grace and fauor By this place are declared vnto vs the frutes that vse alwayes to followe the studie of the gospell For it bothe bringeth life vnto vs bicause the gospell is the power of saluation vnto all that beleeue in it and it recreateth the minde with sounde ioy while it teacheth vs that the Father is reconciled vnto vs through the Sonne Which ioye as it is full and perfite so no man is able to take it from vs. Furthermore the Euangelist returneth to the description of Paules voiage rehersing in order both the Cities and places which either they sailed by or else made abode in for any time The situation and standing of which places if any man desire to knowe he may peruse the tables and bookes of the Geographers From Troas vnto Asson Paule went on fote sending his companions afore by Barche For he ment either to visite the congregation as he went or to auoide the anoyance of sailing by Sea. Where yet his humanitie is to be praised that he would ease his felowes of trauaile and not abuse their industrie and good will. At length passing by Ephesus they come vnto Miletum or Malta wher he called the ministers of Asia vnto a Synode It is wrytten that he made great haste bicause he purposed to be at Ierusalē at Pentecost not after the vsage of the Iewes but bicause of the concursse of people which he thought should heare him preach to their great auaile and profite This place is very notable containing Paules trauailes and ieoperdies By the which we learne howe difficult a matter it is duely and truely to serue God who can abide none worse than idle and sluggish worshippers Thus we read Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses the Prophets and after them Christ were troubled and embrued with continuall laboures and perilles Therefore let vs also prepare our selues to labours and daungers that we be not troubled when they sodainly fall on vs This place teacheth vs also of what authoritie the gospell ought to be with vs which we know was set forth with such paines and trauaile and with the effusion of so much bloud For to this ende laboured all the Apostles and the Prophetes before them and the very sonne of God who testifieth that he came also to preach and set forth the gospell Therfore their slouthfulnesse is execrable which so easely let such a treasure be taken from them Their religion likewise is preposterous which alwayes hauing in their mouthes the Saintes and honouring of the Saintes doe in the meane season lothe the doctrine of the gospell for whose sake tyll the Saintes suffered suche paines abode so many daungers and at length shed their bloud Let vs therfore haue a true opinion of this treasure O brethren by the which only saluation is offered vs the aucthor wherof is Iesus Christ to whom be praise honoure power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxiij Homelie And from Miletus he sent Messengers to Ephesus called the elders of the congregation which when they were come to him he saide vnto them ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue bene with you at all seasons seruing the Lorde with all humblenesse of minde and with many teares and temptations which came to passe vnto me by the laying await of the Iewes bicause I would kepe backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but to shew you and teach you openly thorow out euery house witnessing both to the Ievves and also to the Greekes that the repentance that is towarde God and that faith which is toward our Lord Iesus THe holy Ghost by the holy wryter Luke moste diligently reporteth the Actes of the Apostles of Iesus Christ partly for that all ministers might haue a presidēt to follow and partly that all men might vnderstande of what aucthoritie the gospell ought to be with vs which they haue set forth with such great paines and trauailes And heereunto is this presente Acte of Paule the Apostle to be referred Who although he made great haste to Ierusalem and ment to spend no time in Asia yet he intermitted none of the things which belonged to the vtilitie of the Churches of Asia For he calleth before him at Miletus the Elders or Ministers of Ephesus and the Cities adioyning and in a general Coūcel concludeth with them things of much waight and importance By which example as the faith and industrie of Paule appeareth so we are taught that the conuocation of ministers with the common consent of all parties is very necessary for the determination of Ecclesiasticall matters This maketh for the maintenance of discipline in the Church to kepe vnder the ambition of prelates to conserue an vnitie in true doctrine and to beat downe heresies which many times vse to creepe in if ministers doe not faithfully sette to their helpes Heere therfore the error of those that would mingle the workes of the lawe with the faith in Christ was abolished by a general conuocation and the truthe defended by aucthoritie of the same Heereunto that moste godly and prudent Prince Constantine the great had a respecte when he vsed to cal the Synodes of Bishops togither against the which Licunus the publike ennimie of Christian religion did greatly resiste who by publike Proclamation as Eusebius wryteth forbade the pastoures of the churches to meete or assemble togither For the craftie subtile Foxe perceiued that by consent and vnitie of the Ministers the Churche and the confession of a true faith were cheefely established and that this consent was cheefely maintained by aucthoritie of Counsels And Antichrist as craftily hath pulled vnto him selfe all aucthoritie of Counsels to the end that he would not haue his tyrannie kepte vnder by Counsels lawfully assembled Also in the Ministers of Asia is declared a singuler example of modestie who although they were more in number yet refused not the appointment of Paule being but one who had preached Christ first in those quarters and whome by many arguments they had proued was a chosen instrument of christ For although the dignitie of all Ministers in the Church is alike and none ought to chalēge power or aucthoritie ouer other yet an order is necessary in the Churche which can neuer be kept and maintained except Ministers will obserue modestie and humilitie among themselues And Paule did not therefore call these Pastors of Asia before him bicause he chalenged any priuate aucthoritie or iurisdiction ouer them but bicause it was for the behoofe auaile of the whole church that they should haue warning of matters of importance wherein he thought not to be behinde for his parte bicause as he confesseth other wheres he knewe him selfe to be a debter bothe to the Iewes and to the Gentiles Furthermore let vs see Paules oration containing in it the causes of the calling of this Synode For it hath in it a vehement and pithie exhortation that for as muche as they
beside these called Saduceyes who plainely scoffed at all religion For they denyed the resurrection of the bodye and whatsoeuer else is written of the mysteries of eternall life as may be seene Math. 22. and Actes 23. And it can not be that any syncere religion coulde be in them which durst denye these things without the which religion coulde not stande And if we expende the matter well it shall appeare that the same men came against the Apostles which were sent out to take Christ at mount Oliuete as Luke in his Gospell sheweth Let vs here marke who are alwayes like to be the greatest enimies of the Church and doctrine of Christ and authors of persecution Uerily the Priestes that is to say those which take vpon them the gouernance of doctrine and of the whole Church For as soone as they being ouercome with ambition and couetousnesse beginne to seeke priuate honour and chaunge religion into lucre which the storie of the Gospell abundantly declareth those Iewish doctors did Math. 7.23 Iohn 5. c. it can not be chosen but they will be the first to withstand the truth bicause they are the first that are reproued through the light of the truth Hereof we see it commeth to passe in all ages that these kinde of men haue procured most trouble agaynst the doctrine of truth The times that the Prophets liued in declare this to be true against whome the Bishops and Priestes made most a do The same Iohn the Baptist prooued true whose doctrine and Baptisme the Leuites sent from Ierusalem beganne first to reprehend And Christ had no sorer enimies than the Priestes through whose deuises he was taken condemned and nayled to the crosse The Apostles nowe finde the same to be their grieuousest enimies And those whom Pylate and the Romaine garrison hytherto suffred to preache Christ are disturbed by them whose fauour and defence they ought to haue had in setting forth the kingdome of christ Let vs remember this geare and not be troubled though we perceyue those against vs in these dayes which hitherto haue chalenged to themselues in the Church the name of learning and holynesse I meane the Popes with all the rable of Bishops and Monkes For where it is euident they are all ledde with couetousnesse and ambition and haue long since obscured the doctrine of truth with mannes traditions and haue made lucre of religion it cannot be but they must hate the light of the truth and wish the extinguishment thereof But let vs consider the craft which they vse in setting vppon the Apostles First they enter not into the Church alone and so laye hande vpon the Apostles For so all men woulde haue perceyued howe they had beene led with the desire of their priuate honor and lucre And it was a daungerous matter for them to prouoke the furie and rage of the people against them Wherefore they ioyne vnto them the ruler of the Temple who was authorised by publike order to see there shoulde be no businesse made in the Church and so they woulde seeme to haue a regard of publike tranquillitie where in deede they did it for none other purpose but to vse the ayde of the officer for the defence of their tyrannie Then ioyne they also vnto them the Saduceyes men voyde of all religion bicause they thought such meetest for their purpose For such men as these thinke it a poynt eyther of a foolishe or a seditious minde contrary to custome to alter any thing in religion Last of all they rushe in vpon them as they be in their sermon and that sodenly bicause they would feare the people withall Wherevpon we may thinke they had consulted hereof before and that they did nothing at aladuenture or without deliberation The like craft haue all they vsed against the truth which nowe these many yeares haue conspired against the same For Daniel attributeth to Antichrist the eyes of a man that is to say witte and wylinesse to foresee things And Christ sayth the children of this worlde are wyser in their kinde than the children of lyght And surelye if we well consider the hystories of the Bishops of Rome we shall see they haue vsed the lyke wylinesse these many yeares and that they haue then chiefely set forwarde their owne matters when they haue seemed to do nothing lesse and being bolstred vp by the secular powers haue clymed vp to such rule and tyrannie as nowe they exercise So Boniface the thirde made Phocas embrued with the heynous murther of Maurice his maister the Emperour to thintent that he againe might make him the supreme head of the Church So by the strength of the Lumbardes they draue the Emperors of Greece out of Italie and when the Lumbardes seemed to them more intollerable than the Greekes they vsed the Frenchmens ayde to subdue the Lumbardes Neyther made they Charles Emperor of the west Church where the Romaines had bene without an Emperour more than three hundred yeares for any other cause but to haue a Captaine or ruler of the Church whose ayde and helpe they might vse to defende their vsurped power ouer the Church and to brydle such as woulde speake against it They most plainely bewrayed their meaning when they conueyed the Empire to the Germaines and caused the Emperours to sweare homage and obedience to them and reserued the authoritie of confirming and crowning the Emperour to themselues least any other than such as woulde doe after their pleasure should ascende to such dignitie They shall confesse that I say the truth whosoeuer will reade the fourme of oth wherwith the Emperours are bounde and which they haue put among the Canons of their lawe and also the Canon of Boniface the eyght concerning maioritie and obedience For he speaking of two swordes that is of the ecclesiasticall and secular power doth expressely chalenge them both vnto the Bishops of Rome in these words Both are in the power of the Church namely the spirituall swoorde and the materiall But the one to bee exercised of the Church the other for the Church The one by the hande of the Priest the other by the hande of Princes and souldiours but at the becke and sufferaunce of the priest c. Let vs therefore acknowledge the truth of the olde President when we see Bishops fight against the truth with force of kinges Let vs marke the subtiltie of this beast which compasseth hir matters by strength of others Let vs consider hir continuall traueyâ—e in oppressing the truth and not iudge of them according to our leysinesse They wake when we soundly snort Let vs therfore awake likewise and according to Christes admonition beware of men Howbeit it might seeme a straunge and tyrannicall deede violently to carie men awaye without order of lawe Therefore Luke sheweth what their pretence was They tooke it grieuously sayth he that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurrection from the deade In these words he
it is not lyke that the Samaritanes lacked these By the name of the spirite therefore are vnderstanded in this place those moste excellent giftes wherin the primitiue church flourished and which were giuen to the beleeuers in visible wise as in the feast of Pentecost we sawe the Apostles were sodenly replete with the holy spirite These so euident giftes of the holy spirite in the primitiue Church were needefull to be bestowed as well at Samaria as otherwheres to the ende that Christes kingdome might the farther be spred abroade And although now adayes these giftes for the more part are ceased yet this commoditie commeth to vs therby that we knowe the holy Ghost is the President and gouernour of Christes Church as hee promised In this place we haue to consider the industrie of the Apostles For as soone as they heare tell that Philip laboureth at Samaria in the businesse of the Lorde they sende certayne of their company vndesired to helpe him in his traueyle And herein appeereth no maner of way any doltishe ambition For they sende Peter and Iohn whose labors hytherto were more apparant and euident than any others And they are contented to go being appoynted by others not taking vpon themselues alone to sende Legates à latere as they are called And Philip when they come doth not disdainefully reiect them as thrusting their sickles into an other mannes haruest and depriuing him of some part of his honor and glorie but courteously giueth them the place in that Church whose foundation he had first layde Whereby we are taught that ioyning of mindes and mutuall helpe is chiefly to be required in the setting foorth of Christes kingdome But bicause there is no place for these thinges among the ambitious therefore Christ warneth his disciples so often of humilitie Wherevnto if they were giuen in these dayes which haue the rule of Churches they should surely gouerne the Prouinces committed to them more commodiously than they doe But touching rytes and orders they vse none other ceremonie than the laying on of handes which was vsed of Christ least any man shoulde rashlye arrogate to himselfe power or authoritie to alter or chaunge anye thing They make their prayers also before least any one might thinke the holy ghost was bounde to the outwarde ceremonie but that it was giuen of God and that all men might perceiue it was obtayned through prayer And their doyng wanted not a prosperous successe We knowe that of this place the Papistes haue brought in their sacrament of Confirmation but their inuention is so ridiculous and their temeritie so manifest that it deserueth no long confutation It shall be our partes to followe the vnitie of fayth according to the example of the Samaritanes that we also may prosperously growe togither in Christ Iesu our heade and Sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lix. Homelie WHEN Simon sawe that through laying on of the Apostles handes the holy ghost was giuen he offered them money saying Giue me also this power that on whome soeuer I put the handes he may receiue the holy ghost But Peter sayde vnto him thy money perishe with thee bicause thou hast thought that the gift of God may be obteyned with money Thou hast neyther part nor fellowship in this businesse For thy hart is not right in the sight of god Repent therefore of this thy wickednesse and praye God that the thought of thine heart may bee forgiuen thee For I perceyue that thou art full of bitter gall and wrapped in iniquitie Then aunswered Simon and sayd Praye ye to the Lorde for me that none of these things which you haue spoken fall on me THe Euangelist Luke after the common maner of the scriptures doth not onely describe the prosperous successe of the primitiue Church the notable examples of the faythfull but also he sheweth the maners of the false Christians and hypocrytes and the vices that they brought with them into the church So before this he declared the hystory of Ananias and the grutch and quarrell which begunne in the Church And in lykewise now he declareth the horrible example of Simon who did contaminate the profession of fayth with sacrilegall ambition and couetousnesse The vse of all these things is that we should vnderstande how there shall alwayes bee hypocrites in the Church which shall be authors of grieuous offences wherwith the faythfull yet must not be so offended to thinke that all other therfore ought to be condemned or else forsake the Church as we haue seene the Anabaptistes in our dayes doe This place is worthy to be well considered which first declareth Simons sinne next the earnest reprehension of Peter for the same and last of all what Simon thought therof and howe he tooke it Luke comprehendeth Simons fault in fewe wordes saying when hee saw how through laying on of the Apostles handes the holy ghost was giuen he offred them money saying Giue me also this power that on whom so euer I laye handes he may receyue the holy ghost It was declared before howe Simon beleeued and that woondring at the myracles being so straunge hee was among others baptized But he was of their number which although they will not forsake the desires of the fleshe yet being touched with some feare of God will not openly striue against him And these men after a sort for a whyle cloke the corruption of their minde but they cannot alwayes lye hidden And after this sort doth Simon bewraye himselfe and sinneth two maner of wayes For first being puft vp with ambition he desireth to be lyke vnto the Apostles in dignitie of ministerie and so arrogateth to him selfe godlye honor whyle he coueteth to haue such power giuen vnto him that he might after his owne will giue the holy ghost vnto men Nowe vnto ambition couetousnesse is a companion wherewith being blinded hee maketh religion a matter of gayne and lucre and thinketh he maye make merchandize of the giftes of the holy ghost For therfore he would buye this power with money to thintent afterwarde he might make the more gayne of the same Which was to vnholy a cogitation of God and his giftes and farthest of from the meaning of Christ who when he endewed the Apostles with these giftes sayde freely you haue receyued giue freely This example of Simon teacheth vs that pryde is the cause of all euill and as the wiseman sayeth the beginning of sinne This was the cause that made the Aungels to fall And Adam pricked forwarde with pryde became a transgressour of Gods commaundement whyle he would forsooth be lyke vnto god Moreouer dayly examples teach vs that prowde and ambitious men doe nothing right and that such for the most part are most pernicious disturbers of publike weales But whereas the euill of ambition is euery where a pestilent thing in the Churh it is most pestilent of all other For where it once inuadeth the Church it
the exchaungers of money Next vnto these are Kinges Princes and all the great trayne of noble menne in this worlde For superstition is gainefull vnto them also bicause vnder the pretence hereof they prouide for numbers of their children and the defence of their dignitie whyle by their authoritie they thrust them into Bishopprickes Abbacies and Cardynalshippes which perhaps otherwyse should be set to Marchaunts trade or to get their lyuing with their hands which seemeth to them the heynousest matter in the worlde Nowe both these sortes togyther helpe the inferior sort of the commons which lyue eyther by Monkes and priestes or by these nobles For these commons being of a seruile nature and disposition and fearing to dye for famishment are soone perswaded to anye thing by these Demetrij Adde vnto all these such as eyther desire and seeke to lyue lycentiously or else such as follow their pleasures and gaines by mischieuous meanes as are vsurers whoremongers drunkardes hyred Souldyours and all such other lyke For these people bicause their workes be naught would not be reprooued and therefore they wishe the lyght of the gospell which bewrayeth their dooings at once extinguished These I say are the begynners of sedition against the gospell as no man can denye which will dyligently viewe the vsage of our dayes But chiefely Demetrius oration is to be considered the proposition and state whereof is that Paule ought not to be suffered which by his doctrine draweth men from the olde religion He confyrmeth his proposition wyth three reasons or arguments which vse to be of great force in the kinde deliberatiue The fyrst is taken of commoditie or profyte wherevnto the hungryer and poorer sorte haue alwayes a specyall regarde you knowe sayth he that by this craft we haue aduauntage What remayneth then but that you must perishe for hunger if you suffer your occupation to be ouerthrowne by Paules doctrine The second reason he borroweth of necessitie you see and heare that not onely at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia thys Paule hath perswaded c. Therfore this matter can be driuen of or borne with no longer but it is needefull with speede to prouyde a remedie The thirde argument he fetcheth of honestie saying Not onely this our craft commeth into perill to be set at naught but also the Temple of the great Goddesse Diana should be despised and hir magnificence destroyed whome all Asia and the worlde worshyppeth As though he should say O companions what infamie shall we purchase vnto our selues if we suffer that religion to decay amongst vs which hath bene so many ages of so great authoritie in all the worlde Also in this oration appeare the craftes and vsages of the wicked who incensed and led with the desyre of priuate lucre onely wyll yet be counted for the defenders of religion Such an one doth the holye-ghost describe Caiaphas to be Iohn 11. Such are the talkes of the Monkes in these dayes and of all those which vpholde and maintaine Poperie amongst whome a man shall scarce fynde one so plaine as this Demetrius which doth not dissemble but that his chiefest respect was for hys priuate gaine and aduauntage Let vs learne to suspect these clamoures and to marke better wherevnto they tende It appeareth also in this place with what arguments most times the wicked vse to defende their superstition Uerily with the consent of the vnlearned multitude with the authoritie of kings and princes with the pompe and shewe of outwarde holynesse with contynuaunce of tyme but chiefely with the pretence of priuate gaine and aduauntage These things are common nowe a dayes if a man would marke the talke of our aduersaries But it is a foule fault for christians to vse the argumentes of the heathen in matters of religion which ought to be iudged and determyned by scripture onely Fynally by Demetrius owne saying may be gathered what force and power the gospell is of For he confesseth that by Paules teaching in two yeares space that famous temple was brought in daunger which all Asia was in buylding about the space of two hundred and twentie yeares as we declared erewhyle and which the barbarous people spared in the Persian warres where they set fyre on all other churches He complayneth also that all mennes mindes for the most part were turned from worshipping of Diana But it is euident this coulde be done by no mannes power or authoritie We are also taught that men haue then profyted well in the Gospell when their mindes are wholy turned from superstition and Idolatrie For as long as they hang in suspence hereof it is certaine their mindes are not lightened with the truth Let vs therefore examine our selues after this rule and casting awaye all superstition turne with feruent fayth to Iesus Christ our Lorde to whom be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxxix Homelie WHEN they hearde these sayinges they were full of wrath and cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And all the Citie was on a rore and they rushed into the common hall with one assent and caught Gaius and Aristarchus men of Macedonia Paules companions When Paule woulde haue entred in vnto the people the Disciples suffred him not But certayne of the chiefe of Asia which were his friendes sent vnto him desiring him that he woulde not preace into the common hall Some therefore cryed one thing and some another and the congregation was all out of quiet the more part knewe not wherefore they were come togither Some of the company drewe forth Alexander the Iewes thrusting hym forwardes But Alexander beckened with the hande and would haue gyuen the people an aunswere When they knewe that he was a Iewe there arose a showte almost for the space of two houres of all men crying great is Diana of the Ephesians THe Euaungelist Luke by the instinct of the holye Ghost setteth out in thys booke not onely the persecutions layde vppon the Apostles by Magistrates and order of lawe but also the raging seditions of the furious commons amongst which this deserueth to be counted the chiefe which was begonne by Demetrius agaynst Paule at Ephesus The vse of this and all other lyke serueth for two causes speciallye First they serue for the instruction of the Ministers that they be not offended with the tumultes of the seditious commons as at anye straunge and rare thing nor leaue not their duetie vndone for feare of them But rather they must consider that the Church in thys worlde is as it were a Barke or vessell tossed to and fro with wynde and tyde whose Pylate Christ seemeth sometime to be on sleepe as the storie of the gospell declareth Math. 4. Let them also remember that it can not scarcely be chosen but seditions must be bycause there are euerye where so many which can not brooke the doctrine of the gospell for that it maketh eyther agaynst their gaine dignitie or licentious lyuing And our sauyour Christ prophecied
which they haue matched in authoritie with the Scriptures and haue commaunded men payne of death to receyue and beléeue them before the Scriptures He sayth iâ— conâ—erteth or turneth the soule that is to say it maketh him that readeth them a newe man a repentant person a faythfull beléeuer and a godly liuer So farre it is from peruerting or corrupting any godly student thereof He calleth it a sure and faithfull testimonie of the Lorde whereas mannes policies councels and deuises are alwayes vncertaine chaungeable and vnsure It giueth wisedome vnto the simple Why then shoulde they be kept from it Uerily this hath bene Gods practise in all ages as appeareth by all hystories that he hath reuealed his worde and will to no kinde of people sooner than vnto those that are simple as may be séene by those thankes that our Sauiour Christ gaue to God his father in the behalfe of his Disciples being but simple Clarkes saying I thanke thee O God fathâ—r of heauen and earth for that thou hast hidden these things verilye the vnderstanding of his kingdome from the wise that is to saye the great Doctors in their owne conceyte and in the worldes iudgement and hast reuealed them vnto the simple that is to the vnlearned and despysed wightes of this worlde For so doth Chrysostome expounde the wordes Rusticall people and Ideotes sayth he â–ª were illuminated persons of small account in the worlde or in the knowledge of God but not of obstinacie but ignoraunce If our new Diuines would admit these sayings of Christ and Chrysostome they shoulde soone perceyue how vnchristianly they speake and also howe vnlyke the olde Doctors whyle they raue and fare so fowle wyth poore Artificers and Craftesmen whome it hath pleased God in these dayes so to enriche with his spirite that when they haue bene called before these our newe Rabbines they haue shewed more true Diuinitie than all the whole Sinagoge of them were able I report me to Eusebius Ecclesiasticall hystory and to our owne entituled the Actes and Monumentes of the Church But Dauid goeth on saying The statutes of the Lorde are right and reioyce the heart the commaundement of the Lorde is pure and giueth light to the eyes The feare of the Lorde is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgementes of the Lorde are true and righteous altogither More to be desired are they than golde yea than much fine golde sweeter also than hony and the bony combe Moreouer by them is thy seruant taught What I warraunt you this olde Diuine Dauid neuer ment that they taught eyther heresie or error In diuers other places of his Psalter maye be séene the earnest exhortations that he maketh to all the people to heare the worde of God as in the .xlix. Psalme O heare ye this all ye people ponder it with your eares all ye that dwell in the worlde High and lowe rich and poore one with another What shoulde they heare euen that that immediately followeth howe his mouth shall speake of wisedome and his heart muse of vnderstanding Here are none excluded from hearing what Dauid shall say but such as dwell in Vtopia The Diuines therefore that will barre any dwellers in this worlde from hearing or reading of Dauid must there go preache this doctrine Agayne Wherewithall shall a yong man clense his waye euen by ruling himselfe after thy worde Againe Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes Againe When thy worde goeth forth it giueth light and vnderstanding euen vnto the simple Againe Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the worlde yong men and maydens olde men and children prayse the name of the Lord. Here by an enumeration of al states and degrées sexes and ages may we sée that none are secluded from praysing the Lorde which then is done moste acceptablye when we sing prayse vnto him as the same Dauid sayth with vnderstanding which vnderstanding we can not haue without his worde Infynite more places there be in the Psalter to this effect as the diligent Reader thereof shall finde whereof this is one verye notable and therefore not to be omitted Out of the mouthes of very babes sucklings hast thou ordeyned strength that thou mightest still the enimy and the auenger It is the more notable for that Christ alleageth it in the .xxj. of Mathewe agaynst the Scribes and Phariseyes in defence of the people which so thankefully welcommed and receyued him into Ierusalem in the same sense that it is here brought for But let vs nowe come to the testimonies of the newe Testament Our Sauiour Christ hauing to doe with those Iewes which of all other in the worlde at that time most gloried in the knowledge of God and his religion bicause they had Bishoppes whose succession they coulde shewe by order euen from Aaron and therefore had antiquitie ynough hauing Scribes Phariseyes Sadduceyes Essenes Nobles Communes and all the worlde on their side yet did he plainly tell them that they erred and were deceyued for that they vnderstoode not the Scriptures For to the Sadduceyes which allowed no part of the olde Testament but the bookes of Moses denying the resurrection for that they imagined if there were any men shoulde knowe their wiues as they had before done in the worlde as appeareth by their captious and foolishe demaunde Christ aunswered yee erre not vnderstanding the Scriptures and power of God. Where we maye plainely learne that ignoraunce in the Scripture is the cause of error contrary to these newe Diuines assertion that saye Ignorance is the mother of deuotion Whereas true deuotion cannot be without the true vnderstanding of Gods will and his will by no meanes ordinary can be vnderstanded but by his worde Therefore to auoyde errour it is moste méete that people haue the Scriptures to search and vnderstande the will of God by Another time hauing to doe with the Phariseyes also as these two sectes of men were the greatest assaylantes that Christ euer had whereby we learne it is no newe practise that they most persecute Christes Church that challenge most authoritie and learning in the same he bade them for that they séemed to haue such exact knowledge in the worde of God and yet knew not that he was that Messias and Sauiour that God had promised them to search better in the Scriptures and they shoulde finde that the Scriptures in all places did testifye and beare witnesse that he was the same Whereby Christ plainly giueth vs to vnderstande that without the Scriptures we cannot truly knowe him These two places declare sufficiently howe necessarye the Scriptures are for all that will knowe Christ. We will adde two other testimonies to shewe howe profitable they are S. Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines sayth Whatsoeuer thinges haue bene written afore time they haue bene written for our learning that through pacience and comfort of the Scriptures we might haue hope They are
Tertullian in his booke against Praxeas prooueth that the rather and selder places must be expounded by the mo and oâ—tener And Chrysostome among many places hath one verie notable in his first Homely vpon Mathew where he sayth The Scriptures are easie to be vnder standed of the bondman of the Ploughman of the wydowe of the childe and of him that seemeth to be verie slender witted Howbeit though they will after a sort let passe other scriptures as vncomptrolled yet Paules wrytings and Epistles of all other séeme very harde vnto them and that they woulde séeme to prooue by Peters wordes in the thirde Chapter of his seconde Epistle whereas God knoweth all other scriptures euen the easiest are alike harde to such as Peter speaketh of For they be vnlearned and vnconstant and fickle persons which peruert and turne them to their owne destruction But will you heare what Chrysostome aunswereth to this obiection speaking of Paules Epistle to the Romaines in his Preface vpon the same that you maye sée there is none so pieuishe an obiection of these newe Diuines but the same is aunswered by some olde Doctor or other if they be well searched Ignorance sayth Chrysostome is not the cause hereof he meaneth that they vnderstoode not the Epistle to the Romaines but that they will not continually haue in their handes the writings of this holy man For that which we our selues knowe if peraduenture we know ought at all we know it not by the pregnancie and goodnesse of our owne wit but for that we be so entirely affectioned to that man that we neuer cease reading of him For they that loue men knowe more of their doings than other men as being more carefull for their louâ—rs than other are And therevpon concluding he sayth Wherfore if you also can finde in your harts earnestly and diligentlye to bestowe your labour in reading him there shall bee nothing else required of you For Christes saying is true Seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And surely Chrysostome spake not this to Priestes and religious men onely but to all his Church of Constantinople and vniuersally to as many as shoulde reade his workes And he sayeth further in his .vij. homely to the Hebrewes in reproofe of those that vsed not to looke vpon the scriptures No man will take heede sayth he vnto the Scriptures For if we woulde marke them we shoulde not only keepe our selues from errour but deliuer other also that are deceyued out of the same and pull them out of daunger Moreouer vpon the seconde of Genesis the .xiij. Chapter he sayth Let vs come to the scope and marke of the holy Scripture which expoundeth it selfe And againe The holy Scripture expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Tertullian also one of the first wryters next the Apostles in his Apologie for the Christians sayth He that will harken to the Scriptures shall finde God and he that will studie to vnderstand them shall be enforced to beleue them These places of Doctors as well of the Latine Church as of the Gréeke are sufficient ynough to teach and perswade any reasonable bodye the iudgement that the whole Church vniuersall had both as touching the Scriptures to be had and read of all men and also to prooue the facilitie and easinesse of them to be vnderstanded and so consequently mine assertion and howe Catholikely our Church doth and like vnto the Primitiue Church in permitting all persons indifferently to haue the Scriptures to looke and reade in to their instruction and vnderstanding And if any of these newe Diuines will not herewith be satisfyed but will yet vrge custome authoritie of Predecessors and such lyke weake instances for their new Mumpsimus rather than they will yéelde to this olde Sumpsimus then let vs aunswere them roundly thus with the words of S. Hierome vpon the .ix. chap. of Ieremie saying Neyther must the error of our parents nor forefathers be followed but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commaundement of God teaching vs. And though they crie out neuer so much they haue the Scriptures whereby to prooue their opinions which God wote many a time they apply to their purpose as handsomely as the deuill did when he reasoned with Christ in the wildernesse and as the olde and new Heretikes did and doe which as they say so we likewise affirme doe accloy the Church in déede very much then let vs aunswere them with Tertullian saying thus in his booke of the fleshe or true manhoode that Christ tooke Let all Heretikes sayth he vse his scriptures whose worlde they also vse This shall serue for a testimonye of their condemnation that they decke and furnishe their blasphemies with his examples And if they will haue Councels to decyde and controll all controuersies whereof consist they I pray you not of men What are menne such creatures as cannot erre Then shoulde they be no men The best Doctors in the Church haue erred in some part or other of their writings or at least haue thought they might erre I report me else to their owne sayinges in their bookes to be founde in euery place where they neuer arrogate to themselues anye such prowde priuiledge and immunitie from erring as the late loftie Prelates of Rome hath done but with all lowlynesse submit their writinges to the Scriptures and to those that shall see or perceyue more in them than they haue done yea requiring men fréely to finde fault and correct where they haue not attayned to the truth This woulde they neuer haue done if they had knowne or thought they coulde not haue erred And what one of the Popes can we name in the Church for this sixe hundred yere or more comparable eyther in life or learning with any one of these olde Doctors which thus modestlye haue written of themselues And shall we thinke better men than these Doctors haue met in the Councels since their dayes I say no more but I woulde there had mette so good They will yet saye Heresies haue bene alwayes confuted in Councelles and I saye Heresies haue bene alwayes confirmed in Councels Did not the Councell at Ariminum in Italie holde and conclude with the Arrianes Did not the seconde Councell at Ephesus holde with Entiches Did not the Councell at Chalcedon so fowly erre that they woulde haue giuen to Leo then Bishop of Rome the title of supremacie and vniuersall Bishop which he refused wherein surely he erred not But what they since haue done that by slaughter and murther and other such vniust meanes haue vsurped it both heauen and earth knoweth The Councell also gathered by Cyprian at Carthage did grieuouslye erre enacting that they that were baptised by Heretikes shoulde be baptised againe before they woulde receiue them into their Church And the Councell at Constance did moste abhominably consent in error to robbe Gods people of the one halfe of Christes sacrament What did the late Councell at Trent being fouretéene yeares
case both here in our coūtrie and abrode who list to marke and consider them True it is that christians haue bene made away and murthered vpon verye light and tryfling occasions and are also at this daye where tyrants doe reigne For in Tertullians dayes which liued about two hundreth and nine yeares after Christ If the riuer Tybris at Rome had flowed vp to the walles if Nilus the riuer in Aegypt had not watered their fieldes if there had bene no raine if there had bene anye earthquake dearth or plague by and by the people would crye to haue the Christians throwne to the Lions And all this was to ridde the countrie of them and to deface their beliefe and doctrine But what followed hereof Uerily nothing lesse than they wéened For Tertullian tolde them plainely Torment racke condemne and make vs awaye and your vniust dealing with vs is but a tryall of our innocencie Therefore God suffreth vs to suffer this at your handes The more exquisite your crueltie is towarde vs the more it allureth to take our partes And whereas they call vs Sectaries as then they did the Christians lette vs reioyce in that we see our quarrell and theirs our slaunders and theirs so like and tell them as Tertullian telleth Scapula the Romanes President that this sect shall not fayle or decay but the more it seemeth to be cut downe the more let them be assured it is builded vp And considering what they be that are our condemners Let vs also saye Such and such consecrators of our condemnation we reioyce in For as Tertullian sayde whosoeuer knoweth him meaning Nero must needes vnderstande that of force it must be some singuler good thing that he woulde condemne so may we as truely say of Boner Storye and such like that haue condemned our faythfull brethren and sisterne that whosoeuer knewe what they were how they liued and howe they dyed must néedes know also that it coulde be none other than good that they woulde condemne And therefore lette vs saye to them with Tertullian for a short aunswere when you condemne vs God pardoneth vs. Wherfore let vs not feare them that can kill the body but then can doe no more ne yet that but when God permitteth but rather let vs feare him that can cast both body and soule into the fire of hell which is Iesus Christ our Sauiour knowing that he will crowne all those that striue lawfully and continue vnto the ende to him therefore with the father and the holy ghost thrée persons and one eternall maiestie of godheade all honor power and glory be now and euer worlde without ende Amen To the Noble and honorable Consuls and whole Senate of the famous Common weale of Zurich his verye good Lordes and Maysters Raufe Gualthere Tigurine wisheth grace and peace from God the father through Iesus Christ our Lorde IT is an olde custome and confirmed by examples of holy Fathers that the professours of good Artes and learning vse to dedicate the fruites of theyr studyes eyther to theyr friendes or to men of honour and authoritie whereby to procure eyther their fauour and good wyll or else to make them defenders of their labours and paynes And whereas I haue thought good most honourable Lordes and fathers to dedicate my labors vpon the Actes of the Apostles chiefly vnto you many and weightie causes haue mooued me therevnto For priuately your liberalitie towarde mee required the same and publikely the continuall care that you haue to profite your countrey and religion in generall enforced me to shew myne alleageance good hart towards you with some dutie of gratitude thankfulnesse Wherby that feruent desire that you beare vnto godlinesse might be set forth with the publike testimonie of our Church whose example now many yeres diuers excellent states of common weales haue not bene ashamed to ymitate Howbeit to tell you the playne truth the chiefe cause of this my dooyng was for that I perceyued the matter of this booke and the consideration therof appertayned vnto you principally For in this boke is conteyned a most absolute paterne and forme of Christes vniuersall Church which it behooueth all such as are in authoritie beare rule well to knowe and vnderstande For those men that say temporall magistrates haue nothing to doe but with temporall matters and woulde haue them vtterlye to abstaine from entermedling in ecclesiasticall affayres are in no wyse to be regarded which men seeme to mee to be of opinion that they would haue common weales exempt from Gods prouidence without the which the verye Gentyles perceyued they coulde not stande or be preserued And who knoweth not that sentence of the Godly and princely Prophete Except the Lorde keepe the citie the watcheman waketh but in vayne Which also exhorteth kings and Princes to suffer themselues to be instructed in the word of God and to kisse and reuerence Iesus Christ the sonne of god But to what ende should kings be taught the word if there be no vse of the same in the administration of the common weale And howe shall they kisse or reuerence Christ if they neglect his Church which he esteemeth dearer than the apple of his eye yea than his life And how can they neglect that body whereof if they be not members vnder Christ their head they can not be saued We must hearken rather vnto Esaias who prophecying of Christes Church amonge other thinges sayth Kinges and Queenes shall be thy Nurrices In which wordes he seemeth not so much to comfort the Church as to sette foorth the office and dignitie of Kinges and Rulers which chiefly appeareth in this that God doth vouchsafe to commit vnto them the care of his Church which he hath redemed with the bloud of his sonne In dede we must confesse that God hath herein no neede of mans helpe if he would vse his absolute perelesse power Neyther deny we that many times Churches are increased and defended rather by the power and vnspeakeable councell of God than by the industrie of man But this commeth not so to passe bicause God disalloweth the care and dutie of Magistrates but that it might appeare howe all prayse and glorie is to be ascribed to him onely bicause no man should thinke religion depended more vppon the will of man than vppon Gods prouidence In the meane season such is the goodnesse of God that he doth vouchsafe to take men to be hys coadiutors helpers by their ministery to regenerate his elect people through the word defendeth the same vnder godly magistrates against the rage of this world in the midle of present daungers on euery side that they may liue in peace rest as farre forth as is conuenient for their faith and saluation And that this is the will of God not only the scriptures testifie but the whole consent of all nations doth likewise proue the same Certes in that golden world of the Patriarkes we read that one man was both king and
