not written for Monkes and Friers onely to pore vpon but for our learning that is for as many as professe Christ which thing being spoken by Paule of the olde Testament for as yet the newe was not written howe much more learning may we nowe receyue hauing the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles ioyned all togither Likewise in his seconde Epistle to Timothie the thirde Chapter he sayth All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct and amende in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfite instructed vnto all good workes This epitheton or adiectiue inspired of God quite wypeth awaye all vnwritten verities all mannes gloses and traditions all fayned visions and myracles such as are to be founde in Gregorie the Popes dialogues and throughout the workes of our newe Diuines Since therefore the Scripture teacheth reprooueth correcteth and amendeth maketh men perfite and furnished with all good workes what thing then can there be deuised in all the worlde of more profite and vtilitie Had I not bounde my selfe by a particion to prooue by apparant reason also the truth of this assertion I shoulde néede no further to trouble eyther my selfe with more writing or you with more reading But such promises as these we are bounde to performe First therefore this is one reason verye euident playne that séeing our Sauiour Christ as Paule sayth woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth and for that ende did and suffered whatsoeuer he did and suffred while he liued here on earth the meane whereby men shoulde attaine vnto that truth and saluation which are Gods holy Scriptures ought by no meanes to be kept from them The practise of our Sauiour admitting all men to his sermons and familiar communication Publicanes souldiors artificers Phariseys harlots strayed shéepe vnrighteous persons yea kéeping company most with such abundantly prooue the same And bicause the scriptures as teaching the way to come vnto god best of all other things are méetest for such straglers all men by testimonie of the same scripture of their owne nature disposition are such straglers therfore ought all straglers that is to say all men to haue the law the scriptures wherby they may both sée howe they haue strayed out of the way and how to returne into the same againe The Maior is prooued by Christ Math. 22. Iohn 5. by the olde Doctors as we shall sée when we come to the last part of our particion The Minor God himselfe maketh Genes 8. where he sayth The imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth The writings of the Prophetes and Apostles doe inculcate and repeate nothing more The places are infinite therefore I quote them not The commaundement of Christ a little before his ascention bidding his Apostles to go into all the world and teach the gospell to all Nations doth further prooue it as their practise also declared teaching the same somewhile to Tentmakers somewhile to Tanners somewhile to women that were Dyers otherwhiles to Souldiers yea at all times to all states and degrées of persons And whereas Christ was borne dyed and was buryed rose againe and ascended into heauen for all men and shall come agayne to receyue all states and degrées of men for with God there is no respect of persons but in euery Nation he that feareth him and woorketh righteousnesse is accepted of him What are we that we shoulde withstande god and kéepe this knowledge from any kinde of menne What meaneth it moreouer that Christ will haue his light to shine throughout his house that he will haue his worde preached on the house toppes that the light of his gospell must not be put vnder a bushell why doth he many times conclude his sermons thus generally He that hath eares to heare let him beare Why doth god cry vnto the Prophets bidding them to speake out and exalt their voyces like to a Trumpet and to tell his people their wickednesse Christ suffred all men Tinkers Taylers Carpenters Coblers Masons and Bricklayers to heare his voyce and will these Comptrollers barre them from reading his bookes But I wote what a newe deuine will saye In the primitiue Church when the scriptures were extant for all men to reade what a swarme of heretikes bredde they which disturbed the whole church What heresie hath there bene at any time so absurde but it hath had hir colour of maintenance out of the Scripture Sir by the way I will take it for graunted that you say the Scriptures were extaunt in the primitiue Church for all men to reade as in déede they were And so was it gods will they shoulde be and for that cause did the holy ghost mooue the Euangelistes and the Apostles to wryte the gospels and the Epistles in the Gréeke tongue which then was vniuersallye vnderstoode of most Nations yet notwithstanding these heresies bredde as you say the primitiue church neuer called the scriptures in ne yet forbade any kinde of people the reading of them You haue done both without all example of the primitiue church whereby may and doe appeare your newe proceedings But nowe to aunswere question with question what heresie I praye you euer was there but the same hath bene confuted by the scriptures Bicause some men haue misvsed the scriptures shall all menne be depriued of them shall the Bées be kept frō gathering hony of the swéete flowers bicause spiders make poyson of them shall all they that can vse wine and breade to chéere and strengthen mans heart giuing god thanks for them taste or assay none of them bicause a great many abuse them to surfetting drunkennesse Lay the fault where it is in the men not in the things that they misvse What fault is in the money that lyeth and rusteth in the cofer of the couetous what in the knife or sworde that killeth a bodye Ptholomeus Philadelphus thought himselfe very well occupied as in déede he was when he caused the bookes of Moses and the prophets to be translated into the Gréeke tongue by thréescore and tenne learned men called the seauentie Translators or Interpreters two hundreth thréescore and seauentene yeares before Christ was borne An hundreth and fower and twenty yeares after Christes ascention Aquila a Iewe in the dayes of Adrian the Emperor translated them againe After him Theodotion in Commodus dayes Then Symachus vnder Seuerus Then was there an other translation founde at Hierusalem without anye name called the common translation After this againe Origene tooke great paynes to correct the seauentie Translators adding of his owne where he thought they were not full and taking from them where he sawe redundance and superfluitie All these no doubt labouring to elucidate and make playner as much as in them lay the former translations Yea S. Hierome after all this was not afrayde to translate the whole Bible againe into the Latine tongue which is perished He
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
occasion the order of Deacons was appoynted and then sheweth after what order and maner those first Deacons were elected and ordeyned by the Apostles And in this narration are many thinges whereof in these dayes the Church hath great neede Wherefore we shall speake of ech thing diligently The multitude of the beleeuers was the occasion and cause of this newe deuised order in the Church by reason of a quarrell and grutch growne among them For at this time the Church of Christ grewe and was marueylously encreased and the enterprises of the wicked Bishops which laboured to oppresse the Church were vtterly vaine Howbeit bicause this Church was gathered togither of diuers kindes of people it could not long agree For there arose a quarrell or grutch among the Greekes against the Hebrewes He calleth them Greekes or Proselites eyther bicause they returned from their Gentilitie to Iudaisme eyther for that they were borne of parents that were Iewes and scattered among diuers nations For it is euident that at this time the Gentiles were not as yet receyued into the fellowship of the Church forasmuch as long after this Peter was rebuked for hauing preached the gospell to Cornelius and his familie men that were not circumcised as appeareth hereafter in the .xj. Chapter The cause of this grutch was for that the Greekes widowes were neglected in the dayly administration that is to saye in the distribution of the liuing delt euery day among the beleeuing For it hath bene heretofore declared howe many layde their moneyes togither to be at the disposing of the Apostles to giue thereof to euerye manne as he shoulde haue neede In this case it chaunced that the Apostles eyther being ouercharged with multitude of businesse ouerhipped some fewe amongest them or else that they deemed they were despised which things these straungers a suspicious kinde of people aboue all other bitterlye complayned of And this thing was the cause why the accustomed order and maner of administration of this money hitherto seemed nowe somewhat to be altered But before we speake hereof we haue here certaine other things to obserue And first is to be considered howe euen the primitiue Church was not voyde of hir defectes and faultes which hitherto yet seemed prosperous and perfite in all poyntes And they are no light faultes which are here recited but horrible For they obserue differences of Nations where in Christ there is none at all For in him is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle Scithian or Barbarous and being factiouslye deuyded they nowe beare not malice and grutch secretly in their hart but vtter the bitternesse of their mindes with vniust complayning We see therefore the primitiue Church infected with that fault for the which we reade manye thousandes vnder Moyses were somtimes ouerthrown in the wildernesse by Gods horrible iudgement To this may be added a detestable ingratitude towards the Apostles who they knewe were occupied in many other affayres yea who were once or twise before cast in prison and who alone they sawe bare all the brunt and daunger almost of the whole Church And where it is a great offence to haue a wrong opinion of those that deserue well of vs and benefite vs these by their murmuring call the Apostles credit into doubt and giue occasion of sedition And this they doe in a time of persecution when it behooued them all to haue bene most carefull of mutual loue and vnity By which example we are taught that there can neuer be appointed so perfite a president of a church but that alway some thing may happen worthy to be amended not that there is eyther such obscuritie in the worde of God or such incertaintie that nothing can be perfitely ordered therby but bicause such is the corruption of our witte that it alwaye seeketh occasion to infringe and breake the moste holy ordinaunces of god Therfore foolish and moste arrogant is the boldnesse of those men which thinke they haue attayned to the highest perfection and will abyde no kinde of admonishment Furthermore the rashnesse of them is here reprooued which forsake those congregations in whom they find or perceiue any blemishes or imperfections are the authors and causes of schisme wherin the Anabaptists commonly are guiltie But if these mennes reason shoulde take place then shall not the primitiue Church be iudged free nor thought worthy to whome a man may ioyne himselfe Also where Christ hath chiefely commended to vs the keeping of vnitie it easily appeareth with what spirite they are sedde which thinke it but a trifle to breake the vnitie of the Church Further it is to be obserued that thys grutch arose when the number of christians increased when they ought most to haue acknowledged Gods grace and to haue imbraced vnitie But this is all way seene where a multitude is there is also murmuring and confusion bicause it is impossible in such diuersitie and desyres of mindes to satisfie all mennes wyshes And nature hath so ordeyned that they which are not pleased and content seeke alwayes some occasion of puling complaint That faythfull seruaunt of God Moses whome the Israelites many tymes went about to stone when they remembred theyr fleshe pottes in Egypt founde thys to be true The like now feele the Apostles who notwithstanding in their administration of these things vsed vndoubtedly all kinde of truth and diligencie Let no man therefore thinke it straunge or wonderfull nowe a dayes though in that multitude of poore and needie which we euerywhere see murmurings and complaynings be heard which as it is in al places vsed so chiefely is it to be seene in Hospitals and in such places where the poore are found and mainteyned For though there be no cause else yet pouertie of it selfe is alwaye whyning and complayning which faulte for this cause chiefely deserueth pardon bicause there chaunceth daylie dyuers occasions which are able to mooue mindes be they neuer so constant Let them rather that haue the charge and ouersight of the poore beware that they giue no iust occasion of murmure and complaint whyles eyther they vnwyllingly distribute suche thinges as they haue neede of or else wickedly conuey away that which is giuen for the finding of the poore For it is no small or tryfling fault that they commit herein For they contamynat themselues with great sacriledge and lye vnto the holy ghost and also be occasions to the poore of no small offence in that they giue them causes to be angrie and mooued which otherwise had neede to be comforted Let it waigh with them howe the primitiue Church was troubled with none other encumbraunces than such as sprang eyther of vniust or negligent administration of ecclesiastical goods For the scripture teacheth that Iudas stumbled at this block We see also how Ananias and Sapphira made wracke of their saluation on this rock And in thys place the Grecians take no other occasion of their seditious murmuring than for that they thought their Wydowes
and accustomed lecture of the lawe and Prophetes was ended the Rulers of the Sinagoge supposing them to be no common persons gaue them leaue to speake vnto the people For they send a message to them saying ye men and brethren if you haue any Sermon to exhort the people saye on And so Paule begonne a singular sermon of Iesus Christ and the whole mysterie of our saluation the beginning whereof God willing we shall heare to morowe At this time we haue certaine other thinges to consider of which we will speake in order First and foremost the Apostles spredde not the doctrine of saluation abrode in Tauernes among drunken blowbolles nor yet in corners and woodes among the rude and ignorant people but they come into a publike place and openly teach the Gospell This it appeareth they did after the example of Christ who vsed himselfe to go into the Sinagoges and to teach openly And when he was examined by Caiphas of his doctrine and Disciples as though he had bene an heretike he defendeth himselfe by this argument only that he taught openly in the Sinagoge and in the Church and was not afrayde to abide the iudgement of the whole people touching his doctrine Which examples serue to repoorue them which sowe newe opinions secretly among the people and flie and abhorre nothing so much as the light and iudgement of the congregation This one thing abundantlye prooueth that they are deceyuers seeing that truth desireth nothing so much as the light Where yet we do not condemne them which being compassed about with persecutions exercise the duties of godly religion in secret which thing we reade was done at Ierusalem by the faythfull in the house of Mary and otherwheres so that they be ready to giue an account of their fayth to as many as require the same and not like the Anabaptistes by stubborne silence and craftie dissimulation delude them that go about to trie their fayth and doctrine Then againe it is no superfluous notation of time where it is sayde they went into the sinagoge on the Sabboth dayes For hereby he teacheth vs that they diligently kept the religion of the Sabboth which day it is euident was dedicated vnto God at the beginning of the world was diligently commended by Moses vnto the Israelites For where we be busied with diuers occupations it was necessary that there should be one time appointed free from all cares and businesse wherein we shoulde giue our selues wholy both in body and soule to the honouring of god Therefore God appointed the seauenth daye to this exercise which he for this cause called his daye that when that daye commeth we should abstaine from all other businesses and exercises And he ordeyned it to be kept so holilye that he appointed death for the breakers thereof And in the Prophets this is reckoned for one of the most grieuous offences and causes of the captiuitie of Babilon that they did vnhallowe the Sabbothes of the Lorde For the which cause the sonne of God although he many times reprehended the superstitious keeping of them yet he diligently obserued those thinges wherein the worship of God consisted For on those days he entred into the Sinagoges and was present at their publike assemblies and prayers Moreouer hee taught and hearde others teach and also vsed diligently the deedes of liberalitie Which thing the Apostles remembring they thought good also to followe the example of their maister But now a dayes the matter is come to that passe that among Christians they may go for the best menne that breake the Sabbothes but with handy works toward the getting of their liuing whereas a great many prophane them with heynous wickednesse nor at any time doe men more sinne in pryde and arrogancie in drunkennesse concupiscence and ryot than on that day which ought to be bestowed wholy in the study of godly workes and eternall rest and quiet And notwithstanding these thinges are openly committed yet wee still seeke what should bee the causes of the miseries and wretchednesse of our dayes Howbeit where the religion of the Sabboth as touching the outward obseruation consisteth chiefly in the holy assemblyes which Moses calleth holye conuocations Luke declareth diligently what was done in this assembly First the Apostles sate downe no doubt among the residue that were there gathered togither This is the dutie of modestie and honestie wherof regard must alwaies be had euerywhere but chiefly in the Church that nothing be done out of order and dishonestly Then he maketh mention howe the lawe and the Prophetes were reade which was obserued among the Iewes of a common custome as we shall vnderstand a little after by Paules sermon and by the wordes of Iames in the .xv. Chapter For so Moses ordeyned by the commaundement of God which custome after their returne from Babylon Esdras restored againe as appeareth in Nehemias cap. 8. And Christ vsed none other custome when out of the place of Esay he taught the mysteries of our saluation in the Sinagoge at Nazareth These thinges teach vs that in the congregation the worde of God comprehended in the Scriptures ought to be intreated For this cause Paule commendeth vnto the Ministers of Churches the studie of holy scripture bicause none other voyce than such as speaketh in the scripture must be hearde in Gods house Therfore their errour is enormious and absurde in that Church which declare vnto the simple people most foolish trifles out of the Legendes of Saints or else vrge and exact mans traditions wherwith Christ himselfe out of the Prophete teacheth that all Gods religion is corrupted Which thing as it is in these dayes to much frequented â—o if at any time any place be left for the word of God it is vsed to be sayde or song commonlye in a straunge tongue so that no profyte can come to the people thereby But touching this matter see Paules iudgement 1. Cor. 14. Thirdlye this also is to be commended that none of them taketh vppon him to speake before he be lawfully requested For although of auncient custome the interpreters and Prophetes sate next to the Teachers yet none impudently intruded himselfe so that vndesired or without necessitie he woulde speake vnto the people Wherefore Paule and Barnabas also although they were sent by the holy ghost yet they thinke it not good to breake so profytable and auncient a custome of the Church Therefore the Anabaptistes disorder is not to be suffered which abuse the place of Paule 1. Cor. 14 â–ª saying that all men ought to haue leaue to speake in the Church For Paule in that place speaketh of those that had the gift of interpretation and prophecie and sate with the teachers as was euen nowe sayde But such as were no interpreters he commaundeth to keepe silence And he commaundeth all things to be done decently and in order Neyther lette any man obiect here vnto me what I thinke the Apostles woulde haue done if no
followed We are here taught that we must not alwayes cleaue to the iudgements and examples of notable men but rather trie and examine all things after the rule of the Scripture afore we imitate them For if they were so fowly deceyued which had the greatest dignitie among the people of God by his appointment what shall we hope of others They are also confuted which when we bring forth the worde of God bring vs the examples of Princes and great estates For the question is not what men doe but what is done according or contrarye to the worde of god Moreouer we are taught that the reading of the Scripture neuer so much preuayleth not if we well vnderstande not the meaning of the Scripture Moses the Prophets were read of ordinary among the Iewes in all their sinagoges But whereas they were deceyued in the affiance of their owne righteousnesse they knew not the ende of the lawe which was Iesus Christ and being ignorant thereof they fulfylled the Scriptures presumptuously putting him to death whom Moses the Prophets did prophecie should be their sauiour We see the same hath come to passe these many yeres in the papacie or Popedome The vnlearned Monkes and Priests reade and sing the holy scriptures Yet Christ whome the scriptures teach is despised of a great many and Antichrist is worshipped and glorifyed whome the scriptures with one consent warne vs to beware of And other cause of so fylthy an error is there none than for that men being puffed vp with a Iewishe affiance of their owne works are not able to see the righteousnesse of Christ while they go about to set vp their owne righteousnesse See Rom. 10. Secondly he alleageth the authoritie of Gods prouidence declaring that for this cause no manne ought to be offended at the death of Christ bicause he suffred nothing but that the Prophetes to whome the holye ghost long before reuealed the counsayles and ordinaunce of God prophecied he shoulde suffer Wherefore the Priestes when they vnderstoode not the scripture yet they fulfylled them in that they presumed to condemne and put Christ to death And it is no doubt but Paule in this place brought forth the oracles of the Scripture which are extant euerywhere touching Christes passion In that he sayth the Prophecies were fulfylled by the wicked enimies of Christ we learne that the very wicked also are the instruments of God by whome oftentimes he vseth to bring his ordinances and deuises to passe And yet they are not therfore to be excused bicause they doe that that God will haue to bâ— done For where they like Bedlems rage in impietie against God and go about to hinder and not to set forwarde his ordinances they are in the fault and God is to be praysed and glorifyed which can moderate and order their audacitie and boldenesse so well Also his inuincible power and infallible veritie appeareth in these examples For if hys deuises take effect through the meane of his very enimies also then must they needes stande fast for euer Therefore they whose infyrmitie is feared with the cruell deuises of the Princes of this worlde let them seeke comfort hereat But whereas it might notwithstanding be obiected that it was scarce credible that God would appoynt him to be our Sauiour who was made away by so slaunderous a death and such as was cursed euen by the lawe therefore in the thirde part he prooueth he was innocent and guiltlesse and sheweth that his kinde of death must not be so much considred as his cause when they founde by him sayth he no cause of death yet desired they Pylate to kill him These things might haue bene declared more at large as it is like Paule did bicause he spake vnto them which suspected all Christes doing Let it suffyse vs to holde fast the scope and ende of Paule that is howe no man ought to be offended at Christes death which he suffered being an innocent forasmuch as many times the holyest men of all vse to be put to death both vnworthily and vniustly Also the true vse of Christes innocencie must be well weyghed which consisteth in the purgation or clensing of our sinnes For if Christ had not bene free and cleere of all sinnes he coulde neuer haue bene able to haue satisfyed for our sinnes For howe can he make others cleane that is himselfe vncleane Or how shoulde one being indebted himselfe paye other mennes debtes Therefore it behooued Christ shoulde be innocent that we might knowe howe he who had deserued no death for his part suffred death for vs Esay maketh mention herof where he expoundeth the mysterie of our redemption cap. 53. And hereto belongeth that saying of Paule God made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes shoulde be the righteousnesse which before God is allowed And this is the chiefe cause why the Euangelistes be so earnest in setting forth the innocencie of christ Then if none ought to bee offended with Christes death bicause he suffred innocently by the same reason the vnworthy and vniust slaughters of the Saintes ought to offende no body whereby they are made partakers of Christes crosse to th ende to be glorifyed with him Fourthly least anye man shoulde thinke that Christ was ouercome by the force or power of his enimies and therefore shoulde deny that he were a sauiour or reuenger he teacheth that he receyued no losse or harme by the wicked enterprises of the Priestes They perfourmed all the thinges which were prophecyed of him while they killed him on the Crosse and pierced his side with a speare and at length tooke him down from the crosse and layd him in a sepulchre But for all this he was of neuer the lesse power or glory For God as he foreshewed raysed him vppe from death so that now he liueth for euer in a glorifyed body where they enuyed him this miserable and corruptible life But let it here offende no man that Christes buriall is permitted to his wicked enimies the honor whereof the Euangelistes ascribe to his faythfull disciples Ioseph and Nichodemus For Paule here speaketh howe they were not contented with his ordinary buriall but caused the grauestone to be sealed with Pylates signet and gotte souldiours to watch him and forceably to keepe him downe in his graue thinking that they of their owne power had killed him vpon the crosse and were ignorant that he layde downe his lyfe of his owne voluntary This diligent description of his buriall maketh for the more certaintie and truth of his resurrection For thus it appeareth there coulde be no frawde or deceyt in the matter and that it was a false rumour that the Priestes caused to be raysed by the souldiours being well bribed with money that his Disciples came and stole away his body In the meane season we may take a generall comfort hereof that the enimies of Christ fyght against him in vaine The same
a cause that Luke maketh mention twise or thrise of the grace worke of god For fyrst he sayth they were committed vnto the grace of God in this worke to the intent that all the Church might wytnesse they were able to doe nothing without the grace of god Then declare they what woonders God wrought by them which kinde of phrase attributeth the whole successe of their ambassage and ministerie to God onely Moreouer they declare howe God opened the dore of fayth vnto the Gentyles Then is there a dore opened vnto the fayth when an effectuall operation of the holy spirite is ioyned vnto the outwarde preaching whereby the mindes of men are illuminated and drawne vnto the obedience of fayth This is the only worke of God as Christ testifyeth saying No man commeth vnto me except my father draweth him We are taught therefore by the example of the Apostles to attribute nothing to our owne industrie and wisedome in deede of vs it is required to be faithfull and diligent Howbeit as the successe of our doings must be committed vnto God so must all the prayse and glorye of their well doings be referred vnto him also Which doctrine is not onely for ministers of the worde to remember but also for all Magistrates housholders maryed folke seruauntes and to conclude for all states and degrees of men as we haue oftentimes declared Last of all it is sayde they tarrie a good space at Antioche to the ende doubtlesse to recreate themselues with honest and godly quietnesse hauing bene wearied a long whyle before with many labours and daungers both by lande and sea For it is meete conuenient that they should reape some fruite of their labours whose fayth and diligence had bene so many waies tried So Christ bade his Apostles when they returned from preaching the gospell to go aside out of the waye for a season and to repose themselues a little Let no man yet thinke that the Apostles sate still at Antioche ydely gasing vpon others For without doubt they faithfully taught the brethren and tooke paines in helping the other Ministers But for a certaine time they surceased from traueyling and taking anye enterprise of daunger in hande God the father of mercie graunt that all they that nowe a dayes glory in the gospell may fynishe the course of their lyfe with like diligence and successe as did the Apostles and that in the heauenly Chanaan they may enioy perpetuall rest and peace with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whome be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xv. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cj. Homelie AND certayne men which came downe taught the brethren except you be circumcised after the maner of Moses you cannot be saued So when there was rysen discention and disputing not a little vnto Paule and Barnabas and certayne other of them should go vp to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders about this question And after they were brought on their way by the congregation they passed ouer Phoenices and Samaria declaring the conuersion of the Gentyles and they brought great ioy vnto all the brethren And when they were come to Ierusalem they were receyued of the congregations and of the Apostles and Elders and they declared all the things that God had done by them IN the former part of his treatise or worke Luke hath declared howe the primitiue Church was gathered togither both of Iewes and Gentiles by preaching of the Apostles and howe by the wonderfull assistaunce of GOD it was preserued amonge the contynuall stormes blastes of persecution Herevnto is added a newe hystorie in thys Chappiter that teacheth vs howe the Lorde preserued the same Church agaynst false brethren and teachers least it myghte lose eyther simplicitie of doctrine or puritie of faith For hytherto for fourteene yeares togyther Paule had preached the Gospell and according to the common consent of the Apostles doctrine had taught that all saluation was in Christ Iesus onelye which doctrine being euerywhere receyued certayne of the Iewes specially those of the Phariseys secte that professed the fayth of Christ began to withstande Who albeit they confessed Christ yet they would needes haue circumcision and the ceremonies of the lawes to be ioyned with it which opinion whiles Paule earnestly resisted caused great adooe and contention insomuch that it horribly shooke the whole Church But our Sauiour Christ forsooke not them that stroâ—e for the glory of his merite by whose prouidence it came to passe that the plaine and simple doctrine of Christ was defended and confyrmed by the publike testimonie of the Apostles and the whole Church The consyderation of thys hystorie serueth much both to instruct and comfort all congregations For as by the example of the Apostles we are taught which waye to resist false doctrine â—o learne we that the doctrine of truth standeth fyrme and sure against all inuasions wherefore we will in order consider all the partes of this present place First Luke telleth who were the authors of this strife discention euen certaine persons that came out of Iurie and from Ierusalem Therfore they must needes be of great authoritie considering Ierusalem was the mother Church of all other and was worthily esteemed of all menne bicause from thence the Gospell of saluation did fyrst issue and spring for the which cause Paule also commendeth it saying It was meete the Gentyles shoulde minister corporall thinges vnto those of Ierusalem which had giuen them the spirituall and eternall giftes of saluation And it is no doubt but those deceyuers and seducers did marueylously bragge of the name and authoritie of the Apostles and did make lyght of Paules name as who should saye he deserued not to be counted among the Apostles bicause he had not bene conuersant with Iesus Christ whyle he liued For this maye we gather of Paules Epistles where he is enforced earnestlye to defende his authoritie and Apostleship against them Furthermore we maye here see howe deceyuers breede euen in the Church but were neuer true members of the Church For they that are in deede of the Church vse to continue in the same Therefore Christ sayth they go in sheepes clothing And Paule in another place sayth from among your selues shall ryse grieuous wolues c. And this is a woonderfull craft of Satan which knowing that men doe hate and abhorre him vseth to counterfeyte an Aungell of light and vnder the cloke of holynesse to beguyle and deceyue the simple This place serueth to confute them which constantly beleeue that the Romane Church cannot erre and be deceyued and affirme that whatsoeuer commeth from thence ought to be receyued as an Oracle And yet out of Ierusalem where the Apostles discharged their office and dutie with all diligence came these hypocrites and deceyuers What therefore shall we hope for at their handes amongst whome these many hundred yeres hath bene seene no token eyther of Apostolike lyfe or
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
and voyde of excuse before God forasmuch as they which before had the charge of them are cleare from the bloud of them This ought to be obserued in the Churches of this age reformed by the word of god The reformatioÌ„ hereof was both laborious very dangerous What excuse then shall the light backsliders haue seeing that the very dust of the Ministers shall suffise to conuince theÌ„ as we haue otherwheres declared The like is nedeful to be obserued in the coÌ„mon weale In Heluetia we enioy a libertie redemed with the bloud of our Auncestrie Good lawes are made out of the doctrine of the Gospell a discipline of maners instituted with much labour paynes Then wo vnto vs wretches worthy of all punishmeÌ„t if either through cowardly fear or light demeanor or wickednesse we suffer these things to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ vs in which our publike weale coÌ„sisteth So the faythful industrie care of the parents maketh the children inexcusable if they bee not aunswerable vnto the same Finally it is all mens duetie well to remember this least whyle they flatter them selues they put the faulte in another whereof they are guyltie It is further worthy to bee obserued that Paule hath shewed them all the councell of God namely touching our redemption and saluation Wee knowe otherwyse that there are many thinges in the prouidence of God which it is not lawefull for vs to searche out neither can they be declared by tong suche as Paule testifieth he heard in the thirde heauen But he omitted none of the things whiche concerne our saluation bycause he hath declared the causes and reason thereof and also moste truely reported the dueties of them which are saued Whervpon agayne wee gather that the Apostles doctrine conteyned in the Scriptures is perfect and absolute in all poyntes Therfore the vanitie of them is very rashe which thruste the traditions of men into the Church whereof the greatest part playnly repugne agaynst the doctrine of the Apostles which teache vs that Chryste alone is our Sauiour For it can not be that the things so playnely repugnaunt amongest them selues can haue one selfe spirite of God to bee the author of them Laste of all thou shalte note that thoughe Paule shewed all the counsell of God vnto the Ephesians yet afterwarde he wrote an Epistle to them wherein he expounded the same vnto them agayne By this example wee are taughte what a care and consideration Ministers of the Churche muste haue of all mens saluation and howe lyttle Apostolyke they are which so easily neglecte the Churches In the meane season let vs learne to embrace with true fayth and obedience the councell of God reuealed to vs by the Apostles in Iesus Chryste that wee followyng the same may attayne vnto true saluation throughe Iesus Chryste our onely Lorde and Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxv. Homelie TAke hede therfore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke among whom the holy ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his bloud For I am sure of this that after my departure shall greeuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shal men arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them Therfore awake and remember that by the space of three yeres I ceased not to warne euery one of you night and day with teares And now brethren I coÌ„mend you to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to builde further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified SEing nothing is more deare and precious to God than the church which he hath purchased with the bloud of Christ it becommeth all men that will be compted for Gods seruauntes and frendes to studie for the preseâ—uation therof but cheefely this care belongeth to the Ministers of the woorde bicause God hath made them peculiar ouerseers of his Churche and will heereafter require an accompt of their stewardship For the which cause Paule the Apostle being ready to forsake Asia called to the Ministers of the Church and in open assembly before them discoursed diligently of al things which appertained to the administration of the charge committed vnto them And first he setteth before them his owne example and speaketh of his going away from them with a moste graue protestation that they might know how al the charge of the church hereafter lay on them only and therfore that they ought the more earnestly and zelously to laboure therein Moreouer after these premisses he commeth nearer admonishing them more plainely of their duetie alleaging moste pithie reasons the rather to prouoke them First propounding the summe of the matter in fewe wordes he saythe Take hede vnto your selues and to all the flocke By this worde attending or taking hede he commeÌ„deth to them an earnest studie that they should not think they had then done their duetie when they had but superficially seene vnto it but that they should know there was great neede of care and circumspection And he propoundeth two things wherein they had neede to be circumspect First he saith Take hede to your selues This he commaundeth them bicause they should not think their selues excepted or excused but that their health and wel doing was in hazard as well as other mennes And as it is scarce credible that they shall haue any earnest care of others saluation which neglect their owne so they which beeing set in high degree ought to view the life manners and conuersation of others can not be out of daunger For either they shal swarue at one side and runne into ruine being puffed vp with vaine glory or else they shal be drawne from doing their duetie by being offended with mennes vniuste iudgements of them Therfore it is not without a cause that he admonisheth them to take heede of them selues And heere it behoueth pastoures to haue a special care of two things The one is doctrine wherein they can not erre without manifest detriment That their doctrine therefore may be true let it be taken from the mouthe of God which speaketh vnto vs in the scriptures and distributing the same in prudeÌ„t maner let them vse it duely in time and place that al things may serue to edification Bicause this is a matter of no small importance the continuall studie and reading of holy scripture is needeful as the same Paule teacheth vs in an other place The other is conuersation of life which in Ministers behooueth to be well ordered and blamelesse least they destroy with their euill example that they builde vp by their doctrine and that by their meanes bothe doctrine and religion growe not in contempt as we read it came to passe sometimes vnder the children of Hely and the wicked Priests that returned from Babylon 1. Sam. 2. Malach. 1. and .2 And for the auoyding of these and such like things it is
