chaunged yet must we still retaine and keepe the prophet his meaning Neuertheles when God is said to powre out his Spirite I confesse it must bee thus vnderstoode that hee maketh manifold varietie and change of gifts to flowe vnto men from his Spirite as it were out of the onely fountaine the fountaine which can neuer bee drawne drie For as Paule doeth testifie there bee diuerse giftes 1. Cor. 12.4 and yet but one Spirite And hence doe wee gather a profitable doctrine that wee can haue no more excellent thing giuen vs of God than the grace of the Spirite yea that all other thinges are nothing woorth if this bee wanting For when God will briefelie promise saluation to his people hee affirmeth that hee will giue them his Spirite Hereupon it followeth that we can obtaine no good thinges vntill we haue the Spirit giuen vs. And truely it is as it were the key which openeth vnto vs the doore that we may enter into all the treasures of spirituall good thinges and that wee may also haue entrance into the kingdome of God Vppon all flesh It appeareth by that which followeth of what force this generalitie is For first it is set downe generallie All flesh after that the partition is added whereby the Prophet doeth signifie that there shal be no difference of age or kinde but that God admitteth al one with another vnto the partaking of his grace It is said therefore All fleshe because both younge and olde men and women are thereby signified Yet heere may a question be mooued why God doth promise that vnto his people as some newe and vnwoonted good thing which hee was woont to do for them from the beginning throughout all ages For there was no age voide of the grace of the Spirite The aunswere of this question is set downe in these two woordes I will powre out and Vppon all fleshe For wee must heere note a double contrarietie betweene the time of the olde and newe Testament For the powring out as I haue saide doeth signifie great plentie when as there was vnder the Lawe a more scarce distribution For which cause Iohn also doeth say that the holy Ghost was not giuen vntill Christ ascended into heauen All fleshe doeth signifie an infinite multitude where as God in times past did vouchsafe to bestowe such plentie of his spirite onely vpon a few Furthermore in both comparisons wee doe not denie but that the Fathers vnder the Lawe were partakers of the selfesame grace whereof wee are partakers but the Lorde doeth shewe that wee are aboue them as wee are in deede I say that all Godly men sithence the beginning of the worlde were endewed with the same spirite of vnderstanding of righteousnesse and sanctification wherewith the Lorde doeth at this daie illuminate and regenerate vs but there were but a fewe which had the light of knowledge giuen them then if they bee compared with the great multitude of the faithfull which Christ did sodainlie gather togitheâ— by his comming Againe their knowledge was but obscure and slender and as it were couered with a veile if it bee compared with that which wee haue at this daie out of the Gospell where Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse doeth shine with perfect brightnesse as it were at noone daie Neither doeth that anie whitte hurt or hinder that a fewe had such an excellent faith that peraduenture they haue no equall at this day For their vnderstanding did neuerthelesse smell or sauour of the instruction and Schoolemastershippe of the Lawe For that is alwayes true that godlie kings and Prophetes haue not seene nor hearde those things which Christ hath reuealed by his comming Therefore to the end the Prophet Ioel may commende the excellencie of the newe Testament he affirmeth and foretelleth that the grace of the Spirite shall bee more plentifull in time thereof Mat. 13.17 Luke 10.24 and againe that it shall come vnto moe men And your sonnes shall prophecie By the worde Prophecie hee meant to note the rare and singular gifte of vnderstanding And to the same purpose tendeth that partition which followeth afterwarde your young men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames For we gather out of the twelfth Chapter of Numbers that these were the two ordinary wayes whereby God did reueale himselfe to the prophets For in that place when the Lorde exempteth Moses from the common sort of Prophetes Num. 12.6 he saieth I appeare vnto my seruants by a vision or by a dreame but I speake vnto Moses face to face Therefore wee see that two kindes are put after the generall worde for a confirmation Yet this is the summe that they shall all bee Prophetes so soone as the holie Ghost shall bee powred out from heauen But here it is obiected that there was no such thing euen in the Apostles themselues neither yet in the whole multitude of the faithfull I answere that the prophets did commonly vse to shadowe vnder tropes most fit for their time the kingdome of Christ When they speake of the worshippe of God they name the Altar the Sacrifices the offering of golde siluer and frankensence Notwithstanding we know that the Altars do cease the Sacrifices are abolished whereof there was some vse in time of the Lawe and that the Lorde requireth some higher thing at our handes than earthlie riches That is true in deede but the Prophetes whiles they applie their style vnto the capacitie of their time comprehende vnder figures wherewith the people were then well acquainted those thinges which wee see otherwise reuealed and shewed nowe like as when hee promiseth else where Isaie 66.21 that hee will make Priestes of Leuites and Leuites of the common sort of men this is his meaning that vnder the kingdome of Christ euerie base person shall be extolled vnto an honorable estate Therefore if wee desire to haue the true and naturall meaning of this place we must not vrge the words which are taken out of the olde order of the Lawe but wee must onely seeke the truth without figures And that is it that the Apostles through the sodaine inspiration of the Spirite did intreat of the heauenly mysteries Propheticallie that is to saie diuinelie and aboue the common order Therefore this worde Prophecie doeth signifie nothing else saue onelie the rare and excellent gifte of vnderstanding as if Ioel shoulde say Vnder the kingdome of Christ there shall not bee a fewe Prophetes onelie vnto whome GOD may reueale his secretes but all men shall bee endewed with spirituall wisedome euen to the propheticall excellencie As it is also in Ieremie Euery man shall no longer teach his neighbour Iere. 13.34 because they shall all knowe mee from the least vnto the greatest And in these wordes Peter inuiteth the Iewes vnto whom hee speaketh to bee partakers of the same grace As if he shoulde saie The Lorde is râ—adie to powre out that Spirit farre and wide which hee hath powred vppon vs.
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
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
testifie that it shall bee fulfilled vntill the end of the worlde By which wordes hee deliuereth himselfe from their importunate subtiltie But there was no cause why he should doubt but freely and flatly graunt that it might be fulfilled the holy ghost being the author For we must limit the grace of the spirit that it may agree with the promises Furthermore we haue alreadie declared how farre the promises reache There is no man which moueth anie question concerning this whether god be not able if he wil to make men perfect but they dote foolishe which separate his power from his counsell whereof they haue an euident plaine testimonie in the scripture God doeth plainely declare an hundreth times what hee will and what he hath determined to doe to goe any farther is sacrilege Hierom was inforced by reason of philosophie to hurl out the thunderbolt of his curse against Peter and Paule because the lawes must bee applied vnto their habilitie for whom they be appointed which as I confesse to take place in mans lawes so I vtterly denie that it is good as touching the lawe of God which in exacting righteousnes doth not respect what mā is able to doe but what he ought to doe Though here ariseth a harder question whether the lawe were not giuen to this end that it might enforce men to obey God And this should be in vain vnlesse the Spirit of god should direct the faithfull to keepe it and that solemne protestation of Moses seemeth to put the matter out of doubt when he saith that hee giueth preceptes to the Iewes not such as they may read but in deed fulfill Deu. 30. Deu. 30.12 Whence we gather that the yoke was laid vpon the necke of the Iewes when the law was giuen that it might make them subiect to God that they might not liue as them lusted I answere that the lawe is counted a yoke two wayes For in as much as it brideleth the lustes of the flesh and deliuereth a rule of godly holy life it is meet that the children of God take this yoke vpon them but in as much as it doth exactly prescribe what we owe to God and doth not promise life without adding the condition of perfect obedience and doth againe denounce a curse if we shall in any point offend it is a yoke which no man is able to beare I will shewe this more plainely The plaine doctrine of good life wherein God doth inuite vs vnto himselfe is a yoke which we must all of vs willingly take vp For there is nothing more absurd then that God should not gouerne mans life but that hee should wander at pleasure without any bridle Therefore we must not refuse the yoke of the law Leuit. 18.5 Deu. 27.26 if the simple doctrine thereof be considered But these sayinges doe otherwise qualifie that I may so terme it the law He which shall do these things shall liue in thē c. Again Cursed is hee which continueth not in all thinges which are written that it may begin to bee a yoke which no man can beare For so long as saluation is promised ro the perfect keeping of the law alone euerie transgression is called into iudgement mankinde is vtterly vndoone In this respect doeth Peter affirme that God is tempted when mans arrogancie doth burthen the consciences of men with the Lawe For it is not his purpose to denie but that men must be gouerned by the doctrine of the lawe and so he graunteth that they be vnder the law not simply to teach but also to humble men with the gilt of eternall death considering that that qualitie was annexed vnto doctrin he affirmeth that the soules of the godly must not be tied with the yoke of the lawe because by this meanes it shoulde of necessitie come to passe that they should be drowned in eternall destruction But when as not only the grace of the holy Spirit is present to gouerne vs but also free forgiuenesse of sinnes to deliuer and acquit vs from the curse of the Lawe then is that of Moses fulfilled that the commandement is not aboue vs Deut. 30.11 Mat. 11.30 and then doe we also perceiue how sweet the yoke of Christ is how light his burden is For because we know that through the mercy of God that is forgiuen vs which is wanting through the infirmitie of the flesh Wee doe cheerefully and without any griefe take vpon vs that which hee inioyneth vs. Wherefore so that the rigour of the lawe be taken away the doctrine of the Lawe shall not only be tollerable but also ioyfull pleasant neither must we refuse the bridle which doth gouerne vs mildly doth not vrge vs sorer then is expedient 11 By the grace of Iesus Christ Peter compareth these two together as contrary the one to the other to haue hope in the grace of Christ to be vnder the yoke of the law Which comparison doth greatly set out the iustification of Christ in as much as we gather thereby that those are iustified by faith who beeing free and quit from the yoke of the lawe seeke for saluation in the grace of Iesus Christ Furthermore I said before that the yoke of the lawe is made of two coardes The former is He which doth these things shall liue in them The other Cursed is euery one which doth not continue in all the commaundements Let vs returne vnto the contrarie member If we cannot otherwise attaine vnto saluation by the grace of Christ vnlesse the yoke of the lawe be taken away it followeth that saluation is not placed in keeping the law neither are those which beleeue in Christ subiect to the curse of the lawe For if he could be saued through grace who is as yet in wrapped in the yoke of the lawe then should Peters reasoning be but foolishe which is drawen from contraries thus We hope for saluatiō by the grace of Christ therfore we are not vnder the yoke of the lawe Vnlesse ther were a disagreement between the grace of Christ and the yoke of the law Peter should deceiue vs. Wherefore those must needes depart from the righteousnesse of the law whosoeuer desire to finde life in Christ For this contrarietie appertaineth not vnto doctrine but vnto the cause of iustification Whereby is also refuted their surmise who say that we are iustified by the grace of Christ because he regenerateth vs by his Spirit giueth vs strength to fulfil the law those who imagin this thogh they seem to ease the yoke of the law a little yet they keep soules bound with both the cordes therof For this promise shall alwayes stand in force He which shall do these thinges shall liue in them on the otherside the curse shal com vppon all which shall not absolutely fulfill the lawe Wherefore wee must define the grace of Christe farre otherwise whereunto the hope of saluation leaneth then they dreame to wit that it bee free reconciliation