priest But when God afterward vnder the law would haue these offices seuered yet ordeyned he a great coniunction and amitie betweene the kinges and priestes least eyther the kings shoulde reigne without religion or the Priestes by them not cared for and regarded might at the pleasure of wicked men bee misused Wherevnto also maye be referred howe God when he first gaue his lawe vnto the Iewes chose Moses and Aaron which were brothers germaine committed to the one the charge of the Tabernacle and Gods whole seruice and to the other the ordering of the common weale therby teaching vs that then both Churches and common weales are in most safetye when brotherly concord and agreement is betweene both these administrations This thing all those iudges and kinges well perceyued which are commended in the Scriptures for their well gouerning the common wealth Such as we reade chiefly Gedeon Samuel Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias were with whome if a man would compare the residue that the holy ghost hath noted as naught he shall find this to bee the cause as well of priuate as publike calamitie that they haue thought the worde of GOD and care of religion hath eyther nothing belonged vnto them or else that they might dallye and playe with the same at their pleasure And if we will reade the Hystoryes of the Gentyles it shall appeare they were woonderfullye deceyued in the knowledge of the true GOD and that therefore they polluted the seruice of God with horrible errours And yet they firmelye helde this as a generall rule and principle that common weales coulde not be happely gouerned without the true worshippe of God and knowledge of his will which was the cause that they greatly reuerenced the Philosophers as professours of rare and singuler wisedome and in doubtfull affayres asked counsell at the Gods and in erecting of Temples Altars and Images to them spared no kinde of lauishe and cost Uerilye the people of Athens whose Citie was compted as a publike vniuersâ—tie and schoole of wisedome so thought the care of religion belonged vnto them that amonge the articles of publike othe ministred to their Citizens this was the chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say for the Temples and seruice of the Coddes I will fight both alone and in company These menne thought that whosoeuer were desirous eyther of publike peace or priuate thryft ought to haue a speciall regarde of Gods honor Let no man therefore accuse me of temeritie if I saye that such are destitute of common sense and blinder than the prophane Gentyles which crie out the care of the Churche and religion belongeth not to temporall Magistrates and rulers And I thinke I shall not do much amisse if I say that such are to be auoided as the publike and open enimies of mankind For take away religion from man and what shal remaine wherin he shall differ from the brute beasts â–ª we see in them like motions of affections as are in wild beasts And if they were not bridled with the feeling of religion they woulde burst out at euerye occasion and the more they are armed with authoritie and with the sword the more harme they woulde doe Therfore that we offende not through the bolde and preposterous wisedome of the flesh it shall be verie profitable to haue a true paterne and forme of a Church for men to follow in their Councels that desire eyther to mainteyne the Church or else to reforme it being fallen in decay This paterne the holy scriptures in euerie place set out vnto vs and while the lawe endured it did set forth vnto vs all the partes thereof vnder the figure of the Tabernacle and in the time of the Prophetes vnder the allegorie of a spouse a flocke a vineyarde the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem A most absolute and euident paterne or President of the Church this booke comprehendeth and setteth foorth vnto vs declaryng that the same so grewe and increased as the Prophetes once described it vnto vs bicause none shall saye that we still had in our mouth such a Church as neyther was euer vpon the earth or euer shall bee as wise men vsed sometymes to saye of Plato his common weale For although wee shall hereafter see the accomplishment and full perfection of the church in heauen yet doth this booke set before vs such a president therof that whosoeuer frame themselues thereafter shall be members of that heauenly and perfite church and shall also vnderstand what way is best to take in preseruing and reforming their Churches and shall be offended at no chaunces of aduersitie nor yeelde to the dreames of such as obtrude vnto vs a straunge forme of Church saying our predecessours wanted many things which holye fathers afterwarde ordeyned and were receyued and established by authoritie of generall Councels For where this booke conteyneth in it an Hystorie of about xxviâ—j yeares settyng out vnto vs the Actes done in the Church ouer all the worlde besides the sermons of the Apostles their Counselles their sayings and doyngs aswell publike as priuate opened in a plaine and sufficient narration or discourse who will not say but hee is impudent that will affirme there are diuers other thinges necessarie vnto saluation which wee knowe the true Christian Church in the Apostles tyme had not Furthermore what arrogancie were it to contende with the Apostles whome the sonne of God appoynted to bee the teachers of all the worlde and to be witnesses of his doings as though wee were able of our selues to inuent or deuise a more absolute and perfite thing than they It shall also be very profitable to marke the trade and order of this Primitiue Church as out at a loupe or creuise and the chiefe poyntes thereof which Luke sayth sprang first of the word of God after Christ was ascended into heauen and from thence had sent his holy spirite through whose inspiration the Apostles beganne to preach the Gospell vnto the worlde and to bring disciples or beleeuers vnto christ Wherevppon wee gather that they which either will be members of Christes Church their selues or bring other to the communion and felowshippe thereof must beginne with the wholesome doctrine of the worde of god For where by byrth we are the children of wrath wee must needes be regenerated from aboue to become the children of god The seede of this regeneration is the eternall worde of God which beeing preached by the ministerie of man but quickened in the myndes of the hearers by the power of the spirite renueth the whole nature of man so that his fleshe being mortified he lyueth onely vnto GOD through Christ who not long before being estraunged from God lyued vnto sinne And the Apostles taught but one vniforme doctrine of the worde in all places the which worde Christ himselfe distributed into hys partes when he first commaunded repentaunce to be preached in his name and then next forgiuenesse of sinnes And although the Apostles had not alwayes
you also most honourable Lordes haue followed For where GOD did vouchsafe about .xxxix. yeares past to illuminate our Countrey Heluetia with the light of his word and to call it from the darknesse of superstition into the brightnesse of his Gospell you thinking there was no longer lingring to be made began aduisedly and seriously to consider howe Christes kingdome might be restored in your common weale Therefore you thought it good out of hande to mooue the Bishoppes and specially him of Constantia to whose charge your whole Countrey belonged to laye to their handes with you in abolishing of abuses and superstition and to take order for the reforming of the Church with your aydes and assistaunce But whyle they forgetting their vocation and dutyes made delayes you thought it shoulde be much to your shame and reproche to see their negligence anye longer hinder the publike saluation and glorie of God and therefore for that you woulde not want of your duties you were the Capitaynes and beginners of so godly an enterprice your selues following the examples of Ezechias Iosias Constantine and diuers others which we reade in tymes passed did the like with great commendation when the ministers and Bishops of the Church were founde slacke in their office For appoynting a publike and generall assemblie of all the Ministers both in your Citie and whole territorie you willed them to deliberate and conferre among themselues out of the word of God touching the chiefe pointes and articles of fayth and religion And there were that earnestlye withstoode this your deuise saying the determination of this matter belonged not to the iudgement of one common weale or Prince but to the authoritie of an vniuersall and generall councell Howbeit their authoritie was of no such force with you that it coulde make you looke behinde you after you had once set your hande vnto the plough And therefore your godly begunne enterprise did prosperouslye proceede For in that disputation the truth had the victorie and that in such sorte that the greatest part of them that came to assault the same yeelded therevnto of their owne accorde and thought their greatest prayse and glorie to consist herein that God had giuen them grace to bee so happely ouercome and to follow Christes Chariot in triumph From that daye forwarde you neuer ceased to deuise and doe all such thinges as you perceyued did appertaine to the glorie of Christes kingdome For you purged and rydde your Churches of the drosse and filthinesse of Images and Aultares and cleered Christes doctrine from the pernitious inuentions of mans traditions enacting by publike authoritie that none shoulde eyther reduce and bring againe the superstitions abolished or else teach the flocke of Christ any thing disagreeable to the doctrine of the Gospell The vse and administration of the Sacraments you caused to be brought to the fourme and order first instituted you caused prayers aswell publike as priuate to be duely ordered and whatsoeuer other duetyes of true fayth you caused to be exercysed according to the prescription of Apostolyke doctrine yea you caused your publike lawes and discipline of maners to be refourmed after the rule of the gospell And bicause no man should think you did these thinges eyther for desire of priuate lucre or for that you delited in nouelties you had a speciall regard that others might haue the whole fruite and auayle of the reformation and your selues all the payne and labour in reforming For you did not lyke sweepestakes rape and reue the Church goodes into your handes nor put any man eyther of nobilitie or of the Church from theyr right For those which were deceyued and caryed with the common sway of ignoraunce you laboured to winne by friendly and brotherly instruction and did not vncurteously cast them of Wherby it came to passe that they which were best witted amonge them did afterwarde great good seruice to Christ and to his Church and other whome eyther age or dulnesse of wit hindered you suffered paciently to enioy their goodes and reuenues bicause they shoulde haue no occasion eyther to make complaint or tumult And whatsoeuer of those goodes fell to your administration was appoynted partlye for the building and mainteyning of schooles and partly for the sustentation and relieuing of the poore For you vsed in liberall wyse to mainteyne not onely the professors of sciences and tongues but also certaine studentes of the same to the number of fourescore with continuall stipende and exhibition insomuch that the most part of them which at this day preach Christ in your Citie and Countrey which haue in them about an hundred and fortie parishes are bounde and beholden to your liberalitie for the rowme and place that they now are in And such was your dexteritie in handling all these matters wisedome in taking counsell about them and modestie in executing them that the thing which seemed impossible to be done was easily brought to passe insomuch that within short space of time in a free nation without any feare of publike tumult or sedition with great approbation of the people all these things that we haue spoken of were both taken in hand and brought to an ende For although they which thought Poperie was gainefull and therfore coulde not well brooke the ouerthrowe thereof attempted oftentimes many things yet through the singuler benefite of God their enterpryses were alwayes in vaine and the tempestes by them raysed were chased away by the wholesome breath of our heauenly father Where according to the precept of Christ both the simplicitie of Doues and wisedome of Serpentes appeared in your deuyses For as often as your aduersaryes went about eyther by flatterie and fayre promises or by fearefull menaces to withdrawe you from your purpose or at least woulde haue perswaded you to haue left all controuersie in religion to the iudgement of the Bishops and Clergie you still aunswered them both wisely and plainly after this sort that you coulde not nor woulde not denie or reiect such thinges as you had learned out of Gods worde were true and that you were readie to render a reason of your beliefe to any man that shoulde demaunde it of you yea that you woulde willingly yeelde to any man that coulde conuince you of error â–ª by the holy Scripture and coulde teach you a better waye of saluation than you helde Diuers your aunsweres of lyke kinde and tenour there are wherewith you stopped the mouthes of a great many and wherein still maye be read that saying of the Apostles Whether it be right before â—od to hearken vnto you rather than God iudge you For we cannot choose but speake those things which we haue both seene and heard Againe We ought rather to obey God than men Therefore the heauenly grace of the eternall God fauoured and prospered so godly enterprises whereby it came to passe that your common weale hath most happily escaped all kinde of tribulations and at this day in the middle of the horrible and daungerous styrres
daily 583. Aduersaries to Gods doctrine who were in tymes passed 4. Whereof wee shoulde take comfort in aduersitie 807 How we should vse the promises of God in aduersitie 809. Wee must confirme our fayth in aduersitie ibidem A ante E. The deliuery out of Egypt was a figure of oure saluation in Christ. Pag. 298.314 Aeneas sicke of the palsey is healed Pag. 418. Acquitie in an Heathen Captayne Psal. 797. The Aethiopian is conuerted 376. The Aethiopian is described 377. The Aethiopian teacheth vs that saluation and all thing thervnto belonging commeth of the meere grace of God. 389. The Aethiopians are vnder the kingdome of God according to the Oracles of the Prophetes 376. A ante F. Afflictions remayne for them that ioyne them to the church 325. Afflictions what good they doe vnto the godly 101. Afflictions ought to be an argument of ioy and comfort 271. Afflictions are ouercome wyth constaunt fayth 328 Affliction and aduersitie are not alwayes tokens that God is angrie ibidem Afflictions of the godly and wicked are not all of one sort 102. Which waye afflictions maye bee auoyded ibidem God seeth the afflictions of hys people 328. What the ende of Gods afflictions is 151. The causes of afflictions 269. The godlye haue warning of their afflictions 744. The afflictions of the godlye must offend no man as straunge 263. The afflicted God assisteth 308. Wee must doe good to the afflicted Pag. 809. A ante G. Agabus telleth Paule he shoulde bee put in bandes 766. Agrippa and Bernice 840. Agrippa is skilfull in the Iewes affayres 847. Agrippa is a figure of such as in this worlde choake the seede of Gods worde with cares 867. A ante L. Alexandria Schoole 697. Almesse is a woorke of mercy 427. What this worde almesse conteyneth in it 419. A ante M. Ambition is a pernitious thinge Pag. 24. Ambition in the Church is moste pesâ—ilent 370. and. 371. Ambrose his constancie 358. A ante N. Anabaptistes 463. Anabaptistes confuted which thinke it vnlawfull to come in our Churches or companie 241. Anabaptists are lyke to the Essenes Pag. 803. Anabaptists keepe a perillous coyle whyle they racke things belonging to straungers and those of full age vnto christians children keeping them from baptisme 385. Anabaptistes are barbarous people despysing the knowledge of tongues in a Mynister of the Church 83. The Anabaptists confuse and seditious comminitiâ— of goodes is improued and confuted 147. Anabaptistes dote in going about to condemne the baptisme of infants Pag. 367. The Anabaptistes errour which say it is not meete that a Christian should possesse anye thing of hys owne 143. The Anabaptists errour in the disordred coÌ„munity of their goods 225. The Anabaptistes disorder saying it is vnmeete for a christian to were a weapon 432. Anabaptistes are reprooued of obstinacie for that they wil yeelde no account of their fayth before the magistrates 829. The Anabaptistes temeritie forsaking such Churches as seeme to haue any imperfection in them 275 The Anabaptistes madnesse will not suffer the chyldren of the christians to bee receyued into the Church Pag. 185. and 135. Ananias and Sapphira tempted the spirite of the Lorde 236. Ananias and Sapphiras consent in sinne deserued to be punished 237. Ananias is a figure of such as robbe God of his honor 230. Ananias is a figure of false Christians 229. Ananias lyed vnto the holye ghost Pag. 221. Ananias is kylled by the worde of of Gods iudgement pronounced Pag. 233. Howe great the sinne of Ananias was 229. What the holye ghost iudgeth of Ananias sinne 230. Ananias punishment 232. Ananias is called to ordeyne Paule an Apostle 399. Ananias fearefully findeth delayes agaynst the expresse commaundement of God. 401. Ananias is encouraged of God. ibideÌ„ Ananias calleth Paule brother 405 Ananias layeth hys handes vppon Saule ibidem Ananias commended of Paule for hys godlynesse 399. Ananias obedience 404. Ananias boldenesse 405. Ananias discription 788. Ananias oration vnto Paule 789. Ananias called paynted walle of Paule 800. An Aungell of GOD is sent vnto Paule 878. Aungell of God calleth Moses 325. Aungels Ministery 494. and 495 Angels are seruauntes and keepers of the elect 246. Aungels appearings 38. Aungels haue holpen men in visible wise 36. Aungels Ministery is an argument of Gods goodnesse 428. Aungels ministerie howâ— excellent it is 376. Antichrist sitteth in the Church of God. 282. Antichristes spirite is in them that preache not Christ. 403. Antioche Church referre their controuersie to the Apostles 588. Antioch Church commended 508. Antichristian Prelates pride 256. A ante P. Apparitions of spirits or soules 541. Apostleship whence it hath authoritie 71. The Apostles doctrine must bee referred to the holy ghost 20. The Apostles storie must be ioyned with the Gospell and for what cause 9. Apostles are ordeyned of God. 58. The Apostles doctrine must bee beleeued bycause it is inspired of God. 9. The dignitie and authoritie of the Apostles doctrine 8. The summe of the Apostles doctrine 407. Who must be appoynted to the office of an Apostle 63. The profite that commeth of the ordinaunce and calling of the Apostles 58. The profite of studying the Apostles 711. The Apostles receyue commaundementes of Christ. 9. The Apostles after they had receyued the holye ghost spake wyth straunge and diuers languages 82 The Apostles are accused of sedition and seducing of the people 633. The Apostles after their afflictions returne with more boldnesse to do their office 579. The Apostles had their authoritie of hym that sent them 71 Apostles whypped and cast in pryson 634. The Apostles after their whypping prayse God and praye vnto hym Pag. 636. How the Apostles were chosen 66 The Apostles are Christes witnesses and what the duetie of an Apostle is 30. The Apostles preach to the people of Cyprus 200. The Apostles refuse to obeye the counselles decree and for what cause 209. and 210. The Apostles dyd all thing by the guyding and authoritie of the spyrite 620. The Apostles are sette at libertie for feare of the people 212. The Apostles are the Preachers of Gods truth 78. The Apostles teache in the Sinagoge at Iconium 560. The Apostles commende the Churches vnto the Lorde 585. The Apostles preach the gospel constantly 251. The Apostles beyng delyuered out of prison are commaunded to execute their office 246. The Apostles exhort vs to perseueraunce 581. The Apostles boldely wythstande the Iewes attempts 550. The Apostles flye from Iconium and preach in an other place 563. The Apostles reioyce in slaunders and reproches and why 270. The Apostles by their gestures repell godly worship 570. The Apostles retourne to Ierusalem 42. The Apostles what they doe beyng gathered togyther at Ierusalem Pag. 47. The Apostles excommunicate incurable persons 551. The Apostles preache in the houses of the faythfull 272. The Apostles are called afore the Counsell 197. The Apostles purge them selfe of disobedience new doctrine and sedition 258. The Apostles go into Pisidia 519. The Apostles continue in prayers at Ierusalem and in vnanimitie
and perseueraunce 47. The Apostles remayne at Ierusalem 357. The Apostles did leade about no other mennes wyues 45. The Apostles did thrust nothing into the church of their owne authoritie 569. The Apostles obey the angell 248. The Apostles perceyuing a grutch to aryse in the Primitiue Church consult for a redresse in tyme. 276. The Apostles acknowledge themselues to be but felowes 90. The Apostles preach the Gospell at Perga 585. The Apostles haue taught vs fullye all thinges needefull to our saluation 743. The Apostles depart from Philippi Pag. 645. The Apostles preache the worde of God. 512. The Apostles are not to bee inuocated bicause of the myracles they wrought 892. The Apostles are put in the common Iayle 244. What the Apostles were before they receyued the holy ghost and what after 89. and 90. What maner of God the Apostles preached 163. What the Apostles did at Pisidia of Antioch 519. The Apostles returne to the Cities from whence they were dryuen Pag. 580. The Apostles referre all matters to the church 214. The Apostles are brought backe againe to the councell 252. Why Christ chose rude and vnlearned men to be his Apostles 204. The Apostles boldly withstand the seditious 564. The Apostles giue the holye ghost vnto the Samaritanes 368. The Apostles appoynt Elders in euery church 583. The Apostles are Christes sworne witnesses and whereof they must beare witnesse 786.63.123 The Apostles beare wytnesse of Christ in Samaria and preach the worde of God in all townes and villages 375. The Apostles are despised persons of none account 44. The Apostles are beaten with rods Pag. 267. The Apostles ascribe all thinges to God as to the author of them 9. The Apostles deedes after Christs ascention 42. The Apostles actes were done by the holy ghost 9. The Apostles equalitie 64. The Apostles authoritie in the church was equall 70. The Apostles communitie 143. The Apostles constancie 209.257 and. 262.553 The Apostles boldenesse in defending the truth 257.262 The Apostles grosse question touching the kingdome of Christ the cause of their errour and howe manifolde it was 24.25 The Apostles state when the holye ghost was sent 76. The Apostles saying concerning the appointing of deacons 277. The Apostles doctrine was no new doctrine 538. The Apostles office and doctrine is the benefite of God. 9 The Apostles doctrine howe it was accepted of the worlde 190. The Apostles and Ministers duetie 64. The Apostles fayth and trustynesse Pag. 124. The Apostles enimies and authors of their persecution 191. The Apostles contynuance in preaching 272. The Apostles industrie and modestie 368.758 The Apostles render a reason whye they are sent  The Apostles Sermons 730. The Apostles slippes and falles is no derogation to their doctrine Pag. 55. What the Apostles miracles were Pag. 891.892 The Apostles modestie 758. The Apostles names and why they are so often cyted 44. The duetie of the Apostles inioyned of God. 30.64.417.790 Why the Apostles iourneys are so 〈◊〉 described 759. The Apostles set wholy at lybertie Pag. 642. The Apostles first woorke done in the Ministerie 49. The Apostles common exercyses Pag. 239. The Apostles state while they preached the gospell on earth 4. The Apostles testimonie touching Christ and his resurrection 537. The Apostles wyues 45. The Apostles threatened with death Pag. 262. The Apostles are not suffered to to preache before they bee well instructed 80. A ante Q. Aquilas is Paules hoste 678. A ante R. Aristarchus 870. The argumentes vsed agaynst the faythfull of Christ. 772. The armour wherewith Ministers must defende themselues agaynst the worlde 211. The armour wherewyth Christes kingdome is inlarged 618. A ante S. Ascention of Christ maketh not carelesse of saluation 39. Ascention of Christ is a comfortable thing 36. Ascention of Christ is the ende of the gospell 7. Ascention of Christ is no dispartion or vanishing away 36. What ascention is 33. Who ascended 34. Whether Christ ascended 35. The hystorie of Christs ascentioÌ„ 33. The storie of the ascention is briefe and playne and why ibidem Circumstaunces of Christs ascentioÌ„ into heauen ibidem The ende of Christs ascention ibideÌ„ Christes ascention confirmeth hys victorie agaynst Sathan 37. The maner and causes of Chrystes ascention 36. What thynges followed after Christes ascention 42.43 Christ opened to vs the gates of heauen by hys ascention ibidem Christ is prooued to be the Messias by his ascention 123. Astrologie iudiciall and the abuse thereof 28. Astrologers and Soothsayers of all sortes 28.29 Assemblies at morning and euening Pag. 498. Assemblies ecclesiasticall why they were ordeyned 145.146 Assemblies of the faythfull ibidem Assemblies ecclesiasticall why they are necessary 241. The order of assemblies ecclesiasticall 529. Wicked persons many tymes get into the assemblies of the godly 282. A ante T. Athens praysed 658.659 Athenienses superscription â—65 Athenodorus counsell gyueâ— to â—â—gustus â—64 A ante V. Authors of the Apostles persecution 191. Authors of sedition are the wicked not the faythfull 562. Authoritie of man of what auayle it is in matters of religion 666. How true authoritie may be gotten Pag. 148.149 Mannes authoritie gyueth no commendation vnto Scripture 2. B. B ante A. BAckstarters the authors of schisme and diuision 589. Backstarters not to be taken to soone into the ministerie 519. Backstarters shall be alwaye in the worlde ibidem Banishment is cause of ryfling of goodes and pouertie 557. Banished for their religion must be comforted ibid. and 891. Baptisme delyuered to vs by the Apostles as Christ did institute it 3 Baptisme or the fyre of Christ. 707 Baptisme an outwarde bonde of the church 366. Baptisme of Iohn distinguished from Christs baptisme according to the signe thing that is signed Pag. 22. â—aptisme of Iohn 707. Baptisme of Iohn and of Christ both one 22. Baptisme is called the absolution or assoyling from sinnes 791. Baptisme what it sealeth 366.367 Baptisme howe it washeth vs from sinnes 132.133 Howe baptisme is called the Fountayne of regeneration 305. Baptisme a seale of the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesus christ 23. Baptisme is a signe of the purgation made by the bloude of Iesus Christ. 133. The reason and dignitie of baptisme Pag. 791. Baptisme muste not bee neglected Pag. 640. In baptisme what water ought to be vsed 387. To be baptised in the name of Christ. Pag. 132. To be baptised into the forgiuenesse of sinnes 133. Barnabas commendeth Paule 412. What maner of manne Barnabas was 467. Barnabas called Iupiter by the people of Lystra 567. What Barsabas signifyeth 72. B ante E. Beggers properties of our age 152. Beggers must not be suffred among the people of God. 152. To begyn well profiteth not without contynuing to the ende 549. Begynning of Paules sermon 524. Benefites of Christ towarde the inhabiters of Ierusalem 50. Benefites of God are then profytably receyued when men acknowledge GOD to bee the author of them 155. The remembraunce of benefites receyued soone dyeth with Princes Pag. 315. Berrhea
much vppon but study to please God onely 818 Mannes power is nothing agaynst God. 875 Manne must haue a regarde of hys dignitie 481 Mannes corruption may be knowen by the faultines in the Sainctes Pag. 26 Menne of three sortes burningâ— in hatred agaynst the truth 208 Mannes infirmitie set forth in the example of Ananias 402 Mannes redemption figured 566 Mannes traditions can not saue vs. Pag. 353 Mannes counsell or deuyse can not quayle Christes kingdome 30 Mannes traditions and godly intentions are daungerous to bee thrust into the Church 21 Mannes origene and beginning teacheth vs to worshippe one God. Pag. 358 Manne for hys behoofe may eate all meates created of God. 406 Mannes naturall dulnes 437 Menne of base degree and rascalles called in this world embrace and receyue the Gospel 624 Menne are all sinners 543 Manne destitute of the knowledge of God soone corrupted 837 Maynteyners of free will confuted Pag. 790 Maynteyners of Popish merites coÌ„futed 428 Manaes a noble man and a Courtier 509 Manasses a wicked Idolater 340 Mary the moother of Christe committed to the tuicion of Iohn Pag. 46 Mary the virgin mother of Chryste Pag. ibidem Mariages with the wicked prosper euill 828 Maryners vnbeleefe and falsehoode Pag. 880 Martyres punishmentes muste bee weighed by Sainct Steuens Example 351 Mathew had a wyfe as appeareth by the house hee kept 45 Matthias chosen to bee an Apostle Pag. 72 Matthie the Apostle hys election Pag. 66 Matthie chosen into the rowme of Iudas 44 Matthias auctoritie of vocation 58 M ante E Meanes ordeyned of God must not bee rashly neglected 814 Meane and indifferent things when they cease to be indifferent 616 Meanes lawfully vsed 882 Meanes vnlawfull must none bee vsed to come by commoditie 870 Meates choyse or difference 434 and 435 Mercie of God towarde Synners Pag. 790 Mercy in what sence it is vsed of S. Paule 540 Merites of men how muche is to bee attributed to them 429 M ante I Ministery of Christe comprehended in two wordes 6 Ministers are not polluted by mariage 765 Ministers to be taken into the church what manner of men they shoulde bee 63 Ministery outward is profitable too be duely administred 399 Ministery of the woorde to bee profitable proued by Examples Pag. 400 Ministery Ecclesiasticall commended 429 Ministery Ecclesiasticalles partes Pag. 279 Ministery Ecclesiasticalles reason Pag. 508 Ministeries dignitie 179 Minister of Christes woorde be hee neuer so sclender and base must not bee contempned 397 Minister of the Churche muste bee apt and fit to teache 63.64 Minister of the Church muste haue a sounde and sure knowledge of Christ. 64 Ministers ought to bee suche as are lyke too perseuer and contyneue Pag. ibid. Minister what thinges is requisite for him ibid. Ministers are ordeyned of GOD. Pag. 750 Ministers must bee desirous of humilitie and agreement 91 Ministers where they must preache Christ his name 403 Ministers of the Church are a benefite of God. 49 Ministers of Christ must bee at vnitie 147 Ministers of the Church are Apostles 70 Ministers of the Churche muste bee admitted to the ouersight of ecclesiasticall goods ibid. Ministers of the Church muste not bee money gatherers 756 Ministers of the Churche whether they may take stypend and wages Pag. 679 Ministers muste further and procure the Saluation of all menne Pag. 740 Ministers of the Gospell muste obeye Goâ—des commaundementes Pag. 19 Ministers must bee lawfully elected Pag. 66 Ministers must be referred and leaft vnto God. 68 Ministers of the Gospell are neyther robbers of goods honor nor blasphemers 727 Ministers what armour they muste do on agaynst the assaultes of this world 211 Ministers haue neede of Gods holy spirit 19 Ministers dutie consisteth chiefly in teaching 64 Ministers vnmeete muste not beâ—â—â—ken into the Church 〈…〉 Ministers 〈…〉 tyll they 〈◊〉 lawfully called 58 Ministers who bee lawfull and who vnlawfull 510 Ministers muste speake and not holde their peace 683 Ministers must not ouer hastely forsake the Church 683 Ministers muste doo their dutie although they profit lyttle 746 Ministers howe they are not culpable of other meâ—nes faultes Pag. 682 Ministers must fight but with scriptures 703 Ministers must be from the crime of sedition 825 Ministers muste haue knowledge in Gods will that will teache other the same 794 Ministers must haue an earnest care to their churches 150 Ministers muste haue a speciall care for their owne Nacion and Country after the Apostle Paules ensample 795 Ministers maye sometymes secke to escape by flying 411 Ministers are not blameable for beating downe superstitioÌ„ and aâ—â—iance in woorkes 896 Ministers must praye for the saluation of the people 793 Ministers what they must teache Pag. 794 Ministers howe vehemently they must rebuke those that deface the glory of God by seeking filthy lucre 373 Ministers muste not seditiously disturbe euerye common weales Pag. 823 Ministers must be stout yet gentle to be spoken too 405 Ministers admonished of their dutie by Paules example 402 Ministers are men and therfore subiect to mans infirmitie 55 Ministers must reproue as well secrete as manifest faultes committed agaynst the truth 230 Ministers faithfull haue diuerse and sundry chaunces folowing them as may be seene in Paule 410. Ministers at variaunce must not offend vs. 612.613 Ministers in the Churche that haue bene couetouse what they haue don Pag. 7â—6 Ministers true praise what it is 474 Ministers described that are false ibideÌ„ Ministers lawfully called a behofefull thing 753. Ministers of the church whence they haue their auctoritie 330. Ministers of the woorde must paint out false teachers in theyr colours and note them by theyr names 136 Ministers muste accuse notorious wyckednes with bold speech 109 Ministers faults must make no man 〈◊〉 bâ—cke 55. Ministers ought lawâ—â—lly to be called 789 Ministers of the woord must bee zelous 375. Ministers how much we are bounde vnto them 895 Ministers may lawfully declare vnto theyr churches what the enemies entend against Christ and his flock Pag. 215. Ministers haue neede of good bringing vp 14. Ministers muste boldly rebuke men Pag. 204. Ministers must be innocent harmeles 838. Ministers must be kindly and thankfully vsed 441. Minisâ—ers must not be so cleued vnto that if god take theÌ„ away we must thinke religion shall quayle 387. Ministers how they should be ordeyned 282. Ministers must haue a regarde who heareth them 678 Miracle of the Apostles 239. Miracle of the lame man healed 565. Miracle of the tounges what it ment Pag. 80. Miracle of the redde Sea. 332. Miracles of the Apostles were the woorkes of Christ. 161 Miracles of Christ and the Apostles were perfect 155. Miracles why Christ wrought 157. Miracles of Moses in Egypte 517. New miracles must not be deuised Pag. 563. Miracles of Moses in the wildernes Pag. 332. Miracles done by Philip. 361. Miracles repugnant to gods woord no miracles 563 Miracles which be true 139. Miracles taught by the Apostles do serue for two endes the cause efficient of
none at all or at leastwise might seeme obscure and vncertaine Beside this there is one other thing very profitable and necessary to be knowne that is to say what maner of countinaunce the Primatiue Church had which was founded by the Apostles according to the which the Church in all ages ought to be refourmed when any errors or abuses shall happen Touching which thing as all men dispute therof in these daies so shall a man finde very fewe which wil take the straight way opened by the Apostles to amende the same Wherby it commeth to passe that we put newe errors in the place of olde driue away olde superstitions with new as pieuish noysome as the olde Whereas if we would obserue the thinges written by Luke wee should haue a certaine an infallible rule aswell of doctrine as ceremonies which the Apostles left vnto the church They taught one Iesus Christ to be the onely Auctor of our saluation and that men which by nature are sinners and in daunger of damnation are by no other meanes iustified saued than by faith in Iesus Christ. Yea this booke aboundeth with most notable examples wherewith the principall and chiefe article of our christian fayth as I sayd eare whyle is warranted and confirmed against all the cauillations of Sophisters and Phariseis For what other did euer the Apostles require of the vncleane Gentiles and straungers from the common weale of the people of God but to leaue their olde superstition and to beleeue in Christ Did they not preache saluation and forgiuenesse of sinnes to them turning from their open ydolatrie Did they not most stoutely stande against those blinde Bayardes which would burthen the Gentiles with the woorks of the lawe as though Christ had not beene of power to saue but those which prepared themselues to him by the deedes of the Lawe Wherfore if the faith in Iesus Christ was once sufficient for the Gentiles and they not to be charged with the workes and ceremonies of the lawe published by God I pray you what shall let why the same faith and beliefe shal not suffise vs in these daies Or shall we say that the traditions of men are more profitable and necessary to the attaynement of Iustification and saluation than they which God once ordayned to remayne till the time of correction As touching ceremonies outwarde rytes the Apostles thought it vnlawfull to charge the Churches with any thing vpon their priuate authoritie Baptisme the order wherof they receyued of Christ the Lorde they haue most sincerely deliuered The vse and maner of the Lordes Supper as Christ did institute it they thought good to retayne In other matters of the Church this was their chiefe care to haue a Discipline wherewith Christ woulde the naughtye disposed to be kept vnder and that the poore shoulde be honestly prouided for whose case and condicion the Lorde did vouchsafe so earnestlye to commende vnto vs The thinges which besides these now a dayes vnder the name of the Apostles and Canons of the Apostles are obtruded wee can not acknowledge for Apostolyke neyther can any good man blame vs therefore forasmuch as Luke maketh no mention of them whose diligence and labour the holy Ghost thought good to vse in writing the Sermons and Actes of the Apostles Surely I will neuer thinke the holye Ghost eyther so vnwyse as to take a negligent wryter of so high matters or else so forgetfull as to let passe any of those things the knowledge and obseruation whereof was so necessarie in hys Church I would speake of euery thing more at large but that they recourse in the treatise of the Hystorie where they will be more commodiously handled Let it suffise for this time to haue shewed the great vtilitie of this booke in that it ministreth to vs a true and an infallible rule of reforming the Church which except they obserue which will be called and counted reformers they may well reioyce in their reformations in the iudgement of the fleshe but they shall neuer giue vs Churches that any man but meanely trayned in the holy Scriptures shall acknowledge in all pointes for sincere and true Apostolike Churches Howbeit this booke sheweth vs not only a forme paterne of the Church of Christ but also it plainely teacheth vs what the state and condicion of the Church is here in earth which to know is both profitable and necessarie aswell for doctrine and information as also for the comfort that thereby commeth vnto vs For we shal see the Apostles in euery part of the world finde it true that Christ foreshewed touching their Crosse and afflictions For God would not so worke by them as that the things both supersticiously and wickedly maintayned in the worlde till that daye shoulde yeelde of their owne accorde to their preaching but he would invre them with labours and contentions And in euery place there were founde that woulde withstande theyr doctrine and those not of the rascall and common sorte but they which for their learning and godlynesse the worlde woondered at such as were the Scribes and Priestes amongst the Iewes and the Philosophers of the Gentyles Neyther was the matter decyded wyth wordes For so great was the authoritie of the enimies of the truth that the Magistrates tooke their partes so that they were fayne to pleade their cause before them and to contrarie their commaundements with hazarde of their lyfe Thus being banished their natiue Countrie they felt the smart of exyle they were in perill by sea and lande they laye bounde in Prisons euerye man hated them and rayled vpon them and finallye they ended their charge of preaching the Gospell with their death and bloudsheading These thinges if wee consider wee shall perceyue what we haue to hope for nowe a dayes neyther shall wee be offended eyther wyth the authoritie or power of men striuing against the Gospell wyth such rage and furie as they did And on the other side the loyaltie and truth of Christ shall marueylously comforte vs whom the Apostles founde so true in his promyses For he promised the ayde of his holy Spirite present counsell in aduersitie and his safegard and defence against all men All which he so perfourmed that they hauing the vpper hande despite of the world and Prince therof obtained their purpose and were able with good successe to perfourme their vocation Let no man therefore feare the threates of tyraunts in these daies let no man be afrayde of Sathans enterpryses let no man be abasshed at the stormes tempestes of this worlde For Christ liueth still and the truth of his promyses is infallible which as they once were made to his Apostles euen so they are continued to all men which beleeue in Christ according to their doctrine And surely if there were no other vtilitie of this booke but this one there is no man but seeth how necessary the knowledge therof is in these dayes where wee see euery where such
horrible attemptes against the Church of Christ and such vnhappy disturbances and troubles in the same Yet besides all these the examples whereof this Hystorie is full bringeth vs no small fruit of learning and godlynesse For in this stage as it were of the Church may wee see the Apostles and Apostolike persons by whose example all the ministers of Christes Church may learne with what trust and prudencie they ought to handle Christs cause with what constancie and truth they may defende the same with what puritie of maners they shoulde leade others and with what courage and pacience they should vanquish all aduersitie Here are set forth Magistrates both good and bad by whose counsel and doings they that be in office may take a president of their gouernment Here want examples neyther of riche nor poore Here haue men of whome they may learne and here are remembred the notable deedes of certaine women of whom all womanhood may take an example to lyue by To be briefe there is no degree or state eyther of the laytie or spiritualtie but this booke instructeth it with many peculyer presidents And although it be but little which I haue spoken in commendation thereof yet I suppose it appeareth therby that God ment to enriche his Church with a singular iewell and treasure whan it liked him by the mynisterie of Luke to haue the storie of the Apostles and primitiue Church to be written It behooueth vs to acknowledge his goodnesse and to follow the diligence of the holy Ghost in searching for the thinges comprysed in this holy writing which Luke beginneth with these woordes In the former treatise deare THEOPHILVS we haue spoken of all that IESVS began to doe and teach c. Before hee entreth into the discourse of the Actes of the Apostles he rehearseth the thinges that Christ did with his Apostles a little before his Ascention He vseth a little short and plaine Preface in the which as it were by rehearsall of thinges done before hee continueth and ioyneth this booke with his first entituled the Gospell of Iesu Christ written by Luke and therwithal sheweth what he purposeth in thys his other booke For the sense of hys woordes seemeth to be this In the first booke I spake of all those thinges which Iesus Christ the Sonne of God did here on earth for our sakes but now in this I am purposed to discourse of the thinges which he would haue done by the mynistery of the Apostles after hys departure in body out of the worlde And he doth dedicate his booke to one Theophilus whom most men do thinke to haue bene some speciall friend of Lukes and singular in the fayth In deede the addition which he putteth to hys name in the Preface of his Gospell calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is most noble or excellent is vsed chiefely to great men in authoritie And afterwarde wee shall heare how he attributeth the same to Festus and Foelix presidents of Iurie He was therefore some godly man of authoritie such as God vseth alwayes to appoint in hys Church to succour and ayde the same beyng in strife and contention And yet no man may hereof gather that the same booke appertaineth not aswell to vs all But rather let all men endeuour to shew themselues to be Theophili that is to saye louers of God and thinke that Luke speaketh no lesse vnto them than to this auncient Theophilus And truly as many as beleeue in Christ being reconciled by him vnto God loue him with all theyr harte and powers But touchyng this opinion it mattereth not much since it is playne ynough that all the doctrine both of the olde and newe Testament appertayneth chiefely to all them that loue God so that thereout they may haue both learnyng and comforte It shall be profitable to examine these fewe woordes of the Euaungelist somewhat more diligently And first is to be considered how he professeth to write of all the thinges For Luke may seeme to repugne with Iohn which about the ende of the Gospell written by him saith There be also many other things which IESVS did which if they shoulde be wrytten euery one I suppose that all the worlde coulde not contayne the Bookes that should be written But these places may be easily reconciled For Luke saith not he hath written euery thing perticularly but he testifieth that he hath spoken of all things necessary to be knowē for the attaynement of our saluation and which may instruct vs with sufficient knowledge of Iesus christ For albeit the Euaungelistes rehearse not all the doings and sayinges of Christ yet is Christ neuerthelesse to be beleeued neither was it needefull they should declare all things For it is euident that Christ which is the selfe truth gainesayth not him selfe in anye place but he obserueth one ende in all his sayinges It is manifest that all his doings tende to one marke and purpose Wherefore though the Apostles had let passe none of them all yet should we haue knowne none other Christ nor learned any other fayth than that wee haue learned by the writinges extant This doth Iohn witnesse when he saith Many other signes truely dyd IESVS in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Booke These are wrytten that yee might beleeue that IESVS is Christ the Sonne of GOD and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe thorough his name IOHN witnesseth that wee attayne vnto life through beliefe in christ And forasmuch as this beliefe may fully be learned and perceyued by the thinges written of Christ I thinke no man but he that is past shame can denie but that all thinges concerning the perfect doctrine of our saluation and Christian fayth is comprehended in the writings of the Euaungelistes Therefore Luke in these woordes reprooueth the impudent arrogancye of the Sophisters of these dayes who being tried and conuict to haue thrust many thinges into the Church without authoritie of holy Scripture would fayne slippe away with this slye shift saying that all the thinges necessarie for vs to beleeue and obserue are not contayned in the Scripture Which if wee graunt then must wee confesse that eyther the Apostles Prophetes haue not taught vs the faith in Christ perfectly or that this faith is not sufficient to saluation neither of which is tollerable for Christian eares Furthermore Luke comprehendeth all Christes office and ministery here on earth in two woordes that is to say in Woorkes and Doctrine Wee will not here speake of the dutie of a teacher of whome it is well sayde that hee should teach the people with good example For the Euaungelist meaneth not in this place to describe the properties of a teacher but to propose and set forth such thinges as are to be considered of Christ. And he giueth Woorkes the first place whereby he meaneth not myracles onely but whatsoeuer thinges else hee did for our saluation as Kinge and priest For the Scripture
