how he may be deliuered by free forgiuenes of sinnes so adopted into the number of the childrē of God And forasmuch as we can obtaine none of all these things without Christ the name of Christ is therwithall set foorth vnto vs as the onelie foundation of faith repentance And we must also note this that wee do so begin repentance when we are turned vnto God that we must prosecute the same during our life Therefore this sermon must continuallie sound in the church Repent not that those mē may begin the same who will be counted faithfull haue a place alreadie in the church but that they may goe forward in the same Mark 1.15 although manie do vsurpe the name of faithfull men which had neuer any beginning of repentance Wherfore we must obserue this order in teaching that those which do yet liue vnto the world the flesh may begin to crucifie the old man that they may rise vnto newnesse of life and that those who are alredy entred the course of repentance may continually go forward toward the mark Furthermore because the inwarde conuersion of the heart ought to bring foorth frutes in the life repentaunce cannot bee rightly taught vnlesse works be required not those friuolous workes which are only in estimation amongst the Papists but such as are sound testimonies of innocencie and holinesse Be baptised euery one of you Although in the text order of the words Baptisme doth here go before remission of sinnes yet doth it folow it in order because it is nothing els but a sealing of those good things which we haue by Christ that they may be established in our cōsciences Therfore after that Peter had intreated of Repentance he calleth the Iewes vnto the hope of grace saluation And therefore Luke well afterwarde in Paul his sermon ioyneth faith and repentance together in the same sense wherein he putteth forgiuenesse of sinnes in this place And that for good considerations For the hope of saluation consisteth in the free imputation of rightuousnes And we are counted iust freely before God when he forgiueth vs our sins And as I said before that the doctrin of repentance hath a daily vse in the church so must we think of the forgiuenes of sins that the same is continually offred vnto vs. And surely it is no lesse necessary for vs during the whole course of our life then at our first entrance into the church So that it should profit vs nothing to be once receiued into fauour by God vnlesse this ambassage should haue a continual course 2. Cor. 5.20 Be reconciled vnto God bicause he which knew no sinne was made sin for vs that we might be the rightuousnesse of God in him Moreouer the Papists doe so corrupt this other part of the Gospel that they quite exclude the remission of sinnes which was to be obtained by Christ They confesse that sinnes are freely forgiuē in baptisme but they will haue them redeemed with satisfactions after baptisme although they mix the grace of Christ together therwithall yet because they inwrap the same in mens merits they doe by this meanes ouerthrow the whole doctrin of the gospel For first they take frō mens consciences the certaintie of faith that done forasmuch as they part the forgiuenesse of sinnes between the death of Christ our satisfactions they do altogether depriue vs of Christ his benefit For Christ doth not recōcile vs vnto God in part but wholy neither can we obtain remission of sins by him vnlesse it be whole perfect But the papists are much deceiued therein who restrain baptism vnto the natiuitie former life as if the signification force therof did not reach euen vnto death Let vs know therfore that forgiuenes of sins is grounded in Christe alone that we must not think vpon any other satisfaction saue only that which he hath performed by the sacrifice of his death And for this cause as we haue alreadie said doth Peter expresse his name wherby he doth signifie vnto vs that none of all these things can be rightly taught vnles Christ be set in the middest to the end the effect of this doctrin may be sought in him That needeth no long exposition where he commandeth them to be baptised for the remission of sinnes For althogh God hath once reconciled men vnto himself in Christ by not imputing vnto them their sinnes and doth nowe imprint in our heartes the faith thereof by his Spirite yet notwithstanding because baptisme is the seale whereby hee doth confirme vnto vs this benefite 2. Cor. 5.19 and so consequently the earnest and pledge of our adoption it is worthilie saide to be giuen vs for the remission of sinnes For because we receiue Christs giftes by faith and Baptisme is a helpe to confirme and encrease our faith remission of sinnes which is an effect of faith is annexed vnto it as vnto the inferiour meane Furthermore we must not fet the definition of baptisme from this place because Peter doth onely touch a part thereof Our old man is crucified by baptisme as Paul teacheth that we may rise vnto newnesse of life Rom. 6. And againe wee put on Christ himselfe 1. Cor. 12. Rom. 6.4.6 Galat. 3.27 and the Scripture teacheth euery where that it is also a signe and token of repentance But because Peter doeth not intreat in this place openly of the whole nature of baptisme but speaking of the forgiuenesse of sinnes doth by the way declare that the confirmation thereof is in baptisme there doth no inconuenience follow if he do omit the other part In the name of Christ. Although Baptisme bee no vaine figure but a true and effectuall testimonie notwithstanding least any man attribute that vnto the element of water which is there offered the name of Christ is plainly expressed to the end we may know that it shal be a profitable signe for vs then if we seeke the force and effect therof in Christ and know that we are therefore washed in baptisme because the bloode of Christ is our washing And we doe also hereby gather that Christ is the marke and end whereunto baptisme directeth vs. Wherefore euery one profiteth so much in baptisme as he learneth to looke vnto Christ But heere ariseth a question Whether it were lawfull for Peter to change the forme prescribed by Christ The Papists do thinke at least feigne so and thence do they take a colour of libertie to chaunge or abrogate the institutions of Christ They confesse that nothing ought to be chaunged as touching the substance but they will haue the Church to haue libertie to chaunge whatsoeuer it will in the forme But this argument may easily be answered For we must first know that Christ did not indite and rehearse vnto his Apostles magicall words for inchaunting as the Papists do dreame but he did in fewe wordes comprehend the summe of the mysterie Againe I denie that Peter doth speak in this place
he maketh not Christe the chiefe authour but only the minister because as we haue alreadie said he determined to goe forwarde by degrees Notwithstanding here may a question be asked whether myracles do suffise to bee a sufficient and iust approbation or no because by this meanes inchaunters might cause their legier-demaine to be beleeued I answere that the iuggling casts of Satan doe much differ from the power of God Christ saith elswhere that the kingdome of Antichrist shall bee in wonders 2. Thes 2.9 but he addeth by and by in lying wonders If any man obiect that we cannot easily discern because he saith that they shal haue so great color that they shall deceiue if it could be the very elect I answere again that this error proceedeth only from our owne want of wit because we are so dull For God doth shew his power manifestly enough Therfore there is sufficient approbatiō of the doctrine and of the ministery in the myracles which God doth worke so that we be not blinde And whereas it is not of sufficient force among the wicked because they may now then be deceiued with the false myracles of Satan this must bee imputed vnto their owne blindnesse but whosoeuer hath a pure heart hee doeth also know God with the pure eies of his minde so often as hee doeth shewe himselfe Neither can Satan otherwise delude vs saue onely when thorow the wickednesse of our heart our iudgement is corrupt and our eies blinded or at least bleared through our owne slothfulnesse 23 Him haue yee slaine He maketh mention of the death of Christe for this cause chieflie that the resurrection might the more assuredlie be beleeued It was a thing full well knowne among the Iewes that Christ was crucified Therefore in that hee rose againe it is a great and wonderfull token of his diuine power In the meane season to the ende he may pricke their consciences with the feeling of sinne hee saith that they slue him Not that they crucified him with their owne handes but bicause the people with one voice desired to haue him put to death And although many of the hearers vnto whom he speaketh did not consent vnto that wicked and vngodlie crueltie yet doth hee iustly impute the same to the nation because all of them had defiled them selues either with their silence or els through their carelesnesse Neither hath the cloake and colour of ignoraunce any place forasmuch as he was shewed before of God This giltines therefore vnder which he bringeth thē is a preparation vnto repentance By the determinate counsell He remoueth a stumbling block because it seemeth at the first blush to be a thing verie inconuenient that that man whom God had so greatlie adorned being afterward laid open to all maner mocking doth suffer so reprochfull a death Therfore because the crosse of Christ doth commonly vse to trouble vs at the first sight for this cause Peter declareth that he suffered nothing by chaunce or because he wanted power to deliuer himselfe but because it was so determined and appointed by God For this knowledge alone that the death of Christ was ordeined by the eternall counsell of God did cut off all occasion of foolishe and wicked cogitations and did preuent all offences which might otherwise be conceiued For wee must know this that God doth decree nothing in vaine or rashly Whereuppon it followeth that there was iust cause for which he would haue Christ to suffer The same knowledge of gods prouidence is a steppe to consider the end and frute of Christ his death For this meeteth vs by by in the counsell of God that the iust was deliuered for our sinnes that his blood was the price of our death And heere is a notable place touching the prouidence of God that we may knowe that aswell our life as our death is gouerned by it Luke intreateth in deed of Christ But in his person we haue a mirror which doth represent vnto vs the vniuersall prouidence of God which doeth stretch it self throughout the whole world yet doeth it specially shine vnto vs who are the members of Christ Luke setteth downe two things in this place the foreknowledge and the decree of God And although the foreknowledge of God is former in order because God doth first see what he will determine before hee doth in deed determine the same yet doth he put the same after the counsell and decree of God to the end we may know that God would nothing neither appointed any thing saue that which he had long before directed to his end For men do oftentimes rashly decree many things because they decree them sodainly Therefore to the end Peter may teach that the counsell of God is not without reason he coupleth also therewithall his foreknowledge Now we must distinguish these two and so much the more diligentlie because manie are deceiued in this point For passing ouer the counsell of God wherewith he doth guide and gouerne the whole worlde they catch at his bare foreknowledge Thence commeth that common distinction that although God doth foresee all things yet doth he lay no necessitie vpon his creatures And in deed it is true that God doth know this thing or that thing before for this cause because it shall come to passe but as we see that Peter doth teach that God did not onely foresee that which befell Christ but it was decreed by him And hence must bee gathered a generall doctrine because God doeth no lesse shewe his prouidence in gouerning the whole worlde than in ordaining and appointing the death of Christe Therefore it belongeth to God not only to know before things to come but of his owne will to determine what he will haue done This second thing did Peter declare when hee saide That he was deliuered by the certain and determinate counsel of God Therfore the foreknowledge of god is another thing thā the wil of God whereby he gouerneth and ordereth all things Some which are of quicker sight cōfesse that god doth not onely foreknow but also gouern with his beck what things soeuer are done in the world Neuerthelesse they imagine a confused gouernment as if God did giue libertie to his creatures to follow their owne nature They say that the Sunne is ruled by the will of God because in giuing light to vs he doth his dutie which was once enioyned him by God They think that man hath free will after this sort left him because his nature is disposed or inclined vnto the free choyce of good and euill But they which thinke so doe feigne that God sitteth idle in heauen The scripture teacheth vs farre otherwise which ascribeth vnto God a special gouernment in all things in mans actions Notwithstanding it is our dutie to ponder cōsider to what end it teacheth this For we must beware of doting speculations wherewith we see many carried away The scripture will exercise our faith that we may know that we are defended
discouered And this is a general way to establish doctine when men teach nothing but that which is commaunded them by God For what man dare make Moses inferiour to him who as the Spirit affirmeth ought onely to be beleeued for this cause because he faithfully vnfolded and deliuered the doctrine which he had receiued of God But some man may ask this question why he calleth the lawe a liuing speech For this title seemeth to disagree much with the words of Paul 1. Cori. 3.7 where hee saith that the lawe is the ministerie of death and that it worketh death and that it is the strength of sinne If you take liuely speech for that which is effectuall and cannot be made frustrate by the contempt of men there shal be no contrarietie but I interpret it as spoken actiuely for that which maketh to liue For seing that the Law is the perfite rule of godly and holy life and it sheweth the righteousnesse of God it is counted for good causes the doctrine of life and saluation And to this purpose serueth that solemne protestation of Moses when he calleth heauen and earth to witnesse that hee hath set before them the way of death and life In which sense the Lord himself complaineth Ezechiel 20 that his good Law is broken his good commandements wherof he had said He which shal do these things shall liue in them Therefore the Law hath life in it selfe Yet if any man had leiffer take liuing for that which is full of efficacie and strength I will not greatly stande in contention And whereas it is called the ministerie of death that is accidentall to it because of the corrupt nature of man For it doth not ingender sin but it findeth it in vs. It offereth life but wee which are altogither corrupt can haue nothing but death by it Therefore it is deadly in respect of men alone Though Stephen had respect vnto a farther thing in this place for he doeth not onely speake of the bare commaundementes but comprehendeth all Moses his doctrine wherein the free promises are included and so consequently Christ himselfe who is the onely life and health of men We must remember with what men Stephen had to doe They were such as were preposterously zelous of the law who stayed onely in the dead and deadly letter of the Lawe and in the meane season they raged against Stephen because he sought Christ in the Law who is in deede the soule thereof Therefore by touching thâ—â—eruerse ignorance glancingly he giueth them to vnderstande that there is some greater and some more excellent thing hidden in the Lawe than they haue hitherto knowne For as they were carnall content with an outward shew they sought no spiritual thing in it yea they would not so much as suffer the same to be shewed them That he might giue them to vs. This serueth to refute the false accusation wherewith he was falsely burthened For seeing he submitteth his necke to the yoke of the Lawe and professeth that hee is one of Moses his scholers hee is farre from discrediting him amongst others Yea rather hee turneth backe the fault which was laide to his charge vppon those which were the authours of the slaunder That was as it were a common reproch for all the people because the fathers woulde not obey the Lawe And therewithall hee telleth them that Moses was appointed to be a Prophet not onely for his time but that his authoritie might be in force with the posteritie euen when he was deade For it is not meete that the doctrine of God shoulde bee extinguished togither with the ministers or that it should bee taken away For what is more vnlikely than that that should dye whereby wee haue immortalitie So must wee thinke at this day as the Prophetes and Apostle spake vnto the men of their time right so did they write vnto vs and that the force of their doctrine is continuall because it hath rather God to bee the authour thereof than men In the meane season he teacheth that if any reiect the word appointed for them they reiect the counsell of God 39 They refused and were turned away Hee saith that the fathers reiected Moses and hee sheweth the cause also because they gaue themselues rather vnto the superstitions of Aegypt which was horrible and more than blind furie to desire the customes and ordinances of Aegypt where they had suffered such grieuous thinges of late Hee saieth that they were turned away into Aegypt in their heartes not that they desired to returne thither bodily but because they returned in mind vnto those corruptions which they ought not so much as to haue remembred without great detestation and hatred It is true in deede that the Iewes did once speake of returning but Stephen toucheth not that historie now Furthermore he doth rather expresse their stubbernesse when he saieth that they were turned away For after that they had taken the right way hauing God for their guid and gouernour they start aside sodainly as if a stubberne vnbroken horse not obeying his rider shoulde frowardly run backward 40 Make vs. Though the Iewes bee turned backe diuerse wayes yet Stephen maketh choise of one notable example aboue all the rest of their filthy and detestable trecherie to wit when they made themselues a Calfe that they might worship it in steede of God For there can no more filthy thing be inuented than this their vnthankfulnes They confesse that they were deliuered out of Aegypt neither do they denie that this was done by the grace of God and the ministery of Moses yet notwithstanding they reiect the author of so great goodnesse togither with the minister And vnder what colour They pretend that they cannot tell what is become of Moses But they know full well that he is in the mount They saw him with their eies when he went vp thither vntil such time as the Lorde tooke him vnto himselfe by compassing him about with a cloude Againe they know that Moses is absent for their healths sake who had promised that he would returne and bring vnto them the Lawe which God shoulde giue He badde them onely be quiet a while They raise madde vprores sodainely within a small time and without any cause yet to the ende they may couer their madnesse with the colour of some reason they will haue Gods present with them as if God had shewed vnto them no token of his presence hitherto but his glory did appeare daily in the cloud and piller of fire Therefore we see what haste they make to commit idolatrie through wicked contempt of god that I may in the meane season omitte to declare howe filthie and wicked their vnthankfulnes was in that they had so soone forgotten those myracles which they ought to haue remembred euen vntill the ende of the worlde Therefore by this one backsliding it appeareth sufficientlie what a stubberne and rebellious people they were Moreouer it was more expedient for