iudgement of God by the present estate of men whether it be good or bad hee must needes fall away from faith at length vnto Epicurish contempt of God Now this is beastly blockishnesse to rest in an vncertain transitorie life and not to be wise aboue the earth For which cause we must flee frō that error as from a detestable monster For though godlines haue the promises of the earthly life also yet because we be most miserable if our hope stay still in this worlde the children of God must begin with this that they may lift vp their eyes toward heauen and think continually vpon the glory of the last resurrection Neither angell nor spirite This place is expounded two manner of wayes Many referre it vnto the holy Ghost which seemeth to bee vnlikely For howsoeuer the Saduces be to be holden excused in other errours yet because the scripture doeth so often repeate the name of the Spirite I will scarce beleeue that they denyed that which the Pharises beleeued onely lightly and obscurely For euen these men had no distinct faith concerning the holy Spirite that they did acknowledge the proper person of the Spirit in the substance of God Some wil haue Angel and Spirite to signifie one thing as if one thing were spoken twise But to what ende was it to repeate a thing which was plaine enough I warraunt you that member which followeth did deceiue them where Luke seemeth to make no distinction But we shewed the reason before because seeing the soules of men and Angels are of one and the same nature and substance they be both placed in one order Therefore I do not doubt but that this is Luke his true meaning that the Saduces did denie Angels and also all maner of Spirites Nowe for as much as Paul crieth that hee is a Pharisee in this point of doctrine hee doeth flatly condemne all brainsicke fellowes who at this day are in the same error For there be certaine profane vnlearned men who dreame that Angelles and Diuels are nothing els but good and euil inspirations and least they want som colour they say that all that came from the Heathen which the scripture hath concerning good and euill angels whereas that opinion which was common in the world had his beginning from the heauenly doctrine But the Heathen did with their lyes pollute that doctrine which they had from the fathers As touching mens soules because euen at this day certain miscreants doe feigne that the soules do vanish away in death vntill the day of the resurrection their madnesse is likewise refuted by the testimony of Luke 9 There was a great crie That sedition whereof Luke spake a little before is more plainly expressed in this place to wit that they were not only of diuers opinions but did striue clamorously with outcries Wherfore stasis doth signifie somewhat more then dissention Furthermore this place doth teach what mischief disagreementes bring with them For because they take their beginning for the moste part of ambition men proceed thence vnto contention and straightway stubbornnesse breaketh out When they be come thither because there is no place left either for iudgement or moderation they can no longer iudge of the cause Those who did detest Paul begin at a sodaine to defend him It was well done if they had done it with iudgement But because they inueigh against the Sadduces they are so inflamed with hatred against them that they be blind in Paul his matter For which cause we must beware of heat of contention which disturbeth all things If the spirit This ought vndoubtedly to be expounded of the holie Ghost And nothing could be spoken either more godlily or modestly For so soone as it is apparant that any doctrine is reuealed from heauen those doe wickedly resist God who doe not receiue the same But how is it that the Scribes do so sodainly count Paul a prophete of God whom they were once readie to haue murthered whom they had condemned with their preiudice vntill the contention arose Furthermore as they did cut their owne throtes with these words as with a swoord so God would haue them to be to vs teachers to instruct vs that we despice not the oracles which come from heauen Notwithstanding wee see againe that those stande in doubt who take not good heede and are not carefull to marke the woord of God and that they wauer so often as anie thing is brought to light because they be vnworthie to vnderstande the certaine truth Wherefore if wee bee desirous to haue our studies gouerned by the spirite of discretion let vs applie our selues to learne 10 And when there arose a sore dissention among them the chiefe captaine feared least Paul should haue bin pulled in peeces by them and he commanded the souldiars to goe downe and to take him from them and to bring him into the campe 11 And the night following the Lord stood by him and said Be of good courage Paul for as thou hast borne witnesse of me at Ierusalem so thou must bear witnesse of mee at Rome also 12 And when it was day certaine of the Iewes gathered themselues together bound themselues with a curse saying that they would neither eat nor drink vntill they had killed Paul 13 And they were more then fortie men whiche had made this conspiracie 14 And they came to the chiefe Priestes and Elders and saide we haue bound our selues with a curse that wee will taste nothing vntyll wee haue killed Paul 15 Nowe therefore signifie yee to the chiefe captaine and councell that he bring him foorth to you to morrow as if yee would know somewhat more certainely of him And we before he come neere are readie to kil him 16 But when Paul his sisters sonne heard of the laying in wait he came and entred into the campe and told Paul 10 Wee see againe what a cruell mischiefe contention is which so soone as it doeth once waxe whot hath suche violent motions that euen most wise men are not well in their wittes Therefore so soone as anie beginning shall shew it selfe let vs studie to preuent it in time least the remedie be too late in brideling it when it is in the middle because no fire is so swift as it As for the chiefe captaine as hee was appointed to bee the minister of Gods prouidence to saue Paules life so hee deliuereth him now the second time by his souldiars from death For thogh the chief captaine defend him so diligently for no other purpose saue only that he may preuent vprores and murder yet the Lorde who from heauen prouided and appointed helpe for his seruaunt doeth direct his blind hands thither 11 And the night following Luke declareth that Paul was strengthened with an oracle that he might stand couragiously against terrible assaultes when things were so far out of order Surely it could not be but that he was sore afraid and that hee was sore troubled with the
reuerently to be receiued This is therfore the thing which Peter aimeth at to bring them to heare Christ willinglie as the master whō God hath appointed to teach them But here ariseth a question which hath in it great difficultie too wit in that Peter applieth that vnto the person of Christ which Moses spake generally of the prophets For althogh he make mention of a prophet in the singular number yet the text doth plainley declare that he speaketh not of one alone but that this worde is put indefinitely For after that Moses had forbiddē the people to giue them selues vnto the superstitions of the Gentiles by turning aside vnto enchaunters soothsayers he sheweth them therwithall a remedie whereby they may auoid all vanitie to wit if they depend wholie vpon the word of God alone By this meanes he promiseth that God will be carefull at all times to sende them prophets that they may teach thē aright As if he should say God will neuer suffer you to be destitute of prophets of whom you may learn whatsoeuer shal be profitable for you to know And Moses saith expresly of thy brethren to the end the Iewes may know that the oracles of God are to bee sought and fet no where els seeing that God had appointed vnto them teachers of the kinred of Abraham Hee addeth further like vnto me that they may know that they were not to heare God onely at one time or by the mouth of one man but as God proceedeth to teache vs by diuers ministers throughout the cōtinuall course of times so must we hold on in the obedience of the word Nowe the Iewes were wont to reuerence Moses therefore he will haue them to giue like honour to the prophets I know that many would faine restraine it vnto Christe They catch at this word Deut. 18.15 whereas Moses doth testifie that the prophet shal be like vnto him wheras notwithstanding it is written that ther arose none like vnto Moses I confesse that there is in both places the same note of likenes yet in a diuers sense For in the second place the likenes or equalitie is expressed as it doth plainly appeare They catch also at another thing that the prophet shal far excel Moses of whō he beareth witnes as a crier or harrold But this is neuer a whit stronger because Moses goeth about to bring to passe that the word of God may be beleeued by whomsoeuer it be brought Therefore ther is no cause why we should set our selues to be laughed to scorn by the Iews by wresting the words of Moses violētly as if he spake of Christ alone in this place Yet must wee see whether Peter doth cite the testimonie fitlie whose authoritie ought to serue for a sound reason I say that in Peter his speech there is nothing which is not most conuenient For he saw that which all men ought to graunt that this testimonie doth so appertain vnto the other Prophets that yet notwithstāding it doeth chiefly commend Christ not only because that he is the prince and chiefe of all the Prophets but because all other former prophesies were directed toward him and because God did at length speake absolutely by his mouth For God spake in diuers maners at sundrie times in times past vnto our fathers by the Prophetes he added the conclusion at length in the last dayes in his only begotten sonne Therefore it came to passe that they wanted prophets for a certaine yeeres before his comming Heb. 1.1.2 Malac. 4.4 Mat. 11.13 Iohn 4.25 which thing is plainly gathered out of the wordes of Malachie who after that he hath commaunded the people to be mindfull of the law he passeth ouer by by vnto Iohn Baptist vnto Christ as if he should say that the prophesies are now ended vntill the last reuelation come according to that The law and the prophets prophesied vntill Iohn after that the kingdom of God is preached And that was so common amongest the people that the woman of Samaria could say according to the common fame and opinion We know that the Messias shall come who will teach vs all things Therefore we know that after the returne of the people all the prophets ceased to the end they might bee made more attentiue to heare Christe by that silence or intermission of reuelations Therefore Peter did not wrest this place or abuse the same through ignorance but he tooke that doctrine which all men had receiued for a principle that god had promised to teach his people at the first by his prophets as by means but at lēgth principally by Christ at whose hands they were to hope for the perfect manifestation laying open of al things And to this purpose serueth that excellent testimony or commendation wherewith his father setteth him foorth Heare him Mat. 17.5 23 Euerie soule Here by a most greeuous punishment against the rebellious the authority of al the prophets but most of al of Christ is established And that for good causes For seeing there is nothing that God doth account more precious than his worde it cannot be that he should suffer the same to be freely contēned Therfore if any man despised the lawe of Moses he was adiudged to die the death And hereunto Moses had respect when he said He shal be put away frō among the people For God had adopted the stock and kinred of Abraham vnto himself vpon this condition that this might bee sufficient for them vnto the chiefest felicitie to be reckoned in that number as it is said in the Psalme Blessed is the people whose god is the Lord. And in another place Blessed is the nation whom the Lorde hath chosen to be his inheritaunce Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he pronounceth that he shall be blotted out of the booke of life whosoeuer shall refuse to heare Christ For he is not worthie to be accounted one of the church whosoeuer he be that refuseth to haue him to be his master by whō alone God doth teach vs by whom he will haue vs to heare himself and he cutteth himselfe away from the bodie whosoeuer he be that refuseth to be vnder the head 24 And all When as he saith that all the prophetes doe with one consent send their scholers vnto Christe that appeareth more plainely hereby which I said that the commendation of the Gospel is contained vnder that testimony of Moses and so consequently that the conclusion of prophecies is principally noted Againe this maketh much for the certaintie of the Gospel that al the prophets for a long time do yet notwithstanding so temper their forme of teaching with one consent that they doe testifie all together that men ought to hope for a certaine better and more perfect thing Therfore whosoeuer will beleeue Moses and the prophets he must needs submit himself vnto the doctrine of Christ Ioh. 5.47 without which all that is lame and vnperfect which they taught 25 You