which Christ treated of with his disciples at his last being amongst them He spake saith Luke of the kingdome of god It is the cōmon vsage in scripture to call the affaires of our redemption and saluation by the name of the kingdom of God or of heauen bicause the ende and scope thereof is that as long as we liue here we should be gouerned with the spyrite of God and being taken out of this life should liue and raigne with God in Heauen What thinges so euer therefore pertayne to the mysteries hereof Christ hath diligently and in order expounded them The beginning hereof springeth of vs For before all things it behooueth vs to know in what kingdome wee are borne and lyue before Christ hath illuminated vs For except wee were borne sinners and by reason of sinne were in daunger of the Deuill and Hell wee shoulde neede no restoryng to the kingdome of god But bycause our state is so miserable it was needefull the Sonne of God should be giuen which takyng our sinnes vpon him should pourge them with the sacrifice of his body and bloud vpon the Aulter of the Crosse and through the operation of his holy spirite should regenerate vs to be the sonnes of God by the immortall seede of his woorde which regeneration bringeth forth the mortification of the olde man and conuersion of the whole life and causeth them which before were ledde with the suggestions and corrupt affections of Sathan to be brought to the obedience of fayth to depend all togither vpon God his woorde And this is that kingdome of God which he hath restored vnto vs through his sonne for whose increase wee pray as Christ hath commaunded vs saying Let thy kingdome come And truly it was needefull that the mysteries of this kingdome should diligently bee declared to the Apostles bicause that being deceyued with the common errour of the Iewes they imagined a worldly kingdome in Christ wherein they hoped for honours ryches victories and peace in the worlde as theyr often striuings for the supremacie abundantly declare Furthermore wee ought earnestly to obserue thexample of Christ which would with such diligence and traueyle teache and instruct his Apostles appointed to the preachyng of the Gospell and mynistery of his Church And yet wee reade that they were conuersant with him whole three yeres were at his sermons sawe all his myracles and at length were sent abroade to preach The Lord therefore would admonish vs that the office of teachyng in the Church is not vnaduisedly to be taken vpon vs neither that it ought to be cōmitted to any person without a diligent tryall For if things of pryce the custodie whereof is difficult daungerous are not committed to euery man neither doth any man that is wise rashly take charge of them how much more care and studie ought to be in this thing where the charge of Christs Church and the soules which the Sonne of God hath redeemed with his owne bloud is taken in hand Is there any more precious thing to be found than these How great and perilous a charge the ouersight of them is none can be ignorant of which knoweth the infirmitie of our flesh the entisements of the world and the subtill sleightes of our common enimie And it is the voyce of God which once beyng spoken to Ezechiel appertayneth to all the mynisters of the Church I will require the bloude of those that perishe at thy hande This thing should they often remēber which beyng studious of Diuinitie meane at any time to take this charge vpon them that they may the more earnestly applie the studie of holy scripture that they labor continually in searching the mysteries of the kingdome of God least being deceyued through ignoraunce they commit perhaps some error in theyr office Paule well remembring the great daunger in this case earnestly vrgeth Tymothe who he confesseth had euen of a childe learned the scriptures busily to apply his reading They also which in the Church haue authoritie to choose and ordeyne ministers ought well to remember the same least they disorder the Church by admitting such as be vnmeete which thing they must diligently take heede of For it is no small error that herein is committed bicause they are both Auctors of disorder in the Church and also partakers of other mens faultes as Paule plainely declareth Would to God they would well consider this thing which thinke the ministery of the Church to be a sanctuary for pouertie enter into the same for their priuate lucre and bellyes sake or without any mature aduise and deliberation but drunken with blynde affections thrust vnfit persons into the Church and sometimes knowne naughtie packes and despisers of all good discipline Last of all we learne by the example of Christ what and what maner communications Christians ought to vse that is to say godly and such as make for correction and amendement of maners For Christ talketh of the kingdome of God with his Apostles Let vs after his ensample common and reason oftentimes of the kingdome of God and of our saluation obteyned by christ Let vs diligently do away the corruption of our nature and let vs endeauour that other may see and perceyue the same Let vs haue our mind on Christs benefits and often and willingly set forth the same let vs remember the benefit wherby he hath bound vs all vnto him let vs auoyd filthie communication which corrupteth good manners remembryng Paules saying which numbreth dishonest talke among the thinges for the which the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience And let vs alway be mindefull of that saying of Christ which affirmeth we shall giue an accompt in the day of iudgement for euery ydle woorde God graunt that wee abidyng in the meditation of his kingdome may learne to dispise thinges earthly loue thinges that be heauenly may die in the fleshe and liue in the spyrite that hereafter wee may liue raigne in Heauen with Iesus Christ to whom be blessyng honour glory and power for euer Amen The thirde Homelie AND gathered them togither and commaunded them that they should not depart from Hierusalem but to wayte for the promise of the Father wherof sayth he you haue heard of me For Iohn truely baptized with water ▪ but you shall be baptized with the holy Ghost after these few dayes BIcause Christ chose his Apostles to th ende that through theyr mynisterye the doctrine of saluation should be sowne amongst all nations It was needefull that first they should be well instructed in all the thinges that belonged to theyr office wherein as Christ who was most desirous of our saluation intermitted nothing so S. Luke setteth forth very diligently his last conuersation and doyngs with his Apostles partly for that wee might perceyue the endeuour and good will of Christ towards vs and partely to declare what things are chiefly necessary in the
the people all the world besides being fallen to superstition and Idolatrie But neyther the paucitie of his houshold was able to bereaue him of saluation nor the multitude of his aduersaries to condemne him yea where al the world beside perished he was saued and hath God both to allowe and defend his faith The same we may say of Loth liuing among the Sodomites Besides this Elias onely setteth himselfe aswell against al the Priests of Baal as against king Achab al his Courtyers in the quarell of faith and religion And Micheas alone encountreth with three hundred false Prophetes whome the king fauoured and maintayned Therfore it is meete that we regarde rather the very doctrine of truth which comming from the mouth of God is contayned in the holye Scripture than the authoritie of men Forasmuch as all men are lyars and God alone true in his saying It is profitable also to consider what Peter doth who rising vp amongst the Disciples proposeth this thing to bee entreated of openlye amongst them all Herehence the Bishops of Rome seeke the defence of their supremacie or rather tyranny as also of other places that seeme to attribute any prerogatiue of superioritie to Peter They seeme to mee to doe as men which are in daunger in deepe gulfes and ryuers For as they vse to catch holde of euery thing that commeth next to their hande so these men snatch at euery thing whereby to defende the dignitie of their supremacie so battred nowe and shaken that it threatneth the catholyke and vniuersall ruine therof By this meanes they challenge to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which yet were giuen to all the Apostles at once as is euident to be seene in Iohn the .xx. Chapter So they contend that the charge of Christs flocke is committed to Peter onely as to the chiefe consider not what iniury they doe to the residue of the Apostles as though Christ had made them feeders of swyne and Asses and not of his sheepe After lyke maner where they nowe heare howe Peter speaketh first in the congregation by and by they make him Christs Uicar the head of the Churche and the chiefe of the Apostles And going farther they take all this honor to themselues as to the lawfull and ordinary successors of Peter But howe vayne and friuolous these things are the matter it selfe declareth For Peter prescribeth nothing of his owne heade as any ruler of the Church or Lorde ouer the other Apostles but being in the middest of the Disciples as his equals and fellowes proposeth a matter of great weyght to be intreated of indifferently amongst them all In the which treatie hee leaueth to euery man free libertie according as God should put in their harts by his spirite to saye or to doe And that he speaketh first was done by the speciall instinct of the holy ghost which by this meanes would make the example of grace that Christ shewed in Peter being receyued againe into fauour after his foule fall more euident and manifest Furthermore in that the other paciently heare him speake it is a token of vnanimitie which Luke before attributed to them and is not done so much for superiorities sake as for order without which nothing in the Church or common weale can continue in safety Wherfore Paule commaundeth all things in the Church to be done comely and in order As touching the state of the Apostles he maketh them all fellowes and equals and where in one place he calleth himselfe the least of the Apostles hauing respect to the vnworthynesse of his former lyfe the same speaking of the ministery feareth not to match himselfe with Peter saying He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the Circumcision the same was also mighty in me among the Gentyles And meaning to roote out from amonge the Corinthians the sectes of them that helde of Paule Peter and Apollo he sayth What is Paule what is Apollo but ministers by whom you haue beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue euerye man grace Peter himselfe acknowledgeth the same who within a little after speaking of Iudas witnesseth that he had receyued a part in the ecclesiasticall ministery And if Iudas had a part therein what ignorance shall it be to ascribe and pull the whole vnto Peter Unlesse perhaps wee will saye that Peter for fauour flattered the wicked traytour and woulde transferre to the childe of perdicion that which belonged onely vnto hymselfe But whereto vse wee so manye wordes seeing it is plaine that Iesus Christ diuers times rebuked with great seueritie the ambicious desire of supremacie that was among his Apostles It is knowne what is written of this matter And Peter earnestly admonisheth the pastors of the Church to beware that they take vpon them no Lordship ouer the Church which is called Christes patrimonye and the lot of his enheritance For whome shall we thinke to be of such great authoritie to be worthy to haue rule and dominion ouer that precious flock that is redeemed with the bloud of Christ And if no man must beare rule ouer the Lordes flocke lyke as Princes of this world vse to doe how much more absurde shall it be for them which haue but one maner of charge in feeding the flocke to arrogate any Lordshippe or rule vnto themselues Therfore what else doe the Bishops of Rome by their so greedye desire of supremacie but forget the preceptes of Christ and bewraye themselues to be nothing lesse than Peters lawfull and true successors But let them passe and come we to Peters Oration And that consisteth of two parts First he pulleth that stumbling blocke out of the waye which myght trouble the mindes of the more simple and vnlearned sort For when they sawe that Iesus Christ was betrayed by Iudas and afterwarde perished himselfe most miserablye both body and soule it was an easie matter for them eyther to doubt whether Christ knewe all thinges or else to suspect all the sort of the Apostles togither with their doctrine Therfore Peter doth not without a cause aunswere this great inconuenience in the beginning of his Oration On the other side he exhorteth the Disciples that they will appoint some other in Iudas roume least his falling from the fayth myght any thing preiudice Christes institution The first part he beginneth with the testimony of holy scripture wherin he plainly vttereth the euerlasting purpose of Gods prouidence which is a most strong reason to put awaye offences that is to beleeue that nothing commeth to passe by chaunce but by the decree and will of god Wherfore he sayth ye men and brethren it behooued thys Scripture shoulde be fulfilled which the holy ghost spake before by the mouth of Dauid touching Iudas which was guide to them that tooke Iesus The sense of which words seemeth me to be this I would not O brethren haue any of you to be offended at the cruell deede of Iudas
and his horrible ende as though these things happened by hazarde or that the sonne of God betrapped by a wicked man had not bene able to haue escaped his crafts and deceytes I would not also that any should so take these matters as though the falshoode of so wicked a man should derogate any thing from our order and holy function which we are in by Christes appoyntment For it seemed good vnto God that these things should so come to passe whose counsayle and purpose it was that his belooued sonne shoulde be betrayed by one of his entire Disciples And he woulde not haue vs ignorant hereof For it is knowne what is read in the Psalme 41. which Christ himselfe repeated in his last supper saying He that eate breade with me hath layde great wayte for mee Nowe I tell you before it come to passe that when it is done you may beleue that I am he Wherfore cast your eyes vpon Gods prouidence reuerence his goodnesse and truth and let not the thinges offende you that are done by his determination and iust permission Yet let no man so vnderstande these things as though Peter went about to excuse Iudas heynous offence and to laye all the faulte thereof in god For that is not the meaning of the diuine prouidence which gouerneth all thing that we shoulde make God the Autor of our sinne bicause whatsoeuer men doe that is naught they doe it not to fulfill Gods purpose but to satisfie the cogitations and desires of their owne wicked will. It is playne in deede that it was Gods determination that his sonne Iesus Christ shoulde be betrayed through the craft of his Disciple and should come into the hands of his enimies and being condemned to death should be nayled to the crosse where he shoulde purge the sinne of the worlde by the Sacrifice of hys bodye But if a man consider Iudas the worker of this treason he in so mischieuous a deede had nothing lesse before his eyes than Gods purpose and the redemption of mankinde but being blinded and wounded with couetousnesse first polluteth himselfe with theft as Iohn sayth afterward with treason The same reason is to be made of Annas Cayphas Pylate all those other whom the Gospell testifieth to haue bene seekers executioners of Christs death The bookes of the holy Scripture are full of examples of the lyke kynde whereby we are aduertised howe grieuously men sinne in committing those things which God in deede will haue done but yet they doe them being mooued thereto through the blinde and inordinate affections of corrupt nature I praye you who is so dull headed to thinke that Ioseph came into Egipt without the speciall counsell of Gods prouidence whereas we reade that God aduertised Abraham himselfe long before of the going downe of his posteritie into Egypt who lykewise acknowledgeth not the marueylous wisedome of God in all this businesse which gouerneth al things most prudently and profitably Shall we therfore excuse Iosephs brethren which being mooued with enuye solde awaye their brother that deserued better of them yea we will expounde all thys businesse by Iosephes owne wordes yee thought euill agaynst me but God turned it to good to bring to passe as it is this daye and to saue much people alyue Yea we haue dayly experience of lyke occurrences and examples For who will saye the theefe killeth the wayfaring man without the prouidence of God considering we knowe that the dayes of our life and the heares of our heade are numbred before God But bicause the murtherer committeth such an heynous offence being mooued with wicked affection therfore is he in all the fault and shal iustly be punished for the same Let no man therfore seeke excuse for his wickednesse in Gods prouidence nor make God the Autor of his sinne but by the consideration hereof let vs seeke comfort whereby to arme and strengthen our selues against the horrible chaunces of this life And that Peter had a respect hereto it is euident by hys words wherein followe other things to be considered And first we are taught by a notable example of what efficacye and strength godlye prayers be For Luke shewed vs aboue that the Apostles continued with one consent in prayers wherby what was brought to passe is now perceyued For Peter which a little before was ignorant of the right maner of Christes kingdome and among the reast had put forth a foolishe question touching the very time of restoring the same by and by beginneth to preach of the Scriptures which he alledgeth most aptly and expoundeth most syncerely So true it is that the Apostle sayth If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of him that giueth that is of God and it shall be giuen him Further we are taught by the example of Peter that nothing ought to be appointed in the Church without the authoritie of the Scripture For as in well ordred common weales there are certaine lawes yea rather an authentike Code of lawes from the which no man of his owne heade hath authoritie to take anything or to put to any thing or else to appoynt anye thing in the common weale beside the prescript thereof euen so Christ hath deliuered to his Church the bookes of the olde and new Testament wherein are contayned the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and the lawes of eternall lyfe Therefore out of them must be taken all counsell and the Argumentes of all the sermons that are to be made in the congregation Neyther is there any man of such roume and ordering that must thinke he hath power to ordayne or appoynt any thing contrarye to the same This booke in the beginning was deliuered to the Kings not to th end they should thinke they had iurisdiction ouer the same but for that they should drawe forth of the same good lawes whereby to rule the people well And the Prophets were bounde by this commaundement to take their sermons from Gods mouth Which thing we can interprete to be none other but the Scriptures bicause by these as by a certaine mouth God reuealeth vnto vs the mysteries of his will. And Christ himselfe oftentimes preacheth forth of the scriptures and disdayneth not to turne the holye bookes and to expounde certaine places of them vnto the people An example wherof he shewed in the schoole at Nazareth Therfore Peter following the example of his mayster taketh the beginning of his sermon out of the Scriptures whome woulde God they woulde imitate which highly glorying in the succession of Peter dare yet thrust into the Church diuers thinges repugnaunt to the Scriptures onely vpon mans authoritie Furthermore Peter adourneth the scriptures with an excellent prayse where he sayth the holy ghost is Autor of them which woulde vtter these thinges by the mouth of Dauid The same he confesseth in another place where he sayth that the Prophetes were inspired with the spirite of Christ and
called backe to Byzantium he was faine to leaue the Citie to Totylas to be taken and sacked againe Infinite examples of this sort myght be shewed which testifie that most certaine destruction hangeth ouer the heades of the enimies of Christ and his Church The other kinde of punishment is And his Byshoprick let another take By the which wordes he declareth that such kinde of men by no maner dignities or other excellent priuiledges that they enioy can escape the imminent iudgement of god For whatsoeuer excellent and singular gifts they haue obtayned through the goodnesse of God bee taken from them and gyuen vnto other as Iudas hereof is a most manifest example He was called to be an Apostle and therewithall was as it had bene the stewarde of christ Therefore great was his dignitie and such as passed the dignity both of king Emperour Herevnto is to be added his continuall conuersation with Christ and that he sawe and hearde many things with the other Apostles which many Prophets and righteous men although they greatly desired the same coulde neyther see nor heare But all these coulde not helpe this vnhappy body which deserued through his falshoode to be bereeued of them all For he departeth this world with an horrible ende and the dignitie of his Apostleship is cast vpon Matthie The like iudgement of God is seene in Saule who was so bolde as to persecute Dauid bearing a figure of christ For as soone as he had once purposed that thing in his minde the good spirite of God was taken from hym the euill spirite of Sathan entred in his place wherewith he was continually haunted vntill that both he killed himselfe left the kingdome to Dauid to possesse Hereto is the sentence of Christ to be applyed To euery one that hath shall be giuen and from him that hath not shall be taken euen that he hath For they by Christs iudgement are sayde to haue which being indued with the giftes of God acknowledge them in themselues and vse them with all their power to the glorie of God and the saluation of many And God of his liberalitie and bountie increaseth his gifts euery daye in them and maketh them more and more to appeare But they which neglect them as though they had receyued none at Gods hande and applying their owne businesse haue no regarde to that that appertayneth to the glorye of God they are at length so punished for their negligence and contempt that they are depriued of all their graces they become infortunate despised and vtterlie shamed For that sentence shall remayne for euer neither shall it be broken with any force of the worlde which God speaketh among other things to Hely the Priest in his wrath shewing him how he shoulde be punished I will honour those that honour mee and they that despyse mee shall come to shame And in another place he threateneth extreme ignominie and shame to the wicked which regarde not the glory of God I will sayth hee sende a curse vpon you and will curse your blessinges yea curse them will I if you doe not take heede Beholde I shall corrupt your seede and cast dunge in your faces euen the dunge of your solemne feastes I would we did often consider these things in these dayes and then would we not marueyle how all they haue lost their authoritie and estimation in the Church common weale which ought to be reuerenced The Bishops complayne of this misfortune can not tell where the authoritie of the Church is become But they should cease to complayne and marueyle if they would remember the counterfeyting of true doctrine their buying and selling of holye thinges the corruption of maners the couetousnesse and pryde many such other lyke brought into the Church by their meanes whereby they haue abundantly declared themselues to bee rather the successors of Iudas than of Peter The teachers of the Gospell also complayne of the contempt of their office and ministery saying that the authoritie of ecclesiasticall disciplyne is vtterly extinguished And it is no marueyle considering that in their number also a man maye see verye manye of small habilitie to set forth Gods glorye and other some vnder the fayre colour of Euangelike doctrine giuen to couetousnesse fraunching and feeding to pamper their bodies and to satisfie their lust Therefore the dignitie and authoritie due to the Ministery is of right taken from them Whosoeuer therefore will keepe and maintaine the degree and authoritie wherin God hath set him let him principally haue a care to set forth the glorye of God let him vrge that and in despyte of the world study with all his power to aduaunce the same and not swarue one nayles bredth from his vocation and dutie Nowe let vs come to the other part of Peters Oration wherein he exhorteth the congregation to choose another in the roume of Iudas Where he deduceth his arguments aptly out of the Oracles of the Scripture aforesayd For he seemeth thus to say bicause the holy ghost long time since prophecied that Iudas should betraye Christ and after his horrible ende of life shoulde leaue his Bishopricke and Apostleshippe to another we must seeke one to succeede him out of the number of them which haue continued with vs and haue seene all the thinges that Christ did whyle he was here on earth And Peters argument is very worthy to be considered which being made in fewe wordes is this in effect Another must haue Iudas Byshopricke according to the Oracle of the holy ghost Ergo it is our partes to prouyde a worthye and meete successor in his place And at the first sight this seemeth to be an absurde consequence For be it that another must haue Iudas Bisshopricke shall it therefore follow that the Apostles and they that were gathered with them must choose him that shoulde haue his Bishopricke But all this countenance of absurditie quickly vanisheth away if we consider the office that the Apostles sustayne by reason of Christes office For Christ being readye to leaue the worlde commended the cure of his Churche to them and they were of the number of them which should giue meate to the Lordes family as we reade Math. 24. Therefore where it is chiefly requisite for conseruation of the Church that there be worthy and fit Ministers appoynted Peter not without a cause gathereth that it appertayned to them to ordayne a newe Apostle bicause there was a manifest Oracle of the holy ghost apparaunt touching the placing of another in Iudas roume We are taught by Peters example howe we shoulde be occupied in reading of holy Scripture For here must we alwayes haue our vocation before our eyes that whatsoeuer belongeth thereto we should thinke spoken to vs. For the Scriptures are giuen of God for our learning as Paule witnesseth Therefore great is their error which reade the holy bookes with no more heede than if they were prophane wryters hauing
their mindes as they read occupied with other cogitations as though the reading of scripture were appoynted but for delyte or to passe the time away Let vs therfore well marke what commaundementes and examples belong to our vocation that we maye continue in the same and declare our industrye towarde god For in thus doing a minister of the worde shall thinke whatsoeuer things are spoken by the Prophetes or Apostles touching the administration of the same worde to be sayde vnto him And they that be Magistrates let them thinke whatsoeuer is sayde in the Scriptures touching the dutie of Officers with examples of auncient Magistrates whether they be good or badde to be spoken vnto them The same shall priuate men also doe of what state or condicion so euer they be So shall it come to passe that with a certayne godly delight and pleasure of minde they shall receyue incredible profite by reading of the Scriptures Let vs examine the wordes of Peter wherein two things most appertayning to this present purpose are handled First he teacheth what maner of person should be chosen to the roume of an Apostle Then he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle And of these two he so disputeth that they may serue to the institution of all Ministers of the word of the congregation To the first part appertayneth this saying Wherefore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lorde IESVS had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vntill that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned c. Peter requireth here two things of great weyght The first is a sure and sounde knowledge of Iesus Christ and of all the things he did whyle he was amongst his Disciples For vsing an Hebrewe phrase by two contraries that is to saye of going in and comming out he includeth all things that euer Christ did Yet least any man should take occasion hereof ouer curiouslye to inquire after euery thing he compasseth this knowledge within certaine boundes that is to saye the baptisme of Iohn and the glorious ascention of Christ into heauen For before Christ was baptised of Iohn he led a priuate life in Nazareth of Galiley behauing himselfe obediently to his Parents and exercising the Carpenters craft as maye be gathered But the thinges that concerned our redemption and belonged to the office of the Messias he then went aboute when hee had bene baptised of Iohn and was authorized by the visible annoynting of the holy Ghost and by the testimonye of the father which was hearde from heauen For which cause the Euangelists contented with the describing of his incarnation touching his nonage and childehoode haue written very little For the holy ghost ment hereby to bridle the foolish curiositie of mans wit which not many yeares ago vttred and set forth it selfe by no simple writers I warrant you who haue compyled vs the lyfe and whole chyldehoode of Christ to the great mockery open scorne of the Christian profession Howbeit Peter thinketh the knowledge of these things sufficient and inough which Christ did after he was so solemnlye admitted and put in office And this knowledge was necessary bicause Christ ordayned his Apostles to be faithfull witnesses of his doings Secondly he requireth a certaine and euident signe of perseuerance and continuance For he woulde haue none chosen out of that number which were yet but nouices and newly entred into Christes religion but such as began to follow Christ from the beginning of his conuersation amongst men and so continued with him being neyther feared with daunger of persecution nor offended with the crosse and his â—launderous death And these thinges should now a dayes be obserued in choosing ordering of Ministers if they had any care of the Church which chalenge greatest authoritie ouer the same For it is playne that the chiefe dutie of the Minister standeth in teaching as God sayth by the Prophete In the Priestes lippes should be the sure knowledge that men may seeke the lawe at his mouth For hee is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes But how shall he teach who is vnlearned and rude him selfe Surely Paule in a Bishop requireth this thing chieflye that he be able to teach and that not only the playne doctrine of truth to the more tractable sort of men but also that he be able to refell and conuince such as shall gainesay and contrary the same whereof there is alwayes a great multitude Therefore in a Minister of the worde the knowledge of Christ and his misteries is necessary with al the things that concerne the articles of the Christian fayth and the dutie of the faythfull There is required of him diligent reading of the Scripture wherein hee ought to be well exercised He hath neede of the knowledge of the tongues that in reading the Scriptures he depende not vpon the sense of others and be constrayned to looke with other mens eyes and to go with other mens feete Furthermore it is meete he be furnished with the Artes of speaking that hee maye perceyue what to propounde in what place and after what sort and order All which are of such weyght that Paule not without a cause exhorted Timothy to continue on still in reading who yet he confesseth of a childe had learned the Scriptures Moreouer whereas infinite daungers hange ouer the function of Ministers boldenesse of minde is requisite least being ouercome with feare of perill hee drawe backe or sticke in the middest of his course But this shall chiefly be perceyued by perseuerance or continuance whereof no doubt he had giuen manifest tokens The same hath Paule obserued likewyse where he sheweth vs that a Byshop shoulde not be a yong scholer or Nouice least being puffed vp with sodaine dignitie he commit some thing dishonest or vncomely and giue occasion to the aduersary to reprooue him Yea and Christ himselfe at his last supper commendeth his Apostles whom it is plaine were subiect to many faultes and infirmities chiefely for this cause that they abode with him in all his temptations But let vs see Peters last wordes where he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle Let one be appoynted sayth he which may be a witnesse of his resurrection First he will haue a partner or fellow ioyned with the eleuen not a seruant whome the reast at their pleasure might commaunde For he knewe that equalitie was needefull to be amongst Christes Ministers Then he calleth him a witnesse which name Christ called them by a little before he went from hence And the often repeticion and diligent consideration of this name is not a little profitable For hereby the worthynesse of the Christian fayth and certaintye of the doctrine euangelicall may be perceyued bicause Christ had not onely preachers of the things he did â—ut also sworne witnesses which wrate and deliuered to vs the fayth in him Last of
all he sheweth whereof hee shoulde beare witnesse namely of his resurrection Which is not so to be vnderstanded as though the Apostles should preach of nothing else but Christs resurrection but he thought hereby to expresse the chiefe article wherin al the other be contayned yea which plainely teacheth whereto all the other are to be referred For verilye the preaching of his death is of necessitie included and ioyned to the resurrection For how shall he teach that Christ is risen from death which first teacheth not that he died But if any man will teach that Christ dyed he must first speake of that nature of Christ in the which he was able to dye He must teache therefore that the sonne of God which is of one euerlastingnesse substance with the father at the tyme appoynted tooke mans nature in the virgins wombe in the which after many and diuers troubles of this life at length he suffred bitter death vpon the aultar of the Crosse. Therefore he that will be a Preacher and witnesse of the resurrection of Iesus Christ must omitte none of the things that went before the same But there is another cause also why Peter would make mention of the resurrection For this is the ende accomplishment of our redemption as Paule sheweth at large in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the .xv. Chapter For sinne is the sting power of death whervnto all men were subiect But that death is ouercome and vanquished the resurrection of Christ doth manifestly declare Wherefore sinne also by meanes whereof death had power ouer vs by the meryte of the same Christ must needes be taken awaye And if the guylt of sinne be taken awaye death spoyled and vnarmed then who seeth not how the Serpents heade is all to crushed and the tyranny of the Deuill vtterly subdued In deede he rageth yet and maketh an horrible adooe but Christian mindes are not afraide of his terrors For how shoulde he be able to hurt vs who hauing the dartes of sinne and death taken from him is all naked and of no force But this Christ hath taken away whyle he purged the sinnes of the worlde vppon the aultare of the Crosse and by his glorious resurrection hath killed the force of death Therefore syth Peter will haue him which must be taken into the number of the Apostles to be a witnesse of Christes resurrection he appoynteth him the same office that the residue had to whome it was sayde Go yee into all the worlde and preache the kingdome of God vnto all creatures Whosoeuer beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued In the meane season they that in these dayes will be called and taken for successors of the Apostles are admonished of their dutie For although no man can require of them to be such witnesses as sawe Christes resurrection yet their office is truly and boldly to beare witnesse of Christ and of all those things that he aswell did as suffred for vs that all men may vnderstande howe the redemption and saluation of mankinde is contayned in Christ onely For whosoeuer will be taken for Apostolykes being puft vp onely with the bare name thereof and neyther can nor will preache they are not the right successors of the Apostles but foolishe Pastors such as are described in Zachary the .xj. Chapter And on them that sentence of Paule may truly be spoken Woe vnto mee if I preach not It is our partes to acknowledge the goodnesse of God which woulde haue his sonne to dye for our sinnes and to ryse agayne for our iustification and hath also gyuen vs most faythfull witnesses of Christes most profitable resurrection Let vs therefore beleeue their testimonye that being borne agayne of the seede of the immortall worde wee maye be made the heyres of God and coheyres with Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour glorye and power for euer Amen The ninth Homelie THEN they appoynted two Ioseph which is called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias And when they prayed they sayde Thou Lorde which knowest the hearts of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen that he may take the roume of this ministration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell that he might go to his owne place And they gaue forth their lottes and the lotte fell on Matthias and hee was counted with the eleuen Apostles AS the Church hath great neede of Ministers of the Worde by whose meane it may be instructed and confirmed in the knowledge of God and mysteries of the true fayth so it behooueth that the same be duely truely chosen and ordayned that all men may perceyue they be chosen and appoynted of god Which thing was the cause that in the election of a newe Apostle to be put in the roume of Iudas the primitiue Church proceeded with so great circumspection deliberation And the holy ghost would haue all this hystory diligently described for that a sure rule and president might be left to them that came after whereby to order the election of their Ministers The first thing herein to be obserued is that S. Peter referreth all the matter to the congregation to be discussed by their whole consent and counsell We are taught hereby that nothing ought to be appointed or decreed in the Church by any one mans priuate authoritie For where the Church is as Paule sayth Gods building and Gods husbandry yea the housholde and familye of God. No man must take vpon him so much authoritie as to thinke he hath power giuen him to prescrybe any thing of his owne heade And although the rashnesse of some go so farre yet he shall little profite amongst the true sheepe of Christ which vse to harken and follow the voyce of Christ onely But let vs returne to the narration of the hystory begoon by Luke who hauing recited Peters oration now rehearseth the election of the new Apostle which we must diligently expende in euerye poynt First he sheweth that two be openly named and set in the sight of the whole congregation Then with godly and deuout prayer they commit the election it selfe vnto God whose will and pleasure they seeke to enquire by religious lottes Then they appoynted twoo sayth he Ioseph which was called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias Although the order howe this was done is not expressed yet it is likely it was done by common consent of all the congregation For where Peter referred the matter to the whole Church he coulde not pretermit the iudgement of the Church It seemeth therefore euerye mans sentence was asked and that they named all those to the Church whom they thought meetest for the office of an Apostle And here the Church at length agreed that eyther Ioseph or Matthy should be chosen to that roume as men who excelled the others in all kinde of vertues And both of them vndoubtedlye was such that whether had had the place the lot coulde not seeme
to haue erred When they were named they were bidden stande forth that all men might looke vpon them and know them And this example of the Primitiue Church is very notable wherby wee are taught that the election of Ministers of the worde and of the Churche shoulde not be done in corners secretly and within the house by a fewe persons but shoulde be done openly in the sight of the congregation and before all the people For if a Bishop must haue the testimony of them that be without as Paule sayth how much more ought he to be well knowne to them ouer whom he is put in charge Which thing if it be not obserued or be neglected eyther obscure or vnknowne persons eyther else wicked and infect with corrupt maners shall be appointed ouer the Church And they shall be ouerseers of the Church which deserue not the lowest roume in the Church This we are taught by the rytes of the olde Testament where by Gods commaundement Aaron and his children were openly chosen into the holye ministery all the people looking on Neyther let it trouble vs that Paule seemeth to giue authoritie to Titus and Timothie to choose Bishoppes For he woulde not haue them of their priuate authoritie to doe any thing but according to the dutie of Superintendentes to take heede that such as were worthy and meete might be chosen for Ministers And it is not likely that they had more graunted to them than the Apostles had which without the Churches counsayle woulde neuer doe any thing in this matter For not long after they chose Deacons openlye before the congregation and Paule and Barnabas by election ordayned Elders in euery congregation Hereby is reprooued that most corrupt and pernicious vsage of choosing of ministers which many yeares hath borne all the rule in this matter Where manye times some one person in many Churches vseth to choose and order Ministers of his owne authoritie Wherein chiefly Abbots Bishops and Prouostes be to blame And many of them also that glory in the name of the Gospell will be taken for reformers of the Church handle not the matter much better For whyle they put Monkes and Bishops out of their vsurped possession as right is yet they restore not to the Church the libertie which by tyranny they tooke from it but at their owne pleasures administrate the things vsed before time vsurped by the same Bishops and Monkes And hereof in many places sprang that preposterous order for such to choose and order Ministers of the Church as neyther well knowe the Ministers nor yet the Churches ouer which they are set And bicause manye naughty affections are ioyned with ignorance they are manye times therewithall so ledde out of the waye that without all regarde of religion in so weyghtye a matter they seeme to minde none other thing but to shewe the power they haue ouer Churches with as great pride as the Bishops and Monkes did before them Which euill and inconuenience vnlesse it be shortly repressed it will bring vs forth both Simonie the deadly confusion of all ecclesiasticall discipline And all this we are bound to the Bishops of Rome for which haue extorted from the Emperors by bloudy warres that they alone might haue authority to giue Bishopricks and al other whatsoeuer ecclesiasticall Benefices There be yet in Germany not a fewe places which can remember these battayles the Christian bloudshed about the â—ame Certes it is manifest that Henrie the fourth being Emperour both for this diuers other causes ioyned battayle and fought with the Popes in open fielde threescore and two times And at length through the craft and counsayles of the Bishops had his owne sonne as an enimie sent by them against him into the field who at length perceyuing their subtiltie and sleyghtes beganne to withstand them but being ouercome with their importunitie and boldnesse graunted to Calixtus the second all his authority since which time the liberty of the Church pining away as of a deadly disease is at length vtterly lost which libertie whosoeuer will haue restored againe be they Ministers or Magistrates they must knowe that they ought all to labour to haue the auncient vsage of choosing Ministers to be restored againe Nowe to come to the exposition of this present hystory when they had set two before the congregation Ioseph and Matthy men furnished and endued with all kinde of vertues yet none of the Apostles woulde take so much vpon him as to pronounce whether of them should be Apostle naye they thought it not safe to commit so weighty a matter to the number of voices but turning to deuout prayers referre all the successe of the matter to the infallible iudgement of god For they saye Thou Lorde that knowest the hartes of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen c. This is a singular document of godly mindes and of such as will not ouer boldly chalenge to themselues any thing in Gods causes Which example if they would with lyke religion imitate which nowe a dayes haue the handling of Church matters and affayres many things vndoubtedly would succeede more happily than they doe Hereof we gather that the election of Ministers dependeth of God alone and must be referred to him We thinke it the dutie of the Church in this case being lawfully assembled to laye aside all priuate affections to search out such as to whom the function of the Church may safely and conueniently be committed And here we principally require a feruent desire of religion wherevnto fasting was woont to be ioyned that their prayers might be the more ardent and earnest And when there are any found that are thought worthy of so great a charge yet must we not then attribute to much to the iudgement of men But the most commodious and safest way is to referre all the successe of our counsayles to the iudgement of god Although I am not ignoraunt that we finde certaine places of Scripture wherby Ministers myght seeme to be chosen by the iudgement of men and the matter appeareth not to haue bene determined by lottes as here it was wherevnto these sayinges seeme chieflye to be referred which are written 1. Timoth. 3. 5. Titus 1. But I suppose mention is there made only of such things as are requisite in this case for men to doe as ministers and guides the order and president of the Primitiue Church standing still in force the which for diuers and weightie causes is necessary to be obserued still in the Church For first it is euident that the Church is the housholde and family of God as was aforesayde wherein the Ministers be as it were Bayliffes and Stewardes Howbeit none that is wise taketh so much vppon him in another mans house as to prescribe at his pleasure eyther the most vnderlyng seruant or else the Stewarde of the same What absurditie therfore shall it be for any man