the Apostles did consider what particular thing their calling hadde to wit that they should keepe their standing seeing the wolues did inuade the sheepefolde The rigour of Tertullian and such like was too great who did deny indifferently that it is lawful to flie for fear of persecution August saith better who giueth leaue to flie in such sort that the churches beeing destitute of theyr Pastours bee not betrayed into the hands of the enemies This is surely the best moderation which beareth neither too muche with the flesh neither driueth those headlong to death who may lawefully saue their liues Let him that is disposed reade the 180. Ep. to Honoratus That I may returne to the Apostles if they had been scattered here and there with feare of persecution euen at the beginning all men might haue rightly called them hirelings How hurtfull and filthie had the forsaking of the place bin at the present time how greatly wold it haue discouraged the mindes of all men What great hurt should they haue done with their example among the posteritie It shall sometimes so fall out in deede that the pastour may also flie that is if they inuade him alone if the laying waste of the church be not feared if hee bee absent But and if both his flocke and hee haue to encounter with the aduersarie hee is a treacherous forsaker of his office if hee stande not stoutlye to it euen vntill the end Priuate persons haue greater libertie 2 They dressed Steeuen Luke sheweth that euen in the heat of persecution the godly were not so discouraged but beeing alwayes zealous they did those dueties which did belong to godlinesse Buriall seemeth to be a matter of small importance rather than they will foreslowe the same they bring themselues in no small hassarde of life And as the circumstance of time doth declare that they contemned death valiantly so againe wee gather thereby that they were carefull to doe this thing not without great and vrgent cause For this serued greatly to exercise their faith that the bodie of the holy martyr shoulde not bee left to the wilde beastes in whom Christe had triumphed nobly according to the glory of his Gospel Neither could they liue to Christ vnlesse they were readie to be gathered vnto Steeuen into the societie of death Therfore the care they had to burie the martyr was vnto them a meditation vnto inuincible constancie of professing the faith Therfore they sought not in a superfluous matter with an vnaduised zeale to prouoke their aduersaries Although that generall reason which ought alwayes and euerie where to be of force amongst the godly was vndoutedly of great weight with them For the rite of burying doth appertaine vnto the hope of the resurrection as it was ordeined by God since the beginning of the world to this end Wherefore this was alwayes counted cruell Barbarisme to suffer bodies to lie vnburied willingly Profane men did not know why they shuld count the right of buriall so holy but wee are not ignorant of the ende therof to wit that those which remaine aliue may know that the bodies are committed to the earth as to a prison vntil they be raised vp thence Whereby it appeareth that this duty is profitable rather for those which are aliue than for those which are deade Although it is also a point of our humanitie to giue due honour to those bodies to which wee knowe blessed immortalitie to be promised They made great lamentation Luke doth also commend their profession of godlinesse and faith in their lamentation For a dolefull and vnprosperous ende causeth men for the most part to forsake those causes wherein they were delighted before But on the other side these men declare by their mourning that they are no what terrified with the death of Stephen from standing stoutly in the approbation of their cause considering therewithal what great losse Gods church suffered by the death of one man And we must reiect that foolish Philosophie which willeth mē to be altogither blockish that they may be wise It must needs be that the Stoicks were void of cōmon sense who would haue a man to be with out all affection Certaine mad fellowes would gladly bring in the same dotings into the Church at this day and yet notwithstanding although they require an heart of yron of other men there is nothing softer or more effeminate than they They cannot abide that other men should shedde one teare if any thing fall out otherwise than they woulde wish they make no end of mourning God doth thus punish their arrogancy iestingly that I may so terme it seing that he setteth them to be laught at euen by boyes But let vs know that those affections which God hath giuen to mans nature are of themselues no more corrupt than the authour himselfe but that they are first to bee esteemed according to the cause secondly if they keepe a meane and moderation Surely that man which denieth that wee ought to reioice ouer the giftes of God is more like a blocke than a man therefore wee may no lesse lawfully sorrowe when they be taken away And least I passe the compasse of this present place Paule doeth not altogither forbidde men mourning when any of their friends is taken away by death but he would haue a difference betweene them and the vnbeleeuers because hope ought to bee to them a comfort and a remedie against vnpatience For the beginning of death causeth vs to sorrow for good causes but because we knowe that we haue life restored to vs in Christ we haue that which is sufficient to appease our sorrowe In like sort when wee are sorie that the Church is depriued of rare and excellent men there is good cause of sorrow onely we must seek such comfort as may correct excesse 3 But Saul Wee must note two thinges in this place howe greate the cruelty of the aduersaries was and howe wonderfull the goodnesse of God was who vouchsafed to make Paul a Pastour of so cruel a wolfe For that desire to lay wast the Church wherewith he was incensed did seeme to cut away all hope Therefore his conuersion was so much the more excellent afterward And it is not to bee doubted but that this punishment was laid vpon him by God after that he had conspired to put Stephen to death togither with the other wicked men that he shoulde be the ringleader of crueltie For God doeth oftentimes punish sinnes more sharply in the Elect than in the reprobate 4 And they were scattered abroad Luke declareth in this place also that it came to passe by the wonderful prouidence of God that the scattering abroad of the faithfull should bring many vnto the vnitie of faith thus doth the Lord vse to bring light out of darknes life out of death For the voice of the Gospel which was heard heretofore in one place onely doth now sound euerywhere in the meane season we are taught by this example that we must
he offer himself in sacrifice to purge mens sinnes that hee bee punished with the hand of God that he goe downe euen vnto the very hell that hee may exalt vs vnto heauen hauing deliuered vs from destruction In sum this place teacheth plainely how men are reconciled to God howe they obtaine righteousnesse how they come to the kingdome of God being deliuered from the tyrannie of Satan and loosed from the yoke of sinne to be briefe whence they must fet all partes of their saluation Notwithstanding I will only expound those things which Luke here citeth and there be in deed two members in the former hee teacheth that Christe to the end he may redeem the church must needes be so broken that he appeare like to a man which is cast downe past hope Secondly hee affirmeth that his death shal giue life that there shal a singular triumph issue out of great despayre Wheras he compareth Christe to a lambe which suffereth it selfe to be led to be slaine and to a sheepe which offereth herself meekely to be shorne his meaning is that the sacrifice of Christe shal be voluntarie And surely this was the way to appease Gods wrath in that he shewed himselfe obedient Hee spake in deede before Pilate but not to saue his life Iohn 18.34.36 but rather that hee might willingly offer himselfe to die as hee was appointed by the Father and so might bring that punishment vpon himself which was prepared for vs. Therfore the prophet teacheth both things that Christ must needs haue suffred that he might purchase life for vs and that hee was to suffer death willingly that he might blot out the stubbornnesse of men by his obedience And hence must we gather an exhortation vnto godlines as Peter doeth but that doctrine of faith which I haue already touched is former in order 33 In his humilitie his iudgement The Eunuche had either the Greeke volume or els Luke did set downe the reading which was then vsed as he vseth to doe The prophet saith that Christe was exalted out of sorrow and iudgement by which wordes he signifieth a wonderfull victorie which immediately ensued his casting downe For if he had been oppressed with death there could nothing haue beene hoped for at his handes Therefore to the end the Prophet may establish our faith in Christe after that he had described him to be striken with the hand of God and to be subiect to be slaine he putteth vpon him a new person now to wit that he commeth vp out of the depth of death as a conqueror our of the very hell being the authour of eternal life I know in deed that this place is diuersly expounded some there bee which vnderstande by this that he was carried from the prison to the crosse other some there bee who thinke that to be taken away doth signifie as much as to be brought to nought And indeed the signification of the Hebrew word Lacham is doubtfull as is also the signification of the Greeke worde Airesthai But he which shall throughly weigh the Text shall agree with mee in that which I haue said that he passeth now from that dolefull and vnseemely sight which he had set before our eies vnto the new beginning of vnlooked for glory Therefore the Greeke interpretation differeth not much from the words of the prophet in the summe of the matter For Christs iudgement was exalted in his humilitie or casting down because at such time as he might seeme to be cast down and oppressed the father maintained his cause After this sort iudgement shall be taken in this place as in many other for right But it signifieth condemnation in the Hebrew text For the Prophet saith that after that Christ shall bee brought into great straites and shal be like vnto a condemned and lost man he shal be lifted vp by the hand of the Father Therfore the meaning of the words is that Christ must first haue suffered death before the Father shoulde exalt him vnto the glory of his kingdom Which doctrine must be translated vnto the whole bodie of the church because all the godly ought wonderfully to be lifted vp with the hand of God that they be not swallowed vppe of death But when God appeareth to bee the reuenger of his he doth not only restore them to life but also getteth to them excellent triumphes of many deathes as Christ did triumph most gloriously vpon the crosse wherof the apostle maketh mention in the second chapter to the Collossians His generation After that the prophet hath set forth the victorious death of Christe he addeth now that his victorie shall not last onely for a small time but shall goe beyonde all number of yeeres For the exclamation of the prophet importeth as much as if he should deny that the perpetuitie of Christs kingdom can be expressed by the tongue of men But interpreters haue wrested this place miserably Whereas the olde writers haue indeuoured hereby to proue the eternal generation of the worde of God against Arrius it is too far dissenting from the prophetes mind Chrysostome his exposition is neuer a whit truer who referreth it vnto the humane generation Neither doe they vnderstand the prophet his meaning which suppose that he inueigheth against the men of that age Othersome thinke better who take it to be spoken of the Churche saue onely that they are deceiued in the worde generation which they think doth signifie a posteritie or issue But the worde dor which the prophet vseth signifieth amongst the Hebrewes an age or the continuance of mans life Therefore vndoubtedly this is the prophets meaning that Christ his life shall endure for euer when as he shall bee once deliuered by his fathers grace from death although this life which is without end appertaineth vnto the whole body of the church because Christ rose not that he may liue for himselfe but for vs. Therefore he extolleth now in the members the frute and effect of that victorie which he placed in the head Wherefore euery one of the faithfull may conceiue sure hope of eternal life out of this place secondly the perpetuitie of the church is rather auouched in the person of Christ Because his life is taken from the earth This is to looke too to be a verie absurd reason that Christ doth reigne with such renowme in heauen and earth because he was cut off For who can beleeue that death is the cause of life But this was done by the wonderfull counsel of God that hell should be a ladder whereby Christ should ascend into heauen that reproch shuld be vnto him a passage into life that the ioyfull brightnes of saluation should appeare out of the horror and darknes of the crosse that blessed immortalitie shuld flow from the deep pit of death Because he humbled himselfe therefore the Father exalted him Phil. 2.10 that euery knee may bow before him c. Now must we bethinke our selues what fellowship we
Hebrew which Luke did turne into Greek that we might know that it was not like to the vertues of the holy women and that shee was debased in such a simple name For Dorcas signifieth a goat but the holines of her life did easily wipe away the blotte of a name not verie seemely 37 It hapned that she was sicke He saith in plaine words that shee was sicke that he may the more plainely expresse her death which followed To the same end he saith that the corps was washt and laid in an vpper chamber Therefore these circumstances serue to make the myracle to be beleeued Whereas they carry her not streight way to the graue but lay her in the vpper part of the house that they may keep her there we may thereby gather that they had some hope of recouering her life It is likely that the rite of washing whereof Luke maketh mention was most auncient And I doe not doubt but that it came from the holy fathers by cōtinual course of times as if it had bin deliuered from hand to hand that in death it selfe some visible image of the resurrection might comfort the minds of the godly and lift them vp vnto some good hope to wit seing the manifestation of eternall life was not so euident yea seing that Christ the pledge and substance of eternal life was not as yet reuealed it was requisite that both the obscuritie of doctrine and also the absense of Christ should be supplied by such helpes Therefore they washed the bodies of the deade that they might once stand before the iudgement seat of God being cleane Finally there was the same reason for washing the deade which was for the liuing the dayly washing put them in minde of this that no man can please God saue he who should be purged from his filthynes So in the rite of burying God would haue some signe extant whereby men might be admonished that they went polluted out of this life by reason of that filthines which they had gathered in the world Washing did no more help those which were dead than buriall but it was vsed to teach the liuing For because death hath some shew of destruction least it should extinguish the faith of the resurrection it was requisite that contrary shewes should bee set against it that they might represent life in death The Gentiles also tooke to thēselues this Ceremonie For which cause Ennius saith A good woman did wash and anoynt Tarquinius his corps But their imitation was but apish in this thing as in all other Ceremonies And Christians also haue taken to themselues this example vnaduisedly as if the obseruation of a figure vsed vnder the Lawe ought to continue alwayes For at the beginning of the Gospel although the necessitie were abolished yet the vse was lawfull vntill such time as it might growe out of vse in tract of time But the munkes do at this day no lesse imitate Iudaisme then did the Gentiles in times past without choise and iudgement For they wash corpses that they may bury Christ in shadowes which being buried with him in his graue ought neuer to haue bene vsed any more 38 The disciples which had hearde The washing of the corpes sheweth that the disciples knew not what would come to passe For by this means they make the corps readie to be buried Yet this is some token of hope that they lay her in an vpper Chamber and send to Peter Furthermore they murmur not against God neither do they crie out that it is an vnmeete thing but they humblie craue Gods help not that they wil make Thabita immortall but their onely desire is to haue her life prolonged for a time that she may yet profit the Church 39 And Peter arose and came with them whom when he was come they brought into the vpper chamber and all the wydowes stoode about her weeping and shewing the coates and garments which Dorcas made when shee was with them 40 And when they were all put out Peter kneeled downe and prayed and turning himselfe toward the coarse hee saide Thabita arise And she opened her eies and when she saw Peter she sate vp 41 And hee reached out his hande and lift her vp and when hee had called the saints and wydowes he restored her aliue 42 That was noised through all Ioppa and manie beleeued in the Lord. 43 And it happened that he staied many dayes at Ioppa with a certaine man named Simon a tanner 39 And Peter arose It is doubtfull whether the messangers declared to Peter the matter and cause why they fet him yet it is more like to be true that they requested him absolutely that he would come to work a myracle But there ariseth another question Whether hee knew Gods purpose or no. First if he should mistrust the successe hee shoulde goe with them vnaduisedly I answere Although he did not yet know what the Lord would doe yet can hee not be blamed for yeelding to the request of the brethren Also there were other reasons why hee shoulde come to wit to mitigate their sorrowe to strengthen them with godly exhortations least they shoulde faint being discouraged with the death of one woman to establish the Church which was as yet tender and but as it were an infant Lastly this one thing ought to haue beene sufficient for him because in refusing he shuld haue ben thought proudly to despise his brethren notwithstanding we must know this also that so often as the Lorde determined to worke some myracle by his Apostles he did alwayes direct them by the secreat motion of the Spirit I do not doubt but that although Peter were not yet certaine of the life of Thabita yet did he vndoubtedly perceiue that God was his guide and conducter in that iorney so that he addressed himselfe to go not vnaduisedly though being vncertaine of the euent All the widowes Luke expresseth in this place the causes for which Thabita was raised from death to wit because God pittied the poore and did at their desire restore the woman to life There were also other ends for seing she liueth two liues those vertues which Luke commended before are adorned in her person but the chiefe ende is that the glorie of Christ may bee set forth For God coulde haue kept her aliue longer neither doth he chaunge his purpose as being mooued with repentance when he doth restore her to life againe but because many of the disciples were weake and nouices who had neede of confirmation God declareth by the second life of Thabita that his Sonne is authour of life Therefore God did respect the poore and widowes in such sort that by releeuing their pouertie hee established in their mindes the faith of his Gospel For in this myracle hee gaue ample matter of profiting 40 When they were all put forth When as he taketh a time to pray he seemeth as yet to doubt what will be the ende When he healed Aeneas he brake out into these
setteth downe the degree of honor and excellencie wherunto God had exalted them afterward followeth the vpbraiding because they do willingly cast from them so great grace whereupon he cōcludeth that it is now time that the gospel be translated vnto the gentiles In that he saith that it was meete that it should first be preached to them it doth properly appertaine vnto the time of Christ his kingdome For vnder the Law before Christ was giuen the Iewes were not only the first but alone Exo. 19.5.6 Therefore was it that Moses called them a priestly kingdome and the peculiar people of God But the adoption of God rested then with them alone vpon this condition the Gentiles being omitted that they should be preferred as yet before the gentiles by the comming of Christ For though Christ reconciled the world to his father yet they were former in order who were already neere vnto god of his family Therefore that was the most lawful order Actes 1.8 Rom. 1.16 that the Apostles should gather the Church first of the Iewes afterward of the Gentiles as we saw in the first Chapter and in other places so that the fellowship of the Gentiles did not take from the Iewes the right of the first begotten but that they were alwayes the chiefe in the Church of God In this respect Paul saieth that the righteousnesse of God is made manifest in the Gospel first to the Iewes than to the Grecians Such greatnes of grace which God vouchsafed to bestow vppon them doth exaggerate and encrease the greatnes of their sin whiles that they reiect that which is so mercifully offered vnto thē Therfore he addeth that they giue iudgement of themselues that they are vnworthy of eternal life For seing that the reiecting of the gospel is the denial of the righteousnes of God we need no other iudge to condemne the vnbeleeuers And after that ye reiect Paul seemeth to reason vnfitly For first it was not of necessitie that the Iewes should be excluded that the Gentiles might be admitted vnto the hope of saluation secondly this was more conuenient that after the Iewes had imbraced the gospel they shoulde grant the second place to the Gentiles And Paul speaketh in like sort as if they could not grow togither into one body and as if the Gospel could not come vnto the Gentiles vnlesse it were reiected of the Iewes And nowe was he not ordained to be the Apostle of the Gentiles before he found such stubbernes in the Iews I answere that there is great force in the word we are turned For his meaning is that he is now turned away frō the Iewes that he may addict giue ouer himself wholy to the Gentiles If they had remained in their degree such turning had not followed but he should haue drawn the gentiles also with a cōtinual course after that the Iewes were receiued into the bosom he should haue embraced thē both togither Now forasmuch as the Iews turn their backs withdraw thēselues frō his ministery he cannot look vpon thē the gentiles both at once Therefore taking his leaue of them he is enforced to translate his care vnto the Gentiles Therefore vnlesse the Iewes had estranged themselues from the Church the calling of the gentiles should haue bin such as is by the Prophets described In that day shall seuen strangers take hold of the cloake of a man that is a Iew shal say we wil walk with you because God is with you But now the gentiles are called after a new accidental maner because when the Iewes were reiected they entred into the emptie possession They ought to haue bin gathered vnto the Iewes but after that they fel away were driuen out they came in their place So that their death was the life of the gētiles the natural branches being cut off the wild Oliues were ingraffed into the holy root vntil god do at length restore them also vnto life being ingraffed into their former roote that the Israel of God being gathered togither from all quarters may be saued 47 As he hath commanded The place is taken out of Isaias where notwithstāding god doth rather speak vnto his son then vnto the Apostles But we must note that many thinges which the scripture attributeth to Christ do appertain vnto his ministers I say many things not al things For there be certaine titles proper to the person of Christ wherewith to adorn the ministers were wicked sacrilege Christ is called our righteousnes because he was the only purging sacrifice hath reconciled the father to vs by his death did rise again afterward that hauing ouercom death he might purchase for vs eternal life Therefore the whole substance of our saluation is in Christs person but inasmuch as hee worketh by his ministers by resigning to them his office he doth also impart with them his titles Of this sort is the preaching of the Gospel He alone was appointed by the father to be our teacher but he hath put in his place Pastours and Doctors who speake as it were out of his mouth So that the authoritie remaineth wholly to him and he is neuerthelesse heard in his ministers Therfore Paul doth fitly applie vnto himselfe the testimonie of Isaias where he intreateth of the preaching of the Gospel I haue made thee a light It should seeme that he speaketh in that place of such a calling of the Gentiles as doth not carry with it the casting off of the old people For God doeth rather associate strangers vnto the Iewes who were before of the houshold It is but a smal matter saith he that thou be my minister in teaching Israel because I haue made thee a light to the Gentiles God doth seeme to begin his Church among the children of Abraham and that done to reach out his hand to the Gentiles that they may both make one Church by one consent of faith But Paul doeth in such sort cite the prophecie as if it could not be fulfilled vnles the Iewes had bin cast off For he signifieth that the light of Christ was lighted to the gentiles after that they were cast into the darknes of death I answere that this cannot be necessarily proued out of the text that Paul doth affirme that the Gentiles could not haue bin illuminate before the light of the Iewes had bin put out For this may be the sense Forasmuch as you haue depriued your selues of eternall life there is no cause why ye should thinke that the grace of God is prophaned if leauing you we take care charge of the Gentiles For the Messias is not giuen to you alone but he is appointed to be the sauiour of al the whole world as it is written I haue made thee c. Although if you weigh the place of the Prophet more throughly you shal find the casting off of the old people included therein For God pronounceth that he wil be glorious and renowmed in the ministery