that they were taken for men out of their wiâ—tes Yea Christe himselfe was mocked of Pilate what time he confessed he came into the world to preache the truthe For Pilate thought him to be of the number of those men which had labored long in vaine to finde out the truthe bicause all things among men are doubtfull and vncertaine why therefore are we offended bicause the gospell preuaileth so little in these dayes seeing there is suche a multitude of men euery where which blinded with the reason of the fleshe and distract in their mindes receiue the word of God into the way which the infernall Iayes that is to say the affections suggestioÌ„s of sathan by and by peck vp But what doth Paul Is he so feared with Festus importunate interruption that he holdes his peace and so throughe his silence confirmeth the sinister suspition that they had of his being out of his wit No. Yea rather he boldly defendeth the aucthoritie both of his ministery and of the gospell I am not mad saith he moste deare Festus but I speake the wordes of truthe and sobrietie Therfore he boldly putteth such slaunder away yet modestly with such reuerence as is due vnto Magistrates least through impatiencie and ire and rendering of railing againe he should haue declared he had bene out of his wit in deede Therefore after a wise sort he vtterly denieth he was mad and those wordes which seemed vnto Festus to be of a madde man he declared to be most true and vttered by him after no curious sort but with as muche sobrietie as could be and this he proueth by most credible witnesses among whome firste hee produceth the King who could be ignorante of none of those things which hitherto had beene said concerning Christ bicause they were not done in a corner or in secrete but in the most famous Citie of all nations and at the greatest principallest feast of all other Againe he calleth all the Prophets also to witnesse who foreshewed that these things should so come to passe as he declared a little before more at large And bicause his saying should haue the more waighte and aucthoritie he boldly and freely defendeth the aucthoritie of the Prophets For he turneth him vnto the king and saith Beleeuest thou O king Agrippa the Prophetes And not waiting till he had an answere he preuenteth it adding moreouer I knowe that thou beleeuest For he knew well that the maiestie and truthe of the scripture Propheticall was yet such euen among the most corrupt nation of the Iewes that if any maÌ„ called it in dout all men would take him to be an vngodly person And it is to be thought that Paul handled this mater the more at large bicause Agrippa confessed by and by that he was greatly moued with his words Now be it here we haue certain things to be diligently considered bicause they make not a little for the coÌ„mon instruction of all men First this place teacheth vs that the best way of teaching is that that Paul confesseth he had hitherto obserued where he saith he spake the words of truth sobrietie For aboue al things ministers must haue a regarde of the truth least they sel leasing wherof Christ saith the deuill is the father vnder the pretence of Goddes worde And in treating of the mysteries of truth let them vse a godly and holy sobrietie giuing heede only to suche things as may edifie men vnto godlinesse Least while they folowe the curiositie of the fleshe they bothe entangle themselues in vnprofitable and hurtfull questions and also offende the weake and ruder sorte Let them therefore remember that we knowe but in parte onely and our Prophesying is vnperfite but that heereafter there shall come a day when withoute all impediment we shall beholde all the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen openly in the face of God. Furthermore Paules woordes teache vs that the affaires of our saluation and Christian religion are certaine and that nothing of them is difficult or to be suspected For as none of the things which happened vnto Christ was done in corners so those things which concerned Christ and the way of saluation in him were done in times past publikely and openly among the Fathers For the Patriarkes to whome the promisses were made at the beginning were no rascalles or diffamed Also the deliuery of the people of Israell out of Egipte was a thing well knowen vnto the Gentiles The publishing of the lawe with so many myracles was a famous and a renoumed matter all which things were figures of the mysteries of christ As touching the Prophets no good man did euer suspect any falshoode in them Furthermore all the Monarchies bothe of the Assirians Persians Grecians and Romanes had to doe with the nation of the Iewes among whome the affaires of saluation were taughte The voices of the Apostles did freely sound abrode in all the world in so muche that all men knewe bothe what they did and preached This is a great dignitie of our faith which is to be found in none other religion This reproueth the impudencie of those men which nowe a dayes call our beleefe in doubte and question Furthermore this place teacheth vs that the aucthoritie and credite of the holy scripture is moste certaine and that wee must suffer no man to call it in controuersie For seing it is inspired of God it is vnlawfull to doubt of it For this cause Paule putteth it ouâ— of controuersie that Agrippa beleeued the Prophetes And Christ hauing to doe with the Scribes of the Iewes attributeth this vnto them that they firmely beleeue that life euerlasting is contained in the scripture â–ª Iohn 5. Howe muche more execrable is the impudeneie of our dayes where some men wickedly cauill and scoffe at the scriptures and other some wonderfully deminishe the aucthoritie of them while they contende they ought to be alowed and confirmed by the iudgement of men Furthermore lette vs see the seconde kinde of hearers of the woorde of whome wee haue a patterne sette foorthe in Agrippa the King and these are suche as being giuen vnto the worlde lette the seede of the worde be ouergrowen with the cares and desires of the same For hee dare not denie the Scriptures the aucthoritie whereof hee knewe was of God and infallible He seeth also that those things which Paule saythe are agreeable wyth the Scripture Hee feeleth also certaine euidente motions of the mynde whereby hee was allured to take parte wyth Christe and hee dissembleth not the same bicause hee openly confesseth that hee was somewhat persuaded What letteth hym therefore that hee goeth not forewarde and publikely professeth Christe Uerely the vnhappy liking that he had of the worlde the â—rendshippe and glory wherof seemed to him more excellent than that he would forsake it and goe vnto them whome many men hated and enuied and other some thought to be out of their wittes But would God we had no
farre his desertes shall passe all praise that I am able to giue him and considering that the reuerende Father in God the Bishop of Norwich nowe liuing hath made certaine learned Verses in Latine which are printed in the forefront of his booke in commendation of the same Why your Lordship should accept it bicause it is by me translated there is no cause For I am inutilis seruus and haue done but my duetie if happily I haue done so much in respect eyther of the seruice I owe vnto our Englishe Church in generall or to your Honor in perticular And therfore being so many wayes bounde vnto your Honor as I am I finde no remedie but to desire I may yet further be bounde vnto the same And this is as Tullie interpreteth the matter I will speake it in his woordes animi ingenui cui multum debeas eidem velle plurimum debere Hereby therefore shall your honor binde mee the more vnto you if you accept and thinke well not of the worke for my sake but contrary wise of me for the workes sake and for my poore good willes sake which finde my selfe so estreighted with the consideration of your merites towardes mee and with the slender amends that I am able to make againe for the same that I am driuen to Aeschines shift sometyme Scholler vnto Socrates He being of himselfe but a pore yong man not able worthily to recompence Socrates for the learning that he had gotten by him and perceyuing diuers other of Socrates Schollers did gratifie him wyth sundrie riche and sumptuous presentes Sir sayth he I haue no meete or worthie thing to present your worship with and hereby most of all perceiue I how poore I am therfore I giue vnto you that onely thing that I haue which is my selfe This I beseech you sayth he take in good part Nowe surelye quoth he what else can this be but a verie great present and gift vnlesse perhaps thou make little or no account of thy selfe Thus trusting my poore present shall be none otherwise receyued at your honors hande than was Aeschines at Socrates I most humbly commende mee vnto the same beseeching almightie God for Christ his sake to giue you a lyfe wherein you maye long defende and maintaine his honour and glory At Herne the xxj of Aprill 1572. Your Honors most bounden Iohn Bridges Vicare of Herne ¶ The Translatour to the Christian Reader AMonge the manyfolde and subtile policies that the newe broched Diuines I meane such as haue crept out of the schoole of Thomas Aquinas Iohn Duns Occham Dorbell and such other Doctors haue deuised for the maintenance and vpholding of their kingdome there was neuer any one of more efficacie and force for that purpose than to haue the people kept from reading the holye Scriptures of God in their owne proper tongue and language And yet bicause they shoulde haue other matter ynough to occupye their heades and eyes vppon they inuented a booke called the golden Legende the authour whereof vndoubtedly had both a leaden mouth and an yron face as Lodouicus Viues a learned Spaniarde did very well perceyue and testifie To this they ioyned their Festiuall and such like bookes or to vse their owne terme more truely than they doe bible babble stuffed with most monstrous and impudent forgeries some of them so dishonest that it woulde and did abhorre manye christians eares to heare them And to this ende also they sette vp in euerye Church and Chappell such blockishe and stony schoolemaisters as coulde and did teach nothing else but lightnesse and vanitie lyes and errours And to be briefe whatsoeuer mannes ydle braine coulde deuise whatsoeuer anye Monke or Friers grosse Minerua could forge or inuent though it were no better than Amadis de Gaule the foure sonnes of Amon the tales of Robin Hoode and such other like fables yet were they thought very trimme and gaye geare to occupie the peoples eares withall Yea had they bene more fabulous than these if more might haue bene they shoulde haue bene borne and suffred rather than the holy Scriptures in such a tongue as the people might haue vnderstoode For this cause whosoeuer in consideration that the people were thus led about in the blinde mases of mannes inuentions woulde haue translated any péece of Scripture or other fruitefull treatise into the Englishe tongue for their vtilitie and edification he and all his wrytings were iudged to be burned as Hereticall For say they the laye people had bookes good ynough for them set open in euerye Church meaning their carued and painted Puppetrie and woulde suffer them to reade vppon none other Then also were hatched and maintained such straunge paradoxes and opinions as these Ignorance is the mother of deuotion The Scriptures make heretikes The Church cannot erre The laye folke must not medle with Scriptures We will beleue as our forefathers haue done meaning those that liued not past thrée or fower ages before and such as had bene fedde with like acornes and swill as they had bene vsed to and had neuer tasted one morsell of the swéete breade of Gods eternall and liuely worde And although these things be well ynough knowne vnto the learned so that they néede no such slender remembrances as these of mine are yet for the vnlearneds sake for whose cause I chiefely tooke paines to put this booke in Englishe I will shewe by Gods helpe both by Scriptures apparaunt reasons and auncient Doctors that these newe Doctors in this doing wrought altogither agaynst Gods forbode And yet woulde I haue no man to looke that I shoulde fully shewe and declare all the testimonies that might be brought for proofe of any part of my triple diuision For so might I write not an aduertisement for the vnskilfull but a worke and treatise which in quantitie might match or excéede the translation it selfe As touching Scriptures the newe Doctors and we also agrée herein that whatsoeuer is in eyther of the Testaments the olde or the new concerning good maners and holy conuersation it all serueth indifferentlye for all times and ages Therfore of consequence it must also serue for vs But in the olde Testament the fathers taught their children and families the lawes and rules of both the Tables that is to say their duties aswell vnto God as vnto man Ergo we also must doe the like Moses receyued the commaundementes to teache them to the people which he faithfullye and trulye did appoynting them to trayne and bring vp their youth and posteritie in the same not onely making them to learne them by rote like Dawes Pyes and Popingayes but opening and declaring vnto them the sense and meaning aswell of their Feastes and holye dayes which God did institute as of their sacramentes of Circumcision and Passeouer These be his wordes Harken ô Israel the Lorde our God is Lorde onely Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine hart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And these wordes
may first sée what the opinion of the Latine Church was in this poynt by one of the most approouedst Doctors in the same Church S. Hierome vpon these wordes of Paule to the Colossians Let the worde of Christ dwell plentifullye among you sayth thus By this place it is declared that euen the laye people ought to haue the woorde of Christ among them not onely sufficiently but also abundantly and to teach and admonishe one another Here besides that S. Hierome permitteth the lay people to haue the Scriptures and that plenteously he also suffereth them to teach and instruct one another saying moreouer that it is their dutie so to doe Chrysostome vpon the same place and wordes sayeth euen the same thing though in more large and ample maner Harken sayth he all yee secular people that haue charge of wife and children howe the Apostle commaundeth you chiefly to reade the scriptures and that not lightly and slenderly but with great diligence And a litle after that again Lysten sayth he I pray you all you laye people Buye you the Bible which is the medicine of the soule Or if you will haue nothing else get you the newe Testament the Gospels and Actes of the Apostles for your continuall and diligent teachers And by and by after he addeth This sayth he is the cause of all euill that the scriptures are not vnderstanded Note well I pray you howe Chrysostome holdeth this as an vndoubted and infallible truth that ignoraunce in the Scriptures is the cause of all euill Our Countrie man Beda called worshipfull as I suppose bicause of his great learning and reuerende life and demeanor is of the very same iudgement as appeareth by that he hath written vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter the seconde Chapter I might also here shewe howe the sayde Beda for more than nyne hundreth yeares past translated the Gospell of Saint Iohn into the Englishe tongue and howe Constantine so greatly commended for his godlynesse caused infinite copies of the Byble to be written and sent abrode into all the partes of his Empyre long before that But returne we to Chrysostome who many times chideth as it were with his hearers for that they giue no better héede to his sermons sometimes againe he prayeth and desireth them that they woulde come oftner to them and reade and pervse the scriptures at home at their houses more diligently than they had vsed Otherwhiles he aunswereth the obiections they vsed to make for their excuse But let vs heare his owne words Tell me saith he I pray you you that stand here present which of you can say one Psalme without the booke if it were required of you or any other peece of the scripture And he by by maketh their obiection answere But sayth he this is your defence for all such faultes I am say you no Monke I haue wife and children and charge of housholde verily this is it wherewith as it were with the plague you â—arre and corrupt all thinges bicause you thinke the reading of scriptures belongeth to Monkes onely where in deede it is much more necessary for you than for them for they that go abrode in the world and daily receyue wounde vpon wound haue more neede of Gods medicine than other men Wherefore it is a more grieuous and heynous fault to thinke the lawe of God to be superfluous than to be ignorant in it for these be wordes proceeding of a diuelishe cogitation Hearest thou not Paule say the scriptures are written for our correction Thus much hath Chrisostome in his second Homelie vpon S. Mathew these words also to the like effect in the same place folowing This sect sayth he is the working of the deuils inspiration that will not suffer vs to loke vpon the treasure least we should attaine to the riches therof Therfore he perswadeth men that there is no profit ryseth by reading the holy Scriptures bicause he woulde see no practise followe of the hearing Againe in his .xvij. Homelie vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues he bringeth other like obiections whervnto he also answereth Thou wilt saye sayth he I haue not reade it this is no excuse but a fault And in his .xxviii. Homely vpon the Genesis he earnestly erhorteth and counsayleth all men to the hearing reading of the scriptures These be his words I pray you sayth he come hither oftener and harken more diligently to the reading of the holy Scripture and not onely when you come hither but at home also take the holy Bible in your handes and receyue with great studie the commoditie therein conteyned And a little after that againe I pray you therfore sayth he let vs not lose so great a commoditie through our negligence but let vs apply the reading of the holy scripture euen at home also Nowe if these newe Diuines which haue gone so long disguised vnder the visar of antiquitie will yet farther replye and saye that the Scriptures are to difficult for all men to vnderstand and that they are not sufficient to discusse all controuersies that may arise in the church but that we must wayte for the Oire and determiner of counselles or that diuersitie of translations bréede obscuritie and errours among the people we will hereto also make them an aunswere and that out of the doctors that it may herein also appeare that they doe but pretende doctors seing they will not yéelde to the doctors when they heare them speake and make so expressely against them First touching hardnesse and difficultie wherewith they charge the scripture Saint Augustine in his second booke of christian doctrine and sixe chapter sayth thus The holye ghost hath so honorably and wholesomely tempered and qualified the holye Scriptures that it hath put hunger awaye by playner places and lothsomnesse by darker And againe in his thirde Epistle to Volusianus he sayth The maner of speech wherof the holy scripture consisteth all men may easely come vnto although verie fewe can pearce through it vttering the playner things therein conteyned like a familiar friend without all coulour to the heart aswell of the vnlearned as learned And those things which it hydeth in mysteries it doth not set out with haultie elocution fraying the slowe and vnlearned minde to come neere it lyke as the poore man commeth vnto the riche but allureth all men with lowlinesse of speeche feeding them not onely with manifest truth but exercising them with secret hauing the verie same things in playner places that it hath in harder Cyrill in his seauenth booke against Iulian sayth to the intent that the scriptures might be knowne to all men both small and great they are so commodiously set foorth in familiar speache that they passe nones capacitie Saint Hierome vpon the .xix. chapter of Esay sayth It is the maner of the scriptures after harder things to set playner Saint Austen in his .83 booke and .69 question affirmeth that circumstaunce of the Scriptures openeth the sence and meaning
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
lyghtened wyth the gospel Pag. 655. The church at Berrhea disturbed Pag. 656. B ante L. Blasphemie is a deniall of the faith Pag. 856. Blasphemous and filthy talkers are ledde with the euill spirite 85. Who are sayde to be blessed and happye 763. Blessedfulnesse is to bee iudged of holynesse of place 313. True blessednesse discrybed 119.120 True blessedfulnesse is to bee most like vnto God. 757. It is more blessed to gyue then to take ibidem To blesse is to bid farewell 35. The heyres of blesse 187. The maner of Christs blessing 188. Christ is the Mediator of blesse 47. Blessing what it comprehendeth in it ibidem B ante O. The true marke of those that are borne againe 138. Bookes of the Byble belong to all men 326. B ante R. The vtilitie of well bringing vp of chyldren 615. Breaking of breade 140.734 Brethren kinsfolke of Christ. 48. Brethren at Rome their kindenesse Pag. 894. B ante V. Burials must be reuerently vsed by christians 359. Burthens and yokes are all those things that are taught beside fayth in Christ. 608. B ante Y. Byshops could alwayes abyde to be reprehended of other Byshoppes Pag. 468. Byshops of Rome make money of religion 719. Byshops accuse Paule 818. Byshops of Rome may erre 198. Byshops counselles what they are Pag. 240. Byshops of Romes craft and tyranye in persecuting the truth 191. Byshoppe of Rome hys incurable impietie 350. Byshops which ought most to sette foorth Christes doctrine greatest enimies thereof 191. C. C ante A. CAlamities of men directed to an ende by God.  Captiuity of Babilon 343. Care of God for vs. 832. God careth most for his people wheÌ„ they are most destitute of mannes helpe 349. Carnall men what they seeke for in Christ. 26. Causes of the calamities of thys worlde 101. Cause of all calamitie is the not beleeuing and gainesaying of the Gospell 31. Causes of calamitie are as well in the godly as the vngodly 101. Causes of strife and contention 550 Cause of saluation is fayth 168. Causes of the euilles of these latter dayes ibidem Causes whye Saule was cast of Pag. 528. Causes of afflictions are to bee diligently considered 269. C ante E. Centurion is Paules friend 871. Centurion gentlye obeyeth Paule Pag. 810. Centurion and his souldiours fayth Pag. 882. Ceremonies that the Apostles taught are certaine 3. Ceremonies of the lawe are abolyshed 76. Ceremonies in religion howe farre they are lawfull 349. Ceremonies of the olde lawe to what ende and vse they were 292. Certainetie and antiquitie of christian fayth 175. C ante H. Chanaan lande a figure of our saluation and of heauen 294. Charitie of the Apostles towarde their enimies 561. Charitie must be vsed euen towarde the vnthankfull 355. Charitie is the cognizaunce of Christes children 77. Charitie hath hir markes and tokens ibidem Charitie and wisedomes examples Pag. 758. What the nature of charitie is 896. Charitie is not suspitioâ—s 769. The propertie of charitie 756. Charitie in Steuen 351. The effect of Gods chastisement declared in Paule 395. The chastisement of God requyreth repentaunce ibidem The duetie of those whome God chastiseth 491. Chiliastes errour touching the dwelling on earth 98. Goddes children acknowledge hys iudgements and amend by others examples  Who be the children of God. 94. Howe the children of GOD are knowne 181. The children of Iacob grieuouslye offende 308. Choyse of meates 434. and .435 Christian libertie must bee mainteyned 607. Christian fayth doth not derogate from humanitie and ciuilitie 293. The beginning of the christian faith Pag. 202. Christians nowe denie and betraye Christ as the Iewes did 166. Christian people may sometime saue themselues by flying 411. Who ought to bee called Christians Pag. 141. Howe christians be ydolaters 343. Christes enimies 100. The begynning and vse of a christian name 490. Christians what they owe to theyr brethren being in daunger for the testimonie of Christ. 491. Christians must talke of the kingdome of God. 15. Christians must increase go forwarde in fayth 476. What the markes and weapons of christians are 227. The duetie of christians 879.793 and 761. The sacrifices of christians ibidem Christians maye vse the lawe for their safegarde and succour 838. Christians maye possesse thynges of their owne 143. Christians maye seeke ayde of Magistrates 812. Christians which waye they maye get themselues fauour and authoritie 241. Christians must boldely defend their cause 500. Christ is reiected of the buylders Pag. 202. What Christs last comming teacheth vs. 41. Why Christes second comming is so long differred 175. Howe Christ is the aungell of the great counsell 326. Christ instructed hys Apostles with commaundementes before he left the earth 8. Christ is taken hold of by faith 544 Christ is the head of apostolike doctrine 679. Christ comforteth hys Apostles being in errour of an earthly kingdome 30. Christ descrybed of the Prophetes to be honourable 2. Christ called a Mountayne of the Prophets ibidem Christ is the Sauiour of all Nations 32. Christ being preached the kingdome of God is preached 119.915 Christ by his diuine power and operation is euery where 40. Christ is very God. 106.448 Christ is the Lorde 127. Christ is the name of God and the Image of hys father 9 Christ is a priest 127. Christ is a man. 106. Christ is a man approoued of God. Pag. 107. Christ is lyfe and they that beleeue in hym haue lyfe 12. Christ is the lyfe and the resurrection 119. Christ is an vniuersall sauiour 127. Christ dyed according to Gods appointment 109 Christ was a very man of the stock of the Iewes 178.448 Christ tooke hys humane nature into heauen 35. Christ appertayneth to the Iewes Pag. 184. Christ is ascended into Heauen the place of the blessed 35. Christ is ascended into that place whyther our bodyes must also ascende ibidem Christ gyueth light to his people in the myddle of darknesse 494. Christ was crucyfied being innocent 535. Christ shall iudge the quick and the deade 457. Christ resembled to Moses 179. Christ seeth and careth for his sheepe on earth 8. Christ is the peacemaker betweene God and man. 448. Christ the Prince and chiefe of all Prophets 333. Christ is the Phisition for sinnes 130. Christ ouercame by death 381. Christ preached by Moses and the Prophets 177. Christ is the Prince or chiefe of the Prophets 333. Christ is a Prophet 178. How Christ must be acknowledged and confessed 649. How Christ must be preached ibideÌ„ How Christ perfourmed the office of a priest 6 How Christ is a stumbling block to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gentyles 663. Christ ruleth in the myddle of hys enimyes 242. Christ is declared a king by God his father 2. Christ is a king and a priest 37.452 Howe Chryst fulfylled the office of a king 6. Christ is a victorious king 126 Christ aduaunceth vs to saluation Pag. 576. Christ is not euerye where in bodye Pag. 34.35 Christ ought to dye but once 540. If Christ bee
Iudges must follow the goodnes bountifulnes of god 234.235 Iudges what their dutie is 851 Rashe Iudgements ende 645 Iuliane the Apostata forsaketh the fayth 301 Iuliane hys last wordes 218 Iulius Maximinus and hys sonne raging agaynst the Churche were destroyed of their souldiours by the iust iudgement of god 300.301 Iustification of man through fayth in Iesus Christ proued by notable examples in the Actes of the Apostles 3 Iustification of fayth taught by the Prophetes 459 Iustifications order 463 Iustifications reason 595 Iustification attributed to woorkes is a greeuous offence 596 Iustice and temperance are fruites of fayth 829 Iustice of man can not stande in the Iudgement seate of god 801 Iustice commeth not of merites of workes but of fayth as Steuen teacheth through out his oracion 298 K ante Y Kyngs that are proude ambitiouse ruled manye tymes by their bondemen 504 Kyngdome of Christ eternall and inuincible 381 Kyngedome of Christe is not of the earth 24 Kyngdome of Christ by preaching of the gospell spred in all places 3 Kyngdom of Christ spred to the borders aboute Iurie and howe it mikht further be spred 242 Kyngdome of Christ what it is 126 Kyngdome of Christe is spirituall Pag. 30 Kyngedome of Christe enlarged by preaching ibidem Kyngdome of god 710 Kyngdome of god by his appointement â—aryed to the Gentyles 509. and 510 Kyngdome of god declared and for what cause 14 Kyngdom of god preached by Paule Pag. 916 Kyngdome of god when it should be preached ibid. Kyngdome of christ and of his word howe they differ 381 Kyngdome of Christes beginninge successe and increase in thys world Pag. 2 Kyngdome of Christes power maiestie 126 Kyngdome of Christes enlargement Pag. 506 Kingdome of Christe is peaceable Pag. 98 Kingdome of Christ bounded by the Prophetes 32 Kingdome of God comprehendeth in it our saluation and redemption Pag. 13 Kingdome of the Iewes conferred vpon Dauid 528 Kingdome of Christes estate 30 Of Goddes Kingdome and heauenly glory howe we are made partakers 286 L ante A LAbourers that are faythful must be holpen Pag. 579 Last dayes estate what it shall bee 174 Last daye searchers 29 Last dayes feare and remembraunce what it causeth 174.175 Laste daye Deriders and Iesters Pag. 100 Later dayes troublesome estate 98 Lawes ceremoniall not necessary too saluation 293 Lawfull defence permitted to the godly 644 Lawe leadeth vs by the hande vnto Christ. 75.76 Lawe cannot iustifie 544 Law gyuen for them that came after also 335 Lawe wherein it is abrogated Pag. 334 Lawe howe it was published ibid. Lawe is a mirroure or glasse 544 Lawe sheweth vs the true way to attayne vnto lyfe 334 Lawe howe it is called the lyuely woorde ibid. Lawes preuayle not onles they bee executed 618 Lawe and ceremonies vse and ende Pag. 292 Lawe in Christ is ended 76 Lawe begonne in the daye of Pentecost ibid. Lawe can not truly bee vnderstanded but by the Spirit of Chryst. Pag. ibid. Lawe wherto it serueth 545 Lawes publike are profitable to bee kepte 797 Lawes auctoritie wherein it dependeth ibid. L ante E Leuitie or gentlenes of God excuseth not our sinne 525 Leuitie or lightnes in religion muste be auoyded 789 Leâ—ites or Priestes offended wyth Christ. 227 Leuitie of commones may bee seene in the Samaritanes 362.363 L ante I Liberalitie to the poore commended Pag. 144 Liberalitie in releeuing the poore Pag. 224 Liberalitie is a commendable thinge Pag. 760 Liberalities examples 154 Liberalitie of God. 155 Libertie and free speeche in reprehending of sinnes 110 Libertie abused what hurt it procureth to the people 816 Libertie who can vse best 426 Libertie of Christ muste bee kept inuiolable 602 Libertines Colledge the greatest enemies of Steuen 286 Lightes whereto they serued in the Church 734 Lighte gyuen vs in Chryst. 553 Lighte shyneth where Peter is in prison 494 Licinius Ualerianus a persecutoure of Christes Church taken by Sapores king of the Persians is fain to serue for a footeblocke for Sapores to gette on horse backe by Pag. 301 L ante O Long sufferance of God exemplified Pag. 234 Looking in what the woord conteyneth in it 219 Lottery of twoo kyndes 71 Lot is a part or porcion 70 Lottes are in subiection to Gods prouidence 72 Lottes which bee lawfull and which not 71.72 Lotterye vnlawefull and who abuse lawfull lottes ibid. Lottes are an auncient vsage 72 Lottes vsed in diuidinge of inheritaunce ibidem Lottes Matthias is choosen by Pag. 71 Lottes lawfull to vse 72 L ante V Lucius septimus Seuerus persecuting the Church was kylled in his flourishing estate 300 Lucre sought in religion is not allowed of God. 720 Luke inspired of the holy ghost writeth the story of the gospel diligeÌ„tly Pag. 2 Luke wrate of all thinges in what sence 5.6 L ante Y Lyfe of man lyke a Pylgrimage Pag. 299 Lyfe eternall 119 Lyfe eternall estate moost happye Pag. ibid. Lyfe of manne of what estate condicion it is 871 Lydia is an example of true conuersion 624 Lydia causeth hir houshoâ—d to be baptised 626 Lydia howe and after what manner shee was conuerted 625 Lystra dwellers how they were affected at Paules myracle 890 M ante A MAgistrates muste beware of brybes Pag. 831 Magistrates offended at the Apostles 556 Magistrates by the sworde muste keepe vnder blasphemers deceyuers and false teachers 233 Magistrates duetie too enquire oute matters diligently 848 Magistrates must be carefull for the fayth and for religion 849 Magistrates wycked 643 Magistrates must bee diligent in the defence of God. 816 Magistrates must do no euill for fauour of men 835 Magistrates must not hasten iudgement for mens fauour 828 Magistrates muste not be defrauded of their honour 119 Magistrates dutie 32 Magistrate must ayde the godly requiring it 812 Magistrates opprssinge innocentes howe they muste bee punished Pag. 801 Magistrates muste bee instructed with the power of the holy ghoste Pag. 20 Magistrates howe farre they muste bee obeyed 274 Magistrate curteouse is a beautifying of his office 816 Magistrates auctoritie howe it is preserued 801 Magistrates wicked their manners Pag. 799 Magistrates must heare causes with diligence 821 Magistrates inferioure muste bee simplye obeyed without lookynge for further aucthoritie of Superioâ—r 426 Maiestie and truthe of Chrystes Kingdome declared in the story of the Apostles 2 Malta is the place where the Knights of Saint Iohns order keepe their residence 887 Malta people are an example of hospitalitie ibidem Malta men an Example of humanitie 888 Malta menne take Paule for a god Pag. 889 Malta mennes kyndnes 892 Mannes ende teacheth vs the woorshipping of one God. 671 Mannes nature and condicion as he is naturall 396 Manne goyng about to deceyue vs vnder pretence of Religion howe wâ—e muste iudge and esteeme him Pag. 229 Manne what hee oweth vnto God. Pag. 2â—0 Manne how hee must prepare himselfe to receyue the Holy Ghoste Pag. 77 Manne how hee is called the vessell and instrument of God. 399 Mannes enterprises wee muste not passe
Saintes companye how profitable it is 879 Saintes how much wee must attribute to them 161 Saintes are tryed with feare 684 Sapphira maketh an impotent and bolde lye 229 Sapphira ignoraunt of hir husbands death for a season and why 232 Sapphiras wickednesse reproued by Peter ibidem Sapphira punished as was hir husbande 237 Satan put men out of the waye of saluation 576 577 Satan can doe nothing against man but by gods permission 410 Satan hath his instrumentes euerye where 576 Satan throwne out by the name of Christ. 629 Satan what traines he vseth to establishe his kingdome among men Pag. 627 Satan howe hee is sayde to fill the heartes of the vngodlye 230 Satan beareth witnesse to the truth Pag. 628.629 Satans â—lightes must be taken heede of 577 Satans effectes in Hypocrites and in the wicked 230 Satans propertie 357 Satans pollicie 576 Saule receyueth a two folde answere of the Lorde 395 Saule persecuting the faythfull persecuteth Christ. 790 Saule an example of a cruel tyraunt Pag. 390.359 Saule truely called a rauening wolfe Pag. 357 Saule set forth for a peculiar example of Gods goodnesse and grace Pag. 394.395 Saule authorised by the Priestes to playe the Tyraunt 390 Saule when he was conuerted 392 Saule how he was conuerted ibideÌ„ Saule a president of tyranny 390 Saules conuerting to Christ historised 392 Saules ende and purpose 391 Saule the persecutor described 390 Saule the persecutors punishment Pag. 394 Saules saluation must be attributed to the grace of God onely 395 S ante C Schisme beginners are the byshops of Rome 194 Schooles foundations 49.84 Schooles needefull 509 Sclaunders wherewith Ministers are charged 467 Sclaunders must Christians put away and defende their good name Pag. 91 Sclaunders maye lawfullye be aunswered to ibidem Sclaunder or offence ibidem Scripture is of it selfe of credyte and auctoritie sufficyent 867 Scripture is enspired of God. 54 Scripture conteyneth al thing needefull for vs to beleue and obserue 7 Scripture of the olde and newe Testamentes pertayneth to all them that loue God. ibdem. Scripture must be expounded 647 Scriptures authoritie and certaynetye 897 Scripture must bee interpreted by conference of places 127 Scripture with what minde men must reade it 62 Scripture must be elucidated wyth interpretations 398 Scripture containeth the knowledge of the true God. 571 S ante E Sectes cause of discention among the Iewes 803 Securitie or carelesnesse must bee auoyded 269 Sedition described 722 Sedition happily ended 653 Sedition ended with ioye 653 Sedicion soone appeased 728 Sedition beginners who 770 In sedicion what christians must do Pag. 725 Seditious persons but fewe in number maye be authors of manifolde euilles 724 Sermons ought to beginne and ende with prayers 754 Seruers of tyrauntes turnes what they may looke for 504 S ante H Shipwrake described and the number of them that were in the shippe Pag. 885 A true sheapeheardes example 764 Shooes putting of what it meaneth Pag. 328 S ante L Sleepinesse or drowsinesse of churchmen 733 Slouthfulnesse of men in our dayes Pag. 272 Slouthfull men reprehended 890 Sluggishnesse and ydlenesse 653 S ante I Signes externe seale the interne and spirituall gyftes of God. 304.305 Signes visible of the presence of the holy ghost 82 Signes that God sheweth must bee dilygently considered 158 Signes externe are not sufficient to saluation 305 Signes called after the names of the things that they signifie 80.290 Signes haue muche lykenesse wyth the thinges that they signifie 80 Signes are diuerse 159 Signes to what vse they serue 359 Signes must not haue to much attributed to them 305 Sticking to signes is the beginning of ydolatrie 158 Simon how he tooke Peters expostulation 374 Simon Magus beleeueth and is baptised 367 Simon Magus an example of an hipocrite and a deceyuour 268 Simon Magus his sinne 370 Simons of our dayes 371 Simplicitie of the fayth 672 S ante O Solomon for his wiues sake that were aliauntes buylded Temples Pag. 340 Solomons wish 20 Sole or single lyfe maintayners 46 Soules of men vnder the protection of God. 119 S ante P Spirites appearing what wee ought to iudge of it 762 Spirite of Christ author of concorde and holynesse 78 Spirite of Christe his efficacy how great it is in men 155 Spirite of Christ in whome it raigneth 90 Spirites of the disseassed walke not Pag. 500 Spirite signified by the blowing of the winde and for what cause 79 Spirite of Christ so delyuereth vs from fearâ— that wee dare boldelye confesse Christ. 86 Spirite of God is from euerlasting Pag. 74 Spirite why it was promised to the Apostles 19 Spirite teacheth vs to reason of Gods doings and to call vpon him for helpe 84 Spirite of God wrought in the Apostles 74 Spirite of God spake by the Apostles 8 Spirite of Christ maketh men bolde in the confession of Christ. 85 Spirite of God altereth and enformeth tongues and for what causes Pag. 84 Spirite is the promise of the father Pag. 18 Spirite when he was sent 75 Spirite what daye he was sent to the Apostles ibi Spirite how he must be receyued 77 Spirite how he is giuen to whom Pag. 94 Spirite how he is sent 78 Spirite in what scence it is sayde to be sent to the Fathers 18.19 Spirite often promised and wherefore 74 Spirite where it was giuen ibidem Spirite sent visibly for what cause Pag. 78 Spirites effect in the Apostles and their hearers 82 Spirites effectes common to all beleeuers 96 Spirite how necessarie and to what vse in men 78 Spirites inuincible power 558 Spirites sending and Christes ascention ioyned togyther 124 Spirites sending called by the name of baptisme 21 Spirite promised Christ confirmeth by an argument taken from baptisme and the argument explicated ib. Spirites operation and giftes 77 Spirites effectuous operation 124 Spirites effectes in these dayes why they be so rare 258 Spirite promysed serueth for our comfort and instruction 19 Spirites power can not be comprehended nor hindred by any man. 80 Spirite howe the Apostles are sayde to haue receyued 74 Spirite must bee receyued of men with great preparation 77 Spirite of Satan what it doth in vncleane persons 85 Spirite of the olde and newe testament is but one 76 S ante T Steuen accused of impietie and stubbornenesse and vpon what occasion 288 Steuen accused of blasphemye against God and his lawe 292 Steuen by slaunders and false witnesse brought in hatred with all the people 287 Steuen instructed by the holy Ghost sheweth himselfe a fine disputer and abolde ibid. Steuen readye to yelde vp his lyfe is comforted by a vision and what that vision teacheth vs. 334 Steuen is without feare though in daunger of death 290 Steuen went not about to abrogate the lawe 351 Steuen prooueth that the cerimoniall lawe is abrogated ibid. Steuen deserued the crowne of martirdome 357 Steuen what he did at his death 355 Steuen no dispiser of Moses 321 Steuen blasphemed not the Temple and holy place nor the outwarde seruise 345