are the children of the Prophets and of the couenaunt which God made with your fathers saying vnto Abraham And in thy seede shall all families of the earth be blessed 26 God raised vp vnto you first his sonne Iesus and hee sent him blessing you whiles that he doth turne away euery one from his sinnes 25 You are the children He signifieth that the grace of the couenant was appointed principally for them which couenaunt God made with their fathers And so as he pricked them forward to obey the Gospell by terrifiyng them with the terror of punishment so be allureth them now againe to receiue the grace which is offered them in Christ So that we see how that God omitteth nothing whereby he may bring vs vnto him selfe And it is the dutie of a wise minister so to pricke forwarde the sluggish and slow bellies that he doe lead those gently which are apt to bee taught wee must also note diligently this course of teaching where Peter sheweth that the Gospell is assigned and appointed vnto the Iewes For it is not sufficient to haue the mercie of God preached vnto vs generally vnlesse we also know that the same is offered vnto vs by the certaine ordinaunce of God For this cause is it that Paule stādeth so much vppon the auouching of the calling of the Gentiles because if any man should thinke that the Gospell came vnto him by chaunce Rom. 15.8 Eph. 3.3 4. when as it was scattered here and there faith shoulde quaile yea there should bee only a doubtful opinion in steed of faith Therefore to the ende wee may stedfastly beleeue the promise of saluation this application that I may so terme it is necessarie that God doeth not caste foorthe vncertaine voyces that they may hang in the ayre but that he doth direct the same vnto vs by his certaine determinate counsel Peter telleth the Iewes that Christe is promised vnto them after this sort to the end they may more willinglie embrace him And how proueth he this because they are the children of the prophets and of the couenant Hee calleth them the children of the Prophets which were of the same nation and therfore were heyres of the couenant Gen. 17.7 which did belong vnto all the whole bodie of the people For he argueth thus God made his couenaunt with our fathers Therefore wee which are their posteritie are comprehended in the couenaunt Whereby the doubting subtiltie of the Anabaptists is refuted who do expound the children of Abraham only allegorically as if God had had no respect to his stock when he saide I will be the god of thy seed Certainly Peter doth not speake in this place of the shadowes of the law but he affirmeth that this is of force vnder the kingdome of Christ that God doth adopt the children together with the fathers Rom. 9.7 and so consequently the grace of saluation may be extended vnto those which are as yet vnborne I graunt in deed that many which are the children of the faithful according to the flesh are counted bastardes and not legitimate because they thrust themselues out of the holy progenie through their vnbeleef But this doth no whit hinder the Lord from calling admitting the seede of the godly into fellowship of grace And so although the common election be not effectual in all yet may it set open a gate for the special elect Rom. 11.23 As Paul intreateth in the 11. to the Romanes whence we must fet an answere for this question And in thy seed He proueth that the couenant was made with the Fathers because God said vnto Abraham In thy seed shal all nations bee blessed Gen. 22.18 But if we admit Paul his interpretatiō this testimonie shal make nothing for the present cause Paul teacheth that Christ is this seede If the blessing be promised to all mankind by Christ Gal. 3.16 what is this to the especial or particular priuiledge of one nation Secōdly Peter himself seemeth shortly after to subscribe to this expositiō of Paul when as he saith that Christ was sent that in him the Iewes may be blessed For this could not be vnles Christ were that blessed seed I answere When Paule referreth it vnto Christ he standeth not vpon the word seed but hee hath respect to an higher thing to wit that it cannot be one seed vnles it be vnited knit together in Christ as in the head For Ismael Isaac althogh both of thē be the sonnes of Abrahā yet do they not make one seed because they be diuided into two people Therfore though many be estranged frō the family of Abrahā which came of him according to the flesh yet Moses noteth one certain body whē he promiseth the blessing vnto the seed of Abrahā And whence cōmeth the vnity saue only from the head which is in Christ In this sense doth Paul vnderstande this worde seed of Christ althogh it be a nowne collectiue because if you depart frō him the posteritie of Abraham shall be as torne members neither shall there be any thing els in them saue only meere wastnes scattering abroad Peter agreeth with that doctrine because he doth so extende the blessing vnto all the people that he doth neuertheles seek the fountain in Christ Secondly forasmuch as the Iewes doe what they can to wring from vs this testimonie the godly Readers must arme thēselues against their cauils so much the rather bicause christian writers haue beene too slack in this point as I haue said in the epist to the Galathians First as touching the word seed there is no cause why they should prattle that Paul doth not rightly restraine it vnto Christ For hee doeth not this simply but in that respect whereof I haue spoken In which point I confesse both our latine Greek interpreters haue erred Now we must see what this maner of speech doth import The Gentiles shall be blessed in the seed of Abraham Our men think that there is some cause noted to wit that through that seed the Gentiles shal be blessed The Iewes tosse this to fro because this phrase signifieth euery where in the scriptures an exāple or similitude as on the otherside to be cursed in Sodom in Israel or in an other people is to take them for a notable example of a curse I answere that it is a doubtful speech taken diuersly according to the circumstance of the places which the Iewes do craftily dissemble For they gather many places out of which they proue that there is a cōparison made as if it should be said The gentiles shall desire to be blessed like to the seed of Abraham But when as the scripture saith elswhere They shall blesse themselues in the liuing God as Iere. 4. Esay 65. Iere. 4.2 Esay 65.16 Deut. 10.8 And againe do blesse in the name of the Lorde Deut 10. and in other such like places who doth not see that there is a cause expressed
Priest layeth two crimes to the charge of the Apostles For hee accuseth them of contumacie or stubbornnesse because they obeyed not the decree of the Councell In the second member he bewrayeth an euill conscience or at least he sheweth that he handeled rather a priuate businesse then any publike cause For he complaineth that the Apostles will cause the Priestes and the Scribes to be hated for the death of Christe Beholde therefore what that is which netteleth them because they feare the reuenge and punishment of wicked murder Hee pretendeth at the first doctrine but we may gather out of the ende that hee was not so carefull for doctrine In the meane season hee accuseth the Apostles of sedition for he taketh that for a thing which all men for the most part did graunt that Christ was put to death iustlie Notwithstanding this is the pincipall point of the accusation that they did not obey the commaundement of the Priestes It was an haynous offence not to obey the chief Priest how much more haynous was it then to despise the whole order But the chiefe Priest doeth not consider what is his dutie towarde God and the Church he abuseth his authoritie tyrannously as if the same were not vnder any lawes As the Pope dealeth with vs at this day For seeing that hee taketh to himselfe an vnbrideled authoritie gouernment he feareth not to condemne vs for Schismatikes so soone as he seeth vs refuse his decrees For hee catcheth at these sentences He which despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 therupon he concludeth that we will rebel against God But if hee will bee hearde as the ambassadour of Christ he must speake out of the mouth of Christ Nowe forasmuch as he doth manifestly play the minister of Satan he boroweth authoritie without shame and colour of the name of Christe Yea the very forme of speech which the chiefe Priest vseth doth proue how carelesly spirituall tyrants who vsurp such authoritie and Lordship as is not subiect to the word of God dare graunt libertie to themselues to attempt whatsoeuer pleaseth them With a commaundement saieth he haue we commaunded Whence commeth such strait rigor saue only because they think that all that must bee receiued without exception which they shall commaund 29 And Peter and the Apostles answering said Wee ought rather to obey God than men 30 The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus whom ye slue hanging him vpon a tree 31 Him God hath lifted vp with his right hand to be a prince and a sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and remission of sinnes 32 And we are his witnesses of these “ Or things words and the holy Ghost also whom God hath giuen to them that obey him 33 And when they heard these thinges they were cut in sunder and woulde slea them 29 This is the summe of their answer It is lawful for them nay they ought to prefer God before men God commaundeth vs to beare witnes of Christ therfore it is in vain for you to commaund vs to keepe silence But I haue declared before in the third chap. when this sentence taketh place that we ought rather to obey God than men God doth set men ouer vs in such sort with power that he keepeth stil his own autoritie fafe sound Therfore we must obey rulers so far that the commandement of God be not broken Wheras power authoritie is lawfully vsed then it is out of season to make comparison between god man If a faithful pastor do coÌ„maund or forbid out of the word of god it shal be in vain for meÌ„ which are stubborn to obiect that we ought to obey god For god wil be heard by man Yea man is nothing els but an instrument of God If a magistrate do his dutie as he ought a man shal in vain say that he is coÌ„trary to god seing that he dissenteth in nothing yea rather the contrary rule is then in force We must obey gods ministers officers if we will obey him But so soone as rulers do leade vs away from the obedience of God because they striue against God with sacrilegious boldnesse their pride must be abated that God may be aboue all in authoritie Then all smokes of honour vanish away For God doth not vouchsafe to bestowe honorable titles vpon men to the end they may darken his glory Therfore if a father being not content with his owne estate doe assâ—y to take from God the chiefe honour of a father hee is nothing els but a man If a King or Ruler or Magistrate doe become so loftie that hee dimisheth the honour and authoritie of God hee is but a manne Wee must thus thinke also of Pastors For he which goeth beyond his bounds in his office because he setteth bimself against God must bee dispoyled of his honour least vnder a colour or visure hee deceiue The office of a Pastour is verie excellent the authoritie of the Churche is great yet so that no parre of Gods power and Christes mastershippe bee diminished Whence wee may easilie gather that the pryde of the Pope is ridiculous who when as he treadeth vnderfoot the whole kingdome of Christ and doth set himself openly against God will yet neuerthelesse lie hid vnder the name of Christ 30 The God of our fathers They discende vnto the matter whereof they are to speake that they may declare that they made small account of the commandement of the priestes not without cause ne yet vnaduisedly For as I haue alreadie said the comparison between God man taketh no place saue onely when there is some contrarietie Therefore they proue by this that they are inforced by the fear of god to refuse the commandement of the priests because God commaundeth that which they forbid Therfore first of all they say that God had raised vp Christ after the commoÌ„ custome of the scriptures For this speech is common that God raysed vp prophetes or iudges or rather ministers whom hee determined to vse vnto some great worke which importeth as much as that all excellencie of nature is weak vnlesse God do furnish those with singular giftes whom he preferreth vnto any excellent office Peraduenture also they allude vnto that famous place of Moses Deut. 18.15 before 3.22 which Peter cited in his first sermon They cite the God of the fathers by name as the author that they may declare that they bring in no new form of religion neither yet will they enforce vpon the people any newe God For they were to make answer to that false slaunder that they went about to lead away the people from the law and the prophets Not that they allow all that worship which was vsed by the fathers as profane men are content with this onely argument that the fathers taught thus that they doe all things according to the custom and decree of their auncestours but the Apostles speak in this place of these fathers with whom God
the vse of the lawe may no longer remaine When as wee maintaine the honour of Christ which they bestowe as it pleaseth them heere and there after that they haue rent it in a thousande peeces like a pray they feigne that wee are enimies to the Saintes They falsely report that wee seeke the licentiousnesse of the flesh in steede of the libertie of the spirite Whiles that wee indeuour to restore the supper of the Lorde vnto his pure and lawfull vse they crie out impudently that wee ouerthrowe and destroy the same Others also which take away all thinges as did the Academikes because that doth not please them which we teach concerning the secret predestination of God and that out of the scriptures lay to our charge dispitefullie that wee make God a tyraunt which taketh pleasure in putting innocent men to death seeing that hee hath alreadie adiudged those vnto eternall death which are as yet vnborne and other such thinges can bee saide on this behalfe 2. Cor. 2.16 whereas notwithstanding they are sufficientlie conuict that wee thinke reuerently of God and that wee speake no otherwise than hee teacheth with his owne mouth It is an harde matter to endure such enuie yet must wee not therefore cease of to defende a good cause For the trueth of God is precious in his sight and it ought also to bee precious vnto vs although it bee vnto the reprobate the sauour of death vnto death But nowe I returne vnto Stephen his accusation the principall pointe whereof is this that hee blasphemed God and Moses They doe for good considerations make the iniurie common to God and to Moses because Moses had nothing in his doctrine which was his owne or separated from God They prooue this because hee spake blasphemously against the temple and the Lawe Furthermore they make this the blasphemie because hee saide that the comming of Christ had made an ende of the Temple and the Ceremonies It is not credible that Stephen spake thus as they report but they maliciously wrest those thinges which were spoken well and godlily that they may colour their false accusation But although they had chaunged nothing in the wordes yet Stephen was so farre from doing anie iniurie to the Lawe and the Temple that hee coulde no way better and more truely praise the same The Iewes did suppose that the Temple was quite dishonoured vnlesse the shadowish estate thereof shoulde endure for euer that the Lawe of Moses was frustrate and nothing woorth vnlesse the Ceremonies shoulde bee continuallie in force But the excellencie of