Commentary Upon Acts, Part 8
ACTS. Chap. XII.
Vers. 2. And he killed Iames.
Sect. I. The martyrdome of Iames the great.
WEE are now come to the time of Great James his death. For Agrippa comming the last yeare into Iudea, as we saw from Iosephus, and it not being probable that hee should doe this exploit before Easter, as the circumstances told us; wee may justly take this yeare for its proper time and place. Now about that time (saith St. Luke) Herod the King (the Syriack addeth who is called Agrippa) stretched forth his hands to vexe certaine of the Iews; and hee killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword. The first words, About that time, relate to what went before in the preceding Chapter, vers. 28. and meaneth in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. Now what should bee the incentive of the spleene of Agrippa against the Church, it is not specified: it may well bee supposed it proceeded from that his Ceremoniousnesse and strict observance of Mosaick Rites, which is mentioned by Iosephus: Concerning the Martyrdome of Iames under this his spleene, wee will content our selves with the words of the Text, He killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword; accounting all other additionall circumstances which may bee found in officious Authors to bee nothing else but gilded legends, and fond inventions: As that mentioned by Eusebius out of Clemens his Hypotypose…n, concerning his accuser, that seeing his constancy to the death, confessed the faith, and was martyred with him. That by Epiphanius that hee lived and dyed a virgin: and that by *Tom. 2. Iulii 25.Surius (who is the bell-weather for old winter tales, that telleth, That his body after his martyrdome was shipped by Ctesiphon and his fellow-Bishops for Spaine; that the Ship in six dayes was directed thither without Pilot or Compasse, but onelyonly by the influence of the Corpse that it carryed. That at the landing the body was taken up into the aire, and carryed neare the place of its buriall, twelve miles off. That Ctesiphon and his fellows were led to it by an Angel: And more such trash, that it is but labour lost, either to read or mention.
Sect. II. The Apostles Creed.
The Creed was made upon this occasion (saith (a)De Insti…. Cleric. l. 2. cap. 56. extat in Au…tari… ad Bibli…th. Patrum. ecl. 620.Rabanus Maurus) as our Ancestors have delivered unto VsUs. The Disciples after the Ascension of our Saviour being inflamed with the holy Ghost, &c. And being cha…ged by the Lord to goe to all Nations for the preaching of the Gospel, when they are to part one from another, they fi…st make a common platforme among themselves for their future preaching. Lest being severed in place, divers and different things should bee preached to those that were invited to the faith of Christ. Being therefore together in one place, and filled with the holy Ghost, they compose a short platforme for their preaching, conferring together what they thought. And this they appoint to bee given to them that beleeve, and to bee called Symbolum, &. Thus hee, and very many others with him, conceiving that the Apostles supplyed not onelyonly the matter of the Doctrine contained in the Creed, but the very forme and words also.
For Peter said, say they, I beleeve in God the Father Almighty.
John, The maker of Heaven and Earth.
James, And I beleeve in Iesus Christ his onelyonly Son our Lord.
Andrew, Which was conceived by the holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary.
Philip, Suffered under Pontius-Pilate, was crucified, dead and buryed.
Thomas, Hee descended into hell: the third day hee rose againe from the dead.
Bartholomew, Hee ascended into heaven: sitteth at the right hand of God the father Almighty.
Matthew, From thence shall he come to judge both the quicke and the dead.
James the sonne of Alpheus, I beleeve in the holy Ghost, the holy Catholick Church.
Simon Zelotes, The communion of Saints, the forgivenesse of sinnes.
Judas the brother of James, The resurrection of the flesh.
Matthias, The life everl…sting. Amen.
Thus the hundred and fifteenth Sermon de Tempore, that goeth under the name of (b)Tom. 10. col. 849.Austen: but apparent that it is no… his, by this, that here is …eckoned the descent into hell, which in his book (c)Tom. 3. p. 143.de F…de & Symbolo is quite omitted.
