all maner wisedome of the Aegyptians and was mightie in deedes and in wordes ALthough God taught our first fathers the fayth and waye of saluation which is founded on the merite of Iesus Christ onely and therefore his doctrine onely is most auncient and most true yet euery where it is accused of noueltie and falshoode The cause is that men more regarde such outwarde signes and shewes as spring of their owne deuyse and brayne than the worde of god Therefore it commeth to passe that whyle they looke onely to these externall things they take them for authors of newe opinions and enimies of Gods religion which teache the contrarie and labour to bring agayne the way of saluâ—tion and true religion that God hath ordeyned and instituted This thing came to passe in Steuen who teaching the gospell of Iesus Christ at Ierusalem and sending the people from the ceremonies of the lawe vnto Christ was by and by accused as one that deadly hated the temple and true worshipping of god He excuseth himselfe not in wordes onely but also in deede For gathering togither an hystorie of the fathers he declareth that they followed none other waye of fayth and saluation than that which is in Christ. He bringeth his historie from the verie origine and beginning of the nation vntill the comming of Israell into Egypt and the death of the Patriarches Nowe he beginneth to declare the increasing and deliuerie of the people wherin he vseth great diligence bicause the deliuerie out of Egypt was a figure of the redemption made by Christ whereby we are also taught what state the Churche hath bene in in all ages of the worlde and shall be still Now the verie same scope and ende aswell of this part as of the things aboue rehearsed is to shewe that the Iewes were delyuered through no merite of their workes or obseruaunce of the lawe but through the singuler benefite of Gods fauour and grace according to his former promises Whervpon he gathereth that the meane of true religion and saluation consisteth not in outwarde ceremonies but rather in fayth which taketh holde of the grace and promises of god But bicause we shall intreate of all these things in theyr place at thys present we will speake of the increasing of the people and of Moses their delyuerer both which things Steuen toucheth in the wordes alreadie read The multiplication of the people in Egypt he prooueth by two arguments ought not to be ascribed to anye counsell or industrie of man but vnto the goodnesse and fauour of god The first argument he taketh of the cause efficient the seconde of the state and condition of the time Assoone sayth he as the tyme of promise drewe nighe which God had sworne vnto Abraham the people grewe and multiplyed in Aegypt But that this promise was of fauour none will denie for as much as it was made vnto the Iewes being not yet borne and is manifest that Abraham was chosen of meere fauour and called out of Chaldea Whereby is gathered that this people was preserued by the grace of God and grewe to such a multitude as other wheres Moses reporteth It is verie worthy the consideration that the godly Martyr appointeth a certayne time to Gods promise whereof he knewe mention was made in the worde of god Where in the fourth generation Abrahams posteritie is promised to be delyuered from the yoke of seruitude The hystorie agreeth verie fitly with the promise where it teacheth that Moses the Captaine of the people was the fourth from Iacob For Iacob begat Leui Leui begat Cahad and of Cahad was borne Amram who as it is written was Moses and Aarons father We are taught by thys place that not only the effects of things comming to passe among men but also the causes and the circumstances are comprised within the prouidence of god For what can that euerlasting minde neglect which both numbreth the heares of our heade and hath also most exact knowledge of the flowers of the fielde and byrdes of the ayre That he compriseth also all tymes and seasons Christ himselfe testifyeth where he reprehendeth hys Disciples bicause they were inquisitiue of thinges such as his father had reserued in hys owne power onely The consideration of these things must serue for our consolation when we be in great distresse or trouble and see God so deferre his helpe that it might seeme he had both forgotten vs and his promises Then let vs remember that God hath appoynted a certayne time when to perfourme his promises which God will neuer let so to ouerpasse but he will helpe them that trust in hym It is our dutyes in the meane whyle to wayte and abyde for the helpe of God and to appoint him no time or order when or howe to doe hys pleasure Tarie thou the Lordes leysure sayth Dauid put thy trust in him and he shall comfort thine heart Yea it is sayde in other places they haue tempted