to be so bolde in the house of God to doe it and to commit a matter of so greatweyght to the iudgement of our blinde reason Further in the choosing of Ministers no man will denye but that the chiefest regarde ought to be of the minde For in the minde is the residence of such vertuous qualities as the holy ghost requireth in a Minister But I praye you what man iudging of another mans mynde can be sure of hys iudgement Must we not confesse that men herein are deceyued euery dayâ— since at length we finde by euident tokens howe naughtye they are whom before we tooke for very perfect persons The Apostles may herein be examples vnto vs who were ignorant a great whyle what Iudas was although he were a theefe such a one as robbed God of his honor But God is of such propertie condicion that he can be beguiled with no craft or dissimulation For he seeth not only what is without vs but searcheth the harts and reynes yea he foreseeth the thoughts and counsayles of men long before they aryse in their myndes Therefore all this matter can be to no body more safely committed than to his iudgement Which thing chiefly mooued the Apostles in this businesse to saye Thou Lorde which knowest the harts of all men shewe whether of these twaine thou hast chosen c. In the which words they plainly confesse what mooued them to runne to the iudgement of god Uerily for that they were not able to see into the hartes of other men Whereas we therfore cannot but confesse the same likewise in our choosing of Ministers we must needes seeme ouer rashe if we will make our selues Iudges in a matter where the minde is chiefly to be considered Last of all the maner order of election which the Apostles vsed both getteth the Ministers no small authoritie in the minds of the hearers encourageth them also against the manaces and attemptes of the wicked and other daungers hanging ouer them For thus it commeth to passe that the verye enimies if they will confesse a truth cannot suspect the Ministers eyther of temeritie or falshoode For who can be thought to haue crept into the Ministery by vnlawfull meanes or through fauour and authoritie of men which is declared a Minister by the iudgement of God Or who with a safe conscience dare eyther contemne or hate him whom he knoweth to haue bene elected and ordayned by his owne praiers the praiers of the whole congregation In like sort these things animate and embolden the Ministers a thing very necessary for them against the threates and attemptes of this worlde For where they knowe they are not elected by the counsell and fauour of man but by Gods ordinance they may assure themselues of Gods ayde and assistance if they will be faithfull in their office They knowe it is sayde vnto them Be not afrayde of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee sayth the Lorde Agayne they may be sure they shall finde God a reuenger and punisher if they be slothfull wicked and vnfaithfull in their office For they knowe that it is sayde to all Ministers which is spoken to the Prophet If I saye vnto thee concerning the wicked man that without doubt he must dye and thou giuest him not warning nor speakest vnto him that hee maye turne from his euill way and so liue then shal the same vngodly man die in his owne vnrighteousnesse but his bloude will I require of thine hande The consideration whereof me thinketh gaue such boldenesse to the Prophetes and Apostles that neyther the flatteries of false brethren nor the threates of wicked enimies could daunt or discourage them For after this sort Amos the Prophet deluded the crafty counsell of Amasias For where he exhorted the Prophete to flye awaye least Ieroboam the King shoulde laye holde on him for his sermons that were so full of threates and rebukes and so come in daunger of aduersitie he aunswered on this wise I am neyther Prophete nor sonne of Prophete but a keeper of cattell Nowe as I was breaking downe Mulberies and going after the cattell the Lorde tooke me and sayde vnto me Goe thy waye and prophecie vnto my people of Israell c. By the which wordes the Prophet meaneth that he did nothing of his owne head or priuate counsell but went about the office enioyned him of God and that therefore he coulde not giue ouer the charge that God had layde vppon him The same Amos in the thirde chapter sayth When the Lyon roareth who will not be afrayde Seeing then the Lord God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecy Hereto are to be referred the things that the Apostles did with lyke courage before the counsell at Hierusalem For when they were forbidden to preache any more in the name of the Lorde Iesus they aunswered Wee must rather obey God than man Agayne Whether it be right in the sight of God to harken vnto you more than God iudge yee But for what cause had it bene lawfull for the Apostles thus to saye if they had not certainely vnderstoode they were called and chosen to this office by god And surely in vayne shall a man looke for such boldenesse of speach and affiance in doing in those which through fauour and by vnlawfull meanes creepe into the Ministery before they be called For knowing in their conscience how they come in by craft and being in their daungers by whose meane they come to such promotion they dare doe no notable thing in setting forth the truth and glorye of God but playing the egregious tryflers studie to please both God and man yea at the length casting aside all feare of God they giue themselues wholy to hunt for worldly praise so lyke rattes perish by bewraying themselues bicause as Paule sayth they be not the seruantes of God but men pleasers Therefore whosoeuer woulde haue in the Churche the auncient authoritie of discipline and the boldenesse of the Prophetes and Apostles in the Ministers and to be short the olde integritie and soundnesse of the whole Church let him labour to reuoke and call agayne this auncient order of choosing of Ministers shewed vs by the example of the Apostles But before we goe from this matter it is requisite to see with what wordes they describe the office of the Apostles They call it the lot of the Ministery and Apostleship By this worde lot they allude to the maner of casting lottes whereby a litlte after they meane to enquire Gods minde and pleasure But in the diuision of things a lot is oftentimes taken for a part or portion of any thing that falleth to vs by lot In the which sense they here call the lot of the Ministerie or Apostleship a part of the same Therfore they oftentimes acknowledge and confesse an equalitie of state and condicion among the Apostles For if Matthias receyued a part of that Ministery which was as well
much laboure and industrie is required euen from our childhood to learne diuers tongues We see that men growen in yeres are scarse able to learne any one tongue and the perfect vse thereof But the Apostles men of ripe yeres and well striken in age beyng idiotes and vnlearned which had spent their childhood and youth not in the studie of learning but in handy occupasions euen in a moment became notable and excellent in the knowledge and vse not of one tongue or two but of all tongues at once Who here acknowledgeth not the euident worke of God Who reuerenceth not the operation of the holy ghost For what coulde the industrie or dexteritie of mans wyt haue done in so short a tyme Neither was this myracle superfluous as seruing only for bare and vayne ostentation as the thinges done by Iuglers are but very profitable and necessarie for the Apostles in discharging of their dutie and office For where Iesus Christe had appoynted them to be teachers of all the worlde that through their ministerie the doctrine of the Gospell might be published among all nations it was necessarie they shoulde be vnderstanded of all nations But howe coulde all men vnderstande them if they coulde haue vsed but their owne tongue onely in euery place Yea I thinke they founde no greater lacke hitherto in their office than that they perceyued themselues destitute of so necessarie a knowledge of tongues And so great was the incommoditie of the diuersitie of tongues which the bolde enterprise of mans pryde as Moses sheweth brought in that by meanes hereof it seemed the most wholsome doctrine of the Gospell was hyndred and the passage thereof into diuers nations stopped But God in one sounde taketh away all this impediment and stoppell and the Apostles euen in the first comming of the spirite feele them selues eased of that difficultie which was thought woulde much haue hurt them Hereof may be learned a common and generall comfort that none walking in the vocation of God dispayre of his helpe fauour God vseth to cast many thinges in the wayes of such which seeme to be impedimentes wherby they can not go through with their charge and calling But God meaneth not so much to hinder them as to trye their faith and patience Therefore it behooueth vs with constant faith and good courage to set on the thinges that passe mans strength and we shall finde God true and faithfull in the things that seeme impossible to vs to be brought to passe So neither banishment nor stuttyng tongue coulde let Moyses from bringyng Israell out of Egypt Yea when the red sea was in their way and stopped their passage whyle they followed Gods callyng it was taken out of their way and dryed vp I passe ouer infinite examples of lyke sort which are to be seene euery where aswell in holy as prophane hystories Whosoeuer therfore are appoynted teachers or magistrates to gouerne the people let them remember these thinges take vnto them good courage of minde Let priuate men also be mindefull of them and go forwarde with like constancie in their vocation For God wyll finishe the worke he hath begunne in vs so that we repent vs not of the labour that must be taken for his sake Let vs also marke in this place howe Christ Iesus which chose ydiotes and vnlearned men to be Apostles woulde not giue them license to preach abrode in the worlde tyll he had made them perfect and learned in all thinges parteyning to the office of preachyng For they which a litle before vnderstoode none but the Syrian tongue and not that neither so perfectly but by the pronuntiation as appeared in Peter they were taken for Galileans they nowe come foorth furnished with the knowledge of all tongues Besides thexact vnderstanding of the olde Testament which the same spirite taught them as appeareth by their sermons This condemneth the insolent barbarousnesse of the Anabaptistes that step from the Plough and Cart vnprepared into the Pulpet and then thinke themselues very Apostolike felowes when beyng destitute of all good learnyng and manners they can contemne all kinde of knowledge and peruerte the whole order of the Church But so farre are they from beyng defended by the Apostles example that rather the aucthoritie thereof sendeth them to learne the things that are needefull for a minister of the worde Paule certes would haue the Rectour of the Churche to be instructed with habilitie and sufficiencie to teache and requireth in him not the bare knowledge of the Articles of faith and saluation only but such a knowledge as wherby he may be able to confute the aduersarie Therefore he commaundeth Timothie whom he witnesseth was brought vp of a childe in the studie of the scripture to be diligent in readyng We confesse in deede there is no neede of all those tongues now which the Apostles by myracle vnderstoode nor it becommeth vs not to require the same of God who if he had neede of newe Apostles coulde both easily finde them and also furnishe them with meete giftes But we require chiefly the knowledge of those tongues without the which the bookes of holy scripture can not commodiously and sufficiently be declared I meane the Hebrue and the Greke tongues the one hauyng the olde Testament written in it and the other the newe Testament published by the Apostles And Paule in a certayne place saith that the chiefe vse of tongues is in the interpretation of the holy scripture Which thinges whosoeuer lacketh he shall neuer attayne to the certayne knowledge of holy scripture For whyle they depende vpon other mens interpretations they become lyke vnto those that see with other mens eyes heare with other mens eares and go with other mens feete There is needefull to the vnderstanding of these tongues the knowledge of hystories and specially the science of vtteraunce which whosoeuer lacketh certes I will say he shall doe very little good in the ministerie of the Church But bicause all these thinges are not bestowed vpon men myraculously and that that we reade chaunced here to the Apostles happeneth to fewe others therfore our industrie our labor and continuance in studie is requisite where we may both perceyue howe necessarie Schooles and Uniuersities are and also howe needefull it is to haue teachers to trayne vp youth for the ministerie of the worde And I thinke there is none ignoraunt what a speciall care was had alwaye of schooles amongst the people of god For herevnto is to be referred all the things written of the children of the Prophetes and of the Colledges wherof the holy Prophets Samuel and Elizeus had the rule and gouernaunce with great care and diligence And in the Prophete we reade howe they are greeuously reprehended which went about with dissolute manners and conuersation to corrupt the younge men appoynted for the ministerie of the Church Truely the godly Princes in tymes passed perceyued of what profite it was for the settyng foorth and
of heart praysing God. And although this that he speaketh of breaking of breade may after a sort be vnderstanded of the mysticall supper as is declared in the Homely before going yet for that he maketh mention also of common meate it seemeth this place commodiously may be wholy expounded of their priuate trade of lyfe in bidding one another to their houses to meales and repastes Luke teacheth vs that the richer sort did not only depart with some portion of their goodes to the reliefe in generall but also that they did exercise liberalitie towardes the poore and others of that which they had reserued peculiarly for themselues And he therefore expresselye mencioneth houses that it might appeare diuers of the number of the faithfull kept their houses and goodes still wherby that confused and sedicious communion of things which the Anabaptistes doe imagine is most strongly confuted But here such an order and trade of lyfe and conuersation is expressed as is full of benefites loue and mutuall helping one another And bicause men offende much in immoderate and excessiue ryote and pride of feasting Luke thought good chiefely to entreate hereof saying they obserued three thinges therein First they feasted togither in gladnesse according to that saying of Paule He that sheweth mercy let him doe it with cherefulnesse For God loueth a cherefull giuer Therfore in their feasting there was no disdainefulnesse which causeth vs to yrke at our benefites but they receyued euery man with glad and chearefull minde and chiefely those whome they knewe wanted liuing For so Christ commaundeth vs to bid the pore which are not able to recompence and requite vs with benefites againe Unto cherefulnesse he addeth singlenesse of heart by the which he vnderstandeth sinceritie of minde voyde of all deceyte and guyle which is contrary to that vice which will seeme to benefite others and yet seeketh their own commoditie and gayne little minding the vtilitie and profite of others Thirdly he rehearseth thankesgiuing wherby they did set forth the bountie of God who as he made all thinges so is he the preseruer and nourisher of them all And if a man ioyne these three togither it shall easilye appeare that they had a singuler care of temperaunce for where this is not there is no true cherefulnesse and christian simplicitie much lesse giuing of thankes Therefore christian men must drawe them a rule out of these things howe to behaue themselues in their banquets Let them knowe that the chiefe thing therein must be charitie and the benefiting of others Let them studie to be harborous and knowe that they are not appointed Lordes but stewardes of the goodes that they haue Let them be mery and cheerefull in giuing bicause as Christ sayth It is better to giue than to receyue Herevnto let there be ioyned such a singlenesse of minde and sinceritie as becommeth Christians Chiefely let them be mindfull of God let them acknowledge him to be the author of all things belonging to our life let them aske their necessaries of him and thanke him for his gifts receyued For through fayth and giuing of thankes as Paule sayth meates are sanctified We haue in Christ an example hereof whome we neuer read to haue broken breade without blessing or giuing of thankes as maye be seené Math. 14.15 Luc. 24. Iohn 6. c. These things teach vs what we maye thinke of their banquetting which eyther vtterly despise the poore or else giue them with an euill will and forgetting to giue God thankes reioyce in scurrilitie and kindle intemperancye by lowde singing and vnseasonable musick Against these are the sermons of the Prophetes Isa. 5. and Amos. 6. Further least any man might thinke this feruent studie in godlynesse lacked his successe Luke teacheth vs what commoditie ensued thereof where he sayeth They had fauour with all the people And the Lorde added dayly c. He sheweth a double fruite hereof comming First they were in fauour and authoritie with all men of the wiser sort For it is playne by that that was sayde before that the wicked were afrayd of them Wee are hereby taught what thing getteth men true authoritie verilye the studie and desire of Gods religion and glory For it must needes be true that the Lorde sayde by the Prophete I will honour them that honour me and they shall be put to shame that despise me Let the Rulers of the church and other Magistrates marke well this thing The superintendents know that they haue neede both of authoritie and fauour but they go not alwayes about to get it that wayes that they ought to doe whiles some of them hunt for worldlye prayse some studye to heape vp riches other seeke to be aloft in worldly pompe being little carefull in the meane while for the honor and glory of god Where the feruent zeale and desire of Gods glorye is the most compendious way to come vnto glory For God which can turne the hartes of men which way it pleaseth him and preserueth the remembrance of them that be his as the Psalmist sayeth will surely rewarde them for euer An other fruite or commoditie therof is that the Lord added dayly vnto his church such as should be saued The church or congregation therfore encreased and they that first entred into it felt their fayth in them also encreased No man therfore can labor in vaine in the vineyard of the Lord so that he earnestly applye his vocation Marke in the meane time howe all encrease of the Church is attributed to the Lorde The Lorde sayth he added euery day vnto the Congregation such as should be saued In deede the Apostles preached and drewe men by preaching of the worde But all the successe of their labour must be ascrybed to God onelye who onely hath power vpon the harts of men For Christ hath taught vs that no man commeth to him except the father vouchsafe to drawe him This thing Paule expresseth by an elegant parable of husbandrye in the first to the Corinthians the thirde Chapter And the Lorde testifyeth by his Prophete that he will write his lawes in the heartes of the faythfull so that they shall neede none other instruction Wherevpon in another place the beleeuing are called most properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye taught of God or the Disciples and schollers of God. And Christ himselfe sayth that his spirite shall be our counseller and maister to leade vs into all truth Here is the impudencie of them reprooued which gather themselues disciples and call them after their owne name And they also are as faultie which acknowledge other maisters beside Christ and reioyce in their names more than in the name of Christ whome Christ and Paule most earnestly impugne and rebuke Let no man take occasion hereby to be slouthfull For euerye man must haue a respect to his calling and walke in the same and ascribe all successe not to his owne industrie but
to the grace of God which worketh in vs according to his good pleasure those things that make for his glory and for our and other mennes saluation Let these suffice for declaration of the order of the primitiue Church Let vs knowe it is our partes to be occupied in the same exercises which they sometime were giuen vnto Let the ende of them all be the glorye of God and the saluation of manye whome we must labour to bring vnto christ For so shall it come to passe that we shall haue fauour and authoritie amongest men and shall receyue plenteous fruite of our traueyle in Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The thirde chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xx. Homelie PETER and Iohn went vp togither into the Temple at the ninth houre And a certaine man that was halt from his mothers wombe was brought whome they layde dayly at the gate of the Temple which is called bewtifull to aske almes of them that entred into the Temple When hee sawe Peter and Iohn that they woulde go into the Temple he desired to receyue an almes And Peter fastened his eyes on him with Iohn and sayd Looke on vs And he gaue heede vnto them trusting to receyue something of them Then sayde Peter siluer and golde haue I none such as I haue giue I thee In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth aryse vp and walke And he tooke him by the right hande and lift him vp And immediatly his feete and ancle bones receyued strength And hee sprang stoode and walked and entred with them into the Temple walking and leaping and praysing God. WE haue perceyued in the Sermon before going what the trade successe and encrease of the primityue Church was This thing of all other was notable that the faythfull grewe in fauoure and authoritie with manye men and caused the wicked to be afrayd of them Among other things mention was made of manye and diuers myracles which Luke sayth the Apostles did Wherefore out of a number he taketh one which gaue occasion of a newe sermon by the which Peter bringeth certaine thousands to the knowledge of Christ as we shall see when we come to the place Nowe bicause this is so singuler a myracle it is meete we diligently discusse all the circumstances therof with as much regard as Luke hath penned them who beginneth first with the occasion of the myracle then he describeth the lame mannes person on whome the myracle was wrought and last of all sheweth what successe folowed of the myracle and what the lame man did after he was healed The occasion of the myracle was that Peter and Iohn about the ninth houre went vp into the temple at what time this lame man was brought thither to aske almes of the people The ninth houre of the day with them was three a clocke at the after noone with vs as maye be gathered of that we sayde in the seconde Chapter touching the counting of houres He calleth it the houre of prayer bicause the people of God had certayne appointed houres when they made their publike prayers as maye be seene as well otherwheres as also in Daniel the sixt Chapter And God had appoynted in the law the morning and euening sacrifice which no man being in his wit will saye was done without prayers Touching the time of mid-day or noone which also was appointed for prayers we shall speake hereafter in the tenth Chapter where Peter at the same houre being in Simon the Tanners house went into the vpper storie thereof to praye And it is not without a cause that the Scriptures make such diligent mention of the houres of prayers For first we are taught hereby that we ought to beginne finishe and ende all our doings with calling on the name of God bicause without his helpe and grace it is impossible for vs to accomplishe any thing well For as Salomon sayth A man deuyseth a waye in his heart but it is the Lord that ordreth his goings Wherevpon the Apostle S. Iames sharpely reprooueth them which without respect vnto the will of God so deliberate and appoint their matters as though the successe of them depended of their owne power Also we are admonished that disciplyne is needefull in the Church according to the which as Paule sayth all things appertayning to religion and the honour of God ought to be done decently and in order We confesse in deede that it is the dutie of Christians in euery place to lift vp pure and cleane handes vnto God when and where we haue neede of his helpe and that he may heare vs Yet bicause Christ hath commended vnto vs publike prayers by a peculiar promise it becommeth vs to haue a speciall care and consideration therof and not without a cause to refraine from the holye congregation which it is euident was instituted long agoe for doctrine and prayers sake And though many things afterwarde grewe into superstition yet ought that to be no impediment vnto vs For the superstition ought to be taken awaye and the primitiue and lawfull vse to be restored Now there is nothing left but the iangling of belles whereby we are called in the morning at noone and at euening to prayers The superstitious vsage whereof many accuse but very fewe traueyle to haue the solemne houres of prayers as they were at the first vsed to be restored The Apostles are specially to be marked who sayth Luke went into the Church at the houre of prayer Which was not for the sacrifice sake that then was offred as was heretofore declared But bicause they were desirous to praye and also hoped to finde some occasion whereby to teache the people And they would not bicause of the pieuishe superstition of the Iewes which easily might be corrected leaue their dutie vndone and let slippe such an occasion and opportunitie to doe good Whose example teacheth vs that we must seeke all maner of occasion to set forth the doctrine of the Gospell and knowledge of christ The dutie that we owe vnto Christ bindeth vs herevnto For as he intermitted nothing belonging to our saluation so must not we fayle of our duties in enlarging the boundes and borders of his kingdome This caused Paule to thinke the weight and care of all congregations laye on his shoulders And in another place he reioyceth in the attemptes of his aduersaries and yllwillers bicause he perceyued they serued after a sort to the setting forth of the Gospell Let vs be ashamed therefore of our negligence and slouth who like sluggardes to say no woorse doe daily let passe the occasions that the Lord offreth vs And here chiefely hath that saying of the Prophete place Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lorde negligently Secondly Luke diligently describeth the lame mans person on whome the myracle was afterwarde wrought In which description the excellencie of the myracle and the power of Christ the
Iohn the Baptist and Christ doe plainely declare where they seuerely and earnestly rebuke the Iewes glorying in the bare title of Abraham But Peter by this argument confirmeth those that might dispaire to the entent they might vnderstande their traueyle should not be in vaine if they woulde follow their fathers the Prophetes and embrace Christ the Sauiour whome they foretolde was to come Marke how Peter going about to perswade the Iewes to hope for saluation first maketh mention of the Prophetes He knewe therefore that this was the chiefe argument of Gods fauour toward vs to giue vs expositors of his will bicause that except we perfitely knew it we could not attaine vnto saluation Therfore among the benefites of the olde testament which God in time passed bestowed on his people this is chiefely to be remembred that he furnished them with Prophetes by whome they might be taught the will of god See Mich. 6. Amos. 2. Psal. 107. 2. Paral. 36. Yea Christ himselfe by this argument prooueth that he tooke the Apostles for his friendes bicause he hid none of those thinges from them which were shewed to him of his father Whereof we gather howe great the ingratitude and wickednesse of them is which dare contemne the worde of God and hisse at the Prophets by whose ministerie the same is preached They shall one daye feele the sentence of Christ when he most seuerely reuenge the contempt of his seruants as he threateneth Math. 10. Secondly he calleth to their remembrance the vocation of the Iewes and promise of God alleaging the couenaunt or testament of God made in the time past with Abraham You sayeth he are the children of the couenant which God made with your fathers saying to Abraham Euen in thy seede shall all the kinreds of the earth be blessed He seemeth by an Hebrewe phrase to call them the children of the Testament to whom the Testament belonged and which were Heires written in the Testament of god For so we reade they are called the children of wrath or death whome God in his wrath appointeth to death Peter seemeth to make two argumentes The first is of a thinge before denounced or shewed saying God in the Testament which he made with your fathers hath written you for heyres also Ergo the saluation contayned in the Testament of God belongeth as well to you as to the fathers The Antecedent needed no great proofe with those who knewe the promise of God well ynough I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Then alleaging the summe and effect of the Testament he prooueth by an argument a comparatis that is of things compared or layde togither that they cannot be excluded from the promises For thus God testified to their father Abraham that in his seede all the Nations of the earth shoulde be blessed And if the Testament of God extended to forreine Nations who I pray you will denye that it appertayneth to them that be borne of the stocke of Abraham Yet let vs alwaye remember that Peter speaketh these things condicionally and that saluation is promised to them which by the faith that was in Abraham take holde of Christ least we attribute vnto carnall generation that which dependeth vpon the meere grace of God and his free election as Paule at large prooueth to the Romaines the .ix. Chapter By this place may the madnesse of the Anabaptistes be confuted which will not admit the children borne of the faythfull into the societie and fellowship of Christes Church yet none of vs denie but that saluation standeth in Goddes election and not in carnall generation In the meane whyle where as God in his Testament hath longe since included the children of the faythfull it may seeme great rashnesse to denye them the communion of the Testament and Churche of god Shall we thinke the condicions of the newe Testament more hard and grieuous for our children than the olde were whan by Circumcision the eyght day they were taken into the fellowship of the people of God Or shall the authoritie of Christ be of no force with vs which attributeth fayth to little children and affirmeth that the kingdome of heauen pertaineth to them Or what shall we saye to Paule which speaking of vnlike mariages feareth not to call those children holy which haue but one parent onely be it father or mother that is a Christian Let vs therefore auoyde the headye audacitie of our iudgement and constantly keepe the articles of Gods couenant where it is manifest that saluation is promised euen to very children It is diligently to be considered that God woulde haue our redemption and saluation comprised in a couenant or Testament Which thing as it begon in Abraham so was it afterwarde many times renewed with Abrahams posteritie ofspring Hereto appertayne the things spoken by Dauid Psal. 89. and. 132. and also the things we read in Ieremy 31. touching the new Testament of god And God did not onely make a Testament but confirmed the same with an othe For he sware vnto Abraham and that by himselfe bicause he coulde sweare by no greater These thinges serue to proue the certaintie of our saluation For if no man reiect or breake a mans testament after it is engrossed lawfully prooued then none hath so much authoritie as to infringe or violate the Testament of god For Paule saith the gifts of God are without repentance and his calling cannot be broken God affirmeth the same Ieremie the .33 saying If the couenant which I haue made with daye and night may be broken that there shoulde not be daye and night in due season then maye my couenaunt also be broken which I made with Dauid my seruant c. And in another place he sayeth that the naturall affections of the parents towarde their children be not so sure and vehement as the care he hath to keepe the truth of his Testament and the certaintie of our saluation It shall be profitable to marke diligentlye the summe of Gods Testament which is alleaged by Peter out of the .xxij. chap. of Genesis In thy seede sayth God vnto Abraham shall all the kinredes of the earth bee blessed In which wordes God comprehendeth three thinges First he sheweth what profite commeth to vs by his Testament Secondly he declareth the mediator by whome we shall receyue it Thirdly he teacheth to whome the inheritance of this Testament is to be extended First God promiseth a blessing which is set agaynst the curse as appeareth in Deut. 27. and .28 This blessing comprehendeth in it the whole and entire safetie of man and specially the fauour of God which enricheth vs with all kinde of goodes For it cannot be that he can want either in bodie or soule that hath God fauourable and mercifull to him And it behooued this thing should expressely be promised vs bicause by nature as many as are of the stocke
bicause Christ greatly hindered and empayred their gayne and honor But Gods spirite bloweth where it pleaseth neyther must we dispayre of any mans health bycause of his profession and trade of lyfe Further where he was a Cypriote he so looued the faythfull of Ierusalem that on them onely he woulde bestowe or shew thys liberalitie For he vnderstoode without doubt that in Christ all difference of nations was abolished as otherwheres the Scripture teacheth And his so great liberalitie wanted not a singuler commoditie For his vertue is enrolled in perpetuall memorie and the Apostles thought good to call hym Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation For he deserued to haue so singuler a name which by his liberalitie gaue so singuler comfort to so many In the meane season we be taught what names they deserue which defraude the poore of Christ by raping and reauing the Church goodes and as much as in them is let and hinder the religion and doctrine of christ These be in verie deede the children of disturbance and perdition whose iudgement steepeth not as the example of Ananias following will teache vs Let vs marke the exercises of the primitiue Church and gyue our selues to the lyke in thys most troublesome worlde where Sathan euerywhere raiseth vp persecutours against the doctrine of truth Let the preachers be armed with a bold liberty of teaching the word and let them remember they are the seruants of God whome no authoritie of man ought to mooue Let them which professe the name of Christ be at vnitie togither in christ Let them labour to shewe their vnitie and concorde by workes of liberalitie and specially by helping of the poore These be the markes of Christians and these be the strongest weapons and defences of Christians For by these they be knowne to be the Disciples of Iesus Christ who is able easily to defende them against all the assaultes of the worlde and shall at length delyuer them from all perill and daunger and bring them to his celestiall kingdome to him be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The fift chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xxxij. Homelie A Certaine man named Ananias with Sapphiâ—a his wife solde a possession and kept awaye part of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certayne part and layde it downe at the Apostles feete But Peter sayde Ananias how is it that Sathan hath filled thine hart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost and keepe awaye part of the price of the lande Pertayned it not to thee onely and after it was solde was it not in thine owne power why hast thou conceyued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto god When Ananias hearde these wordes hee fell downe and gaue vp the ghost And great feare came on all them that heard these things And the yong men rose vp and put him apart and caried him out and buried him THe Euangelist Luke hath declared what exercises and studies the primitiue Church was giuen vnto in the most perillous time of persecution We haue there seene all things belonging to a perfite and most absolute forme and order of a Churche For the Apostles taught the worde of God boldly and trulye The people as meete was receyued the same as their vnanimitie concorde and earnest loue abundantly declared But the holy ghost was not ignoraunt that there would be alwayes phrenetike and troublesome men which herof would take occasion rashly to condemne all Churches wherein all things were not answereable to the perfection of the primitiue Church Wherfore he would haue the historie of Ananias and Sapphira to folow which teacheth vs that Satan had in this holy society his bondmen whose dissimulation at last burst forth and appeared Wherefore nothing is in all poynts sounde and perfite And they are not to be regarded which condemne whole congregations bicause of a few of dissembling merchauntes or voluptuous liuers that are founde in the same considering we reade of Iudas among the Disciples of Christ and that he testifieth that as well badde as good be drawen by preaching of the Gospell Before we beginne the historie we must marke that as Iudas tooke occasion of his sinne by the goodes of the Church so Ananias stumbling at the same stone begunne the first disturbance in the Church The holy ghost thought good to admonishe vs by these examples that the managing of ecclesiasticall goods is a perillous matter â–ª and that they manifestly put their saluation in hazarde that offende therein Therefore whosoeuer glorye in the name of Christ and his Gospell let them diligently take heede to themselues But if they would weigh this one thing they woulde neuer lyke hungrye Cormoraunts runne so greedily to the administring of them The historie hath in it two partes The first declareth what became of Ananias and next what of Sapphira his wife But for the better vnderstanding of the first part we will first consider Ananias facte then Peters iudgement touching the same last of all the punishment which God layde vpon him Ananias deede is tolde with great simplicitie least we shoulde thinke the Apostles leaned any thing to their affections A certain man named Ananias with Sapphira his wife solde a possession and kept awaye part of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certaine part and layde it downe at the Apostles feete Here is principally to be enquired what that fault was which the Lorde a little while after punished with sodeine death For after the iudgement of the fleshe here is no fault made but we may thinke Ananias rather worthie of prayse and rewarde For to sell his lande it was no fault bicause it was lawfull for him so to doe both by Gods law and mans And of any craft or collusion vsed in the bargaine and sale here is no mention Neyther hath the Lorde forbidden vs to reserue part of our owne goodes for our necessities bicause Paule sayeth they be worse than Infidels which looke not to their owne families And he teacheth vs that wee must not so giue almes that our liberalitie be occasion to others of ease and to our selues of want and distresse Furthermore it seemeth he is verye beneficiall to the Church of Christ that giueth but the halfe the third or fourth part of his goodes to the vse thereof Also Christ testifyeth that he shall be rewarded that giueth but a cup of colde water to any of his Disciples in his name Therefore we must consider the minde of Ananias which we maye gather in the other part of the historie by the wordes of Sapphira and so we shall see wherein he offended to saye in hypocrisie and counterfeyting of fayth and loue wherwith he went about to deceyue as well God as the congregation For the ambicious man sawe what prayse and glorye Ioses the Leuite had gotten through his liberalitie Wherefore he being desirous also to
she was guiltie But where without all care and boldly she dareth to lye she prooueth by a strong argument that she is altogither incurable â–ª For what goodnesse may a man there hope for where shame is banished wherewith honest natures as it were with a bridle are kept in doing their dutie In the meane season Sapphira expresseth a confident audacitie which is the peculiar propertie of hypocrites For whome feare they that haue minded to beguyle God and are not afrayde of his sight â–ª Wherefore the Scripture by many examples prooueth that that there is nothing more bolde and confident than hypocrisie And where open sinners for the most part fall downe at the first worde that God speaketh and are afrayde to come in his sight Hypocrites dare euen then vaunte of their integritie perfection when they feele their consciences wounded layd open before the iudgement of god Caine sheweth vs an example of this thing who being asked for Abel his brother durst malapertly answere God say who hath made me my brothers keeper And in the Prophete the Hypocrytes expostulate with God as being to wayward where they saye wherefore fast we and â—hou seest vs not wee put our liues to straightnesse and thou regardest vs not Againe It is but lost labour to serue God what profite haue we for keeping his commaundementes and for walking humbly before the Lorde of hostes What shall we saye of Iudas the Traytour who when he knewe Christ was not ignoraunt of his wickednesse and perceiued he was grieuously rebuked and reprehended yet with the other Apostles he dare to aske Christ whether he suspect him of so great an offence And Sapphiras confidence is as great considering there were so many examples that declared the Apostles were inspired with the holy ghost It is very profitable to marke well these thinges that through their boldenesse and temeritie hypocrites beguile vs not or by their wicked sayings put vs of But let vs returne vnto Peter who by inspiration of the holy spirite vnderstandeth this fraude and guyle and suffreth himselfe not to be mooued with this womanish and hypocriticall boldenesse but pronounceth the sentence of God which the same spirite put in his minde agaynst hir which consisteth of two partes The first accuseth and reprooueth hir sinne For God punisheth no person but first conuict of his sinne that he may vnderstande wherefore he is punished Howe commeth it to passe that you haue agreed togither to tempt the spirite of the Lorde He amplifyeth the boldenesse and heynousnesse of the fact by admiration and interrogation and he sayth they haue conspired togither to tempt the spirite of the Lorde But if a man woulde haue asked Ananias or Sapphira of this their doing I beleeue they woulde haue earnestly denyed they had had any such meaning But it maketh no matter what iudgement we haue of our sinnes for they are examined after the rule of Gods lawe And bicause these two maried folke went about to beguyle the congregation in whome the spirite of God is resident and reigneth it cannot be denied but through wicked temeritie they tempted the spirite of god Therefore by their hypocriticall wilynesse they sinned against the lawe which forbiddeth to tempt god And they are lymed with the same fault which go about in these dayes to beguyle the Church of Christ with counterfayting of fayth and holynesse who also shall well find that God will not let them go vnpunished for their tempting of him And least Sapphira might be excused by the authoritie and commaundement of hir husbande Peter first accuseth the consent that was betweene them and by that argument taketh from hir all excuse Where we learne that no man must consent to euill men if he will escape the iudgement of God no not to those which haue authoritie ouer vs giuen them of god For the man had power giuen him ouer his wife when it was sayde to Eue Thy lust shall pertayâ—e to thy husbande and hee shall haue the rule ouer thee And the Apostles commaunde wiues to be obedient vnto their husbandes But Sapphira is blamed for this onely that she consented to hir husbande who craftily withhelde a part of the money which he woulde seeme to haue giuen to the church Therfore the sinne that is committed against the lawes of God can be excused by no authoritie or commaundement of man bicause we must obeye God rather than man as Peter before had sayde and shall be repeated agayne in this Chapter Nowe if it be not lawfull to consent to their sinâ—es which haue power ouer vs by the ordinaunce of God what sâ—all become of those which allowe and defende not onely with consent of minde but by vnlawfull company and publike prayse the wickednesse of them whose companie they maye altogither forbeare yea which by the lawes of God they ought to forbeare To say nothing of them which are companions with them in their traueyle and daungers and helpe them forwarde in their mischieuousnesse The other part of Gods sentence pronounced by Peter conteyneth the punishment which Sapphira had with hir husbande Beholde sayeth he the feete of them which buried thy husbande bee ready at the doore to carye thee out And by and by she fell downe deade at Peters feete and was caried forth and buried by hir husbande This is the tenour of Gods iustice that they which commit like fault are punished with like punishment as he testifieth in the Prophete saying Should I not punishe these things and should I not be auenged of all such people as these be Hereof ought a generall rule to be taken which must extende to all sinnes and wickednesse For he that in times past reuenged most seuerely the oppression of the poore vniust violence tyrannie vsurie slaughter adulterie whoredome and such like he will punishe the same in vs at this day except we repent as be commeth Christians Yet the chiefe ende and meaning of this place is that we should learne what remayneth for them which vnder the pretence of Christ seeke their owne lucre and dare deceyue the Church It seemeth sometimes that the worlde laugheth vpon them but their felicitie is not stable and they long enioye not their goodes wrongfully gotten For the gladnesse of the vngodly is quickly ended and the ioy of hypocrites continueth but the twinkling of an eye We haue also an example hereof in Iudas the Traytor who when he thought he had best prouided for his owne behoofe and seemed to haue bene in high fauour with the Bishops feeleth in himselfe such seueritie of Gods iustice that it driueth him to the halter so that he coulde long enioye neyther his lyfe nor his money which was dearer to him than his lyfe And God graunt that a number in these dayes taste not of the lyke punishment which vnder colour of the Gospell haue sought nothing else but the spoyle and possession of the Church goods We haue
