Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsActs 28
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Acts 28 in the BibleActs 28:20
Chain.
◦ I would wish now (saith S. Chrysostome) to be for a time in the place where these chains remain, and to see the fetters which Devils fear, and Angels reverence. homil. 5. ad populum Antiochenum. See also S. Gregory lib. 3. episto. 30. of the miracles done by S. Paul's chains, and that he sendeth to the Empress Constantia some dust thereof filed off, for a great Relic and holy gift.
- ◦ S. Paul's chains honoured.
Acts 28:22
Concerning this sect.
The Heretics of all sorts comfort themselves much, when they find here or elsewhere the Christian faith called of the Jews or incredulous persons, a ◦ Sect or an Heresy, & sometimes in contempt of Christ's person the Master of the same, the Sect of the Nazarens: as though the Church of God might as well err in naming their doctrine Heresy, as the Jews and Pagans might and did miss in condemning Christian religion for an Heresy: or as though the Protestants' doctrine were as well proved and tried to be no Heresy, by the Prophets and other Scriptures, miracles, and consent of all Nations and ages, as Christ's blessed doctrine is. Whereas indeed the Protestants' doctrine is evidently convinced to be heretical, by the same arguments that Christ's religion is proved to be the only true doctrine of salvation, and not an heresy. And whosoever can deduce the Christian faith from Adam to this day, throughout all the Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests, Apostles, and Bishops, by descent and succession of all laws and states of true worshippers and believers (which is the only or special way to prove that the Christian faith is no heresy) he shall by the same means all at once prove the Protestants' doctrine to be an heresy and a false sect. That the Jews therefore and ill men in all places contradicted the Christian religion, calling it an Heresy or a Sect, as though it had a beginning of some certain Sect-Master other than God himself, they were deceived: and the Church of God nevertheless calling the Protestants' doctrine Heresy in the worst part that can be, and in the worst sort that ever was, doth right and most justly.
- ◦ The name of Sect is well given to all Heresies, though the Christian religion at the first was falsely so called.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Acts 28:5
Shaking off the beat.
The promise of Christ (Marc. 16) that venomous serpents should not hurt them that believe in him, is fulfilled not in all believers, but in such as had the gift of miracles, as S. Paul had. Whom here a viper, by nature so venomous that the people thought he should have died out of hand, did no whit annoy: he extinguishing by the power of Christ all the poison of the beast. [1] Yea and (as the Christian people there till this day believe) by S. Paul's prayers the Island was delivered for ever from all such venomous serpents [2], in so much that children there play with scorpions ever since that time, and Pilgrims daily carry with them pieces of stones out of the place where S. Paul abode, by which they affirm that they heal them which in other countries adjoining are bitten of scorpions, the medicine therefore being called, S. Paul's grace. The Heretics that know not the power of God, nor [3] the miraculous virtues given to his Saints, marvel and blaspheme, when they hear such things as be proper to certain countries, attributed sometimes to God's miracles done by his Saints: as though that were not possible, or were not as much to God's honour, and more, than things proceeding only of natural causes. Such profane men would not have attributed the wholesomeness of the waters of Jericho to Eliseus his virtue and miracles, amending them by casting salt into them [4], if the Scripture had not expressly testified the same. It is the part of all faithful men to refer such things to God, when any just occasion is given thereunto, rather than to nature: though the incredulous do always contrary, for fear of superstition & dishonouring God. As though this escape of drowning, might better and more to God's glory, be referred to chance and the mariners' industry, than to S. Paul's prayers and extraordinary working.