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
to god For if euer there were any Cities notable for power and glory Hierusalem will in that poynt easily haue the superioritie For to omit that for the space of foure hundred three score and seauentene yeares there was among the people of God the seate of the kyngdome and Priesthoode that the kingdome stretched to the riuer Euphrates that it brought forth most valiant kings most holy Priests and most diuine Prophetes this one thing farre passeth all the glorye of the worlde that God did vouchsafe to make it a president and a patterne of the Church of Iesus christ For this cause is she adorned with such prayses in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Therfore is Christ sayde to reygne in Syon Therfore the Scriptures call hir the Citie of the great King. Besides this glory the Apostles receyue in hir the holy ghost and with good successe doe there begin the helthfull preaching of the Gospell But coulde all this glory deliuer hir from the hande of God being angrye with hir and from imminent destruction when she had forgotten the benefits of God and his commaundementes and followed not the vertues of hir forefathers nor shewed hir selfe thankfull and obedient to God Naye but where they chose rather to follow the multitude of such fathers as brake both Gods lawes and mans shed the bloud of the Prophets neyther the godlynesse of Dauid which first builded there his pallace and temple neyther the wisedome of Salomon neyther the integritie of Iosaphat neither the valiantnesse of Ezechias neyther the zeale of Iosias neither the sermons of the Prophets which rang in euery place of hir neyther the myracles done by Christ and his Apostles in hir neyther the Gospell begonne there to be preached could let but that within fourtie yeares she was vtterly destroyed and being raced and layde euen with the grounde hath scarce any marke or monument there left of so famous and noble a Citie And that we saye happened to Hierusalem both Capernaum that peculiar Citie of Christ and Corozain and Bethsaida notable by reason of the Apostles dwelling there felt euen the same Let them cease therefore to glorye in the vertues of their forefathers and in the olde benefites of God that cease not with vnthankfulnesse and disobedience to prouoke the wrath of god For vnlesse the hearers of the worde of God be aunswereable to Gods benefites they shall haue the same lot and porcion with the vnhappy Cities of Iurie Furthermore to return to the purpose of Christ let vs see what the Apostles haue to do in the citie of Hierusalem He biddeth them to wayte there for the promise of his father by the which he meaneth the holy ghost which he calleth the promise of the father both for that he is truely promised and giuen of the father only and also for that he had promised sundry times by the Prophetes that in the comming of the Messias he would plentifully poure forth his spirit vpō men as Peter afterwards declareth out of Ioel. In the meane season he putteth them likewise in remembrance of his promises which appeare euery where in the Gospell If any man beleeue in me sayth he as the Scripture sayth riuers shall runne out of him of the water of lyfe Which wordes are to be vnderstanded of the holye ghost whom they that beleeued in Christ should receyue as the Euangelist there teacheth And in another place he sayth I will praye vnto my father and he shall giue you another comforter which shall abide with you for euer euen the spirite of truth whome the worlde cannot receyue Againe That comforter which is the holy ghost whom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things and shall put you in remembrance of all things which I haue sayde vnto you And againe When the comforter shall come which I will sende you from my father the spirite of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall beare witnesse of me And a little way after When he commeth which is the spirite of truth he shall bring you into all truth Bicause therefore the father once promised by his Prophetes this spirite to the worshippers of his sonne Iesus Christ and Christ hath obtayned vs the same according as hee is our Mediator and intercessour therefore it is well called the promise of the father Here is to be considered that Iesus Christ suffreth not his Apostles appointed long before to the office of preaching and a great while by him faithfully instructed to leape sodeinly into the ministery but requiring obedience of them cōmaundeth them to waite for the spirite promised of his father We are taught by this example of Christ that obedience to Christs commaūdements is chiefly required in the ministers of his word For it is very meete that they which should bring other to the obedience of faith which is the ende of the preaching of the Gospel should first be obedient to the same themselues and that they should doe nothing without the appoyntment and commaundement of their Captayne For so shall they not onely by their doctrine but also by their owne example perswade their hearers the better to obedience Moreouer this place admonisheth vs that it is not ynough for Ministers of the word to be furnished with knowledge and learning except they haue also the gift of the holy ghost For where no man commeth vnto Christ without hee be drawne by his father they that haue the gouernaunce of the Church shall in vayne teach and admonish men vnlesse the holy ghost work with their studie and industry Paule the Apostle well perceyued this matter which calleth the Church the tillage of God and confesseth that neyther he that planteth neyther he that watreth is any thing but ascribeth all the glorye and successe of this matter to God onely which alone can giue increase Therefore the Ministers haue neede to be prepared by the holy ghost least while they vndertake such a charge without his guyding they procure displeasure and losse not onely to themselues but also to the whole Church Neyther shall he euer be meete for this roume which feeleth not the effectuous motions of the holy spirite within his hart Hereof proceede those preparations of the Prophetes which we reade in Scripture such as Esay Hieremie Ezechiel and other had before they preached which seemeth to be the cause that Paule forbade that yong Studentes shoulde not be chosen to the ministery of the Church bicause such for the most part cannot be verye sure of the operation of the holy ghost and his present ayde But that we speake of the ministers of the worde is to be referred to all men which are appointed to great charges and offices in the common weale In which number Magistrates are not last to be placed who being the expositors and interpreters of Gods iudgements are in scripture called Gods. For what can they eyther well foresee or iudge vnlesse
that Iesus Christ which otherwheres receyueth no testimonye of man woulde prooue his promise by an argument taken from the authoritie of Iohn and his baptisme For this is the guise and maner of God to accommodate himselfe to our capacitie for that he would haue it appeare that Iohn spake by the holy ghost This therfore seemeth to me to be the meaning of Christes words If you remember with your selues both the things which I haue sundry times promised you and which you haue heard of Iohn my forerunner you can no longer doubt of the sending of the holye ghost For when he baptised those that came to him in Iordane he gathered the people not to himselfe but to me whom he truely confessed to be more excellent than himselfe and shewed them what I would giue them that beleued in me euen the holy ghost which is the spirite of adoption and earnest of saluation kindled in the beleeuing people a great desire of my kingdome The water of baptisme was a figure of this benefite which afterward I should bestow vpō them Which seeing ye haue receyued of Iohn not without the inspiration of God doubt not of the things which he hath promised you For as Iohn hath discharged his dutie towardes you and hath receyued you being sprinkled with water into the felowship of my body which is the Church euen so wil I not fayle truly to accomplishe that that belongeth to my charge that is to poure out my spirite most abundantly vpon you the signe whereof you haue already receyued This sense I say seemeth of all other most agreeable to Christes purpose Neyther ment Christ here to make a difference betweene his and Iohns outwarde baptisme For it is plaine that Iohns baptisme and Christs was all one forasmuch as Christ would be baptised of him He rather maketh a difference betweene the signe and the thing signified by the signe and betweene his and Iohns office He calleth the sending of the holy ghost by the name of baptisme by an allusion and bicause of the proportion that is perceyued to be betweene the outwarde signes and the things signified But we haue in these wordes two things most worthy to be considered First that we ought to make a difference betweene the Ministers and Christ whose Ministers they are least we attribute to them that that belongeth only to christ Iohn baptiseth with water but Christ giueth the holy ghost So the Minister is occupied about outward things while he preacheth the word admonisheth exhorteth rebuketh comforteth prayeth for the congregation ministreth the sacraments But they themselues be subiect to Christ which according to his good will quickneth the seede of the word in them by his holy spirit worketh holy motions cheereth them with comfort and to conclude reformeth and frameth them after the image of God neyther mattereth it that all these thinges sometimes be attributed to the Ministers and that Paule sayth he had begotten the Corinthians in Christ and that he traueyleth againe with the Galathians For where God hauing no neede of vs doth vouchsafe to vse men as his coadiutors bicause he would haue the Ministery by him ordeyned in the more authoritie therefore vseth he to adorne it with such titles For the which cause the same Paule sayth vnto the Corinthians whom he perceyued too much addicted to the Ministers What is Paule what is Apollo but Ministers by whom you haue beleeued and as the Lorde hath giuen to euery man I haue planted Apollo hath watred but it is God that giueth the increase So neyther is he that planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God which giueth the increase If these thinges be obserued both we shall worthily esteeme of the Ministerie and giue all the glory of our saluation to Christ for the which his spirite euery where in the Scriptures so earnestly laboureth Secondarily it is very worthye the consideration that Christ taketh an argument from baptisme to prooue to his Apostles the truth of his promise Wee are taught hereby that the Sacramentes doe so seale the promises and benefites of God that wee neede no whit to doubt of the same For God mocketh vs not with vaine shewes and promises but whatsoeuer he promiseth in worde and sealeth with sacraments the same hee vseth to perfourme in deede He promiseth vs by the preaching of the gospell forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesu Christ and the spirite of adoption whereby we are made the children of god He addeth as a seale to his promise baptisme where we being visibly washed are receyued into the outwarde societie of the Church or children of god Therfore whosoeuer beleeueth the promise of the Gospell hee is so certayne of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes of his adoption and the possession of the heauenly inheritance as he is certayne hee is washed with baptisme By a lyke reason are we taught in the Gospell that the flesh and bloude of Christ were gyuen and offred on the aultar of the crosse for the lyfe of the worlde that the sinnes of the worlde should be purged with the sacrifice of the immaculate lambe Christ hath ioyned to this promise his supper the remembraunce of hys death in steade of a seale therof Therefore whosoeuer beleeueth the Gospell is as certaine that Christes body and bloude was offred for his sinnes and is as surely fedde with the merite of Christes bodye and bloude vnto lyfe euerlasting as hee is sure that he receyueth part of the breade and wine at the Lordes table according to Christes institution And after this sort the sacraments are sayd to seale the righteousnesse of fayth and to confirme and feede our fayth not that the outwarde elements conceyue anye secrete vertue or power by the wordes of consecration for that efficacy and power must be attributed to all that holy businesse by reason of Christes institution which institution if thou take away alter or breake thou prophanest and ouerthrowest the sacrament vtterly Therfore our myndes must be lift vp that the thing we testifye by outwarde action wee may perfourme by fayth which only apprehendeth Christ and the benefites which he hath bestowed on vs and gathereth vs into the number of those which shall raigne with him in heauen to whom be blessing honour glory and power for euer Amen The fourth Homelie WHEN they therefore were come togither they asked of him saying Lorde wilt thou at this time restore againe the kingdome to Israell And hee sayde vnto them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power But yee shall receyue power after that the holy ghost is come vpon you And you shall be witnesses vnto me not onely in Hierusalem but also in Iurie and in Samarie and euen vnto the worldes ende AFter Luke with great diligence hath declared how our sauiour Iesus Christ instructed his Apostles whō he would haue to be teachers of al the world with
shoulde be exercised and tryed But bicause God is faythfull hee suffreth them not to bee tempted aboue their strength but in their temptation maketh a waye that they may beare it There are infinite examples hereof beside this â–ª that wee haue in hande Abraham is called out of his natiue countrie and is commaunded to go into a straunge countrie which he knoweth not inhabited with wicked dwellers But bicause he obeyeth Gods calling all thinge succeedeth luckily and he is increased and instored there not only with riches but also hath the friendship of the mightiest in the countrye His posteritie dwell there also and bicause they walke in Gods vocation they liue in safetie amongst them whom the destruction of the Citie of Sichem myght seeme with iust desire of reuenge to arme against them But God is their faythfull protector which caused this saying to sound in the mindes and eares of the Chananites Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophetes no harme Let all men of what state or degree soeuer they be applye the consideration of these things vnto themselues and let them remember that there is a most large blessing and an infallible promise of Gods helpe ioyned to the commaundementes of God which vndoubtedlye they shall enioy that will endeuour to obey them See touching this blessing Deuter. 28. and Leuit. 26. But chiefly we must take heede that we admit not the counsell of mans witte in the things which we see expressely by Gods worde bidden or forbidden For this is a most present plague which casteâ—h aside all endeuour of obedience and maketh all our lyfe to be hatefull before god For there is no commaundement of God so holy so easie so healthfull wherein our fleshe will not finde some difficultie and daunger yea and some colour of vnrighteousnesse and iniquitie Obedience of fayth is required which as Paule sayth doth captiuate all mans vnderstanding beateth downe all the counsell of mans reason and bringeth whole man to the obedience of God and his worde Hereunto is to be referred that that God prescribeth in the law by these wordes Thou shalt not seeke after thine owne heart or thine owne eyes after the which you vse to go a whooâ—ing but you shall remember rather and doe all my commaundements be holy vnto your God. And againe Ye shall adde nothing to my worde which I haue coÌ„maunded you nor take nothing therefrom And if anye man require examples of them which haue euill thriued by breaking of Gods commaundement he shall finde both otherwheres and in the hystory of Saule diuers See. 1. Samuel 13. 15. But let vs haste to the reast In the seconde place Luke rehearseth the names of the Apostles and that not without a great purpose For besides that they whom Iesus Christ appoynteth to be the teachers of all the worlde ought well to be knowne least naughtye deceyuers might chalenge to them the office and authoritie of the same it was necessary that we might knowe surely howe they after their foule forsaking of Christ were restored againe to their former place and dignitie For all men knowe how shamefully they yeelded when Christ was taken by the souldiers and by the high Priestes seruaunts For then they all fled and left him And Peter which presumed so much of his owne strength committed the grieuouser offence bicause hee three times denyed him Therfore men might doubt not without some cause whether the Lord had taken such as they were into his fauour againe and whether such cowardly slydebacks might be beleeued Therfore to put all doubt out of our mindes and that we shoulde not thinke their foule fall at the first shoulde preiudice the truth of their doctrine the holye ghost woulde haue them againe by name to be rehearsed Iudas onely excepted that were appointed before Christes death to preache the Gospell vnto all the worlde And if you conferre the nameroll of this place with the things written Math. 10. Marc. 3. and Luke 6. you shall finde no maner of difference or disagreeing Nowe this is a singular example of the goodnesse of God which not only would forgiue so dishonest a forsaking of him but also woulde restore such as they to their former office and dignitie Here truly as Paule sayth Grace abounded where trespasse abounded For Peter which had three times denyed Christ heareth Christ three times againe say vnto him feede my shepe Hereof let them take comfort whose consciences are grieued with sinne that they dispaire not eyther bicause of the heynousnesse or multitude of their sinnes Turne vnto mee sayth the Lord and I will turne vnto you As sure as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he returne and liue This also is worthy the considering that in this nameroll the names of none but suche as were the most vylest and contemned persons in the iudgement of the worlde are rehearsed For first he reckeneth Peter Iames Iohn and Andrewe who before that time we reade were rascall fishers Here is also numbred Mathew the Publicane a defamed person by reason of his former trade of liuing As touching the nobilitie riches or honours of the other there is nothing any where mentioned But the sonne of God which hath power ouer the mindes of men might haue brought to his obedience the sonnes of the Princes and high Priestes to haue spred abroade the Gospell by the ministery of those who were of authoritie and power in the worlde but it pleased him to choose base and despised persons both for that we should knowe that God despiseth none in the worlde bee he neuer so vile and contemned and also for that wee shoulde learne to iudge of matters of faith and religion not according to mans authoritie but after the knowledge of the truth and worde of god For a most grieuous and perillous errour are they in which when they should pronounce of matters of the faith turne their eyes to the authoritie of men as though faith and religion depended of the iudgement of men and not rather of the onely word of god Tertullian a most auncient writer derideth the Romanes bicause they consecrated or allowed their Gods after the appoyntment of the Senators and woulde admit none for Gods but such as lyked the Senate And so doe they in these dayes which pronounce of faith and doctrine according to the renoume and authoritie of men which kinde of people are daylye euerywhere seene And for this cause our faith and religion is chieflye condemned of our aduersaries bicause it hath fewe Emperors and Kings fewe Popes Cardinals and Bishops that followe it But howe fowlye these men are deceyued the example of the Iewes declareth whome we reade to haue stumbled at the same stone For when they perceyued the doctrine of Christ somewhat lyked their ministers by and by they beginne to oppresse them with the authoritie of men saying Are yee also deceyued doe any
of the Princes beleeue in him or of the Phariseyes But this people that know not the lawe are accursed Let vs therefore consider the counsell of God which as Paule sayth vseth to choose the foolish contemned and vile things and of no reputation in the worlde to confounde all wisedome power and authoritie of the worlde And thus doth he not without cause For hereby it appeareth that we ought to glory or reioyce in nothing but in God alone Let others obiect vnto vs Emperours Kings Bishops Cardinals Councels and Uniuersities Doctors in Scarlot and our Maisters illuminate and whatsoeuer else in the worlde is glorious by pretence of wisedome and holynesse and on the other side let them scorne and mocke the miserable and despised state of them in this worlde which haue professed the Gospell and we will aunswere with Iesus Christ our sauiour and doctor Wee thanke thee O father Lorde of heauen and earth bicause thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent and reuealed them to the little ones euen so father was it thy good will and pleasure But Luke writeth that there were women also in the company of the Apostles which some thinke were they only that came with Christ when he came last out of Galiley to Hierusalem But as I will not denie but some of that number might abide with the Apostles so I thinke this place may be very well vnderstanded of the Apostles Wyues For the Gospell plainely expresseth that Peter had a wyfe And if we affirme the same of Mathewe we doe it not in vaine seeing it plainly appeareth he both had a dwelling of his owne and also kept a familie and housholde And Paule manifestlye testifyeth that the Apostles led about their Wiues when they preached the Gospell Although I am not ignorant how the maintayners of vnchaste singlenesse expounde that place of certaine faithfull women that followed the Apostles But the pieuish men perceyue not what iniurie they doe vnto the Apostles whyle they thus saye For what excuse is left for the Apostles if they leaue their owne Wyues and carie about other mens God defende therefore that we shoulde thinke such absurditie pieuishnesse and dishonestie in the most holy Legates and Ambassadors of Iesus Christ. I surelye beleeue that the Apostles Wiues came from Galiley with their husbande 's the Apostles for whom it was not lawfull to depart from the Citie vntill this present daye For where they were ordayned to take part with the Apostles of all their traueyles and daungers it was requisite that they shoulde be prepared and strengthned with some speciall gift of the holy ghost They that contend and affirme that single lyfe is of necessitie to be enioined vnto persons ecclesiasticall are more foolish than whom we neede much to confute in so great light of the Gospell considering as it is playne vnto all men that wedlocke is honorable in all persons and the bed vndefiled Amongest these women also was the holy Uirgin the mother of Iesus Christ and certaine brethren of Christes whom according to the custome of the Hebrew tongue wee vnderstande to haue bene his kinsmen Christ a little before his death had committed the tuition of hir to Iohn the belooued Disciple which tooke the charge of hir vpon him most faithfully kept hir And here is the last place that the Scriptures make any more mention of hir Nicephorus writeth that she dyed in the daies of Claudius the Emperour when she had liued fiftie and nyne yeares Eusebius in his Chronicles sayth she was assumpted or taken vp into heauen but he confesseth this to be an vncertaine doctrine or tradition bicause he addeth as some write it was reuealed vnto them In the dayes afterwarde sprang vp certaine Monkes who were not ashamed to fayne a whole storie of hir Assumption whereof the olde writers knew nothing as appeareth by Epiphanius writing against the heretikes called Antidicomarianitae If some seeme to haue erred let them seeke the steppes of the Scripture and they shall finde neyther the death of Mary neyther whether she died or died not neyther whether she were buried or not buried And a little way after I saye not that she remained still on lyue neyther affirme I that she dyed For the Scripture passeth the mynde of man and leaueth the matter in suspence bycause of that precious and most excellent vessell least any man might suspect any carnall things of hir To the which I adde that it seemeth incredible the holy ghost would haue so marueylous an Assumption concealed if there had bene any seeing he caused the translation of Enoch and Ely so diligently to be written The things that after Christs ascention happened to hir he would should vtterly be forgotten least they might giue any occasion of superstition which he knewe would growe about the worshipping of hir And surely it is marueyle the holy ghost would haue the things that concerned his mother to be kept in silence and the doings and doctrine of the Apostles to be written with such diligence But we are hereby admonished that we should not be so occupied about the supersticious worshipping of them that had bene men as about the doctrine of the Apostles In the meane season it shall profite vs to marke howe Christ Iesus appoynted to his beloued mother and deere kinsfolke so weake a succour and safegarde For if we consider the Apostles after the iudgement of the worlde they had no power no riches no authoritie no armour whereby to defende that most holy vessell of the grace and glory of God against the assaultes of the world Why therefore doth he not rather commende hir to the trust of some mightie Prince whose mynde and will he myght easily encline to take the charge of hir But he that hath mens harts in his rule needeth no fleshlye succors for the defence of his beloued Therfore the charge that Iohn had of hir was sufficient for the blessed Uirgin Let vs also learne to put all our trust not in mans helpe but in the protection of the most highest neyther let vs be discouraged if being forsaken of great personages wee haue none to fauour vs but only such as are strengthlesse and whose selues haue neede of Patrones and defenders and are subiect to all mens iniuries For it behooueth vs to saye with Dauid The Lorde is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my lyfe of whome then shall I be afrayde The Lorde is on my side I will not feare what man doth vnto mee Last of all the Euangelist declareth what the Apostles did whyle the sending of the holye ghost was deferred For if we number the dayes we shall finde it tenne dayes after Christes ascention before the holye ghost was giuen For Christ was fourtie dayes still conuersant with his Disciples and prooued the veritie of his resurrection by manye argumentes And the fiftye daye after the feast of
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
they fell out For as the Euangelistes write when Iudas sawe Christ deliuered vnto Pylate being stricken with repentaunce of his wicked fact he returneth to the Priests confesseth his offence and rendreth back the money which was the rewarde of his wicked treason But being mocked of them disdainefullye and reiected he hurleth the money downe in the temple and getting him from thence throtleth himselfe with an halter The Priestes bicause they coulde neyther with honestye let the money lye scattered in the Church nor durst put it among the treasure of the Church knowing it to be the pryce of bloude they buye with it a Potters fielde to burye straungers in hereby meaning cleane to wype out the wickednesse whereof they were not long before autors Howbeit by this meanes they purchase to themselues the perpetuall shame of so wicked an acte whyle by Gods prouidence it commeth to passe that the fielde called after the name of the money that was the pryce of bloud beareth perpetuall witnesse of their wicked offence This fielde Peter sayth Iudas himselfe tooke possession of both bicause it was bought with his money and for that the greatest part of so slaunderous a memory belonged vnto Iudas Furthermore in these things let vs marke first in Iudas the sorrowes of a boyling conscience which is playne were most cruell and more intollerable than the paynes of hell bicause they were able not only to make him set naught by his money but also being otherwise a most couetous caytife made him hate the same and brought him to the confession of his fault which Christ at his supper aduertised him of in vaine and made him weary of this present life Adde herevnto his horrible kind of death He knitteth the halter about his owne necke he is his owne hangman and dispatcheth himselfe out of life And for a more aggrauation of his cruell death he brast a sunder in the middest and all his intralles gushed out For he well deserued to haue his intralles poured forth which feared not to sell Christ the onely Autor of true lyfe for filthye lucre And yet the rigor of Gods iudgement here ended not but the remembrance of so heynous an offence endureth for euer So it commeth to passe that the vnhappy childe of perdicion neyther enioyeth his lyfe long nor yet the money which he helde dearer than his lyfe Let them set the eyes of their minde vpon this glasse whosoeuer vse for filthy lucre sake and for priuate gaine to betraye Christ to denye the truth and shamefullye to mocke the Church of christ Let whosoeuer lyueth by bloude well weye these things and such as thinke it a most worthye commendation to bee enriched by wages for their warring and testifie their welth by gorgeous building by trimming their sarmes by costly housholde stuffe by braue apparell and sumptuousnesse in all their doings For what doe these else but openly bewraye themselues to be bloudthirsty and leaue after them the monuments of a lyfe led in cruelty But whereas some poyntes pertaining to this matter remaine to be spoken in the things that followe Let the vnhappye ende of Iudas warne vs to mortifie slaughter our sinnes with the syncere feare of God that we may imbrace Iesus Christ with sure fayth to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The eyght Homelie FOR it is written in the booke of Psalmes His habitation be voyde no man be dwelling therein And his Byshopricke let another take Wherfore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lord Iesus had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vnto that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned to be a witnesse with vs of his resurrection BIcause our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ woulde haue his Apostles witnesses of our redemptiō which he hath purchased vnto vs by his merite it shal not be superfluous to consider the more diligently the things that are sayde of their calling ordering For except we well knowe these things their authoritie shall be of no such weyght with vs as it ought to be Which thing is the chiefe cause that their vocation whom Iesus Christ chose while he was here on earth is written with such diligence by the Apostles that no man can doubt but they were ordayned by god But bicause the authoritie of Matthie shoulde not seeme the lesse which after Christes ascention succeeded in the place of Iudas was numbred with the Colledge of the Apostles Luke therfore so describeth his election that it may appeare he was no lesse appoynted to the administration of this office by Christ than the other Apostles For he neither ran of his owne head nor Peter which propounded this matter to the congregation to be consulted of doth any thing of his priuate authoritie but falling to prayer with the residue of the Church leaueth al the matter to the ordering of God as in the next Homely shal be declared By which example wee learne that Ministers must wayte till they be lawfully called neyther that anye man must be permitted eyther to thrust himselfe or any other into the Ministery ouer hastily and vnaduisedly For in the Prophete they are grieuously reprehended which runne of their owne heade not being lawfully called of the Lorde And Paule sayth How shall they preach except they be sent Yet Paule was not ignorant that there were many that preached not sent of the Lord whom in some place hee calleth false brethren ▪ which crept in being not lawfully ordayned but he affirmeth that such can not discharge their office duely yea Christ himselfe tooke not vppon him the office of teaching before he was solemnely declared by God the Father to be the teacher of all the worlde whereof the Autor of the Epistle to the Hebrewes maketh mention Which order if it be not obserued neyther can the people take them for Gods Ministers of whose calling they are vncertaine neyther can the Ministers vse themselues in their office with such credite and constancye as becommeth them For with what weapons shall they arme themselues against the threates of the world the attemptes of tyrants perils on euery side which knowing in their conscience how vniustlye they haue vsurped can conceyue in their mindes no hope of Gods ayde or assistaunce But let vs returne to Peter who in the beginning of his Oration as wee sayde yesterday taketh away the offence that might ryse of Iudas fall by referring or sending them to the decree of Gods prouidence which the holy ghost many yeres past gone reuealed to vs by Dauid And bicause he had made mention of the holy scripture now he bringeth forth certaine testimonies of the same And omitting the testimonies wherein Iudas transgression which before was sufficiently declared was prophecied he rehearseth onely those that are extant of his horrible punishment And he ioyneth two testimonies togither wherof the first
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
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
fewe to Hierusalem euen this day that the holy ghost is giuen to the Apostles that among the first they might be wonne vnto Christ by the preachyng of the Apostles as about the ende of this Chapter we shall heare Nowe these men are astonied and woonder at the great myracle of God which they see shewed in the Apostles and they extoll it with many wordes leauyng out nothyng that maketh to the settyng foorth of the same For they both confesse the Apostles are Galileans and they beare witnesse they heare euery one their owne proper phrase of speache and they also recken vp the nations whose tongues they heare them vse Yet they stande not styll in this bashement but goyng further they seeke the ende and vse of this matter saying What meaneth this We are taught by the example of these men who are meete hearers of the doctrine of the Gospell and in whom this doctrine bryngeth foorth worthy fruites They are such which beyng not wholly destitute of religion doe humbly marueyle at the myracles of God and sticke not onely in the outwarde contemplation of them but earnestly thinke of the ende and vse of them God suffereth not these mens studyes to be frustrate whose pleasure it is that men shoulde come to the knowledge of truth And we reade that Salomon sayde If thou seekest after wisdome as after money thou shalt finde hir And Christ saith Seeke and you shall finde Now after these men follow another sort of men whom Christ calleth by the name of Dogges and Swine and the scripture in other places calleth them scorners and mockers For Luke saith there were aswel that mocked the Apostles as those that woondred at them saying These men are full of newe wine The example of these men is set foorth to shewe vs howe farre the wickednesse of such runneth as haue once purposed to persecute the truth For they become incurable and can be reclaymed with no maner of wordes or deedes For with what myracle wyll they be mooued whom this myracle can not mooue which was the greatest that euer was wrought amongst men But they are so farre from being mooued therwith that they take occasion rather to reproche and blaspheme it and they attribute it to the detestable vice of drunkennesse which of force they perceyue to be the workyng of the holy ghost There are diuers examples of this sort apparaunt which serue all to this ende to teache vs that we be not offended with the vniust iudgements of this worlde concernyng the truth For this is alway seene that the doctrine of the Gospell is to some the sauour of lyfe vnto life and to other some the sauour of death vnto death And Paule teacheth vs that Christ crucyfied is a stumblyng block vnto the Iewes and foolishnesse vnto the Greekes Therfore let vs leaue such to the iudgement of God and let vs frame our selues to the doctrine of the Gospell that it beyng quickened in our heartes by the woorkyng of the holy ghost may bryng foorth worthy fruites by the which we may be knowne to be true beleeuers and may enioy the euerlastyng promises of the Gospell in Iesus Christe to whome be blessyng honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .xij. Homelie BVT Peter stepped foorth with the eleuen and lyft vp his voyce and sayde Ye men of Iewry and all ye that dwell at Hierusalem be this knowne vnto you and with your eares heare my words For these men are not drunken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thirde houre of the day But this is that which was spoken by the prophete Ioel. And it shal be in the last dayes saith God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my handmaydes I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecie WHen Iesus Christ the sonne of God was newely borne into the worlde and was brought by Marie his mother into the Churche accordyng to the appoyntment of Moyses lawe the holy and reuerende olde father Simeon by inspiration of the holy ghost amonge other thynges sayde Beholde this chylde is set to be the fall and vprisyng agayne of many in Israel and for a signe which is spoken agaynst Howbeit that which is spoken of Iesus Christ may be vnderstanded of the Gospell of Christ preached by the Apostles For although the doctrine therof be playne and simple and sheweth also the true way howe to attayne to saluation Yet shall men alwayes haue diuers iudgementes touchyng the same and there shall be no small number of such as shall openly speake agaynst it This dyd Esay the prophete see long agoe who vtteryng a prophecie of Christe and his doctrine begynneth after this sort Who hath giuen credence to our preaching or to whom is the arme of the Lord knowne The Lorde declareth the cause of all this matter where he saith this world can not abyde the lyght bicause the workes therof are euyll The scriptures also set foorth many lyke examples the ende and warnyng of all which is that we shoulde not be offended when the lyke happen in these dayes Among which this example that the Apostles prooued the first day they receiued the holy ghost and went about to administer their office is very notable For where they were indued with a singuler myracle such as the lyke had neuer beene hard of tyll this day which was the vnderstandyng of all languages and preached Iesus Christe in diuers tongues by reason of their hearers of diuers nations by and by the vnconstant people were deuided into sundry and diuers opinions For the more godly sort woondered at the worke of God and diligently searched after the meanyng thereof The wicked scorners accused them of drunkennesse So true it is that Paule saith that Christe seemeth foolishnesse to the wise of this worlde But bicause we spake hereof in the last Sermon let vs haste to the explication of this present place where the fayth and courage of the Apostles is more cleerely and euidently to be seene For they are so litle mooued or feared with the wicked slaunders of men that Peter rather taketh occasion hereof to speak vnto them and with a fruitfull sermon winneth many of them vnto Christ. Before we go about to expounde Peters Sermon let vs consyder what is sayde of hym and the other Apostles Peter sayth hee standyng with the eleuen lyft vp his voyce They stoode therefore without feare and thought neither to flye nor leaue their charge although they were so vniustly iudged And yet there seemed no small cause of feare and desperation For what shoulde they thinke they coulde preuayle in wordes with them whose wicked and frowarde mindes so great a myracle as euer was wrought could not mollifie and mooue But they stoode vnfeared and not onely remayne and tary by it but also begyn to set
