do seeke our felicity without the world Moreouer men doe bring miseries vppon themselues through their vnthankfulnesse For the seruant which knoweth his masters will Luk. 12.47 and doeth not obey is worthy of greater more stripes The more familiarly that God doeth communicate with vs in Christ the more doth our vngodlinesse growe and breake out into open contumacie so that it is no maruell if when Christ reuealed there appeare manie tokens of Gods vengeance on the other side for as much as mē do hereby more grieuously prouoke God against them kindle his wrath through wicked contempt Surely in that the day of Christ is fearefull it is an accidental thing whether God will correct our slouthfulnes to bring vs vnder which are yet vnapt to be taught or whether he wil punish our vnthankfulnes For it bringeth with it of it selfe nothing but that which is pleasant But the contempt of Gods grace doeth prouoke him to horrible anger not without cause 21 Who so euer shall call vpon An excellent place For as God doeth prick vs forward like sluggish Asses with threatnings terrors to seeke saluation so after that he hath brought darknes vpon the face of heauen and earth yet doth he shew a meanes whereby saluation may shine before our eyes to wit if we shall call vpon him For we must diligentlie note this circumstance If God should promise saluation simplie it were a great matter but it is a far greater when as he promiseth the same amidst manifold dungeons of death Whiles that saith he all things shal be out of order and the feare of destruction shal possesse al things onely call vpon me and yee shall be saued Therefore howsoeuer man be swallowed vp in the goulfe of miseries yet is there set before him a way to escape We must also note the vniuersall worde who so euer For God admitteth all men vnto himselfe without exception and by this meanes doth he inuite them to saluation Rom. 10.20 as Paul gathereth in the tenth chapt to the Romanes and as the prophet had set it downe before Thou Lord which hearest the praier vnto thee shall all flesh come Therefore for as much as no man is excluded from calling vpon God the gate of saluation is set open vnto all men Neither is there anie other thing which keepeth vs back from entring in saue onely our owne vnbeliefe I speake of all vnto whom God doth make manifest himselfe by the Gospel But like as those which call vpon the name of the Lord are sure of saluation so we must thinke that without the same we are thrise miserable and vndone And when as our saluation is placed in calling vppon God there is nothing in the meane season taken from faith for as much as this inuocation is groūded in faith alone There is also another circumstance no lesse worthie the noting in that the Prophet doth signifie that the calling vppon God doeth properly appertaine and agree vnto the last dayes For although he woulde bee called vppon in all ages notwithstanding since that hee shewed himselfe to be a Father in Christ we haue the more easie accesse vnto him Which thing ought both the more to embolden vs and to take from vs all sluggishnes As he himselfe doth also reason that by this priuiledge our forwardnes to pray is doubled to vs Hitherto haue ye asked nothing in my name aske and yee shall receiue as if he should say Heretofore although I did not yet appeare to be a mediatour and aduocate in the flesh yet did yee pray but now when you shall haue me to bee your patron with howe much more courage ought yee to do that 22 Yee men of Israel heare these wordes Iesus of Nazareth a man shewed towards you of God by powers and wonders and signes which God did by him in the midst of you as you your selues know 23 Him I say haue yee taken being deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God by the hands of wicked men and haue slaine him hauing fastned him to the crosse 24 Whom God hath raised vp hauing loosed the sorrowes of death forasmuch as it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it 22 Iesus of Nazareth Now doth Peter apply vnto his purpose the prophecie of Ioel namely that the Iewes may thereby know that the time of restoring was present and that Christ was giuen them for this purpose For this promise was no otherwise to be fulfilled saue onely by the comming of the mediatour And this is the right vse of all those giftes which we haue by Christ whiles that they bring vs vnto Christ as vnto a fountaine But he commeth hither by little and little For he doth not by and by in the beginning affirme that Iesus was Christ but hee saieth onely that hee was a man sent of God and that doth he proue by his miracles Afterward he addeth that he rose from death when hee was slaine Whereby it appeareth more certainly and more fully that hee was not some one of the Prophets but the verie sonne of God who was promised to bee the repairer of all things Let this therefore be the first member that Iesus of Nazareth was a man approued of God by manifest testimonies so that he could not bee despised as some base and obscure persō The old interpreter did not euil translate hupodhedheigmenon Approued And Erasmus is deceiued who thinketh that he did reade it otherwise And he himselfe did not expresse Luke his mind when as he translateth it Giuen For seeing that worde doeth signifie among the Grecians to shew whereupon the Mathematicians also call those arguments whereby they set a thing as it were before a mans eyes apodexeis or demonstrations Luke meant to say that Iesus came not vnknowne and without any testimonie or approbation but that those miracles which God shewed by him serued to this ende that hee might bee famous and excellent Therefore he saith that he was shewed toward the Iewes because God woulde haue his son to be accounted excellent and great amongst them As if he should say that miracles were not appointed for other nations but for the Iewes that they might know that Iesus was sent vnto them of God By great workes He calleth myracles by these three names And because God doth shew foorth his power in thē after a newe vnwonted sort or doeth at least procure greater admiration they are for good causes called great workes For we are commonly more moued when any extraordinarie thing doth happen In which respect they are also called Wonders because they make vs astonied And for this cause are they called signes because the Lorde will not haue mens mindes to stay there but to be lifted vp higher as they are referred vnto another ende He put in three wordes to the ende he might the more extoll Christ his myracles and enforce the people by this heaping and laying of wordes together to consider the same Furthermore
applying a remedie doth forthwith rid the minds of his of all perturbation 10 He lay downe vpon him We know that the Apostles in working miracles did sometimes vse certaine externall rites whereby they might giue the glorie to God the authour And nowe whereas Paul doeth stretch himselfe vppon the young man I thinke it was done to no other end saue onely that he might more stirre vp himselfe vnto prayer It is all one as if he should mixe himselfe with the dead man And peraduenture this was done for the imitation of Elizeus of whom the sacred historie doth report the same thing Yet the vehemencie of his affection did more moue him that the emulation of the Prophet For that stretching of himselfe vpon him doeth more prouoke him to craue his life with all his heart at the handes of the Lorde So when he embraceth the bodie of the dead man by this gesture he declared that hee offered it to God to be quickned and out of the text wee may gather that hee did not depart from imbracing it vntill he knew that the life was restored againe Bee yee not troubled We must note that Paul tooke great care principally for this cause least that sorowfull euent should shake the faith of the godlie and should trouble their mindes Neuerthelesse the Lorde did as it were seale vp establishe that last Sermon which Paul made at Troas when he sayeth that his soule is in him hee doeth not denie that he was dead because by this meanes he should extinguish the glorie of the myracle but the meaning of these wordes is that his life was restored through the grace of God I doe not restraine that which followeth to wit that they wer greatly comforted vnto the ioy which they had by reason of the young man which was restored to life but I do also comprehend the confirmation of faith seeing God gaue them such an excellent testimony of his loue 13 When wee had taken shippe It is vncertain why Paul did choose rather to goe by lande whether it were because sayling might be to him troublesome or that as he did passe by hee might visite the brethren I think that hee did then eschew the seas for his healthes sake And his curtesie is greately to bee commended in that he spared hys companions For to what ende did hee suffer them to departe saue onelie that hee might ease them of the trouble So that we see that they did striue among them selues in curtesie and good turnes They were ready and willing to doe their duetie but Paul was so farre from requiring thinges streitly at their handes that of his owne accord and curteously he did remit those dueties which they were readie to doe yea setting aside his own cōmodity he cōmāded them to do that which was for their comfort It is well knowen that the citie Asson is by the describers of countries attributed to Troas The same as Plinie doeth witnesse was called Appolonia They say that it was a free Citie of the Aetolianes 14 And when we were come togither at Asson hauing receiued him we came to Mitylenes 15 And sailing thence the day following we came ouer against Chios and on the morrow we arriued at Samos and hauing tarried at Trogyllium we came to Miletum 16 For Paul purposed to saile beyond Ephesus least he should spend the time in Asia For he made hast if it were possible for him to keepe the day of Pentecost at Ierusalem 17 And hauing sent messengers from miletum to Ephesus he called the Elders of the Church 18 Who when they were come to him he said vnto them Yee know from the first day wherein I entred into Asia how I haue bin with you at all seasons 19 Seruing the Lord with all humilitie of minde with many teares temptations which hapned to me by the laying in wait of the Iewes 20 So that I haue kept nothing back which might bee for your profite but did shew to you and teach you publikely and through euery house 21 Testifiyng both to the Iewes and Grecians the repentance which is towarde God and the faith which is toward our Lord Iesus Christ 16 For Paul purposed It is not to be douted but that he had great weightie causes to make hast not that he made so great account of the day but because strangers did thē vse to come together to Ierusalē out of al quarters Forasmuch as he did hope that he might doe som good in such a great assembly he would not foreslow the opportunitie Therfore let vs know that the worship of the law was not the cause that he made so great hast but he set before his eyes the edifying of the church partly that he might shew to the faithfull that the kingdome of Christ was enlarged partly that if there were any as yet strangers from Christ hee might gaine them partly that he might stoppe the mouthes of the wicked Notwithstāding we must note that he did in the meane season prouide for other churches For in sēding for the elders of Ephesus to Miletum he sheweth that he did not neglect Asia And whereas they come together when they be called it is not only a token of concord but also of modestie For they were manie yet doeth it not irke them to obeye one Apostle of Christe whome they knewe to bee indued with singular giftes Moreouer it appereth more plainely by the text that those are called elders not which were gray headed but such as were rulers of the Church And it is an vsual thing almost in all tongues that those be called elders fathers who are appointed to gouern others though their age be not alwaies according 18 Yee knowe Paul in this sermon standeth principally vpon this that he may exhort those pastours of Ephesus by his owne example to doe their duetie faithfully For that is the true kinde of censure and by this meanes is authority purchased to doctrine whē the teacher prescribeth nothing which he himselfe hath not done in deed before And it was no vnseemly thing for Paul to speake of his vertues There is nothing lesse tollerable in the seruauntes of Christ then ambyrion and vanity but for as much as all men know full well what modestie and humility was in the holie man hee needed not to feare least he shoulde incurre the suspition of vayne boasting especially seeing that beyng inforced by necessitie he did declare his faithfulnesse and diligence that other might take example thereby He doth in deede greatly extoll his labours patience fortitude and other vertues but to what ende Surely not that he may purchase commendation at the hands of his auditory but that this holy exhortation may pearce more deeply and may sticke fast in their myndes He did also shoote at another marke that his integritie and vprightnesse in dealing might serue afterward to commende his doctrine And he citeth eie witnesses least he seem to speake of things vnknowen I call those
THE COMMENTARIES of M. IOHN CALVIN vpon the Actes of the Apostles Faithfully translated out of Latine into English for the great profite of our countrie-men By Christopher Fetherstone student in Diuinitie LONDINI Impensis G. Bishop 1585. To the right Honorable the Lorde Henrie Earle of Huntington Lord Hastings c. Knight of the most honorable order of the Garter and Lord President of the Queenes Maiesties Counsell established in the North partes Christopher Fetherstone wisheth increase of spirituall gifts long life and happie daies IF that right Honorable I shoulde prefixe anie long and tedious Preface before this woorke in commendation of your Honor I should of some be suspected of flatterie If in praise of these learned Commentaries it shoulde seeme a thing superfluous seeing they sufficiently commende themselues If in excuse of those faultes whiche are by mee in translating hereof cōmitted some censuring Cato would condemne mee because I would take in hand a worke so weightie being not able to be without fault and by crauing pardon for faultes lay open my follie Omitting thefore these thinges which might carrie with them such inconueniences I hasten vnto that whereof I am chieflie to speake namely to lay open the causes mouing mee to dedicate this my simple translation vnto your Honor. Your deserts of Gods church your singular zeale your vnfaigned faith your syncere profession your especiall care to aduaunce Gods glory and to roote out papistrie your faithfulnesse towarde your Prince haue been suche that this Realme generally but my countriemen in the North parts my natiue soyle specially haue shall haue great cause to prayse God for you in the day of their visitation euen when it shall please God of his great mercie to behold them with fauourable countenance and to take from them in greater measure that blindnesse and superstition wherein they had been long time nousled and being fast bred by the bone is not yet through want of meanes gotten out of the flesh Seeing all these vertues are in you to be found seeing both this church and countrie haue found you so beneficiall whom ought not these things to prouoke to shew all thankfulnesse toward your honor Againe when this historie of the Acts of the Apostles was first penned in Gr … by Luke it was dedicated to noble Theophilus When M. Caluin did the second time publish his Commentaries thereupon in Latine he presented them vnto one who was in minde a noble Theophilus Least therefore this worke nowe published in English should by dedication bee any whit debased I haue made choyse of your honour being no lesse a noble Theophilus than those before mentioned Another thing which is not so much a cause as an encouragemēt is that courtesie which your honor sheweth to those which present vnto you any exercises of learning howe simple soeuer they bee whereof I haue had full good experience euen in my tender yeeres namely at such time as I was trained vp in the citie of Carlile vnder that man in his calling painfull and to the common-wealth profitable M. Hayes whom for that dutie which to him I owe I name At which time though those exercises which vnto your honour wee then presented were simple yet were they so courteously of you receiued that the remembrance thereof doth euen nowe encourage mee to presume to offer vnto you some weightier matter The last but not the least is the consideration of that great vndeserued kindnesse which all my friendes in generall but especially my brother your Honors seruant haue found at your hands which to rip vp at large would bee too tedious In their behalf therfore right Honorable as also in mine owne as a small testimonie of a thankefull heart I present vnto your honour this worke simple if you respect the translation but moste excellent if you consider the matter And thus humbly crauing pardon for my boldnesse and much more humbly beseeching the Lorde to blesse you in the reading heereof I conclude fearing prolixitie The Lord of heauen blesse you and graunt that as you haue been heeretofore a good Theophilus so you may continue to the glorie of God the increasing of his church and the profite of this common wealth From Maighfield in Sussex this 12. of October 1585. Your Honors most humble and obedient and in Christe at commandement Christopher Fetherstone The Epistle to the Reader THou hast at length Christian Reader through the blessing of God wherewith he hath blessed my labours those learned Commentaries of M. Caluin vpon the Acts of the Apostles though simplie yet faithfully turned into English though of manie I was the vnmeetest to attempt this trauell yet such was the earnest request of my godlie friendes that vnlesse I should haue taken it in hand I should haue seemed voide of courtesie and also of care to profite God his Church I will not stand to rip vp those commodities which thou by reading these Commentaries maiest reape but I leaue them to thine own experience What my trauell hath been in this worke those who haue indured like toile can best iudge And forasmuch as I know well that after great paines taken some things haue escaped me I beseech thee gentle reader condemne me not rashly but rather amend them friendlie If thou shalt growe forward in knowledge by reading this worke then praise God who hath by this meanes made thee profite God giue thee good successe in reading that thereby thou mayest both bee better learned and also better liued Thine in the Lorde Christopher Fetherstone To the most renowmed Prince the L. Nicolas Radziwill duke in Olika Countie Palatine of Vilna chiefe Marshall and head Chauncellar of the great Dukedome Lethuania c. his Lord highly to be reuerenced Iohn Caluin WHeras I haue made mention of the names of those kings vnto whom I had dedicated these my Commentaries least the change incurre the crime of lightnesse among certaine vnskilfull men I must brieflie render some reason thereof For although both the remembrance of the father who is dead doth retaine that reuerence with mee which it deserueth and I doe also as becommeth mee reuerence the sonne yet the importunatenes of certaine did inforce me to put out their names in this second edition who being incensed against me with a furious hatred and feare least the maiestie of kings doe purchase some fauor to my writings do boast abroad that they did conceiue sore displeasure that their name was mixed with the doctrine of the sacraments which they them selues disalow I leaue it indifferent whether that be true or no neither doe I passe forasmuch as I did neither hunt after anie priuate gaine ne yet seeke to win fauor But because it seemed to me an vndecent and filthie thing to enforce those bookes vpon men which are vnwilling to entertaine them which doe find willing readers inough it was worth the declaring now that I neuer did think any thing lesse but that I did hope for more courtesie
earthly affections so hauing stript vs out of the vices of our flesh he separateth vs from the world And like as eternall death is prepared for all those which liue after the flesh so in as much as the inward man is renewed in vs that we may go forward in the spirituall life we drawe neerer vnto the perfection of the kingdome of God which is the societie of the glorie of God Therefore God will reigne in and amongst vs now that he may at length make vs partakers of his kingdom Hereby we gather that Christ did principally intreat of the corruption of mankind of the tyrannie of sin whose bondslaues we are of the cursse guiltines of eternall death whereunto we al are subiect also of the meanes to obteine saluation of the remission of sins of the denying of the flesh of spirituall righteousnes of hope of eternal life and of such like things And if we will be rightlie instructed in Christianitie we must applie our studies to these things 4 Gathering them togither he commanded c. They had before done the dutie of Apostles but that lasted but a while and secondlie so farre forth that they might with their preaching awake the Iewes to heare their master And so that commandement to teach which Christ had giuen them whiles he liued with them vpon earth was as it were a certain entrance into their Apostleship which was to come for which they were not yet ripe Therfore their ordinarie function was not laid vpon them vntill such time as Christ was risen againe but they stirred vp their nation as I haue said like criers that they might giue care to Christ And then at length after the resurrection they were made Apostles to publish abroad throughout the whole world that doctrine which was committed to thē And whereas after they were made Apostles Christ commandeth them as yet to abstaine from their office that is done not with out iust cause yea many causes may be alledged why it shold be so That filthy forsaking of their master was yet fresh many notes and tokens of vnbeliefe were yet fresh Whereas they had bin so throughly taught and had so sodainly forgotten al they shewed a manifest token of their great dulnes of wit Neither were they free from sluggishnes which could not otherwise fitly be purged than by deferring the promised grace that he might the more sharpē their desire But this cause is chiefly to be noted that the Lord did appoint a certaine time for the sending of the Spirit that the miracle might be the more apparant Again he suffered them to rest a while that he might the better set forth the greatnes of that busines which he was about to commit vnto them And thereby is the truth of the gospel confirmed because the Apostles were forbidden to addres themselues to preach the same vntill they shoulde be well prepared in succession of time And they were commanded to stay togither because they should all haue one spirite giuen them If they had bin dispersed the vnitie should not haue bin so wel knowne Though they were scattered abroad afterward in diuers places yet because they brought that which they had frō one the same fountain it was al one as if they alwaies had had alone mouth Furthermore it was expedient that they should begin to preach the Gospel at Ierusalem that the Prophesie might be fulfilled There shall a law go out of Syon Esai 2.3 the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem Although the participle sunalizomenos may bee diuersly translated yet Erasmus his translation did please me best because the signification of gathering togither wil agree better with the text They should wait for the. It was meete that these should be accustomed to obey first who should shortly after lay Christs yoke vpon the necke of the world And surely they haue taught vs by their example that we must worke and rest at the Lordes pleasure alone For if during our life we goe on warfare vnder his banner and conduct surely hee ought to haue no lesse authoritie ouer vs than anie earthlie captaine hath in his armie Therfore as warlike discipline requireth this that no man wagge vnlesse hee be commaunded by the captaine so it is not lawfull for vs either to go out or to attempt any thing vntill the Lord giue the watch-word and so soone as hee bloweth the retreat we must staie Moreouer wee are taught that wee are made partakers of the giftes of God through hope But we must marke the nature of hope as it is described in this place For that is not hope which euery man feigneth to himselfe vnaduisedly but that which is grounded in the promise of God Therefore Christ doeth not suffer his Apostles to looke for whatsoeuer they will but hee addeth expreslie The promise of the Father Furthermore hee maketh himselfe a witnesse thereof because wee ought to bee so sure and certaine that although all the engines of hell gainestande vs yet this may remaine surelie fixed in our mindes that we haue beleeued God 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe saieth Paule whom I haue beleeued And heere hee putteth them in minde of those thinges which are written in Iohn the 14. and 15. and 16. I will pray the father and hee shall giue you another comforter that hee may continue with you I saie the Spirite of trueth Iohn 14.16.14.25 Iohn 15.26 Iohn 16.7 Iohn 7.38 c. Againe I haue spoken these thinges vnto you whiles I am with you And the Spirit whom my Father shall send in my name shall teach you all thinges c. And againe When the Spirite of trueth shall come whom I will sende from my father he shall beare witnesse of me And againe If I shall go hence I will send you the comforter who shall reproue the world And he had saide long before Hee which beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall flowe riuers of liuing water 5 Because Iohn truelie Christ repeateth this vnto his Apostles out of Iohns owne wordes For some part of them had heard that at Iohns mouth which the Euangelistes report I truely baptise you with water but hee that commeth after mee shall baptise you with the holie Ghost and with fire Nowe Christ pronounceth that they shall well perceiue that that is true in deede which he saide Furthermore this serueth greatlie to confirme the sentence next going before For it is an argument drawne from the office of Christ And that thus Iohn was sent to baptise with water he fulfilled his function as it became the seruant of God The sonne of God is sent to baptise with the holy Ghost it remaineth therefore that he do his dutie Neither can it be otherwise but he must doe that which his father hath commaunded him to do and for which also he came downe into the earth But it seemeth a verie absurde thing to restreine that vnto the visible sending of the holie Ghost which was spoken