certaintie be gathered out of the scriptures and therefore they hold that we must stand to the decrees of men For I demaund of them whether Paul did obserue a right order in disputing or no at least let them blush for shame that the worde of the Lord was more reuerenced in an vnbeleeuing nation then it is at this day among them The Iewes admit Paul suffer him when he disputeth out of the scriptures the Pope and all his count it a meere mocke when the scripture is cited as if God did speak doubtfully there and did with vaine boughts mocke men Hereunto is added that bicause there is at this day much more light in the scripture and the trueth of God shineth there more cleerely then in the law and prophets For in the Gospel Christ who is the sonne of righteousnes doeth shed out his beam with perfect brightnes vpon vs for which cause the blasphemy of the papists is the more intollerable whiles that they wil make the word of God as yet vncertain But let vs know as faith can bee grounded no where els then in the word of the Lord so we must only stand to the testimonie thereof in al controuersies 3 Opening In this place he describeth the sum or subiect of the disputation and he putteth down two members concerning Christ that He must haue died and risen againe that the son of Mary which was crucified is Christ When the question is concerning Christ there come 3. things in question Whether he be who he is what he is If Paul had had to deale with the gentiles he must haue fet his beginning farther because they had heard nothing concerning Christ nether do profane meÌ„ conceiue that they need a mediator But this point was out of doubt among the Iewes to whom the mediator was promised wherefore Paul omitteth that as superfluous which was receiued by common consent of al men But because there was nothing more harde then to bring the Iewes to confesse that Iesus who was crucified was the redeemer therefore Paul beginneth with this that it was meet that Christ should die that he may remoue the stumbling blocke of the crosse and yet we must not thinke that he recited the 〈◊〉 history but he taketh an vndoubted principle that the causes were shewed why Christe must haue suffered rise againe to wit because he preached of the ruine of mankind of sin of the punishment thereof of the iudgement of God and of the eternal curse wherein we be al inwrapped For euen the scripture calleth vs hither when it foretelleth the death of Christ As Isaias saith not simply that Christ should die Isa 53.6 Ib. 5. but plainly expressing because we haue al erred euery one hath gone his owne way he assigneth the cause of his death that God hath laid vpon him al our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace is vppon him that by his stripes we may bee healed that by making satisfaction for vs hee hath purchased righteousnes for vs. So doth Daniel Dan. 9.24 shew the force and fruit of his death in his 9. chapter when he saith that sinne must be sealed vp that eternall righteousnesse may succeed And surely there is no more apt or effectuall way to proue the office of Christ then when men being humbled with the feeling of their miseries see that there is no hope left vnlesse they be reconciled by the sacrifice of Christ TheÌ„ laying away their pride they humbly imbrace his crosse wherof they were before both weary ashamed Therfore we must come vnto the same fountaines at this day from which Paul fetteth the proofe of the death and resurrectioÌ„ of Christ And that definition brought great light to the second chapter It had not beene so easie a matter for Paul to prooue and certainely to gather that the sonne of Mary is Christ vnlesse the Iewes had been taught before what manner redeemer they were to hope for And when that doth once appeare it doth only remain that those things be applied to Christ which the scripture doth attribute to the mediator But this is the summe of our faith that we know that the sonne of Marie is that Christ mediator which God promised from the beginning that done that we knowe vnderstand why he died and rose againe that we do not feigne to our selues any earthly king but that we seeke in him righteousnes and all parts of our saluatioÌ„ Both which things Paul is said to haue proued out of the scriptures we must know that the Iewes were not so blockish nor so impudent as they be at this day Paul might haue drawen arguments from the sacrifices from all the worship of the law whereat the Iewes narre at this day like dogs It is wel knowne howe vnseemelily they rent and corrupt other places of Scripture At that daye they had some curtefie in them also they did somwhat reuerence the scripture so that they were not altogether such as would not be taught at this daye the veyle is laid ouer their hearts so that they can see no more in the cleere light then moales 4 Certaine of them beleeued We see here the fruite of Paul his disputation He prooued flatly that Iesus was Christ 2. Cor. 3.15 who by his death did appease the fathers wrath for vs and whose resurrection is the life of the worlde Yet onely certaine of the Iewes beleeue the rest are blind at noone day and with deafe eares refuse the certaine and playne trueth This is also woorth the noting that whereas onely a fewe Iewes beleeued a great multitude of the Gretians who were farre farther of came vnto the faith To what end can you say they weer noussed vp in the doctrine of the law from their childhood saue onely that they might bee more estranged from God Therefore the Lord doth now begin to shew some tokens of that blindnes in them which the prophetes doe oftentimes denounce vnto theâ—â— Notwithstanding he declareth by this that his couenaunt was not in vaine because he did at least gather some of that people vnto himselfe that the sparkles of the election may shyne in the remnaunt which was saued freely Luke doth moreouer teache that they did not beleeue the sayinges of Paul onely so farre foorth that they subscribed vnto them with a cold consent but that they did testifie their earnest of affection because they had ioyned themselues to Paul and Silas as companions prouoked against themselues the hatred of their nation by the free profession of the Gospel For what meaneth this adioyning saue only because they professed that they allowed that doctrine which he deliuered and that they tooke his part For ther is nothing more contrarie to faith then if when we knowe the truth of God we stand notwithstanding in doubt and are loth to ioyn our selues to any side If any man had rather expound it that they did ioyne them selues to Paul and Silas because
or he was thus tost with the violence of the crowde this was no dutie of fauour But the greater the crueltie of those which followed him was God did more plainly declare that he was fauourable to his seruant in sparing his life least if hee should haue been murdered in the tumult his death should haue wanted due frute 37 May I speake vnto thee Paul offered himselfe to defend his cause which all the seruaunts of God must do For wee must doe our indeuour to make our integritie knowen to all men least through our infamie the name of God bee blasphemed But when the chief captain demandeth whether Paul be not that Egyptiā which was a murtherer which a litle before had ledde away a companie of men let vs learne that how modestly and quietly soeuer the ministers of Christ behaue themselues and howesoeuer they bee voide of all fault yet cannot they escape the reproches and slaunders of the worlde Whiche thing wee must note for this cause that wee maye acquaint our selues with rebukes and that in well dooyng wee may bee prepared too bee euill spoken of When hee asketh him concerning the Egyptian he meaneth not Theudas the sorcerer as some men falsly suppose of whom Gamaliel made mention before in the fift Chapter Ch. 5.37 and of whom Iosephus speaketh more in his twentieth of antiquities For besides that wee reade there that Theudas carried awaie onelie foure hundred menne and the chiefe Captaine reckoneth vp in this place foure thousande and saith that they were all murtherers that is more in that Theudas raised that faction during the reigne of Tiberius or Augustus Caesar whereof remained onlie an obscure report because so soone as a troupe of horsemen was sent after them they were forthwith destroied Notwithstanding it seemeth to me that Iosephus is deceiued in that where he saith first that Cuspius Fadus was sent by Claudius and then hee addeth that Theudas was of him ouercome seing I haue before shewed that that former insurrection was made at such time as Claudius was but a priuate man Though he disagree much with Lukes narration euen in the number seing he saieth that there were about thirtie thousand made partners in the sedition vnlesse happily we expound it thus that after hee was put to flight by Felix he fled into the wildernesse with fower thousand And it had bin an absurd thing that the number should be made ten times greater as also that a troupe hauing no skill in warre or being altogither without courage shoulde haue bene defamed with the name of murderers For as Iosephus doeth witnesse that seducer had deceiued the simple and credulous common people with false promises boasting that he was a prophet of God which would lead the people dry foote through the midst of Iordane But the same Iosephus putteth the matter out of doubt when hee saith that an Egiptian a prophet did gather together a band of men vnder Foelix the president and did carry them into mount Oliuet whereof foure hundred were slaine two hundred taken and the residue dispearsed The historie was fresh in memorie Againe forasmuch as the authour of the sedition was escaped the region filled with murtherers it is not without cause that the chiefe captaine demaundeth of Paul when he seeth all men so hate him whether he were that Egiptian Luke recordeth no longer conference had betweene the chiefe captain and Paul yet it is likely forasmuch as both of them vnderstood the Greeke tong that they had farther talk Wherby it came to passe that so soone as Paul had wel purged himself he had licence graunted him to speake to the people For the chiefe captaine would neuer haue suffered a wicked man to make any publik speech in a citie which was so sore suspected CHAP. XXII 1 MEN Brethren and fathers heare mine excuse which I make nowe before you 2 And when they heard that he spake to them in the Hebrew tongue they kept the more silence And he said 3 I truely am a man a Iewe borne in Tharsus a citie of Cilicia and brought vp in this citie at the feete of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect maner of the Lawe of the fathers and was zealous towarde God as yee all are this day 4 And I persecuted this way vnto death binding deliuering into prison both men and women 5 As the chiefe priest doth beare me witnesse and all the order of Elders Of whom also I receiued letters vnto the brethren and went to Damascus to bring them which were there bounde to Ierusalem that they might bee punished 2 Though wee may gesse by the beginning of this speech what was Paul his drift yet because he was interrupted we know not certainelie what hee was about to say The summe of that part which is resited is this that Forasmuch as he was well and faithfully instructed in the doctrine of the Law he was a godlie and religious worshiper of God in the sight of the world Secondly that hee was an enimie to the Gospell of Christ so that hee was counted among the priests one of the principall maintainers and defenders of the Law Thirdly that he did not change his sect vnaduisedly but that being tamed and conuict by an Oracle from heauen he gaue his name to Christ Fourthly that he did not embrace vnknowne things but that God appointed him a faithful teacher of whom he learned al things perfectly Lastly that when he was returned to Ierusalem and sought to doe good to his countrimen God did not permit him So that he brought not the doctrine of saluation vnto forraine nations without good consideration or because hee hated his owne nation but being commanded by God so to do Men Brethren and fathers It is a wonder that hee giueth so great honour yet to the desperate enimies of the Gospel for they had broken al bonde of brotherly fellowship and by oppressing the glory of God had spoiled themselues of all titles of dignitie But because Paule speaketh in this place as some one of the people he speaketh so louingly vnto the bodie it selfe and vseth towards the heads words honourable without dissembling and surely because their casting off was not made knowne as yet though they were vnworthie of any honour yet it was meete that Paul should reuerently acknowledge in them the grace of Gods adoption Therefore in that he calleth them Brethren and Fathers hee doth not so much regard what they haue deserued as into what degree of honour God had exalted them And all his Oration is so framed that hee goeth about to satisfie them freely in deede and without flattering yet humblie and meekely Therefore let vs learne so to reuerence and honour men that wee impaire not Gods right For which cause the Popes pride is the more detestable who seing hee hath made himselfe an high Priest without the commaundement of God and the consent of the Church he doth not onely chalenge to himselfe all titles of honour but
hath made his couenant who followed right and pure doctrine who imbraced the promise of saluation with true faith finally who had their beginning of the heauenly Father who through the onely begotten sonne of God were the children of God together with their posteritie Whom ye In this member the apostles declare vnto them plainly thar they were the enemies of god who wold haue the chief honor giuen thē as vnto the gouernours and prelates of the church Whereupon it followeth that they are vnworthie euen of the smallest authoritie Although there is also a preuention being a token of boldnesse when as hee speaketh of that thing boldly and freely which they did account a shamefull thing to wit least any part of Christs glory should seem to be diminished because hee suffered a slaunderous death vppon the crosse as if it had beene saide You haue slaine him neither was your crueltie satisfied with a plaine and common death for he was hanged vppon a tree But neither could death extinguish his power neither could that shame and reproch which he suffered amongst you take away his honour Therefore the calling of God continueth firme and stable Therefore as the Apostles hit the priestes in the teeth with that wickednes and hainous offence which they had cōmitted so they preuent by a graunting to expresse the manner of the reprochfull death which Christe suffered least the authors of the wickednes triumph as hauing gotten the victorie 31 Him hath God lifted vp Therfore the Apostles do signifie that whatsoeuer the wicked do go about it did not hinder and keepe backe Christ from fulfilling his functiō which was enioined him by his father The right hand of God is taken for his power Neither is the same Metaphor vsed in this place which we had before chap. 2. and which is cōmon elswhere when Christ is said to be lift vp vnto the right hand of the father but the meaning of this place is that Christ which was slain by the hand of mē was lift vp on high by the power of God that he might bear rule ouer angels and men And this seemeth secretely to be set againste al the enterprises of Satan the world as if he should say that they shal haue no good successe because they shal neuer climbe so high as to hinder the hand of God whereby hee hath both wrought mightily alreadie in his only begotten Sonne neither will he euer cease to worke Yet the end is added also that he may be a captain Sauior For so often as god did put his people in hope of saluation he was wont to promise a prince or a king by whose hand he would restore all things The Apostles do testifie that this principalitie was graunted to Christ Notwithstanding they do more plainly expresse his office by the other adiunct The sūme is this that Christ is placed in the highest degree of honor that he may gouerne the people of god and not that only but that he may shew him self to be a sauing captain or the authour of saluation To giue repentance They shew in this place howe Christe reigneth to saue the people to wit when he bringeth his own to repentance doth reconcile them vnto God through the remission of sinnes Furthermore we know that the summe of the gospel is contained in these two things Wherefore the Apostles do not onely stand vppon the defence of their cause but they preach the office of Christ plentifully that they may win euen some of the mortall enemies of Christ if it may be Furthermore wee haue declared before what the word repentance doth signifie to wit that it is an inward turning of mā vnto god which sheweth it self afterwards by external workes For Christ giueth vs the Spirit of regeneration for this cause that he may renue vs inwardly to the ende that a new life may afterward follow the newnesse of the minde and heart And if it belong to Christ to giue repentaunce then it followeth that it is not a thing which is in mans power And surely seeing that it is a certaine wonderfull reformation or fashioning again which maketh vs new creatures repayreth in vs the image of God bringeth vs out of the bondage of sin vnto the obedience of righteousnesse it is a thing as impossible for men to conuert themselues as to create themselues Repentaunce is I graunt a voluntarie conuersion but whence haue we this will saue only because God chaungeth our heart Ezec. 11.19 that it may hee made fleshie of a stonie heart flexible of hard and stubborne and finally right of wicked And this commeth to passe when Christ regenerateth vs by his Spirite Neither is this giuen in a moment but it must bee increased dailie during our whole life vntill we be fully ioyned to God which shal be then whē we haue put off our flesh This is in deed the beginning of repētāce when a man who before was turned away from God renounceth the world and himselfe and doth purpose to lead a newe life But because when wee haue entred the way wee are farre from the marke wee must needs goe forward continually Wee haue both through the benefit of Christ For as he beginneth repentaunce in vs so doeth hee also giue vs perseuerance This is an inestimable grace but it should doe vs but a little good vnlesse it were coupled with forgiuenesse of sinnes For Christe doth both finde vs the enemies of God at the first and also there are alwayes vices remaining in vs which cause disagreement between him vs so that he may iustly be offended with vs rather than mercifull vnto vs. And therein doeth our righteousnesse consist if God doe not impute our sinnes vnto vs. Therefore this latter grace must neuer bee separated from the former Yea rather the Gospell shall be lame and corrupt vnlesse it consist vpon these two members that is vnlesse men bee taught that they are reconciled to God by Christe by the free imputation of righteousnesse and that they are fashioned againe vnto newnesse of life by the Spirit of regeneration So that wee vnderstand briefly howe wee must obtaine saluation in Christ 32 And we are his witnesses After that they haue declared that their doctrine came from god they discend now vnto the other part that they speake as they were commaunded by god least they seeme to attempt any thing vnaduisedly For this also was a necessarie defence as it is for all the ministers of the Gospell to wit that they make this openly knowen to all men that they teach nothing but that which they haue receiued of God Secondly that they are called hereunto so that they cannot auoide the necessitie of teaching vnlesse they will resist God Luke putteth wordes in this place in steede of things according to the Hebrewe phrase Although if any man had rather vnderstand it of the speech it self I doe not denie but that it may be so The summe is seeing they are brought forth