the Temple and the profite of the Ceremonies consist rather in this whiles that they are referred vnto Christ as vnto their principall patterne Therefore howsoeuer the accusation hath some colour yet is it vniust and wicked And although the fact come in question that is whether the matter bee so as the aduersaries lay to his charge notwithstanding the state is properlie of qualitie For they accuse Stephen because hee taught that the forme of the worshippe of God which was then vsed should bee chaunged and they interprete this to bee blasphemie against God and Moses Therefore the controuersie is rather concerning right as they say than the fact it selfe For the question is Whether he be iniurious and wicked against God and Moses who saith that the visible Temple is an image of a more excellent sanctuarie wherein dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead and who teacheth that the shadowes of the Law are temporall This Iesus of Nazareth They speake thus of Christ disdainfully as if the remembrance of him were detestable Neuerthelesse it may be gathered out of their accusations that Stephen did in the abrogating of the Lawe set the bodie against the shadowes and the substance against the figures For if Ceremonies bee abolished by Christ their trueth is spirituall The Iewes which woulde haue them continue for euer did consider nothing in them but that which was grosse carnall earthlie and which might be seene with the eies Briefly if the vse of Ceremonies were continual they should bee fraile and shoulde vanish away because they should haue nothing but the only external shew so that they shoulde haue no soundnes Therefore this is their true perpetuitie when as they are abrogated by the comming of Christ because it followeth here vpon that the force and effect thereof doth consist in Christ Shall chaunge the ordinances It is out of all doubt that Stephen meant this of the ceremoniall part onely but because men are wont to be more addicted to externall pompe these men vnderstande that which was spoken as if Stephen would bring the whole lawe to nothing The principall precepts of the Lawe did in deede concerne the spirituall worship of God faith iustice and iudgement but because these men make more account of the external rites they call the rites which are commaunded concerning the sacrifices ordinances of Moses by excellencie This was bredde by the bone from the beginning of the worlde and it will neuer out of the flesh so long as it lasteth As at this day the Papistes acknowledge no worship of God saue onely in their visures Although they differ much from the Iewes because they follow nothing but the friuolous inuentions of men for the ordinances of God And when they had beheld Men doe commonly in places of iudgement turne their eies towarde the partie arreigned when as they looke for his defense Hee saieth that Stephen appeared like to an Angel This is not spoken of his natural face but rather of his present countenance For whereas the countenance of those which are areigned vseth commonly to be pale whereas they stammer in their speach and shew other signes of feare Luke teacheth that there was no such thing in Stephen but that there appeared rather in him a certaine maiestie For the scripture vseth sometimes to borrowe a similitude of Angels in this sense as 1. 1. Sam. 24.9 2. Sam. 14.17 2. Sam. 19.27 Sam. 24. 2.14 19. CHAP. VII 1 ANd the chiefe Priest said Are these things so 2 He answered Men brethren and fathers harken The God of glorie appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before hee dwelt in Charran 3 And he said vnto him Come out of my countrie and from amongst thy Kynred and come into the land which I will shew thee 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldees dwelt in Charran After that his father was dead God brought him thence into this lande wherein yee nowe dwell 1 There appeareth as yet some colour of equitie in the highest priest and in the councell and yet notwithstanding there is a most vniust preiudice in his wordes For he asketh him not what cause he had to teach thus neither doth he admit him vnto the defence of right which was notwithstanding the chief but he demandeth precisely whether Steeuen vttered these wordes whatsoeuer they were as the Papistes at this day will not demaund what
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
number of men yet were they not vnlike to a bush For the thicker the bush is and the more store of shrubbes it hath the more subiect is it to take fire that it may burn on euery side so the people of Israel were but a weake band and such as was laide open to all iniuries and this vnwarlike multitude being pressed downe euen with their owne weight hadde incensed the crueltie of Pharao onely with the prosperous successe of increasing Therefore the people being oppressed with cruell tyrannie is as it were a pile of woode set on fire at euery corner neither is there any thing which keepeth it from being consumed to ashes saue this because the Lord sitteth in the middest thereof And although the vndoubted fire of persecution did then burne yet because the Church of God is neuer free from afflictions in the world the continuall estate thereof is after a sort painted out in this place For what other thing are wee but fewell for fire And there flie abroad innumerable fire brands of Sathan continually which set on fire both our bodies and also our mindes but the Lord deliuereth defendeth vs by his wonderful and singular goodnes from being consumed Therefore the fire must needs burne that it may burne vs in this life but because the Lord dwelleth in the mids of vs he shall so preserue vs that afflictions shal do vs no harme as it is also said in the sixe and fourtith Psalme Psalm 46.6 31 He wondered at the vision Let vs know that God did vse thus to deale with our fathers that they might assuredly know his maiestie For hee meant to make a manifest distinctiō betwene the visions which he shewed and the iuggling casts of Satan And this certaintie is more necessarie For what credit should the Oracles of God otherwise carry wherein the couenant of eternall life is contained Therfore forasmuch as this a loue is the true stay of faith it must needs haue God to bee the authour therof that he may vndoubtedly declare that it is he that speaketh Again forasmuch as Satan walketh about continually doth by many strange shifts insinuate himself and hath so many wayes to deceiue and especially seing he doth pretend the name of God craftilie we must take great heed of his mocks We see how in times past hee deluded all nations and the Papists also For all the monsters of superstitions al the dotings of errors which were in times past and do as yet reigne in popery did proceede from dreames visions and false reuelations Yea furthermore euen the Anabaptists haue their illusions thence Therefore this is the onely remedie that God do distinguish by certaine markes those visions which he sheweth For then are we without dāger of erring whē he hath reuealed his maiestie vnto vs. For this cause was the minde of Moses striken with admiration and then afterward he draweth neere to consider after that he is come neerer the Lorde toucheth him with a more liuely feeling of his presence so that he is afraide For I confesse that ther is none of al these things which Satā cannot imitate yet falsely like an Ape And the Lord doth not only shew himself by such signes but helping our dulnes he doth also open our eyes that we may not be deceiued Againe the holy ghost doeth imprint in our minds certaine marks tokens of Gods presence that there may no doubt remain 32 I am the God of thy fathers Now we see to what end the vision was offered to Moses to wit that the word of God might haue his authoritie For bare visions should do but a little good vnlesse doctrine were ioyned therwithal And it is ioyned with them not as an inferior part but as the cause of al visions the end And whereas he calleth himselfe the God of Abraham Isaach and Iacob there is a double reason why hee calleth himselfe so As the maiestie of God is infinite if we will comprehend it it doth rather swallow vp our senses if we indeuor to ascend vnto it we vanish away Therefore he adorneth himselfe with titles vnder which we may comprehend him But we must marke that God maketh choise of such titles as that he may by them call vs backe vnto his word For he is called the God of Abraham Isaach and Iacob for this cause because he committed vnto them the doctrine of saluation that he might thereby be made knowne to the worlde But God had respect properly vnto the present circumstance when he spake to Moses on this wise For both this vision and the hope of the deliuerie of the people and the commandement which he was about to giue to Moses did depend vpon the couenant which he had made in times past with the fathers So that the suspition of noueltie is taken way and the minde of Moses is lifted vp to hope for redemption which was grounded in the olde promise Therefore this title is as much as if God had saide I which haue promised in times past to your fathers that I haue a care of your safetie which haue taken the kinred of Abraham to my tuition by a free couenant yea which haue appointed this time for an end of your bondage I appeare now vnto thee that I may performe that which I promised Like as at this day all the promises of God must leane be stayed vpon this foundation that they may be sure and certaine to vs that God hath adopted vs in Christ and hath promised that hee will bee our God and our father And Christ gathereth out of this place by good reason that the godly liue after they be deade Mat. 22.32 For if the whole man perish in death this were an vnfitte speech I am the God of Abraham Let vs suppose that there is no Rome shall not hee bee laught at which shal call himselfe Consul of Rome For this is requisite in Relation that the members be aunswerable betweene themselues There is also another reason to be considered that for as much as God hath in his hand both life and death without all doubt he preserueth those aliue whose father he will be and whom hee counteth his children Therefore though Abraham Isaach and Iacob died concerning the flesh yet doe they liue in spirite with God And Moses being afraide This might seeme to bee an absurde thing that a voyce full of consolation doeth rather terrifie Moses than make him glad but it was good for Moses to bee thus terrified with the presence of God that hee might frame himselfe vnto the greater reuerence Neither doeth the voice of God alone strike his minde but his maiestie whereof he saw a signe in the burning bush And what marueile is it if man bee afriade when hee feeth God And especiallie let vs remember that mens mindes are by this meanes prepared vnto feare reuerence as in Exod. xx Thou hast seen signes Exod. 20.22 thou hast heard the sound of the
discouered And this is a general way to establish doctine when men teach nothing but that which is commaunded them by God For what man dare make Moses inferiour to him who as the Spirit affirmeth ought onely to be beleeued for this cause because he faithfully vnfolded and deliuered the doctrine which he had receiued of God But some man may ask this question why he calleth the lawe a liuing speech For this title seemeth to disagree much with the words of Paul 1. Cori. 3.7 where hee saith that the lawe is the ministerie of death and that it worketh death and that it is the strength of sinne If you take liuely speech for that which is effectuall and cannot be made frustrate by the contempt of men there shal be no contrarietie but I interpret it as spoken actiuely for that which maketh to liue For seing that the Law is the perfite rule of godly and holy life and it sheweth the righteousnesse of God it is counted for good causes the doctrine of life and saluation And to this purpose serueth that solemne protestation of Moses when he calleth heauen and earth to witnesse that hee hath set before them the way of death and life In which sense the Lord himself complaineth Ezechiel 20 that his good Law is broken his good commandements wherof he had said He which shal do these things shall liue in them Therefore the Law hath life in it selfe Yet if any man had leiffer take liuing for that which is full of efficacie and strength I will not greatly stande in contention And whereas it is called the ministerie of death that is accidentall to it because of the corrupt nature of man For it doth not ingender sin but it findeth it in vs. It offereth life but wee which are altogither corrupt can haue nothing but death by it Therefore it is deadly in respect of men alone Though Stephen had respect vnto a farther thing in this place for he doeth not onely speake of the bare commaundementes but comprehendeth all Moses his doctrine wherein the free promises are included and so consequently Christ himselfe who is the onely life and health of men We must remember with what men Stephen had to doe They were such as were preposterously zelous of the law who stayed onely in the dead and deadly letter of the Lawe and in the meane season they raged against Stephen because he sought Christ in the Law who is in deede the soule thereof Therefore by touching thâ—â—eruerse ignorance glancingly he giueth them to vnderstande that there is some greater and some more excellent thing hidden in the Lawe than they haue hitherto knowne For as they were carnall content with an outward shew they sought no spiritual thing in it yea they would not so much as suffer the same to be shewed them That he might giue them to vs. This serueth to refute the false accusation wherewith he was falsely burthened For seeing he submitteth his necke to the yoke of the Lawe and professeth that hee is one of Moses his scholers hee is farre from discrediting him amongst others Yea rather hee turneth backe the fault which was laide to his charge vppon those which were the authours of the slaunder That was as it were a common reproch for all the people because the fathers woulde not obey the Lawe And therewithall hee telleth them that Moses