be driuen headlong into blind furie Wherefore there is no cause why we should marueile that there be so many at this day so blind in so great light if they be so deafe when such manifest doctrine is deliuered yea if they wātonly refuse saluation when it is offered vnto them For if the wonderfull and strange workes of God wherein he doth wonderfully set forth his power be subiect to the mockes of men what shall become of doctrine which they thinke tasteth of nothing but of that which is common Although Luke doth signifie vnto vs that they were not of the worst sort or altogither past hope which did laugh mocke but he meant rather to declare how the cōmon sort was affected when they saw this miracle And truely it hath bene alwaies so in the worlde for verie fewe haue bene touched with the true feeling of God as often as he hath reuealed himselfe Neither is it any maruel for religion is a rare vertue and a vertue which few men haue which is in deede the beginning of vnderstanding Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the more part of men through a certaine hard stifneckednes doth reiect the consideration of the works of God yet are they neuer without frute As we may see in this historie 14 But Peter standing with the eleuen lift vp his voice and spake vnto them Yee men of Iudea and all yee which dwell at Ierusalem let this be knowne vnto you and with your eares heare my words 15 For these men are not drunke as yee suppose for it is the third houre of the day 16 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel 17 And it shall be in the last dayes saieth God I will powre out of my Spirite vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie and your young men shall see visions and your Elders shall dreame dreames 18 Verely I will powre out of my Spirit in those dayes vpon my seruants and vpon mine handmaids and they shall prophecie 19 And I will shew wonders in heauen aboue signes vpon the earth beneath blood and fire and the vapour of smoke 20 The sunne shall be turned into darknes and the moone into blood before the great and notable day of the Lord do come 21 And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call vppon the name of the Lord he shal be saued 14 And Peter standing By this worde Standing hee did signifie that there was a graue sermon made in the assemblie For they did rise when they spake vnto the people to the ende they might be the better heard The summe of this Sermon is this hee gathereth that Christ is already reuealed and giuen by the gifte of the holy Ghost which they sawe Yet first hee refuteth that false opinon in that they thought that the disciples were drunke This refutation consisteth vpon a probable argument because men vse not to bee drunke betimes in the morning For as Paule saieth Those which are drunke are drunke in the night 1. Thes 5.6 For they flie the light for shame And surely so great is the filthinesse of this vice that for good causes it hateth the light And yet this argument were not alwayes good For Iesaias doeth inueigh in his time against those which did rise earlie to followe drunkennesse And at this day there be manie who like hogges so soone as they awake runne to quaffing But because this is a common custome amongest men Peter saieth that it is no likelie thing Those which haue but euen small skill in antiquitie doe knowe that the ciuill day from the rising of the Sunne vntill the going downe thereof was diuided into twelue houres So that the houres were longer in sommer and shorter in winter Therefore that which shoulde nowe be the ninth before noone in winter and in somer the eight was the thirde houre amongst the olde people Therefore whereas Peter doeth onely lightlie remooue the opinion of drunkennesse hee doeth it for this cause because it had beene superfluous to haue stoode about any long excuse Therefore as in a matter which was certaine and out of doubt hee doeth rather pacifie those which mocked than labour to teach them And hee doeth not so much refute them by the circumstance of time as by the testimonie of Ioel. For when hee saieth that that is nowe come to passe which was foretolde hee toucheth briefely their vnthankefulnesse because they doe not acknowledge such an excellent benefite promised vnto them in times past which they nowe see with their eyes And whereas hee vpbraideth the fault of a fewe vnto all hee doeth it not to this ende that he may make them all guiltie of the same fault but because a fit occasion was offered by their mocking to teach them all togither he doth not for-slow the same 17 It shall be in the last dayes By this effect he prooueth that the Messias is alreadie reuealed Ioel. 2.29 Ioel in deede doth not expresse the last dayes but for as much as he entreateth of the perfect restoring of the Church it is not to bee doubted but that that prophecie belongeth vnto the last age alone Wherefore that which Peter bringeth doeth no whit dissent from Ioel his meaning but he doth onely adde this word for expositions sake that the Iewes might knowe that the Church could by no other meanes be restored which was then decayed but by being renewed by the Spirit of God Againe because the repairing of the Church should be like vnto a new world therefore Peter saieth that it shall bee in the last dayes And surelie this was a common and familiar thing among the Iewes that all those great promises concerning the blessed and well ordered state of the Church shoulde not bee fulfilled vntill Christ by his comming shoulde restore all thinges Wherefore it was out of all doubt amongst them that that which is cited out of Ioel doth appertaine vnto the last time Nowe by the last dayes or fulnesse of time is meant the stable and firme condition of the Church in the manifestation or reuealing of Christ I will powre out of my Spirite Hee intendeth to prooue as wee haue alreadie saide that the Church can be repaired by none other meanes sauing onely by the giuing of the holy Spirite Therefore for as much as they did all hope that the restoring drewe neere hee accuseth them of sluggishnesse because they doe not once thinke vppon the way and meanes thereof And when the Prophet saith I wil powre out it is without all question that he meant by this worde to note the great aboundance of the Spirite And we must take I will powre out of my Spirite in the same sense as if he had saide simplie I will powre out my Spirite For these latter wordes are the wordes of the Prophet But Peter followed the Grecians who translate the Hebrew word eth hapo Therefore some men doe in vaine more subtillie play the Philosophers because how soeuer the wordes be
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
euerie where Neither doth this disagree with the common vse of the Scripture Againe he meaneth not that the faithful solde all that they had but onely so much as neede required For this is spoken for amplifications sake that the rich men did not only relieue the pouertie of their brethren of the yerelie reuenue of their landes but they were so liberall that they spared not their lands And this might bee though they did not robbe themselues of all but onely a little diminish their reuenues Which wee may gather againe out of the woords of Luke For hee saieth that this was the end that no man might lack He sheweth further that they vsed great wisdome bicause it was distributed as euery man had need Therfore the goods were not equally deuided but ther was a discrete distribution made lest anie should be out of measure oppressed with pouertie And peraduenture Ioses hath this commendation giuen him by name because he sold his onely possession For by this meanes hee passed all the rest Hereby it appeareth what that meaneth that no man counted any thing his owne but they had all things common For no man had his owne priuatly to himselfe that he alone might enioy the same neglecting others but as neede required they were readie to bestow vpon al men And now we must needs haue more then yron bowels seing that wee are no more moued with the reading of this historie The faithfull did at that day giue abundantly euen of that which was their owne but wee are not onely content at this day wickedly to â—â—ppresse that which we haue in our handes but doe also robbe others They did simplie and faithfully bring forth their owne we inuent a thousand subtile shifts to draw all things vnto vs by hooke or by crooke They laid it downe at the Apostles feete we feare not with sacrilegious boldnesse to conuert that to our owne vse which was offered to God They sold in times past their possessions there reigneth at this day an vnsatiable desire to buy Loue made that common to the poore and needie which was proper to euery man such is the vnnaturalnes of some men now that they cannot abide that the poore should dwell vpon the earth that they shoulde haue the vse of water aire and heauen Wherefore these things are written for our shame reproch Although euen the poore themselues are too blame for some part of this euill For seeing goods cannot be common after this sort saue onely where there is a godly agreement and where there reigneth one heart and one soule manie men are either so proud or vnthankfull or slouthfull or greedie or such hypocrites that they do not onely so much as in them lyeth quite put out the desire to doe well but also hinder habilitie Galath 6.9 And yet must we remember that admonition of Paul that wâ— be not wearie of well doing And whereas vnder colour of this the Anabaptists and fantastical men haue made much adoe as if there ought to be no ciuil property of goods amongst Christians I haue alreadie refuted this folly of theirs in the second Chapter For neither doeth Luke in this place prescribe a lawe to all men which they must of necessitie follow whiles that he reckoneth vp what they did in whom a certaine singular efficacie and power of the holy Spirit of God did shew it selfe neither doth hee speake generally of all men that it can bee gathered that they were not counted Christians which did not sell all that they had CHAP. V. 1 ANd a certaine man called Ananias with Sapphira his wife solde a possession 2 And he kept backe part of the price his wife knowing thereof and bringing part he laid it at the Apostles feete 3 And Peter saide Ananias why hath Sathan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie to the holy Ghost and keepe backe part of the price of the ground 4 Did it not remaining remaine to thee and being sold was it not in thy power how is that thou hast put this thing in thy heart thou hast not lyed to men but to God 5 And when Ananias heard these wordes falling he yeelded vp the ghost and there came great feare vpon all those which had heard these things 6 Furthermore the yonge men which were present gathered him vp and carrying him out they buried him 1 Those thinges which Luke hath reported hitherto did shewe that that companie which was gathered togither vnder the name of Christ was rather a companie of Angels than of men Moreouer that was incredible vertue that the rich men did dispoile themselues of their owne accord not onely of their money but also of their land that they might relieue the poore But now he sheweth that Satan had ineÌ„nted a shift to get into that holy companie that vnder color of such excelleÌ„t vertue For he hath wonderfull wiles of hypocrisie to insinuate himselfe This way doth Sathan assault the Church when as he cannot preuaile by open war But wee must specially in this place haue respect vnto the drift of the holy Ghost For in this historie he meant to declare first how acceptable singlenesse of heart is to God and what an abhomination hypocrisie is in his sight secondly howe greatlie hee alloweth the holy and pure policie and gouernment of his Church For this is the principall point the punishment wherewith God punished Ananias and his wife As the greatnesse thereof did at that time terrifie them all so it is vnto vs a testimonie that God cannot abide this vnfaithfulnesse when as bearing a shew of holines where there is none we do mocke him contemptibly For if hauing weighed all the circumstances we be desirous to know the summe Luke condemneth no other fault in Ananias than this that he meant to deceiue God and the Church with a faigned offering Yet there were more euils packed vnder this dissimulation the contempt of God whom he feareth not though hee knewe his wickednesse sacrilegious defrauding because hee keepeth backe parte of that which hee professed to bee holy to God peruerse vanitie and ambition because hee vaunteth himselfe in the presence of men without hauing any respect vnto Gods iudgement want of faith because he would neuer haue gone this way to worke vnlesse he had mistrusted God the corrupting of a godlie and holy order furthermore the hypocrisie it self was a great offence of it selfe The fact of Ananias did beare a goodlie shew although he had giuen onely the halfe of his lande Neither is this a small vertue for a rich man to bestow the halfe of his goods vpon the poore Prou. 15.8 but the sacrifices of the vngodly are an abhomination to God neither can any thing please him where the singlenesse of heart is wanting Luke 21.2 For this cause is it that Christ maketh more account of the two mites offered by the widdowe than of the great summes of others who of their great heapes giue some part This is
we must wrastle with sorrow and care that we hold on couragiously to suffer the crosse and that we beare the same when it is laid vpon vs. That they were counted worthie This might seeme at the first blush absurde in that Luke placeth honour in reproch but the disagreement which is betweene God and the worlde causeth this that that which is counted amongst men most reprochfull excelleth in dignirie and glory in the sight of God his angles We know that the kind of death which Christ suffered was of all other most shamefull and yet did he triumph most noblie vpon the crosse so when we are made like vnto him we may worthily boast that it is a point of singular excellencie that we suffer rebuke in the sight of the worlde Galat. 6.17 Thus doeth Paul boast of the markes of Christ For wee must heere respect the cause which doeth associat vs vnto Christ who doth not onely swallow vp the shame of the world with his glorie but doth also turne reproches slaunders and mockes of the worlde into great honour Wherefore it is no maruell that there bee so fewe found which are stronge stout to beare the crosse because we are almost all drowned ouerwhelmed with the sense of the flesh and there is scarse one amongst an hundreth which considereth that the reproch of Christ doth farre excell all the triumphes of the worlde which is the onely matter of comfort Wherefore we must vse the greater diligence in thinking vpon this sentence that we are at this day made partakers of the suffrings of Christ that we may be partakers of his glorie 42 They ceased not Constancie did also accompany their ioy For how is it that we are discouraged with persecution saue onely because none lifteth vp himselfe vnto Christ that he may in minde lay hold vpon the fruite of victorie and so be pricked forward vnto patience But that man which thinketh with himselfe that hee is happie when hee suffereth for Christs sake shall neuer faint though hee must suffer harde conflictes Therefore the Apostles are after a sort armed with stripes so that they valiantly make haste vnto death Therefore woe be to our daintinesse who hauing suffered a litle persecution do by and by resigne vp the light to â—nother as if we were now old worne souldiers CHAP. VI. 1 ANd in those dayes when the number of the disciples grewe there arose a murmuring of the Greekes against the Hebrewes because their widowes were despised in the daily ministerie 2 Therefore when the twelue had called vnto them the multitude of the disciples they said †or It is not good It doth not please that we should serue tables hauing left the word of God 3 Therefore brethren looke out seuen men of you of knowne honestic full of the holy Ghost and of wisedome whom we will appoint ouer this businesse 4 And wee will giue our selues vnto prayer and to the ministration of the word 5 The speech pleased the whole multitude and they chose Stephen a man full of faith and the holye Ghost and Philip and Prochorus and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas a Proselyte of Antioch 6 These did they set before the Apostles and when they had praied they laide their hands vpon them 1 Luke declareth here vpon what occasion and to what ende and also with what rite Deacons were first made He saith When there arose a murmuring amongst the Disciples it was appeased by this remedie as it is said in the common prouerbe Good lawes haue taken their beginning of euill manners And it may seeme to be a straunge thing seeing that this is a function so excellent and so necessarie in the Church why it came not into the Apostles mindes at the first before there was any such occasion ministred to appoint Deacons and why the Spirite of God did not giue them such counsell which they take nowe being as it were enforced thereunto But that which happened was both better then and is also more profitable for vs at this day to bee vnto vs an example If the Apostles had spoken of chusing Deacons before any necessitie did require the same they should not haue had the people so ready they should haue seemed to auoid labour and trouble many would not haue offered so liberally into the hands of other men Therefore it was requisite that the faithfull shoulde bee conuict by experience that they might choose Deacons willingly whom they saw they could not want and that through their owne fault We learne in this historie that the Church cannot bee so framed by and by but that there remaine somewhat to he amended neither can so great a building bee so finished in one day that there may not something be added to make the same perfect Furthermore we learne that there is no ordinance of God so holie and laudable which is not either corrupt or made vnprofitable through the faulte of men Wee woonder that thinges are neuer so well ordered in the worlde but that there is alwayes some euill mixed with the good but it is the wickednesse and corruption of our nature which causeth this That was indeede a godly order whereof Luke made mention before when the goods of all men being consecrated to God were distributed to euery man as hee had neede when as the Apostles being as it were the stewardes of God and the poore had the chiefe gouernement of the almes But shortly after there ariseth a murmuring which trobleth this order Here appereth that corruption of meÌ„ wherof I haue spoken which doeth not suffer vs to vse our good things Wee must also marke the subtiltie of Satan who to the end he may take from vs the vse of the giftes of God goeth about this continually that it may not remaine pure and sounde but that being mixed with other discommodities it may first be suspected secondly loathed and lastly quite taken away But the Apostles haue taught vs by their example that we must not yeelde vnto such engines and policies of Satan For they do not thinke it meete being offended with the murmuring to take away that ministery which they know pleaseth God but rather inuent a remedy whereby the offence may be taken away and that may bee retained which is Gods Thus must we doe For what offences soeuer Satan raise we must take good heede that he take not from vs those ordinances which are otherwise wholesome The number encreasing We ought to wish for nothing more then that God woulde encrease his Church and gather togither many on euerie side vnto his people but the corruption of our nature hindereth vs from hauing any thing good or happie in all pointes For there arise many discommodities also euen of the encreasings of the Church For it is a harde matter to keepe many hypocrites from creeping into the multitude whose wickednesse is not by and by discouered vntill such time as they haue infected some part of the flocke with their
haue prophane affaires taken in hand euen for some priuate gaine where that is set aside which is otherwise accounted no small part of the worship of God 3 Therefore brethren looke out Now we see to what end Deacons were made The worde it selfe is in deede generall yet is it properly taken for those which are stewards for the poore Whereby it appeareth howe licenciously the Papists doe mocke God and men who assigne vnto their Deacons no other office but this to haue the charge of the patten and Chalice Surelie we neede no long disputation to proue that they agree in no point with the Apostles But if the readers bee desirous to see anie more concerning this point they may repaire vnto our Institution As touching this present place the Church is permitted to choose For it is tyrannous if any one man appoint or make ministers at his pleasure Therefore this is the most lawful way that those be chosen by common voices who are to take vpon them any publike function in the Church And the Apostles prescribe what manner persons ought to be chosen to wit men of tried honestie and credit men endewed with wisedome and other gifts of the Spirite And this is the meane betweene tyranny and confused libertie that nothing be done without the consent and approbation of the people yet so that the pastours moderate and gouerne this action that their authoritie may be as a bridle to keepe vnder the people least they passe their bounds too much In the meane season this is worth the noting that the Apostles prescribe an order vnto the faithfull least they appoint any saue those which are fit For wee doe God no small iniurie if wee take all that come to hande to gouerne his house Therefore we must vse great circumspection that we choose none vnto the holy function of the Church vnlesse we haue some triall of him first The number of Seauen is applied vnto the present necessitie least any man shoulde thinke that there is some mysterie comprehended vnder the same Whereas Luke saith full of the Spirit and wisdome I do interpret it thus that it is requisite that they bee furnished both with other gifts of the Spirit and also with wisedome without which that function cannot bee exercised well both that they may beware of the liegerdemane of those men who being too much giuen vnto begging require that which is necessary for the pouertie of the brethren and also of their slanders who cease not to backbite though they haue none occasion giuen them For that function is not onely painefull but also subiect to manie vngodly murmurings 4 And we will giue our selues vnto prayer They shewe againe that they haue too much busines otherwise wherin they may exercise themselues during their whole life For the olde prouerbe agreeth hereunto verie fitlie which was vsed sometimes in the solemne rites Doe this Therefore they vse the word proscarteresai which signifieth to be as it were fastned and tyed to any thing Therefore Pastours must not thinke that they haue so done their dutie that they need to do no more when they haue daily spent some time in teaching There is another manner of study another maner of zeale another maner of continuance required that they may in deede boast that they are wholie giuen to that thing They adioyne thereunto prayer not that they alone ought to pray for that is an exercise common to all the Godly but because they haue peculiar causes to praie aboue all other There is no man which ought not to be carefull for the common saluation of the Church howe much more then ought the Pastour who hath that function enioyned him by name to labour carefullie for it Exod. 17.11 Rom. 1.10 1. Corin. 3.7 So Moses did in deede exhort others vnto prayer but hee went before them as the ring leader And it is not without cause that Paule doth so often make mention of his prayers Againe wee must alwayes remember that that wee shall loose all our labour bestowed vppon plowing sowing and watering vnlesse the encrease come from heauen Therefore it shal not suffice to take great paines in teaching vnlesse wee require the blessing at the hands of the Lord that our labour may not bee in vaine and vnfruitfull Heereby it appeareth that the exercise of prayer is not in vaine commended vnto the ministers of the word 5 Stephen full of faith Luke doth not therefore separate faith from the Spirite as if it also were not a gift of the Spirite but by Spirit hee meaneth other gifts wherewith Stephen was endewed as zeale wisedome vprightnesse brotherly loue diligence integritie of a good conscience secondly hee expresseth the principall kinde Therefore he signifieth that Stephen did excell first in faith and secondly in other vertues so that it was euident that hee had abundance of the grace of the Spirite He doth not so greatlie commende the rest because vndoubtedly they were inferiour to him Moreouer the auncient writers doe with great consent affirme that this Nicholas which was one of the seauen is the same of whom Iohn maketh mention in the Reuelation to wit Apoca. 2.15 that hee was an authour of a filthie and wicked sect for as much as hee would haue women to be common For which cause we must not be negligent in choosing ministers of the Church For if the hypocrisie of men do deceiue euen those which are most vigilant and careful to take heed what shall befall the carelesse and negligent Notwithstanding if when we haue vsed such circumspection as is meete it so fall out that wee bee deceiued let vs not be trobled out of measure for as much as Luke saith that euen the Apostles were subiect to this inconuenience Some will aske this question Then what good shall exhortation doe to what vse serueth prayer seeing that the successe it selfe sheweth that the election was not wholy gouerned by the Spirite of God I answere that this is a great matter that the Spirit directed their iudgements in choosing sixe men in that he suffereth the Church to goe astray in the seuenth it ought to seeme no absurd thing For it is requisite that wee bee thus humbled diuers wayes partly that the wicked and vngodly may exercise vs partly that being taught by their example wee may learne to examine our selues throughly least there bee in vs any hidden and priuie starting corners of guile partly that we may be more circumspect to descerne and that wee may as it were keepe watch continually least wee bee disceiued by craftie and vnfaithfull men Also it may bee that the ministerie of Nicolas was for a time profitable and that he fel afterward into that monstrous error And if so be it he fell in such sort from such an honorable degree the higher that euery one of vs shall bee extolled let him submit himselfe vnto God with modestie and feare 6 Hauing prayed they laide their hands vpon them Laying on of handes was
doctrine it is and whether it can be proued out of the scriptures but they enquire whether any man durst mutter against their superstitiōs that so soon as he is cōuict they may forthwith burne him Furthermore Steeuens answere may seeme at the first blush absurd and foolish He beginneth first at the very first beginning afterward he maketh a long narration wherein there is no mention made in a maner of the matter in hande And there can be no greater fault than to vtter many wordes which are nothing appertinent vnto the matter But whosoeuer shall throughly consider this long speech hee shall finde nothing therein which is superfluous and shall full well perceiue that Steuen speaketh very appertinently as the matter requireth He was accused as an Apostata or reuolt which did attempt the ouerthrow of religion and the worship of God Therefore he beateth in this diligently that he reteineth that God which the fathers haue alwayes worshipped So that he turneth away the crime of wicked backsliding and declareth that his enemies were pricked forward with nothing lesse than with the zeale of the law For they bare a shew that they were wholy determined to encrease the glory of God Therefore he wringeth from them this false boasting And because they had the fathers alwaies in their mouths because they were puft vp with the glorie of their nation Steeuen declareth also that they haue no cause to be proud of this but rather that the corruptiōs of the fathers was so great so manie that they ought to to be ashamed and humbled As concerning the principall state of the cause because the question was concerning the temple and the ceremonies he affirmeth plainely that their fathers were elected of God to bee a peculiar people before there was any temple and before Moses was born And to this end tendeth that exordium or beginning which is so far fet Secondly he telleth them that all externall rites which God gaue by the hand of Moses were fashioned according to the heauenly paterne Whereupon it followeth that the ceremoniall law is referred vnto another ende and that those deale foolishly and disorderedly who omit the truth and stay only in the signes If the readers shal referre the whole oration of Steeuen vnto these pointes they shall finde nothing therein which agreeth not very well with the cause as I shal declare again briefly in the end Neuertheles that scope of the whole oration shal not hinder but that we may discusse all things briefly which are worth the noting 2 Men brethren and fathers Although Steeuen saw that those which sate in the councell were for the most part the sworn enemies of Christ yet because the ordinarie gouernment of the people did belong to thē and they had the ouersight of the church which God had not as yet cast of therefore hee is not afraide for modesties sake to call them fathers Neither doth he flatteringly purchase fauour hereby But he giueth this honour to the order and gouernment appointed by god vntill such time as the authoritie shuld be taken from them the order being altered Neuerthelesse the reuerence of the place which they had doth not hinder him nor stoppe his mouth but that hee doeth freely dissent from them Wherby it appeareth how ridiculous the papists are who wil haue vs so tyed vnto bare vain inuented titles that they may enforce vs to subscribe vnto their decrees though they be neuer so wicked The God of glory By this beginning he declareth that hee doth not disagree or dissent from the fathers in true religion which they folowed For all religion the worshippe of God the doctrine of the lawe all prophesies did depend vpon that couenant which God made with Abrahā Therefore when Steeuen confessed that God appeared to Abraham he embraceth the law and the prophets which flowe from that first reuelation as from a fountaine Moreouer he calleth him the god of glory that he may distinguishe him from the false and feigned Gods who alone is worthie of glory When he was in Mesopotamia It is well knowen that that region is called by this name which lyeth betweene the riuer Tygris and Euphrates And he saith before he dwelt in Charran because Abrahā being warned by an oracle fledde from Chaldea to Charran which is a Citie of Mesopotamia famous by reason of the slaughter of Crassus and the Romane armie althogh Plinie saith that it was a citie of Arabia And it is no maruell that Chaldea is in this place comprehēded vnder the name of Mesopotamia because although that region which is enclosed with Tygris and Euphrates be properly “ Or Mesopotamia the countrie between two riuers Yet those which set down any descriptiō of countries do cal both Assyria Chaldea by this name The summe is this that Abraham being commanded by God did forsake his countrie and so he was preuented with the meer goodnes of god when as he sought that which was offered him at home of the owne accord Read the last chapter of Iosua But it seemeth that Moses his narration doth somewhat disagree with this For after that about the end of the 11. chap. of Genesis he had declared that Abraham doth goe into another countrie to dwel hauing left his house he addeth in the beginning of the twelf that god spake vnto Abrahā This is easily answered For Moses reciteth not in this latter place what hapned after the departure of Abraham but least any man should thinke that Abraham wandered into other countries hauing vnaduisedly forsaken his owne house as light and vndiscrete men vse to doe sometimes hee sheweth the cause of his departure to wit because he was commaunded by God to flit into another place And thus much do the words of the Oracle import For if hee had beene a straunger in an other countrie God could not haue commaunded him to depart out of his natiue soyle forsaking his kinsmen and fathers house Therefore wee see that this place agreeth wondrous well with the wordes of Moses For after that Moses hath saide that Abraham went to Charran to the end he may shewe that this iourney was taken in hande not through any lightnes of man but at the commaundement of god he addeth that afterward which he had before omitted which maner of speaking is much vsed of the Hebr. 3 Come out of thy countrie God vseth many wordes to the end hee may the more wound the mind of Abrahā as if it were not a thing sharpe enough of it self to be banished out of his own countrie And that serued to trie his faith euen as that other thing also that god assigneth him no land wherin he may dwel but maketh him stande in doubt waite for a time Wherfore the obedience of Abrahā was so much the more to bee commended because the sweetnes of his natiue soyle keepeth him not back frō going willingly as it were into exile in that hee doubteth not to folow God althogh
