Discourse Concerning Ananias and Sapphira, Title page – To the reader
A DISCOURSE CONCERNING Ananias and Saphira, Wherein is laid open Their SIN & PUNISHMENT.
BY William Houghton, Miniſter of Ordſoll in Nottinghamſhire.
1 Cor. 10.6, 11.
Theſe things happened unto them for examples, and are written for our admonition.
Rom. 2.22.
Thou that abhorreſt Idolls, committeſt thou Sacriledge?
Many who have fled from Idolatry, and reformed the Worſhip of God from that pollution foreign, that is, by bending the crooked ſtick too much the other way, have run too far into the contrary extream, and taken away (ſome of us) all difference in a manner between Sacred and Prophane, and in ſo doing made our ſelves lyable to that upbraid of the Apoſtle: Tu qui idola abominaris, Sacrilegium admittis? Mede Diatr. 74.
LONDON, Printed by J. H. for Nathanael Webb, at the Kings Head in St. Pauls Church-Yard, 1661.
To the Reader.
WHen Adam and Eve had ſinned in eating the forbidden fruit, Eve was firſt called forth and ſentenced, then Adam: Here on the contrary, firſt Ananias, then Saphira. The reaſon hereof, I conceive, was this, becauſe there the woman was firſt in the tranſgreſsion, but here the man: There the Husband was conſenting to the Wife,foreign. here the Wife was conſenting to the Husband. It is not a queſtion this much material to be ſtood upon which of them ſinned firſt, it is likely there was no long ſpace of time between them: In ſuch a nearneſs as is between head and body the infection ran ſuddenly from one to the other. This therefore ſhould rather take up our thoughts and meditations,foreign, Rom. 1.32. that as they were conſenting together in ſin, ſo were they partakers in the puniſhment, this was the juſt judgement of God upon them; and this joyning together in ſin is the cauſe of moſt general judgments. As ſheep, having infected one another, die together of the rot: ſo when people have generally corrupted one another, they fall and periſh together by Sword, Famine, or Peſtilence. Therefore the firſt counſel both David and Solomon give in the Pſalms and Proverbs, is, not to walk in the way of the ungodly, and, If ſinners entice thee conſent thou not. Eſpecially, as thou loveſt thy ſoul, have a care to keep thy ſelf from this ſin of Sacriledge, and walk not in the way of Ananias. Many there are who count all gain godlineſs, therefore Sacriledge is not thought to be a ſin by ſuch men, but being weighed by the ballance of the Sanctuary, and the heavy judgments of God upon it, it will be found to be a great and grievous ſin, highly provoking the eyes of Gods glory. The ſin of Adam and Eve was the ſin of Sacriledge, and the first ſin that was puniſht in the Old Teſtament: This ſin of Ananias and Saphira the ſin alſo of Sacriledge, and the firſt that we read of that was puniſht in the New Teſtament, after the deſcending of the Holy Ghoſt: Surely therefore (as Solomon ſaith) it is a ſnare to the man that devoureth that which is holy: …ov 20 15.If thou beeſt wiſe keep thy ſelf out of this ſnare,…v. 18 4. and be not partaker with others in this ſin, that thou receive not hereafter of their plagues.
W. H.