was appointed to be a Prophet not onely for his time but that his authoritie might be in force with the posteritie euen when he was deade For it is not meete that the doctrine of God shoulde bee extinguished togither with the ministers or that it should bee taken away For what is more vnlikely than that that should dye whereby wee haue immortalitie So must wee thinke at this day as the Prophetes and Apostle spake vnto the men of their time right so did they write vnto vs and that the force of their doctrine is continuall because it hath rather God to bee the authour thereof than men In the meane season he teacheth that if any reiect the word appointed for them they reiect the counsell of God 39 They refused and were turned away Hee saith that the fathers reiected Moses and hee sheweth the cause also because they gaue themselues rather vnto the superstitions of Aegypt which was horrible and more than blind furie to desire the customes and ordinances of Aegypt where they had suffered such grieuous thinges of late Hee saieth that they were turned away into Aegypt in their heartes not that they desired to returne thither bodily but because they returned in mind vnto those corruptions which they ought not so much as to haue remembred without great detestation and hatred It is true in deede that the Iewes did once speake of returning but Stephen toucheth not that historie now Furthermore he doth rather expresse their stubbernesse when he saieth that they were turned away For after that they had taken the right way hauing God for their guid and gouernour they start aside sodainly as if a stubberne vnbroken horse not obeying his rider shoulde frowardly run backward 40 Make vs. Though the Iewes bee turned backe diuerse wayes yet Stephen maketh choise of one notable example aboue all the rest of their filthy and detestable trecherie to wit when they made themselues a Calfe that they might worship it in steede of God For there can no more filthy thing be inuented than this their vnthankfulnes They confesse that they were deliuered out of Aegypt neither do they denie that this was done by the grace of God and the ministery of Moses yet notwithstanding they reiect the author of so great goodnesse togither with the minister And vnder what colour They pretend that they cannot tell what is become of Moses But they know full well that he is in the mount They saw him with their eies when he went vp thither vntil such time as the Lorde tooke him vnto himselfe by compassing him about with a cloude Againe they know that Moses is absent for their healths sake who had promised that he would returne and bring vnto them the Lawe which God shoulde giue He badde them onely be quiet a while They raise madde vprores sodainely within a small time and without any cause yet to the ende they may couer their madnesse with the colour of some reason they will haue Gods present with them as if God had shewed vnto them no token of his presence hitherto but his glory did appeare daily in the cloud and piller of fire Therefore we see what haste they make to commit idolatrie through wicked contempt of god that I may in the meane season omitte to declare howe filthie and wicked their vnthankfulnes was in that they had so soone forgotten those myracles which they ought to haue remembred euen vntill the ende of the worlde Therefore by this one backsliding it appeareth sufficientlie what a stubberne and rebellious people they were Moreouer it was more expedient for
sake but only that he may exercise vs in the studie of godlines which argument is handeled more at large Psal 50. For although this be a shamefull foolishnes to go about to feed god with sacrifices yet vnlesse hypocrits were drowned in the same they would make no such account of toyes because all that is vnsauery before God which dissenteth from the spiritual worship Therfore let vs know that God seeketh vs not ours which we haue only at pleasure And hereby it appeareth also what great difference there is between true religion the carnall inuentions of men 51 You stiffenecked and of an vncircumcised heart and eares yee haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do yee 52 Which of the Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted and they haue slain those which foretold of the comming of the Iust of whom you are now made the betraiers and murtherers 53 Who haue receiued the lawe in the dispositions of Angelles and haue not kept it 51 For asmuch as Steeuen doth not expresly answere the points of the accusation I am of their minde who thinke that he would haue said more if his oration had not been broken off with some vprore For wee know what a sessions of iudges he had Therefore no maruell if they enforced him to hold his peace with noyse outcries And we see also that he did vse long insinuation of set purpose that he might tame appeace them who were like brute beastes most cruell But it is likely that their madnesse was then incensed when hee proued that they had most wickedly corrupt the law that the tēple was polluted with their superstitions that there is nothing sincere amongst them because whiles they did sticke in bare figures they did not worship God spiritually because they did not referre the ceremonies vnto the heauēly figure But thogh Steeuen did not enter the cause straight way but assayed to make their fierce mindes somewhat more gentle by little and little yet did he reason very fitly to purge him self of the crime laid to his charge These two things as we haue said were the principall points of the question That Steeuen had blasphemed God and his temple That hee went about to disanull the lawe That Steeuen might cleere himself of both these false flaūders he begā at the calling of Abraham declareth that the Iewes excelled the Gentiles not of their own nature not by any right of their own not by any merites of workes but by a f … priuiledge because god had adopted thē in the person of Abrahā This is also very pertinent to the cause that the couenant of saluatiō was made with Abrahā before any tēple or ceremonies were yea before circumcisiō was appointed Of which things the Iewes did so boast that they said ther was no worship of God without them neither any holinesse After that he set down how wonderfull and manifold the goodnesse of God was towardes Abraham his stocke and againe howe wickedly and frowardly they had refused so much as in them lay the grace of God Whereby it appeareth that it cannot bee ascribed to their owne merites that they are counted Gods people but because God did choose them of his owne accord being vnworthie did not cease to do thē good though they were most vnthākfull Their loftie and proude spirites might by this meanes haue bin subdued tamed and humbled that being emptied of that wind of foolishe glory they might come vnto the mediator Thirdly he declared that the Angell was the gouernour and chiefe in giuing the lawe and deliuering the people and that Moses did so serue in his function that hee taught that there should come other prophets hereafter who should notwithstanding haue one which should be the chief of thē that he might make an end of all prophesies that he might bring the perfect accomplishment of them all Whereby it is gathered that these are nothing lesse than Moses his disciples who reiect that kinde of doctrine which was promised and commended in the law together with the authour thereof Last of all he sheweth that all the olde worship which was prescribed by Moses is not to bee esteemed of it selfe but that it ought rather to be referred to another end because it was made according to the heauenly paterne and that the Iewes haue alwayes been wicked interpreters of the law because they conceiued nothing but that whiche was earthly Hereby is it proued that there is no iniurie done to the temple and the lawe when Christ is made as it were the end and truth of both But because the state of the cause did consist chiefly in this that the worshippe of GOD doeth not properlie consist in sacrifices and other things and that all ceremonies did nothing els but shadow Christe Steeuen was purposed to stand vppon this point if the Iewes woulde haue permitted him but because when he was come to the pith of the matter they cannot abyde to heare any more they were so incensed with furie the application of those things which hee had said vnto this cause which hee had in hand is wanting And he is inforced to vse a sharpe reprehension for a conclusion Exod. 32.9 33.3.5 Yee of an hard neck saith he We see how soone he is offended with them with an holy zeale but because he saw that he spake many things to small end especially before deafe men he breaketh off his doctrine This is a Metaphor taken from horses or oxen which Moses vseth often when he will say that his people is a rebellious people disobedient to God and also vnruly The vpbraiding which foloweth was of greater force with them Circumcision was vnto them a veile couering to couer all vices Therefore when he calleth them vncircumcised in heart he doth not only meane that they are rebellious against god stubborn but that they were found treacherous couenāt breakers euen in that signe whereof they did so greatly boast and so he turneth that backe most fitly to their shame whereof they made boast to their glorie For this is all one as if hee shoulde haue said that they had broken the couenant of the Lord so that their circumcision was void profane This speech is taken out of the law and the prophetes For as god hath appointed the signe so he would haue the Iewes know to what end they were circumcised to wit that they might circūcise their hearts and all their corrupt affections to the Lord as we reade And now circumcise your heartes to the Lorde Rom. 2.28 Wherefore the letter of circumcision as Paule calleth it is a vain visure with God So forasmuch as at this day the spirituall washing is the truth of our baptisme it is to be feared least that may well bee obiected to vs that wee are not partakers of Baptisme because our soules and flesh are polluted with filthinesse Yee haue alwaies resisted At the first Steeuen
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
Priscillianus the Donatistes the Tatianes and all the Eucratites Afterwarde the Pope to the ende hee might binde all those sectes in a bundle made a law concerning meats and there is no cause why the Patrons of this impietie shoulde babble that they doe not imagine any vncleannesse in meats but that men are forbidden to eate flesh vpon certaine dayes to tame the flesh For seeing they eate such meates as are most fit both for delicacie and also for riot why doe they abstaine from eating bacon as from some great offence saue onely because they imagine that that is vncleane and polluted which is forbidden by the lawe of their idoll With like pride doth the tyrannie of the Pope rage in all partes of life for there is nothing wherein hee layeth not snares to intangle the miserable consciences of men But let vs trust to the heauenly oracle and freely despise all his inhibitions Wee must alwayes aske the mouth of the Lorde that wee may thereby be assured what we may lawfully doe forasmuch as it was not lawful euen for Peter to make that profane which was lawful by the worde of God Furthermore this is a place of great importance to beate downe the frowardnesse of men which they vse too much in peruerse iudgementes There is no man almost which doeth not graunt libertie to himselfe to iudge of other mens doings Now as we are churlish and malicious wee leane more toward the worse part so that we take from God that which is his This voice alone ought to suffice to correct such boldnesse That it is not lawfull for vs to make this or that vncleane but that this power belongeth to God alone And also in these wordes is giuen vs to vnderstande that the Iewes were not therefore the holy people of the Lord because they excelled through their owne worthinesse but only by reason of Gods adoption Nowe after that GOD hadde receiued the Gentiles into the societie of the Couenaunte they haue all equall right 16 This was done thrise The repetition of the vision serued for the confirmation of Peter least any doubt shoulde remaine in his minde Whence we gather how deeply the obseruing of the lawe was rooted in his minde And I know no reason why God left him in a dumpe vntil by the euent which followed he might learn the cause of the vision saue only because being astonied he did not desire to know what this thing meant Although it was all in good time that the messengers of Cornelius should come shortly after to interprete it The vessell was at length taken vp againe into heauen that Peter might bee certified that this message came from heauen 17 And as Peter doubted in himselfe what vision this shoulde bee which hee had seen behold two men sent frō Cornelius enquiring for Simons house stood at the dore 18 And when they had called they asked whether Simon sirnamed Peter did lodge there 19 And as Peter thought vpon the vision the Spirite said to him behold three men seeke thee 20 Arise goe downe and goe with them doubting nothing because I haue sent them 21 And when Peter was come downe vnto the men which were sent from Cornelius vnto him he said Behold I am he whom yee seeke What is the cause wherefore yee come hither 22 They saide to him Cornelius the captaine a iust man and one that feareth God hauing testimonie of all the nation of the Iewes was warned by an oracle by an holy angel that he should call thee into his house and should hear of thee wordes 23 Furthermore when he had called them in he lodged them 17 Peter was taught not only by the vision but also by the word of God yet in seeing he saw not vntil the Spirit is vnto him an interpreter a most excellent mirror of our slacknes Althogh we be yet far vnlike to Peter for we are so farre from vnderstanding by by what God will or to what end he speaketh to vs that many interpretations are scarce sufficient for vs. But we must also note that which Luke addeth that Peter did think earnestly vpon the vision to wit after that hee was come to himselfe againe after his amazednesse