Rom. 4.11 hee gathereth thence that circumcision is not the cause of righteousnes Therefore we see that Steeuen frameth no vain and idle narration because this was very much appertinent vnto the cause that the Iewes might remember how God had adopted them with their Fathers it is to be thought that Steuen did plainly expresse both things that althogh circumcision was giuen by God that it might be a signe of grace yet was the adoptiō before it both in order in time But we haue no neede to dispute any longer in this place concerning the nature and force of circūcisiō only let vs note this that god doth first promise those things to Abraham which he confirmeth afterward by circumcisiō that we may knowe that the signes are vain nothing worth vnles the word go before Let vs also note that there is a profitable doctrine contained in the word couenant to wit that god maketh his couenant with vs in the Sacraments that he may declare his loue toward vs which thing if it be true first they are not only workes of externall profession amongst men but they gaue great force inwardly before god to confirme the faith Secondly they are no vaine figures because God who is true figureth nothing there which he doth not perfourme 9 And the Patriarks moued with enuie sold Ioseph into Egypt Notwithstanding God was with him 10 And he deliuered him out of all his afflictions he gaue him fauor wisdom in the sight of Pharao king of Egypt who made him ruler ouer Egypt ouer all his house 11 And there came a famin vpon all the land of Egypt Chanaan and great affliction neither did our fathers find food 12 And when Iacob had hard that there was corn in Egypt he sent our fathers thither first 13 And at the second comming Ioseph was known of his brethren And the kinred of Ioseph was made knowen to Pharao 14 Thē Ioseph sent called out his father Iacob al his kinred lxxv soules 15 And Iacob went down into Egypt and he died and our fathers 16 And they were caried into Sichem they were laid in the Sepulchre which Abraham had bought for money of the sonnes Hemor the sonne of Sichem 9 Now followeth the greatest wickednesse of the nation of Israel that they conspired together to oppresse their innocent brother which crueltie is contrarie to nature Neither coulde the Iewes obiect that it was a priuate fault of a few for the infamie reacheth vnto all the people For as much as all the patriarkes Beniamin except had polluted themselues with that treacherie Therfore in that Steeuen vouchsafeth to giue them an honourable name that redoundeth to the greater reproch of the nation They boasted proudly of their fathers hee sheweth what maner persons the chief of them were to wit murtherers of their brother so much as in them laid For besides that slauerie was a kinde of death we know what they went about at the first secondly what cruel punishments Ioseph suffred of al which his brethren were giltie Hereby it appeareth that God was bountiful and mercifull to those which were as it were vnwilling which did resist him For him who was about to be the authour of health help would they haue destroyed Wherfore they did what they could to renounce all the benefites of God So he wil declare afterward that Moses was reiected when he was offered of God to be a redeemer Therfore the Iewes haue smal cause to brag of the excellencie of their kinred but this alone remaineth for them that beeing ashamed they cōfesse that whosoeuer they are they haue the same thorow the meere mercie of God and that they consider that the lawe was giuen to set foorth the same God was with him God was not so with him that hee did alwaies shewe forth his power in helping him For that is no smal thing which is saide in the Psalm That the yron went through his soule Surely it must needs be that he was in great heauines Psal 105.18 when being destitute of all help he suffered reproch also together with bands the punishment of an vngodly and wicked man but God vseth oftentimes to bee present with his in such sort that he lyeth hid for a time And the end was an euident tokē of his presence which Ioseph saw not at the first Furthermore we ought to remēber this euer now then that Ioseph was not deliuered because he had called vpon God in the temple but a farre of in Egypt 10 Steeuen addeth the meanes because God gaue him fauour in the sight of Pharao God could haue deliuered him by some other meanes but his counsel had respect vnto a farther thing that Ioseph being ruler of the kingdom might entertain his father al his familie In these two wordes fauour wisdome there is the figure Hipallage For the wisdome wherewith Ioseph was endued was the cause that he founde fauour Although I confesse that they were two distinct benefites For though Ioseph were a faithful interpreter of dreames and did excell in diuine wisdome yet the proud tyrant woulde neuer haue brought him to so great honour vnlesse God had bent the minde of Pharao vnto a certaine vnwonted loue yet notwithstanding we must consider that order whereby God vseth to bring him into fauour Wisdome doeth not only signifie the gift of prophesie in interpreting dreames but prudence in giuing counsell for Moses putteth in both That which Steeuen reporteth of one man in this place is extended vnto all For what aptnes and readinesse soeuer is in men it ought to be reckoned amongst the giftes of God and that his speciall giftes And it is he that giueth good successe as it pleaseth him that his gifts may be profitable to that end for which it semed good to him to giue them Therefore although Ioseph bee made chiefe ruler of Egypt by Pharao yet is he lifted vp to so great honour properly by the hand of God 11 There came a famine Hereby it appeareth that the deliuerance of Ioseph was such a benefite as was common to al the familie of Iacob For seeing the famin drew on Ioseph was sent before in due time to prouide sustenance to feed the hungrie as he himselfe doth acknowledge the wonderfull counsell of God in that point Neuerthelesse the free goodnesse of God appeareth plainly in the person of Ioseph whiles that he is appointed to nourish and feed his brethren who had sold him and by that meanes sent him far away and thought that hee was gone away quite out of the world he putteth meat in their mouthes who had throwen him into a pit and had depriued him of the aire and the common breath Finally hee nourisheth preserueth their life who were not afraid to take from him his life In the mean season Steeuen putteth the Iewes in mind of this that the patriarks were enforced to depart out of that land which was giuen
them for an heritage and that they died in another place Therfore forasmuch as they were soiourners in it they are at length banished out of the same 14 Whereas he saith that Iacob came into Egypt with seuentie fiue soules it agreeth not with the words of Moses For Moses maketh mention of seuentie only Hierome thinketh that Luke setteth not downe word for word those things which Steeuen had spoken or that he tooke this number out of the Greek translation of Moses either because hee himself being a Prosylite had not the knowledge of the Hebrew tongue Gen-46 27 or because he would graunt the Gentiles this who vsed to read it thus Furthermore it is vncertaine whether the Greek interpreters set down this nūber of set purpose or whether it crope in afterward through negligence Which I mean the latter might well be forasmuch as the Grecians vse to set down their numbers in letters August in his 26. book of citie of God thinketh that Iosephs nephewes kinsmen are cōprehended in this number so he thinketh that the word went down doth signifie all that time which Iacob liued But that cōiecture can by no means be receiued For in the meane space the other patriarkes also had many children born to them This seemeth to mee a thing like to be true that the seuentie interpreters did translate that truly which was in Moses And we cannot say that they were deceiued forasmuch as Deu. 10. wher this nūber is repeated they agree with Moses at least as that place was read without all dout in the time of Hierome For those coppies which are printed at this day haue it otherwise Therfore I think that this difference came through the errour of the writers whiche wrote out the bookes And it was a matter of no suche weight for which Luke ought to haue troubled the Gentiles which were accustomed with the Greek reading And it may be that he himself did put down the true number that some man did correct the same amisse out of that place of Moses For we know that those which had the new testament in hand were ignorant of the Hebrew tongue yet skilfull in the Greek Therefor to the end e the wordes of Steeuen might agree with the place of Moses it is to be thought that that false number which was found in the Greeke translation of Genesis was by them put in also in this place concerning which if any man contend more stubbornly let vs suffer him to bee wise without measure Let vs remēber that it is not without cause that Paule doth forbid vs to be too curious about genealogies This so smal a nūber is purposely expressed to the end the power of god may the more plainlie appear in so great an enlarging of that kinred which was of no long continuāce For such a small handfull of men could not by any humane maner of engendring grow to such an infinit multitude as is recorded in Exodus within 250. yeres We ought rather to weigh the myracle which the Spirit cōmēdeth vnto vs in this place Exo. 12.37 than to stand long about one letter wherby the number is altered There arise other questions and those which are more hard to be answered out of the rest of the text 16 Steeuē saith that the Patriarks were carried into the land of Chanaan Gen. 50.13 Ios 24.32 after they wer dead But Moses maketh mētiō only of the bones of Ioseph And Iosua 24. it is reported that the bones of Ioseph were buried without making any mention of the rest Some answer that Moses speaketh of Ioseph for honors sake bicause he had giuen expresse cōmandement concerning his bones which we cannot read to haue bin done of the rest And surely when Ierome in the pilgrimage of Paula saith that she came by Sichem he saith that she saw there the sepulchres of the 12. Patriarks but in another place he maketh mentiō of Iosephs graue only And it may be that there were emptie tombes erected to the rest I cā affirme nothing concerning this matter for a certaintie saue onely that this is either a speech wherein is Synecdoche or els that Luke rehearseth this not so much out of Moses as according to the old fame as the Iewes had many things in times past from the fathers which were deliuered as it were from hand to hand And whereas hee saith afterwarde they were laid in the sepulchre which Abrahā had bought of the sons of Hemor Gen. 23.9 it is manifest that there is a fault in the worde Abraham For Abrahā had bought a double caue of Ephron the Hitite to burie his wife Sara in but Ioseph was buried in another place to wit in the field which his father Iacob hadde bought of the sonnes of Hemor for an hundred lambes Wherefore this place must be amended 17 And when the time of the promise drew neere which God had sworne to Abraham the people increased and was multiplied in Egypt 18 Vntill another king arose which knew not Ioseph 19 This man dealt subtillie with our kinred he euill intreated our fathers that they might cast out their infants least they should be increased 17 Steeuen passeth ouer vnto the deliuerance of the people before which went that innumerable issue which had increased beyonde the ordinarie maner in no long space of time Therfore he setteth down this as a singular gift of God that the people was encreased to the ende wee may know that that came not to passe according to the cōmon or wonted custome of nature But on the other side god seemeth to take frō the Iewes al hope because Pharao doth tyrannously afflict thē their bondage groweth greater dailie And when as they are commanded to cast out their male infants it seemeth that the destruction of the whole nation was present There is another token of deliueraunce giuen when Moses commeth abroad but because he is by by refused and enforced to flie into exile there remaineth nothing but meer dispair The summe is this that God being mindefull of his promise did increase the people in time that he might perform that which he had sworne to Abraham but the Iewes as they were vnthankful froward did refuse the grace of god so that they did what they could to shut vp the way before themselues Furthermore we must note the prouidence of God in this place whiles that he doth so order the course of times that his works haue alwaies their opportunitie But men who make hast disorderedly in their desires cannot hope patiently be at rest vntill such time as god sheweth forth his hand for this cause because they take no heed to that moderation wherof I haue spokē And to the end god may exercise the faith of his children so often as he appeareth with ioyfull tokens of grace hee setteth other things against those on the other side which cut off sodainly the hope of saluation For who would not haue said
trumpe that thou maist learne to feare the Lord. But some wil say Why dare not Moses now for feare consider who was not afraid to draw neere before I answere that the neerer wee drawe vnto God the more his glorie doth appeare so are we the more afraide and that by right And God maketh Moses afraide for none other cause saue onely that he may make him obedient vnto him This feare was a preparation not vnfit for greater boldnes And to this end tendeth that which followeth Put off thy shoes from thy feete for he is admonished by this signe with reuerence to receiue the commaundements of God and to giue him due glorie by all meanes 33 Because the place wherein The Lord meant by this commendation which he giueth to the place to lift vp the minde of Moses into heauen that he might not thinke vppon any earthly thing And if so be it Moses was to be pricked forward with so many pricks that hauing forgottē the earth he might harken to God must not we haue our sides euē as it were digged through seing wee are an hundreth times more slow than hee Notwithstanding here may a question be asked how this place became so holy For it was no more holy than other places before that day I answere that this honor is giuen to the presence of God and not to the place and that the holinesse of the place is spoken of for mans sake For if the presence of God doe make the earth holy howe much more force thereof ought men to haue Notwithstanding wee must also note that the place was thus bewtified onely for a time so that God did not fixe his glory there Gene. 35.7 as Iacob erected an altar to God in Bethel after that God had shewed some token of his presence there When as his posterity did imitate the same afterward it was such worship as was reproued Finally the place is called holy for Moses his sake onely that hee may the better addresse himselfe to feare God and to obey him Forasmuch as God doth now shew himselfe vnto vs euery where in Christ and that in no obscure figures but in the full light and perfect truth wee must not onely put off our shoes from our feete but strippe our selues starke naked of our selues 34 In seing I haue seene God promiseth nowe that he will deliuer his people that hee may appoint Moses to bee his minister afresh because the former obiection was taken away by so long space of time For God is saide to see our miseries when hee hath respect to vs and is carefull for our safetie as he is said againe to shut his eyes and turne his backe when as he seemeth to set light by our cause In like sort is hee saide to come downe He needeth not to moue out of his place to helpe vs for his hand reacheth throughout the heauen and earth but this is referred vnto our vnderstanding For seeing that he did not deliuer his people from their affliction it might seeme that he was a farre off and was busied about some other thing in heauen Nowe he saith that the Israelites shall perceiue that hee is nigh vnto them The summe tendeth to this end that Moses knowing the will of God may not doubt to follow him as a guide and the more boldly to imploy himselfe about the deliuery of the people which he knew was the worke of God For we must note that hee saieth that hee heard the mourning of the people For although he hath respect vnto those which are in misery and vniustly oppressed yet when we lay our mournings complaints in his lap hee is especially moued to haue mercie Although this word may be taken for those blinde and confused complaints which are not directed vnto God as it is taken oftentimes els where 35 This Moses whom they had denyed saying Who made thee a ruler and iudge him I say hath God sent to be a ruler and a redeemer in the hand of the Angel which appeared vnto him in the bush 36 He brought them out hauing shewed woonders and signes in the land of Aegypt and in the red sea and in the wildernes fortie yeeres 37 This is Moses which said vnto the Children of Israel The Lorde your God shall raise vp vnto you a Prophet out of the midst of your brethren like vnto me heare him 35 Stephen passeth ouer manie things because he maketh haste vnto this summe that the Iewes may vnderstande that the fathers were not deliuered therefore because they had deserued that with their godlinesse but that this benefite was bestowed vpon them being altogither vnworthy and secondly that there is some more perfect thing to be hoped for of these beginnings When Moses beeing ordained of God to be their reuenger and deliuerer was nowe in a redinesse they stopt the way before him therfore God doth deliuer them now as it were against their will That which is added touching myracles and wonders serueth as well to the setting forth of the grace of God as to make knowne the calling of Moses It is surely a straunge thing that God doth vouchsafe to declare his power by diuers wonders for such an vnthankful peoples sake But in the meane season he bringeth his seruant in credite Therefore whereas the Iewes set lesse by him afterwarde whereas they assaie sometimes to driue him away by railing whereas they scould somtimes sometimes murmur sometimes set vpon him outragiously they bewray thereby both their wickednes and also their contempt of the grace of God Their vnthankfulnesse and vngodlinesse was so encreased alwayes that God must needs haue striuen with woonderfull patience with such a froward and stubburne people A ruler and a deliuerer We must vnderstande the contrarieties which augment the fault They woulde haue obeyed Moses if a tyrant had appointed him to be a iudge but they contemne him proudly and refuse him disdainefully being appointed of God and that to bee a deliuerer Therefore in despising him they were wicked and in reiecting grace vnthankful And wheras Moses hath such an honorable title giuen him God doth not so giue and resigne vnto man that honour which is due to himselfe that he looseth any whit of his authoritie thereby For doubtlesse Moses was not called a Redeemer or deliuerer in any other respect saue onely because he was the Minister of God And by this meanes the glorie of the whole worke remaineth in the power of God wholy Therefore let vs learne that so often as men haue the titles which belong to God giuen them God himselfe is not dispoyled of his honour but because the worke is done by their handes they are by this meanes commended To this ende tendeth that which Stephen saieth that this charge was committed to Moses in the hand of the Angel For by this meanes Moses is made subiect to Christ that vnder his conduct and direction he may obey God For Hand is taken in this place not for ministerie
vouchsafed to call these men Fathers and brethren against whom hee inueigheth thus sharply Therfore so long as there remained any hope that they might be made more gentle he dealt not only friendlie with them but he spake honorably vnto them now so soone as he espieth their desperate stubbornesse he doth not only take from them all honour but least he should haue anie fellowship with them he speaketh vnto them as vnto men of another kinred You saith he are like to your fathers who haue alwayes rebelled against the spirit of God But hee himselfe came of the same Fathers and yet that he may couple himselfe to Christe he forgetteth his kinred in as much as it was wicked And yet for al this he bindeth them not all in one bundle as they say but he speaketh vnto the multitude And those are said to resist the Spirite who reiect him whē he speaketh in the prophetes Neither doth hee speake in this place of secrete reuelations wherwith God inspireth euery one but of the externall ministerie Which we must note diligētly He purposeth to take from the Iewes all colour of excuse And therefore he vpbraideth vnto them that they had purposely and not of ignorance resisted God Wherby it appeareth what great account the Lord maketh of his word and howe reuerently he will haue vs to receiue the same Therfore least like Gyants we make warre against God let vs learne to hearken to the ministers by whose mouth he teacheth vs. 52 Which of the Prophets For asmuch as they ought not to beare their fathers fault Steeuen seemeth to deale vniustly in that he reckoneth this amongst their faultes vnto whom he speaketh but he had iust causes so to doe First because they did vaunt that they were Abraham his holy progenie it was worth the labour to shew vnto them how great vanitie that was as if Steuen should say that there is no cause why they should vaunt of their stock for asmuch as they come of those who were wicked murderers of the prophetes So that he toucheth that glancinglie which is more plainly set downe by the prophetes that they are not the children of prophetes but a degenerate and bastardly issue the seed of Chanaan c. Which thing we may at this day obiect to the papistes when as they so highly extoll their fathers Furthermore this serueth to amplifie withall whereas he saith That it is no new thing for them to resist the truth but that they haue this wickednesse as it were by inheritance from their fathers Furthermore it was requisite for Steeuen by this meanes to plucke from their faces the visure of the church wherewith they burthened him This was an vnmeete preiudice against the doctrine of the Gospel in that they boasted that they are the church of God and did challenge this title by long succession Therefore Steeuen preuent them on the contrary and proueth that their Fathers did no lesse than they rage against the prophets through wicked contempt and hatred of sound doctrine Lastly this is the continual custome of the scripture to gather the fathers and children togeather vnder the same giltinesse seeing they pollute themselues with the same offences that famous sentence of Christ answereth thereto Fulfil the measure of your fathers vntill the iust blood come vpon you from Abell vnto Zacharias Who haue foretold Hereby we gather that this was the drift of all the prophtes to direct their nation vnto Christ as he is the end of the lawe It were too long to gather all the prophesies wherein the comming of Christ was foretold Rom. 10.4 Let it suffice to know this generally that it was the common office of all the prophets to promise saluation by the grace of Christ Christe is called in this place the Iust not onely to note his innocencie but of the effect because it is proper to him to appoint iustice in the world And euen in this place doth Steeuen proue that the Iewes were altogether vnworthie of the benefit of redemption because the fathers did not onely refuse that in times past which was witnessed vnto them by the prophets but they did also cruelly murther the messengers of grace their children indeuored to extinguish the authour of righteousnes and saluation which was offered vnto them By which comparison Christe teacheth that the wicked conspiracie of his enemies was an heape of al iniquities 53 Who haue receiued the law They called that furie wherewith they raged against Steuen zeale of the law as if he had been a forsaker of the law a reuolt had inforced others to fall away in like sort Although he was determined to cleere himself of this false accusation yet hee did not go through with his answer For he could not be hearde it was to no end to speak to deaf men Therfore he is cōtent at a word to take frō thē their false colour pretence It is euident saith he that you lie when you pretend the zeale of the law which you transgresse break without ceasing as he obiected vnto them in the words next going before the treacherous murther of the Iust so now he vpbraideth vnto them their reuolting from the lawe Some man will say that Steeuens cause is no whit bettered hereby because the Iewes breake the law But as wee haue alreadie said Steeuen doth not so chide them as if his defence did principally cōsist in this issue but that they may not flatter thēselues in their false boasting For hypocrites must be handled thus who wil notwithstanding seeme to be most earnest defenders of Gods glory though in deed they contemne him carelesly And here is also a fit Antistrophe bicause they made semblance that they receiue the law which was committed to them which was notwithstanding reprochfully despiced by them In the dispositions of angels It is word for word into the dispositions but it is all one Furthermore we need not seek any other interpreter of this saying than Paul who saith that the law was disposed or ordeined by angels For he vseth the participle there wherof this nowne is deriued Gal. 3.16 And his meaning is that the angels were the messengers of God his witnesses in publishing the law that the authoritie therof might be firme stable Therefore forasmuch as God did call the angels to be as it were solemn witnesses when he gaue the Iewes his law the same Angels shal be witnesses of their vnfaithfulnesse And to this end doth Steuen make mention of the Angels that he may accuse the Iewes in presence of them proue them giltie because they haue trangressed the lawe Heereby wee may gather what shal become of the despisers of the gospel which doth so far excell the law that it doth after a sort darken the glory therof as Paul teacheth 2. Cor. 3. 54 Furthermore when they heard these thinges they were cut asunder in their hearts and they gnashed vpon him with their teeth 55 But