of the Hebrewes that they wer vtterly vndone when as the kings coÌ„mandement appointeth al the men children to be put to death For which cause the meditating vpon that doctrine is the most necessarie for vs that god doth kil restore to life he leadeth vnto hell and bringeth back againe 19 Dealt subtillie The old interpreter did not translate this amisse to deceiue For Steeuen meaneth that the king of Egypt did craftily inuent new shiftes and wicked pretences that he might euer now then lay heauier burthens vpon the people like as almost all tyrants doe for how vniustly soeuer they vex their subiects they are too wittie to inuent excuses And it is not to be doubted but that Pharao abused this honest colour that it was not meet that the Iewes which were soiourners shuld haue a place of abode in his realm for nought that they shuld be free froÌ„ all burthens seing they did inioy great coÌ„modities Therefore he deceitfully made theÌ„ vile bonslaues of free meÌ„ WheÌ„ Steuen saith that this tyrant knewe not Ioseph heereby it appeareth howe soone the remembrance of benefits passeth away amongst men For although wee doe all with one consent detest vnthankfulnesse yet is there no vice more common amongst vs. Least they should be encreased Erasmus translateth this vnproperly in my iudgement For Zoogoneisthai expresseth more than Least their children shoulde liue For the worde is set thence because the people doth alwayes remaine aliue in the ofspring And furthermore Steeuen doth not reckon vppe all the partes of their euill intreating but putterh downe one example of extreeme crueltie Whence we may easily gather how neere the whole seed of Abraham was to destruction For Pharao seemed to haue murthered them all with that commandement as with one stroke of a sword But suâ—h violent barbarisme did the more set forth the vnlooked for and incredible power of God because when Pharao hath by all means possible striuen against God yet all is in vaine 20 All that time was Moses borne who was acceptable to God And hee was brought vp three moneths in his fathers house 21 And the daughter of Pharao tooke him vp when he was cast out and nourished him vp for her owne sonne 22 And Moses was taught in all wisedome of the Egyptians and was mighty in word and deed 23 And when the time of fortie yeeres was fulfilled it came into his mind to goe visit his brethren the children of Israel 24 And when he saw one of them suffer wrong hee defended him and reuenged him which had the wrong hauing smitten the Egyptian 25 And hee thought that his brethren would haue vnderstoode that God by his hand should giue them deliuerance but they vnderstood not 26 The next day he was seen as they stroue and set them at one againe saying Sirs yee are brethren why hurt ye one another 27 And hee which did iniurie to his neighbor thrust him away saying Who made thee a prince and a iudge ouer vs. 28 Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday 29 And Moses fled at this saying and became a stranger in the land of Madian where he begate two sonnes 20 It is not without cause that Steeuen noteth the circumstance of time Moses was born at the very same time when the king had commaÌ„ded that all the men children should bee cast out Therefore it seemeth that the minister of deliueraÌ„ce is dead before he is borne But that time is most fit for God to worke in 2. Cor. 12.9 when there is no hope or counsell to bee looked for at mans hands And it appeareth also most plainly how God doth make perfect his power in mans weaknes Moses is kept three moneths but at length his parents that they may saue their own liues are inforced to cast him out into the riuer Only they put him in a little cofer that he may not by by perish When as Pharaoes daughter taketh him vp he escaped death in deed yet so that he goeth into another nation being cut off from the kinred of Israel Yea he was like to bee a most troublesome aduersarie to his nation vnlesse God had restrained his mind It is 40. yeres before he sheweth any token of brotherly goodwill 22 Whereas Luke reporteth that he was taught in all wisdome of the Egyptians hee putteth that in his commendation as a point of excelleÌ„cie NotwithstaÌ„ding it might haue so falne out as it doth oftentimes that beeing puft vp with profane sciences hee might haue despised the base commoÌ„ people yet because god hath determined to redeem his people he doth in the meane season frame both the minde of Moses al other things to finish his worke The reason of mans fleshe should murmur in this place Why doth God winke at so long miseries of the people Why doteh hee suffer Pharao to rage more cruelly daily Why doeth he not suffer Moses to growe vp amongest his owne people Why doth hee after a sort cut him off froÌ„ the kinred of Israel being adopted by the kings daughter Why will he suffer him to remaine amidst courtly pleasures and doth not rather pull him thence But the end it selfe is so wonderfull that we are enforced to confesse that all these thinges were gouerned by singular counsel and order to set forth the glorie of God Wheras I said that Luke speaketh in this place of the learning of the Egyptians for honours sake I would not haue it so taken as if there were in the same no corruption Forasmuch as Astrologie doth coÌ„sider the wonderful workemaÌ„ship of God not only in the placing of the starres in such excellent varietie but also in their mouing force and secrete offices it is a science both profitable worthie of praise The Egyptians bestowed great studie in this but being not content with the simple order of nature they wandered also in manie foolishe speculations as did the Chaldeans It is vncertaine whether Moses were infected with these superstitions or no. Yet howsoeuer it be we see how sincerely plainly he setteth that before vs to be considered in the frame of the world which is appertinent vnto godlines Surely this was excellent modesty in that he which could reason with learned and wittie men of the secretes of nature doth not only omit higher subtilties but doeth also discende vnto the common capacitie of euerie most simple man and doeth in a common style set foorth vnto men vnlearned those thinges which they perceiue by experience When Iustine bableth concerning Moses hee maketh him a Magician which with iugling and inchauntments made passage for the people through the redde sea So that Satan did not only go about to burie the power of God but also to blaspheme the same But we know that Moses did not striue with the enchaunters by Magike but did that only which God had enioined him Furthermore the Egyptians had mysticall diuinitie wherewith they coloured their doting inuentions and monstrous abhominations
blinded within themselues that they did not see the manifest truth Therefore hee saith that the heauens are opened to him in this respect because nothing keepeth him from beholding the glory of God Whereupō it foloweth that the myracle was not wrought in heauen but in his eyes Wherefore there is no cause why we should dispute long about any naturall vision because it is certaine that Christ appeared vnto him not after some naturall maner but after a new singular sort And I pray you of what colour was the glory of GOD that it could be seen naturally with the eyes of the flesh Therefore wee must imagine nothing in this vision but that which is diuine Moreouer this is worth the noting that the glory of God appeared not vnto Steeuen wholy as it was but according to mans capacitie For that infinitenesse cannot be comprehended with the measure of any creature The sonne of man standing Hee seeth Christe reigning in that fleshe wherin he was abased so that in very deed the victorie did consist in this one thing Therefore it is not superfluous in that Christ appeareth vnto him and for this cause doth he also call him the sonne of man as if hee shoulde say I see that man whom yee thought yee had quite extinguished by death enioying the gouernment of heauen therfore gnash with your teeth as much as you list there is no cause why I shoulde feare to fight for him euen vnto blood who shall not only defend his own cause but my saluation also Notwithstanding here may a question be moued why he saw him standing who is said elswhere to sit Augustine as hee is sometimes more subtill than needes saieth that hee sitteth as a iudge that hee stoode then as an aduocate For mine owne part I thinke that though these speeches be diuers yet they signifie both one thing For neither sitting ne yet standing noteth out how the body of Christ was framed but this is referred vnto his power kingdome For where shal wee erect him a throne that hee may sit at the right hande of God the Father seeing God doth fill all things in such sort that wee ought to ymagine no place for his right hand Therefore the whole text is a Metaphor when Christ is said to sit or stande at the right hande of God the Father and the plaine meaning is this that Christ hath all power giuen him that he may raigne in his Fathers steede in that flesh wherein hee was humbled and that he may be next him And although this power be spread abroad through heauen and earth yet some men imagine amisse that Christe is euery where in his humane nature For though he be contained in a certaine place yet that hindereth no whit but that he may and doth shewe foorth his power throughout all the whole world Therefore if wee bee desirous to feele him present by the working of his grace we must seeke him in heauen as he reuealed himselfe vnto Steeuen there Also some men doe affirme ridiculously out of this place that he drewe neere vnto Steeuen that hee might see him For wee haue alreadie saide that Steeuen his eyes were so lifted vp by the power of the Spirite that no distance of place coulde hinder the same I confesse in deed that speaking properly that is philosophically there is no place aboue the heauens But this is sufficient for mee that it is peruers doting to place Christe any where els saue only in heauen and aboue the elements of the world 57 Crying with a loude voice This was either a vaine shew of zeale as hypocrites are almost alwayes pricked forwarde with ambition to breake out into immoderate heate as Caiphas when hee heard Christe say thus After this yee shal see the sonne of man c. did rent his clothes in token of indignation as if it were intollerable blasphemie or els certainely the preaching of the glory of Christe was vnto them such a torment that they must needes burst through madnesse And I am rather of this minde for Luke saith afterward that they were carried violently as those men which haue no hold of themselues vse to leape out immoderately 58 They stoned God had appointed this kinde of punishement in the lawe for false Prophetes as it is written in the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomie but God doth also define there who ought to be reckoned in that number to wit he which doth attempt to bring the people vnto strange Goddes therefore the stoning of Steeuen was both vniust and also wicked because he was vniustly condemned So that the martyrs of Christe must suffer like punishmēt with the wicked It is the cause alone which maketh the difference but this difference is so highly esteemed before God and his angels that the rebukes of the martyrs doe far excell al glory of the worlde Yet here may a question bee moued How it was lawfull for the Iewes to stone Steuen who had not the gouernment in their hands For in Christs cause they answere It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death I answere that they did this violently and in an vproare And whereas the president did not punish this wickednesse it may be that he winked at many things least he should bring that hatred vpon his owne head which they bare against the name of Christe Wee see that the Romane presidentes did chiefly winke at the ciuil discordes of that nation euen of set purpose that when one of them had murthered another they might the sooner be ouercome afterward And the witnesses laide downe their cloathes at a young mans feete named Saul 59 And they stoned Steeuen calling on and saying Lord Iesus receiue my spirite 60 And he kneeled downe and cryed with a loude voyce Lord lay not this sinne to their charge And when he had said thus he fell on sleepe 61 And Saul consented to his death And the witnesses Luke signifieth that euen in that tumult they obserued some shewe of iudgement This was not commaunded in vaine that the witnesses shoulde throwe the first stone because seeing they must committe the murther with their owne handes many are holden with a certaine dread who otherwise are lesse afraide to cut the throtes of the innocent with periurie of the tongue But in the meane season we gather how blinde and madde the vngodlinesse of these witnesses was who are not afraide to imbrue their blooddie handes with the blood of an innocent who had alreadie committed murther with their tongues Whereas hee saith that their cloathes were laid downe at the feete of Saul he sheweth that there was no let in him but that beeing cast into a reprobate sense he might haue perished with the rest For who woulde not thinke that he was desperate who had infected his youth with such crueltie Neither is his age expressed to lessen his fault as some vnskilfull men goe about to prooue for he was of those yeeres that want of knowledge coulde no
a voice saying to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me 5 And he said Who art thou Lord And the Lord said I am Iesus whom thou persecutest It is hard for thee to kick against pricks 1 And Saul Luke setteth downe in this place a noble historie and a historie ful wel worthie to be remēbred concerning the conuersion of Paul after what sort the Lorde did not only bring him vnder and make him subiect to his commandemēt when he raged like an vntamed beast but also how he made him another a newe man But because Luke setteth down all things in order as in a famous work of God it shal be more conuenient to follow his text that all that may come in order whatsoeuer is worth the noting When as he saieth that he breathed out threatenings slaughter as yet his meaning is that after that his handes were once imbrued with innocent blood he proceeded in like crueltie was alwayes a furious blooddie enemie to the church after that hee had once made that entrance wherof mentiō is made in the death of Steeuen For which cause it was the more incredible that he could bee so sodainly tamed And whereas such a cruell wolf was not only turned into a sheepe but did also put on the nature of a sheephearde the wonderfull hand of God did shew it self therein manifestly 2 And Luke describeth therwithal that he was furnished with weapons and power to doe hurt when as he saith that he had obtained letters of the highest priest that he might bring all those bound to Ierusalem whom he should finde professing the name of Christ There is mention made of women that it may the better appear how desirous he was to shed blood who had no respect of sexe whō euen armed enemies are wont to spare in the heat of warre Therfore he setteth forth before vs a fierce and cruell beast who had not only libertie giuen him to rage but had also his power encreased to deuoure and destroy godly men as if a mad man had had a sword put into his hand Wheras I haue translated it Sect Luke hath Way which metaphor is common enough in the scriptures Therfore Paul his purpose was quite to put out the name of Christ by destroying all the godly cruelly 3 As he was in the way In crauing Epistles of the high priest hee ran headlong against Christ willingly and nowe hee is enforced to obey whether he will or no. This is surely the most excellent mercy of god in that that man is reclaimed vnto saluation contrarie to the purpose of his minde whom so great a heat caried headlong into destructiō Wheras the Lord suffreth him to receiue letters and to come neere to the citie hereby we see how well he knoweth the very instants of times to doe euery thing in due time Hee could haue preuented him sooner if it had seemed good to him so to doe that he might deliuer the godly from fear and carefulnesse but hee setteth out his benefites more thereby in that he tyeth the iawes of the greedie wolfe euen when he was readie to enter the sheepfolde Also wee knowe that mens stubbornesse encreaseth more and more by going forward wherefore the conuersion of Paul was so much the harder forasmuch as he was alreadie made more obstinate by continuing his furie Shined about him Because it was none easie matter to pull downe so great pride to breake such a loftie courage to pacifie such a blinde heate of wicked zeale and finally to bridle a most vnbrideled beast Christe must needs haue shewed some signe of his maiestie whereby Paul might perceiue that he had to do with god himself not with any mortal mā Although there were some respect had of humbling him because he was vnworthie to haue Christ to accustome him by and by to obey by laying vpon his necke the meek and sweete yoke of his Spirite he was scarce capable of so great gentlenesse vntil his crueltie might be broken Mans sense cannot comprehend the diuine glory of Christ as it is but as God did oftentimes put vpon him formes wherein hee did shewe himselfe so Christ did now declare and make manifest his diuinitie to Paule shewed some token of his presence that hee might thereby terrifie Paule For although the godly be afraide and tremble at the seeing of God yet it must needes be that Paul was farre more afraid when as he perceiued that the diuine power of Christ was set full against him 4 And therefore Luke saith that he fell to the ground For what other thing can befall man but that he must lie prostrate and bee as it were brought to nothing when he is ouerwhelmed with the present feeling of Gods glory And this was the first beginning of the bringing downe of Paul that hee might become apt to heare the voice of Christ which he had despised so long as he sate hautily vpon his horse Saul Saul Luke compared the light which shined round about Paul to lightning though I doe not doubt but that lightninges did flie in the ayre And this voice which Christ did send out to beat downe his pride may ful well be called a lightning or thunderbolt because it did not onely strike him and make him astonied but did quite kill him so that hee was now as no bodie with himselfe who did so much please himselfe before and did challenge to him selfe authoritie to put the Gospell to flight Luke putteth downe his name in Hebrewe in this place Saul Saul because he repeateth the wordes of Christe who spake vnto him vndoubtedly according to the common custome of the countrie 5 Who art thou Lord We haue Paul now somewhat tamed but he is not yet Christes disciple Pride is corrected in him and his furie is brought downe but he is not yet so throughly healed that hee obeyeth Christ he is only readie to receiue commaundements who was before a blasphemer Therefore this is the question of a man that is afraid and throwne downe with amazednesse For why doeth hee not knowe by so many signes of Gods presence that it is God that speaketh Therefore that voice proceeded from a panting and doubtfull minde therefore Christ driueth him nigher vnto repentance When he addeth I am Iesus let vs remember that that voice sounded from heauen therfore it ought to haue pearced the mind of Paul whē he considered that he had made warre against God hitherto it ought to haue brought him by and by to true submissiō when he considered that he should not escape scotfree if he should continue rebellious against him whose hand he could not escape This place conteineth a most profitable doctrine and the profite thereof is manifolde For first Christe sheweth what great account hee maketh of his Gospell when hee pronounceth that it is his cause from which he will not be separated Therefore he can no more refuse to defend the same than he can deny himself Secondly