seene these men turned out againe by Monkes and Bishops and that they haue founde no helpe or succour in those goodes which they had layde vp for that vse to defende the Church by force agaynst the open enimies of religion And better successe let them not looke for which commit lyke offence For if Ananias and Sapphira deserued sodeyne death who as Luke writeth tooke nothing from the Church but deceytfully put aside and withhelde part of their owne goods what deathes and mischiefes doe not they deserue â–ª which dare ryfle Churches by open force and publike authoritie Let vs in these things acknowledge the power of Iesus Christ who as he alwayes doth vouchsafe to be mercifull to his Church so will he not suffer hir to be beguiled but will worthily punish both hir professed enimies and persecutors and also all hypocrites and deceyuers that the synceritie of true religion may be preserued to him be prayse honor power glorye for euer Amen The .xxxiiij. Homelie AND great feare came on all the congregation and as many as hearde it By the handes of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed among the people And they were all togither with one accorde in Salomons porch Anâ— of other durst no man ioyne himselfe to them Neuerthelesse the people magnified them The number of them that beleeued in the Lord both of men and women grewe more and more in so much that they brought the sicke into the streetes and layde them on the beddes and couches â—hat at the least waye the shadowe of Peter when he came by might shadowe some of them There came also a multitude out of the Cities rounde about vnto Ierusalem bringing sicke folkes and them which were vexed with vncleane spirites And they were healed euery one WEe haue hearde the horrible example of Goddes iudgement whereby Ananias and his wife Sapphira were punished with sodeyne death both for that they falsly counterfeyted a fayth in Christ and al so went about to beguyle the Churche in the goodes that were giuen for the reliefe of the poore This example teacheth vs how great the seueritie of God is in punishing of hypocrytes who as he cannot be deceyued so can he not but be grieuouslye offended with them that go about to beguyle him We haue seene also what a feruent desire was in the primitiue Church to conserue and mainteyne discipline least eyther dissemblers or open malefactors shoulde creepe in and cause the fayth of Christ eyther to be defamed or suspected And to thintent all posteritie myght be enflamed to followe the same this present place followeth which rehearseth manye and singuler fruites of this example whereto are adioyned the traueyles and exercises of the primitiue Church to thintent we maye learne by them what we haue in these dayes to doe if we desire to haue the kingdome of God enlarged or Christ to be fauourable vnto vs. First Luke sayeth And great feare came on all the congregation and on as manye as hearde these thinges Then the Christians feared as well as straungers to whome the report of this thing came And this was no vnprofitable feare for by it the godlye were the more aware and traueyled the more earnestly in Gods affayres â–ª and the enimies durst doe the lesse against the Church which they sawe had the spirite of God so manifestlye with them This is the chiefe fruite of ecclesiasticall discipline that it keepeth the godly in doing their dutie and feareth the vngodly Now a dayes bicause all men may doe what they will the Churches being disordered by licentiousnesse of lyfe become a praye to the enimies Here must we also learne the vse of Gods iudgementes which consisteth in this that by them we learne Gods iustice and being afrayde amende our liues by the godly consideration thereof God taught vs this vse â–ª when he shewed Abraham the horrible destruction of Sodome saying I knowe that he will commaund his housholde and his children after him that they keepe the way of the Lord and doe after right and conscience And for this cause woulde â—e that the presidentes of his iudgementes shoulde be recorded in writing and be reade in the Church both priuately and apertly as Asaph testifieth where he thus writeth He made a couenant with Iacob and gaue Israel a law which he commaunded our forefathers to teache their children That their posteritie might knowe it and the children which were yet vnborne To the intent that when they grew vp they might shew their children the same That they might put their trust in God and not to forget the woorkes of God but to keepe his commaundementes And not to be as their forefathers c. Therefore this vse of Gods iudgement whereby Ananias and Sapphiras dissimulation is punished must also be now a dayes retained that we may conceyue a true feare of God and take heede of hypocrisie and worship God in spirite and truth as Christ hath commaunded vs yea let all men be excited with this example and applye vnto themselues whatsoeuer any where in hystories is written of this kinde that by other mennes examples they maye learne what they haue to doe if they meane to auoyde the wrath of God. Secondlye it is sayde of the Apostles that by their ministerie many signes and woonders were shewed among the people Wherby it appeareth the prayers of the faythfull were hearde also in this behalfe which besought God that the Apostles might be endued with myracles through the authoritie whereof they might be holpen in setting forth the kingdome of christ And they worke not only common myracles but their power is extended so farre that the diseased layde in the streete desire but the shadowe of Peter paâ—sing by and thinke that it will helpe them Nowe beginneth that saying of Christ to be fulfilled He that beleeueth in mee the woorkes that I doe he shall doe the same and greater than these shall he doe This is the second fruit of ecclesiasticall discipline that God heareth the prayers of the Church and encreaseth the gifts of his spirite where contrarily he abhorreth their prayers which stop their eares at his lawe This appeareth by histories which euidently declare that the rarer giftes of the holy ghost and working of myracles began then to cease when discipline beganne to waxe dissolute and corruption of maners encreased Yet let no man thinke that superstition is here defended by that is written of Peters shadowe no more than by that we shall afterwarde heare of Paules handkerchefe â–ª Some vse thus to reason of this place If Peters shadow helped many how much more shall his rayment and bones And herof springeth all that confused Chaos of superstition which we see is in pilgrimages about Saints reliques wherof the most part be counterfeyted But we say that these myracles were not wrought to testifie eyther of Peter or Paules power but to confirme the preaching of the Gospell whereof they were ministers Therefore they
is it seene in thys present Booke where in the report of the Apostles actes and description of the primitiue Church Luke alwayes ioyneth these two thinges togyther that is to say the successe of Christes kingdome and the furious rage of the vngodly against the same These thinges serue to the ende that we should neyther be offended at the Crosse and aduersitie whereof Christ so often tymes hath gyuen vs warning neyther hope for anye contynuall peace and tranquillitie of the Church in thys worlde but that we should euen then prepare our selues to the crosse when the Church seemeth to be most in safetie Wherevnto thys present hystorie is chiefely to be referred For Luke a little before setteth forth vnto vs a flowrishing state of the Church shewing vs what aâ—thoritie it grewe in and how it increased day by day in so much that the Citie of Ierusalem was nowe to little to conteyne the kingdome of Christ bicause it began to be caryed abroad among straunge Nations But among these so many and prosperous proceedings there foloweth a grieuous persecution and great daunger bicause Christ gaue his enimies such power that they layde handes on the Apostles and put them in prison thinking also to put them vnto death Yet these things serue more to comfort vs than to feare vs bicause the Lorde so presently helped the Apostles being in daunger for the glorie of his name But that we maye receaue the more vtilitie and profite hereby first we must consider the enimies of Christ and the Apostles Then howe the Lorde did elude and frustrate their enterprise And last of all we will declare what the Apostles did after they were delyuered from the perill they were in Luke wryteth diligently of the enimies and persecutours of the church and of their enterprises For he sayth the high priest rose vp agaynst the Apostles and not he alone but all his complyces and fellowes and they that were his nearest friendes and familiars and these sayth he were of the Sadduceyes secte that we may perceaue what corruption raigned nowe among the Iewes when they were supreame heades of the Church to whome the resurrection of the dead which is the chiefe article of our fayth and religion seemed but a game and pastime as we haue often tymes declared And surely if they had not bene vtterly voyde of all religion eyther the sinceritie of the Apostles doctrine or the reuerente maiestie of the congregation or the wonderfull worthynesse of myracles and so great concursse of all sortes of people to the kingdome of Christ might haue mooued them lesse to haue raged But Luke declareth also what incensed them For he sayth they were full of zeale that is enuie and indignation For they could not abyde them to be had in prise and estimation by whose doctrine theyr honor and aduauntage was defaced Yet is it no doubt but they made the zeale of God and the publike commoditie of all the people to be the pretence of their priuate affections as we reade Caiaphas and his complyces did before Wherevnto came this zeale so farre that they layde hands on the Apostles and commaunded them to the common gayle as breakers of publike peace and open malefactours These things must be applyed to our times also bicause it is manifest al things are written for our sakes that we may haue enstruction and comfort thereby First this example teacheth vs who are alwayes like to be the greatest persecutors of Christes truth Truely they which glorie in the tytle of Priesthoode and will be taken for the chiefe heades of the Church and ought chiefely to maintaine and preach the truth But as soone as vnder pretence of Religion they beginne to seeke their owne gayne and lucre then can they neyther beleue themselues nor yet suffer the light of the truth whose brightnesse discloseth their naughtinesse and deceit And such for the most parte are these Sadduceis yea the Hogges of Epicures hearde For vnlesse they thought the thinges written in Scripture touching Heauen and Hell the immortalitie of the soules and the resurrection of the deade more vaine than fables they woulde neuer neyther so wickedly corrupte the scriptures with their traditions nor yet so impudently turne relygion into priuate lucre and aduantage Therefore Christ and the Apostles shewe vs how Antichrists place and Sea should be euen in the very church that we might perceyue from whence most daunger were to be looked for and feared And if we well marke these tymes it shall appeare they onely haue bene the enimies of the doctrine of the Gospell and kingdome of Christ which heretofore haue bene thought to be the chiefe heades of the Church For it is euident that the matters attempted by Princes and Kings were done for their sakes and by their procurement and instigation This thing offendeth many in these daies and make them thinke that the doctrine in our Churches is not the truth bycause the Popes and Byshoppes are enimies thereto But great folly it is to be offended with that which hath bene the most vsuall and common thing since the worlde beganne as other wher 's hath bene declared But we must as diligently consider wyth what craft and weapons these men fight Where first is to be noted howe egregiouslye they can counterfaite the zeale of God whose glorie they lament to be troden vnder foote and his Church to be so daungerously deuided But this is but a corrupt zeale as we see in Caiaphas to whome the confession of truth which Christ vttered seemed blasphemous and intollerable So nothing seemeth so impious and intollerable to these our heades as that that tasteth of the truth of the Gospell and is repugnant to their proude tyrannye and aduauntage And it appeareth euen by this place that we ought to haue no better iudgement of the zeale of our enimies bicause that as the Bishops of the Iewes coulde beare with the madde errours of the Saduceyes so they woulde helpe to bring downe Christ so these men can beare with the wicked sale and marte of holye things condemned by the Popes owne Canons with the scorcing of Gods doctrine with horrible periurye whoredome and all kinde of vnbridled lyuing so that those things that pertaine to their vaineglory and aduauntage might be left alone vntouched But to graunt them that in deede they haue a zeale to the glory of God yet can they not be excused but are lyke vnto the Iewes which as Paule sayth had a zeale of God but yet were voyde of all knowledge and truth For GOD will not haue vs followe our owne zeale but his woorde which for this cause he hath witsafed to reueale to all ages to the intent no man should followe the suggestions of the fleshe and wisedome of man But what maner of zeale these men had may be iudged by the successe of the thing For they that were Stewardes of the worde of God and ought with argumentes of Scripture to haue
brought them that erred into the waye and to haue conuinced the gaynesayers as men hauing forgotten their dutie turne vnto force and shut them in the common prison which as yet were conuicted of no fault or crime And this is it that Christ layde to their charge when they came out armed with swordes and Clubbes to take him whom they dayly hearde teaching in the Temple where he ought to haue bene conuinced if he had taught any thing repugnaunt to Gods truth Naye they vsed open force euen in their Counsell in that they suffer the high Priestes seruaunt to strike Christ on the cheeke without check Histories declare howe they haue fought these many yeares with the same weapons agaynst the doctrine of truth Neyther neede we to heape many examples togither bicause that one fact of the Counsell at Constance is sufficient which the heades of the Romaine Church commytted agaynst that holy martyr of Christ Iohn Husse whome neyther his safe conduyct neyther the Emperours maiestie neyther lawe of armes neyther intreatie of the godlye nor threates of the Bohemians coulde deliuer out of their bloudy handes And our maisters and Bishops in these dayes vse no argumentes more often against the Teachers of the truth than to arme Princes against the same and those that teache it and then thinke they are notable defenders of the Church when they persecute the true Church of Christ with fire and sworde To speake nothing in the meane season of such as saye the examination and hearing of these matters appertaine nothing to Princes and so hale they the martyrs of Christ to their execution without hearing their cause first cutting out their tongues bicause they shall not declare their fayth and cause of their death to the people looking on But howe farre these men passe the tyrannie of the Iewishe Bishops so much more grieuous shall that punishment be that Christ hath ordeyned for them whose kingdome can be oppressed by no force of man. This doth the other part of the storie declare wherein is shewed what the Lord did in the meane whyle who myght seeme to haue cast of all care of his Church and suffered his enimies to long But he neyther sleepeth nor forsaketh those that be in daunger for his sake For the Aungell of the Lorde came who neyther feared the authoritie of the Priestes nor yet the lawe for breaking the prison but openeth the doores bringeth out the Apostles and commaundeth them to returne to the Temple there to preach the wordes of lyfe that is to saye the Gospell of Iesus Christ in whome only lyfe is to be had These thinges teache vs howe God hath a care for those that be his and that his worde cannot be bounde although his Ministers lye bounde in prison For the breath of God breatheth where it will and is not subiect to the iudgement of the worlde And Paule sayth that he lyeth bounde but that the worde of God cannot be bounde Let no man therefore be offended with the imprisonment of the Ministers of Goddes worde no not with their death seeing the setting forth of his worde dependeth not of vs but of the pleasure and power of god It shall be good more diligently to consider the maner and ende of this deliuery In their deliuery this is chiefely to be obserued that God would haue the prison doores opened by the ministerie of an Aungell which he myght many other wayes haue brought to passe But God woulde this waye testifie and declare the great dignitie of his elect whereas not onely the inferiour and earthly creatures but also the heauenly spirites and Aungels are appoynted to doe them seruice We are taught by manye places of Scripture to gather a generall rule hereof Paule verily teacheth vs that the Aungels are ministering spirites sent out for the seruice of them which shall be heyres of saluation And that saying of Dauid is well knowen The Aungell of the Lorde tarieth rounde about them that feare him and deliuereth them And that which the malignaunt Tempter expoundeth of Christ only is to be referred to euery one of his members whome God hath commended to the charge and custodie of the Aungels that they shoulde not dashe their foote agaynst a stone And there wanteth not examples of them which haue bene holpen by the visible ministerie of Aungelles Loth was deliuered from the burning of Sodome by the aungelles Iacob â—eeth an hoste of Aungelles and perceyueth himselfe in safetie by their ayde and succour Whole armies of Aungels deliuer Elizeus out of the handes of the Assirians Daniel confesseth the Aungell of the Lorde did shutte the mouthes of the Lyons that they coulde doe him no hurt An Aungell many daies faithfully serued Thobias sonne in visible shape and likenesse An Aungell smiteth the first borne of the Egyptians and guideth the people of Israel through the wildernesse And it appeareth Ezechias was deliuered from the siege of the Assirians by the helpe of an Aungell These examples and such other lyke are rehearsed not to th ende we also shoulde require the ministerie of Aungels in visible wyse but that we shoulde not doubt of their ayde and helpe although they appeare not to vs We manye times finde this true when we be deliuered from secrete daungers and so escape vnknown ieoperdies without all counsell or helpe of man Let vs therefore acknowledge the dignitie of our nature and condicion wherein we be set through the benefite of Gods grace Let the same serue for our comfort that we despayre not in aduersitie and for our instruction that we offend not through our impure and naughty life the Aungels and so driue from vs so holy and necessary a succor and defence Furthermore the Aungell sheweth the ende why they are deliuered where he saith to the Apostles being brought out of prison Go and stand and speake in the Temple all the wordes of this lyfe to the people He appoynteth them therefore to returne to the execution of that office and charge that Christ had put them in and co mmaundeth them to their vttermost power to set forth the kingdome of Christ whose ayde and helpe they nowe presently had prooued This agreeth with Goddes commaundement in other places that being deliuered out of any distresse we shoulde glorifie him For this was not spoken onely to the Apostles but appertayneth indifferently to all men For God will haue all men diligently to applye their vocation and being deliuered out of daunger to returne therevnto with the more feruencie the longer they haue intermitted it Therefore their offence is grieuous which being deliuered from sickenesse or pouertie or other kinde of calamitie giue themselues vnto vice and naughtynesse and pollute the name of God with impuritie of lyfe who seeme vnto me to bee lyke those souldiours which being sent out to take Christ when they were cast to the grounde by his secrete power yet when they were permitted to
manifestly set forth Gods helpe and the myraculous deliuerie of the Apostles For they say they finde the prison close shutte and the keepers diligently watching and yet no man in the prison What other could be hereof gathered but that this was the worke of God For who was able so to haue beguyled the keepers and brought out the Apostles without their knowledge They are therefore not without a cause wonderfully vexed in their minde and wote not what to doe For they feele the prickes of conscience which vse to take holde euen on the wickedst But there commeth an other message that more mooueth and grieueth them For there commeth one that telleth them how the Apostles are openly and boldly teaching in the Church which could not but be occasion of great griefe to such ambitious men perceauing that their authoritie was neyther regarded nor their power feared This example teacheth vs howe easie a thing it is for God to frustrate the wicked attemptes of his enimies For who would haue thought the Apostles could haue bene brought out of the prison without the knowledge of the keepers But that which seemeth impossible to man is as easie to God as the dust to be scattered with the winde For he is able to beguile them whom it seemeth no man can beguile eyther by sleepe eyther by benumming of senses eyther by giddinesse of head or many other wayes Furthermore they haue them to witnesse and declare the myracle whose helpe they thought to vse in oppressing the truth Therefore the same thing happeneth here vnto them that did at the first when they sent their seruauntes to take Christ and they returned agayne not onely without him but also gaue a notable testimonie of hys doctrine Whervnto that testimonie was not vnlyke that the souldiours gaue of Christes resurrection whome they therefore hyred to watch his graue bicause he should not rise agayne Lyke examples we reade euerywhere in the scripture Pharao went about to oppresse and destroye the children of Israell And yet he brought hym vp in his owne house and set him on his lap whome God had appointed to be the delyuerer and reuenger of his people Afterwarde when he set the Magitians agaynst Moses he hearde them openly testifie that the finger of God wrought by Moses And this is also like where Balaam hyred by the king of Moabytes to cursse the people of Israell was enforced whether he would or no to blesse them What shall we speake of Achab who most cruelly persecuting the Prophetes of God cherished and reuerenced the most faythfull Patrone of the Prophetes and the verye onely Mecaenas of those dayes amongs the Lordes of his Court I omyt infinite examples of lyke sort which might be brought both out of later and auncient hystories besides those whereof we haue daylie experience I thought good to admonishe the faythfull seruaunts of Christ by these onely that they might diligently marke and obserue the lyke For great and verie profitable is the vse of these examples For first they comfort vs in aduersitie in that we see mannes power farre inferriour to Gods and that mannes enterprises can not hynder the purpose of god Next they profite vs to frame our lyfe after that we rashely withstande not Gods prouydence and ordynaunces For what is impossible to God which in times past so merueylousâ—y did frustrate and disappoint the attempts of the men in the beginning with the wonderfull diuision of tongues and not so fewe tymes as once by the ministerie of one Angell only made kinges and princes to be laughed at of all men Wherfore to humble our selues vnder his mightie hand is both safest and profitablest for our helth and saluation Further let vs consider the priestes and other that satte in thys counsell which yet haue not learned to gyue place vnto God and not content that their folly is nowe opened to all men shewe yet an incurable impietie of minde For the Captaine of the Temple being sent by them bringeth the Apostles without anye resistaunce before the counsell absteyning in deede from vyolence not that the consideration of Gods woorke and myracle made them euer the meeker but bicause they feared least the people would stone them Here we haue to consider not onely the priests and their complyces but also God and the Apostles In the Priestes and Captayne of the Temple may be perceaued the incurable malice and peruerse blindenesse of minde in the wicked For it was sayde before howe they were in doubt and perplexitie what to doe Whervpon maye easily be gathered that they were striken with some perseueraunce of the thing that was done But yet they go not on therein so farre to acknowledge the myracle with their hart and to yeelde vnto god Nay they returne to their purpose and as the things folowing declare go about to kyll them whome they sawe God a little before had so marueylously saued Many examples prooue that thys is the disposition of all wicked Pharao many times ouercome with the maiestie of Gods myracles and griefe of plagues confesseth the God of Israell desyreth Moses to make intercession for him and promiseth he wyll accomplish the commaundement of god By and by he falleth to hys olde vsage being ready to resist God agayne a freshe And euen as these men doe here so did they before in the resurrection of christ For when they knewe it by relation of the souldiours they would neyther beleeue the truth nor feare the inuincible power of Christ but brybed the souldiours with money and spredde false rumours amongst the people of him as though Christes glorie could haue beene defaced by lying whome the authoritie of the Emperours maiestie in whose name the graue stone was sealed could not keepe within the graue And would to God we had onely but olde examples of thys obstinacie and founde not euery where nowe a dayes such as neyther by the iudgements of God nor testimonie of their owne conscience are content to yeelde to Christ and his truth This is an infallible argument of reprobation and a worthy punishment of the contempt of Gods word which once by his Prophete and afterwarde by Christ he threatned to his enymies where he sayth yee shall heare in deede but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainely see and not perceaue Harden the hart of this people stop their eares and shut their eyes that they see not with their eyes heare not with their eares and vnderstande not with their hartes and conuert and be healed These things ought to feare vs that we contynue not in hatred of the truth the ende whereof hath so euill successe We are further taught that the wicked can not alwaye doe that they would but that they many times are brydeled by the secret power of god For hereof commeth it to passe that the Captaine and his souldiours holde their handes fearing least the people woulde stone them So he that thinketh he maye contemne
were neglected in the publike distribution of the Church goodes Which examples the holy ghost would therefore diligently to be written to declare what daungers chiefely they ought to shunne and auoyd which purpose not vnprofitable to bragge of their christian calling but in their doings meane to expresse the same For it becommeth not them which eyther haue already forsaken their owne goodes for the name of Christ or else ought to forsake them if necessitie so requyre to bestowe the goodes of the poore fraudulently and guylefully And it is an absurde and neuer ynough punishable offence to purloyne and imbecill away those things which other men haue giuen to the reliefe of the poore for the maynteyning of whome we are commaunded to spend all we haue But woulde God it were as easie a matter herein to correct the vsage of our dayes as we may not without great cause bewayle the same But what doe the Apostles after this grutch is risen Doe they rayle on them whome they heare thus murmure against them for their vniust distribution Doe they forsake these vnkinde murmurers and leaue of in displeasure all care of administration of the Church Doe they of their priuate authoritie prescribe anye newe order to the Church Or which thing might haue had some shewe of charitie doe they dissemble and make delayes as though by delaying and winking at the matter this mischiefe might haue beene qualified Luke maketh no mention at all of anye suche thinges For they see that mindes already to much incensed are not to be more prouoked neyther can they for a fewe of murmurers sakes leaue of the care of the whole Church which Christ had committed to them neyther doe they of their priuate authoritie as aspyrers to tyranny prescribe Gods houshold or inheritance any such thing neither do they thinke it good to dissemble or negligently to passe ouer so apparaunt an inconuenience But in time they prouyde a remedie and calling all the multitude togither they openly and friendly consult of some better order and way to be appointed for the poore This example or president is not onely in all ages to be obserued but also with great diligence to be followed if we desyre the churches preseruation and safetie For neyther must the pleasure of a fewe be so borne with that they shall doe whatsoeuer lyketh them and lyke Lordes prowdely beare rule ouer the church neyther must open vices be winked at especially such as giue occasion of murmurings and complaint For both they gather strength and creepe further with long tarryaunce and so inflame the mindes that that euill which at the beginning might easily haue beene cured or remedied becommeth incurable It also commeth to passe that hereby occasion is gyuen to such as be rashe and seditious to inuade and vsurpe a rule and dominion ouer the Churche and so at their pleasure to make and appoint newe orders and reformation This thing ought they to haue consydered which nowe a dayes bragge of their false succeeding the Apostles and will be taken for chiefe rulers of the Church who thinke it intollerable that the godly Magistrates should appoynt any reformation in their Churches as the complaintes of the whole worlde these many yeares could not awake them to take away the manifest and horrible abuses whereof they haue bene to long both the authors and defendors Yea and we also ought to haue consydered this thing which glory in the name of the gospell and wil seeme to haue refourmed our Churches For who is so foolish that heareth not the poore euery day for the like cause murmuring and complayning And would God the complaynts of poore were not more iust than theyrs of whome it is here intreated For in many places the Magistrates rape and reaue the Church goodes and they are spent and consumed by such as neyther serue the Church neyther are ledde with any desire of Euangelike truth the poore in the meane whyle and the ministers of the church also being in extreme beggerie and ready to sterâ—e for hunger whome Christ so diligently hath commended to hys church To say nothing of the neglecting of studies and wasting of schooles the contempt of discipline and good maners and infinite like mischiefes all which we may thanke this wicked robbing of churches and Colledges of Many wise men see these things and lament them Diuers faythfull Pastours of Churches reprooue them and desyre amendment Many openly bewayle it and there wante not which with seditious murmuring testifie the indignation of their mindes But what profite is there in all these wayes There be men which thinke these murmurers are to be brydeled by threates and proclamations and by punishments And they that seeme to be the best neglect and care nothing at all therfore So no man thinketh earnestly of any reformation bicause no man will be put out of possession of the Church goodes But the Lorde will finde a way one day and by his horrible iudgement will awake these sluggardes whome no admonishment of his diuine worde nor complaintes of the poore can awake But where the matter is of great wayte that is here intreated Luke also reciteth the Apostles Oration wherein they proposed this matter to be discussed of the church The Oration is deliberatiue and the state therof is that Deacons must be ordeyned to whome the distribution of the common money and care of helping the poore may be committed And the Oration consisteth of three pointes The first conteyneth a briefe excuse wherein they both render a reason of their present doing and modestlye put away the crime laide against them by these murmurers so that they take vpon them all the faulte least any occasion of suspicion or vpbrayding should remayne For they say It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God and serue at the table The argument is deduced of impossibilitie For they declare that it can not be that they can discharge both the offices that they haue hytherto susteyned wherefore it is necessarie that one of them be committed to some other They also declare that no man ought to take it grieuously if they haue made any default consydering the manifold affayres wherein hitherto they had beene occupied It is as much as if they should say Bicause the money was taken vnto vs which certaine godlye disposed had giuen to the churches vse we gladly tooke vppon vs the distribution of the same least we should seeme anye waye to neglect the Churches commoditie But we learne by experience that we are not able both to satisfie the place of teaching and also this office of distribution and we confesse that among so manifolde businesses something might be ouerseene of vs Wherefore we must lay aside the one or the other of these offices But we may not intermyt the office of teaching seing Christ hath commended the same vnto vs and hath appoynted vs witnesses of the thinges he hath done Therefore this other office must be
appointed to some other that may serue at the table that is to say which may see to the thinges belonging to the helping and succouring of those that be poore We are taught in the first part of thys relation how great the dignitie of the gospell and worde of God is consydering the Apostles preferre the preaching hereof before the ecclesiasticall distribution and helping of the poore which yet is a most godly thing verie necessary Neyther were they ignoraunt that the ministers of the Gospell ought by no meanes to despise the poore seing afterwarde they so earnestly commended the care of them to Paule and Barnabas But when the matter came to thys point that either the ministerie of the table or worde must be intermytted â–ª they thinke it vnmeete to neglect the preaching of the worde vnder the pretence of looking to the poore Bicause greater respect is to be had of the soule which is fedde with the worde of God than of the body and bodily foode as Christ hymselfe teacheth Seeke first the kingdome of god c. Yea Christ hymselfe preferreth the studie of his worde before all other dueties which sometimes were done vnto hym For he aunswered the woman that sayde blessed be the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee suck yea blessed are they rather which heare the worde of God and keepe it Whervnto is to be referred the storie of Martha Marie Lazarus sisters in the same Euangelist And Paule thought he ought to haue more regarde of the Gospell than of the sacraments where he sayth he was not sent to baptise â–ª but to preache the gospell Furthermore the Apostles in thys place plainely teach that the excellencie and waight of his office is suche that it requireth a peculiar man voyde of all other cares and labours Which was the cause that Christ would not haue his Apostles occupied in the administration of Empyres and kingdomes of this worlde Herein our counterfait Byshops in these daies are verie faultie which will doe any thing rather than preache and are oftener seene in the Courtes and Campes of princes than in the Pulpit where Paule sayth the chiefe propertie in a Bishop is to be able to teach But would God they onely herein offended and that we had not among vs that eyther through immoderate desyre of ryches or in vanities to say in banquetting hawking and hunting and sometime in dishonest exercises spent not the greatest part of that tyme that otherwise shoulde be employed to reading and teaching They shall one daye feele the horrible iudgement of God when the bloud of those which haue perished through their negligence shall be required at their handes In the seconde part of the Oration they shewe what is to be done for the succouring of the afflicted Church where they saye Looke out therefore among you seauen men of approoued honestie being full of the holy ghost and wisedome wome we will appoynt for this businesse They thinke it good to ordeyne Deacons or Stewardes to whome this charge myght peculiarly appertaine And they will haue seauen to be chosen bicause they suppose that number sufficient for that time not that they woulde haue all Churches bounde to that number Although this might seeme profitable to commit the charge of publike goods to no fewer bicause many times commeth to passe that such eyther waxe the more insolent or else seeke after their priuate gayne vnlesse they be restrayned by the rule and authoritie of others And though no such thing fall out yet a fewe are sooner suspected than many standing charged with one thing But least they might erre in their election they diligently declare what maner of men must be ordeyned First they will haue them chosen out of the companye of the faythfull Therefore none must be admitted therevnto which is an aduersary of the fayth or estraunged from it Then they requyre men of a tried honestie to thintent that publike goodes might safely be committed to them Thirdly they looke that they be full of the holye ghost not suche as are ledde and ruled altogither with filthy affections Last of all they will haue a respect to be had of their wisedome that is of their skill and dexteritie in handling of matters bicause without this the lawfull dispensation of such goodes cannot be exercised Ioyne vnto these the thinges that Paule requireth in Deacons and it shall easily appeare what in these dayes is to be obserued and followed But as in other thinges so herein also is committed great ouersight For with the Papistes hath nothing remayned but the bare name of Deacons onely yea euen they that are called Gospellers whether they bring the Church goodes to the publike Treasury or conuert them to other vses they commonly make such Stewardes as are straungers from the fayth which hate the worde of God and the Ministers therof who when they haue wasted and consumed their owne goodes seeke to enriche themselues by the Church goods whome a man may see rather full of wine than of the holye ghost and not ledde so much with the spirite of wisedome as with the impotent and vnruly perturbations of the minde These men grieuouslye offende but no lesse doe they offende by whose voyces such men are chosen For Paule testifieth that they are partakers of other mennes sinnes In the thirde and last part they declare what they themselues intende to do least any man might suspect they sought their owne ease or ydlenesse We saye they will giue our selues to prayer and to the ministration of the worde By this worde giue they expresse an ardent and earnest industrie and endeuour which all Ministers of the worde must haue that will doe good in their office In two duties they comprehende the chiefe poyntes of Ecclesiasticall ministerie The first is doctrine or teaching which for that it must be taken from the mouth of God we haue neede diligently to studie the holy scripture in the which God speaketh to vs. Therfore Paule biddeth Timothie to applye his reading Againe bicause the same must be applyed to edification we must take good heede that the worde of God be duely broken and deuided that it may serue as well to instruct as to comfort euerye man But bicause the endeuour and diligence of the Minister is in vayne except God giue the encreas he must by continuall prayer be intreated that he will vouchsafe to drawe and inspire the mindes of the hearers by his holy spirite Christ our Lorde ioyned both these togither whose example the Apostles in thys case thinke good to imitate Let as manye as be Ministers of the Churche followe the same and they shall perceyue that they shall not labour in vayne For Iesus Christ that true and supreme king of the Church shall with the grace of his holye spirite prosper their studies to whome be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlj. Homelie And
this saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose Steuen a man full of fayth and of the holy ghost and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a Conuerte of Antioch These they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they layde their handes vpon them And the worde of God increased and the number of the Disciples at Ierusalem multiplied greatly and a great company of the Priestes were obedient vnto the fayth AS Luke hath descrybed a sounde and moste perfite paterne of the primitiue Church euen so he declareth with great diligence the vice that sprang in the same The beginning whereof was about the Church goodes and howe manye wayes they offended of late we perceyued The Apostles erred of ignorance and multitude of businesses being not able to discharge two offices at once But of a little errour followeth a great offence For certain conceiued and tooke occasion hereby of discention and became murmurers so that now the Church seemed in a farre other case than heretofore it was when Luke sayde all the people were of one minde and will. The holy ghost ment hereby to teache vs that no man should be offended as at a straunge thing though he perceyued some blemishe or vice to spring in any Church or congregation For what so much argueth vs to be men as to erre and to be deceyued we must therefore studie howe to correct these things that vices spreade not to brode or by delayes become vncurable The Apostles well noted these things which calling the multitude togither modestly excused themselues and also friendly gaue counsell what was best to be done This is the ende and scope of their counsayle that Deacons or Stewards may be chosen to whome both the charge of publike goodes and also the ouersight of the poore in the congregation might be committed and least they shoulde erre in their choyce they diligently declare what maner of menne ought to be chosen Then followeth what was done after the Church by their authority had allowed the Apostles counsaile This is the second part of this present hystorie wherein is described the choosing of the Deacons of the Church In the consideration whereof it behooueth vs to be diligent that we may vnderstande what we also ought to doe in these dayes First he declareth by whome the Deacons were chosen This saying sayth he pleased the whole multitude and they chose Steuen c. Then the Deacons are chosen by the consent and authoritie of the whole Church Therfore the choosing of Deacons to whome the administration of Church goodes is committed belongeth to all the Church For where these goodes be consecrated to the whole Church it must not be suffred that a fewe shall haue the disposing of them at their pleasure or choose the disposers of them For so maye it come to passe that those goodes which the godly and faithfull of a godly and christian zeale gaue for the conseruation of the Church may be an occasion to haue the same spoyled It is worthy of great commendation that Luke sayth the counsell of the Apostles pleased them For they perceyued it was right and necessary that they whome Christ had appoynted to preach the Gospell shoulde not be burthened with temporall affayres They perceyued also that this institution agreed with the example of Christ who had committed to Iudas the purse of his dayly expences and care of the poore for that he woulde haue neyther himselfe nor the other Apostles hindered in the ministerie of the worde Therefore with one consent they agree to the Apostles saying This is the right and proper marke of the true Church that she harkeneth to the voyce of hir shepehearde and striueth not agaynst Christes counsell or example And their frowardnesse is inexcusable which will haue nothing to be altred or chaunged bicause they woulde not seeme to haue erred although they see the order and forme of the Church altogither marred and corrupted The Louianistes offende in this behalfe who thinke this Maxima to be defended with tooth and nayle that the Romaine Church cannot erre c. and will admit no reformation although they are neyther able to dissemble ne yet to excuse great errors and abuses in the same We see diuers Gospellers also stumble at the same stone which whyle they will not swarue one strawe bredth from the first reformation of their Churches doe not onely mainteyne olde errors in some articles but suffer newe also dayly to aryse Let vs therefore followe the readynesse to yeelde that was in the primitiue Church least while we seeke to be cleere from all suspicion of error we become altogither distayned with errours Secondarily is declared who they were that the Church did choose For there is rehearsed a scroll of their names in the which as Steuen is the first so is he commended with a singuler prayse in that it is sayde he was full of fayth and of the holy ghost The occasion of which commendations is partly bicause of the historie of Steuen following and partlye for that we might vnderstande what the Church chiefely obserued in this election For here is no yeelding to priuate affections nor no admission of ambitious mens sleyghts subtelties who are ledde eyther with desire of priuate glory or vtilitie But they iudge that such ought to be chosen as were able to aunswere the rule prescribed by the Apostles Yet among these was Nicholas rehearsed who as the auncient writers saye made his wife common and was the authour of the detestable sect of Nicholaites whose workes Christ sayth he hateth Apoc. 2. Neyther coulde the whole Church with the exhortation of the Apostles vse such diligence but such a beastly and wicked man was able to get into this most holy order Which certainlye was a thing both wonderfull and absurde onlesse we were assured that aswell the affayres of all mankinde as of the Church were ruled by Gods prouidence And the Lorde suffred him by his iust iudgement to obteyne this notable roume in the Church bicause the same serued much for our instruction For first we learne that wicked men manye times creepe and get into the societie of those that are good and godly For Satan ceaseth not to throwe and sowe taxes among the good seede whyle men sleepe So we see Iudas was reckoned among the Apostles whome Christ knewe to be a Deuill and Traytor Wherefore no man ought to be offended if the like fall out in our dayes For God will haue his people tried and exercised And there must needes be heresies or sectes that the chosen may be tried Furthermore he maketh vs attent to examine both our selues and other that we eyther deceyue not our selues or suffer others to deceyue both vs and the Church Which thing in elections is of all other thinges to be regarded For if the primitiue Churche were deceyued in hir iudgement being feruent in an holy zeale of Christ what
thinke we will come to passe if the corrupt affections of the fleshe be taken to counsayle or if iudgementes be rashly and vnaduisedly giuen The example of Nicholas teacheth vs further what a care and consideration they ought to haue which thinke they stande sure least perhaps they fall For as of nature we be proue to all kinde of vice so the deuill our common enimie is not ydle but walk eth still vp and downe like a roring Lion seeking whome hee maye deuoure Neyther ought they to promise them selfe securitie and safety which haue before their eyes the falles of so many holy men and knowe that euen the iust man falleth seauen times in a daye To conclude they are reproued by this example which vaunt themselues in the bare name of Predecessors and succession manifestly offending agaynst the lawes of god We see the Nicholaites which seeme to haue bene the beginners of the heretikes called Gnostici the wickedst kinde of people that euer the worlde brought forth had this Nicholas for their author whome the primitiue Church thought not onely worthy to be of the number of the faythfull but as farre passing others chose him to be one of the Deacons Paule sayeth that Antichrist shall sit in the very Church And Christ out of the Prophetes teacheth vs that abhomination shall occupie the holy place It is therefore foolishnesse to brag of succession and holynesse of order and not to endeuour to aunswere our vocation But let vs rrturne to the Deacons whom we sayde were euen now elected and let vs see what was furthermore done For they enter not by and by into their office but are first confirmed by common authoritie And first they are set before the Apostles as vnto whom belonged chiefely both the charge of the whole Church and care of the poore Wherby those new Deacons were taught that they ought so to behaue themselues in their office that they might be able to giue an accompt to the Apostles whose seueritie in these affayres not long before appeared in the examples of Ananias and Sapphira By thys example the men of our dayes be reprooued which thinke it meete that Ministers of the worde and congregation should be vtterly debarred from the viewe and ouersight of publike goods and that it is vnfit they should talke of the distribution and distributors of Ecclesiasticall goodes Howbeit it is euident that they ought not to neglect the care of the poore whome Christ hath put in charge with his whole church For with what reason shall they neglect one peece which are bounde to see to the whole Therefore these men must eyther denie that the poore belong to the Church or else they must needes let the Ministers haue a care and ouersight of them And howe can they denie but the poore are a part of the Church seeing Christ so tendereth them that he taketh whatsoeuer is done to them as done to hymselfe But it is playne what these men of oures hunt for verilie euen this that without all restraynt and feare of discipline and comptrolment they may make hauock of the Church goodes at their pleasure which goodes were appoynted for the reliefe of the poore Therefore whosoeuer wyll faythfully and with commendation liue in the ministerie must not stowpe or yeelde to this their tyrannie Secondarily Luke maketh mention of prayers These the Church with one consent powred forth for the Deacons newly chosen that they might obteyne for them the giftes of the holy ghost whereof they knewe they had most neede They commend vnto vs by their example the studie and care of religion which as in all other things so in those things which belong to the publike administration of the church it is chiefely to be regarded And they are not vnworthily iudged wicked which contemptuouslye neglect prayers eyther priuate or publike Furthermore we are taught that we should pray earnestly for all them which are in any publike office For as such men labour not for themselues onely but are carefull and vigilaunt for the weale publike so if they offend in any thing commonly it is the occasion of some publike euill Therefore we see howe the Church not long before made their publike and common prayers for the Apostles And Paule commendeth himselfe to the publike prayers of the congregations that he may preache the worde of saluation freely and wyth open mouth He commaundeth the christians to pray for magistrates and all other in authoritie that they that are not able in other things at leastwise with their prayers myght helpe and promote the publike weale Which was a thing so obserued in the primitiue Churche as Ecclesiasticall wryters testifie that the christians daylie prayed vnto God for the Romaine Emperours being yet infidels And surely it is an argument both of an vnthankefull and blockishe minde to haue no care of them to whom the weale publike is committed The thirde thing in their election was the imposition of handes which was partly a signe of their consecration and partly of their commission For as the priestes in times past vsed to laye their handes vpon the sacrifices thereby declaring they were consecrated vnto God so did the Apostles vse to lay handes vpon the Ministers of the Church to the ende they might knowe they were consecrated vnto God and be the more assured of their vocation And it was not a little needefull for them to be admonished hereof by a publike ceremonie For except a man certainely vnderstande that he is called and ordayned of God he shall doe his dutie no longer than he seeth all things proceede prosperously For if aduersity begin once to thunder bicause he is vpholden with no hope of Gods helpe he shall dishonestly forsake his tackle and standing In the meane whyle let vs diligently obserue that they ioyne prayers to the imposition of handes For hereby the declare that the grace of the holy ghost is not tyed to the outwarde signe but that it commeth from God and is to be obteyned by godly prayer And this is the most sincere way of making Ministers and Deacons of the Church which it is euydent the primitiue church vsed many yeares With the which if a man would compare the things that the Papistes obserue he shall see the auncient simplicitie vtterly worne out and all the thinges which belong to the true worship of God and which should admonishe men of their dueties with most vayne and colde ceremonies all to be blotted and blurred But least any man might thinke this ordeining of Deacons and so diligent a correction of this errour had beene superfluous or vnprofitable Luke sheweth that great vtilitie ensued therof For the word of God increased both for that it spread farther vnto others and also for that it did bring forth more fruite in the mindes of them which before had hearde and receyued it Then agayne the number of the faythfull whome the chiefe Byshops and priestes desyred not onely to