for this was a token of godlye reuerence that he did not carelesly suffer the visiō to escape him Therfore the Lord opened to him when he did knock Mat. 7.7 And wee are iustly plagued for our sluggishnesse in that we profit no better in the word of the Lorde seeing we are so colde and haue so small desire to enquire 20 Goe doubting nothing The scripture vseth this word often when it will expresse of what sort the obedience of faith ought to be So Paule in the fourth chapt to the Romanes Rom. 4.19 Rom. 14.23 when as he commendeth the faith of Abraham saith That he douted not when as the Lord promised him seed being now aged and past hope of children And in the fourteenth intreating of meats he condemneth douting consciences And it is properly to reason on both sides as they say when as we are caried hither thither by course by gathering contrary reasons But we must not folow God with a doubfull wauering but with a quiet constant mind In summe the Lord will haue vs to attribute so much to him that when we heare him we dispute no longer what we haue need to doe but that we set downe for a certaintie that that must be done which he cōmaundeth And surely it is meet that his will should shew vs the way when all cloudes are driuen away and that it shoulde subdue all our senses vnto it vnto willing obedience all reasoning being broken of Which is also better gathered by the next text For the reason is added why it is not lawfull for Peter to suspend his iudgement in an vncertaine matter because God is the authour of the businesse because it is asmuche as if it should be saide that we ought to bee content with the becke of God alone that we may obey his commaundement And heereby are wee also admonished that mens consciences shall by no other meanes be quiet that they safely do that which they do then when beeing taught by the worde of God they determine that they doe nothing without his commaundemen◠and conduct 21 Behold I am he whom yee seeke Luke declareth now howe readie Peter was to obey secondly that he vnderstood at length by the messengers to what end the vision was shewed vnto him For hee heareth that he is called by Cornelius a man that is a Gentile whom he would haue counted profane and vnworthie of his companie vnlesse his iugdement had been correct with this voice That which God calleth pure iudge not thou to be common This is to be wise in deed when as abandoning all vain confidence and correcting our stubbornnesse the authoritie of God doth so pul vs vnto it doth so possesse our mindes that we count nothing right but that which it
that was according to the custome but now there is another reason For in appointing a publike fast which vsed to be done in hard matters and of great importance they prouoke both themselues and others vnto an earnest feruentnesse in prayer For this is oftentimes added in Scripture as a helpe to praier But it was a matter of such weight to erect the kingdome of Christ amongst the Gentiles the teachers of Antioch do not without cause earnestly pray the Lord that he will inable his seruants And that was not the end of their praier that God would by his Spirit of wisdome discretion gouerne their iudgments in choosing because al disputation or doubting concerning this matter was taken away but that God would furnish those with the Spirit of wisdome and strength whom he had alreadie chosen to himselfe that he would strengthen them with his power against all the inuasions of Satan and the world that he would blesse their labors that they might not be vnfruitful that he would open a gate for the new preaching of the gospel The laying on of hands which Luke reckneth vp in the third place was a kinde of consecration as we haue said Chapter 6. Acts. 6.6 For the Apostles retained the ceremonie which was vsed amongst the Iewes according to the old custome of the Law as also kneeling such rites which were profitable to exercise godlinesse In sum this is the end why they laid their hands vpon Barnabas and Paul that the church might offer them to God and that they might with their consent declare that this office was inioyned them by God For the calling was properly Gods alone but the externall ordaining did belong to the Church and that according to the heauenly Oracle 4 Therefore when they were sent forth by the holy Ghost they went to Seleucia and thence they sailed into Cyprus 5 And when they were at Salamis they preached the word of God in the Sinagogues of the Iewes And they had Iohn also for their minister 6 And when they had passed ouer the Iland vnto Paphos they found a certaine false Prophet a Iew named Baâ—-iesus 7 Who was with Sergius Paulus the Proconsul a wise man When he had called Barnabas and Paul he sought to heare the word of God 8 And Elimas the Sorcerer for so is his name expounded resisted them seeking to turne away the Proconsull from the faith 9 And Saul which was also called Paul being full of the Ghost and looking stedfastly on him 10 Said O thou that art full of all deceit and wickednes thou sonne of the diuel thou enimie of all righteousnes doest thou not cease to peruert the streght waies of the Lord 11 And now behold the hand of the Lord is vpon thee and thou shalt be blinde not seeing the sunne for a time and forthwith there fell vppon him mist and darknesse and going about he sought some to lead him by the hand 12 Then the Proconsull seing what had happened he beleeued wondring at the doctrine of the Lord. 4 Being sent out by the holy Ghost There is no mention made heere of the Election made by the Church because it was altogither a diuine calling the Church did onely receiue those who were offered them by the hand of God He saith that they came first to Seleucia which was a Citie of Syria There was indeede a countrie of the same name but it is more likely that Luke speaketh of the Citie which was not far from Cyprus by sea 5 He saith that they beganne to preach the Gospel first in Salamis a famous Citie of Cyprus Notwithstanding they seem to begin amisse for whereas they were sent specially to the Gentiles they preach the word of God neuerthelesse to the Iewes I answere that they were not so addicted to the Gentiles that setting aside the Iewes it stoode them vppon to goe streight to the Gentiles For when God did make them teachers of the Gentiles he did not depose them from the office which they had heretofore exercised So that there was no reason to let them but that they might take paines both with Iewes and Gentiles yea farther it was meete that they shoulde beginne with the Iewes as we shall see in the end of the Chapter Moreouer Luke addeth by the way that they were holpen by Iohn for his meaning is not that hee was their minister for any priuat vse or for the vses of bodie but rather in that hee was their helper to preach the Gospel hee commendeth his godly studie and industrie Not that the degree of honour was equall but because the labour was common to all for which cause hee had the lesse excuse afterward seing that he forsooke the holy calling 6 When they had passed ouer It is to be thought that this their passage was not altogither without fruit and assuredly Luke would neuer haue passed ouer with silence a generall repulse but it was sufficient for him to say that they were not idle in the office of teaching in their iorney seeing that he maketh haste vnto a famous historie which he will set downe immediatly And forasmuch as Salamis situate vpon the East coast did looke toward Siria it was requisite that Paul and Barnabas should passe through the midst of the Iland vnto the otherside that they might come to Paphus For Paphus was a Cittie situate vppon the Sea coast toward the South Furthermore though all the Iland were dedicated to Venus yet Paphus was the principall sea of the Idol For which cause the goodnesse of God is more wonderfull in that he would haue the light of his Gospel to pearce into such a filthy and cruel den For we may thereby gather what manner integritie and chastity and honestie and temperance was in that Cittie in that religion did grant libertie to the inhabitants to commit all manner shamefull and haynous offences They found a certaine false Prophet Seing that religion was quite corâ—upt among the Iewes it is no maruel if they fell away vnto many wicâ—ed superstitions And for as much as they had hitherto professed that they worshipped a certain peculiar god this was a fair colour to deceiue withall seeing that they might pretend the name of the vnknowne God at their pleasure but this is a wonder how it was possible for Eâ—imas with his iuggling to cosin a graue and wise man For we know that the Iewes were at that time hated of all the world and especiallie of the Romans and with hatred was coupled extreame contempt of them Nowe Luke doth not without cause expresly commende Sergius his wisedome least any man should thinke that his foolishnesse and lightnesse was subiect to the seducings of the Sorcerer His meaning was in deede to shewe in a cleare myrrour howe friuolous and vaine mans wisedome is which cannot beware of such grosse subtiltie of Sathan And assuredlie where the trueth of God doeth not appeare the more men seem to be wise the more filthylie foolish are
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
of Christ though Israel be not gathered togither Hee addeth afterward by way of exposition that the power of Christ shal not be restrained vnto one people only because his light shal shed abroad his beames vnto the farthest parts of the worlde vnto saluation It seemeth that Paul noteth this occasion of calling the Gentiles namely because seing he found no matter to exercise himselfe in among the Iewes he gaue himself wholly to the Gentiles We must note this by the way in the words of the Prophet that saluation is put after light according to that saying of Christ This is eternall life to know thee the true God c. For if the knowledge of God alone Iohn 17.3 bring to vs saluation it is likewise the onely resurrection from destruction of eternal death for vs to be illuminate into the faith of Christ after that we be deliuered from the darknes of ignorance 48 And when the Gentiles heard The matter of the Gentiles ioy was this when they heard that they were not called to saluation at a sodain as if this had not bin decreed before by God but that that is nowe at length fulfilled which was foretold many yeeres before For doublesse it was no smal confirmation of their faith because saluation was promised to thē by the comming of Christ whereby it did also come to passe that they did with more earnest desire reuerence embrace the Gospel To glorifie the word of God may be expounded two maner of waies either that they did cōfesse that it was true which was prophecied by Isaias or that they imbraced the doctrine which was set before them with faith Assuredly there is a full subscription noted our because they dispute or doubt no longer so soone as they saw that Paul had gotten the victorie And surelie we do then honor the woord of God as we ought when wee submit our selues obedientlie to it by faith as it cānot be more grieuously blasphemed then when men refuse to beleue it And here we see how the Gentiles were not hindered by that stubbernesse which they saw in the Iewes from giuing their name to Christ With like courage must we despise and tread vnderfoot the pride of the wicked when by their obstinacie they studie to stop the waie before vs. And they beleued This is an exposition of the member next going before at least in my iudgemēt For Luke sheweth what maner glorie they gaue to the woord of God And here we must note the restraint whē he saith that they beleued but not al in general but those who were ordeined vnto life And we need not doubt but that Luk calleth those tetagmenous who were chosen by the free adoption of God For it is a ridiculous cauil to refer this vnto the affection of those which beleued as if those receiued the gospel whose minds were well disposed For this ordeining must be vnderstood of the eternal counsel of God alone Neither dooth Luke saie that they were ordeined vnto faith but vnto life because the Lord doth predestinate his vnto the inheritāce of eternal life And this place reacheth that faith dependeth vpon Gods election And assuredly seing that al the whole rase of mankinde is blinde and stubborne those diseases sticke fast in our nature vntil they be redressed by the grace of the spirit and that redressing floweth frō the fountain of election alone For in that of two which heare the same doctrine togither the one sheweth himselfe apt to be taught the other continueth in his obstinacie it is not therefore because they differ by nature but because God doth lighten the former and doth not vouchsafe the other the like grace We are in deed made the children of God by faith as faith as touching vs is the gate and the first beginning of saluation but there is a higher respect of God For he dooth not begin to choose vs after that we beleue but he sealeth his adoption which was hidden in our harts by the gift of faith that it may be manifest and sure For if this be proper to the children of God alone to be his disciples it foloweth that it doth not apperrein vnto al the children of Adam in general No maruel therefore if al do not receiue the Gospel because though our heauēlie father inuiteth al men vnto the faith by the external voice of man yet dooth he not cal effectuallie by his spirit anie saue those whom he hath determined to saue Now if Gods election wherby he ordeineth vs vnto life be the cause of faith and saluatiō there remaineth nothing for woorthinesse or merits Therefore let vs holde and mark that which Luke saith That those were ordeined before vnto life who being ingrafted into the bodie of Christ by faith doo receiue the earnest and pledge of their adoption in Christ Whence we do also gather what force the preaching of the Gospel hath of it selfe For it doth not finde faith in men saue onlie because God doeth cal those inwardlie whom he hath chosen and because he draweth those who were his owne before vnto Christ Iohn 6.25 Iohn 6.37 Also Luke teacheth in the same woords that it cannot be that anie of the elect should perish For he saith not that one or a few of the elect did beleeue but so manie as were elect For though Gods election be vnknowen to vs vntil we perceiue it by faith yet is it not doubtful or in suspense in his secret counsel because he commendeth all those whom he counteth his to the safegard and tuition of his son who will continue a faithfull keeper euen vnto the end Both members are necessarie to be knowne When Election is placed aboue faith there is no cause why men shoulde chalenge to themselues any thing in any part of their saluation For if faith wherein consisteth saluation which is vnto vs a witnesse of the free adoption of God which coupleth vs to Christ and maketh his life ours whereby we possesse God with his righteousnesse finally whereby wee receiue the grace of sanctification be grounded without vs in the eternal counsell of God what good thinges so euer we haue we must needs acknowledge that we haue receiued it of the grace of God which doth preuent vs of it owne accorde Againe because manie intangle themselues in doubtfull and thornie imaginations whiles that they seeke for their saluation in the hidden counsel of God let vs learne that the election of God is therefore approued by faith that our minds may be turned vnto Christ as vnto the pledge of Election that they may seeke no other certaintie Iohn 3 3◠saue that which is reuealed to vs in the Gospel I say let this seale suffice vs that whosoeuer beleeueth in the onely begotten sonne of God hath eternall life 49 The word of the Lorde was spread abroad Luke doth in this place declare the proceeding of the Gospel Wherein appeareth how true the parable of Christ is when hee saieth