the second error when as they imagine that euery one of vs is increased with greater graces as he hath deserued it may easily be refuted First we denie that we haue any good works which God hath not freely giuen vs secondly we say that the right vse of giftes commeth from him also and that this is his second grace that wee vse his former giftes well Thirdly we denie that we deserue any thing by our workes which are alwayes lame and corrupt Good workes do in deed purchase for vs the encrease of grace but not by their owne desert For they cannot be acceptable to God without pardon which they obtain by the benefite of faith Wherefore it is faith alone which maketh them acceptable Thus did Cornelius obtaine more perfect knowledge of Christ by his prayers and almes but in that he had god to be fauourable and mercifull to his prayers and almes that did depend vpon faith Furthermore if good workes be estemed by faith it is of mercy and not of merit that God doth alow them For because faith findeth no worthie thing in vs wherby we can please God it borroweth that of Christ which we want And this is to peruers that though the Papists haue this worde merite euer now and than in their mouthes and cease not to puffe vppe fooles with a vaine confidence yet they bring nothing whereby the studies of meÌ„ may be moued to doe well For they leaue their consciences alwaies in a doubt and commaund men to doubt whether their workes please God or no. Must not mens mindes needs faint when they are possessed with such fear But as for vs though we take merit from works yet when as we teach that there is a reward laid vp for them we prick meÌ„ forward with an excellent sharpe pricke to desire to liue well For we addresse our selues then ioyfully to serue God when wee are perswaded that wee loose not our labour And whereas there appeareth at this day no more plentifull abundance of the giftes of the Spirite but that the more part doth rather wither away we must thank our vnthankfulnes for that For as God did crowne Cornelius his prayers almes holinesse with the most precious pearle of his Gospel so there is iust cause why he shoulde suffer vs to starue being brought vnto hungrie pouertie when as he seeeth vs abuse the treasure of his gospel wickedly and vngodlily Yet here may a questioÌ„ be asked Whether faith require the knowledge of Christ or it be content with the simple perswasioÌ„ of the mercy of god For Cornelius seemeth to haue known nothing at all concerning Christ But it may be proued by sounde proofes that faith cannot bee separated from Christ For if we lay hold vpon the bare maiestie of God wee are rather confounded with his glory then that we feele any taste of his goodnesse Therefore Christ must come betweene that the mind of man may conceiue that God is mercifull And it is not without cause that he is called the image of the inuisible God because the father offereth himselfe to be beholden in his face alone Moreouer seeing that hee is the way the truth the life whether soeuer thou goest without him thou shalt bee inwrapped on euerie side in errours and death shall meete you on euery side We may easily answere conceâ—ning Cornelius All spiritual gifts are offered vnto vs in Christ And especially whence commeth regeneratioÌ„ saue only because wheÌ„ we are ingraffed into the death of Christ Col. 1.15 Iohn 14 6. Rom. 6.5.6 our old man is crucified And if Cornelius were made partaker of the Spirite of Christ ther is no cause why we shuld think that he was altogether void of his faith nether had he so imbraced the worship of the true god whoÌ„ the Iewes alone did worship but that he had also hard somwhat of the promised mediator though the knowlege of him were obscure intaÌ„gled yet was it some Whosoeuer came at that time into Iudea he was enforced to heare somewhat of the Messias yea there was som fame of him spread through countries which were far of Wherefore Cornelius must be put in the catalogue of the old fathers who hoped for saluation of the redeemer before hee was reuealed And it is properly said of Augustine that Peter grounded his faith whereas it hadde nowe before a firme foundation although Augustine thinketh as wee do in the thing it selfe who affirmeth plainely that Cornelius coulde not pray vnlesse hee had faith in his booke of the predestination of Sainctes and other places 5 Now send to Ioppae God dealt most fauourably with Cornelius in that he doth not commaund him to goe himself but to send messengers vnto Peter that he may stay quietly at home that Peter may indure the toyle of the iourney for his sake But let vs not wonder that Cornelius was so courteously handled seeing that God thrusteth the ministers of his worde daily vpon the vnwilling so that he appeareth of his accord to those which doe not seeke him as he saith by Isaias Isa 63.1 But why doth not the Angell rather teache him For this seemeth an inconuenient thing that he resigneth his office to a mortall man for the oracle should haue had greater authoritie Acts. 9.10 then when the gospell is preached to him by a mortall man As when Christ appeared to Paule by a vision hee set notwithstanding Ananias to teach him that he might by such an example establish the ministerie of the preaching of the gospel which he committed to his church so now the Angel giueth place to Peter that hee may execute the office coÌ„mitted vnto him by Christ Therfore whosoeuer will be the disciple of Christ be illuminate by the heaueÌ„ly light of the heauenly wisdome let him not grudge to vse attentiuenesse and docilitie toward the externall voyce of men which Christe vseth as an instrument and whereunto he will haue our faith annexed And wee see how sore God hath punished their furious pride who contemning preaching haue looked for reuelations from heauen For sithence God will be heard in men the ministers to whom he hath giuen his word cannot bee contemned without contempt and reproch of him Neuerthelesse I coÌ„fesse that the spirits must be proued that we hear not without choise whosoeuer doe pretend that they are the ministers of Christe 1. Ioh. 4.1 Rom. 10.17 But because faith commeth by hearing no man shall attaine thereunto which shall refuse and despise the worde when it is preached 7 And after that the Angell which spake to Cornelius was departed hee called two of his seruants and a godly souldiar of those which did wait on him 8 And when he had told them all things he sent them to Ioppe 9 On the morrow as they iourneied and drew nigh to the citie Peter went vp into the highest part of the house to pray about the sixt houre 10 And he was fasting Therefore he would eate
in them his image whence riseth that second respect For God doth not finde man bare and naked then and voide of all grace but he knoweth his own work in him yea himself Therfore God accepteth the faithful because they liue godlily and iustly And we doe not denie that God accepteth the good works of the saints but this is another question Whether man preuent the grace of God with his merits or no and insinuate himselfe into his loue or whether he be beloued at the beginning freely and without respect of workes forasmuch as he is worthy of nothing else but of hatred Furthermore forasmuch as man left to his owne nature can bring nothing but matter of hatred he must needs cōfesse that hee is freely beloued whereupon it followeth that God is to himself the cause that he loueth vs and that he is prouoked with his own mercy and not with our merits Secondly we must note that although the faithful please God after regeneration with goods works their respect of works yet that is not done with the merit of works For the cleannes of works is neuer so exact that they can please God without pardon yea forasmuch as they haue alwaies some corruption mixed with them they are worthy to be refused Therfore the worthines of the works doth not cause them to be had in estimation but faith which borroweth that of Christ which is wanting in works 36 Cōcerning the matter Because the greek text is abrupt some think that the Accusatiue case is put in steede of the Nominatiue that the sense is this This is the word which God hath sent vnto the children of Israel Othersome refer it vnto the word ye know which followeth afterward they think that there was another word added to make the sentence more pleasant For Luke putteth logon in the former place and afterward rema But forasmuch as it is comō familiar amongst the grecians to vnderstand the prepositions this sense which I haue set down seemeth to me more agreable though if the harshnes of the speech can be any better mittigated I wil willingly yeeld Therfore I take this member to be a preface which appertaineth vnto this worthy worke of God which he shewed amongst the children of Israel preaching peace by Christ that done there is added a narration at length in the cōclusion of his speech Peter sheweth to what end Christ was sent into the world Furthermore he beginneth with this commemoration not without cause That God sent his word vnto the children of Israel And Speech is put for Thing in the Hebrew phrase The eternall couenant which God had made with that people was at that time famous There was nothing more cōmonly knowne amongst the Iewes than that there was a redeemer promised in times past to the fathers who should restore things which were decaied vnto a florishing and blessed estate This did those also know who were familiarly conuersant with the Iewes Therefore to the ende Peter may purchase greater credit he saith that he wil speak of no new or vnknown thing but of the restoring of the Church which did depend vppon the eternall couenant of God and which was nowe manifestly shewed and almost in euery mans mouth Preaching peace Peter teacheth here what maner rumour thing that was which was spread abroad to wit such as that it did make peace I take peace in this place for the recōciling of men God which notwithstanding hath in it the perfit saluation of the church For as horrible cōfusion as it were a huge lumpe do follow after that god is once estranged from vs so so soone as his fatherly fauour doth once appeare he gathereth his church togither true felicity ariseth Therfore this is Peter his meaning that god shewed himself merciful to his people in Christ that he receiued into fauor Abraham his children again whom he seemed to haue cast away for a time that he might establish among them a florishing estate And as he maketh God the author of this peace so he placeth Christ in the mids as the pledge therof that it may be certain holy He coupleth peace and preaching expresly togither because this is one way whereby the fruite of the reconciliation purchased by Christ commeth vnto vs. Ephes 2.17 In like sort after that Paul hath taught that Christ is our peace he addeth immediatly that hee came to preach peace vnto those who were nigh at hand and farre off 37 Ye know howe the word This sermon of Peter consisteth vppon two members principally for in the former he reciteth an historie secondly he discendeth vnto the fruit of the historie For seing that the comming of Christ into the world his death and resurrection are the matter of our saluation Christ cannot otherwise be set before vs to saluation than if we first know that hee hath put on our flesh that hee was in such sort conuersant amongst men that he proued himselfe by certaine testimonies to be the son of God that he was at length nailed vpon the crosse and raised vp from the deade by the power of God Againe least the knowledge of the historie be vnprofitable and colde we must also shewe the end why he came downe from his heauenly glorie into the worlde why he suffered such a death so reprochfull amongst men and accursed by the mouth of God The cause of his resurrection must bee shewed whence the effect and fruite of all these things is gathered to wit that Christ was humbled that he might restore vs vnto perfite blessednesse who were quite lost Isai 53.4 and also that hee put on brotherly loue togither with our flesh that by taking vpon him our infirmities hee vnburdened vs thereof that hee made satisfaction for our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death that he might purchase the fathers fauor for vs that when as he had gotten the victorie of death he purchased for vs eternall life that hee set heauen open for vs by his entrance into the same that all the power of the Spirit was powred out vpon him that he might enrich vs with his abundance This order of teaching doth Peter obserue when hee beginneth with the history of the gospel and afterward sheweth what we haue by Christ his descending into the earth by his death and resurrection First he saith that Iesus of Nazareth came abroade after Iohn his Baptisme For because Iohn was appointed to this end by the counsell of God that he might lift vp the mindes of the people to waite for Christ it was not meete that this point should be omitted Hee was counted an excellent Prophet of God therefore his authoritie was of great importance to make Christ to be beleeued especially amongst the ignorant and those which were but nouices We must note the phrase that Iohn preached Baptisme For Luke comprehendeth in deed vnder the worde Baptisme all the whole ministery of Iohn neuerthelesse hee sheweth that it
be preferred before him Therfore we see how forgetting himselfe he respecteth nothing but that Christ may be chiefe how hee setteth before his eyes the edifying of the church alone how he is content with the prosperous successe of the Gospel Therefore Barnabas is no whit afraid least Paul doe any whit debase him by his comming so hee glorifie Christ 26 He addeth afterward that such a holy concord was blessed from heauen for this was no small honour that the holy name of christians beganne there for all the whole worlde Though the Apostles had been long time at Ierusalem yet god had not vouchsafed to bestowe vpon his church which was there this excellent title of his sonne whether it were because at Antioch much people was growne together into one bodie as well of Iewes as of Gentiles or whether it were because the churche might bee better ordered in time of peace or because they were more bolde to confesse their faith There were in very deed christians both at Ierusalem and also in Samaria before that time and we know that Ierusalem was the first fountaine from which christianitie did flowe And what is it els to be a disciple of Christe but to be a christian But when they began plainely to bee called that which they were the vse of the name serued greatly to set foorth the glory of Christe because by this meanes they referred all their religion vnto Christe alone This was therefore a most excellent worship for the citie of Antioch that Christ brought foorth his name thence like a standerd whereby it might bee made knowen to all the worlde that there was some people whose Captaine was Christ and which did glory in his name But and if Rome had such a colour of pride who were able to suffer the proud boastings of the Pope and his adherents They woulde then not without cause thunder out that Rome is the mother and head of al churches but it is wel that seeing they challenge to themselues whatsoeuer when they come to the matter they are found altogether vaine yea Antioch it selfe doth plainlie proue that the estate of one place is not continuall Admit we graunt the Romanes these plausible titles We haue been somtimes shall they yet be so bold as to take one halfe of that which belongeth to Antioch And is the dignitie of Antioch the greater nowe because the Christians had their name thence Yea it is rather a manifest mirrour of the horrible vengeance of God For seeing there is nothing to be seen there but euill fauoured wastinesse it remaineth that wee learne to humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God and that wee knowe that vnthankeful men haue not so much libertie graunted them that they may freely mocke God 27 In those dayes came prophets from Ierusalem to Antioch 28 And one of them named Agabus arose and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine throughout the whole worlde which happened vnder Claudius Caesar 29 And as euery one of the disciples was able they decreed euerie man to sende succour to the brethren which dwelt in Iudea 30 Which thing they did sending it vnto the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul 27 Luke commendeth in this place the faith of the men of Antioch by the frute because they indeuoured to relieue the pouertie of that church from whence they receiued the gospel with their abundance that did they vnrequested Such earnest care for the brethren doth sufficiētly declare how seriously they worshipped Christ the head of al. Luke doth signifie that the fame of that church was spread abroade when hee faith that there came excellent men thither from Ierusalem But for as much as the word Prophet is taken diuers waies in the new testament as we may learne by the former Epistle to the Corinthians those are called prophets in this place who were indued with the gift of prophesiyng as the foure daughters of Philip shall haue the same title giuen them hereafter And forasmuch as the foretelling of the famine is attributed to Agabus alone we may hereby gather that this was graunted to euery one by a certaine measure to know things to come 28 He signified by the Spirit Luke doth plainely expresse that the Spirite of God was the authour of this prophesie that wee may knowe that it was not a coniecture taken by the starres or some other naturall causes again that Agabus did not play the Philosopher after the maner of men but he vttered that which God had appointed by the secrete inspiration of the Spirit Barrennesse may indeed be somtimes fortold by the disposition of the starres but there is no certaintie in such foretellinges both because of the opposite concourses and also especially because god doth gouerne earthly things at his pleasure farre otherwise than can be gathered by the starres that he may lead men away from the peruerse beholding of starres And although these foretellings haue their degree yet the prophesies of the Spirit doe far exced them But it seemeth that the foretelling of the famine was vnluckie and not to be wished for for to what end was it for mē to be made miserable before their time by hauing the vnhappy euent fortold I answer that there be many causes for which it is expedient that men should be warned before in time whē the iudgements of God hang ouer their heads punishmentes due to their sins I omit others which are vsuall in the prophetes bicause they haue a space graūted wherin to repēt that they may preuent gods iudgement who haue prouoked his wrath against thēselues bicause the faithfull are instruct in time to arme themselues with patiēce because the obstinate wickednesse of wicked men is conuict because both good and euill learne that miseries doe not come by chaunce but that they are punishments wherewith God doth punishe the sinnes of the world because those are awaked out of their sleepe and sluggishnesse by this meanes who tooke great delight in their vices The profit of this present prophesie appeareth by the text because the men of Antioch were thereby pricked forwarde to releeue their brethren which were in miserie Which happened vnder Claudius Suetonius also maketh mention of this famine who saieth that there were crustes or shardes throwen at Claudius his head in the middest of the market and that he was so sore afraid of stoning that he had a singular care afterward during his whole life to make prouision for victuall And Iosephus in his fifteenth booke of antiquitie saith that Iudea was sore oppressed with scarcitie by reason of continuall drought 29 But here ariseth a question seeing that the miserie was common to all why ought they rather to haue succoured one people then all the rest I answere that for as much as Iudea was impouerished with great destructions of warres and other miseries the men of Antioch were not without cause more mooued with the miseries of the brethren whiche were
like sort hee maketh the faithfull attentiue and purchaseth audience among them as if he should say Seeing many boast that they are sonnes of Abrahā who were vnworthie of such honour shew your selues to be no bastardly seede Let vs learne by this that it is not a fault common to one age onely that good and sincere worshippers being mixed with hypocrites haue the name of the church common among them But we must haue a great care hereof that wee be in deed that which wee are called which thing the true feare of Almightie GOD will bring to passe and not the externall profession alone 17. The God of this people This preface did witnesse that Paul did goe about no new thing which might leade away the people from the lawe of Moses There is but one God who is God of all nations but hee calleth him God of that people to whom he had bound himselfe who was worshipped amongst the posteritie of Abraham amongst whom alone true and pure religion was to be found To the same ende tendeth that which is added immediately Hee chose our fathers For he testifieth by these wordes that he seeketh nothing lesse then that they may fall away from the true and liuing God who hath seperated them from the residue of the worlde Neither doe I doubt but that hee did more manifestly expresse that he did not preach to them an vnknowen or strange God but the same who reuealed himselfe long agoe to their fathers so that he doth brieflie comprehende the sound knowledge of god grounded in the law that their faith conceiued out of the law prophets may continue firme Notwithstanding he doth in the mean season commend and set foorth the free loue of God toward that people For howe came it to passe that onely the children of Abraham were the church and inheritance of God saue onely because it pleased God to disceuer them from other nations For there was no worthinesse to distinguish them but the difference began at the loue of God wherwith he did freely loue Abraham Of this free loue of God Moses doth oftententimes put the Iewes in minde as Deut. 4.7.10.14.32 and in other places Deut. 4.34 and 7.8 wherein god did set before vs a mirrour of his wonderfull counsell in that finding no excellencie in Abraham an obscure person and miserable idolatrer hee doth notwithstanding preferre him before all the worlde Furthermore this election was common to all people as was also circumcision whereby god did adopt to himself the seed of Abraham but there was also a more hidden election whereby seuering to himselfe a fewe of many children of Abraham he did declare that not all who came of the seede of Abraham according to the flesh are reckoned in the spirituall stock He did driue out a people Paul teacheth that all those benefits which god bestowed afterward vpon the Iewes did proceed and flow from that free fauour which he did beare toward their fathers For this was the cause that they wer deliuered by the wonderful power of god brought by his hand into the possession of the land of Canaan after that he had driuen out so many nations for their sake For it is no small matter for the land to be depriued of her inhabitors that she might receiue strangers This is the fountaine and roote of all good thinges whereunto Paul calleth vs that god chose the fathers This was the reason cause which moued god to so great patience that hee would not cast off that rebellious people who shoulde otherwise haue destroyed themselues a thousand times with their owne wickednesse Therefore where the scripture maketh mention that their sinnes were pardoned it saith that god remembred his couenant He saith that they were exalted though they were strangers that they may remember how worthie gorgeous their deliuerance was 18 He suffered their manners The compounde verbe hath greater force and grace in the greeke whereby the mercifulnesse of god is expressed in suffering the people whom he knew to be stubborne and disobedient And Paul giueth vs to vnderstand againe that the election of god was the cause that his goodnesse did striue with the wickednesse of the people Notwithstanding wee must note that god did so take pittie vpon his elect people whiles that he will continue firme in his purpose that he did notwithstanding sharply punishe the rebellious and wicked Hee spared the people in deed so that hee did not quite destroy them as he might by good right but hee founde also meanes Isai 10.22 that their wickednesse might not remaine vnpunished And so that of Isaias was fulfilled If the multitude shall be as the sand of the sea the remnant shal be saued 20 He gaue them iudges Vnder this name the scripture comprehendeth rulers gouernours and here is another testimonie of the infinite goodnes of god toward the Iewes in that he pardoned so many back slidings in thē For it is likely that Paul handled those things more at large which Luke gathereth briefly And we know what was the estate of the people during al that time seing that through vntamed wātonnes they did euer now then shake off the yoke They were often punished with most greeuous plagues yet so soone as they wer once humbled God deliuered them from the tyrannie of their enemies So that hee saued the body therof aliue amidst many deaths foure whole ages and one halfe And hereby it appeareth how vnworthie they were of the fauor of God which they did despice and reiect so often vnlesse the constancie of the election had gotten the victorie For how is it that God is neuer wearied but that he keepeth promise with those who are truce breakers an hundreth times saue only because turning his eyes toward his Christe hee hath not suffered his couenaunt grounded in him to decay or perishe 21 Afterward they desired And this chaunge was all one as if they would quite and manifestly ouerthrowe the gouernment which he had appointed 1. Sa. 8.5.7 whereof God himselfe complaineth in Samuel But the stabilitie of the election saued them from beeing punished as suche madnesse did deserue yea the wicked and vnlawefull desire of the people was to God a new vncredible occasion to erect the kingdome whence Christ shoulde afterwarde come For how is it that the scepter came to the tribe of Iuda saue only because the people were desirous to haue a king And assuredly the people dealt wickedly but God who knoweth how to vse euill things well 1. Sa. 15.28 turned that offence into safetie Whereas Saul was throwen downe from the kingdome it serued to reprooue the fault of the people but immediately when the kingdome is established Dauids familie Gen. 49.10 the prophesie of Iacob was verified 22 I haue found Dauid my seruant This title was not so much cited in praise of the persō as that Paul might make the Iewes more attētiue to receiue Christ For the