First let vs here consyder howe when the tyme of promise drew nigh God raysed vp such a king as oppressed his people with tyranny and so intreated them that scarce they had any more hope to be deliuered Thys is Gods vsage of olde to mixe aduersitie and prosperitie togyther and then to suffer Tyrannes most to rage when their destruction draweth nighest By thys meane he vseth to trye the fayth of his people and is verie carefull that they by carelesnesse abuse not their liberty There are euerywhere examples hereof in Dauid Ezechiel and infinite others Hereto belongeth that that came to passe after the people returned from Babilon about the restoring againe of the church when neyther the authoritie of Cyrus could represse the attemptes of their enimies and Cambyses his sonne following encouraged the enimies of the church by his supportacion insomuch that they that wrought vpon the walles of the Citie were fayne to worke with one hande and fight with an other It is for our profite diligently to consyder these things that we be not to bolde in prosperitie least we be entangled in securitie but rather that we consyder howe we must tryumphe vnder the crosse and that we therefore must prepare our selues vnto the same howsoeuer all things seeme to laugh vpon vs. Next we haue to consyder that he sayth a king arose which knew not Ioseph And if we searche the Chronicles we shall finde it to be scarce fiftie yeares betwene the death of Ioseph and the raigne of this tyranne For Ioseph at thirtie yeares of age was made ruler of Egypt Then followed the seauen yeres of plentie and in the seconde yeare of the dearth he sent for his father Iacob to come vnto him Wherefore if we allowe them anye time to prepare for their iourney and to iourney in we shall finde that Israell came into Egypt not long after Ioseph was fortie yeres of age Ioseph lyued yet after this three score and tenne yeares for Moses sayth he dyed when he was an hundred and ten yeares olde Now the Israelites were in Egypt two hundred and ten yeares from which if we take the three score and ten yeres of Ioseph and the foure score yeares that Moses liued before he brought out the people there shall but three score yeares onely remaine betweene the death of Ioseph and the byrth of Moses from which yet must be taken ten yeares at the least that Amram liued in matrimonie in the tyme of persecution before Moses his sonne was borne For it is playne that Aaron was borne three yeares before Moses And when Moses was founde by the ryuer side his sister Marie was of that age that she was able to talke with Pharaos daughter and to giue hir counsell howe to saue and bring vp the childe The consideration of these things teache vs howe little remembraunce princes of this worlde haue of good turnes that men doe vnto them seing the kings following within so little a space are ignoraunt of Ioseph through whose counsell Egypt was preserued and the kings power so greatly increased For being drunken with prosperitie and good successe they easily waxe prowde and thinke it an heynous matter to acknowledge themselues debters to any man Therefore Dauid both truely and wisely sayth Put not your trust in Princes nor in anye childe of man for there is no helpe in them Agayne It is better to trust in the Lorde than to put any confydence in Princes We are also taught howe hurtfull a thing it is to forget or to be ignorant in the auncient actes lawes and priuiledges For this place plainely testifieth that this thing was the cause of most cruell tyrannie and at length of most horrible destruction Therfore notable is the custome of the Persians and Medians whose kings as Hystoriographers saye are contynually occupied in the reading of the Chronicles For howe much profite ensueth thereof the onely hystorie of Mardocheus aboundantly declareth Thirdlye let vs consider the craftes that tyrauntes vse in oppressing their subiectes For Pharao seemeth not to vse his absolute power but craftily circumuenteth the people of Israel and so vseth the matter that he seemeth to haue great regarde both of publike tranquillitie and equitie and yet in deede he cruelly persecuteth a people spoyled of their auncient libertie For vndoubtedly he complayned that it was not reason and right that a straunge Nation shoulde be free and haue more libertie than the Egyptians Furthermore he sheweth that it was a daungerous matter and to be feared least they should ioyne with some forreyne Nation and aspyre to the kingdome of Egypt But if we consider the falling out of the matter the ende was altogither couetousnesse which taught the Egyptians howe to waxe rich by oppressing and abusing the labor of others Hereof followed a crueltie passing all other which the very infantes new borne coulde not escape So lawfull thinke they it is for them to doe all things which once haue violated and broken all lawe and right and haue tasted any priuate aduantage or profite thereby Let vs marke these crafts that we may learne the easilier to beware of thē Yet let vs not be discouraged forasmuch as it commeth to passe many times that tyraunts enterprises set forth the power glory of God who can most easily ouerturne the deuises of people as the godly prophet teacheth and as appeereth came to passe in this place Nowe Steuen goyng forth with his narration bringeth forth Moyses in whome the Iewes as in their Captaine deliuerer and lawe maker chiefely gloried And he prooueth that he was preserued and aduaunced to so high a dignitie through the singuler goodnesse of God and had nothyng wherein to reioyce Wherevpon it is easie for euery man to conclude that they which were deliuered by his ministerie and receyued the lawe of him were much more bounde to the goodnesse of god There are three reasons whereby he prooueth that that we haue sayde First arguing of the time he sayth he was borne when the tyranne most raged and when he coulde by none other meanes be saued than by the secret working and goodnesse of god He addeth another poynt that euen when he was newe borne there appeared manifest tokens of Goddes fauour which surelye can be ascribed to no deserte of Moyses In the meane season we must note howe he was then borne to be their deliuerer when there was almost no hope of deliuerie and when himselfe was lyke to bee in daunger before he coulde declare anye token of his valiauntnesse in deliuering of them So God vseth to succour his people when all hope is past and as Esaye sayeth that he maye doe his worke his straunge worke and to forget it as it were that he may execute it afterwarde with the more glorie For it is Gods proper worke to saue men which he then doth when all hope and helpe seemeth to them quite past The lyke thing fell out in Christes
natiuitie For when the Iewes had lost their libertie and were compelled to pay taxe and tribute to a straunge Prince and an Ethnike and euery man was ceassed by Cyrenius then was that promised and so long looked for Sauiour of the world borne Yea he was borne of the stocke of Dauid where as it had lost all dignitie and seemed as Esaye once sayde a rotten and vnprofitable stocke Therfore let no man despayre in imminent afflictions The seconde argument whereby he prooueth Moses to bee saued by the mercy of God he taketh of his Parents who brought him vppe three moneths at home at their house contrary to the kings commaundement For this was as Paule testifyeth and interpreteth it Hebr. 11. a worke of fayth whereby they respecting Gods mercie and his promises were so comforted that they durst breake the kings commaundement But that fayth and boldenesse of minde are the gyftes of God is more euident than needeth long proofe So therefore must the fayth of Moyses parents be considered that we encouraged by their example must learne to contemne those wicked commaundementes oftyrauntes which no man can obey with godlynesse For in such thinges must Peters rule be followed which plainely sayth we must rather obey God than men Thirdly he rehearseth the order and maner howe Moyses was saued that the grace and power of God may the more appeere For Pharaos daughter tooke him being cast out into the riuer Nylus and brought him vp as if it had bene hir owne sonne Furthermore being trayned vppe in the Court in all maner of wisedome of the Egyptians he became expert in all qualities belonging to a ruler and gouernour Who will in these thinges attribute anye thing to mannes desertes or merites who will not acknowledge Gods singuler grace and fauour Here is the power of God marueylous woonderfull who disappoynteth and laugheth at tyrants enterprises Pharao bringeth vp in his owne Court and as it were in hys owne bosome the Captaine and deliuerer of that people which he sought most to oppresse So whyle Achab persecuteth the Prophetes and the Church Abdias a most faythfull defender of the Prophetes and true doctrine is in greatest honor and authoritie in the court So vnder the Romaine Emperours sometime the mainteyners of the true fayth had greatest charge in the fielde although the Emperours would haue had the faith destroyed And many other examples there are which declare howe the greatest enimies of Christ haue furthered and set forwarde the Church Who therfore will be afrayde of their attempts which are ruled by the bridle of Gods power and prouidence Let vs also consider howe he sayeth Moyses was brought vp in all maner wisedome of the Egyptians Christians therefore maye reade the workes of Gentyles and Philosophers as it appeareth Paule did by his writings and sermons wherein he feately placeth the sentences of the Ethnickes Yet a meane must be obserued least the mysteries of the worde of God beginne to be contemned of those that delyght in Gentyle philosophie and that we make not to much of those things in their writings which openly impugne the prophecies of heauenlye wisdome This thing commeth to passe in Astrologers and in the ouer curious searchers of naturall causes which yet are not ashamed to defend their vngodlynesse by Moyses example But they ought rather to followe his modestie who in the description of the frame and workmanship of this worlde hauing great occasion to haue shewed and set out his Egypticall wisedome comprehendeth all those things in marueylous playnenesse and breuitie that the curious wittes of Mathematicalles and Philosophers haue wearied their braynes vnprofitably about nowe these manye hundred yeares For where he referreth the causes of things to God alone as the Scripture euerywhere doth he easily saw that it was a wicked ostentation of the wit to spoyle God of any part of his glorye and to bring the gouernaunce of the world in subiection and bondage to the course of Creatures Therefore their foolishnesse and madnesse is detestable which make Abraham and Moyses the authors of iudiciall astrologie Let vs rather depende vppon Gods appoyntment and prouidence onely who of his goodnesse chose both Abraham and Moyses and hath by them promised vs hys sonne to be our Sauiour and King To whome be all prayse honor power and glory Amen The .xlviij. Homelie AND when he was full fourtie yeares olde it came into his heart to visite his brethren the children of Israel And when hee sawe one of them suffer wrong he defended him and aduenged his quarrell that had the harme done to him and smote the Aegyptian For he supposed his brethren would haue vnderstande how that God by his hande shoulde deliuer them but they vnderstoode not And the next daye he shewed himselfe to them as they stroue and would haue set them at one agayne saying Sirs yee are brethren why hurt yee one another but he that did his neyghbour wrong thrust him awaye saying who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge ouer vs wilt thou kill mee as thou diddest the Aegyptian yesterdaye Then fledde Moyses at that saying and was a straunger in the lande of Madian where hee begate twoo sonnes WHereas the blessed Martyr Steuen following the order and tracke of the storie of the fathers is commen to Moyses in whom the Iewes so greatly glorie as in their deliuerer and lawe giuer he diligentlye handleth his hystorie partly bicause Moyses touching their deliuerie out of Egypt was a figure of Christ and bare witnesse of Christ and partly bicause he would not seeme to be a contemner of Moyses as they accused him in that he preached agaynst the Temple and Ceremonies of the lawe And bicause he woulde quyte take from them the vayne affiaunce they had in outwarde ceremonies he sheweth that the fathers so little trusted in mannes righteousnesse that Moyses himselfe had nothing whereof to reioyce before God bycause through no helpe of man but by the onely grace of God he was saued and called to such honour as he had Wherevpon it followeth that whatsoeuer afterwarde he did worthy of any singuler prayse and commendation it was to be attributed vnto Gods goodnesse and grace The same is more plainely set forth in this present place where he declareth how Moyses beganne to vse his office wherevnto God had appoynted him and howe the fathers vnworthily despised the benifyte of deliuery giuen them and very vncourteously reiected Moyses their reuenger and defender He beginneth with Moyses age and with the cause that mooued him to take vppon him the charge of the people being so grieuously afflicted he sayth he was fourtie yeares olde before he gaue anye token of the peoples deliuerie In the meane time liuing in the Court among the Nobles of the Realme he seemed to haue little regarde of the people which thing Steuen manifestly teacheth where he sayth when he was full fourtie yeares of age it came into his heart to visite his brethren Who
encouraged to go about it where he promiseth most prosperous successe to those that walke in hys commaundements An example of this diligence is to be seene in Abraham who being commaunded to go out of his countrie thought good to obey the calling of the Lorde though he were altogither ignoraunt what should folowe thereof Which thing as it most prosperouslye succeeded with him so we reade that Saule was tangled in horrible calamities who had rather folowe the deuises of his owne reason than the commaundementes of god See Samuel 1.13 and 15. Chapter But let vs consider the Aethiopian who is so diligently described First he declareth his state and condicion in that he sayth he was an Eunuch by which name it appeareth the Courtyers of the Kinges and Queenes of the East were called and specially those that were of their Chamber although they were not all gelded Wherefore it maketh for the exposition of thys name that he calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a prince and one that had the charge of all the Queenes treasure whome we may call the Cofferer or Lorde Treasurer Whereby it plainely appeareth that he was none of the inferiour Courtyers but one of the chiefe of the court This place teacheth vs that Magistrates and officers ought not for their office sake which they susteyne to bee excluded from the Kingdome of Christ as the seditious Anabaptistes crie For Paule plainely testifyeth that such are the Ministers of god And there are examples of manye which whyle they were in office were illuminated with the knowledge of Christ and for all that were not commaunded to giue vp their office Of this number was Ioseph a Senator of Ierusalem whome the Euaungelistes write was a Disciple of Christ and of godly affection buried Christ. So Peter bade not Cornelius to giue vp his Captaineship And it was lawfull for Sergius Paulus after he was conuerted vnto Christ to continue in the Proconsulshippe of Cyprus Therefore most vayne are the clamours of the Anabaptistes where they stiffely denie that Christian men ought to beare any office Then he declareth the maners and studie of the Aethiopian by two arguments For he sayth he went vp to Ierusalem for to worship and as he iourneyed was giuen to reading of the Scripture Therfore although he were an aliant and straunger yet he had some vnderstanding of that true God which before time woulde chiefely be knowne in Iurie as the Prophete witnesseth Neyther must we say that he was deceyued through foolishe superstition and so included and tyed religion to certaine places For where he was studious of the Scriptures he reuoked externe worshipping to the rule of Gods worde which is the onely waye of true religion and vndoubtedly he respected the promise of God who long before had promised in that Church to heare the prayers aswell of Straungers as of Iewes The reason of which promise was founded on Iesus Christ a figure of whom aswell the Temple was as the sacrifices made in the same The example of this Eunuch teacheth vs what the studies of Princes and great men ought to bee Let them remember that they shoulde principally and aboue all things haue a care of religion Now let them not appoynt the same after their owne brayne as we reade sometyme Ieroboam did for the establishment of his tyrannie but according to Gods worde which it behooueth them both to heare and reade moste diligently For it was before declared that they be the Ministers of god He hath appoynted them to be the Nourices of his Church as the prophet sayth Esa. 49. He himselfe is in the middle of their Sessions and iudgementes And to him shall they hereafter giue an account of their administration which they neuer can wel doe vnlesse they being enflamed with the desire and loue of religion think that they ought aboue all thinges to followe the worde of god For thys cause the king in tymes past was commaunded to haue an abridgement of the lawe and to be continually exercised in reading of the same And surely it appeareth that all those Princes which haue deserued any prayse before God were most studious of these things such as were Dauid Salomon Asa Ezechias Iosias and after the Apostles time Constantinus Theodosius Carolus and diuers others of whose godlynesse the foundations of Churches and Colledges now a dayes euerywhere beare witnesse If the princes in these daies were occupied in the same studies and as many as beare rule and authoritie Christian affayres shoulde better prosper and goe forwarde But bicause blinde concupiscence the madde desire of dycing sumptuous banquetting immoderate hunting and hauking contempt of Gods worde and his sacraments and insatiable desire of warring and fighting are comen in their place nothing can be hoped for at these Princes that may serue eyther for the publike weale or reformation of the Church and glory of God. Unto these thinges Luke ioyneth what Philip and the Aethiopian dyd For Philip is commaunded to ioyne himselfe neare vnto the Chariot and nowe the holy spirite offreth an occasion of well doing although Philip till this time sawe none For as he drewe neare he heard the Eunuch reading alowde a notable place of Esaye the Prophete concerning Christ and streyght waye being mooued by the spirite he demaundeth whether he vnderstande the place Here some men might thinke Philip of small ciuilitie which being not called woulde approche so neere to a man of authorities Chariot and would aske such a question of one whom he knew not as manifestly vpbrayded him with ignorance But whereas he had betaken him selfe wholy vnto God he diligently fulfilleth all that God commaunded not regarding the doltish reasons of the flesh And that which he doth after the commaundement of god prosperously succeedeth For he findeth notable tokens of great modestie and humanitie in the noble man though he were a straunger who hauing iust occasion disdainefully to haue reiected Philip as is the guyse of great and rich men yet he modestly confesseth his ignoraunce and bicause he was moued by the secrete instinct of the spirite to thinke well of Philip biddeth him to come vp vnto him and taketh him as an expositor of the Scripture which he read Uerily this noble man deserueth singuler prayse whyle he is neyther puffed vp with the affiance of his owne witte neyther refuseth a straunge interpreter neyther disdayneth the Scriptures the most part whereof he perceyued to be more difficult than he coulde easily vnderstande But God alloweth such hearers of hys worde as being endued with humble myndes doe reuerently tremble at his worde In the meane season we are taugâ—â— that the Scriptures ought to be opened by Expositions and interpretatioâ— â–ª And God vttreth those interpretations by men which being illuminaâ—◠〈◊〉 his spirit by comparing of Scriptures togither and obseruing the prâ—pertie and proportion of fayth picke out the true meaning and sense of
Lord both of lyfe and death And the elect acknowledged the same which streight waye when they had seene the myracle beleeued in the Lorde Unto this narration Luke addeth a few other thinges which serue for a preparation to that that foloweth For he sayth that Peter remained at Ioppe certaine dayes in the house of one Simon a Tanner in whose house he was admonished by a vision from heauen to call the Gentiles into the Communion of the church and was sent for by Cornelius the Centurion as shall be shewed in the Chapter folowing Here let vs obserue of what maner of people the Primitiue Church was collected seeing Peter had none other hoste but such an one as got his liuing by an handycraft and that not one of the fynest Hereof Paule teacheth vs that we shoulde reioyce in the Lord alone Furthermore the modestie of Peter is declared who disdayned not such an harbour where as nowe adayes kinges palaces are scarce able to receyue his counterfeyt successor Let vs follow the modestie of the Apostle and therin beleeue and serue Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The tenth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxx. Homelie THERE was a certaine man in Caesarea called Cornelius a Captaine of the souldiers of Italy a deuout man and one that feared God wyth all his houshold which gaue much almes to the people and was alwayes in prayers vnto god The same sawe by a vision euidently about the .ix. houre of the day an Angell of God comming in to him and saying to him Cornelius When he looked on him hee was afrayde and sayde what is it Lorde He sayde vnto him Thy prayers and thy almesses are come vp into remembrance before god And nowe sende men to Ioppa and call for one Simon whose surname is Peter Hee lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the sea side He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to doe HItherto the first part of this storie hath bene declared wherein hath bene shewed howe the Apostles according to the commaundement of Christ preached the wholesome worde of the Gospell euerywhere to the Iewes And a great many beleeued and Luke declareth a marueylous increase of Christian faith in the Church Yet the greater part and specially those that were of most authoritie withstoode the truth For both they layde handes on the Apostles and stoned Steuen and made hauocke of the whole Church at Ierusalem by horrible persecution and sent Saule with publike commaundements as farre as Damascus to oppresse the growth of Christes Church being euen in the blade as we commonly vse to saye And it is not vnlyke but manye others did as it is here written Saule did Therefore the vncurable and stubborne contempt of so wholesome a doctrine deserued that at length the kingdome of God shoulde be taken from the Iewes and brought to the Gentiles as Christ prophecied should come to passe How this thing beganne to be put in effect Luke rehearseth in this Chapter and declareth the storie of Cornelius which we maye aptly name the first fruites of the Gentiles that were called seeing he was chosen of God to be the beginning of so weightie a matter Aboue all thinges the principall vse of this hystorie must be obserued which consisteth herein howe God vseth to cast of the vnthankfull and wicked enimies of the Gospell by his iust iudgement and is not so bounde to any Nation that he is compelled to beare with it if it be vnwoorthy Herevnto is to be added an other thing that is to saye howe the saluation contayned in Christ belongeth not to the Iewes onely but also to the Gentyles Which as it is no small comfort to vs which come of the Gentyles so it behooueth that wee stande alwaye in feare bicause the Iewes were cast of and forsaken least we by like vnthankfulnesse and disobedience deserue also to be refused For Paules saying shall alwayes stande in his full strength and force If God spared not the naturall braunches take heede least it come to passe that he spare not thee also And this is the sentence of Christ long agone pronounced that euery braunch that bringeth not forth fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire But bicause the vocation adoption of the vncircumcised Gentiles seemed to the Iewes a foolysh and an absurde thing for that they onely so many yeares togither were thought worthye of that name and tytle and therefore abhorred all other Nations as we doe the Turkes and them at this day First God would haue the vocation of the Gentyles to be preached by the Prophetes whereof we may see singuler testimonies in them Psal. 2. and .27 Esay 2. and .19 Agayne 42. and .49 Zach. 9. c. Then declareth he a notable beginning hereof in Cornelius whome he so called that any man might see therein the counsell and deuyse of Gods prouidence For he doth vouchsafe to sende his Aungell from heauen to Cornelius and instructeth Peter by an heauenly vision whereby he declareth that he will haue the Gentyles called into his Church as we shall see when we come to the place At this tyme we haue to consider what God did vouchsafe to doe by Cornelius For Luke beginneth with the description of Cornelius which he knitteth vp in marueylous breuitie and playnenesse First declaring his state and kynde of lyfe hee sayth he was a Captayne of the Italian Souldiers For the Romaynes vsed to entertayne diuers bandes of men of diuers Natiâ—ons according to the which they gaue them their names And bicause among all nations they esteemed none more than the Italians the Italian garrisons were preferred aboue others And there is no doubt but that Cornelius was an Italian forasmuch as he was one of the chiefe of that bande But bicause he dwelt at Caâ—sarea which the auncient wryters call Turris Stratonis the tower or castell of Straton the maner or state of the souldiers in those dayes must be considered that we maye the easilyer vnderstande the state of Cornelius Thus wryte the Romaine Hystoriographers After the victories that Pompey called the great had gotten who was the first that subdued Syria and Iurie vnto the Romaine Empire the people of Rome had no more grieuous enimies than the Parthians who were greatly encouraged with the death of Crassus with the ouerthrowe of the Romayne Legions and number of ensignes and standerdes which they had taken wherein were the pictures of splayed Eagles paynted Wyth whose incursions and roades bicause they were continually molested they thought good to place in the Cities bordering vpon them certayne garrisons of souldiers which within a short warning being mustred myght make a complete armie if neede so required whereby to repulse and beate backe the enimie And those souldiers also were a defence and safegarde for the Cities of Iurie to tame and keepe vnder the courage of the Iewes which were very prone
no aunswere to or at least he might snappishly haue put them back and rebuked them But he knewe that the same lawe aswell belonged to himselfe as to other where he commaunded all Christian men to be ready to giue a reason or aunswere of their doing to euery man. And as in this place he paciently suffereth the vniust censure and checke of men in a iust quarrell so when he was accused of Paule before all men for his dissimulation and inconstancie we reade he aunswered nothing disdainefully And this we reade was alwaye the custome in the primitiue Church that Bishoppes coulde suffer and beare to bee iudged and corrected by other Byshoppes Thus it appeareth Victor the Bishop of Rome was reprehended and admonished of his dutie by Iraeneus and certaine other Bishops of lesse famous Churches for his ouer hastie sentence of excommunication giuen against the Bishoppes of Asia These things reprooue the pride of the bishops of Rome that folowed who are not only not ashamed to make themselues Iudges ouer all the world but also refuse the iudgement of all men My hart quaketh as often as I remember that blasphemous Canone which will not haue the Pope condemned no not though he forget his owne and other mennes saluation and leade with him headlong into hell whole heapes of mennes soules Howbeit he coulde no maner of way more euidently haue prooued himselfe to be Antichrist than in that he refuseth the iudgement of the Church and Bishops challenging to themselues the supremacie ouer them all But to let this passe let vs hearken to Peter intreating his cause and matter Peter in his Apologie vseth a diligent narration or discourse as euen nowe we declared the which he so ordereth that he reporteth not onelye what was done but sheweth also that it was well done and lawfully And this narration consisteth of fiue partes or members of all which we will speake as much as appertaineth to this present matter letting passe that that hath bene sayde in the Chapter before going In the first part is contayned the vision of a great vessell or sheete let downe to him from heauen by which God taught him that no man from thenceforth should be iudged vnworthy of the Gospell and fellowship of the people of God for neglecting the ceremonies of the lawe forasmuch as the stoppe of the lawe was broken downe by Iesus Christ who had made one people of both Peter thought it good to beginne his narration with this that it might appeare to all men that he did nothing of his owne head but according as God appointed In the second part he alleageth the sure commaundement of God â–ª least he might be thought to haue bene beguyled by some dreame or ydle phantasie For euen at the same time he sayeth by the prouidence of God they stoode at his Hostesse doore that were sent from Cornelius and he addeth The spirite sayde that I shoulde go with them nothing doubting And this is the strength of his whole defence which he setteth against his aduersaries accusation For they sayde Thou wentest in to menne that are vncircumised and hast eaten with them Therefore Peter aunswereth them The spirite of the Lord bade me so to do And being with this simplicitie of words content he letteth passe all Rhetoricall colors wherwith he might haue confirmed garnished this argument Which example teacheth vs that they are not to be accused or if they be accused they may easily be defended before Christian men which cast of the traditions and customes of men at Gods appoyâ—tment For the authority of this saying of the Apostles shall remaine in force for euer we must obey God more than men Let vs also in these dayes with this argument defende our selues against the Papistes which with lyke frowardnesse accuse vs for hauing broken the traditions of men and take occasion of offence on euery side without any giuen on our behalf It offendeth them that we deny Christ is offred in the sacrament of the aultar for the sinnes of the quicke and the deade But we laye against them the word of Christ who yeelding vp his life vpon the crosse declared that all maner of expiation for sinne and our redemption was nowe accomplished Furthermore we heare Paule say that Christ being once offered can be offred no more They are offended bicause they see we haue put the ymage of Christ and the Saintes out of our Churches But we laye for our selues agaynst them the authoritie of God forbidding ymages to be made and commaunding those that are made to be made out of the way and destroyed They are offended bicause we haue taken awaye the differences of meates But the Apostle defendeth vs which sayth it is a doctrine of the Deuill to bring it vp The lyke reason there is of all other thinges in controuersie betweene vs These we haue alleaged onelye for example sake And if our aduersaries will not yeelde vnto the word of God but will holde on and set the customes and traditions of men against the authoritie of the same then shall it easily appeare that they are not the seruauntes of God but of men The thirde part of the narration contayneth the vision of the Aungell which we heard was sent from God vnto Cornelius Hereof Peter thought to make mention to declare that Cornelius did nothing vnaduisedly but was mooued by God to sende for him to teach him Here is diligently to be obserued howe the Aungell speaketh of the ministerie or preaching of the Gospell Peter sayth he shall speake wordes whereby thou and all thy house shall be saued Then he testifyeth that saluation commeth by preaching of the Gospell This the holye Psalmist sawe when he sayde God sent hys worde and they were healed And Paule sayth that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all beleeuers It is not thus sayd bicause the sounde of wordes bringeth saluation as the supersticious thinke of their exorcismes but bicause through the preaching of the Gospell Christ is offered to vs and they that preach the Gospell be messengers in the roume of Christ that by their ministerie men might be reconcyled to God the father through christ Therefore no common weales nor familyes can haue any sounde health or saluation without they receiue the gospell of Iesus Christ. Therfore their ingratitude that saye the worde of saluation is the cause of all euils as well priuate as publike is most execrable as we read was somtime obiected to Ieremie These men are ledde with the spirite of Caiphas who also sayde that Christ woulde be the author and cause of their destruction vnlesse he were made awaye by the wicked conspiracie of the priests Fourthly he declareth the marueylous sending of the holy ghost The expositor whereof he alleageth Iesus Christ to be I remember sayeth he the worde of the Lorde howe he sayde Iohn baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy
congregation thereof Afterwarde seperate mee sayeth he Paule and Barnabas Then they were in the ministerye or seruice of God when they preached vnto the Gentyles Besides he sayeth for the worke wherevnto I haue called them These thinges make for the assuring of our saluation against the insolent bragging of the Iewes which saye they are onely the people of God and hereout may be taken arguments whereby Christ may be prooued to appertaine vnto vs also if any mennes consciences incline vnto desperation Here ought we to consider the order of ministery whereof this place teacheth vs to iudge The author hereof is the holy ghost as hereafter also shall appeare in the .xx. Chapter For as by the spirite the dignitie of Ministers appeareth so it is plainely manifest that they are not to be taken for lawfull Ministers vnlesse they be called by the spirite For howe shall they preach except they be sent Which is the cause that aswell the Prophets as the Apostles so often and so constantly inculcate and defende their vocation Yet let no man alwayes looke for a voyce to come from heauen to call men vnto the Ministerie For we must iudge them called of God that are furnished with necessary giftes of the holy ghost and chosen by the lawfull voyce of the congregation For that the Church hath herein hir voyce and election appeareth plainly by this place For although the holy ghost doth expressely confesse that he called these two and Paule testifyeth that he was appointed from his mothers wombe for the ministery yet the holy ghost requireth the allowance of the Church And I thinke that it is requisite chiefly for this cause that hereby the Ministery might haue the more credit and authoritie bicause the holy ghost knewe it to be a thing subiect to the reproch of a great many In the meane season we are taught that order is necessarie in the Church as well in all other things as chiefly in the choosing of Ministers least any man as the Apostle sayeth shoulde take vnto himselfe honour For howe much such things displease God we learne by the example of Corah and by the hystories of manye ages whereby it may be prooued that there hath risen in the church scarce of any thing greater troubles than of the disordinate and vnlawfull choosing of Ministers Furthermore as the electing of Ministers in some part belongeth vnto the Church so it behooueth the Church to vse all holynesse in a matter of so great weight and importance Wherevppon they are sayde here agayne to haue fasted and prayed Howbeit they coulde not erre in the persons forasmuch as the holy ghost had named them that were appointed for this present businesse yet they pray that they may be increased with the holye spirite forasmuch as they hearde they were called to an office of such labour and perill Woulde God those men woulde weigh these things that vse to choose Ministers among their cuppes and in a matter of most weyght vse their affections which are the woorst Counsaylers that can be whose wickednesse we may thanke for the most part of the euils that are seene at these dayes in the Church Also these Antiochians adde vnto their prayers the solemne ceremonie of laying on of handes which we declared heretofore was an outwarde signe of consecration where we spake of the institution of Deacons Nowe remayneth the last part of this diuision that is howe Paule and Barnabas began to discharge the office committed to them by God and the congregation This part Luke so ioyneth vnto the premisses that it appeareth they forthwith tooke their iourney from thence This is a notable example of godly industrie and zeale For what excuses they might haue layde for themselues all men may easily vnderstande that haue but lightly run ouer the stories of that time The Romaines at that time were Lords almost of the whole worlde who they knewe would not admit the abrogation of their olde ceremonies and superstition They knewe also that they shoulde haue to doe with the Gentyle Philosophers men very subtile and greatly exercised in extemporall and ready vtterance of speach Moreouer they knewe the condicion of the Comons howe they vse so stowtelye to maintaine their olde Mumpsimus in so much that they will rather lose their lyfe than it Howbeit all these things cannot stoppe them from preparing themselfe herevnto being ready to take in good worth whatsoeuer trauels and daungers shoulde ensue These mens diligence ought all such to imitate as are appoynted of God to any publike office forthwith to obey the calling of God constantly to go on in the same For the Lorde cannot away with lingerers and triflers as who of most right challengeth all thinges to himselfe For this cause it is sayde he was angry with Moses in time past bicause he refused the office he called him vnto And Christ sayth to the Disciple that woulde fyrst go and burie his father followe mee and let the deade burie their deade Howbeit Luke maketh mention here of three thinges of eche whereof somewhat is to be sayde First he sheweth whither they went To Seleucia which was not farre distaunt from Antiochia and from thence to Salamine a Citie of Cyprus The olde Cosmographers for the most part attribute vnto Cyprus among all the Islandes of the Mediterranean sea the chiefe prayse for fertilitie and riches For this cause all the Cypriotes were so giuen to ryote and lecherie as ere while we declared that the whole Islande was dedicated to Venus who as it is reported was borne there Now this one thing declareth what great corruption of lyfe and maners reygned in that Nation which had dedicate it selfe and the whole lande vnto Venus Wherefore we must thinke it was not without a great cause that they first went thither being sent by the holy ghost to preach the Gospell vnto the Gentyles For this is a singuler example of Gods fauour which vseth not to forsake sinners but to seeke their saluation that as Paule sayth where sinne abounded â–ª there might grace also abounde Whervnto chiefly belongeth that saying of Christ where he testifyeth that he came into the worlde to saue sinners And there be notable examples of sinners whome Christ very bountifully and graciously embraced amongst which this present example is neyther least nor last These things as they serue for our consolation so they teach vs that we may not rashly cast of sinners but rather comfort and traine them if by any meanes they may be amended and saued Furthermore here is noted the argument of their doctrine and preaching where it is sayde they preached the word of god And it is certaine that in the worde of God all saluation is contained Wherefore it was not needefull to rehearse all the articles of their doctrine which may easilye be gathered of other as well Sermons as Epistles of the Apostles Let vs rather obserue this that no mannes authoritie ought
the saying of Dauid Many are the tribulations of the iust and that Christ foretolde shoulde come vnto vs And in all these things we must remember that so it must be not onely for that God maye be founde true of hys worde but bicause it is expedient thus to tame and brydle our fleshe and to mooue vs to lothe this lyfe and to desire the life to come For we feele in our selues what a loue of this worlde is in our fleshe and with howe much adoe we are brought to the desire of heauenly things And what thinke you woulde come of vs if we should taste of no aduersitie in this world but haue all things come to passe according to our desire lyking Surely the flesh would neuer be brought to renounce this worlde which notwithstanding all these vexations is woonderfully in loue with the worlde The second reason is that they declare how there is a ioyfull ende of tribulations for that by tribulations there is an entrance for vs into the kingdome of god Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though by suffring afflictions we deserue the kingdome of God which is purchased for vs by the bloude of our Sauiour Christ only But they teach vs that Christ by his example hath trode out this way vnto vs that as he by the crosse entred into the glory of his father so the ende of all afflictions is set forth vnto vs to be the inheritaunce of eternall life according to the promise of Christ I will that where I am there my Minister shall also be Who therfore will henceforth abhorre the crosse who will be offended at afflictions seeing he heareth they come also vnto the wicked but by Christes meane worke to the saluation of the godly Let vs remember these things at this day O brethren Let vs consider that it is Gods appoyntment that we should be thus invred with diuers troubles and that it can not be otherwise bicause the naughtynesse of our flesh so requireth Let vs haue an eye to the example of Christ who bicause he woulde be our Captaine suffered fyrst all these things Furthermore let vs fasten the eyes of our minde vppon the glory of the heauenly life and forgette these frayle and temporall things behinde vs Lette vs ioyne herevnto feruent prayer that he maye vouchsafe to accomplish and performe the good worke which is begonne in vs And so shall it come to passe that being inspyred with his spirite and grace and hauing prosperously ended this race of our life and attayned to the rewarde of the heauenly we shall liue and reigne with our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The C. Homelie AND when they had ordeyned them Elders by election in euery congregation and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lorde on whome they beleeued And when they had gone thorowout Pisidia they came to Pamphilia and when they had preached the woorde in Perga they descended into the Citie Attalia and thence departed by shippe to Antioch from whence they were committed vnto the grace of God to the woorke which they fulfilled When they were come and had gathered togither the congregation they rehearsed all that God had done by them and howe hee had opened the doore of fayth vnto the Gentyles And there they abode long time with the Disciples AS it was the dutie of the Apostles to bring our Sauiour Iesus Christ Disciples and to gather him a Church out of all Nations by preaching of the Gospell so was it their parts and dutie carefullye and diligently to see vnto the same Churches And this doe Paule and Barnabas most faythfullye For after they had with perill of their lyues planted Congregations at Antioche Iconium and Lystra they laboured with all industrie possible to maintaine and defende the same against the assaults and craftes of Satan And bicause they knewe the Iewes did marueylously vexe them they returned againe to the Churches there notwithstanding they were opprobriously driuen forth of them Neither doe they returne without profyte but confyrme and strengthen the mindes of the Disciples with admonitions and comfortes exhorting them to continue and abide in the doctrine and putting away the slaunder and offence of the Crosse of all which hath bene spoken in the sermon before going Herevnto is to be adioyned that that is sayde in the beginning of this place touching Elders ordeyned by the sayde Apostles When we haue hereof intreated as much as God shall giue vs grace then will we speake of their returne vnto the Church at Antioch agayne to whome they recounted all that they had done abrode When they had sayth Luke ordeyned them Elders by election in euery congregation and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lorde on whome they beleeued They are called Seniors or Elders which partlye are Ministers and teachers of his word and partly such as are ayding and assisting the Pastours in the administration of the Church and which by reason of their authoritie see that Discipline be obserued in the Church And where Luke sayth they ordeyned such in euery Church it easily appeareth that it is very necessarye for the conseruation of the Church to haue such as by whose ministery the doctrine of the worde may be had in continuall vse This is requisite both for the infyrmitie of the flesh and also bicause of the corruption of mannes nature which must needes be oftentimes warned to doe his dutie least he be brought to destruction by the craftes and subtiltie of the Deuill For the which cause Christ did not onely sende forth the Apostles to preach the Gospell among all Nations of the worlde but also gaue vnto his Church Pastours and teachers by whose diligence the fayth and knowledge of God which the Apostles taught might be confyrmed and preserued in mens mindes And Paule writeth that he left Titus for this cause in Creta that he should ordeyne Elders in euery Citie of that Islande And herevnto it is manifest the godlyest Kings and Princes that were hertofore had a respect by whose liberalitie Churches were endowed and enriched least for want of prouision the ministery of the word shoulde haue fayled Therefore their error is very pieuishe and absurde which reiect the doctryne of the worde as vnprofytable and superfluous For if these men did well knowe themselues they would perceyue that thys is the readyest waye whereby to attayne vnto saluation as Christ sometime tolde Martha being very much busied and occupyed in other matters Therefore as many as will haue the Church to be maintayned let them diligentlye prouide that the Church want not fytte and worthy Ministers The Euangelyst also declareth the ceremony or maner of choosing Elders wherein prayer and fasting were fyrst placed whereof mention was made as we haue hearde before in the lyke case Act. 1. and .13 When the Scripture vseth to ioyne both these togither it signifyeth that