whit excuse him And Luke will shortly after declare that he was sent by the high Priest to persecute the faithful Therfore he was no childe he might well be counted a man Why then is his youth mentioned That euery man may consider with him selfe what great hurt he might haue done in Gods Church vnlesse Christe hadde brideled him betimes And therin appeareth a most notable token both of Gods power and also of his grace in that he tamed a fierce and wilde beast in his chiefe furie euen in a moment and in that he extolled a miserable murtherer so highly who through his wickednesse was drowned almost in the deepe pit of hell 59 Calling on Because he had vttered wordes enough before men though in vaine he turneth himselfe now vnto God for good causes and armeth himselfe with prayer to suffer all thinges For although we haue need to run vnto Gods help euerie minute af an houre during our whole warfare yet we haue greatest need to call vpon God in the last conflict which is the hardest And Luke expresseth again how furious mad they were because their crueltie was not aswaged euen when they saw the seruāt of Christ praying humbly Furthermore here is set downe a prayer of Steeuen hauing two members In the former member where he commendeth his spirite to Christ he sheweth the constancie of his faith In the other where he prayeth for his enemies he testifieth his loue towarde men Forasmuch as the whole perfection of godlinesse consisteth vpon these two partes we haue in the death of Steeuen a rare example of a godly holy death It is to be thought that he vsed many mo words but the summe tendeth to this end Lord Iesu I haue alreadie said that this prayer was a witnesse of confidence and surely the couragiousnesse and valiauntnesse of Steeuen was great that when as he saw the stones flie about his eares wherewith he should be stoned by and by when as he heareth cruell curses and reproches against his head hee yet stayeth himselfe meekely vppon the grace of Christ In like sort the Lord wil haue his seruants to be brought to nought as it were sometimes to the end their saluation may bee the more wonderfull And let vs define this saluation not by the vnderstanding of our flesh but by faith Wee see how Steeuen leaneth not vnto the iudgement of the flesh but rather assuring himselfe euen in very destruction that he shal be saued he suffereth death with a quiet mind For vndoubtedly he was assured of this Col. 3.3 that our life is hid with Christe in God Therefore casting off all care of the bodie hee is content to commit his soule into the handes of Christe For hee coulde not pray thus from his heart vnlesse hauing forgotten this life he had cast of all care of the same Psal 31.6 It behoueth vs with Dauid to commit our soules into the handes of God daylie so long as we are in the worlde because we are inuironed with a thousand deaths that God may deliuer our life from all dangers but when we must die indeed and we are called thereunto we must flie vnto this prayer that Christe will receiue our spirite For hee commended his owne Spirite into the handes of his Father to this end that hee may keepe ours for euer This is an vnestimable comfort in that wee knowe our soules doe not wander vppe and downe when they flit out of our bodies but that Christ receiueth them that hee may keepe them faithfully if wee commend them into his handes This hope ought to encourage vs to suffer death patiently Yea whosoeuer commendeth his soule to Christ with an earnest affection of faith he must needes resigne himselfe wholy to his pleasure and will And this place doth plainelie testifie that the soule of man is no vaine blast which vanisheth away as some frantike fellowes imagine dotingly but that it is an Essentiall spirite which liueth after this life Furthermore wee are taught hereby that we call vpon Christ rightly and lawfully because all power is giuen him of the Father for this cause that all men may commit themselues to his tuition 60 Kneeling down he cried This is the other part of his prayer wherein he ioyneth the loue of men with faith in Christ and surely if we desire to be gathered to Christ for our saluation we must put on this affection Whereas Steeuen prayeth for his enemies and those most deadly and euen in the very instant whē their crueltie might prouoke him vnto desire of reuenge he declareth sufficiently what affection hee beareth toward all other men And we know that we are all commanded to do the same which Steuen did Mat. 5.93.94 but because there is nothing more hard than so to forgiue iniuries that we will wish wel to those who would haue vs vndone therfore we must alwaies set Steeuen before our eyes for an example He crieth in deed with a loud voice but he maketh shew of nothing before men which was not spoken sincerely and from the heart as God himselfe doth witnesse Yet he cryeth aloud that he may omit nothing which might serue to asswage the cueltie of the enemies The fruite appeared not foorthwith yet vndoubtedly he prayed not in vaine Paule is vnto vs a sufficient testimonie that this sinne was not laide to all their charges I will not say as Augustin that vnlesse Steeuen had praied the church should not haue had Paul for this is somwhat hard only I say this that whereas God pardoned Paul it appeareth thereby that Steeuen his prayer was not in vaine Here ariseth a question How Steeuen prayeth for those which he said of late did resist the holy ghost but this seemeth to be the sinne against the Spirit which shall neuer be forgiuen We may easily answere that that is pronounced generally of all which belōgeth to many euery where Therfore he called not the body of the people rebellious in such sort that he exempted none againe I haue declared before what manner of resisting hee condemned in that place for it followeth not by and by that they sin against the holy ghost who resist him for a time When he prayeth that God will not lay the sinne to their charge his meaning is that the guiltines may not remain in them And when hee had said thus hee fell on sleepe This was added that wee may knowe that these wordes were vttered euen when he was readie to yeeld vppe the Ghoste which is a token of wonderfull constancie also this word sleepe noteth a meeke kind of death Nowe because hee made this prayer when he was at the point of death hee was not moued with any hope of obtaining pardon to bee so careful to appease his enemies but only that they might repent When this worde sleepe is taken in the scripture for to die it must bee referred vnto the bodie least any man imagine foolishly with vnlearned men that the soules doe
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
his glory Certain it is that hee was not so quickly framed by Ananias his industrie but that so soone as hee had learned the first priciples by mans mouth he was extolled by God vnto higher things afterward He comprehendeth the summe of his preaching briefly when hee saieth That Christ was the sonne of God In the same sense he saith shortly after That he was Christ And vnderstand thus much that when Paul intreated out of the Law and the Prophets of the true office of the Messias he taught also that al whatsoeuer was promised of and was to be hoped for at the handes of the Messias was reuealed and giuen in Christ For the words signifie thus much when he saith that he preached that Christ is the sonne of God That was vndoubtedly a principle amongst the Iewes that there shoulde a redeemer come from God who shoulde restore all things to an happie estate Paul teacheth that Iesus of Nazareth is hee which he cannot do vnlesse he shake off those grosse errours which he had conceiued of the earthly kingdome of the Messias Certaine it is that Paule declared how Christ was promised in the Lawe and to what end but because all tended to this end that hee might prooue that the sonne of Mary was he of whom the Law and the Prophets bare witnes therefore Luke is content with this one word onely 21 They were all amased This is added that wee may knowe that the power of God was acknowledged For seeing that the zeale of Paul against the Gospel was openly knowne they saw no other cause of such a sodaine chaunge but the hand of God And therefore this is also one fruite of the myracle that they all wonder at him being made a newe man so sodainly so that his doctrine doth the more moue their minds Whereas they say that hee raged horriblie with great crueltie and that he came of late to Damascus that he might proceed in his purpose these circumstances serue to augment the myracle Wee must also note the phrase those which call vpon this name which witnesseth that the godly did so professe the name of Christ that they placed all their hope of saluation in him according to that These men put their trust in chariots and others in horses but we will call vpon the name of the Lord. Finally whatsoeuer the scripture commaundeth concerning calling vpon the name of God it agreeth to the person of Christ 22 And Saul waxed stronger Luke doeth not onely in this place commend the bold zeale of Paule in confessing the faith of Christ but also he telleth vs that he vsed strong reasons to conuince the Iewes He waxed strong saith he that is he gat the victorie in disputation his confession did carrie with it great force and efficacie because being furnished with testimonies of Scripture and such other helpes of the holy Ghost he did as it were tread all his aduersaries vnder his feete For the word confounded which Luke vseth doth signifie That for as much as Paul did vrge them out of measure they were so striken that they coulde not tell where they were The manner of the confounding is expressed because Paul proued that Iesus was Christ For the sense is this that euen when the Iewes were most desirous to resist they were ouercome confounded So that Paul tried by experience that that was most true which he himselfe affirmeth that the Scripture is profitable to conuince Also he performed that which he required elsewhere of a Bishop and teacher for hee was armed with the word of God to maintaine the trueth And Luke setteth down two things that Paul so gate the victory in disputing 2. Tim. 3.16 Titus 1.7 that he ouerthrew the Iewes and yet their stubbernesse was not broken and tamed that they yeelded to the trueth because their consciences rage neuerthelesse inwardly and being throwne downe from their false opinion they doe not submit themselues to Christ Whence had Paule this victorie saue onely because the Scripture was his sworde Therefore so often as Heretikes stande vp to resist the true faith so often as wicked men endeuour to ouerthrowe all godlinesse so often as the vngodly doe obstinately resist let vs remember that wee must fet armour hence Because the papists finde no weapons in Scripture yea because they see that it maketh quite against them they flie vnto this miserable fortresse That they must not dispute with heretikes And that there can no certaine thing be set downe out of Scripture But if Satan himselfe be vanquished with the sword of the worde why shall it not bee able to put heretikes to flight not that they will submit themselues or make an ende of murmuring but because they shall lie ouercome in themselues And if so be it wee couet to escape this trouble let vs raise no tumults against God but let vs with a quiet and meeke spirit receiue that peace which the Scripture offereth vs. 23 When many dayes were fulfilled He saith that many dayes were expired that we may know that Paul had some space of time granted him wherein he might doe good For although the Iewes did resist him euen from the first day yet the Lord did not suffer the course which hee had begunne well to be broken off so soone so he doth with his wonderfull counsell hinder the purposes of the enimies stay their indeuours restraine their malice and madnesse whiles that he furthereth the Gospel and also we see what the hatred of the truth doth For when the wicked see that they are vnable to resist they are carried headlong vnto bloodie furie They would gladly contemne the word of God if they coulde but because they are enforced whether they will or no to feele the force thereof they runne headlong like furious beasts with blinde violence The vnaduised and rash heate of zeale will alwayes almost breake out into such crueltie vnlesse men suffer themselues to bee ruled by the worde of God This is assuredly horrible blindnesse For why are they so madde saue onely because their wounded conscience doth vexe them But God doth by this meanes punish their hypocrisie who doe therefore hate sounde religion because being friends of darknesse they flie the light Furthermore wee see howe sweetly these preposterous zealous fellowes graunt themselues libertie to doe whatsoeuer them lusteth when Satan hath once pricked them forward to persecute the trueth For they feare not to take counsell vnder colour of zeale to put a man to death which they knowe is meere wickednesse as at this day the Papists thinke that they may do whatsoeuer they will so they can quench the doctrine of the Gospel they rage not only with sworde but they goe about by laying in waite by trecherie and by most execrable meanes to destroy vs. We must first beware that that do not befall vs that wee intangle not our selues in the defense of euill causes secondly that we handle those causes wel which we know are good But
the prouinces but they had the strength of the armie out of Italie Therefore Cornelius was an Italian borne But he liued at Cesarea with his hundred to gard the citie For the Romanes were woont so to distribute their places of aboade that euery citie of renowme might haue a garrison to stay sodaine vprores A rare example that a souldier was so deuout toward God so vpright and courteous toward men For at that time the Italians when as they were carried into the prouinces to liue in warfare ranne to and fro like hungrie wolues to get som pray they had for the most part no more religion than beasts they had as great care of innocencie as cutthrotes For which cause the vertues of Cornelius deserue the greater commendation in that leading a souldiars life which was at that time most corrupt he serued God holily and liued amongest men without doing any hurt or iniurie And this is no small amplification of his praise in that casting away superstition wherein he was borne and brought vp he embraced the pure worship of God For wee know what account the Italians made of themselues and how proudly they despised others And the Iewes were at that time in such contempt that for their sakes pure religiō was coūted infamous almost execrable Seing that none of these thinges could hinder Cornelius but that forsaking his Idols he did imbrace the true worship of the true God alone it must needes be that he was endued with rare and singular sinceritie Moreouer he coulde finde scarce any thing amongst the Iewes wherwith he could be allured vnto the studie of godlinesse because there was then scarce one amongest a thousand which had euen some small smattering of the lawe And vndoubtedly Cornelius had light vpon som good worshipper of God who beeyng sounde from corrupt opinions did expounde vnto him the lawe faithfully without mixing any leauen therewith But because Luke giueth him manie titles of commendation we must note them al. 2 Hee saith that he was a godly man and one that feared God secondly that like a good housholder he had a care to instruct his familie he prayseth him afterwarde for the offices of loue because he was beneficiall toward all the people and lastly that he prayed God continually The summe is this that Cornelius was a man of singular vertues wherein the integritie of the godly cōsisteth so that his life was framed in all points according to the rule which God prescribeth vnto vs. And bicause the lawe is contained in two tables Luke cōmendeth in the former place Cornelius his godlinesse secondly hee descendeth vnto the second part that he exercised the offices of loue toward men This is very profitable to be marked because we haue a way to liue well described in his person Wherefore in orderyng the life well let faith and religion bee the foundation which being taken away all other vertues are nothing els but smokes Luke reckoneth vp the feare of God and prayer as frutes testimonies of godlinesse and of the worship of God and that for good causes For religion cannot bee separated from the feare of God the reuerence of him neither can any man be counted godly saue he who acknowledging God to be his father Lord doth addict himself wholy to him And let vs knowe that voluntarie feare is commended in this place when those men submit themselues to God willingly and frō their heart who duely consider with themselues what is due to him Moreouer because a great part of the worlde doth with feigned trifles corrupt and depraue the worshippe of God Luke addeth for good causes that Cornelius prayed continually wherby he doth signifie that he proued not his godlinesse only with externall ceremonies but that he worshipped God spiritually when as he exercised himselfe in prayer We must also note the continuance of his prayer whence wee gather that he did not pray only coldlie after the common custome but that he was earnestly bent to prayer as the continuall benefites of God doe exhort vs and pricke vs forward thereunto and the force of faith ought there to shewe it selfe Wherefore let euery one of vs exhort himselfe to perseuer in praier by the example of Cornelius With all his house We must not lightly passe ouer this commendation that Cornelius had a church in his house And surely a true worshipper of God will not suffer so much as in him lyeth God to bee banished from his house For how vnmeet a thing is it for him to maintaine his owne right stoutly that his wife children seruauntes and maides may obey him and not to regard that God is disobeied It shall sometimes fall out so that a godly man cannot haue euen his wife to be of his minde yet he which ruleth others must indeuour by all means to haue God obeyed and there is nothing more meete then that wee shoulde consecrate all ours to God as our selues Therefore if a godly man haue children which are vnlike him or a wife of euill conditions or lewd and wicked seruants let him not winke ne yet suffer his house to bee polluted through his slouthfulnesse The diligence of Cornelius is not so much commended as the blessing of God whereby it came to passe that hee hadde his house obedient vnto him in godlinesse And wee must not omit the circumstaunce that hee instructed his familie in the feare of God setting light by the feare of daunger which did hang ouer his head therefore For the Iewish religion was in great contempt and no citizen of Rome might freely receiue any straunge religion as they called it Wherefore although the sincere profession of the gospel be euill spoken of in the world yet is it too corrupt freghtfulnesse if that vniust hatred hinder any man from offering his family to God for a sacrifice by godly instruction Giuing almes There is also the figure Synecdoche in this member For as it was saide euen now that the worshippe of God was proued by prayers so now whē Luke speketh of loue he maketh choice of one kind wherby he sheweth that Cornelius was a liberal and bountifull mā For our godlinesse ought so to appeare to men that we declare that we fear God by vsing bountifulnesse and iustice The word almes is translated vnto those externall good workes wherewith we help the poore forasmuch as miserecordia or mercy is the inward affection of the hart properly For from this fountain springeth true and well ordered bountifulnesse if the troubles and sorrowes of our brethren doe moue vs to compassion if considering the vnitie which is amongst vs Isa 58.7 we foster and cherishe them as we would cherish our own flesh and studie to help them as we would helpe our owne members Hypocrites are in deed sometimes liberall or at least bountifull but howsoeuer they waste all yet no reliefe whiche they shall bestowe vpon the poore shall be whorthie to be called by the name of almes For we
appeareth what great regard Christ had of our rudenesse and ignorance who did abase himselfe so farre for our sake that when he was now endewed with heauenly glorie hee did yet notwithstanding eate and drinke as a mortall man Wherefore there is no cause why wee shoulde complaine that the resurrection of Christ is obscure and doubtfull For he suffered his disciples to be slow and hard of beliefe for this cause that being better confirmed they might take from vs all occasion of doubting Yea rather wee must indeuour our selues that our vnworthinesse and vnthankfulnesse doe not darken so great kindnesse of the sonne of God toward vs. But when as the scripture saith that Christ did eate curious men moue a question what became of that meate But the answere is easie that like as it was created of nothing so was it easily brought to nothing by the diuine power of Christ That meate which is taken for the sustenance of the bodie is concoct and afterward digested but wee knowe that Christ tooke this meate to feede our faith and in this vse was it spent And those men are deceiued who thinke that Christ did onely seeme to eate For what good coulde such a visure or vaine shewe haue done For when as wee say that Christ was not enforced with any necessitie of his owne to eate but that hee meant onelie to prouide for those that were his all occasion is cutte off from the friuolous inuentions of men 42 And he commaunded vs. Hee beginneth in this place to intreat of the kingdome of Christ when he saith that Christ did rise againe for this cause that hee may once iudge the worlde For by the same right are the gouernement of heauen and earth and the perpetuall gouernment of the Church due to him he saith that he shall be iudge of quicke and deade because when as the deade shall rise againe others also who shall then remaine aliue 1. Cor. 15.51 52. 1. Thessa 4.17 shall be chaunged in a moment as Paule teacheth in the fifteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians and in the first to the Thessalonians and the fowerth Chapter In the word Testifie there is great weight because as men are naturally inclyned vnto vnbeliefe the simple preaching of the Gospel should not be so effectual vnlesse the Lorde should establish it with strong protestations And chiefely euery one of vs doeth feele in himselfe too much what a hard matter it is both to lift vp our mindes to hope for the comming of Christ which are intangled in earthly snares and also continually to keep them fixed in this meditation seing they cease not with their lightnesse to be carried hither and thither continually 43 To him beare all the Prophets Luke toucheth and gathereth the summe of the sermon briefly as we haue said therefore is he so short in noting the fruit of the historie Let vs knowe that the wordes vttered by Peter are not recited in this place but that it is onely declared of what things he intreated And wee must consider three things That it is the proper office of Christ to reconcile men to God whē their sins are done away that we haue remission of sinnes by faith that this doctrine is not newe or of late inuented but that it had all the Prophets of God since the beginning of the world to beare witnesse of it As touching the first if God be pleased and pacified by not imputing our sinnes it appeareth hereby that he hateth and is displeased with all mankinde vntill such time as they begin to please him by free pardon Therefore wee are all condemned of sinne which maketh vs subiect to the wrath of God and bindeth vs with the guiltinesse of eternall death and because we are destitute of righteousnesse in our selues we are taught to flie vnto the mercie of God as vnto our onely fortresse When as he saith that the faithfull receiue remission of sinnes there is vnderstoode a hidden contrarietie betweene them and God For God must needs offer it of his own accord that the faithful may receiue it When as he saith that it is giuen by the name of Christ his meaning is that we retune into Gods fauour by the benefite of Christ alone because he hath once reconciled him to vs by his death or as they say commonly that we obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes by Christ his mediation and comming betweene and by none other meanes Satan could neuer blot out of the minds of men the feeling of their giltinesse but that they were alwayes carefull to craue pardon at Gods hands but forasmuch as there was but one way and means to obtaine pardon miserable men being deluded with the iuglings of Satan did inuent to themselues wonderful Labarinths in whose crooks and turnes they wearied themselues in vaine This first errour did first leade them away from the right way because they assayed to deserue pardon which is offered freely and is receiued by faith alone Afterwarde there were innumerable kindes of satisfactions inuented whereby they appeased God The beginning thereof flowed in deede from the word of God but forasmuch as when God gaue vnto the fathers the sacrifices and rites of oblations hee shadowed Christ blind and prophane men setting Christ aside and following a vaine shadowe did corrupt all that which was Gods in sacrifices and satisfactions Wherefore what sacrifices soeuer the Gentiles did vse since the beginning of the worlde and those which the Turkes and Iewes vse at this day may bee set against Christ as thinges altogither contrarie The Papistes are neuer a whit better saue onely that they sprinkle their satisfactions with the bloode of Christ but they deale too disorderedly therein because being not content with Christ alone they gather to themselues on euerie side a thousande manner of sacrifices or satisfactions Therfore whosoeuer desireth to haue remission of sins let him not turne aside from Christ euen the least nayles breadth When as we heare that we haue remission of sinnes by beleeuing wee must vnderstande and knowe the force and nature of faith as vndoubtedlie Peter intreated aboundantly of this after what sort we must beleeue in Christ and this is nothing else but with the syncere affection of the minde to embrace him as hee is set before vs in the Gospell so that faith dependeth vppon the promises Yet Peter seemeth to deale amisse because whereas wee haue two principal thinges by our Sauiour Christ hee doeth onely make mention of the one of them for he speaketh nothing of repentance and newnesse of life which ought not to be omitted in the summe of the Gospel But we may easily answere That the regeneration of the Spirit is comprehended vnder faith as it is an effect thereof For wee beleeue in Christ for this cause partly that he may restore vs into the fathers fauor by the free imputation of righteousnes partly that hee may sanctifie vs by his Spirit And we know that we are adopted by God
there secondly the greater the rage of the enemies was the more wretched was the estate of the brethren Finally Paul doth sufficiently declare in the Epistle to the Galathians Gal. 3. that Iudea had certaine especiall necessities whereof all other had regard not without cause And this thankefulnesse deserued no small commendations in that the men of Antioch thought that they ought to helpe the needie brethren from whom they had receiued the gospell For there is nothing more iust then that those shoulde reape earthly thinges who haue sowen spirituall things As euery man is too much bent to prouide for himselfe euerie man might readilie haue excepted and obiected Why shall not I rather prouide for my selfe But when they call to minde howe greatly they are indebted to the brethren omitting that carefulnesse they turne them selues to help them In summe this almes had a double end for the meÌ„ of Antioch did the dutie of charitie toward their needy brethren they did also testifie by this signe what great account they made of the Gospell whiles that they honoured the place whence it came As euerie man was able Wee see the men of Antioch obserue in this place that meane which Paul prescribeth to the Corinthians whether they did this of themselues 2. Cor. 8.6 or being instructed by him and it is not to bee doubted but that hee continued like to himselfe in both places Therefore wee must follow this rule that euerie one considering how much is graunted him impart the same courteously with his brethren as one that must giue an account so shall it come to passe that he which is but poore shal haue a liberal mind that a smal reward shal be counted a fat gorgeous sacrifice By this word determined Luke giueth vs to vnderstand that theyr oblation was voluntarie Which thing ought so to be as Paul teacheth that we reach out our hand vnto the needie 2. Cor. 9.7 not as coÌ„strained but cheerefully WheÌ„ as he nameth euery one it is all one as if he shuld say That one did not prescribe another a law neither did they burtheÌ„ one another with their preiudice but that euery maÌ„ did bestow his liberalitie as semed good to himself and we must note the word diaconias wherby we are taught that rich meÌ„ haue greater abuÌ„dance giuen theÌ„ vpon that conditioÌ„ that they may be the ministers of the poore in the dispensation coÌ„mitted to theÌ„ by God Lastly Luke teacheth that the blessing was sent not to all the whole nation but only to those that were of the housholde of faith not because wee ought neuer to vse any bountifulnesse or curtesie toward the vnbeleeuers seeing loue ought to extend it selfe vnto all mankinde but because those ought to be preferred whome God hath ioined and linked to vs more neere and with a more holy band 30 Sending it vnto the Elders Wee must note two thinges in this place that the men of Antioch did choose faithfull men and of knowen honestie to carrie their blessing secondly that they sent it vnto the Elders that they might wisely bestow the same For if almes be throweÌ„ into the midst of the common people or bee set in the midst where euerie one may take what he will euery man will by and by take it to himself as if it were some common pray and so he that is most bolde will defraude the needie yea through his gredinesse hee will cut the throates of the hungrie Therefore let vs marke these places which teach that we must not only deale vprightly and faithfully but that there is also an order wisedome required as well in making choice as in all our administratioÌ„ Those are called Elders in whose hands the gouernment of the church was among whom the Apostles were chiefe the men of Antioche refer the holy money which they had appointed for the poore to their discretioÌ„ If any maÌ„ obiect that this was the office of the deacoÌ„s forasmuch as the Apostles did denie that they could both serue tables and attend vpon doctrine the answere is easie that the Deacons were appointed ouer tables in such sort that yet notwithstanding they were vnder the Elders neither did they any thing but at their appointment CHAP. XII 1 ABout that time Herod the king stretched out his hande to afflict certaine of the Church 2 And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sworde 3 And when he saw that this pleased the Iewes he proceeded to take Peter also Then were the daies of sweete bread 4 WheÌ„ he had taken him also he put him in prison deliuering him to four quaternions of souldiars to be kept intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people 5 Therefore Peter was kept in prison But continuall prayer was made for him of of the chuâ—ch of God 1 Here foloweth new persecution raised by Herod We see that the church had som short truce that it might as it were by a short breathing recouer some courage against the time to come and that it might then fight afresh So at this day there is no cause why the faithful hauing borne the bruntes of one or two conflicts should promise theÌ„selues rest or should desire such a calling as old ouerworn souldiars vse to haue let this suffice them if the Lord graunt theÌ„ some time wherin they may recouer their strength This Herod was Agrippa the greater the sonne of Aristobulus whom his father slue Iosephus doth no where call him Herod it may be because he had a brother who was king of Chalcis whose name was Herod This man was incensed to afflict the churche not so much for any loue he had to religion as that by this meanes hee might flatter the common people which did otherwise not greatly fauour him or rather he was moued hereunto with tyrannicall crueltie because hee was afraid of innouation which tyraunts doe alwaies feare least it trouble the quiet estate of their dominion Yet it is likely that he did shed innocent blood that according to the common craft of kinges he might gratifie a furious people because Saint Luke will shortly after declare that Peter the Apostle was put into prison that he might be a pleasaunt spectacle Hee killed Iames. Vndoubtedly the crueltie of this mad man was restrained and brideled by the secret power of God For assuredly he wold neuer haue been content with one or two murthers and so haue abstained from persecuting the rest but hee woulde rather haue pyled vp martyres vpon heapes vnlesse God had set his hand against him and defended his flocke So when we see that the enemies of godlinesse being full of furie doe not commit horrible slaughters that they may mixe and imbrue all things with blood let vs knowe that we neede not thank their moderation and clemencie for this but because when the Lorde doth spare his sheep he doth not suffer them to do so much hurt as they woulde This Herod was not so courteous that