the Lorde that haue prescribed him anye time to shewe his power or will in suche as were those in the desert that durst aske fleshe and the Nobles of Bethulia which sayde they woulde wayte but fiue dayes for the helpe of god Let vs vse this Tryacle and Conserue against the impaciencie and waywardenesse of our fleshe and thinke that God bringeth his affayres about in their certayne times and places and yet in the meane whyle forsaketh not such as put their hope in hym The other argument is taken of the state of the tymes wherein the people was increased For it would haue seemed no great marueyle if the people had multiplied among them which remembring Ioseph and hys benefites would haue cherished them and done for them as it appeereth the former kings of Egypt did But the people of the Iewes grewe and multiplied euen agaynst the willes of the chiefe rulers and they stryuing all they coulde agaynst it For there arose a newe king which knewe not Ioseph and had no regarde of the benefites before done vnto them Thys king not onely neglected the people of Israell but let all others misvse them and craftily set vpon them and made all Egypt to hate them and suspect them and vsed such crueltie and tyrannie against them that not contented to bereaue them of libertie alone and to oppresse them with bondage he caused their children at their birthe time eyther to be kylled or else after they were borne to be throwne awaye or else to be sought for by the ministers of hys crueltie and other wayes to be made out of the way See Exodus the first chapter Yet this notwithstanding the people grewe and increased exceedingly lyke a palme tree rose vp despite of the tyranny that oppressed it and kept it downe Who therfore doth not acknowledge this to be a certayne singuler worke of Gods goodnesse and that it ought not to be ascribed to anye ceremonies seing there are none at thys tyme as yet appointed
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
giuen vnto them so godly humilitie whether it be of men or of holy Aungels hath refused these thinges being offred them and sheweth to whome it is due Of these may be taken a sure rule wherby to iudge as well of all apparitions as doctrines For whosoeuer teacheth vs to trust in God and to serue him and to worship one God in Iesus Christ whether they be Aungels or men they ought to be taken for the holy ministers of God and we may safely beleeue them But whosoeuer teacheth vs to take the glorye of saluation from Christ and to conuey it to himselfe or to other creatures and seeketh health in mennes owne workes accursed be he yea if he were an aungell from heauen All apparitions of spirites counterfeyting the soules of men departed this life and teaching that they must be redeemed with sacrifices of Masse and such like workes are put to flight by this dart Likewise all false teachers which so abuse the simplicitie of men that they chalenge to themselfe the glory of redeeming and forgiuing of sinnes And Peter by his example condemneth the Romishe Antichristes which glory in the seate and succession of Peter of which number it is reported one sayd that there was nothing more profitable and plenteous than Christian religion For by it it came to passe that he and his like were Lordes of the world So the saying of one of them rashly vttered bewrayde the minde and opinion of them all We are also admonished by Peters wordes whome we should take for the author of all myracles Wherein men for the most part respect two things the power and holynesse of them by whose ministerie they are wrought But Peter teacheth vs that neyther of these is the cause efficient of these myracles in that he reprehendeth the Iewes bicause they thought so great a thing was wrought by the power and godlinesse of the Apostles And there want not reasons whereby to prooue Peters saying For they are called myracles that are wrought eyther against the course of nature or beside it But God only is the Lord of nature which hath giuen all power to Christ in heauen and in earth Wherfore it behooueth vs also to acknowledge him the author of all myracles For what can men doe against the order of nature which can doe nothing in the thinges wrought after the course of nature It is a naturall thing that by age mannes stature should encrease vntill he come to a iust measure and proportion and that when age commeth he shoulde waxe gray heared Now what man is there that by his carefulnesse and industry can adde one cubite to his stature or make one heare of his heade white or blacke No there is nothing here to be attributed to the holinesse of the person as though that were the chiefe cause of the myracle whereas we knowe there haue bene many holy men which coulde worke no myracles For myracles are woont to be wrought