within it selfe it cannot be but that weake minds shal be troubled and also faint and especially when the controuersie is about doctrine which alone is the holy bond of brotherly vnitie finallie there is nothing which doth more indamage the Gospel then ciuill discord because it doeth not onely pearce and wound weake consciences but also minister occasion to the wicked to backbite Wherefore we must diligently note this historie that we may know that it is no new example if among those who professe the same Gospel there arise some wranglings strife about doctrin when proud men can get them a name wherof they are so furiously desirous by no other meanes but by bringing in their owne inuentions It is certaine that as there is but one god so there is but one truth of this God Therfore when Paul goeth about to exhort the faithful vnto mutual consent hee vseth this argument One God one faith one Baptisme c. Ephes 4.6 But when we see wicked men arise who go about both to deuide the Church by their factions and also either to corrupt the Gospel with their false and filthie inuentions or else to bring the same in suspition wee ought to know the subtiltie of Satan Therefore Paul saith elsewhere that heresies come abroad that those who are tried may bee made manifest 1. Cor. 11.19 And assuredly the Lord doth wonderfully make void the subtiltie of Satan in that he trieth the faith of his by such trials and doeth beutifie his word with worthy and excellent victorie and causeth the trueth to shine more clearelie which the wicked went about to darken But it is very conuenient to weigh all the circumstances of the historie which Luke noteth Which came downe from Iudea This cloake and colour was very forceable to deceiue euen good men then Ierusalem was honored not without cause among all Churches because they reuerenced it euen as their mother For the Gospel was deducted as it were by pypes and conduits from that fountaine These seducers come thence they pretend the Apostles they boast that they bring nothing but that which they learned of them They blind bleare the eies of the vnskilfull with this smoke those who are light and wicked do greedily snatch at the color which is offered thē The perturbation of the church doth like a tempest shake those who were otherwise good moderate so that they are inforced to stumble Therfore we must note this subtilty of satan that he abuseth the names of holy men that he may deceiue the simple who being won with the reuerence of the men dare not inquire after the thing it selfe Luke doth not expres in deed with what affection these knaues were moued yet it is likely that peruerse zeale was the cause which moued thē to set thēselues against Paul Barnabas For ther be certain churlish natures which nothing can please but that which is their owne They had seene that circumcision and other rites of the law were obserued at Ierusalem whersoeuer they become ◠Cor. 11.14 they can abide nothing which is not agreable thereto as if the example of one church did bind al the rest of the churches with a certain Law And though such be caried with a preposterous zeale to procure tumults yet are they pricked inwardly with their ambition with a certain kind of stubbernes Neuertheles satan hath that he would for the minds of the godly haue such a mist cast before them that they can scarce know black from white Therfore we must beware first of this plague that some prescribe not a law to othersome after their manner that the example of one church be not a preiudice of a cōmon rule Also we must vse another caution that the persons of men do not hinder or darken the examination of the matter or cause For if Satan transfigure himself into an Angel of light if by sacrilegious boldnes he vsurp the holy name of God what maruell is it if he doe like wickedly deceiue men vnder the names of holy men The end shall at length declare that the Apostles meant nothing lesse than to lay the yoke of the Law vpon the necke of the Gentiles and yet Satan meant vnder this shift to get in So it falleth out oftentimes that those who contrary the doctrine of Christ creepe in vnder the title of his seruants Therefore there is one only remedie to come to search out the matter with sound iudgements also it behoueth vs to preuent an offence least we think that the faithful seruants of God doe therefore striue among themselues because Satan doth falsely abuse their names that he may set certaine shadowes by the cares togither to terrifie the simple 2 When there was sedition arisen This was no small triall in that Paul and Barnabas are hailed into a troublesome tumult There was mischiefe ynough alreadie in the matter it selfe but it is a more cruell mischiefe when the contention waxeth so hote that they are enforced to fight with their brethren as with enimies Adde moreouer the infamie wherewith they saw themselues burdened among the simple and vnskilfull as if they would trouble the peace of the Church with their stubbernes For it falleth out oftentimes so that the faithful seruants of Christ are enuied alone and beare al the blame after that they haue bin vniustly troubled haue faithfully emploied themselues in defense of a good cause Therefore they must be endewed with inuincible courage to despise al false reports which are caried about concerning them Therefore Paul boasteth in an other place that he went through the midst of seditions But the seruants of God must obserue such moderation 2. Cor. 6.5 that they abhor so much as they can all discord if at any time Satan raise tumults and contentions let them indeuour to appease them and finallie let them do all that they can to foster and cherish vnitie But againe on the other side when the truth of god is assailed let them refuse no cumbate for defense therof ne let them feare to oppose themselues valiantly though heauen and earth goe togither And let vs being admonished by this example learn so oftē as there ariseth any tumult in the church wisely to weigh through whose fault it came least we rashly condēne the ministers of Christ whose grauitie is rather to be praised because they can abide so valiantly such violent assaults of Satan Secondly let vs call to minde that Satan was bridled by the wonderfull prouidence of God that he might not put the doctrine of Paul to the foile For if he had bin suffered to do hurt at his pleasure so soone as the faith of the Gentiles had bin pulled downe and ouerthrowne the Gospell preached by Paul should haue fallen to the ground and the gate should haue shut against the calling of the Gētiles Thirdly let vs learne that we must in time preuent dissention of what sort so euer it be least it
them in peace being reconciled to God When Christ doth meekely wil vs there to come vnto him Satan and the wicked rage Therefore Paul and Silas might easily haue defended themselues but it was requisite for them to suffer this false slander for a time and so long as they were not heard to put it vp quietly And the Lord meant by their example to teach vs that wee must not giue place to slanders false reports but we must stand stoutly in maintaining the truth being readie to heare euill for things done well Wherefore away with the peruerse wisedome of some who to the end they may escape false slāders cease not to betray Christ his gospel through their trecherous moderation as though their good name were more precious than Pauls and such like yea than the sacred name of God which is not free from blasphemies 7 All these men c. The second point of the accusation is this that they violate the maiestie of the Empire of Rome A great and grieuous crime yet too impudently forged Paul and Silas sought to erect the kingdome of Christ which is spirituall The Iewes knewe well that this might be done without doing any iniurie to the Romane empire They knewe that they meant nothing lesse than to ouerthrow the publike estate or to take from Caesar his authoritie Therefore the Iewes catch at the pretence of treason that they may oppresse the innocent with the enuy of the crime alone Neither doth Satan cease at this day to bleare mens eyes with such smokes and mysts The Papists know fulwell and they bee sufficiently conuict before God that that is more than false which they lay to our charge That we ouerthrow al ciuill gouernment that Lawes and iudgements are quite taken away that the authoritie of Kings is subuerted by vs and yet they be not ashamed to the end they may make all the whole worlde offended with vs falsely to report that we be enimies to publike order For we must note that the Iewes doe not onely alledge that Caesars commandements were broken because Paul and Silas durst presume to alter innouate somewhat in religion but because they said there was another king This crime was altogither forged But if at any time religion enforce vs to resist tyrannicall edicts and commaundementes which forbid vs to giue due honour to Christ and due worshippe to God wee may then iustly say for our selues that wee are not rebellious against kings for they bee not so exalted that they may goe about like Gyants to pull God out of his seat and throne That excuse of Daniel was true that Hee had not offended the king whereas notwithstanding hee had not obeied his wicked commaundement neither had he iniuried mortall man because he had preferred God before him So let vs faithfully pay to princes the tributes which are due to them let vs bee readie to giue them all ciuill obedience but if being not content with their degree they goe about to plucke out of our hands the feare worship of god there is no cause why any should say that we despice them because we make more account of the power and maiesty of God 8 They raised the multitude We see howe vniustly the holy men were handled because they had no place granted them to defend thēselues it was an easie matter to oppresse them though they were guiltlesse We see likewise that it is no newe matter for magistrates to be carried away with the rage of the people as with a tempest especially when the iniurie toucheth those who are straungers and vnknowen at whose hands they looke for no reward because they will not come in daunger for nothing For then they care not for reason or equitie neither doe they heare the matter but one driueth forwarde an other without any resistance and all thinges are done out of order as when they runne vnto some great fire But it came to passe by the singular goodnesse of God that so great heate was stayed by and by for so soone as the magistrates professe that they will knowe farther of the matter the multitude is appeased assurance is taken and at length the matter is ended 10 They sent them out to Berrhea Heereby it appeareth that Paul his labour brought foorth fruite in a small time for though the brethren send forth him Silas yet they adioine themselues as voluntary companions to their daunger and crosse by this duetie But the constancie of Paul is vncredible because hauing had such experience of their stubbernesse and malice of his nation he doeth neuer cease to trie whether he can bring any to Christ namely seing he knew that he was bounde both to Iewes and Gentiles no iniurie of men coulde leade him away from his calling So all the seruants of Christ must so wrastle with the malice of the world that they shake not off Christs yoke with what iniuries soeuer they be prouoked 11 And those were noble men among the Thessalonians who had receiued the word with all readines of minde daily searching the scriptures whether these things were so 12 And manie of them beleeued and honest women which were Grecians and men not a few 13 But when the Iewes of Thessalonica knewe that Paul did also preach the word of God at Berrhea they came thither also mouing the multitudes 14 And then streightway the brethren sent forth Paul that he might goe as it were vnto the sea but Silas and Timotheus remained there 15 Moreouer those which guided Paul brought him euen vnto Athens And when they had receiued commandement to Silas and Timotheus that they should come to him with speed they departed 11 Did excell in nobilitie Luke returneth againe vnto the men of Thessalonica The remembrance of Christ might haue bin thought to haue bin buried by the departure of Paul and surely it is a wonder that that small light which began to shine was not quite put out and that the seede of sounde doctrine did not wither away which had neede continually to bee watered that it might spring vp But aftet Pauls departure it appeared howe effectuall and fruitfull his preaching had beene For those who had onely tasted of the first principles of godlinesse doe neuerthelesse profit and goe forward though hee be absent and exercise themselues in the continuall reading of the Scripture And first Luke saith that they were of the chiefe families For the nobilitie whereof hee maketh mention is referred not vnto the minde but vnto the nation Some thinke that the men of Berrhea are compared with the men of Thessalonica because hee saieth eugenesterous and not in the superlatiue degree eugenestatous But I thinke that that manner of speech is vsuall and common among the Grecians which the Latines could not so well digest Moreouer hee had saide a little before that certaine principall women beleeued at Thessalonica and it is not to bee thought that the men of Berrhea were preferred before those of this