than wyth the bloude of Christ and they which were iustifyed by the fayth in Christ and enfrauncised with the libertie of the children of God were not subiect to the commaundement and intollerable yoke of the lawe as Peter hereafter will declare Besyde this the true vse of the lawe was peruerted which was to bring men as a tutor and gouernour vnto christ And these fellowes sent those that were graffed in Christ vnto the principles and beginnings of the lawe Moreouer it coulde not be chosen but the light of the Gospell shoulde haue bene obscured and darkened with the shadowes of the lawe Therefore Paule might not in any case haue borne with these deceyuers vnlesse he woulde haue bene counted an vntrustye Minister of christ By the which example we are taught that we must for concorde and vnities sake admit nothing that may any waye obscure the glory of Christ and simple confession of the fayth For that is a verye hurtfull concorde that is redeemed with the prophanation of the name of Christ and denying of the fayth For this saying of Christ standeth fyrme and strong he that loueth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me Againe whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of mee before this adulterous and naughty worlde him will I be ashamed of when I come in the glorye of my father Furthermore let vs hereof be perswaded that Christian menne can haue no peace without christ For if they will be true Christians in the world they shall haue afflictions and in Christ onely peace Howbeit they of Antioch that beleeued when they perceyued this contention euery day more and more to kindle they decree at length with one consent that Paule and Barnabas with certaine other Disciples shoulde go to Ierusalem to propounde this question vnto the Apostles and Elders there to be discussed And Paule easily yeeldeth vnto this decree not meaning to put the cause of truth to the iudgement of manne but for that he well knewe these deceyuers abused the name of the Apostles Therefore for the more commoditie of the vnlearned and simple people whose eyes they had dazeled with the brightnesse of Apostolike authoritie he easily admitted this counsaile as the most commodious and readyest waye that coulde be deuised And this hath bene the chiefe cause of all the Sinodes and Counsayles that heretofore haue bene gathered by godlye Kinges and Bishops For it was neuer the minde of those holy men that the cause of fayth and saluation shoulde be in subiection to mannes iudgement But where Heretikes vsed impudently to vaunt them of the consent of Apostolike doctrine and vniuersall Church vnto the vnlearned people the Catholikes thought good most commodiously to bridle them by Synodes and the publike testimonie of the Church to th ende that they shoulde not afterwarde be beleeued We haue diligently to consider the modestie that Paule here vseth For it is manifest he was endâ—ed with such constancie that he woulde not haue yeelded vnto the Apostles if they woulde haue pronounced any thing against the truth For he durst boldly reprehende Peter at Antioch and he teacheth vs that we ought not to beleeue an Aungell if he woulde preach any other Gospell Yet he despiseth not a meane and deuise of peace vttred by the godly brethren whereas he sawe the glorye of God coulde thereby no way be obscured and that the quiete of the weaker sorte might thereby be procured This modestie must be ioyned with constancie least whyle we will seeme constant we be founde obstinate and wayward For the spirit of Christ is tractable and maketh men which vse him as their counsayler desirous of his glory In the meane season their leuitie is not to be allowed which while they will seeme tractable and easie to be intreated be obedient to such counsayles they see doe quite deface and ouerthrow the veritie of faith and glorye of christ Furthermore this place teacheth vs which is the best waye to calme controuersies and contentions that rise about fayth and religion Some there be that thinke these matters might be taken vp and ended by mannes wisedome and pollicie if eche part woulde somewhat yeelde one to another as though men might daily in religion and Gods causes as in other worldly affaires Why rather doe we not resort vnto the Apostles to heare what they haue taught and appoynted whose doctrine is manifestly confyrmed with the testimonie of Christ himselfe For vnto them it is sayd He that heareth you heareth me c. And we know that Christ prayed for them which should beleeue in him according to their preaching Moreouer they were openly endued with the holy spirit which shewed manifest arguments of his presence and operation in them Wherefore we must earnestlye take heede that we swarue not one nayles breadth from their doctrine The Apostle Iohn teacheth vs the same where in his fyrst Epistle and seconde Chapter he sayeth Lette that remayne in you which you hearde from the beginning If that which you hearde from the beginning shall remaine in you you also shall continue in the father and in the sonne Paule also where he aduertiseth vs of such as presume to peruert the truth sayth But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned which also were committed vnto thee knowing of whome thou hast learned them and forasmuch as thou hast of a child knowne the holy scriptures which are able to make thee learned vnto saluation through the fayth which is in Christ Iesu. Therefore they are fowlye deceyued which by this example will obtrude vnto vs Counsayles as though religion ought by them to be ruled where it is euident these many yeres they haue bene such as haue had no signe or token of any Apostolike spirite in them And if they woulde heare the Prophetes and Apostles we would according to the example of Paule and Barnabas willingly go vp with them vnto the Apostles to heare what the spirite of God speaketh in them But if they will harken vnto men farewell they seeing we haue none other maister to harken vnto but Iesus Christ. But Luke also descrybeth Paules going to Ierusalem bicause there be diuers things therein worthy to be considered Amongst which the fyrst is howe Paule and Barnabas are brought on their waye by the congregation which appointed them worthy and faythfull companions to iourney wyth them Whereby it appeareth the congregation tooke their part and had no suspition in their doctrine and beliefe Let all congregations follow thys ensample that they leaue not the faythfull ministers of Christ destitute of helpe For what else doe they but susteyne open warre in the Churches quarrell and behoofe And surely their ingratitude is execrable which prouyde to stande out of Gunneshot when troubles arise about religion and will stande ydely gasing on as though the matter pertayned nothing vnto them but onely vnto the Ministers Then also to the ende their iourney should not be
come might be preuented And fyrst bicause they whose mindes through contention were mooued might happen to suspect Paule and Barnabas credite in this dealing they ioyne vnto them messengers of no small dignitie and estimation Againe least Silas and Iudas might not seeme by craft and subtiltie to be wonne and made on Paules side they commende and defende their authoritie by publike letters By which example we are taught that prudence and wisedome is chiefely to be vsed in publike affayres of the Church least vnaduised rashnesse maye preiudice a cause of it selfe otherwise both good and honest Here is to be considered the order of the Primitiue Church which the same Church was woont to vse in publike affayres The Apostles in deede with the Elders had the rule and ordering of all matters as they who had the ouersight of the Churche committed vnto them Yet they tooke not on them such rule and authoritie to exclude or shut out the people from the hearing of such things as appertayned indifferently vnto the whole Church Againe in the people was great consideration of modestie whereby it came to passe that euerye one gaue place vnto the truth and none of them prouoked eyther with 〈◊〉 or other peruerse affection would vnaduisedly stirre or make businesse Nowe where the ambition of Prelates hath disturbed and broken this order who contrary to the commaundement of Peter the Apostle haue chalenged vnto them a Lordship ouer the inheritance or Church of Christ the congregations are euery daye molested with newe contentions and there appeareth no ende eyther of errors or moste bitter debates But let vs see the letters of the Synode or Counsayle where a thing of most weight and importance is most briefely and plainely entreated For as truth is easily perceyued and voyde of all guile so it desireth no fetches nor affectate ornaments and deckings This Epistle or letter consisteth of fower partes all which for the more perspicuitie we will seuerally speake of The fyrst parte contayneth the superscription which nameth the authors of the Epistle and those to whome the same is written And they are all so named as a man may perceyue nothing is spoken of arrogancie or ambition Yet is there an order obserued wherof a man must haue regard in euery thing First are the Apostles placed bicause Christ appointed them to be teachers of the whole worlde and his witnesses and adourned them with such dignitie that they are called the salte of the earth and light of the worlde After that are the Elders named of whose office we haue spoken already before Last of all all the beleeuers are comprehended vnder the name of brethren Therefore these letters are written in the name of the whole Synode and Congregation And they are written vnto the brethren that dwelt at Antioch in Syria and Cilicia amongest whome schisme and troubles were raysed through the malice and craft of deceyuers We must marke the calling of one another brethren which appeareth to be a moste auncient vsage euen from the time of the Apostles There is two occasions of this name We are called brethren both bicause we haue all one father which is in heauen who hath prepared for vs one inheritaunce of hys kingdome and also for that Iesus Christ the sonne of God taketh vs for his brethren and doth vouchsafe to make vs coinheritours with him As therefore this name serueth much for the mainteyning of concorde among Christians so it bringeth a singular comfort in all kinde of temptations For it is impossible that Iesus Christ shoulde neglect them whom he hath once taken for his brethren and will haue to be heyres of his kingdome Woulde to God they woulde expende this name which now a dayes make such odious differences of Nations as though no dutie of Christian charitie were due vnto those which are borne out of our countrie Yet the Apostles acknowledge the Assyrians and Cilicians people farre distaunt from them and borne of the Gentyles to be their brethren What wickednesse is it therefore to thinke Christian menne whome Christ taketh for his brethren for the Countries sake to be straungers vnto vs Ought the inheritance of the earth to be greater than the inheritance of heauen In the seconde part they grauely controll the deceyuers and false Apostles euen as the weyght of the cause and daunger of saluation by them procured deserued And fyrst they confesse they went forth from them but so as they were no partakers with them And this they laye as a stopple against their vaine vauntes and bragging For they vsed to saye they came from Ierusalem and had learned their doctrine of the Apostles who taught the same learning at Ierusalem Therefore the Apostles denie not that they went forth from their Church but yet therefore they aduise not euery man to credite and receyue that they teach For it is commonly seene that deceyuers come forth of the Church as we haue elsewhere taught Therefore that vaine vanitie of tytles and succession whereby the Bishops of Rome defende their dignitie in these dayes while they alleage the authoritie of the Church of Rome and the Apostles their Predecessours is not sufficient We be not ignorant that the fayth of that Church was once such that Paule worthily commended the same Wee know also that there haue bene many Bishops in the same of notable godlynesse faith and learning of whome diuers haue bene crowned with martyrdome But what is all this to our Bishops now a dayes whose beliefe learning and conuersation is altogither different from those men They that will defende themselues by the authoritie of the Church should followe the steps of the Primitiue Church This done they declare what these deceyuers did They haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes They are therefore disturbers and not builders of the Church as Paule well obserued wryting to the Galathians I marueyle you are so soone turned vnto another Gospell which is nothing else but that there be some that trouble you Againe I woulde to God they were seperated from you that trouble you In these wordes is declared the effect of false doctrine which a man may espie in all them which ascribe not vnto Christ onely all the order and praise of our saluation First they trouble and make the hearers vncertaine of their saluation whiles they ouerthrowe fayth For it cannot be that they haue anye thinge stable and certaine that sticke to the workes of the lawe bicause the lawe exacteth a perfyte and an absolute obedience in all poyntes which is not in mannes power to perfourme Wherefore according to the saying of Paule as soone as saluation is declared to be in workes then faith is in vaine and the promyse of none effect And the false Apostles doe not onely trouble men this waye but also for that they be authors of schisme which must needes ensue as soone as saluation is not attributed to Christ onely For example we haue the Church
at Corinth the which Paule complaineth to haue bene deuided into many and diuers factions through the subtiltie offalse teachers Both these thinges they founde true which were ledde about with the doctrine of the Monkes before the light of the Gospell appeared But the Apostles adde a notable sentence vnto the description of these deceyuers whereby they manifestly declare that they gaue the false Apostles no such thing in commaundement Therefore they accuse them of lying and therby likewise declare that there shall be lyers in all ages that shall preache the iustifycation of workes vnder the pretence and name of the Apostles Lette them therefore crye till they be horce againe that they are Legates sent from the Popes side let them pretende Fathers and Counsayles let them wrest scriptures let them glorie in the authoritie of Kings and Princes and we shall sette against all these the Counsayle and authoritie of the Apostles which openly testifyeth that the Apostles make nothing for them which dare ouerthrowe the righteousnesse of faith and attribute the glory of our saluation any way vnto workes Naye we will referre that saying of Paule vnto this place who doubted not to strike with Cursse an Aungell presuming to preach any other Gospell than this In the thirde member of their deuision they greatly commende Paule and Barnabas bicause they knewe that these deceyuers did greatly impugne their authoritie which also was the cause that Paule diuers times defended his Apostleship not without some suspect of ambition as his Epistles to the Galathians and Corinthians declare Therfore they call them their beloued by which name they accuse all those of lying which affirmed that Paule discented from the other Apostles They ioyne herevnto a praise which is the greatest that can be deuised where they say they ieoperded their liues for the name of Iesus Christ. The example of the Primitiue Church teacheth that their name and fame which deserue well in setting forth the saluation of men ought to be maintained defended And this is not to be iudged as any flatterie when it is done modestly and to that ende to keepe their authoritie vnblemished Thus it pleased Christ to adourne the sonnes of Zebede with worshipfull tytles as long as their vertuous doings so deserued And Paule sometime digresseth and taketh occasion to commende Titus Luke Timothie Epaphroditus and such like both to spurre them forward and also that their ministery might the more profytably proceede and go forwarde And this is to be obserued not onely in the Church but also in the common weale bicause liuely and couragious spirites are no waye more effectually cheared to take in hande vertuous and worthy exploytes than by prayse and honor And there are euerywhere examples that teach vs that no common weales haue long flourished where there haue not bene appoynted worthy rewardes of commendation and honor for well deseruers Furthermore in this place is expressed what the true prayse of a Minister is verily when necessitie so requireth to laye downe his life for the testimonie and name of Iesus christ For as he deserueth not to be called a good souldiour who is not redy to hazard his life if the coÌ„maundement of his Captaine publike weale so require so can he be no faythfull minister of Christ which is not ready to forsake all he hath yea his life to for the glory of Christ thus doth Christ euen of very equity and right require of vs seeing he fyrst did vouchsafe to laye downe his life for the saluation of all mankinde And yet these thinges are not so to be vnderstanded as though none shoulde be taken for a faythfull Minister of Christ but he that hath hazarded his lyfe For Christ woulde not haue vs rashe and to prodigall of our liues but rather he commaundeth vs to vse the prudence of serpents shunning and taking heede of daungers And many times there appeareth no daunger why we should feare our life yet in the meane time it is required that we should be prompt and ready in minde that we steppe not backe when with perill of our life we shoulde defende the glorye of christ This promptnesse of minde doth Paule shewe when being admonished howe he shoulde be layde in bondes he confessed that he was ready not onely to suffer bondes or imprisonment but also death for the name of christ See the Actes .xx. and .xxj. And that that is sayde of the Ministers of the worde is vnderstanded also of all that be Christians For it is an vniuersall rule which commaundeth vs to confesse Christ before the world and teacheth that he is not fytte for the kingdome of God which looketh backe agayne after he hath once sette his hande vnto the plough The fourth part expoundeth the decree of the Synode in the which Peter and Iames sayings are repeated and reconcyled in the which place we haue orderly to consider three things First they alleage the author of the decree namely the holy ghost It hath seemed good saye they vnto the holy ghost and to vs. They ioyne themselues with the holye ghost not meaning to match their authoritie with his or that they woulde be beleeued alone without the consent of the spirite but bicause Christ made them Ministers of his spirite by whom he thought good to vtter his Oracles In the which meaning also it is sayde He that heareth you heareth me and he that despyseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee Therefore bicause the Apostles pronounced nothing but that the holy ghost bade them they ioyne themselues after none insolent sort but after a modest and conuenient grauitie vnto the holye ghost â–ª least they might seeme to dissent from him And that the thing they write is the oracle of the holye ghost it appeareth by this that they decree nothing repugnant vnto the holy Scriptures And if the President of y Popishe Counsayles may say the same of their decrees we will confesse that they also are gathered togither in the holy ghost and that the thinges they enact are the decrees and Statutes of the spirite But as oft as they shall put forth opinions varying froÌ„ the Scriptures and repugnant vnto them so oft will we denie that they are ledde with the holy ghost bicause he cannot disagree with himselfe forasmuch as he is the spirite of truth Secondly they declare what it is that seemeth good vnto the holy ghost namely that we shoulde charge you with no more yoke and burthen Therefore whatsoeuer is beside the fayth in Iesus Christ is a yoke and a burthen For mennes consciences are burthened with the vnprofytable obseruation of traditioâ—s which can not further our saluation They repeate also what Iames had prescribed touching the eating of things offered to Idols touching whoredome strangled and bloude and they saye these are necessary to be obserued Here is to be noted what we sayd in the last Homelie touching the differences of these
that notable marke of the beast which no man can receyue or keepe wythout denying of christ Wherfore it becommeth Christian men rather to impugne these thinges than neuer so little to violate the profession of Christes name Before we passe from this place we haue to consider the mariage of Timothies parents forasmuch as Luke maketh expresse mention thereof He sayth that Eunica his mother was a Iewe and his father a Greeke or a Gentyle Yet we reade that Iewes were forbiden to marrye with the Gentyles Yet such was the state of the people of the Iewes in those daies that being oppressed vnder the tiranny of the Romanes and dispersed here and there they were driuen to suffer many things agaynst their wyll In the meane season the godly woman Eunica by reason of this mariage was in such daunger as God foreshewed in his lawe For she was not able by Circumcision to take hir sonne Timothie into the societie of Gods people who no doubt was borne before Christ suffered and the lawe was abrogated by reason hir husbande withstoode hir who as it is like was deuoyde of true religion bicause Paule commendeth him in no place and yet setteth forth in writing the worthy fayth of Eunica and Lois These thinges ought to feare the professors of Christian fayth from drawing the yoke with Infydels as elsewhere the Apostle sayth Also the example of Eunica is very notable which procured hir sonne to be trayned vp in the scriptures from his childehoode agaynst hir husbandes will least he shoulde be corrupted with the superstition and ydolatrie of the Gentyles Lette Matrones matched in such vnlyke mariages well obserue this thing Let them remember that their children be holy by reason of the promise of the couenaunt as Paule plainly teacheth Let them therefore bring them vp in the doctrine of true godlynesse and trayne them vnto God whose honor if they seeke with all their heart they shall fynde him true of his promises where he sayeth he will be their protector and defender But let vs come to the treatie of this present place where after the vocation of Timothie is declared what they which were with Paule taught in the Churches As they went sayth he through the Cities they deliuered them such things to obserue and keepe as were decreed by the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem Which wordes the Papistes wrest I wote not to what maner of traditions which they imagine the Apostles and their successors deliuered from hande to hande vnto the Church but were neuer written This Sanctuarye being by them once founded whatsoeuer they cannot prooue by authorite of Scripture they saye by and by it is the tradition of the Apostles But Luke sayth no such thyng but speaketh of those decrees whereof mention was made in the chapter before going They were these that man was iustifyed and saued by the onely grace of God through faith in Iesus Christ and not by the works of the lâ—we that we should abstaine from those things which pollute the profession of our fayth and our holynesse as is Idolatrie and fornication that we must labour for loue and in outwarde things yeelde somewhat vnto the weake or else vnto such as are not yet come vnto the fayth if there be any hope of winning them In the meane season that we beware mennes consciences be not snarled or charged with any burthen intollerable These things Luke sayth that Paule and those with him did euerywhere inculcate both to represse the Iewes which to importunately vrged the Gentyles to the obseruing of the lawe and to brydle the licentiousnesse of the Gentyles which abused the Christian libertie with great offence For he chiefly desired that peace might flouryshe in the Church whereby he knewe the same shoulde chiefly increase Agayne where there was no daunger of offence he constantlye defended the libertie of Christ bicause he woulde not preiudice the same which thing the Apostles wynked at for the weakes sake The fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians teacheth the same where he maketh the eating of thynges offered to Idolles free as touching conscience if there be none present that is offended therewith In the meane season Paules example teacheth vs that it is not sufficient to haue good lawes made vnlesse they which haue the charge thereof see them put in execution For dayly experience teacheth vs that execution is the lyfe and sinewes of the lawe Take that awaye and the lawe shall lye as deade and as Anacharsis sayde shall become lyke vnto Spyders webbes which euerye bolde and presumptuous bodye will not sticke to breake Therefore let both Ministers of the Church and gouernors of the common weale imitate Paule if they meane to doe their duetie and not rather with vayne counterfeyting mocke both God and man. Last of all Luke addeth a notable successe of their most godly endeuour and labour where he sayth the Churches were confyrmed in the fayth and grewe and increased euery day more and more in number And bicause he maketh mention of fayth it is euident that Paule chieflye beate that into their heades and not vayne and colde Ceremonies and traditions These are the continuall effectes of the worde of God that lyke vnto a showre it neuer returneth wythout fruite vnto him that sent it These also are the weapons wherby the kingdome of Christ in this world is most prosperously enlarged to saye diligent preaching of the worde and feruent desire to conserue and keepe the same Whensoeuer these cease by and by fayth falleth and all loue of true religion dyeth We haue examples hereof euerywhere whereby they are conuinced which thinke it sufficient if they be not constrayned through tyrannie to be partakers of wicked sacrifyces and yet in the meane season they liue in such places where the worde of God is banished and no duties of Christian religion exercised Let vs all therefore studye to set forth the worde of God that both our selues maye be confyrmed in the fayth and the Church daylye increase in number of beleeuers wherein Iesus Christ onely reygneth the sauiour of mankynde and onely Brydegroome of the Church to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cvij Homelie WHEN they had gone throughout Phrygia and the Region of Galatia and were forbidden of the holy ghost to preache the worde in Asia they came to Mysia and sought to go into Bithynia but the spirite suffered them not But when they had gone thorowe Mysia they came downe to Troada And a vision appeared to Paule in the night There stoode a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come into Macedonia and helpe vs After he had seene the vision immediately we prepared to go into Macedonia being certified that the Lorde had called vs for to preache the Gospell vnto them When we losed forth then from Troada we came with a strayte course to Samothracia and the next daye to Neapolis and from thence to Philippos which is the chiefe
of a teacher in their Church For as it is needefull that a Minister of the worde haue the commendation of persons abrode that he fall not into the snare of the slaunderer so they may not be denyed the commendation of their vertue which haue declared their fayth by manifest arguments vnto the Church For they that promote such as these are to the ministerie deserue no small prayse in the kingdome of god Againe they are worthyly accounted wicked both against Christ and the church which of blinde affection keepe backe such as are worthy from the ministerie yet we must beware as Paule sayth that we admyt not euerie one rashely therevnto least we be partakers of other mennes sinnes And that we say of the Ministers of the church is to be obserued of all other in any maner of office or vocation that is to say that the worthy be set forwarde and the vnworthy repulsed and kept backe as much as in vs lyeth least whyle we commende naughtie packes we endammage and indaunger the whole common weale And as concerning Apollos he endeuored himselfe to aunswere the testimony and commendation of the brethren least they might seeme to haue thrust an vâ—meete Minister into an other peoples Church For he much profyted the brethren at Corinth which beleeued through the grace of god Now whether a man referre this worde grace to Apollos or to the Corinthians it commeth all to one sense For he teacheth thereby that nothing is to be attributed to mannes industrie but howe God is to be taken for the author of all goodnesse which did vouchsafe to giue such an increase whereof Paule disputeth at large in the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians the thirde chapter And surely if the Corinthians had well considered this one thing they had neuer giuen place to those which afterwarde disturbed the Church with the factious names of Paules disciples Peters and Apollos But Luke declareth also the meane and waye howe Apollos thus profyted the brethren namely by open confuting of the Iewes and by proouing out of the scriptures that Iesus was Christ that is to say that sauiour of the worlde that was promised which place teacheth vs many things needefull to be obserued For fyrst we learne that not onely the Church hath neede to be instructed but also that the aduersaries should be confuted For they can not much profyte the church which doe not with all their endeuour go about to roote vp false doctrine euen as that tyllage can not be fruitfull which suffreth thornes and coccle to growe among it For this cause Ieremie is commaunded fyrst to weede and pull vp and then after that to builde plant And Paule appointeth such an one to be Byshop as is able to conuince the gainesayers and aduersaryes And that we say of false teachers which must needes be confuted the same is also to be vnderstanded of open and notorious naughtie packes which gyue occasion of offence vnto the weaker sort For the faythfull Minister must set on them also with the sworde of the spirite or else leaue his Church to be torne of the Woolues Therefore they are farre deceyued which woulde haue the gospell so preached nowe a dayes that men must speake neyther against impious doctrine nor vngodlynesse of maners We are furthermore admonished with what weapons church men must fyght verilie with Scriptures which Paule sayth are inspyred of God and profytable to teach improoue exhorte and amende 2. Timoth. 3. They are fowlely therfore deceyued that say the heretikes must not be conuinced by scriptures bicause they are to obscure and darke to conuince them by Wherefore they flye vnto counselles and to the determination of the church But therein they fare as if one should take from a souldyour going to the battayle his sworde of yron and giue him one of leade As though the authority of mans constitutions were greater than the holy ghost which speaketh in the scriptures Finally as we haue oftentimes aduertised here is repeated the ende of preaching the gospell which is to beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord sauiour to whom be praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xix. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxxv. Homelie IT fortuned whyle Apollos was at Corinth that Paule passed through the vpper coastes and came to Ephesus and founde certaine disciples and sayde vnto them haue you receyued the holy ghost since you beleeued And they sayde vnto hym no we haue not heard whether there be any holye ghost or no. And he sayde vnto them wherewith then were ye baptised And they sayde with Iohns baptisme Then sayde Paule Iohn verily baptised with the baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they shoulde beleeue on him which shoulde come after him that is on Christ Iesus When they heard this they were baptised in the name of the Lorde Iesus And when Paule layde his handes vpon them the holye ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophecyed and all the men were about twelue BYcause the Euaungelist Luke beganne to speake of the begynning of the Ephesian church in the chapiter going before he maketh an ende of that hystorie now in this chapiter declaring howe Paule returned to Ephesus according to his promise and there brought the church so happily begonne vnto a perfection But that the power of Gods grace declaring it selfe by preaching of the gospell may appeare the more before all things we haue to consider Ephesus the which writers report was the most famous Citie in all Asia For by reason it was of situation and fruitfulnesse of soyle so commodious for traffiquers it grewe to be passing riche Beside the fame of false religion which called gestes thither from all partes of the worlde For there was the Church of Diana the most sumptuous gorgeous thing that was builded in all the worlde bicause it appeareth that all Asia was occupied in the buylding thereof about a two hundred and twentie yeares togither so that it was worthyly accounted among the miracles of the worlde In this Citie therefore raigned ryot and superstition which commonly hath wayting 〈◊〉 hir as hir companions and handemaydes magicall and curious artes whereof we shall see when we come to the place that the Ephesians were most sâ—udious Yet Paule so conuerted this Citie within the space of two yeares that there was founded a most famous Church there vnto the which afterwarde Christ attributeth no small praise in his reuelation In this place we haue partly to consider the grace of God which Paule hereafter commendeth to the Ephesians by this their owne example as may be seene in his Epistle to them seconde chapiter and partly here appeareth the power of the ministerie of the gospell which neyther the authoritie of rooted superstition neyther pryde and glorie of the worlde could hynder but that Christes kingdome flourished where the same gospell was preached Moreouer Luke purposing to declare a storie
of the things done by Paule at Ephesus beginneth to tell fyrst howe he brought certaine persons to frame that vaunted themselues of the gospell but were not throughly instructed therein and howe he adourned that church with the giftes of the holye ghost Which hystorie as it serueth much to our instruction so is it for this cause dyligently to be considered bycause dyuers men in times past haue contended by authoritie of this place to baptise those againe which before had bene baptised by Heretiques At this day also the Anabaptistes abuse the same a verie frowarde and phrentike kinde of persons keeping infantes from their baptisme and affirming that none ought to be baptised but such as are of yeares of discretion and well infourmed in the principles and knowledge of Christ. But that both these and the olde wryters were deceyued it shall easily appeare by the text it selfe whereby it shall be prooued that Paule ment nothing lesse in this dooing than that which they go about to gather thereof For fyrst it is sayd Paule went about to examine certaine disciples which he met withal after he came again to Ephesus But it is not lykely that these and no more had professed Christ bicause we may gather a greater vtilitie of the gospell among the Ephesians by that we heard in the ende of the .xviij. chapiter Nowe that Paule taketh these to examine rather then any other this seemeth to be the cause for that they liued not agreeably to the profession of christian men For it is like it hapned at Ephesus as it doth commonly in euery place when the truth is fyrst preached but the discipline of the church not fully established For then we shall see many which will professe to be gospellers more for hatred of the olde state then for loue of the truth bicause they would vnder a cloke of the gospell liue the more licentiously Bycause Paule perceyued that these were such a kinde of people to the intent they might be brought to better conformitie and passe and not perishe like those that receyued the seede of the gospell into a stonie grounde Paule beginneth to examine them of their beliefe and so to laye before their eyes howe farre they were as yet from the marke of perfection He demaundeth therefore if they had receyued the holy ghost This question must be vnderstanded of the giftes of the holye ghost which God at that time vsed to giue to the faithfull that is to say the knowledge of tongues and exposition of the scripture whereof we haue already manye times intreated This place teacheth vs howe to know true christians from false and counterfeyte For although those speciall giftes of the holye ghost which were sometime miraculously giuen be at this day ceassed yet the promise of Iesus Christ remayneth fyrme which promised his spirite to those that were his And as Paule elsewhere sayth they that haue not the spirite of Christ can not be his members And the other effectes of Gods holye spirite are as necessary at this daye as the vnderstanding of tongues and interpretation of scripture was in time passed namely the mortifycation of the olde man the regeneration and innouation of our minde purifycation sanctifycation and such other like As many therefore as lacke all these things it is certaine they boast in vaine of the faith name of Christ except we shall say that the spirite of Christ is an ydle and sluggishe spirite But let vs heare the aunswere of them whome Paule examineth in which they vtter a very grosse and barbarous ignoraunce saying No we haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no. But howe were they ignoraunt of the holy ghost which had heard so often mention of him in the lawe and in the Prophets For it is out of doubt they were Iewes bicause they were baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Were they ignoraunt then of that saying of Moses which in the beginning of his hystorie wryteth that the spirite of God mooued vpon the waters Or else had they neuer heard that saying of Dauid by the worde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth Againe take not thy holye spirite from me Besides they might haue knowne the voyce of the Messias speaking by the Prophet the spirite of the Lorde God is vpon me c. How is it therefore that they say they haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no The aunswere is easie For as Paule demaunded of the effectes of the holy ghost so they make aunswere concerning the same as if they should say we being content with those things which we haue heretofore learned seeke no farther neyther care we whether there be any holye ghost or no which worketh such peculiar giftes in mens mindes bicause we thinke the knowledge hereof to high for vs and not to appertaine to vs So these men be an example of carnall people which professe the truth with their mouth but haue denyed the power thereof as Paule sayth and in deede refuse that which with mouth they confesse 2 Timoth. 3. Tit. 1. A great number of these are euery where to be founde who being perswaded that the bare name of Christ is sufficient vnto blisse doe little regarde the giftes of the holy ghost namely the mortifycation of the fleshe the renewing of the minde regeneration sanctification and such lyke And through these mens faulte it commeth to passe for the most part that the doctrine of the gospell is so yll spoken of in the worlde Therefore such must not be suffered but be reprooued and their dissimulation must be disclosed that both they may vnderstande their errour and other be the lesse offended So doth Paule in this place For he gathereth nerer vpon them vrgeth them to confesse that they were not come to the christian perfection For he sayth In whose name then were you baptized That is to say what professed you when you fyrst receyued the Gospell and ioyned your selues to the Church of Christ They aunswere they were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn and so they testifye that they professed that doctrine religion wherof Iohn was a Minister and teacher and therby they plainly shewe they care little for any other than that Nowe Paule here catcheth them and holdeth them fast and inferreth Iohn sayth he baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they shoulde beleeue on him that was to come after him that is in Iesus Christ hereby teaching that Iohn requyred a farre other thing of his Disciples than a bare profession of his name and of the Gospell For fyrst he appoynted repentaunce wherevnto with great earnestnesse he exhorted all degrees of persons as appeaâ—eth Luc. 3. Neyther requyreth he onely repentaunce but sheweth also remission of sinnes preaching Iesus Christ whose forerunner he was appoynted of God to be He taught men to embrace him by true fayth to
both to Chryste and his Apostles which dare coyne newe Articles of fayth and thruste into the Churche diuers things expressely contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles Secondely hee declareth the manner that hee obserued in teaching whyle hee saythe he taughte bothe priuately and apertly thoroughout euery house witnessing bothe to the Iewes and also to the Gentiles These thinges declare the continuall trauell of the Apostle wherewith he was so enflamed that as he sette before all men the doctrine of saluation so he omitted nothing which made for the saluation of all men Wee learne heereby what the beste trade and manner of teaching is Firste all thinges muste bee declared generally and openly that belong to saluation so that all men may vnderstande what they ought eyther to doo or to leaue vndoone But bycause all men do not yelde of their owne accorde and yet many tymes they offende of carelesnesse more than of malice without offence of others it behoueth also to adioyne priuate admonitions exhortations and reprehensions For if it be the duetie of euery Christian to admonishe his neighboure and to bring him into the way that is out of it howe muche more oughte the Minister thus to doo of whome Chryste one day shall require an accompte of the office committed vnto hym But by this word witnessing is noted an earnest and free kinde of speech without the which all other things are but colde It is diligently to be considered what authoritie the Minister hath ouer the sheepe committed to his charge seeing that he muste teache and exhorte them bothe openly and priuily through euery house Where also may be gathered howe they ought to bee taken which will not be admonished neither publikely nor priuately of their Ministers For why shoulde they bee iudged the sheepe of Chryst which presumptuously disdayne the voyce of their shepheard Finally he cōprehendeth the summe of his doctrine in two poynts that is to say in repentaunce toward God and fayth in Iesus Chryst. These things agree with the commaundement of Chryst which appoynted the Apostles to preach repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name Wherby it appeareth that Paule preached a true Gospell and also what maner of doctrine ought to be preached And heere repentaunce hathe the first place which otherwheres we haue defined to be a conuerting or turning vnto God which diffinition Paule alloweth where he sayth he taught repentaunce towarde God that is such a thing as men turne vnto God by Of this tooke the Apostles the beginning of their preaching as Chryst commaunded them bicause we haue all gone out of the way and are of nature corrupte And bycause wee flye the sighte of God as Adam did therfore must fayth in Chryst also be preached which teacheth vs that wee are reconciled to the father through meane of his sonne by whome wee beeing borne agayne of the immortall seede of Gods worde are made the children of god Therefore their errour is very hurtefull and shamefull whiche still vrge penaunce but in the meane whyle neglecte faythe without the whiche repentaunce can not stande For howe shoulde he returne vnto God which hath not Chryste who onely is the way the lighte and the truthe and without whom no man commeth vnto the father But bycause we haue entreated of these matters other wheres more at large let these fewe suffise for this season Let all men learne by Paules example to iudge of Doctrines and not suffer any manner of doctrine to be thrust in among them but suche as teacheth a true conuersion vnto God through fayth in Iesus Chryste to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxiiij Homelie AND now behold I go bounde in the spirite vnto Ierusalem not knowing the things that shall come on me there but that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery Citie saying that bands and troubles abide me But none of these things moue me neither is my life deare vnto my selfe that I might fulfill my course with ioy and the ministration that I haue receyued of the Lorde Iesu to testifie the Gospell of the grace of god And now behold I am sure that hencefoorth ye all through whom I haue gone preaching the kingdome of God shall see my face no more Wherefore I take you to recorde this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men For I haue spared no laboure but haue shewed you all the counsayle of God. ALthough Iesus Chryst the sonne of God whyle he was in this world alwayes loued his Disciples maruelously yet he declared most euident tokens of his loue a little before his gooing away as those graue and wholsome admonitions that he gaue them at his laste Supper abundauntly declare Paule following his example was not onely carefull for the saluation of Churches whyle he was among them but when he departed from them yea beeing absent he much more manyfestly declared howe neare his harte the welfare of them all dyd sitte This appeareth euerywhere in all his Epistles but specially in this oration which he made in the Synode at Miletum before the Pastours and Ministers of Asia For where he foresawe that he shoulde neuer come agayne to the Churches of Asia and knewe what daunger was lyke to follow by false teachers after he was gone therefore he warneth them with all trustinesse and diligence possible both of their duetyes and other things necessarie for their saluation But chiefly he setteth before them his owne example to purchase the more authoritie to his admonition whereof bycause we yesterday intreated sufficiently ynough nowe we will come to the explication of this present place For there followeth a reason of the cause that moued him so earnestly to vrge his owne example verily euen for that he was vpon departure and should returne no more to them agayne For hereof he gathered that they ought to follow the example of their Apostle and teacher with all diligence to take vpon them the care of the Church least they should lose that through their slouthe and negligence which he had gotten with so great labours and trauell And this is the whole summe of this place It shall be good to consider all things in the order that they are declared and to seeke out what mysteries lye hidden in euery worde First and now beholde sayth he I go bounde in the spirite vnto Ierusalem By the which words he vnderstandeth a secrete motion of the holy Ghost which we see was alwayes his guide in all his dooings Unto whō although he willingly obeyed as the things folowing declare yet he testifieth that he is led bounde as it were least he might seeme ouer lightly or rashly to tempt God by putting himselfe in daunger without a cause He declareth therefore that he coulde not do otherwise vnlesse he would obstinately wrastle with the spirite of god This maner of Paules speaking teacheth vs how we should regard both the secret suggestions of the holy