grauitie and weight of wordes Such was the vehemencie of holy zeale and of the spirit in the prophets which if daintie and soft men iudge troublesome and raging they consider not how deare and precious Gods truth is to him Nowe there riseth not one Elimas to subuert the faith but manie and those which are far more wicked For we see with what sacrilegious boldnesse they despoyle God of al honour with what filthie corruptions they profane all religion how cruelly they throw miserable soules headlong into eternall destruction how vnseemelily they mocke Christ how filthily they disfigure all the whole worship of God with what cruell reproches they reÌ„t the holy truth of god with what barbarous tyraÌ„ny they lay wast the church of God so that you would say that they tread god vnder foot And yet there be manie crabbed philosophers who wold haue these furious Giants flattered and clawed by the back But forasmuch as it doth euidently appeare that such did neuer tast what that meaneth the zeal of thy house hath eaten me vp Psal 69.10 let vs bidding adue to their coldnesse or rather sluggishnesse be most hoat as becommeth vs in maintaining the glory of God 11 Behold the hand The hand is put heere to punish whereby hee doth signifie that God is the authour of this punishment and that hee is onely the minister Furthermore I thinke that this habilitie is that which Paul calleth dunamis or power 1. Cor. 12.28 For as they did excel in power of the Spirite to helpe the faithfull with myracles so had they the whip in their hand to tame the rebellious and obstinate with all Such vengeance of God did Peter shew vpon Ananias and Sapphyra But because myracles ought for the most part to resemble the nature of Christ Acts. 5. who is all gentle sweet bountifull and mercifull therefore he would seldome haue the apostles to shew examples of the coÌ„trary power Neither must we think that they wer indued with this power to punish any man so often as it seemed good in their own eies but the same Spirit of god which did thus arm them did direct them vnto the lawfull and right vse Therfore we must remember that which we had before that Paul spake by inspiration of the Spirit Furthermore it was a very fit kinde of punishment For seeing that the sorcerer assayed to darkeÌ„ the sunne and to take from others the benefit of the light he was by good right cast into horrible darknesse But now forasmuch as many of the Papists doe farre exceed this sorcerer at this day in vngodlines it is a wonder why they be suffered to be so bolde without being punished Is the hand of God weakened Is he lesse carefull for his glorie Hath he no care to reuenge the Gospel I answeare that this visile punishment which was once laid vppon the sorcerer and suche as this are perpetuall examples of Gods wrath against all those who are not afraid either to corrupt and depraue or openly with slaunders to resist the pure doctrine of the gospell For wee doe knowe that myracles were wrought for a time to this end that they may continuallie be in force and bee fresh before our eyes and that they may giue vs light to behold the iudgements of God which we cannot see so plainlie But it is not for vs to prescribe God this or that way to punish his enemies Sergius Paulus who before he came to mans estate had no taste of true religion who from his childhood was infected with diuers superstitions and had very hard lets which kept him backe from imbracing the faith lastly who was bewitched with the dotings of the sorcerer that he could scarce com to the faith had need of no smal helps hereby it came to passe that God did as it were reach his hand out of heauen manifestlie though he helped vs all in his person For the same gospell the authoritie whereof was then established is at this day preached to vs and yet notwithstanding God doeth not so linger but that hee sheweth his fearefull power diuers wayes against the enemies of the gospell vnlesse our eyes were so dull when hee sheweth his iudgements that wee cannot see 12 Then when the deputie saw This is that which I saide that the snares were broken wherein Elimas kept him intangled For hee was brought by the myracle vnto faith because the reuerence of doctrine is the beginning of faith and the preparation Therfore forasmuch as hee sawe an euident token of the power of God he knew that Paul was sent of God and so he began to reuerence his doctrine wherof he did doubt before If God doe now myraculously strengthen in the mindes of many the faith of the gospel which is shaken with so many suche strong â—ngines if he bring to passe after an incredible manner that the course of faith doth passe through a thousande lets beeing content with this his grace let vs not murmure against him or reason the matter with him as if our condition were worse if hee doe not daily shewe such myracles as we would desire 13 And when Paules companions had loosed from Paphus they came to Perga of Pamphilia And Iohn departing from them returned to Ierusalem 14 Furthermore when they had passed ouer the countrie of Perga they came to Antioch a citie of Pisidia and entered into the Synagogue vpon the day of the Sabboths and sate downe 15 And after the lecture of the Lawe and Prophetes the master of the Synagogue sent to them saying Men and brethren if there be in you any worde of exhortation vnto the people say on 13 Here is set downe another of Paules stations For being departed from Paphus when he came to Antioch of Pisidia he made there a worthie sermon which Luke will recite together with the successe But before he come to that he doth by the way speake of the departure of Iohn because it was afterwarde a cause of dolefull disagreement when he saith Paules companions loosed from Paphus he doeth in the first place meane Paul himselfe secondly the other one excepted So that by noting his softnes he praiseth others which followed Paul with great constancie 14 Entering vpon the day of the Sabboths Hee putteth the plurall number in steed of the singular as it falleth out oftentimes in other places of scripture For they were wont to assemble themselues togeather vppon the Saboths least their rest should be vnprofitable and sluggish The institution of the Sabboth had another end also that it might bee a figure of the spirituall rest when as the faithfull being dead to the worlde and the flesh abandon their owne will and cease from their works Because we haue the truth hereof in Christ whiles that being buried togeather with him we put off the old man therefore the old figure is past But god had respect also vnto the politike vse that the Iewes being free from all other cares and businesses might keepe
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 they professed openly and freely that which they knewe concerning Christe Whereuppon it followeth that the matter was made knowen openly at Ierusalem And the proofe was not so light because in the fearefull power of the enemies who were readie and bent to resist and did omit nothing there were notwithstanding such as did openly affirme that Christ rose again and were also such as saw that thing with their eies for if there had bin any refutation in readinesse the Scribes woulde not haue neglected it 32 And wee preache to you glad tidinges that the promise made to the fathers 33 Hath God fulfilled to their children hauing raised vp Iesus as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee 34 And in that he hath raised him vp from the dead not to return hereafter to corruption hee hath saide thus I will giue you the holy thynges of Dauid 35 Therefore he saith also in another place Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption 36 Dauid in deede when he had serued his time by the counsell of God hee fel on sleepe and was laid vnto his fathers and saw corruption 37 But he whom God raised saw no corruption 32 We preach to you glad tidings Hee doth nowe challenge to himselfe the office and honour of an Apostle that he may be heard as a lawful minister of God And he saith the summe of the Ambassage inioyned him is that that is reuealed giuen in their time which was promised in times past And in fewe wordes doeth he comprehend many great matters First hee giueth them to vnderstande that hee bringeth in nothing which is new or contrary to the law and prophets but that he did reueale the fulfilling of that doctrine which they thēselues did confesse and were perswaded to haue been deliuered by God Whereupon it followeth that they cannot refuse that which hee offereth them but they shall breake the couenant made with the fathers by God so much as in them shall lie secondly hee commendeth the faithfulnesse of God because it doth now in very deed appeare that there was nothing promised in times past vnaduisedly or in vaine but he doth chiefly extoll the greatnesse of the grace giuen at length in Christe For we must note the comparison betweene them and the fathers when hee saieth that they had gottē that which was promised to the fathers For the more liberallie the grace of God is powred out vppon them the more filthie shall their vnthankfulnesse bee if they shall despice or loath that vnestimable good thing For what els were this but to cast downe at their feete a treasure euen reached out to them that they might take holde thereof and so consequently laid in their lap the hope whereof was reuerentlie embraced by the father when it was shewed them a farre off and which they did foster during their whole life But some man may ask this question concerning those who liued vnder the law whether euen they wer not made partakers of the promises I answere that there is such a societie of the same grace amōg vs which doth not hinder the lōg distāce But this was Paul his meaning that their faith stood as it were in doubt vntill Christ appeared in whome all the promises of God are Yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.19.20 as he teacheth 2. Cor. 1. Therefore we be the heires of the same kingdome of heauen and partakers of the same spirituall good thinges which God bestoweth vpon his children also God gaue to them some tast of his loue in this life as we tast him now But Christ who is the substance of all good things and of eternall life was only promised to them but he is giuen to vs and they desired him as being far off we inioy him being present 33 To their children namely to vs. It is certaine that Paule speaketh of naturall children who had their beginning of the holy fathers which wee must therefore note because certaine brainsicke men drawing all thinges vnto allegories dreame that there is no respect to be had in this place of kinred but only of faith And with such an inuentiō they make the holie couenaunt of God of none effect where it is said I will be thy God and the God of thy seed It is faith say they alone which maketh vs the children of Abraham Gen. 17.7 But I say on the other side that euen those who are borne the children of Abraham according to the flesh are also counted the spirituall children of God vnlesse they growe out of kinde through vnbeleefe For the boughs bee naturally holy because they spring from an holy roote Rom. 11.16 vntill they become profane through their owne fault And assuredly it is Paule his drifte to allure the Iewes vnto Christe and that he may doe this they must bee distinguished from the common sort by some priuiledge and yet it followeth not thereuppon which these knaues doe odiously obiect that the gtace of God is tyed to the carnall seed Because though the promise of life came by inheritance to the posteritie of Abrahā yet many were depriued by their vnbeliefe Therfore faith is the cause that of a great multitude only a few are counted children And that is the double electiō whereof I spake before The one common to all the whole nation alike because the first adoptiō of God containeth the whole familie of Abraham The other which is restrained vnto the secret counsel of god and is at length established by faith that it may be confirmed to men Therefore Paul doth well trulie affirme that that was perfourmed to the Iewes which god had promised to the fathers For it was promised to them also as Zacharias saith in his song The oth which he sware to our father Abrahā that he would giue himselfe for vs c. And yet the worthinesse of that nation doth not hinder but that the grace of Christ may also spread it selfe throughout the whole world bicause the first begottē hath the first degree of honor so that he doth notwithstanding leaue the second place to his brethren For in that after the old people wer cast off the possession of the church was left emptie for strangers it began to be a new occasion of gathering the church of the Gentiles but if that people had stood in the faieth the Gentiles had been ioyned into the common societie of honor After that he had raised Christ. The word raised in my iudgement reacheth farther thē it doth where it is shortly after repeated For he doth not onely say that Christ rose from the dead but that he was appointed of god and as it were brought to light by the hand of god that he might fulfill the office of the Messias as the scripture teacheth euery where that kings and Prophets are raised vp For the word anastesai is sometimes taken in this sense And this reason moueth me thus to
now intreat of his office and power And this is the principall point to know what good things we haue by the comming of Christ and what we are to hope for at his hands And although Luke setteth downe in a worde that Paul preached of the benefits of Christ yet there is no cause why any man should doubt but that so great matters were handled weightily and onely according as their dignitie did require By this word Be it knowne vnto you Paul meaneth that nothing should hinder them from knowing such an excellent plain matter saue only sloth that therefore it was an absurd thing that those benifits of God should be hidden from the faithfull which were offered by Christ For he was sent with the shrill preaching of the Gospel which our faith ought to heare that it may enter into the sure possession of his good things For we must know what he is that we may inioy him truely Forgiuenes of sinnes is set first whereby God doth reconcile vs vnto himself That which God will haue preached to all his people doeth he shewe to be necessarie for all men For Paul speaketh not to one or two but to all the Iewes which were at Antioch Therefore we must first marke that we be all enimies to God through sinnes 2. Chapt. Collos Whereupon it followeth that we are all excluded from the kingdome of God and are giuen ouer to eternall death vntill God receiue vs to fauour by the free forgiuenesse of sinnes We must also note this that God doth pardon to vs our sinnes and that he is reconciled through the Mediator because like as without him there is no satisfaction so neither is there any pardon or forgiuenesse of guiltines These be principles of our faith which are not learned in the schooles of the Philosophers That all mankinde is condemned and drowned in sinne that there is in vs no righteousnes which is able to reconcile vs to God that the onely hope of saluation resteth in his mercie whiles that he doth freely forgiue vs and that those remaine vnder the gilt which flie not vnto Christ and seeke not forgiuenesse in his death And from all things He doth secreatly preuent that which might seem contrary to the former doctrine For looke how many ceremonies of the Law there were so many exercises were there to obtaine remission of sinnes Therefore the Iewes might readily obiect if he alone doe reconcile God to vs our sinnes being done away to what end serue so many washings and sacrifices which we haue hitherto vsed according to the prescript of the Law Therefore least the Ceremonies of the Law hinder the Iewes Paul teacheth that Christ doth that which they were not able to do Not that Paul spake so briefly and compendiously for he did not hope that the Iewes would at the first come vnto Christ casting from them sodainly the affiance which they had in the righteousnesse of the Law but it was sufficient for Luke briefly to collect the sum of those things which he then taught in iust and due order His meaning is that the Mediator tooke away that let from the Iewes wherein they did sticke The ceremoniall Law ought in deede to haue bin a schoolemaster to leade them by the hand vnto Christ all rites commanded by God were helps to help and further their faith but as men vse preposterously to corrupt the holy ordinances of God they stopt the way before themselues by their ceremonies they shut the gate of faith that they could not come to Christ They thought they had righteousnes in sacrifices that by washings was gotten true cleannes that god was pleased with them so soone as they had ended their external pompe in sum forsaking the bodie they laid hold vpon vain shadowes God did in deed appoint no vnprofitable or vaine thing in the Law Wherefore ceremonies were sure and vndoubted testimonies of remission of sins For God did not lye in these words Let the sinner doe sacrifice and his iniquitie shal be purged But as Christ was the end of the Law and the heauenly patterne of the tabernacle so the force and effect of all Ceremonies did depend vpon him Whereby it is proued that they were vaine shadowes when he was set aside Now we see Pauls drift and purpose to wit that he meant to draw away the Iewes from the false and peruerse confidence which they reposed in the Law least being puffed vp they should thinke that they had no need of Christs helpe Heb. 8.5 or least they should seeke onely externall felicitie in him Be iustified in the Law This place doth plainly shew what the word Iustifie doth import in all other places where it is vsed to wit to be deliuered acquitted There was mention made of remission of sins Paul affirmeth that there is no other way whereby we can obtain the same but the grace of Christ Least any man should obiect that there be remedies to be found in the law he answereth that ther was in thē no force Therfore the sense is plain That they cannot be iustified from sin in the law bicause the rites of the law were neither iust nor lawful prices to remoue giltines they were nothing worth of thēselues to deserue righteousnes neither were they sufficient recompences to appease God Certainely it cannot be denied but wickedly that that iustification annexed to remission of sins is as it were the meanes way to obtaine the same For what else doth Paul go about but to cōfirm that saying that our sins are forgiuē vs through the benefit of Christ by answering contrary obiections And he proueth it because neither satisfactions neither al the rites of the law can iustifie vs frō sin Therfore he is iustified by Christ who is freely losed from the gilt iudgment of eternal death to which he was subiect This is the righteousnes of faith whiles that God counteth vs iust by not imputing our sins This only proprietie of the word is sufficient to refute the cauils of the Papists who hold that we are not iustified by pardon or by free accepting but by habit and infused righteousnes Therfore let vs not suffer them to rent in peeces vnworthely wickedly this text of Paule when he saith that we are iustified from all things that we may be assured of remission of sins And now we must know that the law of Moses is set against Christ as the principal meane to obtaine righteousnes if there had bin any besids Christ Paul disputeth in deed of ceremonies but we must note that there was nothing omitted in thē which might serue to purge sins to appease god Yet there was not one of al the ceremonies of the law which did not make man gilty as a new handwriting as Paul teacheth Col. 2. What then Assuredly God meant to testifie that men are iustified by the death of his son alone Col. 2.14 because he made him sin for vs who did no sin that we
Silas seing they were also Prophets did with many wordes “ or they did comfort exhort the brethren and strengthned them 33 And they tarried there for a time and then they were let go by the brethren in peace vnto the Apostles 34 But it seemed good to Silas to stay there 35 And Paul and Barnabas staied at Antiochia teaching and preaching with many mee the word of the Lord. 30 When the multitude was gathered This was the most lawfull kinde of dealing to admit the whole multitude vnto the reading of the Epistle For if there fall out any controuersie in the doctrine of faith it is meet that the iudgement bee referred ouer vnto the learned and godly to such as are exercised in the Scripture and chiefly to the pastors rightly ordained Notwithstanding because it belongeth to all alike to know for a suertie what they must hold the godly and learned teachers must make known to the whole Church what they haue set downe out of the worde of God For there is nothing more vnfitting for holie and Christian order than to driue away the bodie of the people from common doctrin as if it were a heerd of swine as they vse to do vnder the tyrannie of popery For because the Pope the horned bishops did think that the people woulde neuer bee obedient ynough vntill they were brought into grosse ignorance they imagined that this was the best summarie of faith to know nothing but to depend wholy vpon their decrees But on the contrarie there must be a meane obserued that lawfull gouernments may continue and that on the otherside the people may haue that liberty which vnto them belongeth least they be oppressed like slaues 31 They reioyced ouer the consolation Seing that the Epistle is so short and containeth nothing but a bare narration what consolation coulde they haue by it But we must note that there was no small matter of consolation therein because when they knewe the consent of the Apostles they were all pacified and also whereas before there was variance among them they are now reconciled one to another Seing there went a false report about that all the Apostles were against Paul and Barnabas this same had shaken some who were too light of beliefe manie did stand in doubt the wicked abused this occasion to speak euil othersome were pricked forward with loue of noualty and with curiositie and one was set against another But now after that they see that the iudgement of the first Church doth agree with the doctrine of Paul and Barnabas they obtaine that for which the children of God ought most to wish that being established in the right faith and being of one mind among themselues they may with quiet mindes haue peace one with another 32 Iudas and Silas These two brethren were sent for this cause that they might also testifie the same thing by word which was contained in the letters and more also Otherwise the Apostles woulde not haue sent such short letters concerning so great and weightie a matter and they would haue also spoken somewhat touching the mysteries of faith and would haue made some long exhortation wherein they would haue perswaded them vnto the studie of godlinesse Nowe Luke sheweth some farther thing by them done to wit that being furnished with the gift of Prophecie they edifie the Church in generall as if he shoulde say they did not onely doe their duetie faithfullie in the cause which was nowe in hande but they did also take good and profitable paines in teaching and exhorting the Church And we must note that he saith that they exhorted the Church because they were Prophetes for it is not a thing common to all men to enter such an excellent function Therefore we must beware least any man passe his bounds as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 7. and Ephesians 4. 1. Cor. 7.20 Ephes 4.1 that euery one keepe himselfe within the measure of grace receiued Wherefore it is not in vaine that Luke saith that the office of teaching is peculiar least any man through ambition being voide of habilitie or through rash zeale or through anie other foolish desire coueting to put out his heade trouble the order of the Church They were Prophets Whereas the worde hath diuerse significations it is not taken in this place for those prophets to whom it was graunted to foretell things to come because this title should come in out of season when hee intreateth of another matter but Luke his meaning is that Iudas and Silas were indued with excellent knowledge and vnderstanding of the mysteries of God that they might be good interpreters of God as Paul in the forteenth of the first to the Corinthians when he intreateth of the prophecie 1. Cor. 14.3 and preferreth it before al other gifts speaketh not of foretelling of things to come but he commendeth it for this fruit because it doth edifie the Church by doctrine exhortation consolation After this manner doth Luke assigne exhortation to the Prophets as being the principall point of their office 33 They were let goe in peace That is when they departed the brethren in taking their leaue of them did wish them well as friends vse to doe And there is Synecdoche in this member because the one of the two did onely returne to Ierusalem And in the text there is a correction added immediatly that it seemed good to Silas to tarrie there but when Luke ioyneth them both togither his meaning is onely to declare that the Church was quiet before they thought vppon any returning At length he addeth that Paul and Barnabas so long as they were at Antioch gaue themselues to teaching and did continue in this work and yet did they giue place to many mo Whereby it appeareth that they had al one the same desire without grudging so that they ioined hād in hand to doe good Though it seemeth that he maketh mention of many moe of set purpose least we should thinke that after that Paul and Barnabas were departed that Church was destitute which did florish in aboundance of teachers Moreouer the blessing of God which began streightway to appeare againe in that Church is now againe commended and extolled which Church Satan went about by his ministers miserably to scatter and lay wast 36 And after a few daies Paul said to Barnabas Returning let vs now visit our brethren throughout all Cities wherein we haue preached the word of the Lord and see how they doe 37 And Barnabas counsailed to take Ihon whose syrname was Marke 38 But Paul besought him that he which slid backe from them in Pamphilia and had not gone with them to the worke might not bee taken to their companie 39 And the contention waxed so hot betweene them that they parted companie and Barnabas hauing taken to him Marke sailed to Cyprus 40 But Paul hauing chosen Silas iorneyed being committed to the grace of god by the brethren 41 And he went through Syria and