that faithfully which was giuen him in charge that Christ alone might haue the preheminence Therfore he saith that how great soeuer he be yet he is nothing in respect of Christ For though God feruants haue their dignity yet being compared to Christ they must all be as nothing that he alone may excell as we see all starres vanish away that they may giue place to the brightnesse of the Sunne 26 Men and brethren Paul doth againe prick forward the Iewes to embrace Christ For this ought to haue raised no smal studie and attentiuenesse in their mindes when as they saw their saluation handled and that the message of saluation was appointed properly for them He calleth them children of Abraham not only for honours sake but that they may know that they be heires of eternall life and hee speaketh them so fayre that it might not greeue them to depart from the Scribes and priests whom they worshipped because they must needs receiue Christ Furthermore we must remember that which I saide before though the gate of the kingdome of heauen were set open to the Gentiles yet were not the Iewes throwne downe from their estate but were counted the first begotten in Gods familie Therfore is it that he saith that saluatioÌ„ was sent to them because they wer first in order yet because the carnall kinred was of it selfe of no great importance and the vngodlines of many brake out Paul speaketh specially vnto the true worshippers of God signifying that wordâ—s were but vaine vnlesse the feare of God reigne in their hearts which may receiue them and receiuing them may foster them Wee must note this title of the Gospel that it is called the worde of saluation Wherefore their hardnes must needs be great whom it doth not allure with the sweetnesse that is in it 2. Cor. 3.16 But though it be such naturally yet is it made accidentally the sauour of death vnto death to the reprobate 27 For those which dwelt in Ierusalem and their rulers seeing that they knewe him not neither the voices of the prophetes which are read euery Sabboth day when they had condemned him they fulfilled them 28 And when they had found no cause of death in him they desired Pilat that hee would crucifie him 29 And after that they had fulfilled all things which were written of him when they had taken him downe from the tree they put him in a tombe 30 But God raised him vp from the dead 31 Who appeared many dayes to those which went vp with him from Galilee to Ierusalem who are his witnesses to the people 27 He doth wisely and in due time preuent an offence which might haue been a great hinderance to their faith For Ierusalem was Gods sanctuarie the kinges seat the fountaine of truth and the light of all the whole worlde but Christ was put to death there Furthermore nothing could seeme more absurd to looke too then to receiue him who was cast out of the temple of God and to seeke the doctrine of saluation any where els then there whence God himselfe had testified it should come Moreouer by beleeuing in Christ they seemed to make a departure from the church And therfore this one obiectioÌ„ was stroÌ„g enough to refute al Paul his sermon why doest thou force vpon vs vnder colour of Gods couenant a man whom the principall part of the holy people condemned This obiection doth Paul answere least it hinder the course of the Gospel And not that only but he tuâ—neth it also to the contrarie part For seeing that the author of life was despiced reiected at Ierusalem Paul exhorteth the men of Antioch at least those who among them feared God that they receiue him so much the more ioyfully For this doth the casuall worde declare as if hee should haue saide seeing that Ierusalem knewe not her good it behoueth you to bee the more awaked and inflamed least the same vnthankfulnesse and frowardnesse bee founde in you But hee vseth another reason to remoue the offence to wit that their vngodlinesse was so farre from diminishing any whit of Christ his diuine excellencie that it ought rather to serue to proue establishe the same For whereby doth Christ better appeare then because all that was fulfilled in him which had been foretolde in the Lawe and prophetes Luk. 24.25.26 Furthermore what got the enemies of Christe saue only that in him shined the plaine truth of the scripture It must needes bee that Christ shoulde bee reiected of the chiefe for it was so foretolde The stone which the builders refused Psal 118.22 hath God made the head of the corner Christe must needes haue been condemned among the wicked that he might acquit vs before god it was expedient that sinnes should be laid vpon him that he might make satisfaction for the same that he should be offered vpon the crosse that the shadowish sacrifices of the law might cease For euen the scripture contained these things Isa 53. Dan. 9. Isai 53.4.5 Dan. 9.26 Therefore the more violently the captaines of the people sought to extinguishe Christ they did in very deed proue him to be Christe and the Lord did wonderfully deceiue them so that their obstinate impietie doeth more edifie the faith of the godly then destroy it Of the same sort are almost all offences which lead away weake and inconstant soules from Christ For if they would throughly ponder the whole processe of the worke of God there should be matter of confirmation where they faint Therefore it commeth to passe for the most part that we be troubled with offences stumbling blockes because whiles we behold those things which belong to Christe with poreblind eyes wee imagine that to bee blacke which is white And we see how far Paul is from dissimulation and how freely he professeth the truth of the matter that Christ was hated not only of the common sort but also of the chief chieftaines that he was not hissed at by a few but oppressed by the wicked conspiracie of al the people That was hard hateful at the first conflict but Paul opposeth a more strong engine that God vsed them against their willes as a touch stone whereby he might trie his sonne Seeing that the Gospel standeth in the same state at this day let vs not bee ashamed with Paul to confesse that the proude princes of the worlde and those who beare the greatest sway in the church are the deadly enemies of Christ seeing that doth rather turne to Christes prayse then reproch For by this meanes is the scripture fulfilled Seeing they knew him not Though deliberate malice did enforce the rulers to oppresse Christ yet doth Paul truly impute it to ignorance because otherwise they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 28. 2 Cor. 3.15 For the malice of the wicked is like to raging madnesse and in seeing it doth not see Vndoubtedly we ned not doubt of this
that it is like to Leauen Wee had before that there was greate concourse of people so that the seede of true doctrine was sowne throughout the whole Citie Luke saieth nowe that it was spredde farther to wit throughout the whole countrie 50 Neuerthelesse hee declareth that that was done not without great paines and trouble Therefore the beginning of the calling of the Gentiles was ioyfull and prosperous neither coulde Satan hinder the course of the grace of God but in the meane season it stoode Paul and Barnabas vpon whom God had brought foorth into the fielde to striue And wee must marke what Luke sayeth that the religious and honest women together with the chiefe menne of the Citie were enforced to persecute the seruauntes of Christ For this was no small offence to the rude and those who were as yet scarce begotten in Christe when they sawe all those menne and women whiche were of anye accounte or estimation sette against Christ and also whatsoeuer was prayse woorthye according to menne A greate multitude of men receiued Christ but it was but the multitude and the ofscouringes of menne Against them were sette the chiefe menne of the Citye who with their pompe did easily oppresse the base and obscure multitude That might also cause doctrine to be suspected yea to be hated in that godly and honest matrons to looke to were enimies to it If wicked vngodly mischieuous men should haue issued out of their Tauerns dens if companies of whores should breake out of their brothilhouse it should be no reproch to the gospel yea rather the dignitie therof should thereby appeare more plainely but nowe what may the weake thinke with themselues but that the doctrine which hath such aduersaries is not of God Therefore it was expedient that not onely the faithfull who were as yet weake should be confirmed by the Lord least their faith should faile but also that the hande should be reached out to Paul and Barnabas least being discouraged they should leaue of And by this example the lord meant to teach vs that we must valiantly resist such lets and that we must beware least the vaine visures of vertue do blind our eyes so that we cannot see the glorie of Christ which shineth in the Gospel For it is certaine that all that vertue and honestie which is in men is meere hypocrisie where they set themselues against Christ Though it may be that those who are rashly carried against Christ for a time may afterward repēt Notwithstāding we must thus think with our selues that whatsoeuer faire show of holines those bear who resist the Gospel they are neither indewed with the perfect feare of God neither are they any thing else but a vaine shadowe howe greatly soeuer they boast of their vertue Neither is it without cause that Christ hath this title giuen him Luk. 2.35 that hee reuealeth the cogitations of manie hearts Religious And what maner religion could that be where there was no reuerence of the word of God We must note that there be fower kinds of men as there be few which worship God syncerely from the heart so there be few who openly professe the manifest and grosse contempt of him These be two sorts And the more part is neither quite without religion neither is it altogither voide of the common worship of God but yet notwithstanding whiles they do coldly and as it were ouerfields play with God if they be throughly examined they be but prophane Like as at this day the vngodlinesse of many is after a sort shrowded vnder ceremonies and the feigned profession of the worship of God So that in all ages there haue bin certaine worshipers of God who haue worshiped him like stage players whose holines did whollie consist in gestures and vaine pomps In Pauls time euen as at this day a peculiar studie of godlinesse was to be found in a fewe whose religion though it were impure and their heart feigned deceitful and double yet are they counted after a sort religious in respect of their zeale But hereby appeareth what account we may make of bare religion which driueth headlong through vnaduised heat the professors thereof to resist the kingdom of god to oppresse his glory Furthermore it is to be thought that though these matrons had not altogither giuen their name to Iudaisme neither had they bin nousled in the doctrin of the Law yet were they halfe Iewisses and that was the cause that they did so willingly take vpon them the defense of the nation For thus are women led about captiue being loaden with sinnes as Paul witnesseth 51 When they had shaken off the dust of their feete Mat. 10.14 Luk. 9.5 10.11 We may also gather euen by the commaundement of Christ that this was a token of cursing among the Iewes For it is not to be thought that Christ meant to haue his vse an vnknowen signe forasmuch as it was his purpose to terrifie the grosse and professed contemners of his doctrin Furthermore he meant by this meanes to declare that God doth so detest the wicked that wee must take great heed that we haue no fellowship with them least we be infected with their vncleannesse All the wicked are said in deed to pollute the ground whereon they tread but the Lord did neuer commande that any saue only the contēners of his word should be so reiected with such execration If any adulterer or whoremonger if any periured person if any drunkard were to be excommunicate this signe was not vsed Therefore it appeareth how intollerable the contempt of the worde of God is in his sight bicause when as he commandeth that the dust of the feet be shaken off it is as much as if he should pronounce that they are the bondslaues of Satan men past hope and worthie to be banished frō of the earth Wherefore let this so great seueritie teach vs to reuerence the Gospel Also the ministers of the word are taught with howe great feruentnesse of zeale they must maintain the maiestie of the word that they do not coldly dissemble and wink at the contempt thereof 52 The disciples were filled with ioy This member may be expounded two maner of wayes that they were filled with ioy and the Spirit by hypallage thus with ioy of the Spirit or which is al one with spiritual ioy because there is no quietnesse peace or ioy of conscience but it commeth of the Spirit of God in which respect Paul saith that the kingdom of God is rightuousnesse peace and ioy in the Spirit Rom. 14.17 or that the worde Spirit may containe vnder it other vertues and giftes Yet this pleaseth me better that they were filled with ioy because the grace of the holie Spirit reigned in them which alone doth so make vs glad truly and perfectly that we are carried vp aboue all the whole worlde For wee must marke Luke his drift that the faithfull were so farre from being troubled and shaken
hauing chāged his coat he doth now play a tragedie who could not speed welbefore by his faire speech and flatterie And though the heat of zeale wherewith Paul was prouoked to anger did raise the whirlewinde of persecution yet is hee not therefore to be blamed neither did it any whit repent Paul that he had wrought the myracle so that hee did wish that that were vndone which was done because he knew full wel through what motion he had driuen the diuell out of the maid whereby we are taught that we must not rashlie condemne thinges which are well done and that which is taken in hand at the commandement of God though an vnhappie successe follow because God doth then examine the constancie of those which bee his vntill a more ioyfull and prosperous ende driue away all sorrowe As touching the men Luke expresseth the cause why they were so mad vpon Paul to wit because their hope of filthie gain was gone But thogh they were pricked forward with couetousnes only to persecute the Gospel and the ministers therof yet they pretend a fair colour that it greeueth them that the publike state should be peruerted that their ancient lawes should bee broken and peace troubled So though the enemies of Christ behaue themselues wickedly and vnhonestly yet they alwayes inuent some cause for their sinne Yea thogh their wicked desire appear plainly yet with an impudent face they alwaies bring in somwhat to couer their filthinesse withall So at this day those Papists which are more zealous ouer their lawe haue nothing els in their mindes besides their gain and gouernment Let them sweare and forsweare by al their Saints and sacrifices that they are inforced only with a godly affection yet the matter it selfe doth plainly shew that it is the coldnes of their kitchins which maketh their zeale so whot and that ambition is the fanne therof For they be either hungrie dogs pricked forward with greedinesse or furious Lions breathing out nothing but crueltie 20 These men trouble our citie This accusation was craftily composed to burdē the seruants of Christ For on the one side they pretend the name of the Romans then which nothing was more fauourable on the other they purchase hatred and bring them in contempt by naming thē Iewes which name was at that time infamous for as touching religion the Romans wer more like to any then to the Iewish nation For it was lawful for a man which was a Romane to do sacrifice either in Asia or in Grecia or in any other countrie wher were Idols superstitions I warrant you Satan did agree with himself very well though he put on diuers shapes but that which was religion only then which ther was no other in the world was counted among the Romanes detestable They frame a third accusation out of the crime of sedition for they pretende that the publike peace is troubled by Paul his companie In like sort was Christ brought in contempt euen at this day the paists haue no more plausible thing wherwith they may bring vs to be hated Luk. 2◠5 thā when they crie that our doctrine tendeth to no other ende but to procure tumults that at length there may follow a filthie confusion of all thinges But we must valiantly contemn this filthie false infamie as did Christ and Paul vntill the Lord bring to light the malice of our enemies and refute their impudencie 21 Ordinances which They lean to a preiudice least the cause shuld com to be disputed as the papists deale with vs at this day this was decreed in a general councell it is a more ancient cōmon opinion thā that it may be called in questiō custom hath long time approued this this hath been established by consent more then a thousand yeeres agoe But to what end tend all these things saue only that they may rob the word of god of all authoritie They make boast of mans decrees but in the mean season they leaue no place at all for the lawes of God Wee may see by this place what force these preiudices ought to haue The lawes of the Romanes wer excellent but religion doth depende vppon the worde of God alone Therefore in this matter we must take great heed that men being brought vnder the authoritie of God alone do preuaile and that he make all things which in the world are excellent subiect to him 22 The multitude came togither When Luke declareth that there was great concourse of the people made after that a few men of no reputation to wit such as did iuggle and cosin to get gaine and whose filthines was wel knowen had made some sturre he teacheth with what fury the world rageth against Christ Folishnes and inconstancie are in deed common vices among al people and almost continual but the wonderful force of Satan doth therein bewray it self in that those who are in other matters modest quiet are for a matter of no importāce in a heat become companions of most vile persons when the truth must be resisted There was neuer a whit more modestie to be found in the iudges themselues if we consider what was their duty For they ought by their grauity to haue appeased the fury of the people to haue set thēselues stoutly against their violence they ought to haue aided defended the giltles but they lay hands on thē outragiously renting their garmēts they cōmand them to be stripped naked whipt before they know the matter Surely the malice of men is to be lamented whereby it came to passe that almost all the iudgement seates of the world which ought to haue bin sanctuaries of iustice haue bin polluted with the wicked sacrilegious oppugning of the gospel Notwithstāding the question is why they were cast in prison seing they were already punished for the prison was ordained for the keeping of men They vsed this kind of correction vntil they might know more and so we see the seruants of Christ more sharply handled than adulterers robbers and other most vile persons Whereby appeareth more plainely that force of Satan in stirring vp the minds of men that they obserue no shew of iudgment in persecuting the gospel But though the godly be more hardly handled for defending the truth of Christ than are the wicked for their wickednes yet it goeth wel with the godly because they triumph gloriously before god his angels in all iniuries which they suffer They suffer reproch and slander but because they know that the marks of Christ are in greater price more esteemed in heauen than the vaine pompes of the earth the more wickedly and reprochfully the world doth vex them the greater cause haue they to reioyce For if prophane writers did so honor Themistocles that they preferred his prison before the seat court of Iudges how much more honorably must we think of the son of god whose cause is in hand so oftē as the faithful suffer