Now were this tradition as true as it is punctuall, it would readily plead for its owne place in Chronologie, namely, about this time at which wee now are, before Iames his death, for hee gave in his symbolum (according to this tradition) among the rest. But that this opinion of the Apostles casting in every one his parcell, is of no validity, but a presumptuous and false surmise, may bee evinced by these Arguments.
First, (e)Mr. Perk▪ on the Creed.Because the titl… of The Catholick Church, is neither used in any of the Apostles writings, nor is it likely that it came into use till after the Apostles dayes, when the Church was dispersed into all parts of the earth.
Secondly, because the Article Hee descended into hell, is not owned or acknowledged at all by the Nicene Creed, nor by any of the ancientest Fathers next the Apostles times, in their reckoning up of the Articles of the Creed, as see instances in abundance in (e)Pag. 410.Polanus his Syntagma, lib. 6. cap. 21.
Thirdly, if the matter and words of the Creed had beene from the Apostles themselves, why is it not then Canonicall Scripture as well as any of the sacred Writ?
Fourthly, in the giving in of their severall symbols or parcell…, after the manner opinionated before, there is so great disproportion and inequality, some giving so much, and some so little, that it maketh the contribution it selfe to bee very suspitious.
Fifthly, the Summary Collection of the points of Christian religion taught by the Apostles, and delivered by them to others to teach by, consisteth of two heads, faith and love, 2 Tim. 1.13. But the Creed consisted of faith onelyonly, I rather thinke therefore, saith Mr. Perkins, that it is called the Apostles Creed, because it doth summarily containe the chiefe and principall points of Religion, handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles; and because the points of the Creed are conformable and agreeable to their Doctrine and writings.
Sect. III. Traditions.
With their framing of the Creed before their parting, hath Baronius joyned al…o their delivery of Traditions. Sicut symbolo, saith hee, ita etiam aliis absque Scripturâ traditionibus Ecclesiae impertitis, diviserunt sibi ad quas singuli proficiscerentur orbis terrae provincias. Having thus imparted the Creed, and also traditions without Scripture to the Church, they parted among themselves what Countrey every one of them should goe unto.
These Traditions the (a)Sess. 4. de…ret. 1. exta… tom. 4 Concili…rum par… 2.Councell of Trent divideth into those which were received by the Apostles from the mouth of Christ; or delivered from hand to hand, from the Apostles to our times; the holy Ghost dictating them unto them. And these those Fathers hold of equall authority with the Scriptures, and the Councell curseth them that shall willingly and knowingly contemn them. And well doe they deserve it, if they did but certainly and assuredly kn…w that they came from such hands. Bellarmine (b)Lib. 4 de verbo non script. c. 2. extat tom. 1. pag 166.hath stretched the name and peece o… traditions to one tainterhook higher. For Traditions, saith he, are Divine, Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall. Divine, are those which were received from Christ himselfe teaching his Apostles, and yet are not to bee found in the Scriptures; such are those which concerne the matter and forme of the Sacraments. Apostolicall are those which were instituted by the Apostles, not without the assistance of the holy Ghost, and yet are not to bee found in their Epistles. Ecclesiasticall traditions are properly called certaine old customes, began either by Prelates, or by people, which by little and little by the tacit consent of the people obtained the power of a Law. Under these heads, especially under the two first, hath he placed these particulars (c)Ibid. cap. 9.The perpetuall Virginity of Mary, the number of the Canonicall bookes, Baptizing of Infants, blessing the water before, bidding them renounce Satan and his workes, signing them with the signe of the crosse, anointing them with oyle, not re-baptizing after Heretiques, Lent, Ember weeke, inferiour Orders in the Church, worshipping of Images, &c. To which (d)Vid. Whitaker de S. Scrip… ▪ con…rov. 1. q. 6. c. 5.others adde, The oblation of the Sacrament of the Altar, Invocation of Saints, Prayer for the dead, the Primacy, Confirmation, Orders, Matrimony, Penance, extreme Vnction, Merits, necessity of satisfaction, auricular confession, &c. Into which controversie not to enter, concerning the thing it selfe, which so many grave and learned pens have handled sufficiently, reckoned by Bellarmine, though with small good will, in his entry upon this question, let but reason and