of that time drew neare when Christ appearing in the glorye of the father and pronouncing a finall sentence vpon all flesh shoulde appoint a full and absolute blisse to his faythfull deuoyde of all sorrowes daungers and griefes which they shoulde enioy both in body and soule It behooued therefore that this troublesome state of the worlde which shoulde alwayes remaine after the birth of Christe and after he had fulfilled the worke of our redemption should be thus diligently described least any man after this great promise of the holye ghost and fauour of God shoulde promise himselfe to haue all thinges in this worlde in peace and safetie with which error we reade the Chiliastes in times past were bewitched And there want not in these dayes which hope for an vniuersall and stable peace and tranquillitie ofall things vnder Christ which bicause they see not as yet come to passe they beginne to suspect all that is written of our faith and religion They draw the cause of their errour out of the Prophetes descriptions of the kingdome of Christe such as both otherwheres and also in Esay xj and lxv Chapters are extant But there are other places of Scripture which ought to haue bene ioyned with them where wee are ab undantlye taught that we ought to looke for no such thing in this worlde For Dauid sayeth Christ shall reigne in the middest of his enimies And Christe denyeth that his kingdome is of this worlde Hee euerye where admonisheth his children of the crosse and bitter afflictions which he would haue them prepared for In the worlde sayth he you shall haue tribulation They are therfore ridiculous in very deede which contrarye to Christes saying promise as well others as themselues ease peace and tranquillitie in this world And yet we denie not the things that are read in the Prophetes touching a peaceable state of Christes kingdome But we vnderstande them partlye of the tranquillitie of the minde and of the spirituall ioye of the faithfull and partly of the faithfull onely and of the conuersation and fellowship which they onely haue one with another For so they be truely at rest and certaine of their saluation and dwell safely among them who where before they might haue seemed Woolues and Lions being conuerted to Christ are become most meke sheepe and lambes And yet manye stryfes and afflictions they shall abide which as Christe plainly admonisheth vs shall be so much the more grieuous howe much nearer the vniuersall redemption of the godly approcheth which when he commeth shall be cleane dispatched But to come at length to the woordes of the Prophete two things in them seeme chiefly to be considered wherof one is the troublesome and vnhappie state of the worlde which he sayth should be after Christ his comming in the fleshe the other concerneth the causes of the euils and calamities which serue not a little aswell to comfort vs as to instruct vs. He describeth the state of the later dayes in these wordes I will shewe woonders in the heauens aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloud and fire and the vapour of smoke The sunne shall be turned into darckenesse and the moone into bloude He maketh mention of straunge woonders which bicause they be tokens of things to come in considering of them we must also comprehende in our minde the calamities and miseries which they portende For it is not Gods propertie or custome to delude the mindes of men with vaine and ydle sights And Iesus Christ in the gospel repeating the same things maketh mention of afflictions also wherof these be signes and prognostications Ye shall saith he heare of warres and tidings of warres For nation shall rise against nation and Realme against Realme and there shall be pestilence and hunger and earthquakes in all places The Prophet proponeth diuers kinds of woonders to make vs the more attent He saith there shall be woonders in heauen in the number whereof blasing starres firebrands flashings of light flying Dragons long starres like swordes and dartes and what so euer such like maye be accounted which although the Astrologers number amongst the things proceeding of natural causes yet this place sufficiently teacheth vs that they be signes and tokens of calamities to followe Furthermore he sayeth there shall be also signes vpon the earth amongst the which earthquakes ought to haue the first place whereby it is manifest great alterations of things haue many times bene portended Herevnto appertaine the straunge inundations and ouerflowings of waters monstrous births of children the vncouth voice of beasts springs of waters running with bloude the straunge fruites of trees and plantes with infinite others lyke examples whereof we haue both in hystories and daily experience But the Prophete returning agayne to heauen maketh peculiar mention of the sunne and moone whose brightnesse he sayth shall be obscured with horrible darknesse and the terrible sight of bloude The meaning of all which is that in the later daye such shall bee the countenaunce of the worlde that whither soeuer wee turne our eyes there shall appeare the horrible signes of Gods wrath and his iudgements euen in those creatures the vse whereof hath bene chiefly to sette forth the goodnesse of God and to comfort man amongest which we take the sunne and moone to be the chiefe Moreouer if we compare the things here spoken with hystories we shall see that all these things in sundry ages haue many wayes bene fulfilled But what neede we runne to hystories where in our owne dayes we haue seene many examples hereof and may euery day still see newe What age euer was there since the beginning of the worlde wherein so many blasing starres haue bene seene as hath appeared within these .xxxiij. yeres I speake not of speares swoords darts horses sights of men yea armed hostes Lyons and many other which hauing bene seene in the Clowdes haue feared the mindes of the lookers on Who knoweth not of the â—arthquakes and horrible inundations of waters The monstrous birth both of men and beastes brought forth within the space of this .xxx. yeares no man can easilye number Bloude hath sproong out of the earth and runne not in so fewe places as one We haue seene in the eares of corne marueylous and straunge sights The bearded grapes and clusters hauing tuftes of heare growing out of them haue vpbraided the Germaines with their drunkennesse as it were men strong to drinke wine as the Prophet sayth Here we must learne the continuall vsage of God which neuer punisheth man before he giue warning thereof by woonders and that their seeing of these woonders should not be in vaine he ioyneth most times his worde to the same For where he woulde haue men to be saued he doth nothing as the Prophete sayth except hee reueale his secretes before vnto his seruauntes the prophetes This may be prooued by the examples of all ages from the first beginning of the worlde
And although we suffer afflictions in the worlde let vs be encouraged with hys saying where he promyseth that he hath ouercome the worlde and that wee shall haue peace in him But let vs see the ende of this Sermon which Peter inferreth in these woordes Therefore let all the house of Israell knowe for a suretie that God hath made the same Iesus whom you haue crucified Lorde and Christ. This is a very briefe but yet a graue sentence and verye Apostolyke euerye worde whereof is able to minister an argument and matter of a long sermon But bicause we shall euery where haue occasion to speake more at large of these things we will in fewe wordes note vnto you what Peter meaneth by this saying First he speaketh to all the house of Israell In the name of the house he comprehendeth all sortes and degrees of men teaching vs that Christ is the vniuersall sauiour of all men with whom there is no respect of persons And this is no light or slender token of the goodnesse of God that to a most corrupt people and yet embrued with the bloud of Christ he doth vouchsafe to promise all saluation in his sonne Furthermore let them knowe for a suretie sayth he Ergo our saluation in Christ is certaine and such as a man may safely trust to for he cannot deceiue which is the very truth it selfe Thirdly he sheweth what all men ought to know that God hath made this Iesus of Nazareth Lord and Christ. He calleth him Lord bicause he is our redemer For who is ignorant that redeemers haue a certayne rule or Lordship ouer them whome they haue eyther redeemed with their money or with perill of their lyfe For this cause he sayeth in the Prophete I am the Lorde This is my name and my glorye will I giue to none other He calleth him Christ that is to say annointed bicause he is a King and a priest For it is playne by the Scriptures that in the old time kings and priests were vsed to be annointed And concerning the office of a King we spake somewhat before wherevnto also belongeth the name of a Redeemer or lord Surely Christ maketh lawes as a king according to them he gouerneth the citizens of his kingdome and defendeth enricheth them most liberally with heauenly treasure He is also a priest For both in times past he taught at this day doth teach vs by the ministery of that woord wherof he is the Author in his Church And he hath made a full satisfaction by the sacrifice of his body once offered vppon the crosse for the sinnes of all the world And as whyle he was once vpon the earth he prayed for vs so euen at this day he appeareth before God for vs a faithfull high Priest and an aduocate Therefore he is in deede Christ or the annoynted of god And it is euident that they commit horrible sinne which reiect him and appoint them other Lordes Kinges Priestes and Redeemers But as Peter in the beginning of his treatie of Christ admonisheth them of their wickednesse committed against him so he concludeth his sermon with mention of him declaring that he talketh of him whome they crucifyed We may easily iudge the heynousnesse of the offence by the things which he so singularly commendeth in christ And he vpbraydeth them herewith for none other cause but for that he woulde enflame them being pricked with the conscience of their sinne to embrace Christ their saluation as shall appeare by the successe thereof in the sermon folowing Luke hath giuen vs a viewe of the Apostles preaching Peter comprehendeth in these fewe woords all the articles of the Christian fayth He hath spoken of God the father creator of all thinges He hath spoken of the sonne of God which was made man of the stocke of Dauid and therefore in vnitie of person ought to be acknowledged for verye God and man He hath taught vs that he died was buried descended into hell rose againe and ascended into heauen for vs where he sitteth on the right hand of God the father and shall come to be our iudge what time hee shall put all his enimies vnder his feete yea he shall throwe them into the lake burning with brimstone He hath shewed vs that the holye ghost is come being sent from him to gouerne his Church and all the faithfull Finally he hath prooued that this Iesus is the Lorde and sauiour in whome remission of sinnes resurrection of the fleshe and lyfe euerlasting is purchased for all beleeuers Here is no worde spoken of our satisfactions nothing of priuate absolution auricular confession pardons purgatorye and such like wares Let vs therefore keepe the simplicitie of the Apostles doctrine and let vs embrace Iesus Christ with stedfast fayth that by him we maye be saued to whome be all bessing honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xvij. Homelie WHEN they hearde this they were pricked in their heartes and sayde vnto Peter and the other Apostles ye men and brethren what shall we doe Peter sayde vnto them Repent you of your sinnes and bee baptised euerye one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receyue the gift of the holye ghost For the promise was made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre of euen as many as the Lorde our God shall call THus farre hath Luke rehearsed the first Sermon of the Gospell that Peter made at Ierusalem after the receyuing of the holy ghost The content thereof was that Iesus of Nazareth whome the Iewes crucifyed was Christ and the promised redeemer of mankinde But where it was Peters purpose not only to teach that but also as he was once tolde to catch men aliue and to winne them to Christ therfore he set the heynous wickednesse of their sinne against Christ plainelye before their face For in the beginning of his treatise of Christ he sheweth howe they crucifyed him whome God by many myracles declared to be his sonne and the sauiour which he had promised After this gathering all that he had spoken of Christ into a short summe he sheweth agayne that they nayled him to the crosse and leauing this in their mindes as a sting he concludeth his sermon Howbeit the successe of the matter declareth that these thinges were spoken by Peter not of desire to reproche them but for their health and saluations sake which successe Luke now describeth leauing also a notable example wherein the true way of attayning to saluation by Christ is perfectly declared This place therfore is worthy to be diligently considered for the more profite wherof to be had we shall speake of euery part thereof in order First the Euangelist speaketh of the hearers And after that he declareth how Peter further traueyled with them Touching the hearers he sheweth what effect Peters sermon had When they hearde this sayth he they were pricked in their heartes and sayde
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
be not mollifyed with the knowledge of Iesus Christ which only seasoneth the mindes of men to saluation and maketh them fruitefull but become the more sauage and of purpose reiect and impugne the same certes they plainly ynough bewray that they be of the number of reprobates of whose saluation nothing is to bee hoped Therefore Peter cleareth his hearers of this sinne to declare that they ought not despaire of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and of saluation bicause they sinned not of purpose but of ignorance And it is lyke he had a respect vnto the prayers of Christ which for this cause prayed for them that crucified him saying Father forgiue them for they know not what they do This place is diligently to be considered to thintent we may learne what that ignorance is whereby sinnes are mittigated and excused For in the Scripture we finde two kindes of ignoraunces The first is of those that be wicked and openly rebell against God which we may call a wilfull ignorance bicause men will be ignorant of that they might know and learn. Example hereof we haue in Pharao which sayeth he knoweth not God notwithstanding long before he knew him by his wonders daily wrought and desired his ministers to praye to God for him and a little before his death sayde The God of the Hebrues fighteth against vs. See Exod. 5. and 14. Such was the ignoraunce of those Iewes which when they had asked counsell of Ieremie tolde him to his face they woulde not obey his worde Such is the ignorance of a number in these dayes which excuse their superstition with the cloke of ignorance and saye they were none otherwise taught And in the meane season refuse the truth offered them will not heare it flie them that would teach them and stoppe their eares lyke serpents This is an ignorance inexcusable bicause it damneth and stoppeth vp the way to amendement Yea Christ testifieth that this is the condemnation of the worlde that men flie the light and wilfullye and wittinglye wrappe themselues in darkenesse least their workes should be reprooued There is another kinde of ignoraunce which springeth of a zeale of godlynesse and the glorie of God whereby men persecute the truth not for the truthes sake but bicause they thinke the glory and worship of God is diminished thereby It is lyke that many sinned through this ignorance against Christ bicause they thought him an enimie of Moses and the lawe of the Temple and of all the seruice appointed by God. And Paule seduced by a like zeale persecuted the Church of christ And thereby he sayeth diuers of the Iewes offended This ignoraunce is worthye of pardon for none other cause but for that it is contented to be corrected and amended which if men refuse then are they culpable of that first and incurable kinde of ignorance Let them marke well this difference which now a dayes eyther flatter themselues or other men vnder the pretence of ignorance For it is euident that many offende of malice and frowardnesse Unto these things he addeth an argument taken from the prouidence of God for the better perswading them that they should be pardoned and saued God sayth he which before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes howe Christ shoulde suffer hath thus wise fulfilled The strength of the argument is in this that God vsed their sinne to a good purpose and that therefore they ought not to distrust the fauour of god For it is as much as if he shoulde say you can not nor ought not to denie but you haue committed an heynous offence Howbeit you must not despayre therfore but rather respect the ende wherevnto the great goodnesse of God hath directed all this your doing Your meaning was to blot and wipe out all remembraunce of Christ from amonge men Bicause you thought he was an enimie to God and to true religion ignoraunce blinded you whereby it came to passe that you were madde against the sonne of god But the ende of all this tragedie was most ioyfull For God by this meane which thing no man euer hoped hath fulfilled his eternall counsell of mannes redemption and hath accomplished whatsoeuer in tymes passed was prophecied by the Prophetes Why therfore shoulde you despaire of saluation which you heare is nowe obtayned and gotten Why shoulde you mistrust the goodnesse of God which in your wickednesse as you see hath bene so mercifull Surely God will neuer cast you of bicause of this your sinne which he hath so ordered and directed to your commoditie so that you refuse not his wisedome which nowe is declared vnto you We are hereby taught againe how we should vse the prouidence of God not to seeke therin a defence for our wickednesse but the instruction of our faith and life and the comfort of our mindes For the Apostle so quiteth not the Iewes that he chargeth God with the murthering of Christ but sheweth that God directed the Iewes fact to a good ende and purpose So if we or others offende let vs acknowledge the fault to be in our selfe and not so excuse our selues to make God the author of our wickednesse And if anye goodnesse fall out of our wickednesse yet then let vs not thinke we be altogither faultlesse but let vs embrace the goodnesse of God which turneth the wickednesse that deserued damnation to our saluation We alleaged an example hereof before in the hystorie of Ioseph which was solde away by his brethren to the which if you ioyne this example also you shall as it were in a glasse behold all the reason of this controuersie and matter Furthermore let vs not harcken to them which saye we may sinne on hardly seeing the glorye of God and our saluation is aduaunced by our sinning For as Paule teacheth vs we maye not doe euill that good may follow therof Nay the more arguments we haue of Gods goodnesse toward vs the more we ought to be sorie for our sinnes and to obey the will of god Let vs also here marke that we must not rashly iudge of other mens sinnes They must be examined by the rule of Gods worde We must not hastilye thunder out the sentence of damnation bicause we doe not alwaye knowe the counsell of Gods prouidence which perhaps vseth him whome we of priuate and to hastie affection ment to condemne to the furtheraunce and saluation of manye a man See what is sayde of these iudgementes Mathew 7. Let vs now see the counsell that Peter giueth touching saluation which he comprehendeth in fewe wordes saying Repent you and conuert that your sinnes may be done away This saying contayneth in it both a commaundement and a promise The commaundement is the very same that he gaue to them before that were pricked with the consideration of their sinnes He vttereth one thing in two words First he commaundeth them to repent which properly comprehendeth acknowledging of sinne contrition of hart Whosoeuer will giue
noysed no further among the people let vs threaten and charge them that they speake hencefoorth to no manne in this name And they called them and commaunded them that in no wise they shoulde speake nor teach in the name of IESV THe Apostle Peter so aunswereth the question propounded to him and to Iohn in the counsell at Ierusalem concerning the lame man that was healed that he teacheth them not onely that they enquire of but also declareth to them after a compendious and briefe sorte the whole effect and summe of saluation We are taught by this example so to traueyle with the professed enimies of the truth as to laboure to winne them to Christ and to saluation Which ende Christ as it is manifest set before him as often as he had contention with his aduersaries But nowe let vs see what effect ensued of Peters answere which in so great vehemencie of speach and earnest ayde of the holy ghost coulde be of no small force Where we may see a marueylous confusion of mindes which that it might be the more perceyued is so described of Luke that first he declareth what an abashment it wrought in the counsell then what deuise and counsell they toke concerning the Apostles both which we meane to entreate of in order First they are filled with admiration and amazednesse and wotte not what way to take in so much that they know not what to say against it And least any man might thinke they were fooles or at their wittes ende for feare he sheweth the causes which made them so perplexed and in doubt First was the confidence and boldnesse of speach in the Apostles which they here perceyued did surpasse their expectation For they knewe they were simple and vnlearned men not brought vp in faculties or artes beside their mother tongue They knewe they were taken from fyshers craft to be the Apostles of christ And euen yet still did that olde opinion bewitch their mindes which caused them once to saye that none of the Scribes or Phariseys but the accursed and rascall people which were ignorant in the lawe and scriptures helde with christ Therefore presupposing they shoulde easily haue ouercome the Apostles they could not choose but be amazed when they see them aunswere with such discretion to their question reprooue their iniustice so boldlye and defende Christes quarell with such wisedome and constancie For they are compelled will they nyll they to acknowledge some power of God in them and perceyue they are ledde with a farre other wisedome than the wisedome of the fleshe And this was the chiefe cause why Christ woulde choose ignorant and vnlearned Apostles that the doctrine of the Gospell might be acknowledged to be set forth by the power of God and not through mans wisedome eloquence or authoritie and that all the prayse and glorie thereof might redounde vnto God alone whereof Paule disputeth at large in the first to the Corinthians the first Chapter The other cause of their amazednesse was the euident truth of the myracle wrought by the Apostles which they are neyther able to call in doubt nor yet to charge with any suspicion of Magicke or enchauntment For they see the man stande before them on whome the Apostles had bestowed this benefite of health whether called by them or of his owne accorde ioyned to them to see the ende and successe of the matter I wote not Therefore they are in a perplexitie of minde and haue not one worde to answere So they which thought to haue ouercome and caught the Apostles in some trip by demaunding of one question are shamefully vanquished and confounded Here is fulfilled that which Christ promised saying I will giue you vtteraunce and wisedome against which all your aduersaries shall not be able to make resistaunce It appeareth also howe vaine the deuises of men are against christ He knoweth their cogitations to be vaine and bringeth the counsayle of the heathen to naught but the counsayle of the Lorde endureth for euer as Dauid sayd Psal. 33. and. 94. For it is he verily who as Elephas the Themanite sayth destroyeth the deuises of the subtill so that their handes are not able to perfourme any stedfast thing he compasseth the wyse in their owne craftynesse and ouerthroweth the counsayles of the wicked The Gospell sheweth vs a like example in a blinde man restored by Christ to his sight againe who being both vnlearned and a begger doth marueylously hold the whole Colledge of Scribes and Phariseyes at a baye that the more questions they aske of him the more they vtter their foolishnes Let no man therefore be afrayde eyther of the power or craft of these enimies where as God so easily turneth them both vpside downe For it is not our cause that we haue in hande but Gods which will giue vs both a mouth and vtterance nor it is not we that speake but the spirite of our father which is in vs. But before we leaue this place we must speake somewhat of two things very worthy to be obserued First it is not without a cause that Luke writeth the wicked enimies of Christ were so amazed at the bolde and free speach of the Apostles For by this example we are taught that there is nothing so effectuall to bridle the wicked as is freedome of speach where they are reprooued to their faces and the truth which they withstand is boldly defended For such is the force of wordes that they easily pierce the minde But if the zeale of Gods truth and glorie be ioyned therevnto it cannot be but the consciences of the hearers must be wounded howsoeuer â–ª they many times dissemble the same Whereby it commeth to passe that although they alwayes do not truly repent yet many times they counterfeyte repentaunce and abstayne from doing euill where of we maye see a manifest example in Achab after that Elias had with such libertie as beseemed a Prophete vpbrayded him with the vnworthy slaughter of Naboth Againe when the ministers of the word suffer their tongues to be brydled or else of themselues keepe silence to please the worlde by and by we see the wicked are encouraged to runne into all kinde of licentious sinne and fill vp the measure of iniquitie and at length miserably perishe with their blinde watchmen and dumbe dogges See Ezechiel the .iij. and .xxxiij. Chapters For the which cause a franke and bold kinde of reprehension is euerywhere required in the Ministers The Lorde sayth vnto Esaye crye now as lowde as thou canst leaue not of lift vp thy voyce like a Trumpet and shewe my people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes And the Lorde commaundeth Hieremie to stande against the Priestes people Princes and Kinges like a brasen wall without feare Therefore Paule woulde haue sinners openly rebuked afore all men that other thereby might be brought in feare Yea where being iâ— prison he commendeth himselfe and his cause to the
to shew our sâ—lues lesse obedient vnto god Daniels fellowes through the consideration hereof refused to obey Nabuchodonozers proclamation wherein he commaunded an ymage to be worshipped against the commaundement of god And Daniel constantly helde on in calling vpon the true God against the Kings proclamation God allowed and approued their obedience with rare and singular myracles There are infinite like examples in the Martyres whome euery man must confesse to haue bene verye fooles if Princes proclamations and commaundementes might haue prescribed Gods preceptes The same ought we to obserue in the duties we owe to our parentes as we are taught by the example of Christ who being chydden of his mother bicause he taried in the Citie without the knowledge of hir and Ioseph aunswered Wyst you not that I must be aboute my fathers businesse The religion of Monkishe vowes is most foolishe and causeth the obseruers of them to commit double offence For while they vowe those things which partly they are not able to perfourme and partly are contrary to the expresse commaundements of God they doe grieuously sinne And that done bicause they would be taken for very religious persons they obstinately holde on in the things they haue vngodly and foolishly vowed albeit they be taught a better waye being lyke vnto Herode who bicause he woulde not seeme periured ioyned murther vnto his vnaduised oth Therfore the safest waye is that we remember what dutie we owe vnto God and promise nor doe nothing for any mannes sake that shall be against the saâ—e And if any thing escape vs vnawares to acknowledge our fault and not to performe our promises with more wickednesse than we made them And if any shall be founde so insolent and prowde that will haue their authoritie to be taken greater than Gods to set our selues against their impietie with an holy and godlye boldenesse as we see in this place Peter and Iohn did Also the Apostles aunswere teacheth vs with what argumentes the Ministers of the Gospell must arme themselues against the assaultes of the worlde For we haue sayde before how the worlde will alwayes hinder the preaching of the Gospell and daylie experience teacheth it Therefore first they must consider that it is Gods commaundement the gospell should be preached that the ministerie of this preaching belongeth to them for that they are called and sent of God about this businesse Therfore if should be a token of wicked and vngracious temeritie to denye God their seruice as Amos well sawe which sayde to the people of his dayes that liked not his propheticall rebukes When a Lyon roareth who will not bee afrayde Seeing then the Lorde God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecie For he sawe howe vnhappily it succeeded with Ionas when he would haue shunned the office of preaching to the Niniuites Therefore Paule cryeth out woe to me if I preach not the Gospell Agayne let them consider howe the testimonie of truth is committed to them and of that truth which concerneth the chiefe glory of Christ and the saluation of mankinde Therefore if they conceale anye thing for fauour of men it can not be but they must committe treason against God and be accounted the publike enimies of mankinde Finally let them remember howe they shall one day come before Christ the Iudge who will not onely punishe eternally the false embasers and corrupters of the talent committed to them but also them that hide their talent and labour not as much as in them is to winâ—e men vnto christ These things must we set against the vaine terrors of the world and then shall we not much passe for them which neyther will haue the waye of saluation plainly taught nor false Christians to be reprooued nor open malefactors to be accused Howbeit this is much to be marueyled at that Luke wryteth the Apostles were let go when they had openly refused to obey them considering there remayned still in the Iudges an obstinate will to persecute the Gospell For least any man might thinke the Councell yeelded to their reasons he saith They threatned them and let them go These things expresse the condicions of the wicked and the great hatred they beare to the truth wherewith being blinded they can neyther giue place to anye reason nor yet feare the iudgement of god Neyther haue they any thing to answere Peters arguments And yet they threaten still And other colour of their doing haue they none but that they thinke the Apostles vnworthy wyth whome to haue any long disputation In the meane time this example teacheth vs that the faithfull so ouercome not that they enioye long anye rest or quiet in this worlde For the worlde continuallye breatheth â—ute threates and the enimies of truth once ouercome are still prouoking to the fight So Elias although he had ouercome the Priestes of Baal in Carmele both by his doctrine and myracle shewed by God and had put them to death yet Iesabel the Queene prepareth freshe persecution and entrappings against him Therfore let the souldiours of Christ neuer gyue them to carelesnesse although they perceyue they haue ouercome their enimyes but let them remember their triumph must be vnder the Crosse vntill tâ—ey be deliuered out of the pryson of the fleshe and shall raigne with Christ in Heauen where they shall haue no occasion to feare Tyrauntes any more But some man may marueyle how the Apostles are let go free from their most cruell enimies considering their great power and authoritie Luke therefore declareth the cause hereof saying They founde no way to punish them bycause of the people For all men praysed God bycause of that which was done For the man was aboue fourtie yere olde on whome thys Myracle of healing was wrought Here is the marueylous power of God to be considered who so easily can bridle the wicked They were of suche power and authoritie before that they were onely taken for Lordes and Rulers and stoode in awe of no mans power But lo they are afrayde of the people and coystrell Commones So God which hath set the flytting and rolling sande for lymites and boundes against the sea a most raging element which the sea can not passe except he permit it doth set most times the people the vnconstantest thing that is against most mightie tyrants or else brydâ—eth them by other vnaccustomed and vnlooked for meanes so that they are not able to doe that against the weake succorlesse people which they most gladly woulde and seemeth most easily to be done So he sometime defended the Patriarches in the middest of the lande of Chanaan putting a certaine secret feare in the mindes of the Chananites So he wythhelde Saul from persecuting of Dauid by the Philisteans and through theyr helpe defended Dauid being his greatest enimies And now through feare of the people keepeth the Priestes that they lay not handes on the Apostles which people before that with a sauage bethleem
man might iudge them rather kindled and enflamed with the threats of their enimies than made afrayde Whereof more shall be sayde in the next Sermon We are taught by this example that God neglecteth not the praiers of the godlye but that his eyes be fixed vpon the iust and his eares open vnto their prayers Let vs follow the example of the primitiue Church in these dayes where most cruell enimies euerywhere conspire togither against the truth and turning our selues vnto God by prayer let vs commit our whole cause vnto him let vs beseech him of increase of fayth and the holye ghost that we be not ouercome with any daungers or terrors but that after we haue happily ended the course of our life we may be receyued into his heauenly kingdome there to liue with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxxj. Homelie AND they spake the worde of God boldly And the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule Neyther sayd any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common And with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lord iesu And great grace was with them all Neyther was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessours of lands or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and layde it downe at the Apostles feete And distribution was made vnto euery man according as he had neede And Ioses which was called of the Apostles Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation being a Leuite and of the countrie of Cyprus hauing lande solde it and layde the price downe at the Apostles feete AS Luke the Euangelist hath diligently described the first persecution that was raysed against the Apostles so reporteth he as diligentlye what the faithfull did during the time of these whurly burleys The ende of all which is that we should learne what to doe in like case First and foremost they gaue themselues vnto prayers which they powred out before God with one feruent accorde of minde To God likewise must we resort in our aduersities and not to the vaine helpe of the fleshe And we must aske of him not such things as serue the carelesnesse and ydlenesse of the fleshe but such as concerne the setting forth of Christs kingdome Now let vs see the other exercises of the primitiue Church wherby it shall appeare that they intermitted nothing that belonged to their dutie First Luke speaketh of the Apostles and all those who had the office of teaching committed to them He sayth they preached the worde of God with confidence that is boldly and freely whervnto a little after is added with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lorde Iesu. They accomplished therefore that which they protested they woulde doe contrarie to the decree of the counsayle Luke maketh mention only of the resurrection not for that they only preached the same only but bicause thereby Christ perfited and fulfilled the businesse of our redemption and saluation and for that we shoulde not thinke the Apostles yeelded anye thing to the Saduceyes which then were in greatest authoritie And it is not without a cause that Luke maketh mention of doctrine first of all other things for therevnto a principall care must always be had For where we are regenerate by doctrine and by the same the Church is gathered togither without the same the Church cannot stande in hir full strength and vigour Neyther was it without the prompting of the holy ghost that Salomon in tune past sayde When prophecying fayleth the people go to hauock And that this was truly sayde the examples of all ages abundantly testifye Wherefore as before he sayde the Church continued in the preaching and doctrine of the Apostles so now also he testifieth the Apostles are most mindefull and earnest in their office By which examples Ministers are admonished that they must not suffer the libertie of preaching to be taken from them through feare of persecution and threatning of enimies nor when daunger approcheth cease not to feede Christes sheepe with the word of doctrine and comfort For that is the propertie of hyrelings as Christ sayth and not of those which are readie to lay downe their liues according to the example of Christ for the sheepe committed to their charge But bicause men are much faultie herein it shall be profitable diligently to discusse this example that hereby Ministers may learne what appertaineth to them to doe And first bold libertie of teaching and vnfearefull affiance of minde is attributed to the Apostles Which is necessary for all ministers as it is plaine bicause there will be alwayes some that woulde haue them brydled and musseled For Christ witnesseth that the worlde cannot abide the light of the truth The same worlde cannot abide to be aduertised and reprehended So that there were in the olde time which durst say vnto the Prophetes Prophecie not to vs Looke not out right things for vs but speake faire wordes vnto vs looke out errours get you out of this waye depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. And Paule sayeth there shall be in the later dayes which shall not abide the worde of truth but hauing the ytch in their eares shal get them an heape of teachers which shall bring doctrine agreeable to their corrupt affections And we see it is euerywhere true that he prophecied Here therfore is required an Apostolike liberty bolde affiance of preaching whereby Bishoppes in the Church may applie their office in season and out of season that they maye encourage others of whom there is yet some hope remayning and deliuer their owne soules that the bloude of them that perishe be not required at their handes Furthermore it is sayd they chiefely inculcated the article of resurrection aboue all other And in deede this was the principall and chiefe article wherewith the chiefe of the Iewes were most offended For through this article they were conuinced partly of putting Christ vniustly to death and partly the Saduceyes coulde not suffer the same to be preached as who denied the resurrection Yet notwithstanding the Apostles boldly and stoutly preached the same so that it maye appeare they had a great care of the same This example teacheth vs that those articles are chiefely to be vrged which the aduersaries vse most to impugne For all things in the ministerie of the worde must be directed to edification and profite And the next care must be that the thing which is edified or builded must not fall downe againe But he shall performe none of these prosperously which most constantly resisteth not when the truth of doctrine is assaulted with the craft tiranny of the enimies and is moste in hazarde They that are set to defende Cities and Castelles vse