Helpe They crie out as if they were in extreame danger and they call vpon all men to helpe them as if all religion were in hazard Whereby we see with what furious hatred they were inflamed against Paul onely because in shewing that the full and perfite truth is found in Christ he taught that the figures of the Law had an end Now whereas they conceiue a false opinion hauing seene Trophymus they do more bewray by this headlong lightnes how venemous they be They accuse Paul of sacrilege Why because he brought into the Temple a man which was vncircumcised But they laid a most cruell crime to the charge of an innocent through a false opinion Thus the boldnesse of those men vseth commonly to bee preposterous who are carried away with an opinion conceiued before But let vs learne by such examples to beware of the distemperature of affections and not to let light preiudices haue the raine least we runne headlong vpon the innocent being carried with blind force 30 And the Citie was moued Wee see in this place the vanitie of the common people which count Paul a condemned man before euer they heare him Whereas the citie is moued about godlines it is no maruell but this is a point of peruerse zeale and mad rashnes in that they set themselues against Paule before they knowe his matter For in this corruption of nature frowardnes is ioined with foolishnes so that those will readily of their owne accord make haste to maintaine an euil cause who can hardly be moued with many exhortations to do well This is a hard case that the whole world should be armed against vs at a sodaine through the perswasion of a fewe but seeing it pleaseth the Lorde it should bee so let euery one of vs prepare himselfe by this and such like examples to suffer all manner assaults and to beare and abide albrunts 31 And as they sought to kill him it was told the captaine of the band that all Ierusalem was on an vprore 32 Who tooke with him streightway soldiars and vnder captaines and ranne downe vnto them But they when they saw the chiefe captaine and the soldiars left smiting of Paul 33 Then the chiefe captaine drew neere and tooke him and commanded him to be bounde with two chaines and hee asked what he was and what hee had done 34 And some cried one thing and some another among the people And when he could not know the truth by reason of the tumult he commanded him to be carried into the campe 35 And when he came to the staires it happened that he was carried of the soldiars because of the violence of the multitude 36 For the multitude of people followed crying Away with him 37 And when Paul began to be carried into the campe he saith to the captaine May I speake to thee who said canst thou speake Greeke 38 Art not thou that Egyptian which before these dayes madest an vprore and leddest into the wildernes fower thousand men which were murderers 39 And Paul saide I verely am a man which am a Iewe borne in Tharsus a citizen of no vile Citie of Cilicia But I beseech thee suffer me to speake to the people 40 And when he had giuen him leaue Paul standing vpon the staires beckoned with the hand vnto the people and when there was made great silence he spake in the Hebrew tongue saying 31 As they sought to kill him Assuredly the force of satan appeareth therein in that he driueth the people headlong into such rage that whē they haue shut the doares of the Temple being not content with meane punishment they conspire to put Paul to death Wee must thus thinke with our selues that Sathan doth pricke forward the enimies of godlinesse least their rage how cruell and troublesome so euer it be trouble vs. On the otherside appeareth the wonderfull goodnes of God when as he raiseth vp the chiefe captaine at a sodaine that hee may deliuer Paul from death He himselfe thought vpon no such thing but he came to appease the tumult which was raised among the people but the Lord sheweth a more euident token of his prouidence because Paul his life was deliuered from such present danger without mans counsell Thus doth he suffer the faithful not only to labor but to be almost oppressed that hee may deliuer them from death more wonderfully Luke calleth him the chiefe captaine of the band improperly seing euery chiefe captain was set ouer a thousand which doth also appeare by the text where he saith that the chiefe captaine tooke with him vndercaptaines 32 And when they saw the chiefe captaine Those whose furie neither the maiestie of God ne yet the reuerence of the temple could once stay begin to relent when they see a prophane man Wherby it appeareth that theye were set on fire rather with barbarous crueltie than zeale Nowe whereas the chiefe captaine bindeth Paul with chaines hee declareth thereby sufficiently that he came not to ease him The vnbeleeuers wold attribute this to fortune but the Spirit hath depainted out vnto vs the prouidence of God as in a table reigning amidst the confused vprores of men And though this be very hard that this holy minister of God is so shamefully handled yet the equitie of the chiefe captaine is to be commended if hee bee compared with the Iewes Hee bindeth him with chaines as if he were some euill doer or some wicked person yet doth he vouchsafe to heare him when he is bounde whom they did beat vnmercifully neither doeth hee determin to handle him hardly before he knew his cause Yea this was the best way to mitigate their cruelty because they thought that Paul should be punished immediatly 34 Some cried one thing and some another The madnesse of the raging people doth bewray it selfe on euery side They make horrible outcries whereof one is contrary to another Neuerthelesse they desire with one consent to haue him put to death who was conuict of no offence In the meane season we need not doubt but that they were blinded with a color of holy zeale but the truth of the cause wel known maketh mē truly zealous as it maketh them true martyrs of God but rage bewraieth diuellish madnes Whereas mention is made in this place of the campe or fortresse we must know that the soldiars which were placed to gard the City had a place which was trenched fortified on euerie side which they might defend as if it were a castle from which they might beat backe all assaultes if any sedition were raised For it had not been good for them to haue been dispearsed here and there in diuers Innes seeing the people were treacherous and the Citie troublesome And wee gather by this that the place was high because Luke saith that when they came to the steps Paul was carried of the soldiers And whether the soldiers did lift vp Paul on high that they might bring him safe to the station or campe
and so Gods predestination doth abolish all preparations which Sophisters imagine as if man did preuent Gods grace by his owne free will In calling him the God of the Fathers hee reneweth the rembrance of the promises that the Iewes may know that the newe calling of Paul is ioyned with them and that those fall not away from the Lawe who passeouer vnto Christ Therefore Paul confirmeth that by these wordes which hee auouched before in his owne person that hee had not made any departure from the God of Abraham whome the Iewes had in times passed worshipped but that hee continueth in the auncient worshippe which the Fathers did vse which hee had learned out of the Lawe Wherefore when the question is about religion let vs learne by the example of Paule not to imagine any newe God as the Papistes and Mahometistes haue done and as all heritikes vse to doe but let vs retaine that God who hath reuealed himselfe in times past to the Fathers both by the Lawe and also by diuerse Oracles This is that antiquitie wherein wee must remaine and not in that whereof the Papistes boast in vaine who haue inuented to themselues a straunge God seeing they haue forsaken the lawfull Fathers The same is to bee said at this day of the Iewes whose religion seing it disagreeth with the Lawe and the Prophets their God must also bee degenerate and feigned For hee who would in times past be called the God of Abraham and of the fathers appeared at length in the person of his sonne that hee may nowe be called by his owne name or title the Father of Christ Therefore he which reiecteth the sonne hath not the father who cannot bee seperated from him And Ananias saieth that it commeth to passe through the free Election of God that the truth of the Gospell doeth now appeare to Paule whereuppon it followeth that he did not attaine vnto this by his owne industrie which the experience of the thing did also declare For nothing was more stubberne than Paule vntill Christ did tame him And if wee desire to knowe the cause and beginning Ananias calleth vs backe vnto the counsell of God whereby hee was appointed and ordained and assuredlie it is a more precious thing to knowe the will of God then that men can attaine vnto it by their owne industrie That which Ananias affirmeth of Paul ought to bee translated vnto all that the treasure of faith is not common to all but it is offered peculiarly to the Elect. Furthermore it appeareth more plainly by the next member what this will of God is for God spake at sundrie times and many wayes by his Prophetes but last of all hee reuealed and made knowne his will and himselfe whollie in his sonne To see the iust Seeing all the Greeke bookes in a manner agree togither in the Masculine gender I wonder why Erasmus woulde rather translate it in the Neuter Which is Iust which sense the readers see to be colde and farre fet Heb. 1.1 Therefore I doe not doubt but that Iust is taken in this place for Christ and the text runneth very finely thus because it followeth immediatly after Heare a voice from his mouth And it is certaine that all the godly and holy men did most of all desire that they might see Christ Thence flowed that confession of Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruāt depart in peace bicause mine eies haue seene thy saluation Therfore this seing which godly kings and prophets did most earnestly desire as Christ himselfe doeth witnesse Luke 2.29 Luk. 10.24 is not without cause extolled as a singular benefite of God But because the sight of the eyes should profite little or nothing which wee knowe was to manie deadly hee adioyneth the hearing of the voice Ananias setteth downe the cause why God did vouchsafe Paul of so great honour to wit that hee might be to his sonne a publike witnesse and hee doth so prepare him that he may learne not onely for himselfe alone but that he may haue so much the more care to profit because he shal be the teacher of all the whole Church 16 And now why tarriest thou It is not to be doubted but that Ananias did faithfully instruct Paul in the principles of godlinesse for he would not haue baptized him if hee had beene voide of true faith But Luke passeth ouer many things and doth briefely gather the summe Therefore seing Paul doth vnderstand that the promised redemption is nowe giuen in Christ Ananias saieth for good causes that nothing ought to stay him from being Baptized But when hee saieth why tarriest thou hee doeth not chide Paule neither doeth hee accuse him of slackenesse but hee doeth rather amplifie the grace of God by adding Baptisme The like sentence had wee in the tenth Chapter Cha. 10.47 Can any man let those from being Baptized with water who haue the holy Ghost giuen them euen as wee But when hee saieth Wash away thy sinnes by this speech hee expresseth the force and fruite of Baptisme as if hee had saide Wash away thy sinnes by Baptisme But because it may seeme that by this meanes more is attributed to the outwarde and corruptible element than is meete The question is whether Baptisme bee the cause of our purging Surely for as much as the bloode of Christ is the onely meanes whereby our sinnes are washed away and as it was once shedde to this ende so the holy Ghost by the sprinkling thereof through faith doeth make vs cleane continually this honour cannot be translated vnto the signe of water without doing open iniurie to Christ and the holy Ghost and experience doeth teach howe earnestly men be bent vnto this superstition Therefore manie godly men least they put confidence in the outwarde signe doe ouermuch extenuate the force of Baptisme But they muste keepe a measure that the Sacramentes may bee kept within their bounds least they darken the glorie of Christ and yet they may not want their force and vse Wherefore wee must holde this first that it is God alone who washeth vs from our sinnes by the blood of his sonne and to the ende this washing may be effectuall in vs he worketh by the hidden power of his Spirit Therefore when the question is concerning remission of sinnes wee must seeke no other authour thereof but the heauenlie Father we must imagine no other materiall cause but the blood of Christ and whē we be com to the formal cause the holy ghost is the chief but ther is an inferiour instrument and that is the preaching of the word baptisme it self But though God alone doth worke by the inward power of his Spirite yet that doth not hinder but that he may vse at his pleasure such instruments and meanes as he knoweth to be conuenient not that he includeth in the element any thing which he taketh either from his spirite or from the blood of Christ but because he will haue the signe it selfe to be an
helpe for our infirmitie Therefore forasmuch as Baptisme doth helpe our faith that it may reape forgiuenesse of sinnes by the blood of Christ alone it is called the washing of the soule So that the washing spoken of by Luke doeth not note out the cause but is referred vnto the vnderstanding of Paul who hauing receiued the signe knew better that his sinnes were done away Though we must also note this that there is no bare figure set before vs in Baptisme but that the giuing of the thing is therto annexed because God promiseth nothing deceitfully but doth indeed fulfill that whiche vnder the signes he doth signifie Notwithanding we must again beware that we tie not the grace of God to the sacraments for the external administration of baptisme profiteth nothing saue only where it pleaseth God it shall By this there is also an other question aunsweared which may be moued For seeing Paul had the testimonie of the grace of god his sinnes were alreadie forgiuen him Therfore he was not washed onlie by baptisme but he receiued a new confirmation of the grace which he had gotten In calling vpon the name of the Lorde It is out of question that he meaneth Christ not because the name of Christ alone is called vpon in baptiswe but because the father commandeth vs to aske of him whatsoeuer is figured in baptism neither doth the operatiō of the Spirit tend to any other end sauing that it may make vs partakers of his death resurrection Therfore Christ is appointed to excell in baptism yet in as much as he is giuen vs of the father and in asmuch as he powreth out his graces vppon vs by the holy Ghost Whereby it commeth to passe that the calling vppon the name of Christe containeth both the Father and the Sonne Wherefore Ananias doth not meane that the name of Christe must only bee named but hee speaketh of prayer whereby the faithfull doe testifie that the effect of the outward signe is in the power of Christe alone For the sacraments haue neither anie power of saluation included in them neither are they any thing worth of themselues Wherfore this member is as it were a correction of the former saying because Ananias doth in plaine words send Paul from reposing confidence in the external signe vnto Christ It is well knowen howe much the Papistes differ from this rule who tye the cause of grace to their exorcismes and inchauntments they are so farre from studiyng to direct the miserable people vnto Christ that they rather drown Christ in Baptisme and pollute his sacred name by their inchantments 17 And it came to passe that when I was returned to Ierusalem and prayed in the Temple I was in a trance 18 And saw him say to me Make haste and get thee quicklie out of Ierusalem because they will not receiue thy testimony concerning me 19 Then I saide Lord they know that I did cast into prison and did beat in euery synagogue those which did beleeue in thee 20 And when the blood of thy witnesse Steephen was shed I did also stande by and consented to his death and kept the rayment of those which slewe him 21 And he said vnto me Goe because I wil send thee farre hence vnto the Gentiles 22 And they heard him vnto this word then they lifted vp their voice saying Away with such a fellow from off the earth for it is not meete that he shoulde liue 17 And it came to passe This had not bene the last conclusion if Paul had not beene cut off with their outragious outcries Notwithstanding his drift and purpose doeth plainely appeare by the former text for he beginneth to intreat of his ministerie that hee may shewe that hee departed not from the Iewes of his owne accorde as if hee withdrewe him of malice from taking paines with them but he was drawne vnto the Gentiles contrary to his expectation and purpose For he came purposely to Ierusalem that hee might impart with his owne nation that grace which was committed to him But when the Lorde cutteth off his hope which hee had to doe good hee driueth him thence But there was a double offence which Paule goeth about to cure for they both thought that the couenant of God was prophaned if the Gentiles shoulde bee admitted into the Church togither with them and nothing did grieue the proude nation so much as that other shoulde bee preferred before them or so much as made equall with them Therefore Paule his defense consisteth in this that hee was readie so much as in him laid to doe them the best seruice he could but he was afterward enforced by the commaundement of God to goe to the Gentiles because hee woulde not haue him to bee idle at Ierusalem Whereas Erasmus translateth it That I was carried without my selfe is in Greeke worde for worde That I was in a traunce whereby he meant to purchase credite to the Oracle Also the circumstance of the time and place doeth confirme the same in that the Lorde appeared to him as hee prayed in the Temple which was an excellent preparation to heare the voyce of God Concerning the manner of seeing reade that which wee touched about the ende of the seuenth Chapter 18 Because they will not Though the commaundement of God alone ought to be sufficient ynough to binde vs to obey yet to the ende Paul might be the more willing to followe Christ sheweth him a reason why hee will haue him depart out of Ierusalem to wit because hee shoulde loose his labour there but he was not chosen to that end that he might be idle or doe no good by teaching though this were a sore triall and such as we may thinke did sore shake him Not long before the function of preaching the Gospel was enioyned him that his voice might sound throughout the whole world now euen at the first entrance he is inhibited yea his labour seemeth to be condemned of peculiar reproch when his witnesse is reiected because his person is hated But it was meete that the holy seruant of the Lord should bee thus humbled that all the preachers of the Gospell might learne to giue ouer themselues whollie to obey Christ that when they bee excluded from one place they may be ready immediatly to go to another and that they may not be discouraged nor cease off from doing their duetie though they be vndeseruedly loathed 19 Lord they know By this speech Paul doeth testifie that he was not beside himselfe or brought into perplexitie but that hee did assuredlie beleeue the Oracle For without doubt he knewe Christ whom he calleth Lord. And Paul obiecteth that it cannot almost be but that when they see him so sodainely chaunged such a spectacle will mooue them Whence he gathereth that hee shall not be vnfruitfull Hee thought so in deede but Christ answereth flatly that he hath appointed him another charge and hee taketh from him the hope which hee had in vaine conceiued