indifferency censure, concerning that which is more proper to this discourse, namely, the time of delivering these Traditions, whether this or any other: And here in the first place let the Reader but consider that at this time, there was no more of the New Testament written, then the Gospels of Matthew and Marke, if so bee that those also were written at this time. And then let him judge how senselesse a thing it is to speake of delivering unwritten Traditions to the Church, when almost all the New Testament was yet to bee written. Or take it at the Councell at Ierusalem, which was divers yeares hence, when all the Apostles were all together, and giving rules to the Church, or take it at Pauls apprehension at Ierusalem, when imagine all the Apostles to bee together againe, and even even at either of those times, will the same absurdity follow still for no more of the New Testament was written, or very little more then now. And then how ridiculous doth it appeare, That the Apostles should offer to give rules to the Church by unwritten tradition, when they had all their Epistles for rules of the Church yet to write: If they would leave the Church to bee regulated by unwritten traditions, why should they write after? And if they would have her regulated by their writings, why should they give her unwritten traditions before? A quick wit will nimbly answer, that they left her such traditions as were not to bee expressed in their writings, but let an honest conscience and an unprejudicate judgement censure whether this will abide the test, yea or no. For is it within any compasse of likelihood that these Apostles did know what things Paul would not write of in his Epistles, that they should deliver such things before-hand for tradition, when as yet they hardly knew whether hee was to be an Apostle of the Gentiles or no, when they did not know whether he would write any Epistles or no, much lesse did they know what Epistles he would write? Appello conscientiam, and so much for traditions.
Vers. 3. Hee proceeded to take Peter also, &c.
Sect. Peters imprisonment and delivery.
Iames his death was seconded by Peters imprisonment, but his time for martyrdome was not yet come as was the others. Agrippa having laid hold upon him, deferred his execution till after the Passeover, (e)Sanctius in Act. 12.either because hee would not defile that holy feast with effusion of humane blood, or because hee would afflict Peter the more, and give the Jewes the greater content by his long restraint and strait imprisonment, or rather because hee feared a tumult if hee should have slaine him in that concourse of people as was there at Passeover time. Thus lay hee guarded, with foure quaternions, or (as the Syriack hath it) with sixteene Souldiers, which as it seemeth watched him by course, for the foure watches of the night, two close by him and two at the gate. Besides these two and two successive jaylors, hee was bound with two chaines, and if (f)Sanct. ubi supra ex Chrysost.some say true, his two keepers were tied for the more surenesse in the same chaines with him. Happy men were they sure, that had so great interest in these happy chaines, which if you dare beleeve (g)Augusti. …. cap. 18.19.20.Surius, had the virtue to work miracles, to diffuse grace, to procure holinesse, to heale diseases, to affright the Devill and to defend Christians. They were preserved, saith hee, by some of Herods servants that beleeved, and in processe of time laid up for a sacred relique at Constantinople, and there either hee or they lie.
That very night that preceded Peters intended execution, hee being fast asleepe between his keepers, is waked, loosed and delivered by an Angel. (h)Ann…. a… ann.Baronius maketh a great matter of it that the whole Church prayed for Peter whilest hee was in prison, and since the like is not related to have been done by them for any other, hee will needs from hence inferre his primacy, the whole flock praying for her universall Pastor, whereas the reasons of this expression are apparent to bee onelyonly these two. First, to shew that the Church was praying for him whilst hee was sleeping, for alter hee had taken a part of his first sleepe, this night hee commeth to the house of Iohn Marke, and they are there still out of their beds and at prayer. Secondly, because the fruit of their prayers were shewed in his delivery. There is no doubt but constant prayers were made for Iames by the whole Church whilst hee was in prison as well as for Peter, but so much is not expressed, because the story could not answer that relation with relation of his delivery: And Atheisme and profanenesse would have been ready to have scoffed, that the whole Church should have prayed in vaine.
