for the Lord thy God will ſurely require it of thee, Deut. 23.21.and ſo it ſhould be ſin unto thee, ſaith Moſes; Job. 2.27.So holy Job, Thou ſhalt make thy prayer to him, and he ſhall hear thee, and thou ſhalt render him thy Vows; To this purpoſe likewiſe is that of Solomon, Eccleſ. 5.4.When thou voweſt a Vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleaſure in fools, pay that which thou haſt vowed. Indeed unlawful Vows ought not to bind mens conſciences, neither are they to be kept, but rather to be broken by thoſe that made them, becauſe ſin is not to be added to ſin; but on the other ſide, take away and exclude ſuperſtition, wickedneſs, impoſſibility, then Vowes are lawful, they bind the conſcience, and ought to be performed. When therefore a thing is once not only determined between God and a mans conſcience, but alſo publikely conſecrated, and ſo notified before men, then it is no longer his that gave it, but it is Gods; It is not common, but holy, that is, ſet aſide to a holy end. It is the gift of the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe God is both the Author and end thereof; for although the thing given be temporal and tranſitory, yet the manner of giving being ſpiritual and holy, the gift is the gift of the Holy Ghoſt, for God the Holy Ghoſt doth effectually move a mans mind to give it, and God the Lord Jeſus Chriſt doth cheerfully receive it in his Members for the mutual cheriſhing and exerciſing of Gods gifts and graces amongſt them, to the honour and glory of God the Father; wherefore what man ſoever, though the*The ſtile of all ancient Deeds and Grants ſhews this, …unning in this form: We have given unto God both for our ſelves, and for our heirs for ever. Magna Charta cap 1. When Ethelbert endowed the Church of Pancrace with Land, he did it with an irrevocable Act: Adjuro, & praecipio in nomine Domini Dei omnipotentis, qui est omnium juſtus judex, ut praefata terra ſubſcripta donatione ſempeternaliter ſit confirmata, ita ut nec mihi, nec alicui ſucceſſorum meorum de ea aliquid fraudare liceat. Spelm, Concil. Britan. p. 119. Siquis rem domino jam devotam carnali victus illecebra crediderit denuo repoſcendam, non eſt legitimus ejus rei poſſeſſor, ſed divini juris pronunciatur invaſor. Fulgent. Epiſt. 1. de debit. Conjug. Giver of the gift, ſhall either openly take away, or ſecretly purloyn the ſame, he commits Sacriledge, and ſtealeth from God, and not from men.
Object. But a man will ſay, May I not do what I will with mine own?
Anſw. I anſwer again, It is not a mans own, if he have vowed, and promiſed it, but it is Gods. Was it not in thine own power, ſaith Peter here to Ananias? True (as if he had ſaid) it was, but being ſince conſecrated, and given unto God, thou art now found to be a lyar and a thief in keeping it from him: Let all men therefore take heed of dealing thus with their God; I am perſwaded that this dallying with Almighty God, this playing faſt and looſe with His Majeſty, is that which eats Religion out of the hearts of many rich men, and quenches the Spirit of God in them: Why ſhould any man be ſo ſimple as to begin in the Spirit, and end in the Fleſh? Begin with God, (as Ananias here did) and end with the devil?Gal. 6.7. Be not deceived (ſaith the Apoſtle) God is not mocked. This is a ſecond thing offered to our conſideration, If to take and keep back part were ſuch a ſin, what is it then to keep back the whole?