not for their sakes which doe them but most commonly for the saluation of other For the which cause God would many times vse the meane of wicked persons that nothing shoulde be attributed to the merites of men So we see Iudas numbred amongst them to whome Christ committed the preaching of the Gospell and gaue power to worke myracles And Christ sayth in an other place that many in the later day shall glory in their myracles whom he sayth he will not cast of for that they boast of a thing that is vntrue but bicause they be workers of wickednesse Therefore as myracles be not alwayes sure testimonies of the holynesse of men so neyther must they be ascribed to the holynesse of them that doe them For what can man doe contrary to nature which by reason of inwarde corruption is vnworthye of the naturall and daily benefites of God Therefore God onely is to be taken for the author of myracles of these I meane that serue for confirmation of our faith and saluation And he worketh these myracles not bicause we deserue them but for that he is carefull for our saluation For they are testimonies of the truth of his doctrine stirre vp mens mindes to the consideration of him That was also the meaning of them which were woont to be done about Saints tombes For the Lord by them ment to confirme their doctrine and to testifie their immortalitie and blisse which were cruelly tormented by the wicked persecutors of the faith that they which other wise shoulde be offended at their death might be comforted Let vs therefore hedge in and compasse all myracles with these limites that all the glory of them maye be ascribed to God alone Whosoeuer shall passe these boundes they shall eyther deceyue others being not aware with their myracles or else by others be deceyued themselues Let no man yet so take our saying as though we enuied the holye Saintes of God their honor and glory For we ascribe vnto them whatsoeuer the holy ghost in the Scriptures attributeth to them We acknowledge them while they were on the earth to haue bene singuler vesselles and instrumentes of Gods glorye and grace whose doctrine whosoeuer will be saued ought to holde with firme faith and to imitate the example of their life For we knowe that Christ hath sayde Hee that heareth you heareth me c. And we embrace this saying of Paule Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. And nowe we beleeue they are in heauen taken from all the cares labours and griefes of this worlde as the holy men testifye of Abraham and the other Patriarches in the Prophete In the meane season whatsoeuer belongeth to the gouernaunce of this worlde and to the businesse of our redemption we teache it ought to be attributed to God through Iesus christ For as in the creation of this worlde he vsed the helpe and counsell of none other so will he that none other shall be partaker with him of the glory of our redemption Wherefore let vs thinke it vnlawfull to take any thing from him or to chalenge to our selfe or any other any maner of prayse therefore But let vs constantlye trust in him and cleaue onely to him by his beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxij. Homelie THE God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his sonne Iesus whome yee deliuered and denied in the presence of Pylate when he had iudged him to be loosed But you denyed the holy and iust and desired a murtherer to be giuen you and killed the Lorde of lyfe whome God hath raysed from death of the which we are witnesses And his name through the fayth of his name hath made this man sounde And the fayth which is by him hath giuen to him this health in the presence of you all WE haue declared the first part of Peters sermon wherein he confuteth the ignorance
the 〈◊〉 Which gift Paule numbreth amongst the chiefe Therefore they are 〈◊〉 pieuish which looke for reuelations from heauen and lyke Doltes wickedly despyse the ministerie of the Church Let vs followe the godlynesse of this Eunuch his modestie humilitie and feruent desire of saluation For so it shall come to passe that we also shall attayne to true saluation in Iesus Christ to whom be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxj. Homelie THE tenour of the Scripture which he read was this Hee was ledde as a sheepe to be slayne and lyke a Lambe dumbe before his shearer so opened he not his mouth Bicause of his humblenesse he was not esteemed But who shall declare his generation for his lyfe is taken from the earth The Chamberlane aunswered Philip and sayde I praye thee of whome speaketh the Prophete this of himselfe or of some other man Philip opened his mouth and beganne at the same scripture and preached vnto him Iesus THe Euangelist Luke diligently descrybeth the hystorie of the Aethiopian conuerted vnto Christ aswell for