other fortitude but a certain rash and immoderate fiercenesse Therefore there was in Paul wonderful force of the Spirit who standing amidst such beastes which sought to pull him too and fro stoode firme in the sound synceritie of the Gospel and did valiantly withstand and endure as well the dogged malapertnes of the former sect as the pride and craftie cauillings of the other And hereby we see more plainly what small agreement there is betweene the heauenly wisedome and the wisedome of the flesh For though the whole multitude were offended with the gospel yet the Philosophers were captaines and standerd-bearers in assaulting the same For that did principally appeare in them which Paul himselfe speaketh of the wisedome of the flesh that 1. Cor. 1.11 It is an enimy to the crosse of Christ so that no man can be fit to learn the principles of the Gospel vnlesse he first abandon the same Other some said Luke setteth before vs two sorts of men which both were farre from godlinesse and yet the one sort is worse than the other Those who are desirous to heare that againe which they call newe first they are mooued not with any right desire to learne but with vaine curiositie Secondly they thinke vnhonourablie of the worde of God in that they count it prophane noualtie Yet because they giue eare and that being in doubt vntill they may know farther of the matter they are not quite past hope But the rest who proudly refuse that which is offered yea condemne it reprochfully do shut the gate of saluation against themselues For this railing did proceede from monstrous pride what meaneth this Babler Because they neither vouchsafe to heare Paule also reprochfully refuse him as if he were some common iester Moreouer they do not loath his doctrine through rash zeale but do openlie tread vnder foot that which is brought vnto them concerning religion though as yet they know it not because these are ashamed to learn any thing of a base and obscure fellowe who had hitherto professed themselues to be teachers of all the whole world A declarer of new diuels They doe not take diuels in euill part as the Scripture vseth to do but for the lesser gods or angels who they thought were in the midst betweene the highest God and men whereof Plato maketh mention oftentimes As touching the summe of the matter we must note that those things which Paul spake concerning Christ and the resurrection seemed to them to be new diuels Whence we gather that our faith is principally distinguished and discerned from the superstitions of the Gentiles by these marks because it setteth forth Christ to be the sole mediatour because it teacheth vs to seeke for saluation only at his hands because it commādeth vs to seeke remission of our sins in his death wherby we may bee reconciled to God because it teacheth that men are renewed fashioned againe by his spirit who were before prophane slaues to sin that they may begin to liue righteously holilie Again because frō such beginnings as do plainly declare that the kingdome of God is spiritual it lifteth vp our minds at length vnto the hope of the resurrection to come For as concerning other things though the Philosophers do not reason purely yet they say somwhat Yea they speak much concerning eternal life the immortality of the soul but as touching faith which sheweth free reconciliation in Christ regeneration whereby the Spirit of God doth restore in vs the image of God concerning calling vpon God and the last resurrection not a word 19 They brought him to Mars street Though this were a place appointed for iudgement yet Luke doth not meane that Paul was brought before the seat of the iudges that he might plead his cause before the iudges of Mars street But that hee was brought thither where was most commonly a great assēblie of people that the serious disputation might be had before a great and famous audience And admit we graunt that he was brought before the iudgement seat yet the end doeth declare that he was not presented to the iudges but that hee had free libertie to speake as before an audience And that which followeth shortly after touching the nature and conditions of the men of Athens doth sufficiently declare that their curiositie was the cause that Paul had such audience giuē him that he had such a famous place granted him to preach Christ in that so many came togither For in any other place it had bin a crime worthy of death to speake in the market or in any other publike place hauing gathered a companie of people togither but there because those who did carrie about trifles had libertie granted thē to prate by reason of the immoderate desire they had to heare newes Paul was permitted to intreat of the misteries of faith being requested Gaue themselues to nothing else The two vices which Luke reciteth do almost alwaies go togither For it falleth out seldome that those who are desirous of noualties are not also bablers For that saying of Horace is most true Flie a demander of questions for the same is also a blab And surely wee see that curious men are like rent Barrels Furthermore both vices came of idlenes not only because the Philosophers spent whol dayes in disputing but because the common sort was too much set vpon noualty neither was there any crafts man so base there which would not thrust in himself to set in order the state of Grecia And surely that which Luk saith here is witnessed by al writers both Greeke Latin that there was nothing more light couetous or froward than that people Wherefore there could neuer be any certaine gouernment set downe in that Citie which was notwithstanding the mystres of sciences Therfore in principal power they had notwithstanding no long liberty neither did they euer cease off from attempting things making many hurliburlies vntil they brought themselues al Grecia to vtter ruine For whē their state was decaied yet did not they forsake their boldnes Therefore Cicero doth laugh at their folly because they did no lesse fiersely set forth their decrees then than whē they were lords ouer Grecia Now though there were smal hope to do any good among curious mē yet Paul did not neglect the opportunity if peraduenture he might gain some of a great cōpanie to Christ Neither was this any small praise for the Gospel in the most noble place of the Citie and as it were in a common Theatre to refute and openly to reproue all forged and false worshippings which had reigned there euen vntill this day 22 And standing in the midst of Mars street he saith Men of Athens I see you in all things as it were more superstitious 23 For passing by beholding your maner of worshippings I found also an altar wherein was written To the vnknowen God Therefore whom you worshippe ignorantly him doe I preach vnto you 24 God who
they goe about to make of none effect shal so gird them that they shall at length perceiue that they haue striuen in vaine with their snare And no maruel if this point of Paul his doctrine were derided at Athens For it is a mystery hid from mens minds wheron the chiefest Philosophers did neuer thinke neither can we otherwise comprehend it then when we lift vp the eies of faith vnto the infinite power of God And yet Paul his sermon was not altogether without fruite because there were some of the hearers which were desirous to profit and go forward For when they say that they wil heare him againe their meaning is that though they were not as yet throughly persuaded yet had they some tast which did prouoke them to be desirous to profit Surely this desire was contrary to lothsomnes 34 Among whom was also Dionisius Seing that Luke doth name one man and one woman onely it appeareth that there was but a small number of those which beleeued at the first For those other of whom he maketh mention remained indifferent Because they did neither wholly despise Paul his doctrine neither were they so throughly touched that they ioyned them selues vnto him that they might be his schollers Luke maketh mention of Dionisius aboue the rest because hee was in no small authoritie among his Citizens Therefore it is likelie that Damaris was also a woman of some renowne Furthermore it is ridiculous in that the papistes made of a Iudge an Astrologer But this is to be imputed partly to their ignorance partly to their boldnesse who seeing they knewe not what Areopagus or Mars streete meant tooke to themselues libertie to feigne whatsoeuer they woulde And their rudenesse is too grosse who ascribe the bookes of the heauenly and ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and of the names of God to this Dionysius For the heauenly Hierarchie is stuffed not onelie with manie doltish and moonkish trifles but also with many absurd inuentions and wicked speculations And the bookes of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie doe themselues declare that they were made many yeeres after when as the puritie of christianitie was corrupt with an huge heape of ceremonies As for the Booke of the names of GOD though it haue in it some thinges which are not altogether to bee despised yet it doeth rather breath out subtilties then sounde godlinesse CHAP. XVIII 1 AFter this Paule departed from Athens and came to Corinthus 2 And hauing gotten a certaine Iewe called Aquila borne in Pontus who came lately from Italy and Priscilla his wife because Claudius had commanded al Iewes to depart from Rome he came vnto them 3 And because he was of the same craft he abode with them and wrought and they were tent makers 4 And he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabboth day and perswaded both Iewes and Greekes 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paul was forced in the Spirit testifying to the Iewes that Iesus was Christ. 1 This historie is worthy to bee remembred euen for this one cause because it containeth the first beginning of the Church of Corinthus which as it was famous for good causes both bicause of the multitude of men also because of the excellent gifts bestowed vpon them so there were in it grosse and shamefull vices Furthermore Luke sheweth in this place with what great labor and how hardly Paul did winne the same to Christ It is well knowne what a rich Cittie Corinthus was by reason of the noble mart how populous how greatly giuen to pleasure And the old prouerbe doth testifie that it was sumptuous and ful of riot All men cannot goe to Corinthus When Paul entreth the same what hope I pray you can he conceiue He is a simple man vnknowne hauing no eloquence or pomp shewing no wealth or power In that that huge gulph doth not swallow vp his confidence and desire which he had to spreade abroad the Gospel by this we gather that hee was furnished with wonderfull power of the Spirite of God and also that God wrought by his hand after a heauenly maner and not after any humane maner Wherefore he boasteth not without cause that the Corinthians are the seale of his Apostleship For they be twise blind 1. Cor. 9.2 who doe not acknowledge that the glory of God did more plainely appeare in such a simple base kind of dealing and he himself shewed no smal token of inuincible constancie when being vexed with the mockes of all men as the proude did contemne him he did notwithstanding stay himselfe vppon Gods helpe alone But it is worth the labour to note all the circumstances as Luke setteth downe the same in order 2 A Iew called Aquila This was no small triall in that Paule findeth none at Corinthus to lodge him saue Aquila who had bin twise exiled For being borne in Pontus he forsooke his countrie and sailed ouer the sea that he might dwell at Rome Hee was compelled to depart thence againe by the commandement of Claudius Caesar Though the commodiousnes of the Citie was such the plentie so great the situation so pleasant and there were also so many Iewes there yet Paul founde no more fit hoast than a man that had bin banished out of his owne countrie and also out of another soile If we compare the great fruite which ensued immediatly vpon his preaching with such a base entrance the power of the Spirit of God shall plainly appeare Also we may see howe the Lord by his singular counsell turneth those things to his glorie and the saluation of the godly which seeme contrary to the flesh and vnhappie Nothing is more miserable than exile according to the sense of the flesh But it was farre better for Aquila to be Paul his companion than to be in the highest office either at Rome or in his countrie Therfore this happie calamitie of Aquila doth teach vs that the Lord doeth often better prouide for vs when he doeth sharply punish vs than if he should most gently intreat vs and when he tosseth vs to and fro in most extreme exile that he may bring vs vnto the heauenly rest All Iewes to depart from Rome The estate of that nation was then very miserable so that it is a wonder that they did not almost all depart from the worship of God But this is a greater wonder that the religion wherin they had bin brought vp preuailed against Caesars tyranny and that so soone as Christ the sunne of righteousnesse did arise few were turned vnto him Notwithstāding I do not doubt but that the Lord suffered thē to passe through many troubles that they might the more willingly yea the more greedily receiue the grace of redemption offered them but the more part became dull in their miserie fewe did submit themselues to be taught when the Lord did punish them as did Aquila and Priscilla Yet if Suetonius say the truth they were expelled through hatred of the name of Christ and so
owne destruction he doth also affirme that they shall be punished And in saying that he is cleane he testifieth that he hath done his dutie it is wel knowen what the Lorde giueth all his ministers in charge in Ezechiel If thou shew not vnto the wicked that hee may conuert Eze. 3.18 I will require his blood at thy hand Therefore Paul because hee did what hee coulde to bring the Iewes to repentance doth acquit himself of all giltines And by these wordes teachers are warned that vnlesse they will bee giltie of blood before the Lorde they must doe what in thē lyeth to bring those which goe astray into the way and that they suffer nothing to perish through ignorance I will go vnto the Gentiles Though the Iewes had shewed themselues to be most readie to be taught yet ought Paul to haue emploied himself to teach the Gentiles whose apostle and minister he was made but here he expresseth the passage whereby he withdrew himselfe from the stubborne Iewes for all For he obserued this course in teaching that beginning with the Iewes he might couple the Gentiles with them in the societie of faith and so might make of both togeather one bodie of the church When ther remained no hope to do any good amōg the Iewes then the Gentiles only remained Therefore the sense is this that they must be depriued of their own inheritance that it may bee giuen to the Gentiles and so be wounded partly that being strikē with feare yea being cast down they might come to soundnes of minde partly that the emulation or striuing of the Gentiles might prick them forward vnto repentance But because they were vncurable reproche and shame serued for this purpose only to bring them into despaire 7 Departing thence Paul did not change his lodging whiche hee had with Priscilla and Aquila because hee was wearie of theyr companie but that he might more familiarly insinuate himselfe and come in fauour with the gentiles For I suspect that this Iustus of whom Luke maketh mention was rather a gentile then a Iew. Neither doth the nighnes of the Sinagogue any whit hinder for the Iewes were scattered abroade so that they had no certaine place of the Citie to dwell in Yea it seemeth that Paule did make choyse of the house which did ioyne to the Synagogue that hee might the more nettle the Iewes The title and commendation ascribed to lustus confirmeth this opinion for it is said that he was a worshipper of God For thogh the Iewes had not sincere religion yet because they did al professe the worship of God it might haue seemed that godlines took place cōmonly in all the whole nation But because it was a rare matter among the gentiles to worship God if any drewe neere vnto true godlines he hath this singuler testimonie giuen him which is set against idolatrie Also I thinke that the Corinthians of whō Luke speaketh shortly after were gentiles Neuertheles least we should thinke that Paule his labour was altogether fruitlesse which he bestowed among the Iewes Luke reckoneth vp two of them which beleeued Crispus and Sosthenes Of whom Paul himselfe speaketh in the first Chapt. of the first Epist to the Corinths 1. Cor. 1.14 For in his salutation he maketh Sosthenes his fellow in office after that he saieth that he baptized Crispus I take it that he is called the Ruler of the Synagogue not as if he alone did beare rule and had the gouernment because Sosthenes hath the same title giuen him shortly after but because he was one of the chiefe men 9 And the Lord said Though the fruite of Pauls doctrine in that he gained some daily to Christ might haue incouraged him to go forward yet is the heauenly Oracle added for his farther confirmation Whence we gather that there were great cumbates set before him and that hee was sore tossed diuers ways For the Lord did neuer without cause powre out his oracles neither was it an ordinary thing with Paule to haue visions but the Lorde vsed this kinde of remedy when necessitie did so require and the thing it selfe doth shewe that there laide vppon the holy man a great weight of businesse vnder which he might not onely sweat but almost faint vnlesse he had been set on foot again refreshed with some new help And it is not without cause that hee saieth that his comming was base contemptible that he was conuersaunt there in fear trembling For mine owne part I think thus 1. Cor. 2.3 Numb 12.6 that the wonderfull power of the Spirit wherewith Paul was indued before was holpen with the oracle Furthermore for as much as the Scripture distinguisheth visions from dreames as it appeareth by the twelft chapter of the book of Numbers Luke meaneth by this worde vision that when Paul was in a traunce he saw a certaine shape or forme whereby hee knewe that God was present with him Assuredly it is not to be doubted but that God appeared by some signe Feare not This exhortation sheweth that Paule had cause of feare ministred vnto him for it had been a superfluous thing to correct feare or to will him not to feare w … all was well quiet and especially in a man so willing and readie Furthermore when the Lord to the end he may haue his seruaunt to doe his duetie faithfullie and stoutlie beginneth with restraining feare by this we gather that nothing is more contrarie to the pure and free preaching of the gospel then the straites of a faint heart And surely experience doth shew that none are faithfull couragious ministers of the word whom this fault doth hinder and that those onelie are rightly prepared and addressed to teach to whom it is graunted with boldnes and courage of heart to ouercome all manner danger In which respect hee writeth to Timothie that the spirite of feare is not giuen to the preachers of the Gospel but of power and loue and sobrietie Therfore we must note the connection of wordes Feare not but speak which is all one 2. Tim. 1.7 as if he should haue said Let not feare let thee to speake And because feare doth not onely make vs altogether without tongue but doth so binde vs that we cannot purely and freely speake that which is needful Christ touched both briefly Speake saith he and hold not thy peace that is speake not with halfe thy mouth as it is in the common prouerbe But in these words there is prescribed to the ministers of the worde of God a common rule that they expound and lay open plainely and without color or dissimulation whatsoeuer the Lord wil haue made knowne to his Church yea let them keepe backe nothing which may make for the edifying or increase of Gods Church 10 Because I am This is the former reason why Paul hauing subdued feare must manfully and stoutly do his duetie because he hath God on his side Psal 23.4 Whereto answereth the reioycing of
Ierusalem saying After that I haue bin there I must also see Rome 22 And when he had sent two of those which ministred to him into Macedonia to wit Timotheus and Erastus he staied for a time in Asia 18 Many which beleeued Luke bringeth foorth one token of that feare whereof he spake For they did in deed declare that they wer thorowly touched and moued with the feare of God who of their owne accord did confesse the faultes and offences of their former life least thorow their dissimulation they shoulde nourishe the wrath of GOD within We know what a hard matter it is to wring true confession out of those who haue offended for seeing men count nothing more precious then their estimation they make more account of shame then of truth Yea so much as in them lyeth they seek to couer their shame Therefore this voluntarie confessiō was a testimonie of repentance of fear For no man vnlesse hee be throughly touched will make himselfe subiect to the slanders reproches of men will willingly be iudged vpon earth that he may be loosed and acquitted in heauen When he saith Many by this wee gather that they had not all one cause for it may bee that these men had corrupt cōsciences a long time as manie are oftentimes infected with hidden and inward vices Wherefore Luke doth not prescribe all men a common Law but he setteth before them an example which thos◠must follow who need like medicine For why did these men confesse their facts saue onely that they might giue testimonie of their repentance and seeke counsaile and ease at Pauls hands It was otherwise with those who came vnto the Baptisme of Iohn confessing their sinnes Mat. 3.6 For by this meanes they did confesse that they did enter into repentance without dissimulation But in this place Luke teacheth by one kind after what sort the faithfull were touched with the reuerence of God when God set before them an example of his seueritie For which cause the impudencie of the Papists is the greater who colour their tyranny by this fact For wherein doeth their auricular confession agree with this example First the faithful confessed how miserablie they had bin deceiued by Satan before they came to the faith bringing into the sight of men certain examples But by the Popes Law it is required that men recken vp all their wordes and deeds and thoughts We reede that those men confessed this once The Popes Law commandeth that it be repeated euery yeare at least These men made confession of their owne accorde the Pope bindeth all men with necessitie Luke saieth there came manie not all in the Pope his Law there is no exception These men humbled themselues before the company of the faithful the Pope giueth a farre other commandement that the sinner confesse his sinnes whisperingly in the eare of one priest Lo how wel they applie the Scriptures to proue their subtiltie 19 Who vsed curious crafts Luke doeth not onely speake of magicall iuglings but of friuolous and vaine studies whereof the more part of men is for the most part too desirous For hee vseth the word perierga vnder which the Grecians comprehende whatsoeuer thinges haue in themselues no sound commoditie but lead mens mindes and studies through diuerse crookes vnprofitablie Such is iudiciall Astrologie as they call it and whatsoeuer diuinations men inuent to themselues against the time to come They burne their bookes that they may cut off all occasion of erring both for themselues and for others And whereas the greatnes of the price doeth not call them backe from indamaging themselues so much they doe thereby better declare the studie of their godlines Therfore as Luke did of late describe their confession in words so now he setteth downe the confession they make in deeds But because the Grecians take argurion for all kinde of money it is vncertaine whether Luke doth speake of pence or sestertians Notwithstanding because it is certaine that he expressed a summe that we might knowe that the faithfull did valiantly contemne gaine◠I doe nothing doubt but that hee meaneth pence or some other better kinde of coyne And fiftie thousande peace make about nine thousande pounde of french money 20 Grew mightilie The word cata cratos doth signifie that the worde increased not a little or that these proccedings were not common as if he should say that in those increasings appeared rare efficacie and such as was greater than it vsed commonly to be The word Grewe doe I referre vnto the number of menne as if he should haue saide that the Church was increased new disciples being gathered togither daily because doctrine is spread abroad And I interpret that that the worde was confirmed in euery one thus to wit that they did profit in the obedience of the Gospel and in godlines more and more that their faith tooke deeper roote 21 He purposed in Spirit His meaning is that Paule purposed to take his iourney through the instinct and motion of the Spirite that wee may knowe that all his whole life was framed according to Gods will and pleasure And therefore hath hee the Spirite to bee the gouernour of his actions because hee did both giue ouer himselfe by him to be ruled and did also depende vppon his gouernement Neither skilleth that which followeth that he had not that successe in his iourney which hee did hope for for God doeth oftentimes gouerne and rule his faithfull seruaunts suffering them to bee ignorant of the ende For hee will haue them so farre foorth addicted to him that they followe that which hee hath shewed them by his spirite euen shutting their eyes when matters be doubtfull Moreouer it is certaine that he was wholly addicted to profite the Churches omitting and forslowing his owne commoditie in that hee had rather depriue himselfe of Timotheus a most excellent to him of all most faithfull most deare finallie a most fitte companion than not to prouide for the Macedonians 23 And at that time there happened no small tumult about that way 24 For a certaine man named Demetrius a siluer smyth which made siluer shrines for Diana brought us small gaines to the men of that occupation 25 Whom when hee had called togither and those who were makers of like things he said Men yee know that by this craft we haue aduantage 26 And yee see and heare that not onely at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much people saying that they be not gods which are made with hands 27 And not onely this part commeth in daunger to vs least it be set at nought but also least the Temple of the great goddesse Diana be despiced and it come to passe that her maiestie be destroyed whom all Asia and the world worshippeth 28 When they heard these things they were full of wrath and cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians 23 Tumult about that way Concerning this