Euangelist Luke yesterdaye declared vnto vs what crymes the highe Priest obiected to the Apostles and howe the Apostles aunswered them Which hystory serueth chiefly to this purpose that we myght vnderstande with what crymes the wycked are wonte to defame the truth and the Ministers thereof and also what constancie and boldenesse it behooueth vs to vse in the defence of the same Where the first and chiefe care must be for the dutie that we owe vnto God that for any mans fauour or pleasure we offende not against the same Then we must take heede that through our fearefulnesse our enimies waxe not the more insolent as it appeareth their propertie is Furthermore we must constantly holde fast and keepe the confession of Christ that we be not ashamed of him before men who was not ashamed to become man and suffer death for our sake Nowe it foloweth what effect this aunswere or Apologie had with the wicked enimies of Christ which is a verie notable place bicause it reprooueth both the incurable obstinacie of the wicked and also teacheth vs howe easilie God beateth downe theyr bloudy enterprises First speaking of those which had conceaued an implacable hatred against the truth he sayth when they heard that they claue a sunder and were as men ready to burst for anger For it spited the prowde and ambitious men to see their authoritie so little regarded and it seemed a thing to them intollerable to here the truth of Christ so boldly and stoutely defended Therfore in the verie presence of the Apostles they consult howe to put them to death And it is verie lyke they rather vsed furious exclamations than any graue deliberation This example teacheth vs that the wicked and reprobate which are hardned in the hatred of Christ can no maner of waye be mytygated and mollified For such can not receiue the holy ghost who onelye hath power to alter and chaunge the hartes as we sayde in the last sermon For although the outwarde worde of God pierce their mindes and touch their consciences yet it hardeneth them and maketh them the more fierce And as great heate in the vpper region of the ayre dissolueth not a colder matter drawne vp thyther but maketh it congeale into yse Euen so the mindes of the wicked the more they are vrged with the worde of God the more fierce they wax and hard hearted Or else as the heate of the sunne melteth the wax but hardneth myre and claye so the worde of God wherewith the mindes of the vngodly are wonte to be taught and enfourmed maketh the vngodly more stubborne and frowarde Not that the fault is in the worde of God but bicause the corruption of nature in the wicked is such that it letteth stoppeth the true effect of the word Examples here of we haue in Caine and Pharao in Saul and Achab in Iudas the traitor and infinite others wherevnto these men may also be adioyned as the matter well declareth Here let vs learne what to iudge of the men in our dayes which manifestly vtter their â—ankred hatred against the worde where we are further taught what an heynous offence it is to persecute the truth especially if it proceede not of ignoraunce and of a foolishe zeale towarde God but of the instigation of most corrupt affections This thing deserueth that we are made vnfitte for the medicine of Gods worde which onely is able to restore vs to health and lyfe Furthermore thys example teacheth vs what the wicked enimies of the truth meaning and purpose is in their counsels surely none other but that the ministers of truth maye be made out of the waye who alone they suppose hinder their desyres wyshes For this they all peculiarly thinke that there is nothing more against them than the worde of God which reprooueth their wickednesse whereby it commeth to passe that they are not ashamed to shewe all their power against a fewe of simple men and to striue with all their might and mayne against them whome valiaunt men and of haultie courage would scarce vouchsafe to take any labour or paine about But these men be of an other opinion for they haue perswaded themselues that then they are safe when they be no more troubled with the painefull sermons of Gods worde So Achab thought Elias onely was his enimie and the disturber of the people of Israell and promised himselfe certaine victorie against the Assyrians till he tooke Micheas to counsell who as he was perswaded delighted in nothing but in telling of vnlucky tydings Euen so these men beleeued they should then be free from the gylte of Christes bloude and in safegarde and sure if the Apostles might be dispatched out of the waye that they could ring no more in their eares And euen nowe a dayes if a man happen to demaunde of some men what it is that most grieueth them they onely complayne of the Ministers of Gods worde And hereof commeth it to passe that this worlde so rageth against the preachers of the truth that it beleeueth they onely are the disturbers of all publike peace and tranquilitie which thing since it hath in all ages beene done let vs not marueyle at the vsage of our dayes nor be offended at the attempts of the wicked of whome Christ hath so often gyuen vs warning Let vs rather arme our selues with the spirite of constancie fortitude and pacience let vs also walke warely and circumspectly in the vocation wherevnto the Lorde hath appointed vs as Christ long agoe hath taught vs. But some man may marueyle by whose helpe and intercession the Apostles were deliuered out of the handes of their most cruell enimies and from the perill of present death Luke sheweth there stoode vp a patrone and defender of them one of their owne bench and number that is to saye Gamaliel whose profession he diligently describeth For he sayeth he was a Pharisey which sect as it ascribed to it selfe a countenance of outwarde iustice so was it most aduersary to the Christian faith and doctrine Further he was a doctor of the lawe wherevnto it appeareth he gaue more studye than the residue of his profession his studie wanted not a profitable successe Beside this he was of great authoritie which made all the people to loue him and reuerence him And that was a thing in this matter verye commodious and auaileable For where the residue of them feared the people his authoritie they coulde not reiect vpon whome they knewe all the Commons depended He therefore being mooued with the importunate deuises of his fellowe Phariseyes and meaning to withstande their furiousnesse commaundeth the Apostles for a little whyle to stande aside that he myght the more freely intreate of this cause declaring by this his doing howe much more prudent and wyse he was than the residue which in the presence of the Apostles so bewrayed the impotencie and rage of their mindes Then by and by declareth he his iudgement whereby he mittigateth
in the zeale of Christes glory He ioyneth power to his fayth whereby we vnderstande the gift of myracles according to that treatise of Paule touching the diuision of gifts in the first to the Corinthians .xij. Chap. And as he declared his fayth by his feruencie of zeale so he testified that other gifte of the holy spirite by notable myracles and woonders And although nothing is saide of his publike sermons it appeareth yet by order of the text that he vsed to preach both often earnestly and effectuously Wherefore we may here note by the way that the Deacons in the primitiue Church were not wholye debarred from the ministerie of the worde but although they were chiefely busied about distribution of the Church goodes yet they bestowed their labour as farre as they were able in other seruices of the Church that by this meane as Paule sayth they might winne themselues a good degree Heere chiefely is to be obserued the veritie of Christes promises whereby he instructeth his faythfull and industrious seruauntes For he sayth they shall be set ouer great and many thinges which are faithfull in small matters He promiseth that they that haue shall receyue more Steuen prooueth the same true as this place teacheth For where he well vsed the giftes of the holy ghost which he had in the beginning and did faithfullye administer temporall goodes he is encreased with more giftes and aduaunced to higher degree yea being made match with the Apostles he beginneth to distribute the eternall and heauenlye treasures of the Gospell with great prayse and vtilitie whome Christ hath vouchsafed to adourne with the crowne of martyrdome Let vs therefore be stirred vp with the consideration of this example not suffer our selues to be pulled backe from well doing with the consideration of our vnworthynesse whereas we maye attaine to the increasing of the holy ghost by fayth and diligence and may prepare for our selues an entrance and degree into more excellent ministeries Howbeit this valiant and stoute souldiour of Christ findeth by and by such as withstoode his godly purposes and enterprises For there stoode vp men of diuers Nations of the schoole or Colledge of the Libertines which disturbed and troubled him For where the citie of Ierusalem was ordeyned to be a place both for outwarde religion and for an vniuersitie and studie of the lawe there were in it diuers Colledges of Iewes which eyther for religion sake or for studie came thither from diuers nations of the which number this Sinagoge of the Libertines was who were the principall and chiefe Captaines of this conspiracie deuised against Steuen But howe this Sinagoge came so to be called there are diuers opinions amongst the Interpreters Howbeit I lyke best their opinion which suppose there was a certaine Colledge builded by those of Rome which were called Liberti wherein straungers were taught and instructed For we knowe that these Liberti were of great power and authoritie and that many of them went about to winne the fauour of the people by such benefits we learne by example of the Centurion whome the Priestes for thys cause commended vnto Christ bicause he had builded them a Sinagoge But it is not without a cause that Steuen is resisted by men of diuers Nations and such as are learned and of experience For as the mysteries of the kingdome of Christ are for the most part hidden from the wyse of the worlde so the greater is the glory of the Saintes which they get by such conflicts This serueth also to comfort vs that we yeelde not for feare if at any time we see our selues assaulted by many and furnished enimies Now it is profitable to consider after what sorte and with what conueyances these conspirators appoint their onset against Steuen Luke sayth they beginne with disputation the ende and drift wherof as appeareth was none other but to catch entangle him in his owne words which thing the Scribes also many times assayed against christ For trusting in their wit learning they hoped easily to haue the victorie of a rude and vnlearned bodye or at least such an one as yet had no great name of learning But the matter fell out farre otherwise than they looked for For he whome they supposed to be rude and vnprouyded being instructed with heauenly wisedome and prompted with the holy spirite doth not onely answere the questions they propone but vseth such plentie and force of argumentes that they by no meanes were able to resist him Whereby we see agayne that Christ who is the very truth it selfe neuer fayleth of his promise He promised his spirite to be a comforter and counseller to lead those that be his into all truth He promised them vtteraunce and wisedome against the which men shoulde not be able to stande He hath hitherto perfourmed his promises as we haue seene in the examples of the Apostles And the treasure of this heauenly wisedome is not yet spent and drawne out but Steuen also draweth out thereof such things as are necessary in this conflict Let no man therefore feare eyther the wisedome or authoritie of the worlde forasmuch as it is not our businesse but Christes that we haue in hande who is made vnto vs of his father wisedome and in whome all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hidden Let vs also consider that he is greater that is in vs than he which maketh suche a stirre in the worlde But doe these Sophisticall Libertines being ouercome by disputation yeelde No but turning them vnto vnlawfull and craftie conueyances they labour to oppresse him by lyes and false witnesses whome they perceyued strengthned with truth and therefore inuincible They suborned men that had their tongues to sell which through slaunders went about to bring the most faythfull Preacher of Christ in enuye of all the people And of these we will speake a little hereafter Nowe let vs consider how farre they vse to go which nourishe hatred in their heartes agaynst the truth and will not yeelde being yet ouercommen Such men are giuen vp into a reprobate sense and become so blinde that vnder the pretence of godlye zeale wherein they wickedly glorie they thinke they may doe what they will and feare not moste manifest and heynous wickednesse For these Libertines coulde not be ignorant of the lawe of Talio appoynted by God for false witnesses And though there were no lawes anye where extant yet common reason teacheth vs that they commit grieuous a fault which eyther beare false witnesse themselues or else bring forth and alledge false witnesse But they that burne in hatred of the truth make no count of these thinges and it commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God that they are bereft of common reason and therefore pollute themselues with great wickednesse chasing and driuing away the truth after she hath shyned in their heartes There are diuers examples hereof extant as well olde as
out were accepted for the people of God although they neyther had Church nor other ceremonies of the lawe And that therefore nothing letted why they might not at this daye also be saued without a Temple yea that it ought to be abrogated with all the ceremonies leuiticall forasmuche as it was playne he was already come and exhibited of whome all such things in tyme passed were but signes and shadowes The storie is written in Genesis 42.43 and in other Chapters following where at large are set forth those things which Steuen toucheth but briefely But least we lose the commoditie ensuing of the discourse it behooueth vs to note the chiefe points by themselues and so to apply them to our instruction Let vs examine therefore the cause that mooued the people to go into Egypt then their going downe and last of all what is sayde of the Patriarches death and buriall The cause that Iacob went downe into Egypt was a great dearth wherewith he was troubled in the lande of Chanaan and which he coulde by no meanes more commodiously auoyde bicause through Iosephs counsell Egypt onely had store of corne layde vp for such vse Here it is worthy to be well consydered howe God suffreth Iacob a true worshipper of him and a verie holye man to be troubled and molested with famine Thys might be imputed to his childrens naughtinesse if we read not how the like had bene seene in Abraham and Isaac And there are manye examples that teache vs howe the faythfull and true worshippers of God haue bene afflicted also with other aduersities and calamities Hereof we gather that aduersities and afflictions are not alwayes arguments of Gods wrath and that we should not dispaire in them as though we were quyte out of the fauour of god For eyther God of a fatherly care hereby preuenteth our naughtinesse and bringeth downe our hawtie courage least we shoulde grieuously offende hym or else lyke a father correcteth our faultes and by correction bringeth vs into the waye or else by thys meane executeth hys secret iudgementes not yet perceyued of vs as in thys present hystorie we see it commeth to passe For Iacob with all his familie is constrayned by famine to come into Egypt to make away to the Oracle wherein God had sayde vnto Abraham that his seede shoulde soiorne in a straunge lande out of which after many afflictions God should bring them agayne And the daylie effectes of our afflictions sufficiently teache vs that God bringeth many things to passe by his iust and wholsome iudgement which we before had no vnderstanding of But thys hath in it a singuler comfort that as he would haue Iacob feele the smarte of famine so he sent Ioseph before into Egypt and made hym ruler of all the countrie that by his counsell and prouision he and all hys familie should be fed This goodnesse and trust in God is set forth in the hundreth and fifth Psalme where it is thus sayde God called for a dearth vpon the lande and destroyed all the prouision of breade But he had sent a man before them euen Ioseph which was solde to be a bonde seruaunt c By him therefore had Iacob most succour in whom he supposed he had greatest cause of sorrowe For he had mourned and lamented bitterly for Ioseph whome he thought was deade through whose liberalitie he is nowe notwithstanding mainteyned and cherished Ioseph acknowledged thys counsell of God where he comforteth his brethren being feared with the remembraunce of their wickednesse saying that he was sent before into Egypt by Gods prouydence for the benefite and publike vtilitie of many And oftentimes it commeth to passe that the things that our enimies vniustly and vngently procure agaynst vs serue to our benefite and commoditie And yet their wickednesse is not to be excused therefore bycause they in their doing goe not about to fulfill Gods counsell or purpose but to satisfie their owne vnruly lustes as hath oftentimes already bene declared Also we haue here to consyder both Pharao and Ioseph For Pharao deserueth no small commendation of wisedome and kindenesse in that he maketh Ioseph whome he seeth to be of more wisedome counsell than his other men gouernour of hys kingdome although he knewe he was both a straunger and bonde man and in that he saw things prospered according to his deuise and counsel he liberally considereth rewardeth both him and all his kinsfolke Of which example men in authoritie may learne not onely thankefulnesse but also howe profitable a thing it is to put them in office that worship God truely bicause the blessing of God followeth suche and that which is done vnto them God taketh as done vnto himselfe Thys thing Putiphar before that perceyued well ynough whome God prospered in all his doings whyle Ioseph was ruler of hys house although he little considered the same The same doth Pharao nowe finde where by Iosephs industrie and wisedome he perceyueth himselfe greatly inriched and all Egypt and the nations adioyning preserued and mainteyned So afterwarde in this booke for Paules sake as manye as sayled in his companye were saued from drowning And as by the godly great commoditie vseth to come vnto many so oftentimes through a fewe that be wicked if they be of authoritie and power and may doe what they list ensueth great inconuenience and mischiefe Achan onely through his sacriledge as close as it was was the occasion of a publike calamitie And Ionas flying from Gods sight endaungereth not only himselfe but also the Mariners and as many passengers as were in the shippe So perillous and hurtfull a thing the company of the wicked is What maye therefore be hoped for where such are put in office and authoritie Surely none other but that they will be the cause of publike calamitie and generall destruction Whereof we haue an example in Manasses through whose bloudye and cruell wickednesse it came to passe that God being greatly offended agaynst the Iewes lette them be caryed to Babylon hauing their Citie and Temple first destroyed by fire and sworde Therefore in choosing of Officers for common weales and the Church the chiefe care must be that they be godly vnlesse we will haue destroyers reygne ouer vs rather than benefactors And surely the onely consideration of this place is sufficient to teache vs what the chiefe cause of the euils in our dayes is seeing such are euerywhere put in office and authoritie as are touched with no care of godlynesse nor religion In Ioseph we haue to consider the nature of loue tempered with the rule of equitie and iustice For he acknowledged his brethren who had handled him very naughtily and vncourteously and giueth them foode most liberally but yet he trieth their mindes with a certaine counterfaite a usteritie and sharpnesse of wordes and would not make himselfe knowne vnto them till he sawe they repented and were sorie Herein he followed the propertie of God the father
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
Tharsus for behold he prayeth and hath seene in a vision a man named Ananias comming vnto him and putting his handes on him that he might receyue his sight Then Ananias aunswered Lorde I haue hearde by many of this man howe much euill he hath done to thy Saints at Ierusalem and here he hath authoritie of the high Priestes to bynde all that call on thy name The Lorde sayde vnto him Go thy way for he is a chosen vessell vnto me to carie my name before the Gentyles and Kinges and the children of Israel For I will shewe him howe great things he must suffer for my names sake ALthough we ought diligently to consider the conuersions and callinges of all the Apostles yet Paules conuersion of all others deserueth singulerly to be marked partly bicause it contayneth in it a rare example of Gods mercye towarde sinners and partly for that Paule laboured more than alâ— the Apostles neyther is there anye other whose writings are more often alledged eyther of the olde writers or newe in matters of fayth and religion It is therfore necessary that we knowe who he was howe God called him and conuerted him that we may haue his doctrine in the more authoritie which thing is the cause that Luke writeth his hystorie so diligently And hitherto he hath declared howe the Lorde interrupted his fiercenesse and horrible attempts in the middle of hys race and businesse and that so forceably that he was fayne to offer himselfe to the Lord to be obedient and to be taught being a whyle before his grieuous enimie Herevnto he conueniently addeth howe he is appoynted to the office of an Apostle which contayneth a notable discourse betweene the Lorde Iesus Christ and Ananias by whose ministerie Paule was to be ordered Euery part whereof we will declare as farre forth as God shall permit First the Lorde calleth Ananias that Paule may take orders by his ministerie And of Ananias Luke speaketh but little in this place but Paule at large where he commendeth him of his godlinesse and sayth he deserued among the Iewes the testimonie of a good and an innocent man Him the Lorde certifyeth of his will by a vision and likewise prepareth Paule being in his prayers by an other vision worthily to receyue Ananias Here our Sauiour Christ is well to be marked which instructeth them both by euident visions For hereby is perceyued the ardent desire that Christ hath to the saluation of mankinde shewed and declared ingenerall towardes all men and especially in seeking the lost sheepe as himselfe elsewhere testifyeth Which thing as it is for our comfort so it also serueth for our instruction that we should traueyle rather to saue sinners than to destroy them and not follow those which glorying in their feruent zeale of Gods glorie rashly reiect and condemne all those whome they see once to haue swarued from the way of truth Moreouer we are taught how expedient it is that all things be done rightly duely in the outwarde ministerie of the worde For except the ministers be duely called and well assured of their calling and the hearers well prepared to receyue their sayings there can followe no worthie fruite and auayle of their doing For howe shall they preach except they be sent Or with what argumentes shall they bee emboldened agaynst the threates and enterprises of the wicked which craftily haue vsurped and intruded vpon the office of teaching Againe if the hearers come not well minded and prepared to heare the worde of the Lorde then shall they receyue that wholesome seede eyther into the way eyther into stonie places or among thornes and there shall be many impediments that shall cause that they shall bring forth no worthie fruites Wherfore Christ requireth honest mindes which will holde fast the seede they haue once receyued and being armed agaynst all suggestions of Satan the worlde and the flesh bring forth worthie fruits with pacience And that we haue neede of diligent preparation hereto euery man may easily vnderstande that well considereth the corrupt nature of man These things if we will well weigh and expend it shall easily appeare why there is so much preaching in these dayes with so little profite For most part of the Ministers without wayting for the lawfull calling of the Lorde get into the ministerie by vnlawfull meanes for the belly sake and they that will not seeme the vngodlyest of the hearers of the worde come vnto it more for custome sake than of any earnest desire of amendment beeing altogither like vnto those which in the Prophete sayde Come I praye you let vs heare what woorde is gonefoorth from the Lorde Furthermore we haue also to consider Paule whom the Lord speaking to Ananias witnesseth to be in his prayer This is to be vnderstanded of the continuall prayers he made all the three dayes long as easily appeareth by the circumstaunces bicause there were many thinges which might mooue Paule vnto prayer For he felt the horrible hande of God which threw him downe He hearde howe he was accused from heauen to be the professed enimie of the sonne of god Then came to his minde the wicked enterprises crueltie that he had vsed against the name of Christ and his Church also the banishments chaynes imprisonment and torments with the lamentation and crying of women and children whereofhe had beene the authour Yea his guiltie conscience as yet troubled him Then againe the wayting for the promise of reuelation and instruction was able to styrre him vp to earnest prayer and yet in this earnestnesse and diligence of praying God disappoynteth him as I might say whole three dayes togither These things commend vnto vs an incessant earnestnesse of prayer bicause there are as many and as vrgent causes to styrre vs vp also theretoo For if we discende into our selues wee shall finde they are no tryfling sinnes whereby we haue deserued Gods wrath We many tymes feele the hande of Gods anger The conscience of our wickednesse oftentymes molesteth vs We are still in daunger of all kindes of aduersitie And if the thinking hereof be not able to kindle in vs heartie and ardent prayer then shall wee worthily be called colder than yron or yce Paule for these causes commaundeth vs continually to pray And let vs so remember to continue in prayer that we be not ouercome with distrust or impaciencie and rashely prescribe God any tyme to heare or helpe vs in For he sometime deferreth the helpe he promiseth vs not bicause he meaneth to disappoynt them that trust in him but bicause he will exercise and trie our fayth Examples wherof we haue both in Paule in Abraham in the woman of Chanaan and in many others Here therefore let vs bende the force of our fayth and follow the example of that Widdow by whose importunatenesse Christ sayth the wicked Iudge was ouercome But O miserable and vnhappie wretches that we be which as we scarce take vs vnto prayer
vtterly confounded the Iewes that were Christes greatest enimies and made them in a doubt of their religion In these thinges we haue a compendious abridgement of Paules docdoctrine which ought to be of great authoritie with vs. He confesseth otherwheres that he knoweth nothing but Iesus Christ. Therefore him whom he onely knew he thought best onely to preach He comprehendeth in few yea in two poyntes whatsoeuer is at large sayde of him both in the Prophetes and Apostles writings For first he teacheth that Iesus which was borne of the Uirgin Marie was the sonne of god So he hath herein comprised whatsoeuer belongeth to the knowledge of Christes person Wherein if we acknowledge not the humaine and diuine nature togither the reason of our saluation cannot stande safe and sure which all the Scripture sayth dependeth on Christ onely Paule acknowledgeth both these natures For howe can he but acknowledge his humaine nature which intreateth of him that was taken and crucifyed by the Iewes and who he knewe dyed and who elsewhere he testifyeth was borne of the Iewes concerning hys manhoode But where he sayth he is the sonne of God he cannot denie his diuinitie For what other thing should be borne of God than God So he taught that Iesus was both God and man God from euerlasting and in a tyme therevnto ordeyned made man as otherwhere he sheweth Furthermore he declared his office and sheweth that he was Christ that is the annoynted of god Kinges and Priestes in tyme past were annoynted according to an auncient and olde vsage And bicause the sauiour promised to mankinde must be both a King and a Priest therefore God woulde haue him called by the name of Messias or Christ that is to say annoynted The other poynt of Paules doctrine is that this Iesus which is true God and man was also that promised Sauiour of the worlde whome the ceremonies of the lawe did shadowe and the oracles of the Prophetes sayde was to come And this is that doctrine that deserueth onely to be called Apostolike For it agreeth with that confession that Peter being demaunded of Christ made in the name of all the Apostles saying Thou art Christ that sonne of the liuing god And thou hast the wordes of eternall life And thys is that fayth which is buylt vpon Christ that is the rocke which cannot swarue and agaynst which the gates of Hell cannot preuayle Therefore whosoeuer will be taken for the true worshipper of Christ and reioyce in the Apostolike faith let them constantly keepe this doctrine For it is plaine that Paule pronounced of this doctrine that if an Aungell from heauen preach any other Gospell than this he is to be helde accursed But did Paule superficially and by the way propose this doctrine No But bicause there were at Damascus schooles of the Iewes through whose dotages the knowledge of Iesus Christ was defaced he thought good to confute them and to confirme the true doctrine of Christ with authoritie of the scriptures For it is euident that the Iewes did acknowledge the auncient promises of the Messias But bicause they imagined he shoulde be an earthly Prince onely which shoulde restore that auncient kingdome of the Iewishe Nation and the maiestie thereof and deliuer them from the yoke of the Romane bondage they could neuer fynde in their heart to acknowledge Iesus whose comming to them was so poore his conuersation so humble and his death so reprochfull to be their Messias The errours of these men Paule stoutlye wythstandeth and affirmeth this Iesus to be the sonne of God and the Messias with such authoritie of Scripture and number of arguments that he greatly molested and shamed the best learned of them which hitherto vsed to deny the same Which thing commeth to passe to all them who thynke it a shame to yeelde vnto Chryst and to the truth This place teacheth vs howe the doctrine of the Gospell shoulde be preached wherein some be of this opinion that they thinke a playne and simple exposition of the mysteries of saluation is sufficient and that they which reprooue the tyrannie of Antichrist and his superstition laboure in vayne and are authors of intollerable discention And in deede a playne and simple teaching of our saluation woulde suffyse if there were not such as woulde obscure and deface it with errours and laboured to pull awaye the vnwarye from the right waye But where both there haue bene such and euerywhere at this daye be such the faythfull must be admonished that they giue no eare to them And this shall a man neuer be able to doe vnlesse he shewe how they are altogither deceyued Agayne where some are growne so impudent that they dare openly speake agaynst the truth they must be also openly confuted least by their boldnesse they cause the truth to come in suspicion We reade that both Christ and his Apostles vsed both these wayes whose example they ought of dutie to followe which will bee called and taken for Ministers of his Church which is the cause that Paule will haue such to be teachers as are able not onely to instruct the rawer sort in sounde doctrine but also to refell and conuince them that speake agaynst it And he sayth the Scriptures are giuen vs to that ende to confute the aduersaries thereof Which thing seemed of such importance to the holy ghost that he woulde haue the Apostles not only to reprooue the deceyuers in those dayes but also woulde haue vs warned of those which shoulde disturbe the Church in the later dayes With what right therefore can they which will haue no mannes impietie detected commaunde the Ministers to silence where such menne as these nowe a dayes beare swynge in the Church Nowe let vs see the effect or successe of this meeting togither All they sayth Luke that hearde him were amazed and sayde Is not this hee that made hauocke at Ierusalem of them c. Here he speaketh of the godlye hauing hereafter to intreate of the wicked attemptes of the vngodlye They compare Paules doing nowe wyth those thinges that were past and so they finde the greater cause to woonder Paule sayth in another place that they glorified God in him By which example we are by the waye taught that we so ought to reuerence the Saintes that we must yet giue all the glorie and prayse vnto God who hath vouchsafed so to endue them with hys grace Furthermore Paules ensample teacheth vs that no man shoulde be ashamed to forsake and improoue his knowne errors For although thys seeme to many men a signe of an inconstant and impudent mynde yet is it our dutie so to doe both for Gods cause and our neyghbors He commaundeth vs willingly to yeelde vnto the truth and to bring our neyghbour out of error Therfore it is the heynousest impietie impudencie in the world for a man stiffely to holde and continue in knowne errors and as God accuseth them by his
Magistrates which haue denyed their fayth vnto god This Constantius father to Constantine the great well perceyued in tyme past which thought good to thrust them out of his Court which had at his bidding burnt sacrifice to the Goddes thinking that they would doe him little true seruice which would be vnthankfull to God and betray his true religion Furthermore it is not to be omitted how agayne he attributeth a praise of godlynesse to the souldier which vsed to wayte vpon Cornelius For besides that it appeareth hereby howe much the conuersion of the godlye maketh to the attayning to godlynesse and saluation We are also taught that there is no state or kinde of lyfe vtterly voyde of religion since that it hath place among souldiers in warfare which in manye mennes opinion doth then best brooke hir name when she hath cast from hir all religion Howbeit the scripture teacheth vs that God is the most prosperous Captaine of warres By his conduct and leading Ioab encountring wyth a great bande of Assirians had a notable victorie Dauid being ready to darren battell with Goliah calleth vpon God for helpe Dauid attributeth vnto God all the victories and prayse that euer he gate by warre where he sayth that God teacheth his handes to fight Yea Constantinus being admonished by an Oracle caused the signe of the holy crosse to be borne before his armies as finding better successe vnder it than vnder the ensignes of the Romaines Eagles And when Theodosius in the daungerous warre agaynst Eugenius and Arbogastus had spent an whole nyght in prayers and was encouraged to the fyght by a sight of Aungels cheering and exhorting him therevnto we read howe the next day he had the victorie with the ayde and helpe as it were of the windes that blewe that daye Therefore their sayinges are most to be discommended who as the Romaine Orator sayth there is no rowme or place for law or ryght whiles warres are in hande so they thinke warres may be made and followed without any religion But take awaye religion and they shall nothing differ from the rage of sauage beasts nor cannot be defended with any honest colour yea they shall most cruelly rage beyonde all right and reason These things teach vs that the furiousnesse of the Anabaptistes is not to be suffred which holde opinion that it is not lawfull for a Christian man to weare a weapon considering that these Captaynes and diuers other souldiers in the Scripture are commended for their faith and religion And surely their opinion is so absurde that rather they ought to saye that no manne can worthily weare his weapon but he that is a Christian. Nowe let vs come to Peter the Apostle whome God instructeth by a peculiar vision that being deceyued with the common error of the Iewes he should not reiect the message of Cornelius And that that is here done is not much vnlike to that we hearde before came to passe betweene Ananias and Saule For euen as there so here also is Cornelius first admonished to sende for Peter After this Peter is certifyed of hys vocation not to denye his dutie of loue eyther to Christ or to Cornelius This is a peculiar and singuler argument of Gods goodnesse which is desirous that men shoulde be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth It is good to examine all the circumstances of this vision that the knowledge of the thinges belonging to our saluation may appeare the playner First Peter is to be considered who as it is sayde was gone vppe fastinge into the vpper storie of the house about the sixt houre of the daye while in the meane whyle his dinner was a preparing For we haue declared before in the third Chapter how in times passed certaine houres were appoynted for prayers For although the effect of prayers be bounde neyther to time nor place yet must we obserue a certayne opportunitie in them certayne times must needes be prescribed for prayer least being occupied in other businesses we neglect a thing most necessary of all other Peters example also teacheth vs that prayers requyre as well a secret going apart and aside as also a certaine sobrietie in body and minde that the deuotion of them be not extinguished by surfet and pampering of the bodye For the which cause the Scriptures both of the olde and newe Testament manye times ioyne praying and fasting togither This thing reprooueth the foolishnesse of the hypocrites who as they order their praying for ostentation sake so they ascribe the prayse of merite absolutely vnto their fasting wheras the vse thereof serueth for none other cause but to tame and keepe vnder the fleshe that it waxe not to prowde and malapert and so disturbe and ouerturne aswell prayer as all other exercises of true godlynesse See Mathew 9. Esay 58. chap. Moreouer it is written that he fell into a traunce to th ende we should vnderstand that in this matter nothing is to be attributed to naturall sight nor that Peter was deceyued through defect or want of hys naturall senses For being rapt taken as it were out of himselfe he perceyued these things with the eyes of his mindâ— For where the naturall man as Paule sayth perceyueth not the things that appertayne vnto God it followeth that his minde must be rapt by the spirite of God out of the worlde to perceyue the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen This thing Paule teacheth vs by his owne example whereas writing how he was rapt into the thirde heauen he plainly confesseth that he was ignorant whether this came to passe vnto him in the body or out of the body And this thing is the more certayne to be beleeued bicause he sawe not these things with his corporall senses which vse for the most part to be deceyued After these thinges followeth a diligent description of the vision He seeth the heauens opened he seeth a great vessell let downe lyke vnto a sheete bound at the foure corners There seemed to be in the same all kinde of beastes as well fourefooted as creeping and flying fowles but specially such as in the lawe are called vncleane concerning which we may reade Leuit. 11. Deut. 14. Herevnto is added a voyce bidding Peter aryse kill and eate Aboue all things it behoueth vs to marke the ende and scope of the vision which by the things that followe appeareth to haue bene none other but that God would thereby teach vs that all the difference which hitherto had bene betweene the Iewes and Gentyles by reason of the ceremonies of the lawe was nowe taken away and that there was no impediment or let but that the Gentyles also might be admitted into the fellowship of the Gospell and saluation gotten by Christ. It shall appeare that this vision maketh marueylously for this present businesse if all the mysteries in the same be throughly considered For it confirmeth Peters wauering minde and notably