many other causes as for that it conteyneth an ensample of true conuersion whereby we are taught howe God dealeth with vs when he mindeth to receyue vs into the societie of saluation First Luke sheweth how God is the cause efficient of this conuersion who of his meere fauour sent Philip throughe whose ministerie the Eunuch of Aethiopia shoulde be conuerted The same God as he chose vs all before the foundations of the worlde were layde wythout any respecte had to our good workes so by his grace he ministreth vnto vs and giueth vs when we thinke nothing thereof all thinges belonging to our saluation Next Philip is an instrument of this conuersion whose helpe God here vseth according to his custome For where our infirmitie is not able to abyde the maiestie of God he ordeyneth that we shall be taught and ledde by the ministerie of men which is a speciall argument of Gods goodnesse towarde vs and therefore is euerywhere first accounted among the benefites of god The instrument that Philip vseth is the worde of God not such an ineffable and ymaginary worde as certayne Seraphicall and fanaticall smatterers in Diuinitie suppose but the verye same worde that is conteyned in the Scriptures For out of these must all sermons and the whole doctrine of saluation be taken neyther must wee looke for any newe kynde of doctrine vnhearde of vntill this day Amongst all these thinges the mynde of the Eunuch so well disposed to receyue the truth and doctrine of saluation is notable That he was studious of religion the long iourney that he tooke both full of traueyle and daunger doth abundantly declare His desire to learne his diligent reading of the Scripture and that he woulde â—ake vnto him a man vnknowne of whome hee hoped for a more full 〈…〉 prooueth All which things it is manifest he had through the 〈◊〉 of God bicause these thinges vse to appeere in no man vnlesse he 〈◊〉 with some singuler illumination of the spirite But let vs see what 〈◊〉 they doe whyle they are togither which Luke in this place describeth repeating worde by worde the place of Esaye which gaue occasion to Philip to reason with the Aethiop touching Christ and hys saluation This place is in the .liij. Chapter neyther is there any other place that more euidently comprehendeth the misteries of Iesus Christ so that Ierome not without a cause iudgeth the Prophete Esay worthie to be numbred rather among the Euangelistes than the Prophets In the meane while Gods prouidence is to bee considered which gouerneth mennes affayres and suffereth nothing by hazarde to come to passe whereof wee haue an euident argument bicause euen at the very same tyme that Philip beginneth to talke with the Aethiope Luke sayth he was reading of that verie place An Ethnick or Infidell would impute this thing vnto fortune or chaunce But we acknowledge the prouidence of God which doth not onely giue all things their successe but also ruleth all other thinges appertayning to the same For how should he neglect mens matters be they neuer so small which numbreth the heares of our heades feedeth the byrdes of the ayre and singulerly decketh the flowers of the fielde Furthermore touching the place of Esaye it comprehendeth in it the whole summe of our redemption For it declareth the mysterie of Christes death and the victorie whereby he is entered inâ—o the glorie of his father and hath gotten an immortall and euerlasting kingdome It shall be good to consider euery thing in the order as it is declared First he setteth forth the death of Christ in these wordes He was ledde as a sheepe to be slaine and like a lambe dumbe before his shearer so he opened not his mouth By these wordes he doth not onely set forth the pacience of Christ which as at many other tymes so in his passion and death appeared most perfite but also he teacheth that he tooke his death of his owne accord and willingly so that the counsaile or force of his enimies wrought not the same In deede the Scribes and Phariseys tooke counsaile agaynst him Iudas sought all meanes busily to betraye him The high Priestes in theyr counsaile pronounced him guiltie of death Pilate caused him after he was whipped to be nayled on the Crosse. But what could all these haue done if he would haue vttered or shewed the strength of his diuine power and maiestie Yea who pulled him downe from his fathers bosome to the earth By whose counsayle tooke he fleshe and manhoode in the Uirgines wombe Who gaue them strength to rise againe which were sent out agaynst him and fell to the grounde at one worde spoken of hym These thinges therefore teache vs that he dyed bicause it was his pleasure to die forasmuch as he came into the worlde for none other cause but for that he would giue his life for the life of the worlde Therefore where he was able most