To proceed yet one ſtep further in this climax or gradation: Thirdly, if it be ſo great a wickedneſs to keep back a mans own gift in part, or in whole, what is it then to take away another mans gift? Which never was his own that taketh it away, neither ever had he any right or title to it, but only by force or fraud hath wrung it to himſelf; and are there not many great thieves alſo of mony, ſeek to repair their decayed Eſtates with the ruines of they care not what, or of whom: That which they moſt deſire to get into their hand is the means of the Church, which our pious Anceſtors have given and devoted unto God, and that under a ſolemn Curſe to fall upon him or them that ſhould alienate the ſame: That which is the ſweeteſt morſel in their mouths, and goes down moſt pleaſantly is the gobbet ſtoln from the Altar: I had rather expreſs the language and carriage of theſe men in the words of judicious Hooker than in mine own: The devil (ſaith he) by certain ſtrong inchantments hath ſo deeply bewitched Religion it ſelf, as to make it in the end an earneſt ſollicitor, and an eloquent perſwader of Sacriledge, urging confidently, that the very beſt ſervice which men of power can do to Chriſt, is without any more ceremony to ſweep all, and to leave the Church as bare as in the day it was firſt born; that fulneſs of bread having made the children of the houſhold wanton,Hooker Ecceſ. pol. l. b. 5. p. 432. it is without any ſcruple to be taken away from them and thrown to dogs; that they which laid the prices of their Lands as offerings at the Apoſtles feet, did but ſow the ſeeds of ſuperſtition; that they which indowed Churches with, Lands poyſoned Religion; that Tythes and Oblations are now in the ſight of God as the ſacrificed bloud of Goats; that if we give him our hearts and affections, our goods are better beſtowed otherwiſe, &c. Covetous men have ever ſomething to ſay for themſelves, ſo theſe you ſee they want no words, deſire of gain makes them very witty. But turn we our ears from them to God, and hear what he ſaith: They that wrong Levi in his ſubſtance God ſhall ſmite through the Loyns of ſuch,Deut. 33.11. ſaith Moſes. Mal. 3 8.Will a man rob God? Ye have robbed me in tythes and offerings, therefore are ye curſed with a curſe, cries the Prophet Malachi; Thoſe that ſay, Come let us take to our ſelves the houſes of God in poſſeſſion; O my God, make them like a wheel, ſtill running about as if they were mad. As the fire burneth the wood: and as the flame ſetteth the mountains on fire; Pſa. 83.13, 14.So perſecute them with thy tempeſt, and make them afraid with thy ſtorm; So David. Thus the Penmen of Holy Writ ſharpen their Stile, denouncing heavier judgments againſt ſacrilegious perſons; This is therefore the third and laſt Queſtion: If Ananias might not keep back part of that which was his own, but it coſt him his life, How then dare men take away from the Church, that which never was their own, and not think themſelves ſubject to the wrath of Almighty God?
Having thus laid open the ſeveral parts of this Text, and ſhewed the nature of this ſin of Ananias and Saphira, let me deſire thee (Chriſtian Reader) to fix thy ſerious thoughts and meditations upon this general Concluſion, very clearly ariſing from the premiſes: That there are many who call Chriſt Maſter, yet are the Worlds ſervants. Or, That it is poſſible for a man to go far in the way to heaven, yet be at length overtaken with a whoriſh love of this World, for thus was it with Ananias and Saphira. Who would ever have thought, that Saint Luke, writing ſo many things in their praiſe in the former Chapter, ſhould here come in with ſuch a tragical relation: There they received the Word, here give ear to Satan; There they prayed, here hold parley with the devil; There with joyful hearts they praiſe God, here they tempt him; There you read of their charity, now you have ſeen their hypocriſie; There they joyned themſelves with the Apoſtles,1 Tim. 6.10. here for detaining the price of their Land were caſt out of the bleſſed ſociety and fellowſhip of the Apoſtles:Summos ſaepe viros tranſverſes egit av…ritia. Saluſt. Hominum mentibus eſt inſperſa cupiditas, & corum qui in pie…ate conſ…uti vid…u…, Chryſto… 5. p. 204. Well doth Saint Paul ſay, that the love of money is the root of all evil; It is the root of Apoſtacy, and falling from God. This ſin creeps into the heart w…en other ſins go out; and this is the ſin of many Profeſſors, men of eminent parts, who for Piety and Religion ſeem to be ſet in a higher rank and form than other men. Curtius writing the