confession of a sure faith as are they in their filthie errour For wee see what the Spirit of God prescribeth vnto vs by the mouth of Dauid Psal 106.10 I beleeued and therefore will I speake 35 And when the towne clarke had pacified the multitude he saide Yee men of Ephesus what man is he that knoweth not that the Citie of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddesse Diana and of the image that came down from Iupiter 36 And seing these things are out of question you must bee quiet and doe nothing rashly 37 For yee haue brought men which are neither Churchrobbers nor yet blasphemers of your goddesse 38 But and if Demetrius and the craftsmen that are with him haue a matter against any man there be open assemblies and there be deputies let them accuse one another 39 But and if there be any other matter in question it shal be decided in a lawfull assemblie 40 For it is to bee doubted least wee be accused of this dayes sedition seeing there is no cause whereby we may giue a reason of this concourse And when he had thus spoken he let the assembly depart 35 Luke sheweth in this place that the tumult was so appeaâ—ed that yet notwithstanding superstition preuailed with the madde people and the truth of God was not heard For the town clarke as politike meÌ„ vse to do counteth it sufficient for him if he can by any meanes appease the outragious multitude Neuerthelesse the cause it selfe is oppressed He saw vndoubtedly Demetrius his malice and howe hee had troubled the citie abusing the pretence of religion for his owne priuate gain but he toucheth not that wound which he knew to be vnknowen to the vnskilful Neuerthelesse to the end he may stay the vproare contention he extolleth the feigned power of Diana maintaineth her superstitious worship If Paul had been in the common place at that time hee would rather haue suffered death an hundreth times then haue suffered himselfe to be deliuered from daunger paying so deare for it For thogh the towne clarke had not been by him commaunded to speake thus yet it should haue been treacherous dissimulation in a publike witnesse and preacher of heauenly doctrine The Scribe affirmeth that the Image which the Ephesians did worship came downe from heauen and that Paul and his companions spake no blasphemie against their goddesse Could he haue holden his peace but he must needs by his silence haue alowed his false excuse And this had been to shake hands with idolatry Therefore it was not without cause that Luke said before that Paul was kept backe by the brethren and not suffered to enter into the common place 37 Men which are neither church robbers Hee doeth both truly and well denie that they be churchrobbers but he doth shortly after falslie define the kinde of churchrobberie to speake blasphemously against Diana For seeing that all superstition is profane and polluted it followeth that those be sacrilegious persons who translate the honour which is due to God alone vnto Idols But the wisedome of the towne clarke and that carnall is heere commended and not his godlinesse For hee had respect vnto this alone to extinguish the heat of the vprore therfore doth he at length conclude if Demetrius haue any priuate matter there be iudgement seates and Magistrates And that publike affayres must be handeled in a lawfull and not in a disordered assemblie in an assembly gathered by the commaundement of the magistrates and not in a concourse which is without consideration runne together through the motion of one man and to satisfie his appetite He calleth them deputies in the plurall number not that Asia had more then one but because Legates did sometimes keep courtes in the place of the deputies Also he appeaseth them by putting them in feare because the deputie had occasion offered to punish and fine the citie sore CHAP. XX. 1 AND after the tumult was ceased when Paul had called vnto him the disciples and had imbraced them he tooke his iourney that hee might goe into Macedonia 2 And when he had walked through those partes and had with much speech exhorted them he came into Grecia 3 And when he had spent three monethes there when the Iewes laid in wait for him as he was about to loose into Syria he purposed to returne through Macedonia 4 And there accompanied him vnto Asia Sopater of Berrhea and of the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus and Caius of Derbie and Timotheus and of Asia Tichichus and Trophimus 5 When these were gone before they stayed for vs at Troas 6 And we sailed away after the day of sweet bread from Philippi and came to them to Troas within fiue dayes where we staied seuen daies 1 Luke declareth in this chapter how Paul loosing from Asia did againe crosse the Seas to goe to Ierusalem And though whatsoeuer is written in this narration bee worthie of most diligent meditation and marking yet doth it need no long exposition It appeareth that the church was preserued in saftie by the wonderfull power of God amidst those troublesome tumults The church of Ephesus was as yet slender weake the faithfull hauing had experience of a sodaine motion once might for iust causes feare least like stormes should euer now and then arise We need not doubt that Paul did with much ado depart from theÌ„ yet because greater necessitie doth draw him vnto another place hee is enforced to leaue his sonnes who were lately begotten and had as yet scarce escaped shipwracke in the midst of the raging Sea As for them though they be very loth to forgo Paul yet least they do iniurie to other churches they do not keepe him back nor stay him So that wee see that they were not wedded to themselues but that they were carefull for the kingdome of Christ that they might prouide as well for their brethren as for themselues We must diligently note these examples that one of vs may studie to help another in this miserable dispearsing but if it so fall out at any time that we be bereft of profitable helps let vs not dout nor wauer knowing that God doth hold the helme of our ship And we must also note this that Paul doth not depart vntill he haue saluted the Brethren but doth rather strengthen them at his departure As Luke sayeth straightway of the Macedonians that Paul exhorted them with many wordes that is not ouerfieldes as if it were sufficient to put them onely in minde of their dutie but as he commaundeth els where that others shoulde doe hee vrged importunately and beate in throughly things which were needfull to bee knowen that they might neuer bee forgotten 2. Tim. 4.2 3 Because the Iewes laid wait for him The Lord did exercise his seruant so diuersly and continually that hee set before vs in him an example of most excelleÌ„t constancy It is not sufficieÌ„t for him to be wearied with the labour and trouble
deepely imprint in their minds his exhortations For we know what great force the words and speeches of men haue which are vttered at their departure or death Also he wold haue them beware by this forwarning that they do not depend vpon his presence so their faith shuld faint through wearisomnes The doctrin of the Gospel is called the kingdome of God now again which doth begin the kingdome of god in this world by renewing men after the image of God vntill it be made perfect at length in the last resurrection 26 Wherefore I take you to record It is all one as if he had saide I call you to witnesse or I call you to beare witnesse before God and his Angels And this doth he not so much for his own cause as that he may prescribe vnto them their dutie with greater authoritie Furthermore this place containeth a briefe sum of teaching rightly and wel and it exhorteth the teachers theÌ„selues vehemently sharply that they be diligent in their function What order must Pastours than keepe in teaching First â—et them not esteeme at their pleasure what is profitable to be vttered and what to bee omitted but let them leaue that to God alone to be ordered at his pleasure So shal it come to passe that the inuentions of men shal haue none entrance into the Church of God Againe mortall man shall not be so bold as to mangle the scripture and to pull it in peeces that he may diminish this or that at his plesure that he may obscure some thing and suppresse many things but shal deliuer whatsoeuer is reuealed in the scripture though wisely and seasonablie for the edifying of the people yet plainly and without guile as becommeth a faithful true interpreter of God I said that wisedome must be vsed because we must alwaies haue respect vnto profit so there be no subtiltie vsed wherin many take too great delight when as they turne and wrest the word of God vnto their methods and forge to vs a certaine kinde of Philosophie mixed of the Gospel their own inuentions Namely because this mixture is more delectable Thence haue we freewill thence the deserts of works thence the deniall of the prouidence and free election of God And that which we said eueÌ„ now is to be noted that the counsel of god whereof Paul maketh mention is included in his word that it is to be sought no where else For many things are kept from vs in this life the perfect full manifestation whereof is deferred vntill that day wherein we shall see God as he is with new eyes face to face Therefore those do set forth the will of God who interpreat the scriptures faithfully out of them instruct the people in the faith in the feare of God and in all exercises of Godlines And as we said of late that those are condemned by this sentence 1. Cor. 13.12 who disputing philosophicallie least they should teach any thing which is remoued from the common sense of men and therefore odious do corrupt with their leauen the puritie of the scripture so both sharply and sore doth Paul thunder against them who for feare of the crosse and persecution do speake onely doubtfully and darkly I am cleane from the bloode I do not doubt but that he had respect vnto the place of Ezechiel Ezec. 3.18.20 where God denounceth that his prophet shall be guiltie of the blood of the wicked vnlesse he exhort them vnto repentance For vpon this condition doth he appoint pastors ouer his church that if any thing perish through their negligence an account may be required at their hands yea that vnlesse they shewe the way of saluation without guile and crookes the destruction of those who go astray may be imputed vnto them Those men must needs be wonderful dull whom such a sharp threatning cannot awake Wherfore the Epicurish impiety of the popish cleargie doth the more bewray it selfe where though they crake and bragge of their honorable titles yet they thinke no more vpon giuing of an account for so many soules which perish than if there sate no iudge in heauen neither is their vngodlines any whit lesse filthy before the whole world in that being giuen only to deuour sheepe they vsurpe the name of Pastours Furthermore the Lord sheweth how deare soules be to him seing that he doth so sharply punish the Pastours sluggishnes for their destruction but we see what small account many men make of their owne saluation for which euen God himself doth vouchsafe to be carefull 28 Therefore take heede to your selues and to all the flocke wherein t◠〈◊〉 ghost hath made you ouerseers to gouern the church of God which he hath purchased with his blood 29 For I know this that after my departure grieuous wolues wil enter in among you not sparing the flocke 30 And of your owne selues shall arise men speaking peruerse things that they may draw disciples after them 31 For which cause watch ye remembring that by the space of three yeres I ceassed not night and day to warne euery one of you with teares 32 And now brethren I commende you to God and to the worde of his grace who is able to build farther and to giue you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified 28 Take heede therefore He doth now apply his speech vnto them by many reasons sheweth that they must watch diligently and that he is not so careful but because necessity doth so require The first reason is because they be bound to the flocke ouer which they be set The second because they were called vnto this function not by mortall man but by the holie Ghost The third because it is no small honor to gouern the Church of God The fourth because the Lord did declare by an euident testimony what account he doth make of the church seing that he hath redeemed it with his blood As touching the first hee doth not onelie commaund them to take heed to the flocke but first to theÌ„selues For that man will neuer be carefull for the saluation of other men who will neglect his owne And in vaine shall that man pricke forward other to liue godlily who will himselfe shewe no desire of godlinesse Yea that man will not take paines with his flocke who forgetteth himselfe seing he is a part of the flock Therfore to the end they may be careful for the flocke to them committed Paul coÌ„mandeth warneth that euery one of them keep himself in the feare of God For by this meanes it shoulde come to passe that euery one should be as faithful towards his flocke as he ought For we said that Paul reasoneth from their calling that they be bound to take paines in the church of God whereof they haue the gouernment As if he should say that they may not do whatsoeuer they like best neither are they free after they be made pastours but they be bound publikely to al
heads But the question is how Paul knew this First we need not doubt of this but that his presence was of great force to driue away wolues no maruel if the power of the spirit which shineth in the ministers of Christ do bridle the wicked so that they dare not vtter their poison yea if that heauenly light do driue away much darknes of Satan Therfore seing that Paul did know that the malice of satan was kept vnder for a time by his industry he doth easily foretel what wil happē after his departure thogh it be likely he was certified by the lord through the spirit of prophecy that others might be admonished by him as we see it came to passe Howsoeuer it be so often as faithful Pastours go away let vs learne that we must beware of wolues whom they can hardly driue from the sheepcoates though they watch most narrowly 30 Of your owne selues shall arise This amplifieth the grieuousnesse of the euill because there bee some wolues within and so hiding themselues vnder the title of Pastours do wait for some opportunitie wherein they may doe hurt Also he declareth what daunger these wolues do threaten to wit the scattering abroad of the flocke when the Church is drawne away frō the vnitie of faith and is diuided into sects Neither are all those wolues who doe not their duetie as they ought but there be oftentimes hyrelings a kinde of men not so hurtfull as the other But the corruption of doctrine is a most deadly plague to the sheepe Now in the third place the fountaine and beginning of this euill is noted because they wil draw disciples after them Therefore ambition is the mother of all heresies For the synceritie of the word of God doth then florish when the Pastors ioine hand in hand to bring disciples vnto Christ because this alone is the sound state of the Church that he be heard alone wherefore both the doctrine of saluation must needs be peruerted and also the safetie of the flocke must needs goe to nought where men bee desirous of mastership And as this place teacheth that almost all corruptions of doctrine flow from the pride of men so we learne againe out of the same that it cannot otherwise be but that ambitious men will turne away from right puritie and corrupt the word of God For seing that the pure and sincere handling of the scripture tendeth to this end that Christ alone may haue the preheminence and that men can chalenge nothing to themselues but they shal take so much from the glory of Christ it followeth that those are corrupters of sound doctrine who are addicted to themselues and study to aduance their own glory which doth onely darken Christ Iohn 7.18 Which thing the Lord himself doth confirme in the seuenth of Iohn Furtheremore by the word Arise which he vseth he signifieth that those wolues do nourish secreat destruction vntil they may haue some opportunitie offered to breake out And this place doth very wel preuent an horrible stumbling blocke and offence which Satan hath alwayes cast in to trouble weake consciences If externall and professed enimies doe resist the Gospel this doeth not so much hurt to the Church as if inwarde enimies issue out of the bosome of the Church which at a sodaine blow to the field or which vnfaithfully prouoke the people to fall away and yet God hath from the beginning exercised his Church with this temptation and now doth exercise it Wherefore let our faith be fortified with this defense that it faile not if at any time it so fal out that Pastours begin to rage like wolues He saieth they shal be grieuous wolues that he may the more terrifie them secondly they shal be authours of wicked opinions and that to the end they may draw disciples after them because it cannot almost otherwise be but that ambition will corrupt the puritie of the Gospel By this it appeareth also how friuolous and vaine the bragge of the Papists is touching their continual succession For seing we cā easily shew that these horned beasts are nothing lesse than that which they will be thought to be being alwayes conuict they flie vnto this fortresse that they succeed the Apostles by a cōtinual course As if these did not also succeed thē of whō Paul willeth to take heed Therfore seeing that god either to proue the constancie of his or in his iust iudgement doth oftentimes suffer wolues to rage vnder the person of Pastours the authoritie doth not consist in the name and place alone neither is succession any thing worth vnlesse faith and integritie be ioyned therewithall But and if the Papists obiect that they cannot be called wolues one worde of Paul shall bee as a touchstone to proue whether this be so or no that they may sayeth he drawe Disciples after them And to what ende tendeth all popish religion saue onlie that mens lust and pleasure may reigne in steed of Gods worde But Christe hath no Disciples where hee is not counted the onely master 31 For which cause watch Paul doeth againe exhort them vnto diligence by his owne example though hee doth ioyne therewithall feare of daunger as if he should say that they haue need of great attention to beware and that it is an vnseemely thing that they should bee wearied who haue seene his singular patience by the space of three yeeres Also he speaketh of his teares which did adde no smal efficacie to his exhortations Wheras he saith that he admonished euery one it may be referred as wel vnto the cōmon people as vnto the elders For bicause he was determined to speak such things as shuld be cōmon to the whol church he speaketh as if the whole body were present Neuerthelesse if any had rather rastrain it vnto the order of the pastours the meaning shall bee this that their studies must be kindled not onely with this speech which he now maketh but that it is meet that they remember those often exhortations which he did continually beat in by the space of three yeres and that with many teares Yet it seemeth to me to be more likely that he speaketh of all in generall 32 I commend you to God He vseth a prayer which in an oration seruing to moue the hearers greatly ought not to be counted absurd For hee did not passe for diuiding his Sermon into partes as the Rhetoricians vse to doe seeing no wordes were sufficient to expresse the vehemencie of the affections wherewith he was inflamed He had intreated alreadie of great matters and weightie which did farre exceed mans abilitie Therfore he turneth himself vnto prayer and by litle litle draweth toward an ende of his speeche though it be rather an expressing of a desire then a direct prayer As if he should haue said that they be vnable to beare so great a burthen but he doth wish to them new helpe from heauen whereto they may trust and ouercome all temptations And it
others vnto the like rebellion That they ought not to circumcise It was so indeede For Paul taught that both Iewes and Gentiles were set at libertie For these sentences are generall with him ◠Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing Againe we be circumcised by Baptisme in Christ Col. 2.11.16 not with circumcision made with handes Againe let no man iudge you in meate or drinke or in choice of feasts which are shadowes of thinges to come ◠Cor. 10.25 but the body is in Christ Again whatsoeuer commeth into the shambles and whatsoeuer is set before you that eate asking no question for conscience sake Againe Be not inwrapped againe in the yoke of bondage Seeing that he spake thus euery where without exception Gal. 5.1 he freed the Iewes from the necessity◠of keeping the Law And least I stand too long vppon this one place shall be sufficien◠where he compareth the law to a Tutor vnder which the olde churche was as in the childhood thereof But now knowing the grace of Christe it is growen vp that it may be fre from ceremonies in that place he speketh vndoutedlie both of the Iewes Gentiles Also when he saith Gal. 2.14 that the handwriting of the law which did consist in decrees is blotted out and nayled to the crosse by Christe he setteth free the Iewes as well as the Gentiles from the ceremonies which he calleth in that place decrees But seeing that hee did not precisely reiecte ceremonies in teaching that the comming of Christ did make an end of the obseruing thereof that was no reuolting as the enuious Iewes thought it to be Neither were the Elders ignorant of Paul his libertie Therefore seeing they vnderstand the matter very well their meaning is to haue this alone made known to the rude and vnskilfull that Paul meant nothing lesse then to persuade the Iews to contemne the law Therfore they behold not the bare matter but knowing what the common sort thought of Paul by reason of the reports which went about cōcerning him they seek to cure the same Thogh I wote not whether this were more importunate then equal which they required at Paul his hands And by this it appeareth how preposterous the crueltie of men is in receiuing false reports and how fast a false opinion once rashly receiued doth stick It is certain that Iames and his fellowes in office did indeuour to maintaine defend Paul his good report to put away those lies which did hurt his estimation yet let them doe what they can they will speake euill of Paul Vnlesse peraduenture they were too slacke in the beginning that they might gratifie their countrie men so that they were not their own men afterward 22 The multitude must needes come together The verb is a verb neuter as if they should say the multitude must of necessitie com together For it had been an absurd thing that an apostle of such rare report shoulde not come before the whole multitude of the faithfull For if hee had eschewed the light and sight of people the sinister suspition might haue byn increased Neuerthelesse we see how modestly the Elders behaued themselues in nourishing concord when as they preuent the offence of the people in time sauing that they beare too much peraduenture with their infirmitie in requiring a vow of Paul But this moderation must be kept in the church that the pastours bee in great authoritie yet that they rule not proudly as Lords neither despice the rest of the body For the distinction of orders which is the bond of peace ought not to bee any cause of discention 23 Doe that which we say to thee The Elders seeme as I said euen now to be faln vnto a foolish pāpering through too much loue of their natiō But the manifest iudgement of that thing dependeth vpon the circumstances which are hid frō vs at this day yet they knew thē wel The whol body almost did consist vppon Iewes so that they needed not to feare the offending of the Gentiles For in other regions this was the cause of departure because euery man was wedded to his own custome would prescribe a law to others Furthermore they had at Ierusalē many things which might prouoke them to keepe the ceremonies of the law so that they had a greater excuse if they did more slowly forsake them And thogh their zeale wer not void of fault yet as it was an hard matter to reform it so it could not be don at a sodain We see how this superstitiō was scarce in long time pulled from the apostles bicause new disciples came daily vnto the faith the infirmitie was nourished in all together And yet notwithstanding we must not deny but that ignorance was coupled with obstinacie which the Elders did neuerthelesse tollerate least they shuld do more hurt by vsing violent remedies I leaue it indifferent whether they did passe measure or no. Hauing a vow vpon them Though these foure be reckoned among the faithful yet their vow was superstitious Wherby it appeareth that the apostles had much trouble in that natiō which was not only hardned in the worship of the law through long vse but was also naturally malipart almost intractable Though it may be that these men were as yet but nouices therefore their faith was yet but slender scarce well framed wherefore the doctors did suffer them to performe the vow which they had vnaduisedly made As touching Paul bicause he made this vow not moued thereunto by his owne conscience but for their sakes with whose error he did bear the case stood otherwise with him Notwithstāding we must see Sap. 18.18 whether this were one of the indifferent ceremonies which the faithful might omit or keep at their plesure It semeth indeed to haue in it certain thinges which did not agree with the profession of faith But bicause the end therof was thanksgiuing as we said before in the 18. cha there was nothing in the rite it self repugnāt to the faith of Christ 1. Cor. 9.20 Paul did not dout to descend thus far to make his religiō knowen Therefore Paul did that which he saith of himself elswher because he made himself a cōpaniō of those which followed the law as if he him self were in subiection to the law Finally hee was made all things to all mē that he might win all to wit euen vnto the altars so that he might pollute himselfe with no sacrilege vnder a colour of loue It had not bin so lawfull for him to go vnto the solemne sacrifice of satisfaction But as for this part of the worship of God which consisted in a vow hee might do it indifferently so it were not done for religions sake but only to support the weeke But it was neither his intent to worship God with this rite neither was his conscience tied but he did freley submit himself to his weak brethren 24 Which they haue heard of thee are
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
was destitute of mans helpe Therefore it was a signe of an euill conscience in that seing they were men of great experience exercised in publike affaires and skilfull in matters pertaining to courts they hyre a Rhetorician Eloquence is I confesse the gift of God but in this matter they went about nothing else but to deceiue the iudge therewith And Luke declareth this therefore that wee may know that the Iewes did omit nothing whereby they might oppresse Paule and that they might not onely prooue him giltie but so dash him out of countenance that he might not be able to defend himselfe and so let vs consider that it came to passe by the wonderfull prouidence of God that Paul did so stoutly endure such sore assaultes Wherefore if it so fall out at any time that a godly man being alone be beset with a great number of enimies let him call to minde this historie and let him bee of good courage Psal 27.3 As Dauid doeth likewise exhort vs by his owne example If tentes were pitched about mee I will not feare because thou art with me 2 Seeing wee liue in great peace Tertullus vseth a preface nothing appertinent to the matter because hee commendeth Felix his wisedome and vertues that hee may purchase fauour Therefore it is a filthie and flattering Exordium not that I am of their minde who reprehende Tertullus for speaking the iudge faire and for seeking to winne his fauour For it is not alwayes disagreeing with the right and lawfull forme of pleading to commende the iudge and there may reasons be brought on both sides as they say touching this matter But I mislike nothing but this which is altogither corrupt For the Rhetorician doth insinuate himselfe vnder false praises that hee may darken the matter which is called in question For to what ende doeth he speake of peace and a wel ordered state saue onely that Felix may think that the safetie of Iudea consisteth in condemning Paul and that he may examine the matter no further Moreouer it appeareth by Iosephus how couetously cruelly and voluptuously Felix behaued himselfe in that prouince The vnworthy and tragicall murthering of the highest Priest Ionathas because he set himselfe against his dissolute tyranny was alreadie past and finally almost at the very same time Claudius Caesar was enforced with the complaints of the whole nation to put Festus in his place and to call him to answere for himselfe Therefore we see how shamefullie this oratour did lie And seeing all Pauls aduersaries sing the same song we see that they bee blinded with hatred and malice and that they trecherously betray the state of their countrie neither doe they passe what befall them so Paule may die the death Where Erasmus translateth it Many thinges are well done the olde interpreter seemeth to come nearer vnto Paule his meaning who saieth that catorthomata are wrought which signifieth as much as reformations or dressings Therefore Tertullus commendeth the industrie of Felix because he had cleansed Iudea from many corruptions and he restored many things which would otherwise haue decayed To wit to the ende he may the more greedily seeke to purchase the fauour of the nation which he knew was otherwise offended with him by the death of one man 5 For wee founde this man Tertullus dooth aime at a double marke The first is this that Paul may be deliuered to the Iewes because they be very skilfull in matters which concerne the worship of God and the Lawe of Moses But and if hee denie this hee layeth to his charge a crime worthie of death because hee procured contention among the people They knewe that the Romanes did hate nothing more therefore they vrge that the sorest against Paule This doeth Tertullus amplifie when hee saieth that Paul had moued the Iewes throughout the whole worlde But I wonder why hee addeth that he is the authour or chiefe of the sect of the Nazarites which we know was rather a praise than a dispraise among the Iewes I thinke that they meane not those who according to the olde and lawfull custome of the Lawe did consecrate themselues to God but those troublesome murtherers who did also vaunt and boast that they were zealous men Some thinke that Nazarites are heere put for Christians which may verie well bee But if wee like the former exposition better hee doeth craftilie laye to Paule his charge that hee was one of that secte which the Romaines did hate For where as these zealous men woulde aboue all other haue beene counted for notable obseruers of the Lawe they aduanced a colour of zeale as a banner to stir vp the minds of the common people Neuerthelesse these good men who are so zealous ouer their libertie doe not spare the chiefest maintainers thereof so they may cause Paul to be hated by meanes of them They would haue commended the Nazarites as couragious defenders of the Lawe if it had not bin in this matter but now as if they did infect the whole world they seeke to bring vpon Paul great reproch by saying that he is one of them Moreouer they slaunder Paul impudently for no man did thinke that he was guiltie of that crime Therefore they lay to his charge no lesse wickedly than maliciously a crime which they take vp at their foote and inuent without all colour But such is the carelesse security of hypocrits that they thinke they may do whatsoeuer they will so they colour their doings with zeale 6 Who went about to pollute the Temple It was a light and almost a friuolous accusation to lay this to his charge before the Romane Gouernour who could haue wished that the Temple had bin turned topsituruie But because nothing was more fit for procuring vprores than the polluting of the Temple he doth craftily accuse Paul thereof as if hee should say that it was no thankes to him that Ierusalem was not on an vprore and that hee carried such a firebrande as might haue procured sore hurt if hee had not beene preuented Also he includeth that other thing that because Paul had offended in matters of religion it did belong properly to the Iewes to giue iudgement in that matter And here hee complaineth also of the chiefe captaine Lysias because hee robbed them of their right Therefore his drift is to obtaine at the hands of the Ruler that he wil restore to them that which Lysias had taken from thē This is also not voide of subtiltie in that Tertullus doeth discredite the chiefe captaine because hee dealt more courteously toward Paul than the Priests would he should and glauncingly hee bringeth him in suspition because hee dare not openly accuse him But the question is whether they could hope that the Gouernour would graunt them so much seing the Romane magistrates alone were to sit vppon life and death I answere that hee maketh in this place some semblance of equitie as if they were purposed to handle him more gentlie than hee deserued For though