valiantly to haue resisted the enterprises of his enimies he would yet be led to his death like a sheepe and a lambe so that he would not seeme no not in worde to vtter any token of an vnpacient minde and vnwilling to die Herevnto appertayneth that that is sayde in the Gospell Therefore doth my father loue me bicause I put my life from me that I might take it againe No man taketh it fro me but I put it away of my selfe I haue power to put it from me and I haue power to take it againe And Paule expounding these sayings sayth He became obedient to his father euen to the death of the Crosse and tooke vpon him the shape of a man being in the shape of God. Now these thinges serue partly for our redemption and saluation and partlye for our instruction For thus it behooued that our sinne of disobedience should be done away which made vs subiect to eternall damnation Moreouer Christ taught vs
declareth the state of the whole Church It is sayde that Peter was an hungred at that time But it is playne that he was altogither enflamed with the desire to haue Christes kingdome encreased and the Church enlarged hungered not so much ▪ in body as in minde For there fell out things which might marueylously vexe his minde For the Iewes to whome it seemed saluation chiefly was due had very vnworthily reiected it yea and persecuted it And he thought the Gentyles vnworthye to be partakers therof forasmuch as he knew that Christ had once cōmaunded that they should not go into the way of the Gentyles but preach the Gospell vnto the lost sheepe of Israel He remembred also that Christ tooke the Gentyles but as Dogs bicause he saide to the woman of Cananie It becommeth not to cast the childrens breade vnto dogges For although Christ afterwarde commaunded the Gospell should be preached to all creatures yet it seemed to him that it was to be vnderstanded of such Gentyles as shoulde forsake their heathen superstitions and turne to the Iewes religion and woulde vse the iustifications of the lawe of Circumcision Therfore what other thing could Peter doe in this case but stand amazed in great doubt and perplexitie of minde For he sawe not of whom that Church shoulde be gathered in the which he had so often hearde that Christ shoulde reigne Nowe God in this place putteth him commodiously in minde hereof and declareth the whole maner of the gathering of his Church togither and sheweth a most euident figure of hys Church For there was let downe from heauen which he sawe open and parte in sunder after an vnwoonted wyse a great linnen cloth tyed at the fower corners which did represent a figure of the Church So Peter was taught that the Church was to be looked for from heauen which is called the newe Ierusalem Apoc. 21. and not of the iustifyings of the lawe For except a man be borne from aboue he shall not see the kingdome of God. And the cloth tyed at the fower corners signified that this Church shoulde be gathered out of all the coastes of the world There were beasts within it which the lawe pronounced to be vncleane these Peter was commaunded to kill to eate his fill This taught vs that the Gentlies which hitherto were taken for foule people straungers from the publike weale of the people of god should be killed and mortified with the spirituall sworde that is to say wyth the preaching of the Gospell without respect of the Iewyshe law and ceremonies and so should be receyued into the fellowship of Christ and his Church For nowe was come the tyme of correction in which the vayle of the Temple was rent and the wall broken downe by Christ which ioyned both Nations into one fayth and inheritaunce of one kingdome And that thys was the meaning of the vision the effect of the matter shall hereafter declare Howbeit Peter as yet vnderstandeth not the meaning of the Lord but being as yet holden in ouermuch obseruation of the lawe aunswereth Not so Lord for I neuer eate thing that was common or vncleane And straight waye the Lorde confuted his iudgement with a graue sentence saying what God hath clensed that call not thou common Which sentence appertayneth to this present purpose and teacheth vs that neyther the meates which were forbidden by the lawe nor the Gentyles which were signified by them are to be taken henceforth as vncleane It also contayneth a generall doctrine whereby we are taught that we ought to establish nothing of our owne heade agaynst Gods iudgement and decree And they offende agaynst this sentence which thinke that vnlawfull and vnholy which God hath sanctified and made lawfull They are here confuted that since the abrogation of the lawe haue brought in new differences of meates wheras it is euident that all meates are sanctified by the worde of God and that the things that enter in at the mouth defyle not a man. And