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But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

With Sapphira his wife — Her name signifieth beautiful, or spacious. She might be so on the outside, as those apples of Sodom, the Egyptian temples, or Jewish sepulchres; but her heart was rotten, and not right with God. Hypocrites are called vipers, Matthew 3:7 , which are outwardly specious, inwardly poisonous. The swan is white in feathers but of a black skin; and was therefore reputed unclean, and unsuitable for sacrifice.

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And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it , and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

And kept back part — Interverted, ενοσφισατο , purloined, nimmed it away. Here was a concurrence of hypocrisy, sacrilege, diffidence, and ambition; for he would be thought as good as the best, and therefore laid that he brought at the apostles’ feet, … Hypocrites shall be uncased; no goat in a sheepskin shall steal on Christ’s right hand at the last day.

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But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Why hath Satan — The first motion of selling his possession was of the Holy Ghost; but Beelzebub had soon putrified and corrupted it.

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Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Was it not thine own — Wicked men have a right to earthly things as their portion, Psalms 17:14 . God gave Tyre to Nebuchadnezzar.

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And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Fell down, and gave up — So did Nightingal, parson of Crondal by Canterbury; who, on a Shrove Sunday, reading to the people the pope’s bull of pardon sent into England by Cardinal Pool, fell suddenly down dead out of the pulpit, and never stirred hand nor foot: witnessed by all the country round about. Philbert Hamlin, martyr, had instructed in the truth a certain priest his host, who afterwards revolted. Hamlin prophesied to him that nevertheless he should die before him. He had no sooner spoke the word, but the priest going out of the prison was slain by two gentlemen who had a quarrel to him. Whereof when Hamlin heard, he affirmed he knew of no such thing; but only spake as God guided his tongue. Whereupon immediately he made an exhortation of the providence of God, which, by the occasion thereof, moved the hearts of many, and converted them to God. Patrick Hamilton, a Scotch martyr, being in the fire, cited and appealed the black friar called Campbell that accused him, to appear before the High God as general Judge of all men, to answer to the innocence of his death between that and a certain day of the next month, which he there named. The friar died immediately before the day came without remorse of conscience, … The Judge of the earth keepeth his petty sessions now, letting the law pass upon some few, reserving the rest till the great assizes, 1 Timothy 5:24 . Some flagitious persons he punisheth here, lest his providence, but not all, lest his patience and promise of a general judgment, should be called in question. (Aug. in Psalms 30:1-12 ) Very remarkable was God’s hand upon Mistress Hutchinson (that Jezebel of new England) and her family, all slain (some say burnt) by the Indians. One of her disciples falling into a lie, God smote him in the very act, that he sunk down into a deep swoon. And being by hot waters recovered, and coming to himself, he said, Oh God, thou mightest have struck me dead, as Ananias and Sapphira, for I have maintained a lie. a

And great fear came on all — God takes some malefactors, and hangs them up in gibbets as it were; that others, warned thereby, may hear, and fear, and do no more so. Alterius perditio tua sit cautio. Cavebis autem si pavebis. Seest thou another suffer shipwreck? look well to thy tackling.

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And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him .

And the young men arose — Decent burial this hypocrite had, though he deserved it not. Temporaries enjoy many outward privileges per consortium through prossessions.

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And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

Not knowing what was done — And thinking to find her husband in highest honour among the apostles. "But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost," Job 11:20 .

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And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

Yea, for so much — Sin had woaded an impudence in her face. How much better that brave woman in St Jerome, who being upon the rack said, Non ideo negare volo, ne peream; sed ideo mentiri nolo, ne peccem, I will rather die than lie.

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