The Angell, and Peter (thus loosed) passe two watches, and then come to the iron gate; there are some that hold these watches to bee two prisons, and the word foreign to bee taken as it were passively for places where men are kept, and that Peter was in a G…ole within these two, as in the worst, basest and surest place, and that all were closed with a gate of Iron. But (i)Vid. Baron.others hold these watches to bee guards of men, and that the prison was without the Citie, between or within the two outmost walls, but in these things it is not materiall to insist for determination. The latter is farre the more probable, both in regard of the signification of the Greek word, and that Iosephus mentioneth three walls about Ierusalem, and divers towers in every wall, as also in regard of the greater hightning of the miracle, in that Peter escapeth, not onelyonly his owne sixteen mens watch, at the prison doore, but also two watches more at the two walls gates, and the second which was the Iron gate gave them free passage of its owne r…cord.
Peter being cleared of the danger, and left of the Angel, betaketh himselfe to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn Marke, where when Rhoda upon his knocking and speech averred constantly it was Peter, the whole company there assembled conclude that it was his Angel. Here is some ambiguitie about their thus concluding. (k)Chrysost. i… loc. hom. 27.Some understand it of his tutelar Angel, and from hence would strongly plead the opinion that every man hath his proper and allotted Angell to attend him.
But first, wee sometimes read of one Angel attending many men.
Secondly, sometimes of many Angels attending one man.
But thirdly, if the matter may bee agitated by reason, if a singular Angell bee destined to the attendance of every singular man, what doth that Angell doe till his man bee borne, especially what did all the Angels but Adams and Eves and a few more for many hundreds of yeers, till the world was full? (l)Vid. Salmeron in locū.Others therefore understand it of a messenger, which the Disciples supposed Peter had sent to them upon some errand. But this opinion is easily confuted by Rhoda's owning of Peters voyce. (m)Atetius in loc.There is yet a third opinion as much unwarrantable as either of these; That the Disciples concluded that an Angell by this knocking and voyce came to give them notice of Peters death to bee neer at hand, and that therefore they call him his Angell, and that it was sometimes so used that one Saint should know of anothers death by such revelations. The Jewes indeed in their writings make frequent mention of Samael the Angell of death, but they call him so for inflicting it, and not for foretelling it: And wee have some examples indeed in the Ecclesiasticall history of one man knowing of anothers death by such revelations and apparitions as these: but because those stories are very dubitable in themselves, and that the Scripture is utterly without any such precedent, this interpretation is but utterly groundlesse and unwarrantable. The most proper and most easie meaning therefore of those words of the Disciples, It is his Angel, seemeth to bee, that they tooke it for some Angell that had assumed Peters shape or stood at the gate in his resemblance.
Vers. 17. Hee departed and went to another place.
The place whither hee went is not to bee knowne, because not revealed by Scripture. As for his going to Rome, which is the glosse that Papists see upon this place, it is a thing senselesse and ridiculous, as was touched before, and might bee shewed at large were it worth the labour. I should as soone nominate Antioch for the place whither hee went at this time, as any other place at a far distance: For I cannot imagine any time when hee and Paul should meet at Antioch, and Paul reprove him, Gal. 2.11. so likely as this time: for it is most probable that Peter being put to flee for his life, would get out of the territories of Herod for his safetie: now there was no place more likely for his safetie then in Antioch, where not onelyonly the distance of place might preserve him, but the new borne Church would seeke to secure him.
Vers. 21. And upon a day Herod arraied in royall apparell.
The acts of this Herod Agrippa after his comming from Rome to Ierusalem and the manner of his death are largely described by Iosephus, and therefore wee will trace them in him in our Jewish Story.