obserue the order of iustification and saluation in the example of Cornelius We see that he was holpen and stirred vp by the grace of God to doe that that was good and acceptable vnto God whereas before that he had bene a Gentyle and estraunged from the people of god But being receyued into fauour Peter the Apostle was appointed to be his teacher to preach to him the doctrine of saluation Cornelius beleeueth the worde being preached The holy ghost followeth after his beliefe which both regenerateth the minde and also bringeth forth diuers marueylous vertues Being illuminated with this spirite he is giuen wholy to prayse God and at length being baptized he is receyued into the fellowship of Christs Church This order we see obserued euerywhere For the beginning of our saluation springeth of the grace of God who chose vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde He hauing chosen vs instructeth vs by his outwarde worde giueth vs fayth illuminateth vs being regenerate with his spirit and maketh vs meete vnto euery good work And that which he promiseth by his worde and offreth by his spirite vnto the faythfull minde the same he confirmeth by outwarde Sacramentes also See Rom. 9.10 Finally it is declared howe Cornelius behaued himselfe after all these things They besought Peter sayth Luke to abyde with them a few dayes And there was none other cause of this desire but for that they were enflamed with the looue of the Gospell and desired to heare him euery daye bicause they woulde be the more confirmed in the knowledge of true saluation Furthermore they coulde not be so soone satisfyed with the presence of their very friende who they perceyued had ministred so great grace vnto them And here is truly expressed the propertie of those that faythfully beleeue They lothe not the teaching of that worde nor attribute not so much to themselues to thinke that they shall haue hereafter no more neede of it Yea they acknowledge themselues to be men and bicause they will be taken for the children of God they can not be filled with the voyce of their father but desire to haue him still speake vnto them Moreouer they shewe themselues thankefull and kinde towarde the Ministers of God by whose diligence they are taught in matters of fayth and saluation For they thinke it a matter of no great weyght to requite them with carnall benefits which giue vnto them spirituall riches For they vnderstande that their saluation dependeth chiefly on them For the which cause they can suffer themselues to be rebuked and chidden as we may see in Dauid and Ezechias But the wicked be of a farre other minde which vse to condemne the Ministers as molesters of their vngodly desires and publike enimies whereof the scripture sheweth examples in Pharao Achab the Phariseys and infinite others Whose vngodlynesse deserueth to feele the vengeaunce of Gods iustice bicause they woulde not suffer to be faythfully admonished Lette vs therefore acknowledge the grace of God and embrace his worde wyth thankefull myndes studying to frame our selues thereafter that we maye hereafter be made partakers and heyres of the saluation promised in Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The eleuenth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxxviij. Homelie AND the Apostles and brethren that were in Iurie hearde that the Heathen also had receyued the worde of god And when Peter was come vp to Ierusalem they that were of the Circumcision contended against him saying Thou wentest in to men vncircumcised and diddest eate with them But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning and expounded it by order vnto them saying I was in the Citie of Ioppa praying and in a traunce I sawe in a vision a certayne vessell descende as it had bene a great sheete let downe from heauen by the fower corners and it came to mee â–ª into the which when I had fastened mine eyes I considered and sawe fowerfooted beastes of the earth and vermin and wormes and foules of the ayre â–ª And I hearde a voyce saying vnto me Aryse Peter slea and eate And I sayd not so Lord for nothing coÌ„mon or vnclean hath at any time entred into my mouth But the voyce aunswered me agayne from heauen Count not thou those things common which God hath clensed And this was done three tymes And all were taken vp agayne into heauen And beholde immediatlye there were three men already come into the house where I was sent from Caesarea vnto me And the spirite sayde vnto mee that I shoulde go with them without doubting Moreouer these sixe brethren acâ—ompanyed me and wee entred into the mannes house And he shewed vs howe he had seene an Aungell in his house which stoode and sayde to him Sende men to Ioppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter He shall tell thee words wherby both thou and all thine house shall be saued And as I began to preache the holy ghost fell on them as he did on vs at the beginning Then came it to my remembraunce howe that the Lorde sayde Iohn baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy ghost Forasmuch then as God gaue them lyke giftes as hee gaue vnto vs when we beleeued on the Lorde Iesus Christ what was I that I shoulde haue withstanded God ALthough the blessed Euaungelyst Luke hath both abundantlye and diligently described the hystorie of Cornelius which was conuerted vnto the fayth in the Chapter before going yet in this Chapter he repeateth the same againe after another sort and maner of narration The cause of which his doing was for that it might appeare to all men that the Gentyles were vndoubtedly called according to Gods appointment by preaching of the Gospell and receyued into the communion of the Church by the sacrament of baptisme That the declaration hereof was necessarye bicause of the Iewes hath already oftentimes bene shewed And the same serueth very much for our instruction both bicause the grace of Gods goodnesse is thereby marueylouslye set forth and the certaintie of all our saluation which springeth of the Iewes is most firmely prooued Therefore no man must accuse the holy writer for to often repeating of one thing or of needelesse loquacitie or babling but rather they ought to be prouoked by his diligence the more earnestly to weygh consider a matter of such importance Furthermore Luke taketh occasion to rehearse agayne the same hystorie by reason of the vniust iudgement of a certaine sort of persons who being deceyued accuse Peter whereby he is enforced thus to declare and open the meaning of his dooing vnto them First therefore let vs see howe the Church which was here and there dispersed through Iurie iudged concerning the vocation of the Gentyles For this thing coulde not long lye hidden both bicause of the notable worthynesse of the persons and also for that it was a straunge thinge and not seene before Therefore
onely bicause he woulde not destroy the whole Nation according to their desertes In the meane while he grieuously punished them that were incurable and woulde not repent For none of them entred into the lande of promise but were ouerthrowne in the wildernesse with many plagues in somuch that God neyther spared Aaron nor Moses bicause they also had bene occasions of offence vnto the people Fourthly he rehearseth the inheritance of the lande of promise which God gaue by lot to the people of the Iewes hauing fyrst destroyed seauen mightie Nations This is at large set forth in the booke of Iosue And Moses diligently setteth forth that benefyte of God where he sayeth when the Lorde thy God hath brought thee into the lande which he sware vnto thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and giueth thee great and goodlye Cities which thou buildedst not houses full of all maner of goods which thou fylledst not and welles digged which thou diggedst not vineyardes and Olyue trees which thou plantedst not c. Which wordes as they marueylously amplify the liberalitie of God so they might cause God to be thought vnrighteous and cruell vnlesse the causes be well considered for the which these Nations were cast out Moses reciteth them in other places where he forbiddeth wandring and promiscuous lustes incest ydolatrie sorcerie and enchauntmentes and such other curious artes and addeth Thou shalt not doe after the maner of this Nation which I cast out before thee for all these things haue they done wherfore I haue abhorred them c. See Leuit. 20 and .18 Deut. 18 Therefore for these offences these Nations were destroyed wherewithall when the Israelites also were defyled we reade that God cast them of also so that no man â—an in this case accuse God eyther of vnrighteousnesse or of ouermuch seueritie Fifthly he setteth forth the benefyte of a common weale gouerned by good lawes For God did not onely giue vnto them the lande but also Iudges to gouerne and defend them against the tyrannie of their enimies And here is to be marked a manifest errour which through the negligence of Stationers and Printers hath depraued the numbers For it is written that after Moses and the distribution of the lande the Iudges ruled foure hundred and fyfty yeares whereas by infallible computation can be gathered but three hundred yeares onely which Paule was not ignorant of For it is euident that from the people of Israels going out of Egypt vntill the building of Salomons Temple which beganne in the fourth yeare of his reigne were but fower hundreth and fower score yeares From these take the fortie yeares that Moses ledde the people in the wildernesse and the fortie yeares of Samuel and Saule and as many of Dauid with the fower yeares of Salomons reigne and then shall remayne three hundred and sixe and fyftie yeares in the which the Iudges gouerned the common weale of Israel In these are declared two argumentes of Gods goodnesse For in all that time of the Iudges they deserued not so fewe times as once to be destroyed and yet were still saued Moreouer when they desired a King despising that forme of common weale which was the best of all other giuen them of God God did not set ouer them any forreine tyrant but gaue them Saule to be their king one of their owne brethren and one of the least regarded Trybes least the power of the newe king shoulde be to great and intollerable at the beginning Yea the Lorde tooke in good part and did well interpretate their inconsiderate rashnesse For so he brought the kingdome to Iuda out ofwhose Princely stocke Iacob prophecied that the Messias shoulde come But of this shall be intreated hereafter At this present let vs consider that the institution of a common weale is to be numbred among the speciall benefytes of god For where men naturally shunne to be corrected and yet without discipline it is impossible to leade a quiet and safe life it is a worke of Gods power and goodnesse to haue common weales and Magistrates ordeyned which thing it behooueth them to consider which through Gods gift enioy peace and good lawes least while they shew themselues vnkinde towardes God they cause God to giue them Kings in his wrath as the Prophete testifyeth he did to the Iewes But chiefly let Christians acknowledge their felicitie for whome God hath prepared the fruition of the heauenly kingdome in Iesus Christ the most victorious and immortall king to whome bee praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxx Homelie AND when hee was put downe he set vp Dauid to bee their King of whom he reported saying I haue found Dauid the son of Iesse a man after mine owne heart which shall fulfyll all my will. Of this mannes seede hath God according as he had promised brought foorth to Israel a sauiour one Iesus when Iohn had first preached before his comming the baptisme of repentaunce to Israel And when Iohn had fulfilled his course he sayde whom ye thinke I am the same I am not But beholde there commeth one after me whose â—â—ooes of his feete I am not worthy to vnlose THe Apostle Paule in this Sermon of his laboureth altogither to bring the Iewes from their vaine and superstitious trust in the lawe to the wholesome fayth of Iesus Christ. But where they so gloried in certaine prerogatiues wherewith God had adourned their Nation that they thought they had neede of none other Sauiour in the fyrst part of his sermon he beateth downe this affiance and teacheth that the fathers had not of their owne merite but of Gods meere fauour whatsoeuer goodnesse was in them and that for the Messias sake which was to be borne of their stocke And hereof he leaueth to euerye wise man to consider that this Messias ought to be taken holde of and kept by constant fayth vnlesse they will altogither fall from the grace of God and their former dignitie Furthermore he endeth this fyrst part of his Sermon with a diligent rehearsall of the olde benefytes of God in euery of the which appeareth the goodnesse and bountie of Gods grace which as it chose the fathers at the beginning so he saued them beyonde all their desertes where he might haue oftentimes cast them of and destroyed them And he bringeth the hystorie vnto the time of Saule whoÌ„ for this cause he chiefly maketh mention of that he may the easilier come vnto Dauid whome the Scriptures call the father of the Messias that was promised And in this place he declareth how the kingdome was translated vnto Dauid then by that occasion he taketh in hand the other part of his sermon wherein he prooueth that Christ is the Messias whose office and whole worke of our redemption he setteth out more at large The translation of the kingdome maketh much for Paules purpose For therein appeared a singuler token of Gods goodnesse in that he set not a tyrant ouer
through the infyrmitie of the fleshe shall by Christes merite be supplied and if they fall into any sinne by repentance through guiding of the spirite they shall rise vp againe Moreouer Paule taking occasion of the storie of Dauid passeth to the seconde part of his sermon wherein he declareth that Iesus whome the Apostles preached is the promised Sauiour for whose sake God in times past did so benefyte the fathers And bicause he knewe he had to doe with the Iewes the most grieuous enimies of Christ he prooueth it by manye and strong arguments of the which there are three contayned in this place which we will in order treate of The fyrst is where he sayth he shall be borne of that stocke whence the Prophetes sayde he shoulde come that is to say of the seede of Dauid But it woulde be long to recite all the promises yea superfluous considering they were so common and ryse that the Messias was commonly called the sonne of Dauid Yet if any man desire more let him reade the thinges written 2. Sam. 7. Psal. 132. Esay 11. Ierem. 23. c. That Christ was borne of the seede of Dauid touching his manhoode Mathewe and Luke prooue by a diligent Genealogie or Pedegree And here we haue to marke that he sayth this Sauiour was raysed vp according to the promise This part teacheth vs that he was giuen vnto vs also according to the meere grace of God and that it is to be attributed to no merites of man that God hath sent his sonne to be our Sauiour For that the promise was made of fauour Dauid himselfe confesseth as erewhile we sawe And if any man attribute this vnto Dauids modestie he shall be conuinced by the promise that we reade was made to our fyrst fathers who had deserued death and fledde away to hyde themselues from god And Chryst himselfe truly referreth all this saluation to the grace of God where he sayth Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Which words the Apostle expoundeth writeth Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs c. Here also appeareth the infallible truth of God which must be extended to all promises that we maye herein fet fyrme comfort in all kinde of temptatioâ—s For he that woulde not deceyue vs when his sonnes death laye vpon it howe shoulde he in other things deceyue vs The seconde argument is that he sayeth he shall come in such sort and wise as the Prophetes prophecied the promised Messias shoulde come For he had a forerunner such as is described Esay 40. Malach. 3. and .4 Chapters That was Iohn which preached the baptisme of repentance whereby he prepared the mindes of men duly to receyue Christ. Marke the Euangelist vseth the same argument where he writeth the Gospell of Iesu Christ beganne as it was foretolde by the Prophetes In the meane season it is worthy to be obserued that it was necessarye to haue a forerunner who by repentance which he declared both by preaching and sacraments should prepare a people vnto christ This prooueth the corruption of our nature whereby it commes to passe that we cannot attaine to saluation except we be wholye chaunged and regenerated Furthermore it confuteth them which thinke that Christes doctrine is the seede of licentious liuing seeing none coÌ„meth vnto him but he that is worthily prepared by true repentance But bicause we haue alreadye often intreated hereof and haue freshe occasion still offered to speake of the same it shall suffyse briefly thus to haue noted it The thirde argument he taketh of testimonie For he alleageth the testimonie of Iohn not for that Christes cause consisteth or stayeth vppon mannes testimonie but for that Iohn was of suche authoritie among the Iewes that he was commonly taken for a Prophete as may be seene Mathew 21. and in Iosephus which sayth that the death of Iohn was cause of the ouerthrow that Aretes gaue vnto Herode In which sense Christ in another place vseth his testimonie Iohn 5. This man sayeth Paule where some thought he was the Messias to put the people out of all suspicion sayeth whome thinke you that I am I am not Christ for behold there commeth one after me c. These things are more at large declared in Iohn 1. Luc. 3. and Math. 3 â–ª Chapters Herein is declared what the propertie of the people is in their iudgements of Gods seruants For eyther they attribute to much vnto them or vtterlye contemne them for meane is there none For they that at fyrst thought Iohn was the Messias suffered him not long after to be the pray of a most cruell tyrant Example whereof we shall see in those of Lystra in the next Chapter Iohn teacheth vs by his example what trustynesse the godlye ought to vse in setting forth the glorye of christ For they dandle not the dulnesse and folly of the people thereby to haue themselues the more magnifyed but that Christ may haue his whole glory they vse to abase themselues and to thinke themselues the woorst of all other Yea they thinke their glorye consisteth in this if by their meane Iesus Christ may euerywhere be glorifyed And if Iohn which was the holyest man that euer was borne of a woman be no body in comparison of Christ who then perceyueth not that the whole prayse of our redemption is to be ascribed to Christ alone The example of Peter and Iohn haue declared the same whereof was spoken in the thirde and tenth Chapters It is our dutie to trust in Christ onely and to acknowledge him to be the Sauiour that was promised in the beginning to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxj Homelie YE men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is this worde of saluation sent For the inhabiters of Ierusalem and their rulers bicause they knewe him not nor yet the voyces of the Prophetes which are reade euery Sabboth daye they haue fulfilled them in condemning him And when they founde no cause of death in him yet desired they Pylate to kill him And when they had fulfilled all that were written of him they tooke him downe from the tree and put him in a sepulchre but God raysed him againe from death the thirde day and he was seene many dayes of them which came vp with him from Galiley to Ierusalem which are his witnesses vnto the people THat that all the Scripture both of the olde and newe Testament with one consent declareth that same in this sermon Paule both plainly and constantly teacheth namely that Iesus Christ is the onely redeemer and sauiour of mankinde in whom alone we haue blessing righteousnesse saluation and life But bicause he had to doe with the Iewes whome he knewe still withstoode Christ with great obstinacie therefore he handleth this cause with great grauitie And fyrst he
Apostle nowe maketh mention of them after he had begunne to speake of the resurrection But here are certaine thinges diligently to be obserued before we go from this place First we preach sayth he the promise made vnto the fathers Ergo the Apostles are Authors of no newe and straunge doctrine but teache that waye of saluation which was once promysed by God vnto the fathers For this cause Christ alleageth the testimonies of Moses and of the Prophets And Peter heretofore sayde that all the Prophets bare wytnesse of christ By these is prooued the worthinesse of our fayth the certaintie of our saluation gotten by Christ. Moreouer here appeareth the difference betweene vs and the fathers of the olde Testament That saluation was promised vnto them which is perfourmed to vs in christ They also looked for the fulfylling of that which we beleeue is fulfylled Furthermore they had certaine figures and tokens of their redemption to come whereby to exercise and feede their faith But God hath prepared for vs sacramentes and seales of our redemption and saluation which are accomplished and finished To conclude our eyes see and our eares heare that which the holye fathers in times past greatly desyred to see and heare As these things confirme our fayth so they ought to stirre vp our mindes to be thankfull that we seeme not ingratefull to despise the saluation giuen vs the hope and expectation whereof kept the fathers in times passed in all kinde of dutifulnesse in the middle of all their aduersities Furthermore the truth and infallible trust of Gods promises may herein be seene For he so perfourmeth the promises made to the fathers vnto their children that he rather would haue his sonne lyue poorely and not regarded in this world and at length to suffer shameful death than to breake his promise Where also other circumstaunces are to be considered of vs all which it appeareth to agree with the promises of God the Oracles of the Prophets For at the tyme promysed the sonne of God came to take fleshe vpon him when nowe the fourth Monarchie flourished and when the Scepter was taken from Iuda He was also borne of a woman hys mother yet remayning a Uirgin The place where he was borne was Bethleem foreshewed by the oracle of the Prophet The myracles wrought by him were such as Esay sayde should be done in his kingdome cap. 53. As touching his death and passion resurrection ascention what needeth to speake seeing that in them is fulfilled according to the letter all the things which are red Psal. 22.41.68 Is. 53.63 Of the effect of these thinges which God sometime promised by his Prophetes we spake before It is truely therefore sayde of Paule that God hath perfourmed whatsoeuer thinges were in times past promised to the fathers Here ought we to fet argumentes of consolation in our temptations that we doubt not of Gods promise in perfourming of his helpe and fauour who we heare hath so faythfully perfourmed those things which coulde not be perfourmed but by hys sonne sent into the worlde and into the darkenesse of death But let vs returne vnto Paule which confirmeth by the Oracles of the Prophets that which he spake of Christ with so great authoritie Amongst which the chiefe place is attributed to Dauid who in the fyrst Psalme which nowe a dayes is counted the seconde he sayth prophecied of christ And he bringeth one verse of the Psalme onely yet so as he calleth to their remembrance the whole Psalme which though some go about to expounde of Dauid yet in deede it contayneth a manifest prophecie of the kingdome of Christ forasmuch as diuers things therein can by no meanes be applied vnto Dauid For the Prophete by suggestion of the spirite sheweth that Christ shall haue many and cruel enimies desirous to ouerthrow his kingdome and to pull downe all his authoritie but their enterprises shall be in vaine bicause Christ shall ouercome them all The cause of all which he alleageth to be Gods decree saying Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentyles for thine enheritance Paule expoundeth this place of Christes resurrection bicause that hereby God openly declared him to be his sonne euen when his wicked enimies chiefly conspired against him For not long before he hearde those blasphemous wordes If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse If he be the king of Israel let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleeue him c. Yea being compassed about with the cruell terrors of death he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And shortly after he was so closed in his graue that Pylate the Romane President in the Emperours name and authoritie sealed the graue stone with his ring set souldiours to watch it that he shoulde not ryse agayne who would then haue thought he had bene the sonne of God vpon whome the wicked had such authority But euen the same daye God begate him that is to say declared him to be his sonne whome yet otherwise he begate from euerlasting and yet nowe seemeth he to forsake him cast him of For when his wicked enimies sayd If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse he would not haue him come downe but did that that was more in raysing him vppe againe from death so that by their owne wordes he condemned them for wicked and shewed in deede that Iesus Christ is his sonne We haue furthermore to consider that the holy ghost prooueth the kingdome of Christ and his diuine maiestie chiefly by his resurrection For Paule in another place speaking of Christ sayth who was declared to be the sonne of God with power according to the spirit that sanctifieth in that that he rose againe from death For when death was ouercome it appeared vnto all men that the Deuill also which was the Lorde of death was ouercome which victorie was not a worke of mannes power but of Gods maiestie This thing must also be extended vnto Christes members For where both he that sanctifyeth and he that is sanctifyed are all one our glory also which is due to the children of God shall appeare at length in our resurrection We crie now also Abba father and carye the pledge of saluation in our heartes which is the holye ghost and be euen now the children of God but yet it appeareth not what we shall be But we knowe that when Christ appeareth at the later daye wee shall be like vnto him This is the cause that Christ calleth that day the regeneration Math. 19. not bicause we are then fyrst made the children of God but for that they that seeme in this worlde to be forsaken of God enuyed shall at that day be declared to be the children of God See Wisedome 5 Let vs herewith comfort our selfe in aduersitie against the vniust iudgement that
apt to deceyue specially when the matter hath a pretence of religion and colour of any custome receyued Then by them is there an entry made vnto the husbandes with whome by flattery and enticements they are able to doe very much but specially if they be commended for their honestye and godlynesse Heua the fyrst mother of vs all maye serue for example whom Satan in the beginning thought a meete instrument to abuse whereby to deceiue mankinde And bicause his fyrst enterprise succeeded so well he thought afterwarde to vse the same instrument still Therefore through women he deceyued Salomon which was the fyrst sower of Idolatrie among the Israelytes which Idolatrie afterwarde coulde not be rooted out with all that the kings and Prophetes coulde doe And by the authoritie of Iesabel he brought in the worshipping of Baal I let passe infynite other examples which might be alleaged Paule had so well marked this thing that he wrote howe this was commonly the propertie of deceyuers to beguyle women specially such whose consciences they see are clogged with sinne And this is so common a thing in our daies that he is blinder than a Mole or Want that seeth it not Yet let no man thinke I speake this in reproch of womankinde But let it serue rather to teach women to beware that they suffer not themselues to be beguyled vnder so false a visor and pretence of religion And where women alone perhappes might be made light account of they mooue the Magistrates also and the chiefe of the Citie against them in exasperating of whome they doubtlesse vsed the helpe of the women They make the Magistrates offended with them as with disturbers and breakers of publike peace which hath in all ages bene the onely argument wherewith the wicked haue most impugned the doctrine of truth as the hystories of the Propetes teache vs all which it is plaine were for the most part accused with Christ of sedition And at this daye there is nothing more ryfe and common But let vs marke howe there is nothing in all Antioch of any power eyther by reason of holynesse or publike authoritie but it is bent and armed against the Apostles hauing none but the Commons onlye to take their part They that measure religion according to the authoritie of men are hereby reprooued For if this opinion may preuayle the Apostles cause must be in daunger of quailing Therefore Christ teacheth vs a farre other maner of lesson who testifyeth that the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are hidden from the wise and reuealed vnto little ones Referre also to this place the things spoken 1. Cor. 1. about the ende to this purpose Nowe the effect of the persecution was that the Apostles were exyled the borders of Pisidia by publike authoritie Yet was not the gospell vtterly banished and put to flight forasmuch as there is mention made hereafter of Disciples which were endued with all kinde of giftes of the holye ghost It was a common thing in all ages that alwayes the true worshippers of God were put in exylement as publike plagues Where in the meane season the wicked might without checke walke vp and downe in the middle of the streetes for whose sake the wrath of God vseth to be kindled And after banishment commonly followeth losse of goodes and miserable pouertie God suffreth these things to light vpon his elect for many causes For this waye he declareth his power which then most appeareth when he preserueth his Church in the middle of the waues of persecution Then also he trieth the faith of those that be his as gold is tried in the fyre mortifieth the vnworthy reliques of the flesh that we be not therby deceyued â—warâ—e aside Moreouer he maketh vs like vnto his sonne y they which suffer with him may also reigne with him Furthermore he vseth this waye to make those that be his weary of the worlde which worlde otherwise our fleshe vseth to esteeme and make to much of Therefore these things ought to offende no man but let vs rather often thinke on the promises of Christ such as are these There is none that hath forsaken house or brethren or sistren or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my sake but hee shall receyue an hundreth folde nowe in this life with persecutions and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting Againe ye are they which haue bidden with mee in my temptations and I appoynt vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appoynted to me that you may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome c. And againe where I am there shall my minister also bee They which diligently consider these things can haue nothing come vnto them so grieuous or intollerable but they knowe the ende thereof shall be ioyfull In the meane season let vs earnestly shew our dutie of charitie vnto those that are banished for Christes sake and which come vnto vs being driuen out of their owne Countrie and let vs not suffer them by our meanes wrongfullye to be suspected seeing they suffer for the same cause that Christes Apostles did Let vs remember that saying of Christ I was harbourlesse and you tooke me in c. Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie which Luke writeth was very horrible and miserable to the obstinate Iewes but very ioyfull to the godly those that beleeued For the Apostles seeing y malice of the Iewes to be inuincible shooke of the dust of their feete against them and departed vnto Iconium a Citie of Lycaonia which thing they did according to Christes commaundement who sayde on this wise to his Disciples whosoeuer will not receyue you when you go out of the Citie shake of the verye dust from your feete for a testimonie against them And againe in the same Euangelist he sayth cap. 10. Into whatsoeuer Citie you enter and they receyue you not go your wayes out into the streetes of the same and saye euen the very dust of your Citie which cleaueth on vs wee wype of against you Notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kingdome of God was come nigh vpon you Therefore this shaking off of dust was a solemne and publike signe of execration whereby was signifyed that all the wicked contemners of the Gospell shoulde be scattered abrode like dust and that such horrible curse of God hong ouer them that they which woulde be saued shoulde not so much as be partakers of the dust belonging vnto them And these thinges God woulde haue done for a testimonie or witnesse against them to take awaye from them all maner of excuse For the wicked commonly pretende ignorance when they are vrged with Gods iudgementes And to the ende they shoulde not so doe but be choked with the testimonie of their owne conscience the Apostles might not depart thence without publike protestation and denunciation of punishment which shoulde come vpon them as if
Then Iupiters priest which dwelt before their Citie brought Oxen and garlandes vnto the porch and woulde haue done sacrifice with the people WHen our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ fyrst sent forth his Apostles to preache the Gospell he warned them of nothing so diligently as of persecutions that shoulde come vnto them in going about that businesse Of these he foretolde they shoulde suffer both many and grieuous not hereby meaning through feare to dismay them but to arme them with fayth against troubles foreseene that thereby they might learne to ouercome them Paule and Barnabas the chosen vessels of Christ well vnderstoode this thing who at the speciall commaundement of the holye ghost were sent forth as we hearde before to preach among the Gentyles For they vse such fayth and constancie in their office and charge that after persecution as men increased with more force and strength they returne with more alacritie to their office againe For being driuen out of Antioch they fyll Iconium with the doctrine of christ Agayne beinst expulsed Iconium by reason of a sedition there raysed they come to Lystra and Derba and there they beginne to teach And it is sayde they preached the Gospell least any man might thinke they had chaunged their doctrine for their enimies pleasure Their constancie is set forth to be imitated of all men to th ende that they which will seeme the true worshippers of Christ shoulde giue no place to the wicked enimies of the worde For he is vnworthy of Christ that more setteth by the friendship of this vntowarde and adulterous worlde than by the glory of christ Howbeit bicause mention was made of myracles whereby God gaue testimonie to the Apostles doctrine nowe Luke rehearseth one myracle among a great many which by reason of the effect falling out thereof seemed verye worthy to be declared For the more profyte that may come vnto vs by the consideration thereof fyrst we will discusse the myracle with the circumstances and then declare the effect thereof Luke beginneth with the description of him on whome the myracle was wrought He was a townesman of Lystra many wayes very miserable For he was lame of his feete and that from his mothers wombe so that thereby it appeareth his disease was incurable such as they be for the most part that cleaue to vs from our natiuitie and birth It is also added that he neuer went on his feete or walked So diligent a description of this Creple maketh for the certaintie of the myracle that the power of Christ might appeare the more euident in whose name not long after he was healed Here is to be obserued how Christ commonly setteth forth the glorye of his name by them which eyther are sicke of incurable diseases from their natiuitie or else are otherwise in great calamitie Such an one we reade the blinde man was whom Christ restored to his sight Such another was he that had the Palsie who at length after he had bene .xxxviij. yeares diseased was restored againe to his health Such an one was the woman which had eyghtene yeares gone stowping and bowed as it were togither Such were the Demoniakes that so raged and were by his benefyte deliuered These thinges serue fyrst for our consolation that we shoulde not take the aduersities that God sendeth impaciently considering that hereby Christ knoweth howe to fetch matter to glorifye his name by For God so little hateth vs therefore that rather by bearing them pacientlye he maketh vs the instruments of his glory Furthermore they make for our instruction that we rashly ryde not on them whome God hath punished with anye deformities or blemishes of nature For according to the saying of Salomon he that derideth the poore contemneth god his maker so is he very wicked which by tauntes and scornes nicketh them whom God hath chastened or afflicted with his hande Which thing is the cause that the lawe pronounceth them accursed that layeth a stumbling blocke in the blindes waye or curseth the deafe Let vs see what this Creple did before he was made whole He heard Paule preach and beleeued he should be made whole Whereby it appeareth that Paule preached of the saluation of christ Which when the creple heard to be confyrmed with many myracles he conceyued also good hope of his restitution who by like had also some secret suggestion of the holy spirite forasmuch as there is no promises vniuersall that promiseth health of bodye to all that beleeue in the name of christ Luke ment to shewe the cause of his saluation where he sayth hee beleeued For all the Scripture teacheth vs that by faith we are made partakers both of Christ and of all his benefytes and Christ many times teacheth vs the same saying when he healed any Be it done vnto thee according to thy fayth or thy fayth hath saued thee or made thee whole It is very worthy to be considered how fyrst it is sayde he hearde and afterwarde mention is made of his beliefe which he gatte by hearing the worde This teacheth vs after what sort and meanes fayth commeth vnto vs It is manifest that faith is the gift of God and that it consisteth not in the will eloquence or wisedome of manne For no man knoweth the father but the sonne and hee to whome the sonne will open him And God vseth men for Ministers and instrumentes of his worde when he meaneth to teach men his word according to that saying of Paule We be the Ministers of Cod by whome you haue beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue euery man grace Therfore whosoeuer will attaine vnto fayth must diligently harken to the worde of god For how shall they beleeue except they haue hearde howe shall they heare without a Preacher for faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God. Wherefore Christ ioyning both these togither sayth He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath life euerlasting These things serue for commendation of the outward word that we contemne it not nor imagine another word of God nor search for such wayes of fayth as the Saintes neuer knewe of Which who so doe they lye open commonly to the assaults of the Deuill and are troubled with marueylous illusions and fare like men which hearing howe God giueth the encrease of corne leaue of tillage a thing that God hath ordeyned for the maintenance of man. After this Luke sheweth the myracle For Paule well beholding this Creple perceyued certaine tokens of fayth in him which coulde not be without some secret working of the holy spirite For who is able by a mans countenance which is the most variable and deceyueable thing that is to iudge surely of any mannes faith it must needes therefore be the suggestion of the spirite that certifyed Paule of this lame mannes fayth Then turning about vnto him he giueth him perfyte helth of his body And as it is written in