touching the Iewes The question is whether it were lawfull for Paul to obiect these reasons to Christ for it is as much as if he did auouch that that is probable which Christ saide coulde not be I answere that God giueth his saintes leaue familiarly to vtter their affections before him especially when they seeke no other thing but the confirmation of their faith If any man stand in his own conceit or stubbernely refuse that which God commaundeth his arrogancie shall be worthily condemned but God vouchsafeth his faithfull seruants of a singular priuilege that they may modestly obiect those things which may call them backe from the desire to obey to the end that being free from lets they may wholly addict themselues to serue God as Paul after that he was taught that it pleased the Lord that it should be so he doth not gainesay nor contend any longer but being content with that one exception and making an end there he maketh himselfe ready to take his iorney which he seemed to be loth to take In the meane season whereas the Iewes are not touched with so many myracles their stubbernes and pride which can not be tamed is discouered Which vpbraiding did vndoubtedly cause them to rage 22 Away with such a fellowe Luke sheweth heere howe outragiouslie Paul his sermon was interrupted For they doe not onely opppresse him with their crying but they desire to haue him put to death where it doeth also plainelie appeare howe frensie pride is The Iewes conceiued so great good liking of themselues that they did not onely despice all the whole worlde in comparison of themselues but they stoode also more stoutly in defense of their owne dignitye then of the Lawe it selfe as if al religion did consist in this that Abraham his stocke might excell all other mortall men So now they rage against and raile vpon Paul because hee saide that hee was sent to bee the Apostle of the Gentiles as if God were bounde by his owne liberalitie to suffer the contempt of his power in the wicked and vnthankfull on whom he bestowed excellent graces aboue all other And it is no maruell if there were suche fiercenesse and fury at that day among the Iewes seeing that being by all meanes wasted and accustomed to suffer extreme reproches at this daye they cease not notwithstanding to swell with seruile pride Rom. 11.5 But these be fruites of reprobation vntil God gather together the remnant according to Paul his prophecie 23 And as they cried and cast off their garmentes and threwe dust into the ayre 24 The chiefe captaine commanded him to be led into the campe and hee commanded that he should bee scourged and examined that hee might knowe for what cause they cried so on him 25 And when they had bounde him with thonges Paul said to the Centurion that stoode by Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Romaine and vncondemned 26 When the Centurion heard that he went to the chiefe captaine and told him saying what wilt thou doe For this man is a Romaine 27 And when the chiefe captaine came he said to him Tell mee art thou a Romaine And he said yea 28 And the chief captaine answered with a great summe I purchased this freedome And Paul said I was so borne 29 Then those who were about to examine him departed from him immediatly And the chiefe captaine also was afraid after that he knew that he was a Romaine and that he had bound him 30 And on the next day when hee woulde know the trueth he loosed him from his bonds commanded the high priests al the Counsaile to come together and he brought Paul and set him before them 24 The chiefe captaine It was well and wisely done of the chiefe captayne thus to withdraw Paul from the sight of the people forasmuch as his presence did moue and more prouoke them who were alreadye too muche mooued For by this meanes he prouideth for the life of the holie man and partly appeaseth the madnesse of the people But when he commaundeth him to be scourged to whose charge hee hearde no certayne crime laide hee seemeth to deale vniustly and yet this iniurie was not without colour because it was likely that it was not without cause that all the people had conspired to putte one manne to death Therefore a vehement presumption was the cause of so straite examination But we must note that this is a common custome among politike menne that they bee iust iudges so farre as is expedient for them but if they be called away by profite then they go out of the way Neuerthelesse it is sufficient for them to colour this their wickednesse with the title of wisdome because they hold that generall principle that the world cannot be gouerned without some shewe or colour of iustice But in all actions that subtiltie whereof I spake doth preuaile that they consider rather what is profitable then what is equall and right 25 Is it lawfull He alleageth first the priuiledge of the citie then he defendeth himselfe by common lawe And though there were more weight in the second point to wit that it is not lawfull to scourge a man before his cause is heard yet should he haue preuailed nothing vnlesse the centurion had been more moued with the honour of the Romaine Empire for nothing was then more hainous thē to doe any thing which was contrarye to the libertie of the people of Rome Valerius his law the law of Porcius and of Sempronius such like did forbid that no man should doe any violence to the body of the citie of Rome without the commaundement of the people The priuiledge was so sure and holy that they thought it to be not only a deadly offence but also such an offence as could not be purged that a citizen of Rome should bee beaten Therfore Paul escaped rather by the priuiledge then by cōmon equitie yet did he not dout in a good cause to beare of the iniurie which was prepared for him with this buckler of the citie But wee must know that he did so alleage the right priuiledge of the citie that the chief captain was brought to beleeue him because his words should not haue been credited vnlesse he had vsed some proof Moreouer it was no hard matter for a man who was well knowen to bring foorth witnesses Wee alleaged a cause in the sixteenth chapter Cha. 16.37 why he suffered himself to be scourged at Philippos which he now preuenteth by his owne declaration to wit because hee shoulde not haue been heard in a tumult raised among the common people But because he hath nowe to deale with the souldiers of Rome who did behaue themselues more moderately and grauely he vseth the opportunitie 26 This man is a Romane Some man may maruel that he was so credulous who was appointed to be chiefe in examining Paul that he doth affirme the thing as if hee knew it to be
may also present a man before God that he may willingly suffer himselfe to bee iudged by his worde And this is a token of true profiting when the sinner seeketh for medicine there from whence hee receiued his wounde Furthermore this place doth teach that men are then examined tried to the quick when their vices wherewith they are infected are brought to light and their consciences are called backe vnto the iudgement to come For when Paule disputeth of righteousnesse and temperance hee did rubbe Felix sore vppon the gall forasmuch as he was both a man giuen to filthie pleasure and also to dissolute riot and giuen ouer vnto iniquitie 27 Hoping that money Though Felix had throughly tried Pauls integritie so that hee was ashamed to take money of the Iewes for condemning him yet forasmuch as hee was a couetous man and a man giuen to corruptions he would not acquite him for nothing for this cause he doeth often call Paule that hee may with faire words put him in some hope of deliuerance For iudges which gape after money doe insinuate themselues thus when as they will make way for corruptions Whence we gather that it was but a vaine and transitorie feare wherewith Felix was taken when hee heard Paul dispute seing hope of gaine doeth compell him to call for him whom he was enforced with feare to send away Howe did Felix hope for some rewarde at the handes of a poore man and one that was destitute for that goulfe would not haue beene content with a small pray I doe not doubt but that as those who haue the Lawe and right to sell are wittie and can perceiue things when hee saw the Iewes did make such earnest suite to haue Paul put to death he smelled somwhat a farre off touching him to wit that hee was none of the common sort but such a man as was in great fauour with manie Wherefore he did not doubt but that many of his friends would willingly bestow cost to redeeme him 28 And when two yeares were expired Seeing Paul knew that the Iudge who did gape for gaine would be fauourable to him so sone as he should offer him money seing he had sufficient time to gather the same it is likely that hee did not onely beare with the Brethren but also detest such briberie wherewith the holinesse of ciuill order is shamefully polluted Nowe whereas gouernours vse to let lose such prisoners as they know are not guiltie when they goe from the prouince Felix tooke the contrarie way to winne fauour The Iewes had often complained of his filthie gaine of his extortion cruelty and vnrulie gouernement Claudius Cesar being wearied with so many complaints did call him out of Iudea To the end the Iewes may not spite him so sore he leaueth Paul bounde So that hee maketh the guiltlesse seruaunt of God as it were an offering for his euill deedes that hee may therewithall appease the Priests CHAP. XXV 1 THen when Festus was come into the prouince after three dayes he went vp to Ierusalem from the Citie of Cesarea 2 And the high Prists and the chiefe Iewes enformed him of Paul besought him 3 Desiring fauour against him that he would sende for him to Ierusalem laying await to kill him by the way 4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Cesarea that he himself would goe thither shortly 5 Therefore let them saith he which are able among you go downe with me and if there be any fault in this man let them accuse him 6 And after that he had staid more than tenne dayes among them he went down to Cesarea and on the morrow he sate downe in the iudgement seat and commanded Paul to be brought 7 Who being come those Iewes which came from Ierusalem stoode about him laying many and great crimes to Paule his charge which they coulde not proue 8 For as much as hee answered that hee had neither offended any thing against the Law of the Iewes neither against the Temple neither against Cesar 1 Then when Festus The seconde action is described in this place wherein Paul hath as hard a cumbate and is in no lesse daunger then in the first Seing he was left in bondes Festus might suspect that the cause was doubtfull and so gather an vniust preiudice But there was another thing which was cause of greater daunger Wee know that newe rulers because they will winne the fauour of those who are in the prouinces vse to grant them many thinges at their first comming so that it was to be thought that the death of Paul should be to Festus a fine meanes to winne fauour withall Therefore the faith of the holy man is assailed afresh with a newe triall as if the promise had beene vaine whereto hee had hitherto trusted but the grace of god doth so much the more plainly shewe it selfe in deliuering him because contrarie to all hope hee is deliuered out of the iawes of death The Iewes preuent the gouernour with their false accusations yet they doe not as yet seeke to haue him punished but they doe onely desire that hee may not bee brought into any forraine court to plead his cause They desire that ambitiously as a great benefite which was to looke to equal How is it then that they do not obtaine saue onely because God doth holde the minde of Festus so that he doth stoutly deny that which he was afterward readie to graunt And as the Lord did then holde his mind bound with the secreat bridle of his prouidence so when hee graunted him freedome of will he bounde his handes that hee could not execute that which hee would Let this confidence support vs in daungers and let it also stirre vs vp to call vppon God and let this make our mindes quiet and calme in that the Lord in stretching forth his hand and breaking such a strong conspiracie did shew an eternal example of his power in defending his 5 Those therefore It is in the Greek worde forwarde Those who are mightie or able yet he meaneth those who can conueniently Also wee may easily coniect that they did obiect the trouble and charges and besought the Gouernour that he would not make weary with a superfluous iourney so many of their chiefe men and also certaine which were verie aged bâ—t would rather which hee might easily doe commaund Paul to be brought by a fewe keepers Therefore least they complaine that he is burdenous vnto them hee vnloadeth them of this necessitie and giueth them leaue to choose out from among themselues such as they will In the meane season he doth sufficiently declare that he doth not beleeue their false reports and he professeth that he will bee an vpright iudge and will do nothing but according to the truth of the matter The next sentence also is diuersly read among the Grecians For some bookes haue the same which is in the olde interpreter But eight or tenne dayes If this reading like vs the
that of Messana ouer against which is Rhegium whereof he maketh mention And it is in the countrie of the Brutians as is Puteoli a citie of Campania But forasmuch as the brethren kept Paul at Puteoli seuen dayes by this we gather howe fauourably geÌ„tly the Centurion haÌ„dled Paul Neither do I doubt but that the holy man would haue made him a faithfull promise that hee would alwayes returne in due time But he was persuaded of his vprightnesse so that he was not afraid that he would deceiue him And now we gather out of this place that the seede of the gospell was then sowen abroade seeing there was some bodie of the church euen at Puteoli 15 And when the brethren had heard of vs from thence they came out to meece vs at Appii Forum and at the three Tauerns whom when Paul sawe hee gaue thanks to God and waxed bold 16 And when we were come to Rome the Centurion deliuered the prisoners to the chiefe captaine of the hoast But Paul was suffered to dwell alone with a soldiar which kept him 17 And after three dayes Paul called together the chiefe of the Iewes and when they were come he said to them Men and brethren though I haue done nothing against the people or ordinances of the Elders yet was I deliuered a prisoner from Ierusalem into the hands of the Romanes 18 Which when they had examined me they would haue let me go because ther was no cause of death in me 19 But when the Iewes spake contrary I was enforced to appeale to Caesar not as if I haue any thing to accuse my nation of 20 For this cause therefore haue I sent for you that I might see you and speake to you For the hope of Israel am I bound with this chain 15 When the brethren heard God did comfort Paul by the comming of the brethren who came foorth to meet him that he might the more ioyfully make hast to defend the Gospel And the zeale and godly care of the brethren appeareth therein in that they inquire for Pauls comming and goe out to meete him For it was at that time not onely an odious thing to professe the christian faith but it might also bring them in hassarde of their life Neither did a few men only put themselues in priuate daunger because the enuie redounded to the whole Churche But nothing is more deare to them then their duty wherein they could not bee negligent vnlesse they woulde bee counted sluggishe and vnthankefull It had beene a cruell fact to neglect so great an Apostle of Iesus Christe especially seeing hee laboured for the common saluation And now forasmuch as he had written to them before and had of his owne accord offered his seruice to them it had been an vnseemly thing not to repay to him brotherly good will and curtesie Therefore the brethren did by this their dutifulnes testifie their godlines toward Christ Pauls desire was more inflamed bicause he saw frute prepared for his constancie For though he wer indued with inuincible strength so that he did not depend vpon mans helpe yet God who vseth to strengthen his by meanes of men did minister to him new strength by this means Though he were afterward forsaken when he was in prison as he complaineth in a certaine place yet did he not despair but did fight no lesse valiantly and manfully vnder Christes banner than if he had been garded with a great armie But the remembraunce of this meeting did ferue euen then to encourage him 2. Tim. 4.16 seeing he did consider with himselfe that there were many boâ—ly brethren at Rome but they were weake and that he was sent to strengthen them And there is no cause why wee should maruell that Paul was emboldened at this present when he saw the brethren because he did hope that the confession of his faith would yeeld no small frute For so often as God sheweth to his seruants any frute of their labour he doth as it were pricke them forward with a goad that they may proceed more couragiously in their worke 16 The Centurion deliuered the prisoners Luke doeth signifie that Paul had more libertie graunted him then the rest for this condition and estate was peculiar For he was suffered to dwell in an house by him selfe hauing one keeper with him where as the rest were shut vp in the common prison For the generall captaine knewe by Festus his reporte that Paul was giltlesse and the Centurion as it is likely did faithfully rehearse such things as might serue to bring him into fauour Notwithstanding let vs know that God did gouerne from heauen the bondes of his seruant not only that hee might ease him of his trouble but that the faithfull might haue freer accesse vnto him For he would not haue the treasure of his faith shut vp in prison but hee woulde haue it laid open that it might enrich many farre and wide And yet Paule was not so at libertie but that he did alwayes carry a chaine Luke calleth the generall captaine Stratopedarches who was appointed ouer the armie whiche kept the citie as histories make mention 17 And after three dayes Paule his humanitie was wonderfull in that though he had suffered such cruell iniuries of his nation he studieth notwithstanding to appease the Iewes which are at Rome and hee excuseth himselfe to them least they hate his cause because they heare that the priestes doe hate him He might well haue excused him self before men if he had passed ouer these Iewes and turned him selfe to the Gentiles For though hee had continually in diuers places assayed to bring them to Christ yet they were more and more netled and moued and yet he had omitted nothing neither in Asia nor in Grecia neither at Ierusalem which might mittigate their furie Therefore all men would haue iustly pardoned him if he had let those alone whoÌ„ he had so often tried to be of desperate pride But because he knew that his master was giuen of his father to be the minister of the Iewes to fulfil the promises whereby God had adopted to himselfe the seede of Abraham to be his people he looketh vnto the calling of God and is neuer wearie He sawe that he must remaine at Rome seeing he had libertie graunted to teache he would not that they should be depriued of the frute of his labor Secondly he would not haue them moued through hatred of his cause to trouble the church because a small occasion might haue caused great destruction Therefore Paul meant to beware least according to their wonted madnesse they should set all on fire I haue done nothing against the people These two thinges might haue made the Iewes hate him either because hee should haue done hurt to the common wealth of his nation as som runnagates did increase their bondage which was too cruell through their treacherie or because he should haue done somewhat against the worship of God for though the Iewes
the hatred of the Trueth doeth procure 9. 23 How great the force of the Trueth is 9. 22. 15. 12. and 19. 9. The Tumults raised by Satan are maliciously imputed to the Gospell 17. 6. The Turkes because of their manifold victories deride the gospel of Christ 25. 19. The schoole of Tirannus at Ephesus 19. 9. Tirants are afraid of innouations 12. 1. How arrogant spiritual Tyrantes are 5. 28. Sidon and Tyrus were proude c … 12. 20. V We must leaue Vengeance tâ— God 7. 7. 16. 37. 23. 3. Vertues signes and woonâ—ers put for miracles 2 22. 4. 30. VVhy Paul speaketh of hiâ— vertues 20. 18. Virgils place 6. 35. 17. 28. Paul saw a Vision 1â— 9. 16. 9. and 22. 18. and 27. 2â— Peter saw a Vision 10. 3. 12. The vse of Vision 9. 10. Difference between Visions dreams 18. 9. The punishment of vnbeleefe 8. 11. All Vnbeleeuers are polluted 10. 28. The vnderstanding of spiritual things is a peculiar gift of God 16. 14. Vnthankfulnes must bee auoyded 10. 41. VnthaÌ„kfulnes of the Israelites 7. 36. 40 The pride of the Italians 10. 1. Vse is the father of wisedome 6. 2. VV VVhy they did Wash the bodies of the dead in times past 9. 37. VVhy it is forbiddeÌ„ to scale the walles 9. 25 The auncient rite of Washing corpses 9. 37. VVay put for sect 19. 25. The waies of the Lord. 13. 10. The wayes of men 14. 16. The malice of the VVicked is likned to fransines 13. 27. The feare of the wicked 16. 38. The manner of the wicked 9. 23. The hatred of the wicked against the trueth Ibidem The obstinacie of the wicked 5. 21. How God vseth the industrye of the wicked 4. 28 The rage of the wicked is set on fire so soone as the light of the Gospell â—â—mmeth neere it 13. 45. The diligence of the VVicked in opprâ—ssing the trueth 4. 1. The godly must despise tread vnderfoot the pride of the wicked 13. 48. 52. The fearâ—â—lnes of the wicked 23. 12. The zeale â—f the wicked 17. 5 How we ought to handle the wicked 4. 11. â— 33. 7. 54. 8. 20. 23. and 13. 1â— 40. 18. 6. 19. 9. and 23. 3. and 2â— 26. and 28. 25. The wicked ioyne hand to hand to oppresse the Gospel 23. 6. The wicked though against their wils confirme the Gâ—spel 4. 21. The wicked doe alwaies inuent some causes to sinne 16. 19. The wicked doe not what hurte they would 2. 43. and 3. â—8 4. 1. 4. 21. 28. 22. 2. 18. 1â— and 25. 1. How the wicked doe obey God 2. 23. The Wicked returne alwayes vnto their nature 24. 27. The wicked are easily seduced by SataÌ„ 2. 22. The wicked doe euen establish the prouidence of God 17. 26. All the wicked are subiect to the prouidence of God 13. 27. The wicked doe sometimes feare men 5. 21. The afflictions of the wicked are the very entry of hell 14. 22. The blindnes of the wicked 5. â—7 and 9. 23. The euil conscience of the wicked 5. 13. 17. The vaine counsels of the wicked 4. 5. 25. 27. and 9. 23. 23. 16. The end of the wicked 1. 20. 8. 20. The fraile vaine felicity of the wicked 12. 20. The destruction of the wicked 9. 5. 12. 20. The iudgement of the Wicked ought worthely to be despysed 16. 1. The lust of the wicked must be bridled 16. 37. The wicked are the children of the diuel 13. 10. The wicked are the bondeslaues of Satan 13. 51. The wicked are the ministers of Satan 21. 11. Howe abhominable the wicked are in the sight of God 13. 9. The wicked must sometimes be set by the eares together 23. 6. The wicked do alwaies waxe worse woorse 8. 1 9. 6. 12. 19. 13. 45. 19. 9. 26. 24 and 28. 29. The wicked must not bee preferred to gouerne the Church 4. 17. The wicked are without excuse 2. 23. 18. 6. and 24. 25. and 28. 27. The liberty of whoring did reigne euery where 15. 19. Whoredome is accursed before God Ibid. Women must not bee kept from the word 18. 26 Word put for thing 5. 32. and 10. 36. VVhence the maiestye of the worde doth come 10. 33. Looke the word of God VVhether good workes be the cause of saluation 10. 35. VVhether good workes doe purchase Gods fauour 10. 35. Good works are commended 23. 8. 9. 36. The reward of works 10. 4. All the worlde must bee subiect to the preaching of the Gospel 1. 2. Contempt of the world 13. 1. How we ought to consider the creation of the world 4. 24. The nature of the world is addicted to external visures 6. 14. The vnthankfulnes of the world 26. 17. The wickednesse of the worlde howe great 14. 19. The difference betweene God and the world 5. 41. How the creation of the worlde is to be considered 4. 24. The world was created by God 14. 15. 17. VVhy God created the worlde in sixe dayes 12. 10. How greatly the world is set vpon superstition 28. 6. The world is gouerned by the counsel of God 17. 26. 28 How farre forth it was lawfull for the faithfull to worshippe in the temple 24. 11. Ciuil woorship must bee distinguished from that which is done for religions sake 10. 25. 54. VVhy bastardly and corrupt worshippings are distinguished froÌ„ the good and sincere 7. 44. 4. VVhat worship is acceptable to God 7. 42. VVidowes chosen to the Deaconship 6. 1. VVe must haue regard of widowes 9. 39. True wisedome 10. 21. Z The Zeale of the Sadduces 5. 17. The bloudie Zeale of Hypocrites 17. 5. VVhat account we ought to make of rash Zeale 5. 17. The madde Zeale of the Iewes 3. 17. and 23. 6. The blynde and furious Zeale of the Papists 5. 17. and 6. 11. 9. 23. ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONdon by Thomas Dawson for George Bishop 1585.