knees and prayed with them all For where he knew that God only gaue all increase as otherwheres he teacheth therefore he was not vnmindfull of prayer specially in a matter of such importaunce whervpon depended the saluation of al men And hereof sprang that auncient and notable vsage of the Church wherin sermons vsed to be begon and ended with prayers which prayers who so neglect abundantly declare that they resorte vnto sermons more of curiositie than either for desire of Gods glory or their owne saluation of which sort they are which are described in Ezechiel the xxxiij Chapter And as this example commendeth prayers and specially publike prayers which it behoueth vs to make with feruent affection of minde so it teacheth vs to obserue also a godly modestie of behauiour in the same wherby we testifie the meaning of our minde Among these gestures this is the moste auncient where the godly men vse to pray on their knees or else lying with their bodies prostrate on the ground therby setting themselues in order of humblenesse They vse also commonly to lift vp their hands vnto heauen both to declare the ardent desire of their minde and also to testifie their fayth wherby they firmly beleue that they shall receiue that they desire Yet muste we take heede that we cloke not a naughtie minde with a vayne kinde of gesture or that we lifte not vp handes embrued with bloud Touching bothe which vices reade Esai 1. and .29 Chapiters After all these things Luke addeth Paules departure out of Asia in the which two things fall out chiefly to be marked First he sayth they fell on weeping of all hands and euen they whom Paule had somdeale more openly quipped But they regarded not so muche their priuate reprehension as the publike commoditie of the whole Churche They are therfore sory that the Church should be depriued of suche an Instrument and they declare their sorrow by weeping embracing and kissing This is a very delectable example of mutuall charitie wherein the Ministers and Congregations shoulde stryue eche to ouercome others Paule loued them wonderfully as his whole trade of life declared Therefore they agayne loued him and reuerenced him as their Apostle and Father Where this mutuall affection reigneth all things prosper well But they whych hate their Ministers are for the moste parte moste vnhappy as may euidently bee seene in the Israelites which hated Moyses and Aaron Also by this place the indolencie of the Stoikes is condemned They thinke it vnlawfull for any man to shew any token of any affection As though affections were euill of themselfe and not set in vs by nature and that when any excesse is committed it were not through our default God requireth of vs a moderation of the minde but will not haue men to become stockes or stones Last of al they bring Paule to the shippe which is a dutie of reuerence and for the most parte proceedeth of loue Here we learne that they are worthy of honor which labour diligently in setting foorth the glory of God or otherwise wel accomplish their duetie Agayne we are taught that God neuer letteth them go without glory that are such For his promise is I will honour those that honoâ—r mâ— â–ª Leâ— ministers of the Church Magistrates also remember these things thaâ— they may learne by like industrie to preserue and maintaine their autority And let vs one with another lay to our helpes to the maintenaunce of the Church so shall we hereafter be partakers of the heauenly honour wyth Chryst our Lord and Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .xxj. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxxxviij Homelie ANd when it chaunced that we had launched foorth and were deparâ—ed from them we came with a straight course vnto Choon and the dayâ— following vnto the Rhodes and from thence vnto Patara And when wâ— had gotten a Ship that would sayle vnto Phenices we went abooâ—d on it and set foorth But when Cyprus began to appeare vnto vs we lefte it on the lefte hande and sayled vnto Syria and came vntoo Tyre for there the Ship vnladed the burthen And when we had found brethren we tarried there seuen dayes And they tolde Paule through the spirit that he should not goe vp to Hierusalem And when the dayes were ended we departed and went our way and they all broughte vs on our waye with wiues and children till we were come out of the Citie And we kneeled downe on the shoare and prayed And when we had taken our leaue one of another we toke Ship and they retourned home againe When we had ful ended the course from Tyre we went downe to Ptolemais and saluted the brethren and abode with them one day THe holy Ghost rehearseth very diligently the paynefull and dangerous voyages of the Apostles that by them we might learne the exceeding goodnes of God towarde vs who woulde haue his elect instrumentes and most faithful Ministers for oure saluation sake â–ª inured with such trauels and dangers for that wee shoulde the more feruentelye embrace the doctrine of the Gospell which it behooued to haue sette foorth wyth so greate paynes And to this ende must the hystorie of this Chapiter be referred wherin we are taught how Paule passing many seas through many hazardes came into Syria and from thence to Ierusalem where beeing courteously receiued of the godly but betrayed by the sedicious and apprehended he was committed to the power of the Deputie or lieuetenaunt of the Romanes al which things we shal consider in their time place This place specially hath many things which make muche for the explication of that we sayd euen now Wherefore the Contents muste be the more diligently discussed whiche at the first sight seeme but barren First it is declared how Paul vnwillingly departed froÌ„ Athens with his company We launched foorth sayth he and were plucked from them On this sort it is said Christ was pulled from his Disciples at mount Oliuet Luc. 22. By which worde is declared a great griefe of minde risen about his departure And verily the causes of this griefe were neither fewe nor yet tryfling For Paules three yeres conuersation amongst them had engendred a mutuall loue betweene them And diuers arguments of this loue were apparaunt all which these freshe teares and common griefe taken on all partes called agayne to remembraunce Moreouer Paule knew that he should come no more amongest them which loued him so intierly that he had lefte them in daunger of Wolues whom he had trayned and brought to with great paynes and trauell All these things had bene able to moue euen an heart of yron Thus wee see Parentes mourne when their children by death are pulled from them which by reason of their minoritie are not yet able to helpe them selues Yet Paule ouercommeth all griefe of minde bicause he would obey the calling of God which drue him to Ierusalem By
and he setteth out to vs their example â–ª for euery man to followe which if we do not all charitie amongst men shall soone be disturbed It followeth in this present historie what Paule and the brethren at Ierusalem did Which place for many skilles that may serue for our instruction is very worthy of diligent attention and consideration First and formoste Paule and his companions gette them vnto Iames â–ª which at this time was resident in the Citie and there in the hearing of the Elders he declared what things he had done repeating in order eche thing that God vntill that time had wrought by his Ministerie Where we are first taught that order is a necessary thing in the Church and that euery one must not entermeddle in euery thing Paule was an elect vessell of Christ and laboured more than all the other Apostles yet of his priuate aucthoritie he attempteth nothing in an other mannes Churche but before he set on any thing he first goeth to the SuperintendeÌ„ts and Ministers of the Church and reuerently saluteth them and then proceedeth to the narration of his doings This one example is suffisant to conuince the pride of the Romane Bishops which challenge to them selfe a supremacie and Lordship ouer all Churches The troublesome Anabaptistes also are confuted by the same who althoughe they no where plant any Churches yet vse they to disturbe the Churches planted by the laboures and trauailes of others heereby attributing to them selues singular commendation when they can by their franticke and tauntiue chatterie molest and trouble the godly Ministers and bring them in hatred and contempt with euery man Furthermore in this thing also Paules modestie singularly appeareth in that he maketh God the aucthor of all things in the discourse of his doings and attributeth nothing to him selfe but the Ministerie only For he knew that men planted and watered but in vain onlesse God gaue the increase So in another place when he had said he had labored more than all the other Apostles he by and by addeth yet noâ— I but the grace of God which was with me This thing we haue elsewhere declared must be obserued in all manner of vocations For except the Lord build the house their laboure is but â—ost that build it Excepte God prosper and fauoure common weales the cares and counsels of the Magistrates are but in vaine Excepte by his spirite he worke with our studies and sharpen the edge of our witte all our reading and wryting profiteth not Let vs therfore be mindefull heereof and learne to haue a lowly conceite of our selues with our studies intermeddle continuall prayers whereby God will be sued vnto and haue his giftes obtained Furthermore of the Elders it is saide that when they hadde hearde Paules trauailes they glorified the lord This is a rare example of loue that they enuie not at the praise of their fellow Minister and murmur not churlishly at it as commonly they doe which being voide of all charitie are more desirous of their owne glory than of Gods. For as Paule made God the author of the things which he had so commendably done so they also tickle not Paule with counterfet prayses but reioysing in his doings giue the glory vnto god They teache vs by their example how to iudge of the laboures and vertues of Saintes We must know that they were men subiect to humane affections and casualties If therefore they haue done any thing passing mannes power or habilitie we muâ— know it was the working of God who of meere fauor did vouchsafe to vse their Ministerie Let vs therfore reioyce in their felicitie and follow them in yeelding our selues to be Goddes instrumentes but let vs ascribe the whole praise of our doings vnto god And we thus imitating them shall truely honoure them and yet God shal haue his glory remain whole and sound which those men wickedly violate that cleaue vnto the Sainctes and make them aucthors and giuers of goodnesse in such wise that they aske helpe and succor of them in distresse Looke before in the third and fourtienth Chapiters Nowe foloweth a notable Acte wherof these Elders of Ierusalem were the cheefe Counsellers For they counsell him to take vpon him the vowe of a Nazarean and that the time of his vowe being expired he should according to the lawe let him selfe be purified or dismissed of his vowe in the Temple which thing gaue occasion to his wicked enemies to take against him and so to apprehend him and cast him in prison But bicause in this doing there are things which after a sort are tollerable and some by no meanes to be borne with they are therefore the more diligently to be examined Wherefore for the better vnderstanding of eche thing we will more at large open this controuersie Paule taught that men were iustified through the meere fauor of God by faith in Iesus Christ which doctrine the Apostles we see allowed and approued with one consent in the xv Chapter But where Paule preaching among the Gentiles had muche adoe with them that went about to iumble the law and gospell togither and would haue had the Gentiles brought to the obseruation of Circumcision and such like Ceremonies â–ª therfore it was necessary that he should the more diligently intreat of the ende and vse of the law and he was enforced in liuely wise to open all things to the quicke Wherfore he plainly taught that the law and ceremonies therof helped nothing vnto iustification bicause no man was able to satisfie the law but that it was giuen to bewray our corruption and to bring vs being conuicte of sinne vnto Christ in whome onely the fulfilling of the lawe was to be found He further said that by their opinion which attributed merite of iustification to the lawe Christe was not auaileable and that such could not but be condemned bicause they wittingly procured to them selues the cursse of the law Heereof sprang these kindes of locutions The law worketh wrathe while the law endured Sinne reuiued The strength of Sinne is the law As many as are of the deedes of the lawe are subiecte to the curse c. These things seemed very vnpleasant to those which were broughte vp in the lawe from their childehode and knewe that God had appointed the same by Moses And they that were Paules ennemies tooke occasion heereof to slaunder him saying hee was a prophane contempner of the lawe as though he simplie and without respect disallowed the same where as he improued not the lawe but them who inuented a new ende and vse of the lawe and would haue men saued and iustified by the obseruation thereof Therefore all men enuied Paule euen as in these dayes we are called the ennemies of good woorkes when we say they are not auaileable to iustifie and saue by where yet we leaue them still their place and teache that they be dueties which all men must needes pay and perfourme vnto god
fellowes follow Paule into all places and stirre vp sedition in a straunge Citie which they well knew could not be done without euident daunger But would God we had not in our days the lyke examples euery where Moreouer hauing opportunitie thervnto they moue and set al the people a running as it were to the quenching of some great fyre newly begunne For they lay hands on Paule and cry Yee men of Israell helpe c. What needed any helpe or succour agaynst him that went about neyther secret sedition nor playne force agaynst any man You see therefore who they are that commonly be the authors of sedition This fault most tymes is layde to the Ministers charge as wee see euery where But if wee waygh the matter well wee shall see none other are the begynners hereof but those that hate the Ministers and be their enimies For whereas they can not away with the light of truthe if they can by none other meanes they will extinguishe and put away the same with publike tuine as Catiline once sayde Referre heerevnto that that is sayde in the 14.16.17.18 and 19. Chapters But bicause they woulde not seeme to make suche a doo without some cause they intermeddle with their sedicious clamours certayne accusations And firste they accuse his doctrine as a thing preiudiciall to the people of God to the Lawe and to the Temple This they seeme to gather hereof bycause Paule to bridle the vayne affiaunce in the fathers which his Countrey men had declared that the true Israelites were not borne of the fleshe but of the spirite and that all they were not by and by to be accompted for the people of God which were borne of Abraham after the flesh except they beleeued in Christ after the example of Abraham Also bicause in reasoning of the true vse of the lawe he taught that iustification was not to be attributed therunto as we sawe in the Sermone before going and for that he sayd the Leuiticall lawes were abolished by the comming of Christ and by the merite of his death And least their accusation might seeme to consist but in bare woordes onely they complaine them also of a fact by Paule newly committed namely that he had brought Gentiles into the Temple and by meane thereof had polluted that holy place But this was a moste false and slaunderous reproche yet founde it credite wyth all men bycause they had seene one Trophimus an Ephesian in the Citie among Paules companions Thus they suspecte that he had broughte him into the Churche Agayne this place teacheth vs what thinges are commonly layde to the Ministers charge euen that they wickedly sinne against the elect people of God that they impudently coÌ„demne the lawes and traditions of the Church and that they are the subuerters of the Churche and of all auncient religion Thus we reade Chryste was accused And euen the same did the enimies of truthe lay vnto Stephens charge And the very same doo certayne persons in these dayes obiecte agaynst vs also who are moued no whit neither with the respect of Gods Churche nor with the aucthoritie of Gods Lawe nor yet wyth any care or desire of true Religion Yet suche is the happe of truthe that none is more impudently and effectuously slaundered than hir Ministers For where they are enuied of the worlde and condemned aforehande in all mens iudgementes moste men easily admitte and receiue any thing agaynst them and no man is ashamed of his lightnesse in so dooing But let vs paciently beâ—re that which we know not onely the Prophets and Apostles suffred but euen the sonne of God also Moreouer being not contented to haue apprehended the man to lode him with false accusations they vse plaine force against him For they draw him out of the Temple they lay vppon him and beate him without ceasing yea they goe about in shamefull wise to kill him yet first shutting the Churche gates bicause they would haue the Temple by no meanes polluted Which example teacheth vs howe farre impietie and hatred of Gods woord proceedeth For although it lieth long hidden yet when occasion serueth it will burste forthe and it thirsteth for nothing but the bloud of the Ministers which onely is that thing that assuageth and satisfieth them The examples heereof are more aboundant euery where than neede any long declaration First and formost marke I pray you the singular sanctimonie of these men which will seeme to fight for God and his religion For they haue great care that they pollute not the Churche with bloud and therefore they shut the doores But in the meane whyle they feare not to embrue their hands and them selues in innocent bloud Suche lyke things as these Chryst vpbraydeth them with in the Gospel where he sayth they strayne at a Gnat and swalowe downe a Camell So the Priestes would not goe into the Iudgement hall bycause they would not prophane their Feast day but they could deliuer an Innocent vnto Pylate and with all maner of vnrighteousnesse and importunacy require his bloud But how this hypocrisie and dissimulation pleased God appeareth hereby that not many yeres after he caused the Romanes to destroy those bloudy hypocrites with their Temple and vngracious citie Howbeit God â—ayleth not his Apostle beeing in this daunger who when he thought he was vtterly caste off sent him a deliuerer and reuenger which he neuer hoped or looked for For the Captayne moued with the clamour of the Commons and with the rumor of a sedition was straight way at hande with a garrison of souldiers and taketh Paule out of the handes of these harebrayned Commons And heere he played the parte of a good Magistrate which thing those men haue a sclender consideration of that suffer harmlesse persons to be oppressed with the violence of desperate people Here haste thou to consider the truth and fatherly care of God which alwayes preserueth those that be his althoughe somewhiles he seemeth little to regarde them And it is no great matter for him to deliuer them forasmuche as he is able to bring it to passe euen by those which are straungers from the fayth and religion For in thys place Paule is defended by the Romane souldiers And it appeareth that Ieremie in tyme paste was preserued by Nabuzardes the publike enimie of Gods people Many like examples might be brought the ende of all which is that we should not dispaire in time of the crosse and tribulation nor flye to vnlawfull meanes of remedie but put all our care and trust in God and wayte for his helpe and succour which Paule at thys tyme fyndeth to be moste effectuall and ready For the sedicious whome neither feare of God nor shame of man could stay or holde backe assoone as they espied the Captayne and Souldiers helde their handes and ceased smiting of Paule This is the propertie of all the wicked that they are more stayed with the feare of men than of God and therefore the
O King I sawe in the way a light from heauen aboue the brightnesse of the sunne shine rounde about me and them which iorneyed with me When we were all fallen to the earth I hearde a voyce speaking vnto me and saying in the Hebrue tong Saule Saule why persecutest thou mee It is harde for thee to kicke agaynst the pricke And I sayde who arte thou Lorde And he sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest THe Apostle Paule declared yesterday the state of the whole controuersie betweene him the Iewes teaching vs that the contention was about no trifle but about the whole meane of our saluatioÌ„ where he also proued that he neither beleeued nor taught any thing but that which God had promised the fathers in times passed and wherin the onely hope of the Church of Israel had in al ages consisted Where we learne that the fayth of Chryst was the onely and moste aunciente meane thorough which all the fathers in tymes passed were saued Furthermore bycause Paule in the beginning of his narration sayde he was a Pharisie he returneth handsomely to his intermitted narration agayne and declareth the hystorie of his conuersion the onely scope anâ—ende whereof is to put away the accusation of leuitie declaring that he was called by God yea inforced agaynst his will. But to the ende his narration might haue the more weight and authoritie he declareth first how he was affected towards the Christian fayth and that in suche diligent â—orte that he omitteth none of the things that he enterprised agaynst Chryst. For first of all he promiseth the cause saying I was sometime of the minde that mine aduersaries be For I was vtterly perswaded that I ought to do many things agaynst the name of Iesus Chryst. Whence sprang this persuasion verily of a blind and rash zeale of the fleshe which otherwheres he attributeth to all the Iewes Yet â—e maketh not mention hereof to extenuate or excuse his offence therby but to teache vs by his example how greatly men fall onlesse they order their dooings according to the worde of God. For in other places he confesseth that he was a moste haynous sinner and not worthy the name of an Apostle Whereby it appeareth howe muche more greeuously they offende which beeing led with no zeale of God or good intention of the mind as they call it but with their naughtie affections persecute Chryst and his worde In the meane season marke howe the enterprises of the enimies of the Church are but a meare opinion and vayne conceypt of a blinded minde which notwithstanding they seeme at first well to succede yet they neuer haue that ende they looke for For as the Psalmist sayth they trauayle with mischiefe and are conceiued with sorrowe and haue brought foorth vanitie and vngodlynesse This thing Paule confesseth after a sorte of him selfe teaching the hearers by his example what they may looke for if they beginne to take agaynst Chryst or holde on as they haue begonne For which way can they preuayle whose deuises and enterprises God scattereth abroade and laugheth at them out of heauen But least any man might thinke that Paule spake more bostingly than truely he rehearseth also his owne dooings in molesting and afflicting the Churche I put many of the Saincts in prison sayth he beeing aucthorised by the Priestes which authoritie they woulde neuer haue giuen me onlesse they had seene me earnestly bente to aduaunce and set forwarde their proceedings He calleth the Christians Sainctes bycause they were sanctified through the bloud and merite of Chryst. 1. Corinth 5. Also when they were kylled I pronounced sentence of death vppon them and gat the consent of others thervnto Beside this I compelled them when they had bene whipped in the Sinagoges and tormented all maner of wayes to blaspheme that is to say to deny Chryst and to recante those things which they had before spoken both well and godly Whereby it may be gathered that the Church of Chryst was neuer so well established but it had some chaffe also which winnowed with the Fâ—â—â—e of persecution fell away Finally bycause I would spare no kinde of madnesse I began to roue abroade into forren Cities also bycause I would leaue no place for the Christians to be safe in Herein we haue an euident Image both of the persecutours of Chryste and also of the state and condition wherein the godly and faythfull be in this world For commonly these men are enuied and hated of the Potentates of this worlde and chiefly of those which excell in name of Religion and supremacie of the Churche studying vnder this colour and pretence to seeke their priuate glory and gayne onely Then afterwardes these men haue fitte ministers for their mischeuous proceedings who to gratifie their maisters let no occasion escape or slippe whereby they may batter and assaulte the Churche and thereto they spare for no labour Heereof therefore proceede imprisonments condemnations all kindes of torments banishments slaughters blasphemies and infinite suche other things as these cruell Kernes vse to deuise agaynst the godly Whom in the meane season it behoueth to marke better what they do why they persecute the godly for the faythe 's sake Uerily they compell the weaklings to blaspheme whiles they deny their faith contrary to their conscience and confesse they haue erred through vnhappy vngodly feare For this thing Christ numbreth among the sinnes and blasphemie agaynst the holy Ghost Luke 12. And Paule expresly calleth the denying of the true fayth blasphemie whervnto he draue and enforced the faythfull Therefore what other thing remayneth for those persecutors but that horrible woe which Chryst threatneth vnto theÌ„ that giue occasion of offence For what more greeuous and daungerous offence can any man giue than that whereby men are compelled to sinne agaynst the holy Ghost They shal therefore feele the heauy hande of God who nowe a dayes thinke this but a trifling matter Moreouer as in Paules former enterprises there appeareth a portrature of a raging tyran so in the confession of the same may bee seene a very Christian mynde wholly enflamed with the desire of Gods glory For to what other ende dothe â–ª Paule rehearse these hys attemptes but for that he knewe they made to the setting foorth of the glory of God For heereby bothe the authoritie of his mynisterie was defended and the great mercy of God commended wherwith he embraced the greatest offendours that are yea euen his enimies also in Chryst Iesus Reade 1. Timo. 1. And this is the chiefe cause why the godly vse so often to confesse their sinnes as we see in Dauid and in diuerse others Therfore the ambition of those men is very dishonest who for the sauegarde of their owne glory will eyther neuer confesse their sinnes and greeuous errours or at least wise wonderfully extenuate and diminish the same Furthermore he setteth the story of his conuersion against his atteÌ„pts agaynst Chryst that by
maynteyning of religion to haue Schooles duely and truely appoynted who for the preseruation and continuaunce of them thought good to prouide for them both by their counsayle and aucthoritie as appeareth easely by the foundations of most auncient Colledges Which after they had degenerated that they were become the dennes of ydle men giuen to the throte and belly or of pieuishe supersticiouse then sprong therof the horrible ruine and decaye of the Church Which Iulian the Apostata a subtyll and craftie man well forespyed who for this cause commaunded that the Christians should be kept from learning that through ignoraunce and lacke of knowledge the subtyltie and mockerie of Philosophie might take place Therefore if Christian Princes wyll not be taken for folowers and fellowes of Iulian let them knowe that the prouidyng and caryng for Schooles belongeth to them principally But let vs returne to the Apostles who we sayde erewhyle were instructed with the gift of tongues by the holy ghost For although this seemeth to haue come to passe in the Apostles onely Yet is it further to be extended For this is alway the effect of the holy ghost to chaunge and instruct the tongues of the beleeuyng For bicause the naturall man perceyueth not the thinges belongyng to the spirite of God therefore he can not reason of them as meete is And as often as he goeth about to dispute of diuine matters so often he bewrayeth his follie and infancie which thing chaunced to the gentile Philosophers as Paule saith Besides that man is delighted in vanitie and reioyceth in filthy talke and oftentymes giueth the bridle of his tongue to blasphemie as euery daye may be seene in the dayly communication of the children of this worlde Ouer and besides these mischiefes he cannot speake no not when he would be taken for most religious For when he goeth about by prayer to craue the helpe of God his mynde is pulled away either by vayne thoughtes or else he is troubled with the conscience of his sinnes that he can not pray with sure affiaunce of mynde and the prayer that is without faith can not auayle But the spirite of Christ remedieth all these faults For where he regenerateth the mindes of men and powreth into them the true knowledge of the mysteries of saluation he maketh vs able to reason of the nature of God of his wyll and of his iudgementes And the tongues which were vsed to blasphemie backbyting raylyng periurie filthie talke and all kinde of vncleannesse he loseth them to prayse God to giue him thankes and maketh them speake those thinges that set foorth the glorie of God and serue to the edifying of other to abstayne from those thinges that corrupt good maners Againe bicause he is the spirite of adoption and beareth witnesse that we certaynly be the sonnes of god He is the aucthour that wee dare call vppon GOD the father and distruste his good wyll and fauour no longer And Paul expresseth this effect of the spirite saying You haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but you haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba Father And againe Bicause you are sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into our heartes crying Abba Father Whereunto the large promises of Christ are to be referred that promise them that pray to his father in his name to be hearde This spirite lykewise withstandeth the cogitations of the fleshe and enflameth the minds as they are praying with the desire of saluation glory of god Besides that the spirite of Christ worketh here a newe myracle For as hee deuided the tongues of the Apostles that they might be able to speake the languages of all nations so hee giueth to the faithfull of all nations one and the same tongue whereby in all partes of the worlde they inuocate one and the same father with one and the same sounde and with one and the same faith And so those tongues be knit againe in one which the insolent and bolde presumption of man had deuided in sunder And this seemeth to me to be that tongue of Chanaan which the Prophete sayde the Cities of Egypt and all nations should speake And if the holy ghost chaunge the tongues of men so that he maketh them to speake the thinges that are holy and godly and which edifie many and make them with sure confidence to aske helpe of God then it easely appeareth with what spirite they are led with vtter blasphemies and cursinges with open mouth which breath out the poyson of slaunder and cursed speaking which offende the mindes of many with their impure and filthy talke hauing no regarde neither of age nor sexe and which in prayer are either altogither colde or else inuocate creatures and are not afrayde to ascribe to them the glory due to God alone or else are voyde of that sure trust and affyaunce which they shoulde call vpon God with For these are not the effectes of that holy spirite but of that maligne and vncleane spirite And Christ saith The mouth speaketh of the aboundaunce of the hart Therefore the hartes of suche are vndoubtedly possessed of the vncleane spirite of Sathan Christ therefore doth not without a cause confesse that we shall either be iustified or condemned by our sayinges And Dauid among the preceptes of lyfe numbreth this very grauely as the cheefe Kepe thy tongue from euyll and thy lippes that they speake no guile Adde hereunto that Paul the Apostle commaundeth all scurrilitie of tongue and filthy communication to be farre from the mouthes of Christians and numbreth filthynesse of speache in that roule for the which the wrath of God commeth vpon the chidren of disobedience Let Christian men therefore haue this prayer of Dauid often in their mouth Set a watche O Lorde before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes Let vs consider the other effect of the holy ghost in the Apostles which we may gather of the whole context of the storie The same is a bolde confession of Iesus Christ deuoyde of all feare For they begyn openly euery where to preach him to euery one that they meete with diuers languages they set forth the great workes of God as they that hearde them beare witnesse For they call the preaching of Christ or the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the great and wonderous workes of God bicause that in Christe the whole maiestie of God is most euidentlye of all other thinges seene And although there are many workes of God whereby he sheweth vs his nature and power yet amongst them all this worke that Christe did is the chiefest For in him the rigour of Gods iustice was seene who woulde not haue his owne sonne spared to th ende our sinnes shoulde be purged with due punishment This also declareth the vnspeakeable fauour and mercie of God wherewith he so tenderly loued vs that he had rather
vse whereof is to learne vs to knowe the order of the Apostolike Church and wherein the same is in these dayes decayed to restore and reforme it thereafter againe They continued sayth he in the Apostles doctri ne and fellowship and in breaking of breade and in prayers He rehearseth foure things of euery which we haue something to say In the first place the Apostles doctrine what that was it shall otherwheres appeare It was Christes commaundement that they should teache all Nations those things that they had before learned of him He commaunded them to preach repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name In the which articles it is plaine the knowledge of the whole law and of Gods will and all the maner of our saluation is contayned A taste of this doctrine we sawe in Peters sermon gone before And their writings abundantly declare that they obserued this forme of doctrine in all places Therefore the faithfull of the primitiue Church abode in that order and trade of doctrine which we see at this daye comprehended in the bookes of the Apostles and in these is no mention made of any mans traditions and inuentions Luke placeth doctrine first bicause by teaching the Church is gathered togither and by the same as Paule declareth commeth fayth and all the beleeuing are borne againe of the immortall and eternal word touching which point see Rom. 10. 1. Pet. 1 c. Here we learne that the chiefe care in the Church ought to be for doctrine For where through it as was sayde euen nowe we be gathered into the vnitie of fayth it cannot be chosen but they must fowly and miserably be scattered that admit diuers and vncertaine doctrines Those be diuers and vncertaine which de pend and consist of the will of man Wherefore it behooueth vs to holde and retaine the Apostolike doctrine which they learned at Christes mouth and which they being illuminated with the holye ghost taught to all Nations vppon the earth This doctrine is both certaine plaine perâ—iâ—e and autentike so that it needeth neyther mannes inuention nor authoritie eyther to commende or confirme it Iohn speaking of this doctrine sayth Let that which you hearde from the beginning remayne in you And Paule will not haue himselfe beleeued no nor an aungell comming from heauen if hee dare to preach anye other Gospell or waye of saluation than the Apostles haue taught This reprooueth the vnconstant wethercockes of these dayes who haue a delight to dally with doctrine and religion and dare euery daye alter and chaunge it at their pleasure and for priuate lueres sake as wee reade Ieroboam vsed to doe As though the vse of religion and doctrine were to none other ende but to keepe men in awe as it were with vayne buggebeggers Here are they also reprooued which like children suffer themselues to be ledde with euery blast of doctrine contrary to the precept of Paule For the chiefe marke of those that be faithfull and true Christians is a faithfull and constaunt keeping of the Apostles doctrine Whosoeuer rashly forsaketh this doctrine he must needes confesse that he knoweth not at all what the Church of Christ is Secondly he sayeth that they continued in communicating he vnderstandeth the beneficence and liberalitie they vsed towarde the poore according to that saying of the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not He ioyneth this next vnto doctrine bicause that by it as was euen nowe sayde we are vnited vnto Christ our heade as members of one bodye Therefore they that be in this wise vnited togither must count eche others aduersitie and prosperitie as their owne wherevnto it seemeth Christ had a respect where he shewed that loue was the cognisaunce and badge of his Disciples And this is a singuler and worthy prayse of beneficence to haue the next place vnto doctrine among the exercises of the Church Whereby we may easily perceiue what to thinke of them who are touched with no pitie of their needy brethren but snorting in wealth themselues care not though all other want so they may enioye the riches and delights of this world But bicause we meane hereof to speake more hereafter let this little for this time suffice Thirdly he reciteth breaking of breade by the which he vnderstandeth the mysticall supper of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ. He vseth this name for that in the supper the breade is publikely and solemnely broken partly to set forth the memorie of the Lordes death and partly to put vs in minde that we were the causers of the death of Iesus Christ seeing it was necessary he shoulde suffer and die for our sinnes He maketh mention onely of the supper not for that he barreth baptisme out of the Church but bicause he had spoken thereof before where he sayde they were baptised And he speaketh of those which were alredy receiued into the Church not of their children and those that shoulde afterwarde professe Christ wherof we gather that baptisme ought not to be yterated bicause it is sufficient to be once receyued into the Church of Christ. Another reason why he spake of the supper was bicause Christ ordeyned it to be a solemne memoriall and remembrance of his death which for this cause ought to bee the oftner celebrated Marke here in the meane while the simplicitie of the primitiue Church which being contented with the rites and sacraments deliuered by the Lord neither durst deuise any new ne yet set forth the olde with any newe ceremonies for feare of prescribing christ And although Luke expresse not the rytes and order of the mysticall supper as they vsed it yet there is no doubt but they had a respect to Christes institution bicause Paule afterwarde confesseth that he deliuered vnto the faithfull that order which he receyued of the Lorde and reuoketh them which had swarued from the same to the obseruation and keeping thereof These things ought they to haue marked which glorying in the name of the Gospell are so bolde as to chaunge and alter the maner of the Lords supper ordeyned by Christ himselfe For to saye nothing of the lightes the riot in vestiments the pieuishe gesturing and infinite such like which they perhaps of a good zeale thought to commende the authoritie of the supper the more with this me thinketh can not be pardoned that they haue taken from the supper the breaking of bread whyles they make the peeces of the misticall bread rounde before they come to the supper and put them whole into the mouthes of the receyuers If they take away this breaking what will they leaue vs wherby to remember the death of Christ or to admonish vs of our sinnes and of repentance considering the breaking of breade was of such authoritie in the primitiue Church that vnder that name they comprehended the whole supper of the Lorde Therefore we must holde fast the auncient simplicitie which if any man dislyke certes he to boldly
contemneth the authoritie of Christ by whose institution the same was commended Last of all he speaketh of prayers which we suppose ought to be vnderstanded of publike prayers For Luke meaneth not to tell what euery man did priuately at home in his owne house but what the publike exercises of the Churche were He did not thinke it good to forget publyke prayers which Christ commended vnto vs by a notable promise where he sayth If two of you agree in earth vpon any maner of thing whatsoeuer they desire they shall haue it of my father which is in heauen And wee reade in Ioël the Prophete that publike prayers are greatly commended in times of affliction For where God reioyceth in the vnanimitie of the godly and faithfull he cannot choose but graunt the prayers of a great many which with one hart and mouth as it were burst in vpon him And if we diligently consider the manifolde hazardes on euery side of vs it shall appeere they are not without a cause commended vnto vs Wherefore their blindenesse and slouthfulnesse is greatly to be bewayled which both priuately in their owne house call very seldome vpon God and openly despise and neglect the publike prayers of the Church yea rascallye deride the holye assemblies which the Church hath ordeyned for preaching of the worde and for publike prayers Here therefore we haue the exercises of the primitiue Church which no man I thinke will denie to be both Apostolike and Christian. That Church continued in the Apostolike doctrine by meane whereof it was gathered togither and by baptisme It did exercise mutuall and publike beneuolence and liberalitie towardes all Nations It obserued the order of the mysticall supper as Christ did institute it It continued stedfastlye and dailye in praying Whosoeuer endeuour in these dayes thus to doe ought to be taken for the members of the Church and for Christians although they be hated and despised of all the worlde beside And whosoeuer we see estraunged deuided from these wayes it is impossible they should eyther be Christians or Apostolike The worshippers of the sea of Rome glory now a dayes in the title of the Church condemne vs of heresie bicause we are departed from them But they must first prooue that the name of the Church ought to be with them If they deserue the title of the Church why neglect they the Apostles doctrine why doe they persecute it with fire and sworde why lode they them with newe traditions whom Christ hath made free from the yoake of the lawe by the price of his owne bloude why doe they riotously spende the goodes of the Church giuen by the liberalitie of Princes and priuate men to relieue the poore with and for the most part bestowe them on ruffyans iesters and buggered boyes why prophane they the supper of the Lorde and turne it into a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade why haue they in steede of publike prayers brought in a roaring and yelling of an outlandishe tongue These things might be dilated at large so that all men might see they are most vnworthy the name of the Church But it sufficeth to diligent hearers of the worde to giue but an occasion to consider further hereof In the meane season let none amongst vs that glory in the name of the Gospell thinke all is well at home seeing that in vs also remaine many things to be amended The doctrine of the Apostles soundeth in our Churches but how little a great many set by it the thing it selfe declareth The studie of charitie and distribution is waxed colde The vse of the supper with some is farre degenerated from the primitiue simplicitie with other some it is made little account of What negligence reigneth in publike prayers maye be iudged by the Church assemblies to the which verye fewe vse to come and they seldome times Wherefore we also must frame our selues better to the primitiue order if we also will not in vaine bragge of the Church But some maye marueyle by what succour or defence the primitiue Church coulde liue in safetie among suche professed enimies in so bloud-thirstie a Citie This Luke declareth saying feare came vpon euery soule and manye woonders and signes were shewed by the Apostles The myndes therefore of the wicked were bridled with a certaine secret feare They saw the marueylous boldenesse of the Apostles and their bolde libertie of speach They sawe them who not long before were enimies of Christ sodenly chaunged They saw signes and wonders wrought by the Apostles They marueyle therefore and are amazed Adde herevnto the spirite of Christ which as he worketh in the elect a childely feare hope fayth and obedience so he horribly troubleth and feareth the wicked with the conscience of their sinne They feare therefore to beginne any thing against the greene springth of christ So God can defende his sheepe in the middest of the woolues For we depend not vpon the will or power of our enimies but vpon the counsell of Gods prouidence With this we reade the Patriarches sometime were defended among the bloudy Nation of the Chanaanites the Lorde thundering in their mindes Touch not mine annoynted c. With the same succour and defence is the Church garded also in these dayes wherewith Christ hath promised alwaies to be present These things ought to stirre vs vp and to embolden vs We haue professed in our baptisme to serue Christ. Let vs giue our selues to such things as become Christians and let vs not feare the enterprises of the worlde For fayth which is our victorie ouercommeth the worlde With this let vs embrace Christ truely who being our Capitaine and Protector we shall be able to ouercome To him be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xix. Homelie AND all that beleued kept themselues togither and had all things common and solde their possessions and goodes and parted them to all men as euery man had neede And they continued dailye with one accorde in the Temple and brake breade from house to house and did eate their meate togither with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart praysing God and had fauour with all the people And the Lorde added to the congregation dailye such as shoulde be saued AS God woulde haue all the meane of our saluation comprehended in his onlye sonne Iesus Christ so is it manifest that the same appertayneth onelye to them which be members of hys Church For the Church is commonlye called his bodye bicause it is by fayth vnited and knit to one heade which is Christ which poureth into all hys members the spirite of health and life And as it cannot be that a member deuided from the bodye can feele any part of liuely spirite that commeth from the heade so is it impossible that they can be quickened with the spirite of Christ which are deuided from the Church which is his body And bicause all sectes that euer were or yet be chalenge to them