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
things are obteyned which farre exceede the strength of man and where nature is constreyned to giue place So we reade that by prayer Moses deuided the waues of the redde sea By prayer he gaue the Amalekytes a great ouerthrowe Iames the Apostle testifieth that Elias through prayer locked the heauens that they gaue no raine and by the same opened them agayne Here in this place at the prayers of Paule and Silas the foundations of the prison are shaken gyues and manacles vnloosed and all the doores of the prison opened Wherevnto that which we hearde before of Peter which was deliuered out of prison at the prayers of the congregation is also like Let vs herewith comfort our selues in aduersitie that we be not ouercome of the threates of the worlde forasmuch as no man is able to take praying from vs which is of more force and efficacie as it well appeareth than any other thing And of the more force it is alwaye the more grieuously we are oppressed Likewyse let all men abstayne from oppressing of Innocents whose prayers and gronings we see are of such effect with God. Furthermore let vs see the principall effect of this myracle that is to saye the conuersion of the Iayler of the prison wherein the holye ghost thought good to set forth a generall example for all menne to imitate This conuersion hath in it certayne steppes and degrees which it shall be good for vs in order to consider Fyrst being waked with the earthquake he seeth all the doores opened and where he thought all the prisoners were fledde he drewe his sworde and was about to haue killed himselfe fearing the seueritie of the lawes which made it death for the Iaylers of prisons if any prisoners escaped through their negligence An example of which seueritie Herode before shewed vpon them which he set to watch Peter Thys keeper therefore mynding to escape open shame and being deceyued wyth the common errour of the Gentyles thought it woulde sounde to his great praise of manlynesse in auoyding infamy and shame to kill himselfe Thus had Satan bewytched mens mindes that they sought saluation in destruction and prayse in ignominie and shame Howbeit in deede there is nothing more pernitious and dishonest than to go about by violent death to throwe downe the burthen of the crosse that God layeth vpon vs and this kynde of feare doth vtterly declare cowardlye hearts and such as growe out of kinde which neyther can nor will suffer any thing Agayne thys is an euident argument of a desperate mynde forasmuch as no man will bereue himselfe of lyfe which of all other is the pleasauntest thing that man can wyshe or desire but he that before hande despayreth of the helpe and grace of God and as the example of Iudas the Traytor and such lyke abundantly declare Therefore Paule doth well to call vpon this keeper that he doe himselfe no harme And Christian menne must take heede that they harken not to the suggestions of Satan perswading them to kyll themselues For whatsoeuer colour or pretence he set vppon them yet in deede they are deuilyshe and daungerous bicause it is euident God wyll not the death of a sinner but rather that he shoulde conuert and lyue We are therfore taught by this example what kynde of lyfe they commonly lead which eyther serue the wicked or consent vnto them as it is euident this Iayler did of whome we intreate For beyng to obsequious and double diligent to execute the wicked commaundement giuen him of wicked Magistrates he putteth the Apostles in the stocks in the inner prison But being fast a sleepe as though all thing had bene safe such a chaunce falleth as putteth him in hazard both of body and soule Yea he had euen nowe vtterly perished had not the Lord of hys singular fauour reuoked him from destruction by Paule the preacher of saluation Let vs thynke that to be a notable very golden sentence whych is in the fyrst Psalme Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stande in the waye of sinners and hath not sitten in the seate of the scornefull c. Furthermore we haue in Paule an example of Christian charitie whych is so carefull for his saluation who not long before had so vncourteously and vniustly handled him Let vs imitate this doyng and loue those which hate vs and seeke their saluation that wishe our destruction So shall we be taken to be the true children of God the father which suffreth his sunne to aryse both vpon the good and the bad But let vs returne to the Iayler of the prison which Luke writeth was sodenly chaunged yea become altogither another man For after he heard the prisoners were not fledde but stayed by the hande of God comparing the boldenesse and playnnesse of the Apostles wherof the like hytherto had bene seene in no men with the present myracle being stryken wyth the inwarde inspiration of God he is altogither a whaped in hys minde For he beginneth to feele in himselfe howe grieuously he had sinned by his vngentle vsage of those whome he sawe God so greatly regarded Wherfore calling forthwith for lyght he goeth in vnto them falleth downe at their feete and at length bringing them forth which was contrary to the Magistrates commaundement sayth Syrs what must I doe to be saued Who will not here acknowledge the mightie hande of God which wrought all this matter Surely it must be ascrybed vnto God that he reuerenceth these men being scourged and put to open shame that he breaketh the wicked and vniust commaundement of the Magistrate and that he demaundeth the right way how to be saued Yea he teacheth by his example that those thinges must not lightly or negligently be passed ouer that God worketh myraculously in his seruaunts For there is nothing almost more pernicious than that amazednesse which maketh vs blynde in the manifest workes of god It is euident that this thing in time past brought Pharao to his destruction and at this day this hurteth many men that they iudge all thinges come to passe by fortune and chaunce and search not out the iudgements of God in the things which they see fall out beyonde the course of nature Let vs therfore alway diligently marke and search out the right way of saluation touching which we see this keeper nowe so profytably made inquirie For streyght wayes the Apostles aunswere him friendly and declare vnto him in fewe wordes the right and absolute way of mannes saluation saying Beleeue on the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy houshold They preach fayth onely and that fayth that stayeth vpon none other but Iesus Christ the onely author of saluation For in him is conteyned all satisfaction righteousnesse redemption and sanctifycation all which we obtayne none otherwayes than by fayth whych is the cause that the scripture teacheth we are iustifyed and saued by fayth wherof seeing we haue
Christ destroyed yet by the secret working of God they are compelled to let them go free So the Egyptians although they truely chaunged not their mindes were constreyned to let the people of Israell goe laden with Golde and siluer Herevnto is to be referred how Saul with his owne mouth pronounced Dauid to be iust and whome he had long sought to slay him being founde he dismyssed with the publike testimonie of an innocent So we reade the Apostles also were set at libertie in the Counsell at Ierusalem when yet none of the Senators had forsaken his former impietie Let this comfort vs against the incurable malyce of this worlde Let the wicked runne on as long as they will yet are they Gods instrumentes to vse at his pleasure and by them many times euen against their willes he vseth to set forth his glorye The keeper of the Prison telleth Paule what the counsell had degreeed being glad bicause he perceyued no craft in the matter For commonly such is the simplicitie of the children of light that they cannot alway see the meaning of the wicked And at this day many like vnto this keeper thinke all is well if they whose liues were in daunger beset at libertie and perceyue not in the meane season howe they go about to preiudice the Gospell wyth vnrighteous iudgements and to stop and hinder the course thereof Therfore Paule did much better thus stowtely to refuse the fauour offered by this wicked magistrate saying they haue beaten vs openly vncondemned for all that we are Romaynes and haue cast vs in Prison and now woulde they send vs away priuily Nay verily but let them come themselues and fet vs out In the which wordes he complayneth him of iniurie done to him and hys fellow Silas and to aggrauate the accusation the more he alleageth the Romane lawes wherein it was enacted that no man should vse any vyolence vppon the bodye of a Citizen of Rome before his cause were heard Further he woulde not priuilie be put out of the Citie but honorably Let no man for all this accuse Paule eyther of pride or impatiencie considering he hath verie good cause thus to doe For fyrst he hath a care that the doctrine of the Gospell be not charged with any wrong suspition which eyther might offende those that as yet were weake in the fayth or else giue occasion to open enemies to reproche the same For who would not haue thought that the Apostles had suspected their owne cause if it had beene bruted abrode that they had bene secretly fled Moreouer Paule thought he would put these fierce fellowes in a feare make them by this meanes to vse hereafter more aduisednesse and lesse crueltie towarde the members of Christ. Whereby we gather that christian paciencie is not to suffer the wicked to doe what they liste without comptrolement But rather their wickednesse must be reprooued and brydelled if by any meanes it maye commodiously be done Also the glorie of God and our innocencie must be defended bicause many times herewithall the saluation of many is imperilled Thus Christ calleth them that came out to take him with swordes and staues the ministers and fulfyllers of the power of darckenesse And he openly reprehended the Priestes seruaunt that smote him without a cause So therefore must we paciently suffer whatsoeuer aduersitie commeth vnto vs that yet we must not betray the cause of Christ and his truth nor otherwise dishonestly forsake the same Againe we are taught that the godly may vse the priuilege of positiue lawes for their defence as farre forth as they repugne not agaynst truth and religion For Paule who was most ready to suffer any thing for Christes sake would not haue alleaged the lawes of Rome if they had bene wicked So after this we shall heare howe he appealed vnto Caesar and vsed the lawfull defence of armour against that wicked conspiracie that intended to kyll him Therfore great is their iniustice which saye all vse of lawe is forbidden Christian men and all kinde of defending themselues by lawe and will haue them rashely to rushe into all kinde of daungers But what did the Magistrates of Philippi when they had heard Paule speake They were afrayde not for that they had done them wrong but bicause they vnderstoode they were Romaines whome they had so serued For they well knew what the seueritie of the Romaines was in defending their lawes and priuiledges in so much that as Cicero testifyeth agaynst Verres this saying I am a free man or Citizen of Rome helped and saued many in the farthest partes of the worlde euen among the barbarous people And surely next vnto religion there is no stronger hold and bande of common weales than fyrme and constant keeping of equitie and lawes Therefore their feare was not without a cause for it was the occasion that they forthwith came vnto them to excuse themselues of that they had done and courteously to bring them out of prison desiring them for the auoyding of further trouble they would vouchsafe to depart out of their citie Where likewise may appeare the condicions of the wicked which being touched with no feare of God feare onely men of more authoritie then themselues and seueritie of lawes And if they may freely without checke offende before men then dare they doe any thing Wherof there is none other cause then that they thinke there is no God that careth for mens doings But the godly are farre otherwise minded whose care being set on God they so detest the horror of sinne that if at any time they offende of infyrmitie they are feared more with the consideration of the offence commytted then of the punishment due for it In the meane season we learne by this example to what ende and passe the rashe iudgementes of wicked Magistrates come Surely to bring the authors thereof into perill and shame Hence came it that these Magistrates striken in feare bring them forth honoraably whome the day before they had ignomiously put to shame and thus accuse they their owne temerite and vnrighteousnesse There are many examples of lyke kinde the vse whereof is to teach Magistrates and whosoeuer beare authority to learne to brydle their affections and according to the prophane wryters saying to take good deliberation afore they go about that thing which they once intend to doe Moreouer this example teacheth vs that the force of innocencie is so great that it egregiously confoundeth hir fiercest enimies Therefore let vs labour for innocencie and let vs not doubt but we also by hir meanes shall tryumph ouer our enimies howe fyerce so euer nowe they shewe themselues to be Nowe remayneth the last part of thys hystorie touching the Apostles going away which they must needes doe considering there was henceforth no place for them in that citie Yet they so depart not as vtterly neglecting the congregation but fyrst they go to see the brethren gathered togither
can not be in rest and safetie bicause the insatiable auarice of Priestes exacteth tribute of them fayning that their soules are tormented and purifyed in the fornace of Purgatorie Is there not an vnknowne God worshipped amonge vs the God Maozim as Daniel sayeth whome all our fathers knew not which eyther is made of bread or chaunged into breade Would God men woulde nowe a dayes expende these thinges and learne what a miserable case it is to want the lyght of truth For whoso lacketh this lyght are both ignorant themselues of all things in religion and lose their labor before God which neyther can nor will be worshipped with mans traditions Let vs therefore harken vnto Paule and the Apostles whome God ordeyned to teach the blinde worlde his true religion and worship Furthermore Paule so teacheth al these things in the second part of his sermon that therwith also he confuteth the errors of the gentiles wherof sprang those errors which yet bewitch the world In the meane while although he had to do with most subtile Philosophers and curious men yet he disputeth not subtilly of Gods essence or nature which God himselfe testifyeth Exo. 33. is inscrutable but describeth God by his works teaching what we ought to beleeue of him and how to worship him God sayth he that made the world and all things therin conteyned seeing that he is Lorde of heauen and earth c. It seemeth he speaketh this agaynst the Epicures which affirmed the world was from euerlasting or else that all things came togyther by concurrence and meeting of motes togither and that God had no care of worldly things But Paule sayth that God is the creator and lord of the world and layth this for an infallible grounde of hys doctryne such as no man will denie but he that is voide of common reason Herofhe gathereth that templary religion was but a vayne thing which was of such pryce and authoritie among the Grecians that they hated the Persians for none other cause more than for that they euerywhere burned the temples in Greece bicause they sawe they serued more for superstition than godlinesse Thus reasoneth Paule He that is Lord of all things must needes be euerywhere But god as he is creator of all things so is he Lorde of all Therefore he is present euerywhere and so by consequence dwelleth not in Churches which are builded with mens handes But that which is sayde agaynst the Gentyles which iudged that religion stoode in the bewty and furniture of Temples and vnto them tyed the maiestie power and grace of God the same maketh agaynst all those which glorying in the honour of the true God are yet drowned in the dotage of this errour When Salomon had bestowed great costes and treasure in building of a Temple at length he sayth vnto God Behold the heauen of heauens is not able to conteyne thee howe much lesse this Church which I haue builded And God himselfe in Esay cap. 66. sayth Heauen is my seate and the earth is my footestoole where therefore shall this house bee that you will builde for me Ieremie sharpely reprehendeth the Iewes trusting in the religion of their Temple Yea Christ sayeth that true worshippers are not tyed vnto certayne and peculiar places but sheweth vs that they worship God euerywhere in spirite and in truth Here therefore are all pilgrimages taken away in the whych foolish menne of an heathenish error suppose saluation chiefely to stande And yet for all this we vtterlye condemne not the vse of Churches For they serue for outward religion which is necessary for the profession of fayth and for the nourishing of concorde and vnitie whyle we resort thyther to heare the worde of God that is to saye common prayers and to haue the sacraments ministred Wherevnto Temples must be so ordered that we must thynke it vnlawfull to pollute them with any kinde of prophane vsages But Paule continueth on in describing of God saying that God hath neede of nothing Wherevpon he gathereth that he is not worshypped wyth handes and that religion consisteth not in outwarde obsequies and duties of men He prooueth the Antecedent in that he sayth he giueth life and breath vnto all men By this argument he impugneth the vaine affiance in priests in whome our Auncestours reposed the chiefe part of religion It seemeth Paule tooke his argument out of Gods wordes where he accuseth the Israelites that thought he was worshipped and pleased with sacrifyces For he sayth I will take no Bullocke out of thy house nor hee Goates out of thy foldes For all the beastes of the forrest are mine and so are the cattelles vppon a thousande hilles I knowe all the fowles vpon the mountaines and the wylde beastes of the fielde are in my sight If I be hungry I will not tell thee c. But by this argument it appeareth all popish religion is condemned For what else doe they in that religion but being deceyued by wicked superstition take from the poore commended to vs by Christ the duties which they offer to Saintes that haue no neede yea which knowe vs not Yea the most of their oblations serue for Idols voyde of all senses or for Priests that liue wantonly and in ryot In the meane season superstition hath taken so deepe roote that it is thought a lesse offence to kill a man and robbe him than to take a peece of a vayle from an Idoll or the aultar to clothe a poore bodye with O maners O times But some man maye saye If God be not worshipped by sacrifyces why did he appoynt them for the people by Moses and commaunde them Let vs consider there were two kindes of sacrifyces The one was expiatorie for sinnes so called not for that sinnes coulde be purged by the bloude of Oxen and Gotes for that Paule plainly denieth Heb. 10. but for that they prefygured Christ whome all the holy and godly men beleeued shoulde dye for the sinnes of the worlde at a time long before appoynted They taught vs also that we shoulde slaughter and mortifye all beastlye affections and bring a contrite heart before God which Dauid testifyeth is the acceptablest sacrifyce that God requireth Another kinde of them was gratulatorie or of thankes giuing for benefytes receyued Yet all these for the more part consisted in bloud bicause as yet the bloud of Christ was not shed wherwith only the father shoulde be appeased This bloude therefore being shed and the mysterie of our redemption accomplished there remayned no more sacrifyce expiatorie or propitiatorie for sinnes For Christ his merite is sufficient and there is no neede of other sacrifyce as the Epistle to the Hebrues at large teacheth vs Yet Christians want not sacrifyces but yet vnbloudy for since the bloude of Christ was shedde there is no more vse eyther of beastes bloude or mannes in the things pertayning to the ordinary honouring of God. For they make themselues
Christ cryeth Repent you for the kingdome of heauen is at hande The Apostles preach likewyse by his commaundement And in the last of Lukes gospell he prescribeth the same order of teaching that fyrst repentaunce shoulde be preached in his name and then forgiuenesse of sinnes Which order all this booke and their Epistles doe sufficientlye testifye they diligently obserued Therefore they falsly and to impudentlye call themselues Gospellers which holde on in their former errors and licentiously followe vice and will not suffer the Ministers to reprooue their maners which is as though a man shoulde desire of the Phisition to maintayne his health but yet woulde not haue him withstande sickenesses and applye thereto conuenient dyet and remedies We are taught moreouer that no man is excused before God eyther through ignorance of his Predecessors or times passed For that our auncestors erred in the ages passed was through the iust iudgement of God which dissembled and bare with their errors But when he reuealeth his will it is certayne he will no longer beare with their error but requyreth repentaunce of all men Which thing whoso performeth not are contemners of the grace offred and therfore deserue most grieuous punishments This thing shoulde they well obserue that vnder the plausible pretence of forefathers and auncient superstitiousnesse persecute the Gospell with fyre and sworde But they shall neuer escape the iudgement of God whereof Paule reasoneth in this present place For he alleageth the cause wherefore God nowe reuealeth his worde vnto the Gentyles saying for he hath appoynted a day in the which he wyll iudge the worlde with righteousnesse c Thus he layeth before their eyes the auncient vsage of God which neuer punisheth any sinners but such as are abundantly tolde and warned before For he can doe nothing but he fyrst reuealeth the same vnto his seruauntes the Prophets We haue euery where examples not onely in the scriptures but also in the stories of the Gentyles so that we neede not here to stande long in rehearsall of them It is better for vs to consyder the order of the last iudgement which Paule briefly and plainly toucheth Fyrst bycause of Epicures their sectaries he declareth that God hath appoynted a day of iudgement bicause none should hickscornelyke deryde the mention therof which thing Peter teacheth vs certaine â—oâ—kers should doe And that that Paule sayth the whole consent of scripture prooueth Herevnto appertaine the things spoken in the last chapter of Daniel Which Christ also so often inculcateth And as it is sayde in an other place we must also come before the iudgement seat of christ This doth the iustice of God plainely requyre which coulde by no meanes stand if that iudgement were not where euery man shall receyue condigne rewarde according to his workes For in this worlde we see for the most part that the godly are afflicted without anye renumeration and the wicked rage and ryot without check Then he declareth who they be that shall be thus iudged naming all the worlde which we in the articles of our faith expresse by the quick and the dead Therefore none shall escape that day but as we sayde before we shall all come before the iudgement seate of god For there is no respect of persons with God neyther can any man bleare his eyes This thing ought to make great men which are puffed vp in worldly pride mindefull of modestie and humilitie Thirdely he declareth the maner and fashion of the iudgement saying he shall iudge with righteousnesse Therefore there shall be no place for colours or pretences but they that haue synned vnder the lawe shall beare the sentence of the lawe and they that haue sinned without lawe shall be condempned without lawe And euery man shall receyue according to that he hath done in his body This ought we to remember when the entisements of sinne and the fleshe creepe vpon vs which pull vs from doing our duetie when also the glorie and riches of this worlde prouoketh vs to sinne For what shall man giue for the redemption of his life in that daye when the most seuere Iudge shall pronounce sentence according to the tenor of iustice Finally he defyneth the Iudge by whome God shall iudge the worlde verâ—ly by the man whome he hath ordeyned So he calleth Christ bicause of his humaine nature meaning to vse the more tollerable name among the vnbeleeuing to the ende he might come by little and little to speake of the mysteries of christ It is not without a cause that the scripture euerywhere declares that Christ shall be our Iudge For this maketh very much for the comfort of the godly when they heare he shall be their Iudge who they knowe is their Sauiour and Byshop For hereof they gather that he shall rather be a reuenger than a Iudge for them as Iob calleth him And they are not afrayde of the sentence of damnation at his hande whome they beleeue was offered on the crosse for them Againe to the wicked it is a great terror when they thinke he shall come to be their Iudge whome they haue wickedly contemned For they shall looke vpon him whome they pierced and to their perpetuall hindraunce and losse shall be constrayned to abyde his iudgement whome they would not acknowledge to be their redeemer Nowe bicause Paule hath made mention of Christ he beginneth to intreate of his mysteries in which treatise no man maye doubt but he was more prolixe and diligent then is here mentioned Luke noteth the chiefe pointes onely which abundantly declare what Paules oration and doctrine was They are three in number First he sayth he was predestinate or appointed of God from euerlasting as is elsewhere sayd This appeareth by the promises which declare he was ordeined to be the sauiour of mankinde euen from the very beginning Hereof we gather as Paule otherwheres teacheth that saluation commeth of grace without anye our desert For what man is there which can bragge that he hath deserued from euerlasting that the sonne of God should be appointed to be his sauiour Secondly he sayth that God in Christ hath perfourmed his promise vnto all men meaning that in him the promises fygures and prophecies wherein long agone saluation was comprysed are fulfylled wherevnto Christ being ready to yeelde vp the ghost had a respect and sayd It is finished or perfourmed And after his resurrection he shewed that so it behooued thynges shoulde be perfourmed that the Scriptures might be fulfylled which are wrytten in Moses the Prophetes and Psalmes Where vppon we gather that they all fowly erre which shewe any newe or other waye of saluation than in christ For what else doe they but reprooue God and Christ of lying See touching this poynt 1. Iohn 5. He that beleeueth not God maketh him a lyer c. Thirdly he maketh mention of Christes resurrection meaning thereby to prooue that he is the God and iudge of
all men The which argument he vseth also Rom. 1. Under this also he comprehendeth all the whole businesse of our redemption For if he rose agayne surely he dyed and dyed as is sayde elsewhere for our sinnes but was raysed agayne for our iustification But bicause we haue oftentimes discoursed of these poyntes and haue occasion euerywhere to intreate more of the same these fewe shall suffyse for this present Now remayneth the effect of this doctrine which was diuers and variable according to the diuersitie of the hearers For some at the fyrst mention of the resurrection did mocke and scoffe at it namely they of Epicures sect wherof there are great numbers in these dayes Other somewhat better than these desired to heare him dispute againe touching this point therby declaring they had somewhat tasted of the truth There are againe other some whose hearts God had illuminated by his spirite to beleeue openly to ioyne themselues vnto Paule So euerywhere is fulfylled the saying of Paule that the Gospell is to some the sauour of death vnto death and to other some the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe Among those that beleeued is Dyonisius accounted a man of great dignitie as who was one of the number of the Iudges called Areopagitae Also Damaris a woman by all likelyhoode of great dignitie and estimation bicause mention is made of hir by name Wherefore the gospell is neuer preached without some fruite or profyte and although but a fewe beleeue at the fyrst yet great and famous congregations growe of small beginninges as hystories declare came to passe at Athens It is our duties not to be offended at the paucitie or small number of beleeuers but to embrace with thankefull mindes the gospell of saluation that it may bring forth in vs worthy fruites and that we maye attayne vnto saluation through the promises thereof by Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome bee prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xviij. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxx. Homelie AFTER this Paule departed from Athens and came to Corinthus and founde a certaine Iewe named Aquilas borne in Pontus lately come from Italy with his wyfe Priscilla bicause that the Emperour Claudius had commaunded all Iewes to depart from Rome and hee drewe vnto them bycause he was of the same craft he abode with them and wrought Their craft was to make tentes And he preached in the Synagoge euery Sabboth daye and exhorted the Iewes and the Gentyles When Sylas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paule was constrayned by the spirite to testifie to the Iewes that Iesus was very Christ. THe Euangelist Luke in the chapiter that went before shewed vs howe Athens was conuerted a very notable citie both by reason of the schoole of wisedome therein and also bicause of the manifolde fame of their religion Then next vnto this he handsomely ioyneth the hystorie of the conuersion of Corinth vnto Christ a most rich a most corrupt City in which hystory the power of the spirit of Christ and the efficacie of the gospell so brightly and woonderfullye shyned that Paule called the Church of Corinth the seale of his Apostleship For as Corinth aswell by reason of hiâ— situation betweene two seas was very rich and famous as also for merchandyzes and traffike there vsed so the baytes entycementes and number of merchauntes resorting thither from all partes and coastes infected the same wyth moste corrupt maners insomuch that the ryotousnesse thereof was nowe noted in publyke Prouerbes For when men woulde speake of persons giuen to great ryote and sensualitie they woulde saye they played the Corinthians And this was a common saying in all peoples mouthes Euery man maye not come vnto Corinth Among other vices there whoredome chiefely reigned wherevnto they were so giuen that in Venus Temple they had about a thousande Damosels and Nunnes for that purpose and afterward euen among them that had professed Christ there was one which vnlawfully kept company with his stepmother vntill by Paules censure and appoyntment he was excommunicated Into this Citie commeth Paule when he went from Athens and that not without the ordinance of God as the ende and successe declared For the Lorde which did vouchsafe to saue his elect out of the pumpe of sinnefulnesse by the preaching of the gospell had there a great many of people Moreouer this Citie giueth vs an ensample both of the goodnesse of God towarde sinners and also of the vertue or power of the Gospell For if a man woulde compare the abiect and base estate of Paule being but a straunger and vnknowne with the indurate custome of sinne with the glorious shewe of ryches with the abundaunce of delyghtes with the entycements of pleasures on euerye side and with the pompe and pryde of Merchauntes his attempt shall then seeme altogither ridiculous which woulde go about to reforme both their lyfe and religion at once But the thing that seemed ridiculous in the iudgement of the fleshe wanted not a most prosperous successe giuen by the Lorde For wythin an yeare and a halfe by the preaching of the Gospell the spirite of Christ therwith working Paule set a newe face vppon this Citie and vniuersallye reformed it a thing which no lawmaker of howe great authoritie so euer he had bene coulde haue bene able to haue perswaded them so that it is not without a cause that Paule reioyseth so much for the conuerting of this Citie considering he no where founde a more effectuall working of the Gospell than there Which also seemeth to mee to be the cause that Luke is so diligent in describing this hystorie insomuch that he prosecuteth at large the least circumstances thereof Which thing in other places eyther he vtterly letteth passe or else onely toucheth them lightly as it were by the waye This thing ought to stirre vppe also our diligent attention to consider the same First and foremost he maketh mention of the place where Paule hosted in the fynding out whereof I suppose Paule vsed some great circumspection bicause Christ gaue the Apostles a peculiar commaundement touching the prouiding them of commodious and fytte hostes Paule therefore founde an host called Aquilas which was a Iewe borne in Pontus who not long before by reason of Claudius the Emperors proclamation with his wyfe Priscilla was fayne to depart from Rome to come vnto Corinth For at that time the state of the Iewes was verye miserable bicause the vengeance of God followed them being embrued with the bloude of the sonne of god in al places It came to passe further also that they which denied Christ to be their sauiour were fayne euery day to seeke them newe sauiours and to make newe stirres and vprores so that all menne worthily hated them Aquilas therefore being violently caryed with the common calamitie of the whole Nation is also banished yet not without the prouidence of GOD which prepared Paule a lodging with him among the
so oftentimes founde God his ayder and helper is afrayde to go meete his brother Esau. Moses fearing the tyranny of Pharao flieth into Madian and scarce woulde returne againe into Egypt at Gods calling Iosue a valiant warrier discomfyted with one ouerthrowe of his people declareth the feare he had conceyued in his minde by vnmanly weeping and mourning We reade howe Dauid which being but a stripling ouercame Goliath after he was a man growen and had gotten many victories feared oftentimes the threates and attemptes of Saule Helias whome neyther the sight and tyrannie of Achab nor furie of the people coulde withholde from killing the Priestes of Baal being afrayde at the threates of one syllye woman which was Iesabel tooke him to hys heeles and desired god he might die What shall I speake of Peter who being not afrayde of a company of harnessed men was quite dismayde at the worde of one symple wench and denyed Christ Manye like examples might be rehearsed which we repeate not to the ende to detect the infyrmities and falles of holy men but bicause the consyderation of them serueth not a little for our instruction For both we knowe our owne infyrmitie thereby the knowledge wherof maketh vs not to trust to much in our selfe and we are admonished of charitie that we rashly condemne not men which otherwise haue deserued well if they seeme to doe otherwise than becommeth them For God will haue the tokens of common imperfection appeare euen in them also that we be not to much addicted vnto them and so forgette the grace of God which by them had wrought singular workes In the meane season we must helpe them with our prayers that eyther they may beware they fall not or else that they may by Gods grace speedily rise agayne For this deutie did Christ vse towardes his Disciples as the Gospell declareth Luc. 22. Iohn 17. But let vs consider Gods person which by and by comforteth him being in this feare although there is no mention made that he did call vppon God therefore For God doth not onely heare them which open their desire of minde by crying but he seeth the secret sobbes and gronings of the heart and helpeth comforteth them And so is it very needefull he should bicause oft times it commeth to passe that we are so compassed on euery side with aduersitie that we are not able in words to declare the desire of our hearts Then is fulfylled that that God promiseth by his Prophete Esay cap 65. It shall come to passe that or euer they call I shall aunswere them while they are yet but thinking howe to speake I shall heare them So the Lorde speaketh to Moses standing by the redde sea why cryest thou Yet we reade of no worde he spake This is a great argument of the goodnesse of god For as God knoweth whereof we haue neede so he vseth to helpe vs in season and time and although he sendeth vs temptations to teache vs our infyrmitie and to enflame vs the more vnto godlynesse yet he tempereth the same with comfort that we be not vtterly swallowed vp of sorowe Let no man therefore despayre to soone seeing God hath infynite meanes whereby to comfort and helpe vs And here in this place he thought good to vse both vision and Oracle both which were very needefull bicause Paule had no man to comfort him and sawe many causes which might make him thinke that so corrupt a Citie had no regarde of god The words that God here spake conteyne in them three poyntes of euerye whereof we will intreate orderlye First he taketh away the cause of all this euill where he biddeth him not to feare This kind of precept is often times mentioned in the scripture For so sayth god vnto Moses being dismayed at the meeting of the king of Basan To Iosue also being redy to ioyne battayle with the fyue kings it was sayd Be not afrayd of them And the Lord sayth vnto Ieremie when he called him to the office of a Preacher Be not afrayde of their faces c. Christ also biddeth the Apostles that they shoulde not feare those which killed the bodye but coulde not hurt the soule I omitte diuers places of this sort The cause why God so oftentimes forbiddeth his seruauntes to feare is for that there is nothing of more efficacie to pull menne from doing their dutie than feare For assoone as feare is once conceyued in the heart the light of reason is so blemished that it cannot see what is needefull to be done and no deuises or counsels are more vncertaine than such as persons in feare and perplexitie take in hande And if they stande throughly in feare then maketh it men shamelesse also so that for feare of losse of lyfe or goodes they committe moste mischieuous actes and many times they incurre a greater daunger for the auoyding of a perill present Bicause this thing falleth vppon priuate men howe much more necessary is it that men in publike office shoulde be bolde and voyde of feare For if these men offende it is not against them selfe onely but against other also whome God hath committed vnto their charge Which was the cause that the wise man Iethro required boldenesse of minde in Iudges Therefore God did verye aptly make his beginning of comfort in this place In the second part he commaundeth him what to doe Speake sayth he and holde not thy peace Here no manne must thinke that God vsed any superfluitie of wordes He ioyneth these two togither bicause many times diuers speake and yet holde their peace whiles they speake such thinges as they thinke no man will be offended with and in the meane while keepe silence of such things which they ought by Gods commaundement to speake The meaning therefore of the commaundement is that he shoulde preach the gospell plainly and dissemble or keepe close none of the thinges conteyned in the same although he wist many woulde be displeased therwith By this let all Ministers learne that they haue not done their dutie if they preach the worde of God except they preach it all and that plainely and so applye it vnto euery man that he maye thinke it spoken vnto him For as he is an vntrusty ambassadour which speaketh nothing but that he is commaunded and yet vttereth not euery thing but for fauour of some persons omitteth many things so can he not be iudged to be a faythfull Minister of Christ that leaueth out neuer so small a portion of the Gospell to please men with See what is sayde hereof Iere. 1. Ezech. 3. and .33 Math. 28. In the thirde part he sheweth very graue and effectuall reasons wherof this is the fyrst for I am with thee This one reason ought to be sufficient against all daungers For whereas God is almightie they can want nothing with whome he is present For what are Creatures able to doe against God without whose power they cannot stande