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
hate him seek his ouerthrow And he saith plainely that hee is appointed to bee a witnesse both to Iewes Gentiles least that turne to his reproch because he made the Gospell common to both alike For the Iewes had conceiued suche deadlie hatred against him for this cause because it greeued them that the Gentiles should bee made their fellowes And though they made a shew that this did proceed of zeale because they woulde not haue the couenant which God made with the posteritie of Abrahā profaned by beeing translated vnto straungers yet meere ambition did pricke them forward because they alone would bee excellent all other being vnderlings But in the person of one man all godlie teachers are encouraged to do their dutie that they be not hindred or kept back with the malice of men from offering the grace of God vnto miserable men though they be vnworthie 18 That thou maiest open their eyes Paul in taking to himselfe that which is proper to God doeth seeme to exalt himselfe too high For we knowe that it is the holy Ghost alone which doth lighten the eyes We know that Christ is the only redeemer which doth deliuer vs from the tyrannie of Satan We know that it is God alone who hauing put away our sinnes doth adopt vs vnto the inheritance of the Saints But this is a cōmon thing that God doth translate vnto his ministers that honor which is due to himselfe alone not that hee may take any thing from himselfe but that hee may commend that mightie working of his spirite which he doth shew foorth in them For he doth not send them to worke that they may bee dead instruments or as it were stage players but that hee may worke mightily by their hande But it dependeth vppon the secrete power of his Spirite that their preaching is effectuall who worketh all thinges in all men and which onelie gyueth the encrease Therefore teachers are sent not to vtter their wordes in vaine in the ayre or to beate the eares only with a vaine sounde but to bring liuely light to the blinde to fashion again mens hearts vnto the righteousnesse of God and to ratifie the grace of saluation whiche is gotten by the death of Christe But they doe none of all these saue onelie in as much as God worketh by them that their labour may not bee in vaine that all the prayse may bee his as the effect commeth from him And therefore we must note that so often as the scripture doeth extoll the externall ministerie so honourably we must not separate it from the Spirite which quickneth the same euen as the soule doth the body For it teacheth in other places how little mans industrie can doe of it selfe For they must plant and water but it is God alone which giueth the encrease But because many are hindered by their owne ignorance malice that they cannot reap such frute of the Gospel as they ought wee must note this description which setteth before our eyes briefly plentifully that incomparable treasure Therfore this is the drift of the Gospel that beeing deliuered from blindnesse of minde wee may bee made partakers of the heauenly light that beeing deliuered from the thraldome of Satan we may be turned to God that hauing free forgiuenesse of sinnes wee may be made partakers of the inheritaunce among the Saints Those which will rightly profite in the Gospel muste direct al their senses to this end for what good shal the continuall preaching thereof doe vs if we know not the true vse therof Also the way and meanes to attaine to saluation is described to vs All men boast that they be desirous of saluation but few consider how God will saue them Therfore this place wherin the means is pretily cōprehended is as it were a key to open the gate of heauen Furthermore wee must knowe that all mankinde is naturally depriued of those good thinges whiche Christ saith we haue by beleeuing his Gospell So that it followeth that al are blind because they be lightned by faith that al are the bōdslaues of Satā bicause they are set free by faith frō his tyrānie that all mē are the enemies of God and subiect to eternall death because they receiue remission of sinnes by faith So that nothing is more miserable then we if we be without Christ and without his faith Whereby it appeareth how little yea that nothing is left for the free will of mens merites As touching euery part this lightening is referred vnto the knowledge of God because all our quicknesse of sight is meere vanitie and thicke darkenesse vntill hee appeare vnto vs by his truth That reacheth farther which followeth afterwarde To bee turned from darknesse to light For that is when wee are renewed in the spirite of oure minde Therefore in my iudgement this member and that which followeth expresse both one thing to bee turned from the power of Satan vnto God For that renewing which Paul declareth more largely in the second chapter to the Ephesians is expressed in diuers formes of speech Remission of sins followeth next Ephe. 2.10 4.23 wherby God doth freely reconcile vs to himselfe so that we need not doubt but that god wil be fauourable mercifull to vs. At length the furnishing and filling of all thinges is put in the last place to wit the inheritance of eternall life Some doe reade it falsly in one text Among those who are sanctified by faith because this woord is extended vnto the whole period Therefore the meaning thereof is that by faith wee come vnto the possession of all those good thinges which are offered by the gospell And faith is properlye directed vnto Christ because all the parts of our saluation are included in him Neither doth the Gospel commaund vs to seeke the same any where els saue only in him 19 Whereuppon O king Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heauenly vision 20 But I preached first to those which are at Damascus and at Ierusalem and through euery region of Iudea and then to the Gentiles that they shoulde repent and bee turned vnto God doing woorkes which become those whiche repent 21 For this cause the Iewes hauing caught mee in the temple went about to kil mee 22 Therefore seeing I haue obtained helpe of God I stande vntill this present day testifying both to small and great saying none other things thē those which the prophets and Moses said should come to passe 23 Whether Christ should suffer whether he should be the first that should rise from the dead to shew light to the people and to the Gentiles 19 Hee declareth now briefly to what ende he rehearsed the historie of his conuersion to wit that Agrippa the rest might vnderstand that hee had God for his authour of all those thinges which the Iewes condemned of Sacrilege and apostacie Hee speaketh to Agrippa by name because he knew that Festus and the Romanes knew not what an heauenly vision meant
them euen as an Angel of God hee had giuen them wholsome counsell hee had refreshed them in the same day when they were past hope and nowe they sticke not to seeke to destroy him by whom they were so often and so many wayes deliuered Wherefore if it so fall out that we bee ill rewarded for our good deeds there is no cause why the vnthankfulnesse of men shoulde trouble vs which is a disease too common But they are not onely vnthankfull to Paule who was the minister of their life but also their filthie misbeliefe and forgetfulnesse of the goodnesse of God doth bewray it selfe They had of late receiued that oracle that their soules were giuen to Paul and now seeing they will be saued after he is dead what other thing goe they about but to resist God that they may saue themselues from death contrarie to his will Therefore they haue nowe forgotten that grace whereof they tasted against their will in extreme dispaire neither doth it tast any longer after that they see the hauen nigh at hand But it behooueth vs to consider the wonderfull counsell of God as well in sauing Paul as in fulfilling his promise when as he bringeth those men to land who did what they could to make his promise of none effect Thus doth his goodnesse oftentimes striue with the wickednesse of men Yet hee doeth so pittie the wicked that deferring their punishment vntill so fit opportunitie he doth not quite discharge them yea the longer he tarrieth the more grieuously he punisheth so by that meanes he maketh amends for his long tarrying CHAP. XXVIII 1 AND when they were escaped they knewe that the I le was called Melite 2 And the Barbarians shewed vs no little kindnesse for they kindled a fire and receiued vs all because of the present showre and because of the cold 3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of stickes and had laide them on the fire a vyper came out of the heat and lept on his hand 4 Nowe when the Barbarians saw the beast hang vpon his hande they saide among themselues This man surely is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the sea vengeance doth not suffer to liue 5 But he shooke off the vyper into the fire and suffered no harme 6 But they thought that it would come to passe that he would swell and fal down dead sodainly And as they waited long and saw no harme come to him chaunging their mind they said he was a God 1 That dolefull spectacle is described in the beginning of the Chapter when so many men being wet and also all berayed with the some filth of the sea and stiffe with colde did with much adoe crawle to the shore for that was all one as if they had beene cast vp by the sea to die some other death After that Luke declareth that they were courteously intertained of the Barbarians that they kindled a fire that they might drie their cloathes and refresh their ioynts which were stiffe with colde and at length that they were saued from the showre Therefore in that Paul commendeth these dueties he sheweth his thankfulnesse and so great liberalitie toward strangers is for good causes aduaunced whereof there be rare examples in the world And though common nature doth wring out of the barbarous Gentiles some affection of mercy in so great necessitie yet vndoubtedly it was God which caused the mē of Melita to handle these men so courteously that his promise might be sure and certaine which might seeme vnperfect if the shipwracke had caused the losse of any mans life A Viper comming out of the heat The very euent did proue that Paule was a true and vndoubted prophet of God Nowe that God may make him famous as well by land as by sea hee sealeth the former myracles with a newe myracle and so hee ratifieth his Apostleshippe among the men of Melita And though there were not many which did profite thereby yet the maiestie of the Gospell did shine euen among the vnbeleeuers also this did greatly confirme the Oracles to the mariners which they had not sufficiently reuerenced Neither did the viper come out of the stickes by chance but the Lorde did direct her by his secreat counsell to bite Paul because he saw it would turne to the glorie of his Gospel 4 So soone as the Barbarians saw This iudgement was common in all ages that Those who were grieuously punished had grieuously offended Neither was this perswasion conceiued of nothing but it came rather from a true feeling of godlinesse For God to the ende hee might make the world without excuse would haue this deepely rooted in the minds of all men that calamitie and aduersitie and chiefely notable destruction were testimonies and signes of his wrath and iust vengeance against sinnes Therefore so often as wee call to minde any notable calamitie wee doe also remember that God is soare offended seeing hee punisheth so sharpely Neither did vngodlinesse euer get the vpper hande so farre but that all men did still retaine this principle that God to the end hee may showe himselfe to be the iudge of the worlde doeth notably punish the wicked But heere crept in an errour almost alwaies because they condemned all those of wickednesse whom they saw roughly handeled Though God doeth alwayes punishe mens sinnes with aduersitie yet doth he not punish euery man according to his desertes in this life and sometimes the punishmentes of the godlie are not so much punishments as tryals of their faith and exercises of godlinesse Therfore those men are deceiued who make this a generall rule to iudge euery man according to his prosperitie or aduersitie This was the state of the controuersie between Iob and his friends Iab 4.7 they did affirme that that man was a reprobate and hated of God whome God did punish and he did alleage on the other side that the godly are sometimes humbled with the crosse Wherefore least we be deceiued in this point we must beware of two things The former is that wee giue not rash blind iudgement of things vnknown according to the euenr alone for because God doth punish the good aswell as the bad yea it falleth out oftētimes that he spareth the reprobate doth sharplie punish those who are his if we wil iudge aright we must begin at another thing then at punishmēts to wit that we enquire after the life deeds if any adulterer if any blasphemous person if any periured man or murtherer if any filthie person if any cosiner if any blooddie beast be punished God doth point out his iudgement as it were with his finger If we see no wickednes nothing is better then to suspend our iudgement cōcerning punishment The other caution is that we wait for the end For so soone as God beginneth to strike we doe not by and by see his drifte and purpose but the vnlike end doth at length declare that those differ farre before God who seeme in
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
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 godly may gather great comfort by this in that they heare that the sonne of god is partner with them of the crosse whē as they suffer labour for the testimonie of the Gospell that he doth as it were put vnder his shoulders that he may beare some part of the burden For it is not for nothing that he saith that he suffreth in our person but he will haue vs to be assuredly perswaded of this that he suffreth together with vs as if the enemies of the gospel shoulde wounde vs thorow his side Wherefore Paul saith that that is wanting in the sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 what persecutions soeuer the faithful suffer at this day for the defence of the Gospel Furthermore this consolation tendeth not onely to that end to comfort vs that it may not be troublesome to vs to suffer with our head but that we may hope that hee will reuenge our miseries who crieth out of heauē that Al that which we suffer is cōmō to him as well as to vs. Lastly we gather heereby what horrible iudgement is prepared for the persecutors of the Church who like Giants besiege the very heauen shake their darts which shall pearce their own head by and by Yea by troubling the heauens they prouoke the thūderbolt of Gods wrath against thēselues Also we are all taught generally that no mā run against Christ by hurting his brother vniustly specially that no man resist the truth rashly with a blinde madnesse vnder colour of zeale It is hard for thee This is a prouerbiall sentence taken from oxen or horses which when they are pricked with goads doe thēselues no good by kicking saue onely that they double the euill by causing the pricke to goe farther into their skinnes Christ applieth this similitude vnto himselfe very fitly because men shall bring vppon themselues a double euil by striuing against him who must of necessitie bee subiect to his will and pleasure will they nill they Those which submit themselues willingly to Christ are so far from feeling any pricking at his hands that they haue in him a readie remedie for all wounds but all the wicked who indeuour to cast out their poysoned stinges against him shall at length perceiue that they are Asses and Oxen subiect to the pricke So that hee is vnto the godly a foundation whereon they rest but vnto the reprobate who stumble at him a stone which with his hardnesse grindeth them to powder And although we speake here of the enemies of the gospel yet this admonition may reach farther to wit that we do not think that we shall get any thing by biting the bridle so often as wee haue any thing to doe with god but that being like to gentle horses we suffer our selues meekly to be turned about and guided by his hand and if hee spurre vs at any time let vs bee made more readie to obey by his pricks least that befall vs which is saide in the Psalme that the iawes of vntamed Horses and Mules are tyed and kept in with an harde bit least they leape vppon vs c. In this historie wee haue an vniuersall figure of that Grace which the Lorde sheweth foorth daylie in calling vs all All men doe not set thēselues so violently against the gospel yet neuerthelesse both pride also rebellion against God are naturally ingendred in all men we are all wicked cruel naturally therfore in that we are turned to god that cōmeth to passe by the wonderfull secret power of God contrary to nature The papists also ascribe the prayse of our turning vnto God to the grace of God yet only in part because they imagine that wee worke together But when as the Lord doth mortifie our flesh he subdueth vs bringeth vs vnder as he did Paul neither is our wil one haire readier to obey than was Paules vntil such time as the pride of our heart be beaten downe and he haue made vs not only flexible but also willing to obey and follow Therefore such is the beginning of our conuersion that the Lord seeketh vs of his owne accord when we wander and go astray though hee bee not called and sought that hee changeth the stubborne affections of our hart to the end he may haue vs to be apt to be taught Furthermore this historie is of great importaunce to confirme Paule his doctrine If Paule had alwayes been one of Christes disciples wicked and froward men might extenuate the weight of the testimonie which he giueth of his master If he should haue shewed himselfe to be easie to be intreated and gentle at the first we shuld see nothing but that which is proper to man but when as a deadly enemie to Christe rebellious against the gospel puffed vp with the confidence which he reposed in his wisdom inflamed with hatred of the true faith blinded with hypocrisie wholy set vpon the ouerthrowing of the truth is sodainly changed into a new man after an vnwonted maner and of a wolfe is not only turned into a sheep but doth also take to himselfe a sheepheards nature it is as if Christ should bring foorth with his hande some Angel sent from heauen For we doe not nowe see that Saul of Tarsus but a newe man framed by the Spirite of God so that hee speaketh by his mouth now as it were from heauen 6 And he trembling and fearing said Lord what wilt thou haue me to do And the Lorde said vnto him Arise and goe into the citie where it shal be told thee what thou must doe 7 And the men which accompanied him in his iourney stood amased hearing in deed a voice and seeing no man 8 And when Saul was risen from the ground when his eyes were opened he sawe no man but they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus 9 And he was three dayes without sight neither eating nor drinking 6 The frute of that reprehension followeth wherwith we haue said it was requisite that Paule should haue been sore shaken that his hardnesse might be broken for now he offereth himself as readie to do what soeuer he should command him whom of late he despised For when he asketh what Christ would haue him to doe he graunteth him authority and power Euen the very reprobate are also terrified with the threatening of God so that they are compelled to reuerence him and to submit themselues vnto his will and pleasure yet neuerthelesse they cease not to fret to foster stubbornes within But as God humbled Paul so he wrought effectually in his hart For it came not to passe by any goodnesse of nature that Paule did more willingly submit himselfe to God Exod. 7.13 than Pharao but bicause beeing like to an anuil did with his hardnes beate back the whips of God wherewith he was to be brought vnder euen as it had bin the strokes of a hammer but the heart af Paul was sodainely made a fleshie heart of a stonie
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
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
persecution for the gospel Therfore though the Lord suffred Paul Silas to be scourged imprisoned by the wicked Iudges yet he did not suffer them to be put to any shame but that which turned to their greater renown For seing that those persecutions which we must suffer for the testimony of the Gospel are remnants of the suffrings of Christ like as our Prince turned the crosse which was accursed into a triumphant charret so he shal in like sort adorn the prisons gibbets of his that they may there triumph ouer Satan and all the wicked Renting their garments Because the old interpreter had truly translated this it was euill done of Erasmus to change it that The Magistrates did rent their owne garments For this was Luke his meaning only that the holy men were outragiously beaten the lawefull order of iudgement being neglected and that they laid hands on them with such violence that their garments were rent And this had been too far disagreing with the custome of the Romanes for the iudges to cut their owne garments publikely in the market place especially seeing the question was concerning an vnknowne religion for which they did not greatly care but I will not long stand about a plaine matter 23 And when they had giuen them many stripes they did cast them into prison commaunding the keeper of the prison to keepe them safe 24 Who seeing he had receiued such commandement did put them in the inner prison and made fast their feet in the stocks 25 And at midnight Paul Silas praying did praise god And those which lay bound heard them 26 And sodainly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison wer shaken And by and by all the dores were opened and all their hands were loosed 27 And when the keeper of the prison awaked and saw al the prison dores open drawing out his sworde he was about to slea himself thinking that those which lay bounde were fled 28 And Paul cryed with a loud voice saying do thy selfe no harm for we be al heere 23 That he should keep them safe Whereas the Magistrates command that Paul and Silas should be kept so diligently it was done to this end that they might know more of the matter For they had already beaten them with rods to appease the tumult And this is that which I saide of late that the worlde doth rage with such blinde furie against the ministers of the gospel that it doth keepe no meane in seueritie But as it is very profitable for vs for examples sake to know howe vncourteously and vncomlie the witnesses of Christe were entertained in times past so it is no lesse profitable to know that which Luke addeth immediatlie concerning their fortitude and patience For euen when they lay bound with fetters he saith that in praier they lauded god wherby it appereth that neither the reproch which they suffred nor the stripes which made their flesh smart nor the stinke of the deep dungeon nor the danger of death which was hard at hand could hinder them from giuing thankes to the Lord ioyfully and with glad hearts Wee must note this generall rule that we cannot pray as we ought but we must also praise God For though the desire to pray arise of the feeling of our want and miseries and therfore it is for the most part ioyned with sorrow and carefulnesse yet the faithfull must so bridle their affections that they mumur not against God so that the right forme of prayer doth ioyne two affections together to look too contrary carefulnesse and sorow by reason of the present necessitie which doth keepe vs downe and ioyfulnesse by reason of the obedience whereby we submit our selues to God and by reason of the hope which shewing vs the hauen nigh at hand doth refresh vs euen in the midst of shipwracke Such a forme doth Paul prescribe to vs. Phil. 4.6 Let your prayers saith he be made knowen to God with thanksgiuing But in this historie we must note the circumstāces For though the pain of the stripes wer greeuous though the prison were troublesome thogh the daunger were great seeing that Paule and Silas cease not to praise GOD wee gather by this howe greatly they were incouraged to beare the crosse Chap. 5.41 So Luke reported before that the Apostles reioyced because they were counted worthie to suffer reproche for the name of the Lord. And those which lay bound Wee must know that Paul Silas prayed aloud that they might make the boldnesse of a good conscience known to others who wer shut vp in the same prison for they might haue made their praier with secret groning and sighing of heart as they were wont or they might haue prayed vnto the Lorde quietly and softly Why doe they then exalt their voice Assuredly they do not that for any ambitiō but that they may professe that trusting to the goodnesse of their cause they flie without fear vnto God Therefore in their praiers was included a confession of faith which did appertaine vnto a common exāple and prepared as wel the malefactors as the Iailers house to consider the myracle 26 There was an earthquake The Lord in shewing this visible sign ment chiefly to prouide for his seruants that they might more manifestlye know that their praiers wer heard yet he had respect also of the rest He could haue loosed the fetters of Paul Silas without an earthquake also haue opened the gates But that addition serued not a little to confirme them seeing that the Lord for their sakes did shake both the aire also the earth againe it was requisite that the keeper of the prison the rest should feele the presence of God least they should thinke that the myracle came by chaunce Neither is it to bee doubted but that the Lord did then shew a token of his power which should be profitable for all ages so that the faithfull may fully assure themselues that hee will be nigh vnto them so often as they are to enter cumbats dangers for the defence of the Gospel Neuerthelesse he doth neither alwayes keep the same course to testifie his pretence by manifest signes neither is it lawful for vs to prescribe him a lawe For hee did helpe his by manifest myracles then for this cause that we may bee content with his hidden grace at this day concerning which matter we haue spoken more vppon the second chapter 27 when the keeper of the prison was awaked He would haue slaine himself that he might preuent punishment For it had been a foolish answer to haue said that the dores were opened of their owne accord But this question may be asked Seing that Paul seeth that they might haue som hope to escape if he should slea himself why doth he hinder him for he seemeth by this means to refuse the diliuerāce which was offred by god yea it seemeth to haue bin a meer toy in that the Lord would