we admit not their cauillation which saye these things are appoynted for the keeping our flesh vnder not for that they thinke meates to be vncleane of their owne nature For if this be their meaning why doe they snarle mennes consciences by this precept Why appoynt they certaine dayes for such abstinence Why binde they poore men therevnto whome it is manifest are attenuated ynough by reason of continuall labour and penurie Why permit they the richer sort in the meane whyle to fraunche and eate fyshe and farre fette iunkets and spyced cates most meete to prouoke and stirre vp the fleshe vnto lust Why graunt they them the vse of Wyne wherein is lecherye or ryot as the Apostle sayth and which is of moste force to kindle the rage of the fleshe They are also confuted that teache men to abstayne from Matrimonie as though it were an impediment vnto them that haste vnto the kingdome of God whereas God ordeyned it and therefore must needes be lawfull and holye yea moste necessarye for a man that wyll lyue godly And Paule did not without a cause number these articles among the doctrines of the deuill For it is more than deuilishe audacitie with open mouth to condemne that that God hath made holy They are agayne like faultie which teach men howe that is lawfull that is forbidden by Gods lawe or which dare dispence with men for mony in those things whych are committed agaynst the lawe of god Both these things are in Poperye so ryfe that by this one note a man may knowe Antichrist to whome Daniel attributeth that he shall haue power to alter and chaunge lawes and times Let vs learne therefore to depende vpon Gods mouth and to admit no constitutions contrary vnto Gods ordinances Furthermore Luke sayeth this was done three tymes and that at length the sheete or cloth was taken vp agayne to the place from whence it came God would haue this done thryse bicause he would haue Peter thereby the more assured and perswaded And the cloth and beastes are taken vp againe both that Peter should be certifyed that all this was done by the prouidence of God and also that it might appeare there was a place in heauen for them also that hitherto seemed to be excluded from thence by reason of the difference of the lawe And this is a generall consolation For the merite of Christ hath opened vnto vs heauen agayne which the fall of Adam had locked against vs and hath prepared there a place for vs as oftentymes already hath bene declared Therfore embracing him with true faith let vs mortifie the olde man with the sworde of the spirite that being borne agayne from aboue we may be brought thither to the societie of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The .lxxij. Homelie WHYLE Peter mused in himselfe what this vision which hee had seene ment beholde the men which were
the Church vsed in solemne wyse to come all togyther For the Primitiue Church vsed when any great necessitie vrged or constrayned them to appoynt solemne assemblies giuing themselfe to prayer fasting vntill the euening wherof we haue euident testimonyes in the Prophet Ioël the seconde Chapter and in the hystories of the Kinges The Primitiue Church was mooued with weyghty considerations to obserue these thinges in the electing of the Ministers For where they thought men might easily be deceyued they would not in such a weyghty case attribute any thing to mannes iudgement and therefore they thought it meete by godly prayers to seeke the inspiration of Gods spirite Againe where they thought it was requisite to haue menne furnished with singular giftes for such an office they besought God of the same also by humble supplication wherevnto bicause it shoulde be the more feruent they ioyned fasting as we haue otherwheres declared Moreouer Luke maketh mention of laying on of handes by the which is vnderstanded not onely consent of voyces but also imposition of handes which was a sacrament and token of consecration And it seemeth the later was the rather obserued For it is not likely that the Apostles receded from the ceremonie which they vsed in the choosing of Matthias or that they permitted any thing to the iudgement of man as we see cōmeth to passe in mens voyces seeing they prouoked all men to praiers and fasting This religion and holy simplicitie of the Church is worthy to be diligently obserued wherwith if a man would compare what is done at these dayes in the like case it shall easily appeare with what tyrannie the Church is oppressed For through the couetousnesse and ambition of Bishops it is come to passe that the libertie of the Church is trode vnder foote and choosing of Ministers dependeth vpon them who eyther sell all spirituall liuings for money or else watche carefully that none be made ministers but such as are for their owne tooth that will