to go on in the religion receyued of your forefathers Since all these be things cleare and out of question it becommeth you to be quiet and to doe nothing vppon a heade and without aduise But the Towneclarke coulde not be ignoraunt that Paule by his doctrine impugned the worship of Diana But of a politike wit he dissembleth all these things thinking this sufficient to appease them to let them vnderstande howe they were vrged or compelled by no publike authoritie to forsake their olde religion And as we sayde erewhyle thys politike man seeketh onely how to bring downe this sedition at ones which he sawe beganne to growe so hote which thing he supposed to bringe to passe more commodiously by craftie dissembling of the matter than by open disputation which the seditious woulde haue little regarded Here we may not omit that he sayth the Image came downe from heauen For hereby it appeareth it was a cōmon opinion among the Ephesians that they thought Dianas Image was sent downe from heauen For after Satan had bewitched men with his iuglings so that they presumed to chaunge the glorye of the immortall God into the forme of Creatures then deceyued he them euerye day with newe fetches and deuises for the surer establishing of his kingdome Hereby he perswaded them that the Image of Pallas came downe from heauen that through hir protection they gate the victories which they had So was it thought that the shielde which the Romaynes vsed as the armes and scutchion of the Empyre in the reigne of Numa their king came downe from heauen Unto the which this that the Towne clarke sayth of the Image of Diana at Ephesus may worthily be ioyned But it had bene tollerable if the Deuill in times past with such sleyghts had deluded but the heathen onely so that we had not seene the like among Christians also For who knoweth not the fable of the Chappell at Lauretum myraculously conueyed ouer the sea Who is ignorant of the Chappelles that God himselfe and his Aungels haue dedicated There are to be seene diuers Images of the virgin mother which the Monkes most impudently affirme Luke painted where as the hystories declare he was a Phisition and no Painter Wherevnto are to be referred whatsoeuer myracles are tolde of Images in Monkes bookes whereof they say some remooued out of their place some coulde not be remooued some wepte some prophecied and other some had some notable properties or other By the which maye plainely be gathered what a ranke crop of errors vseth to spring of Images where they are once receyued and worshipped so that it was not without a cause that Lactantius sayde there could be no religion wheresoeuer any Image was Which also is the chiefe cause that all the Scripture is so diligent and earnest in oppugning them so that it is woonderfull how it commeth to passe that so many are founde to defende them seeing there are so many vnhappye Presidentes of superstition euerywhere in euery mannes eyes This being premised whereby he thought their moodie mindes were somewhat asswaged he plainly rebuketh them and accuseth them of great rashenesse in that he apprehended and layde handes on Caius and Aristarchus being straungers and knowing no cause why saying ye haue brought these men hyther which are neyther robbers of Churches nor yet despysers of your Goddesse So perhaps he might truly saye of them bicause they tooke not vpon them to teach But of Paule he shoulde not haue sayde true who earnestly inueyed against the worship and ydolatrie done to Diana as may easily be gathered by that he did at Athens And it is credible he would not haue suffred this defence of the Towneclarke if he had bene present For he being enflamed with the zeale of God thought any thing intollerable that made against the glory and honor of god In the meane whyle the Towne clarkes wordes declare what faultes for the most part are laide to the Ministers charge namely Sacriledge and blasphemie against God and the Saintes These things we heare commonly in our dayes neyther are we decked with any other names or tytles at their handes that are the professed enimies of the Gospell But if a man woulde throughly weygh the matter they are both false For they be Church robbers which eyther by stelth conuey away the goodes dedicated to God and to his Church or else violently inuade them and conuert them to prophane vses But who doth this more impudently than Popes Bishoppes Monkes Priestes and the other of this marke For to say nothing howe they prouide for their kinsfolke commonly of the Church goodes let vs consider their families and it shall appeare that the greatest part of the Church goodes is spent vpon Harlottes Dyce Horses Houndes and a lubberlyke sort of seruantes yea they disdaine vs for no cause so much as for that we labor by preaching of the gospell to restore the goodes to Christ and his Church againe For we defend not them which vnder a colour of the Gospell prouide and satisfye their auarice of the Church goodes Againe they are blasphemous against God and the Saintes which abuse the name of God and robbe the Saintes of their due honor It is as manifest as can be that they doe both these rather than we For they abuse the worde of God and the name of Christ to establishe their ydolatrie and tyrannie They giue vnto Creatures the honour due vnto god They accuse the faith and doctrine of the Saintes of heresie and vse both fyre and sworde against their bookes and them that follow them And in the meane season go about to defame vs of sacriledge and of blasphemie But oh the iniquitie of our times Among the Ephesians was founde an Heathen to defende the innocent And nowe adayes amongst the professors of Christ are scarce anye that will testifye the innocencie of Christes Ministers Let vs marke also howe the Towneclarke sayeth these men are no Church robbers nor blasphemers for surelye he woulde haue iudged them worthy of punishment if they had bene such For although the Gentyles sometime greatlye erred in the faith and in religion yet the lawe of nature was of great force amongst them which declared that robbers of Churches and blasphemers ought to be punished But nowe a dayes all things are so farre out of frame that the faythfull defenders of the Gospell are in more daunger than those which pollute the Church with manifest sacriledge and blasphemie But let vs consider the later part of this Oration where he prescrybeth a maner and fourme to be followed as well in priuate matters as publike saying But if Demetrius and the Craftes men with him haue anye matter agaynst any man the lawe is open and there are Rulers let them accuse one another Thus he accuseth them all of iniustice in that they make a publike case of a priuate and belonging vnto a fewe persons and endaunger themselues for another mannes cause Then adding
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
offred very holyly although he nothing doubted of the truthe of God which promised him the kingdome Likewise did Ezechias yea Chryst him selfe sticked not to flye while he knew his houre was not yet nigh neither would he cast him selfe downe from the pynacle of the Temple at Sathans bidding although he alleaged the promise of God which was of most authoritie with Chryst. Yea he furnisheth hys disciples with most large promises yet he warneth the same diligently to beware of men Therefore the errour of suche as abuse the prouidence of God to maintayne their temeritie and licentious boldnesse and vnder pretence hereof wickedly contemne not only al forecast wisedome but suche meanes beside as God hath ordeined is both shamefull and wicked Wee must rather auoide the inconuenience of distrust least we be ouercome therof and turne vnto vnlawfull meanes but in the meane while vsing the lawful meanes prouided of God let vs coÌ„mit al the successe vnto the good and holy will of god For so shall we walke safelyest in the middle of the way auoyding aswell too much confidence as diffidence as Paule doth in this place both wisely and godly and therfore is allowed of god This example teacheth vs moreouer that it is lawfull for godly and christian people to demaunde ayde of the Magistrates and to besech them of armed defence if neede shall so require Neither are suche men to be harkened to that say Chrystes kingdome must not be set foorth by warre seing we are commaunded not to resiste euill For we do not aske lawfull defence of the magistrate bicause our meaning is by fight to enlarge Christes kingdome but require his office duty which if he be a good magistrate he ought not to deny vs which the godly people may vse without the breach of faith religion For it is euident that magistrates are appointed of god that for good purpose â—hat the sworde is not in vayne committed to them of god Reade Rom. 13. And God promysed by Esay that kinges should be Nourices of hys Churche As touching Chrystes precepte forbidding vs to resiste euill he mente not thereby to take from the Magistrate his lawfull function but forbiddeth priuate men greedy desire of reuengement which vseth to violate and breake publike lawes and disturbeth all kind of amitie peace friendship Therfore Paule doth wel in seeking the Captaynes ayde and he refuseth not the armour of the souldiours wherby he sawe the craftie awaytes of the Iewes mighte be preuented and repressed And he had bene in no faulte if the Souldiours and Conspirators had met and committed slaughter on both sydes but rather all the faulte shoulde haue light vpon those wicked persons which were the beginners of so wicked an enterprise But if it were lawful for Paul to vse the defence safegard of the Romane garrison then doubtlesse are they very seuere controllers of the faith which blame Ministers in these dayes that seeke the ayde and succour of christian Magistrates and require of them that duetie that an Heathen Captayne thought was not meete to deny to the Apostle of Chryst. But let vs let Paule passe and come to the Centurion whose intercession he vsed He calleth hym vnto hym and desireth him to bring the yong strippling vnto the vpper Captayne which he accomplisheth very gently and readily For God vseth to get his people fauour in the sight of straungers and by his secret working procureth them the good will of men So Ioseph in time pasâ—e was in great fauour with Potiphare And wee reade that the Israelites easily obtayned of the Egyptians the costlyest things they had bicause God had gotten his people fauour in their sights These things ought to make vs desirous of godlinesse bicause we see that the more duetifull we shewe our selues to bee vnto God the more gentle and fauourable we fynde men vnto vs For God can easily at his pleasure get vs the good wil of men Also we must imitate this Centurion after his example willingly to helpe those that be in affliction or calamitie Reade Math. 25. But O the detestable wickednesse of our dayes where men are growen into suche vngodlynesse that a man shall scarcely obteyne of Christians that that Paule so easily obteyned of an Heathen souldiour For many nowe a dayes are ashamed of the Captiued for Chrystes sake and for this cause onely regarde them not least by dooing any thyng in their cause they should runne in suspition themselues But let vs see what the Captayne dyd in Paules cause where in an heathen man appeare tokens of singular vertues God doubtlesse working in his minde which ment to deliuer his Apostle out of the hands and awaytes of these conspiratours First he vseth a singular curtesie not repelling the strippling that came vnto him nor frowning when he herd the name of the Captiue but taketh him by the hande and leadeth him aside and asketh him friendly wherefore he was come Which example all men in office and authoritie ought to vse seeing this is not one of the least commendations in them to let all men haue an easie accesse vnto them and to heare their Subiectes causes gently and paciently For in so dooing they resemble the propertie of God who of his own voluntary and accorde calleth vs and hath his eares open alwayes to the prayers of the afflicted And doubtlesse where a number for feare or shame can not declare their mindes before men in aucthoritie it behoueth to encourage them with signification of humanitie and good will that their preposterous shame or feare hinder them not Agayne the Captayne ioyneth wisedome with curtesie which may hereby be perceyued that he easily beleeueth the young man although there were many things which might haue caused him to suspect the message But where he had many times before perceyued the maliciousnesse of the Iewes and by their first proceedings easily vnderstoode what hatefull myndes they bare vnto Paule he easily suspected there might be suche among them as the yong man described Yea suche was his humanitie that he disdained not to be counseled by the yong man warning him that he shoulde not bring Paule out vnto them Here haue Princes and Rulers also what to imitate For as ouermuch credit which hath in it a kinde of lightnes is to be auoyded so must they not be to hard of credit specially if they heare probable reasons alleaged But rather let them wisely and with present mynde be ready at all assayes lest as it oftentimes happeneth with their hardnesse of beleefe they bring either theyr common weales or els good men in hazarde and daunger Finally we may see great industrie and diligence in this Captaine seeing he omitteth nothing making for this present busines For he wysely requyreth the yong felowe to saye nothing of the matter least the bewraying thereof might giue the Conspiratours an occasion to take a new way and deuise Next he sendeth for two Centurions and
wold haue that he prophecied proued set forth by the exaÌ„ples of his apostles that we shold be the lesse offended if at any time the like hapned to vs also For as the Apostles suffred al kindes of persecution aduersities so they teach by their example what it becoÌ„meth vs to doo when we be tried by persecutions teÌ„ptations And this is the cheef vse end of al this present matter of the whole history folowing But in this place there is no more rehearsed but the first act against Paul all the circuÌ„stances wherof we shal now examine He beginneth with the discription of the persons that appeared before Felix the Lieutenaunt And of one side stoode Ananias the high Priest the Elders and Tertullus a famous Orator greatly exercised in pleading by reason of his long practise And on the other syde Paule alone and in bondes and for many causes before suspected In this place appeareth againe as we haue often times already declared who are commonly the cheefe enimies of the truthe and of the ministers thereof and with what weapons they fight verily euen they which will seeme to be the greatest mainteyners both of religion and the common weale and amongst them such as make marchaundize of religion For the historie of the Gospel teacheth vs euerye where that Paules aduersaries in this place were euen such And these kind of men for the most part vse to excell in experience in wisedome in vtteraunce and in power aucthoritie for the which cause they haue many that fauour them folowe them Contrariwise the ministers of truth as they be fewe in number so commonly they are of small fame and estimation contempned and despised of all men as who seeme of bitternesse of minde or of ignorance rather than of godlines and loue of mens saluation to withstande the worlde But that it hath alway bene the godlies happe in this world being but few despised persons to cope with numbers in power and aucthoritie is to be seene by the examples of all ages Thus Moses and Aaron were matched with the Magitians of Egipt who were fauoured and defended with the kings aucthoritie and had all the Nobilitie of Egipt on their side So Elias alone encountreth with foure hundreth and fiftie Priestes of Baal and with almost as many Chaplins of the woodes and groues before Achab a most wicked Iudge And we read that Micheas not long after that was faine to set himselfe against foure hundreth false Prophetes Here might also be alleaged the histories of other Prophetes and Apostles of Christ himselfe whiche for breuities sake we omit bicause they that reade the scriptures hitte on them euery where We haue rather to consider the ende of these thinges wherof we shall receyue great profit vtilitie For first they serue for the instruction of euery maÌ„ that we should not iudge of faith or religioÌ„ according to the multitude or aucthoritie of theÌ„ that folow it as we see now adaies men coÌ„monly do But if we graunt theÌ„ this then shal not only Paule take the foile who being but one was accused by the priests Elders but also al the prophets with Christ his Apostles shal be in dauÌ„ger Yea we shal prefer the Turks before the ChristiaÌ„s which far passe vs both in territories dominions in multitude of natioÌ„s in victories other prosperities successe Wherfore we must rather herkeÌ„ vnto Christ which calleth his faithful a litle flock saith the few enter into the narow gate but heapes rashe into destruction through the broader waye Againe the coâ—syderation of these thinges doth not litle comfort vs that we be not afrayde although wee alone be sometime constrayned to stande agaynste manye both of great power glorye and aucthoritie For he that in thys place strengthened Paule will stande by vs also being in lyke daunger For we haue large promyses wherein he promyseth vs the prompting of hys spirite a mouth and wisedome against whiche no aduersaries shall be able to resist See Luke 21. Mat. 10. Mark. 13. But let vs heare Tertullus the Oratour whose Oration consisteth cheefl ye of three pointes The first is the beginning wherein he doth not as arteficiously as craftilye and impudently purchase him selfe beneuolence and good will partlye flattering Felix to his face and partelye the Iewes For they saye they may thanke him for the peace and quietnesse which they liued in and for that through his care and prouidence so many miseries were euery day redressed Againe they confesse they acknowledge this his goodnesse and benefites with thankes giuyng Yet do they lye egregiously in both For we haue hearde before how Felix gouerned the Cuntrey as naughtely as could be how he did infinite things cruelly and vniustlie and in all places where he came committed Whoredome and Murther and prophane wryters abundantly declare the same Againe it is euident to all men that haue but meane knowledge in histories that the Iewes also about these tymes made often and many rebellions agaynst the Romanes And yet the most vaine man is not ashamed to lye and by praising the tyranne dishonestly betraye his whole Nation whose commendation he should most earnestlie haue regarded But therefore do they falsely commende their quiet estate of gouernement to bring Paule the more in hatred with Felix as though hee were a disturber of publique peace and tranquillitie And in them it easelie appeareth what the bitternesse of hatred is once conceyued against the truthe For where the worlde hateth nothing so muche as the truethe bycause the light thereof reproueth theyr euill woorkes therefore it can suffer and beare most cruell enimies rather than the truth they thinke tyrannes tollerable ynough so they will put to their helpe in oppressing the truth So they preferred Tiberius Caesar a cruell and voluptuous tyraunt before Christe our Sauiour when they sayde they had none other king but Caesar. Yea they were not ashamed to preferre Barrabas a Murtherer and Captaine of a secte of Rebels before christ And this vntowarde and peruerse inudgement is no newe thing in the worlde For we reade that the Israelites in the wildernesse in time past offended and withstode Moses likewise maruellousâ—ie commending the seruitude of Egipt by reason of the Melons Amonds garelike fleshe such like things that land did abound in and disdained that state of life in the which euery houre God declared new tokens of his beneuolence good will like most miserable vnhappy men And would God we had not the like examples in our daies where meÌ„ woÌ„derfully extol the great peace we liued in in yÌ„e time of popery say yÌ„t the preching of the gospel hath marred altogither but in the mean seson they can craftily disseÌ„ble the bloudy wars that the Popes haue ben cheefe procurers of this many hundred yeares and will make no mention of suche greeuaunces as haue miserablye weakened both the goodes and consciences of
order First we haue to consider Festus who perceiuing that the Iewes alleaged no matter but meere slaunders and that Paule was innocent yet notwithstanding minded to gratifie theÌ„ with the plesure that they requested Whereby it may easily be coniectured that he was eyther brybed or else fayre promised seeing his minde was so altered vppon the sodayne But whether he had intelligence of the awayte they layde for Paule or no it is euident he dyd vniustly Yet he cloketh his vniust dealing maruellous craftily For least he should seeme to graunt the Iewes any thing but that was requisite and iuste he demaundeth of Paule whether he wyll goe vp to Ierusalem or no and there he promyseth he wyll heare the matter meaning onely to get the good will of the Iewes heereby and to auoyde all maner of hatred and enuy By thys example wee are taught howe easily they are corrupted that wante the knowledge and feare of god For where by nature wee are prone vnto euill euery little occasion setteth vs on cogge vnlesse wee be pulled backe with the feare of God as with a bridle Hereof this Festus is a singular example which thus sodaynly beguyleth men of that notable hope which they had conceyued of him Therefore wee muste not put our truste in any suche men For although sometime they shewe some notable signification and likelyhoode of vertue yet not long after they fall agayne to their olde nature For that that we see here in Festus the same the Scriptures report was in Pharao Saul Achab and diuerse other wicked persons This place moreouer teacheth vs what a plague in iudgement respect of persons is when we goe about to winne the fauour of men For heereby Felix obscureth all hys former prayse and of a moste iuste Iudge which he seemed a little before to be becommeth a cruell murtherer going about to gratifie them which had in their minde deuised the death of an innocent man We haue lyke examples in the histories of all nations Therfore it is not without a cause that both Gods law and mans forbiddeth Iudges to haue respect of persons And surely it is meete and conuenient that they which are in Gods steede should resemble Gods properties conditions whom all the scriptures with one consent beare witnesse to haue no respect of persons But what dothe Paule which seemeth scarse able to escape this daunger he perceiueth whervnto the matter tendeth euen by reuelation of the spirite which Chryste promised should be an aduocate to his seruauntes Therfore he speaketh freely and with strong reasons refelleth the vniuste request of Festus Fyrste I stande sayth he at Caesars iudgement seat theâ—e I ought to be iudged Hereby he declareth that the iniurie should redounde vnto Caesar if he should be taken from his iudgement seate deliuered to the Iewes to be iudged This ought gouernors of Countreys all other inferiour officers to imitate knowing that the faultes they commit contrary to equitie and lawe redoundeth vpon those which haue put them in office and that they are therefore worthy at their hands to be greeuously punished Hereof among the auncient Romanes proceeded that seueritie of censure wherwith they thought good to brydle and keepe vnder the licenciousnesse of Magistrates A notable example wherof Porâ—ius Cato shewed vpon L. Flaminius whom he put out of the nuÌ„ber of the Senators bicause he beheaded a certaine condemned person within his circuit appoynting a time to execute him at the plesure of an harlot which he loued For those most graue and wise men would not haue the maiestie of their Empire to be blemished or stained with the concupiscence of light persons Nowe a dayes bicause preachers winke at euery thing tiranny reigneth in euery place and the authoritie of Magistrates decayeth euery where but hereof we shall speake another tyme Now let vs go on in Paules answere who sayth in the seconde place To the Iewes haue I done no harme Whervpon he gathereth that it were not reason that he should be iudged according to their lawes and priuileges Touching his innocencie he calleth the President him selfe to witnesse which might easily perceiue the same by his apologie or defence Thirdly he reasoneth by a strong argument called a Dilemma If I haue deserued death I refuse not to dye but if not no man hath power to deliuer me beeing innocent to the pleasure of myne enimies And so when he had alleaged these reasons he appealed vnto Caesar both bycause he had no more hope in Festus and also bycause he knew by warning of the Oracle that it was Gods appoyntment that he should beare witnesse of Chryste before Caesar also By which example we are firste taught that the godly are compelled by no rules of Christian pacience to yeelde themselues rashly to the pleasure of the vngodly yea rather it is lawfull for them to auoyde manyfest daungers if so they may doo it with safe conscience and the obedience which they owe vnto Chryst. Thus where they would before haue scourged him he put them off by order of lawe and throughe counsell of the Captayne he defeated the murtherers that had conspired agaynst him Therefore the errour of them is foolish which abusing the words of Peter where he biddeth vs be ready to yelde a reason of our faith to euery one that demaundeth it thinke the Ministers of the worde ought to be brought before Popish councels there to render a reason of their fayth where no reason is admitted but playne tirannie reigneth Whose opinion if it be allowed then must wee say Paule dyd vniustly which chose rather to declare his fayth at Rome than at Ierusalem But he did therein both godly and wisely following the Oracle of God whom the auncient doctours Athanasius and Ambrose rightly followed wherof the one would be iudged onely at Milane where he had taught and preached the other could neuer be persuaded to commit his cause vnto suspected councels but thought it more for his safetie and prayse to flee than to tarry among those which he knew had long before conspired agaynst the truthe Moreouer this also is to be obserued that Paule so shunneth this daunger that yet he hath a diligent consideration of his innocencie Let all they that are godly do the like but specially they which are ministers of the Gospel least while they incoÌ„siderately prouide for their life they bring their good name in hazarde and so through their occasion cause the Gospell be euill spoken of Thirdly he proueth by a new example that that hath ben oftentimes declared namely that it is lawful for Christian men to wage their lawe and to flee to the prerogatiue of Princes when necessitie so requireth For Paule which before had set the priuiledge of Rome agaynst open force vseth nowe the benefite of appeale which can seldome be done without some reproche of the Iudge much more of the party plaintife Therefore certayne braynsicke persons abuse the words of Chryst and of
ennimies vnto religion But bicause suche come not as learners but as iudges and comptrollers and bring with them the opinions they haue conceiued before it cannot be that the gospel doth any thing profite them the ende whereof Paule saith is to captiuate all the wisedome of the flesh and to bring it in obedience to the faith Therfore we must bring with vs humble and lowly mindes and desirous to learne if wee will receiue any profite thereby See Luke 8. Againe we are taught by this Example what to iudge of them which come to Sermons and Churches in pompous attire and araye These are like vnto Agrippa and Bernice and giue no litle offence For first it is a great token of lightnesse in them that they remember not howe they are but mire and clay and that the beginning of apparell proceeded first of sinne so that it were more meete for vs to humble our selues in them than to shew any pride therin Another occasion of offence there is in that we be the aucthors that other folishly imitate vs or else conceiue wanton imaginations or else minister occasion to the porer sort to be impacient and to murmure againste god Therefore we incurre that horrible sentence of God which pronounceth that terrible woe against suche as giue other occasion of offence Furthermore it is a token of a certaine beastly dulnesse and of a minde too too vntowarde to shewe pride in the sight of God where we ought to shewe moste lowlinesse For who would not say he were out of his wittes which should come before a Prince to aske pardon of his trespasse in proud apparell and with sturdie and lofty countenance And yet we come vnto the Church to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes and to heare the woorde of saluation in all insolent and proude manner Uerily Christ forbiddeth vs to be carefull for nedefull apparell With what face therefore can we make garments of suche sundry sortes deuises to set out our pride See what Esay saith in his third Chapiter at large touching this offence But let vs consider Paule which at Festus commaundement is brought forthe bounde in chaines as appeareth by his owne saying yet not as a guiltie person before iudges but as a teacher and preacher Heere in this sight or shew appeareth the wonderfull counsel of God where an assembly of most honorable personages glittering in golde purple and scarlate abide the comming of Paule looking like a prisoner pale and wanne and dragging his chaine after him in his hande Yea God offereth vnto him being thus in bandes a singular occasion to behaue himselfe boldly in the quarell of his name Whereby it appeareth howe the wicked can nothing preuaile with their enterprises and deuises For what other thing went the Iewes about hitherto but to take from Paule all occasion of preaching and so to extinguishe all his doctrine But they so little preuaile heereby that rather by their meane he is brought before a great and honorable assembly before whome otherwise he shuld neuer haue had opportunitie to haue preached Let these things serue to comfort vs among the terrors of this world For why should we henceforth feare the world seeing God is of as great power in these dayes to defend his people and to promote his word Chefely we haue in this place to cōsider Paul which as the sequele declareth was bolde and couragious of minde for he was not dismaide at the sight of the king the nobilitie But he declareth his matter so stoutly that though he were in bands yet he put his auditors in no litle feare and greatly moued the king in his minde The like thing we saw hapned before in Felix These things teach vs that Gods word can not be bound although his ministers be in prison and in bandes For the aucthoritie or effect therof dependeth not vpon man For the spirit of god bloweth wher it wil and is not subiect to the vaine pleasure of man We are taught also what we haue to do in like case Let vs boldly defend Christes cause not passe a strawe for the aucthoritie and tiranny of this world For the cause we haue in hand is iust and good and vpon it dependeth all our saluation And it is not our cause but Gods who can easily defend the same And it is not we that hādle it but the spirit of God which worketh and speaketh in vs according to the promisse of Christ. Who therfore wil withstand the spirit of God Who will thinke to preuaile against it Or who being comforted and holpen therby wil let him selfe be ouercome of cowardly feare Last of all Festus setteth Paule before Agrippa the residue of his hearers and repeateth in few words his cause and the end of this present accusation For this saith he is he whom all the Iewes required to haue put to death which yet in his iudgement had committed nothing worthy of death Howbeit bicause he had appealed vnto Caesar he desired that they wold diligently heare him weigh euery thing that he might haue some mater of certaintie to wryte to Caesar of him After this sort the Romane President causeth Paule to be diligently heard which thing was not don without the prouidence of god In the meane season we haue a new testimony of Paules innocency which it behoued many times thus to be defended bicause God forsaw that in all ages his doctrine shuld haue greuous enimies Here apeareth also the incurable malice of the Iewes which ceased not to require an innocēt to be put to death For thus they folow their forfathers at the hard heeles who as we read with like impudēcy required the death of Christ the sonne of god Pilate being much against it Therfore they are vtterly ouerthrowne by the iust iudgement of God made a common exāple vnto al men as Christ many times prophesied shuld happen vnto them Moreouer we haue to consider Festu◠saying which thinketh it a point of absurditie to send a prisoner and not to declare wherof he is accused wherfore he was put in prison These things teache vs that we must so deale with prisoners that we may haue ful perfit certificate of all things For we must not deale rashly in matters of life death Seing that an hethen man vnderstode thus much what shall it become those magistrates to do which professe the name and word of Christ And with what moderation of minde becommeth it vs to entreat al captiues seing we know that whatsoeuer benefite or harm we do them the same we do vnto Christ himself But wold to God our aduersaries in these dais wold vse this equitie towards the seruantes of Christ who thinke it but a sport to vse all kinde of vncurtesie towards vs without any cause Howbeit let these things nothing offend vs seing we know that Christ also was most vncurteously delt with For why should the disciples or schollers thinke to bee in better case than their
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
hir go and draue with the weather But we were caryed into an Isle which is named Clauda and had muche worke to come by a bote which they tooke vp and vsed helpe and made fast the shippe fearing least they should fall into the Syrtes and so they let downe a vessell and were caryed The next day when we were tossed with an exceeding Tempest they lightned the ship and the thirde day we cast out with our owne hande the takeling of the Shippe When at the laste neither the sunne nor starres appeared no small tempest lay vpon vs All hope that we should escape was then taken away THat that came to passe vnto the sonne of God our sauiour Iesus Chryst while he liued on the earth to be enured and exercised with diuerse and dayly afflictions the same Paule both by his example in this place and by expresse wordes in other places teacheth vs to remayne for all them which shall followe his steppes For he that had nowe two whole yeres suffered to lye in bonds and to feele the greefes of imprisonment and had tryed day from day the fresh awayts and trecheries of enimies is nowe committed to a most fierce element to try the daungerous tempestes of the sea and at length to proue the misfortunes of vnhappie shipwracke For it was declared in the Homelie afore going howe he came out of Syria vnto the Isle of Candy by contrary windes and very daungerous sayling But yet followeth a description of a farre greater daunger which at length we shall heare ended with shipwracke the order and going forwarde whereof Luke hath reported very truely and diligently bycause in this narration which at the firste sighte seemeth bare and barren there fall out diuerse things which serue both for our learning and comforte Amongest the which this is worthy first to be noted that God admonisheth bothe the souldiours and Mariners in tyme of the eminent daunger For where they had layne at anker a long whyle in the fayre Hauen neare vnto Lasâ—a and winter nowe drewe on The Iewes faste beeing nowe ouerpaste which was vsed to bee kepte in the seuenth moneth which with vs falleth out betweene September and October Paule diligently exhorteth them to putte off their vowe tyll an other tyme Whiche thing it is euident that hee dyd not without the Reuelation of the holy Ghoste bycause he playnely foresheweth the daungers that afterwarde followed And heere wee haue chiefly to consider howe God neuer forâ—aketh those that are his For where he woulde haue all men to be saued he warneth them of dangers in time that they may take heede to themselues and deuise some meanes howe to escape and he attempereth his warnings in diuerse sortes For sometimes he warneth vs by his Prophetes and preachers of his worde which is his most common way vsage and one of the chiefest tokens of his good will towards vs touching the which thing see Amos the Prophet in his third chapter Sometimes he reuealeth vnto vs priuately by our friends and acquayntaunce in what daunger we be He hath also his tokens of diuerse sortes which declare his wrath towards sinners Furthermore he nippeth vs somtime by the eare with the secret inspiration of his spirite and with our owne conscience And we reade that some haue ben admonished by the ministerie of Angels all which things are so common vsuall that we nede not declare them by any examples Let vs learne at the least wise to acknowledge the goodnesse of god and not to contemne faithful wholsome admonitions least we be the authors of our owne destruction For this is the ende of the froward and disobedient as the examples of these men also shal afterward declare But before we entreat therof we haue somthings to say of Paule For we heard before howe he was tolde by the heauenly Oracle that he should go vnto Rome which thing it is playne he firmely beleeued Yet he abused not the Oracle to put him selfe in daunger without cause and so to tempte god But rather beeing admonished of the daunger by a newe reuelation he beleeueth it and lykewise admonisheth other to haue a regarde vnto them selues Whereby it appeareth that the doctrine of fayth and prouidence of God maketh not men to bee rashe and tempters of god For euen as Chryst requireth wisedome in those that be his so when soeuer God offereth vs any lawfull and due meanes of escape it is certayne he would not haue vs to put our selues in daunger Therefore it becommeth vs to vse these meanes of auoydaunce with feare and godlynesse Furthermore Paules wholsome counsayle is not accepted but to the greate hynderaunce and losse of them all is contemned Where it behoueth vs to consider the proceeding of all the matter that wee may learne thereby howe it commeth to passe that a greate many despyse wholsome counsayle and procure their owne losse and sometymes destruction The firste cause alleaged in this place is for that the Centurion thought good to beleeue the gouernour and maister of the shippe rather than Paule And in so doing if a man woulde consider the reason of the fleshe he seemeth it dyd very wisely yet he erreth and that fowely bycause he esteemeth and regardeth the counsayle not according to the cause but after the authoritie of men otherwyse he woulde easily haue perceyued that it was not without a cause that Paule sayde it was ieopardous sayling considering the wynter drewe on And this is a very common errour specially if God giue counsayle by the Ministers of hys worde For to giue eare vnto them it seemeth to many men not onely a greeuous but also a very haynous offence And there are nowe a dayes euery where Achabes and Sedechiases whiche disdayne to heare the Micheases and Ieremyes and thinke they them selues can giue beste counsayle or else take vnto them other counsellers whiche they thynke are more agreable wyth their humours and conditions Heereby moste tymes it commeth to passe that in daungers of warre wee flee vnto barbarous Nations and blouddy Souldioures to leagues of Princes and to Fortresses and Holdes in sycknesses to Phisitions onely in neede and pouertie vnto vnlawefull artes and wee geue eare vnto them which wee suppose haue had good successe heeretofore in lyke enterprises After thys sorte menne are wrapped in many euilles and incumberaunces whiche they myghte easily eschue if they woulde admitte the worde of GOD onely and the aduises and counsayles taken out thereof The other cause why they despised Paules counsayle was for that the Rode or Hauen seemed not to them commodious inoughe to Wynter in For thys cause they drewe vppe their Ankers meaning to seeke some more commodious harbour The same thing sloppeth vppe the way vnto many wholesome counsayles bycause wee bee not contente wyth presente commodities but seeke others in our iudgemente better For thus it commeth to passe that whyle wee followe the insaciable and blinde affections of the fleshe wee entangle our selues