Life of Alexander, praiſeth him for many things, as Wiſdom, Valour, Induſtry, reports him very hardy, a man that when froſt and ſnow lay upon the ground, would climb up the Alps on his bare hands and feet; then he gives a ſudden diſh with his Pen:Caeteruming entia animi bona, &c. hand tolerabili vini cupidita of aedavi…. Q Curt. p. 158. But he was intolerably given to the love of Wine, and would be drunk, and that was a blemiſh to all his other Virtues: The like may be ſaid of many Profeſſors, that make a glorious ſhew, hear much, read much, do many excellent things; But their hearts are overcharged with the love of earthly things, and that deprives them of ſalvation, for that*Plaagere cos praecipit, non propter homicidia, non propter fornicationes, aut alia poſtremo vitia lethali gladio animos & parenns occiſione jugulantia: ſed propter ſolas tantummodo opes; propter inſanam cupiditatem, propter auri, atque argenti famem. ut oſtenderet ſcilicet ſufficere hae… homini ad aeternam d…mnatio…, …ri…mſ… …atus olii … ſ… …ſsent Sal p 357. alone may do it as well as murther or adultery. The hearers, reſembled to thorny ground, went they not further than the reſt? Did they not hear the Word? Did they not beleeve it? Did they not receive it with joy? Yet after all this were choaked with cares and riches. The young man in the Goſpel, did he not leave Chriſt becauſe he would not leave his poſſeſſions. and Ananias here becauſe he would not let go the price of his Land? Judas alſo, and Demas they both ſuffered ſhipwrack upon the ſame rock. When Naomi went out of Moab with her two daughters, Ruth and Orpah, towards the Land of Judah, Ruth ſtuck to her, and would by no means forſake her: Orpah, ſhe alſo went a good way with her, wept, and took on, but at length ſhe kiſt her mother and departed; She returned to idolatrous Moab to her People, and to her Gods (ſaith the Text:) So a hypocrite may make a fair progreſs in the way to heaven, read, pray, converſe with the Saints, weep it may be at a Sermon, yet for all this be deeply in love with the World, and have his heart there amongſt his Gods of Silver and Gold: And theſe, O ye men of might, have been the Gods many of you have been fighting for ſo long;Luk. 8 14. Mat. 19.22. 2 Tim 4.10. Ruth. ….15. Pſal 7….5. Mat. 21 38. that which you have chiefly ſought hath been to ſeize upon the inheritance, and to get into your hands the price of the Land; Who ſee…h not at this day a great meaſure of Ananias's hypocritical covetouſneſs, and covetous hypocriſie to have been reigning in your hearts: Seeming Saints you have been, and ſervants of God, but the World hath been your Maſter: You have uſed Religion but as a ladder to climb up to wealth and worldly preferment, which being had, the ladder hath been thrown aſide, no matter what became of it: Saint John ſaith,1 Joh. 5.4. This is the victory that overcometh the World, even our faith; to you it may be ſaid, This is the victory that hath overcome your faith, even the World, and your worldly hearts, look into them, and you will find this to have been the root of your late ſo foul miſcarriages, but manum de tabula, oculos ad coelum.
The Lord ſhowr down his bleſſings upon the head of our Soveraign Lord King Charles, and ſo repleniſh him with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that he may alwaies incline to thy will, and walk in thy way. Bleſs the Great Council of the Realm aſſembled together in the High Court of Parliament, grant that with a ſingle eye they may look at thy glory, ever preferring the publick good before their private intereſts;Job 29.17. ſtrengthen their hands that they may pluck out of the throats of thoſe Cormorants the ſpoyl which they have ſo greedily devoured. Rebuke the madneſs of thoſe falſe Prophets,2 Pet. 2.3. who through Covetouſneſs with fained words make marchandize of thy people. Lord, bleſs Levi's ſubſtance, and accept the work of his hands; and ſuffer not the means of thy Worſhip to come into the hands of thoſe who count all gain godlineſs.
This heavy judgment on Ananias ſtruck fear into all that heard it: The Lord grant it may have the ſame effect in all that ſhall read theſe lines,Act. 5.5.11. that all Iſrael may hear, and fear, and do no more preſumptuouſly. Deut. 17.13.Seeing few have conceived this ſin of Sacriledge in their hearts who have not felt the judgement of God upon their backs;Deut. 21.21. may therefore the example of his heavy judgments deter and keep back all men from this ſin.
foreign.
End of the text · William Houghton, Discourse Concerning Ananias and Sapphira (1661)