cloke and winke at all their doings After the choosing of these Ministers Luke sayth they commended the congregations to the Lorde on whome they beleeued This is a dutie of curtesie and humanitie to commende them to the tuition and defence of God whose prosperitie and well doing we wishe It also declareth the diligent care of the Apostles which alwayes had a speciall consideration of the Churches well fare Wherevnto that saying of Paule is to be referred I am combred daylie and doe care for all congregations who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not In the meane season we are admonished that by reason of our infyrmitie we haue neede of Gods protection and gouernaunce For as we be prone and readie to fall so Satan is still seeking howe to catch vs in his snares so that when Christ was going out of this worlde vnto his father he did not without a cause commende his Disciples vnto the protection of his father Thys ought to kindle in vs a feruent desyre to true godlynesse and religion that we betraye not our saluation through our owne slothfulnesse Againe hereof we may also take comfort in that it appeareth our saluation dependeth vpon the protection and prouidence of god For who would not dispayre if it should depende vpon mannes wyll and power which is the most vnconstaunt and deceyueable thing in the worlde Howbeit there is no cause for vs to dispayre if we consider howe it standeth in the tuition and gouernaunce of God who can not but haue a speciall care of vs seing he hath such care for the flowers of the fyelde and byrdes of the ayre and hath numbred the verye heares of our head He hath by his sonne promised vs that he wyll not leaue vs succourlesse And Christ in whome we beleeue professeth he is both a faythfull and valyaunt shepheard out of whose hande no man is able to take his sheepe Yea Paule in an other place teacheth vs that God knoweth who are his and how there is nothing that can seperate vs from the loue of God. Therefore as often as Satan tempteth vs let vs flye vnto the sanctuarie of Gods mercie and fauour vnto the which Christ hath commended vs Moreouer the example of the Apostle teacheth vs what we should doe after we haue done our duetie Let vs commit all the successe therof vnto God by whose prouidence we know all things are gouerned Thys is the onely meane to moderate and quyet our deuises Wherein who so are ignoraunt are marueylously troubled and often times leaue off their duetie supposing to bring matters to passe through their owne wisedome and deuise For standing betweene hope and dreade they can fynde no resting place for their deuise But they that knowe that trust and diligence is requyred of them in doing their duetie and that all successe thereof dependeth vpon God when they see they haue done their partes and duetie they can set light all daungers that come vnto them and no feare of daunger can with hold them from doing their duetie Nowe these things being done Paule and Barnabas appoynt to go agayne to Antioche in Syria from whence before they had tooke their leaue And bicause they would not lose their labour by the waye they preach the Gospell at Perga a Citie of Pamphilia This citie was famous by reason of Diana that was there worshipped which of the place was called Pergaea as the Gentyles write It was therfore a singuler worke of Gods goodnesse that he would vouchsafe so superstitious and ydolatrous a people the light of his worde Againe the diligence of the Apostles is to be considered and their vnwearysome and great traueyle that they vsed in ouerthrowing the kingdome of Satan Whosoeuer will be counted Apostolike and meane despite of the worlde and Prince thereof to roote out superstition and to set vp the kingdome of Christ let them imitate this zeale For they are not to be regarded which eyther by reason of the ingratitude of the worlde or of daungers on euery side appearing leaue of their dueties But it is time to consider what the Apostles did after their returne to Antioche Fyrst when the congregation was assembled togither like faythfull Legates and Ambassadours they declare vnto the whole Church all that they had done in their circuite Therefore the Apostles were no Lordes ouer mens faith prescribing all things of their absolute power according to their pleasure But rather they acknowledged themselues to be the seruaunts of Christ and did not impudently contempne his spouse as in these dayes they vse which swelling in the name and succession of the Apostles thinke it vnmeete to be at others appoyntment or to render an account of their doinges to anye man Let them reade I beseeche them that is written Moreouer they vtter and speake nothing of themselues in arrogant maner but make God the author of all their doings And it is not wythout