vppon God after a carnall manner but God by the leading of his word doth lift them vpward Onely he vseth midle signes and tokens whereby he doth insinuate himselfe with slowe men vntill they may ascend into heauen by degrees and steps 25 Neither is he worshipped with mans hands The same question which was answered of late concerning the temple may now be obiected touching ceremonies For it seemeth that that may be translated vnto the worshippings of the lawe of Moses which Paul condemneth in the ceremonies of the Gentiles But we may readily answeare that the faithfull did neuer properly place the worship of God in ceremonies but they did only count them helpes wherewith they might exercise themselues according to their infirmitie When they did slea beasts offred bread and drinke offereringes light torches and other lights they knew that godlinesse was not placed in these thinges but being holpen by these they did alwaies looke vnto the spirituall worship of God and they made account of it alone And God himselfe saith plainely in many places that he doth not passe for any externall or visible thing that ceremonies are of themselues of no importaunce and that hee is worshipped no other wise but by faith a pure conscience by prayer and thankefulnesse What did the Gentiles then To wit when they erected images they offered incense they set foorth plaies and laid their coushins before their idols they thought they had fulfilled the offices of godlinesse excellent well Not only the philosophers but also the poets doe sometimes deride the follie of the coÌ„mon people because they did disorderedly place the worship of God in the pompe and gorgeousnes of ceremonies That I maye omit infinite testimonies that of Persius is wel knowne Tell me yee Priests to sacred rites what profite golde doth bring The same which Venus puppets fine Certes no other thing Why giue not we to Gods that which the bleare eyde issue could Of great Messala neuer giue from out their dish of gold Right iustly deemde a conscience cleere and heauenly thoughts of minde A breast with mildnes such adornde as vertue hath assingde Let me in temples offer these Then sacrifice the Gods shal please And vndoubtedly the Lord caused profane men to vtter such speeches that they might take away all colour of ignorance But it doth plainely appeare that those who spake thus did straightway slide back again vnto coÌ„mon madnes yea that they did neuer throughly vnderstand what this meant For thogh those who passe the common people in wit be inforced to confesse that bare ceremonies are in no estimation yet it is vnpossible to pull from them this persuasioÌ„ but that they will think that they be a part of the diuine worship Therfore the more diligently they giue themselues to such vanities they doe not doubt but that they doe the duties of godlinesse wel Therfore because all mortall men from the highest to the lowest do thinke that GOD is pacified with externall things and they will with their owne workes fulfill their dutie towards him that doth Paul refute There is also a reason added because seeing he is Lord of heauen and earth he needeth nothing because seeing that hee giueth breath and life to men hee can receiue nothing of them againe For what can they bring of their owne who being destitute of all good thinges haue nothing but of his free goodnes yea who are nothing but by his meere grace who shal forthwith be brought to nought if he withdraw the Spirit whereby they liue Whereuppon it followeth that they are not onely dull but too proude if they thrust in themselues to worship God with the workes of their owne hands For whereas hee saieth that almes and the duties of loue are sweete smelling sacrifices that must be distinguished froÌ„ the matter which wee haue now in hand where Paul doth only intreat of the ceremonies which the vnbeleeuers put in place of the spirituall worship of God By life and breath is meane the life which men liue so long as the soule and body are ioyned togither Touching the end of the sentence though some Greeke bookes agree in this reading cata panta Through all things yet that seemeth to me more agreeable which the old interpreter hath caâ—ta panta And all things because it is both plainer and doth also containe a more perfect and ful doctrin For thence we do better gather that men haue nothing of their owne And also certaine Greeke coppies agree thereto 26 And hath made of one blood all mankinde to dwell vppon all the face of the earth and hath appointed the times before determined and the bounds of their habitation 27 That they might seeke God if peraduenture they maye grope him and finde him though he be not farre from euery one of vs. 28 For in him we liue moue and haue our being as certaine of your Poets said For we be also his generation 29 Therefore seeing we bee the generation of God we must not thinke that the Godhead is like to golde or siluer or to stone grauen by the cunning cogitation of man 26 And he hath made of one blood Paul doth now shew vnto the men of Athens to what end mankind was created that he may by this meanes inuite and exhort them to consider the end of their life This is surely filthy vnthankfulnes of men seeing they all inioy the common life not to consider to what end God hath giuen them life And yet this beastly blockishnes doth possesse the more part so that they doe not consider to what end they be placed in the world neither doe they remember the creator of heauen and earth whose good things they doe deuour Therfore after that Paul hath intreated of the nature of God he putteth in this admonition in due season that men must be very carefull to knowe God because they be created for the same end and borne for that purpose For he doth briefly assigne vnto them this cause of life to seeke God Againe for as much as there was not one kinde of religion only in the world but the gentiles were distract into diuers sectes he telleth them that this varietie came from corruption For to this ende in my iudgement tendeth that when hee saieth that all were created of one blood For consanguinitie the same originall ought to haue bin a boÌ„d of mutual consent among theÌ„ But it is religion which doth most of all ioyne men together or cause them to fly one anothers companie whervppon it followeth that they be reuolted from nature who disagree so much in religioÌ„ the worship of god Bicause whersoeuer they be born whatsoeuer place of the world they inhabite they haue al one maker and father who must be sought of al men with one consent And surely neither distaunce of places nor boundes of countries nor diuersitie of manners neither any cause of separation among men doeth make God vnlike to himselfe In summe he meant to teach
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
the church at Ierusalem yet is it certain that he was drawn thither with some great necessitie And yet we may gather by this text that he stayed not long at Ierusalem peraduenture because thinges fell not out as he would Moreouer he declareth that his iourney in his returne was not idle or barren in that he saith that he strengthened al the disciples vndoubtedly not without great paines taking because he was enforced to goe hither and thither and oft to turne out of his way for this word cathexes doth signifie a continuall course Now we haue alreadie declared in what respect those bee called Disciples who had giuen their names to Christ Cha. 9.36 and professed the name of Christ to wit because there is no godlines without true instruction They had in deed their pastours vnder whom they might profit yet the greater Paul his authoritie was and the more excellent spirit he had giuen him so they were not a litle strengthened by his passing by them especially seeing he was the chief workmaster in the founding of all these churches 24 And a certaine Iewe named Apollos borne in Alexandria an eloquent man came to Ephesus being mightie in the scriptures 25 He was instructed in the way of the Lord being feruent in the spirite he spake and taught diligently those things which are the Lords knowing onelie the Baptisme of Iohn 26 And he began to speake freely in the synagogue whom when Priscilla and Aquila had heard they tooke him to their companie shewed him the way of the Lord more perfectly 27 And when he was determined to goe into Achaia the brethren exhorting him wrote to the disciples that they should receiue him who when he was come he helped them much who had beleeued through grace 28 For he ouercame the Iewes mightily and that openly shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was Christ 24 A certaine Iew. This ought for good causes to be ascribed to the prouidence of God in that whiles Paul is inforced to depart from Ephesus Apollos commeth in his place to supplie his absence And it is very expedient to know the beginning of this man of what sort it was for as much as he was also Paul his successour among the Corinthians did behaue himselfe so excellently and did his faithful indeuour and tooke great paines so that Paul commendeth him honorably as a singular fellowe in office I haue planted saith he Apollo hath watered 1. Cor. 3.6.4.6 Also these things haue I figuratiuely appointed vnto my self and Apollos Luke giueth him first two titles of commendatioÌ„ that he was eloquent mighty in the Scriptures afterward he wil adde his zeale faith and constancy And though Paul doe truely denie that the kingdome of God consisteth in words and he himselfe was not commended for eloquence yet dexterity in speaking reasoning such as Luke doth here coÌ„mend is not to be despised especially when no pomp or vain bosting is sought after by vsing fine words great eloquence but he which is to teach couÌ„teth it sufficient for him without fraud or ambition without lofty wordâ— curious cunning plainly to lay open the matter he hath in hand Paul was without eloquence the Lord wold haue the chiefe Apostle to want this vertue to the end the power of the spirit might appeare more excelleÌ„t in his rude homely speach And yet was he furnished with such eloqueÌ„ce as was sufficieÌ„t to set forth the name of Christ to maintain the doctrine of saluation But as the distribution of the gifts of the spirit is diuers manifold Paul his infaÌ„cy that I may so cal it did no whit let but that the Lord might choose to himself eloquent ministers Furthermore least any man shuld think that Apollo his eloquence was profane or vaine Luke saith that it was ioined with great power namely that he was mighty in the scriptures Which I expound thus that he was not onely well and soundly exercised in the scriptures but that he had the force and efficacye thereof that beyng armed with them hee did in all conflictes get the vpper hande And this in my iudgement is rather the prayse of the Scripture then of manne that it hath sufficient force both to defend the trueth and also to refute the subtiltie of Satan 25 He was instructed That which Luke addeth shortly after seemeth not to agree with this commeÌ„dation to wit that he knew only the baptisme of Iohn But this later member is added by way of correction Neuerthelesse these two agree very well together that he vnderstood the doctrine of the Gospel because he both knewe that the Redeemer was giuen to the worlde and also was well and sincerely instructed concerning the grace of reconciliation and yet had he beene trayned vp only in the principles of the Gospel so much as coulde be had out of Iohn his institution Luke 1.76 Ib. 16. 17. For we knowe that Iohn was in the middest betweene Christ and the prophets and of his office doth both his father Zacharias intreate in his songue and also the Angell out of the prophecye of Malachie Surely seeyng that hee carried the light before Christe and did highly extoll his power his Disciples are for good causes saide to haue had knowledge of Christe Moreouer the speeche is woorth the noting that He knewe the Baptisme of Iohn For thence we gather the true vse of the Sacramentes to wit that they enter vs in some certaine kind of doctrine or that they establish that faith which wee haue imbraced Surely it is wickednesse and impious profanation to pull them away from doctrine Wherefore that the Sacraments may bee rightly administred the voyce of the heauenly doctrine must sounde there For what is the Baptisme of Iohn Luke comprehendeth all his ministerye vnder this woorde not onelie because doctrine is annexed vnto Baptisme but also because it is the foundation and head thereof without which it should be a vaine and dead ceremonie Being feruent in spirite he spake Apollos hath another commendation giuen him in these wordes that he was inflamed with an holie zeale to teache Doctrine without zeale is either like a sworde in the hande of a mad man or els it lieth still as colde and without vse or els it serueth â—or vaine and wicked boâ—sting For wee see that some learned men become slouthful othersome which is worse become ambitious othersome which is of al the worst trouble the church with contention and brawling Therefore that doctrine shal be vnsauery which is not ioyned with zeal But let vs remember that Luke putteth the knowledge of the Scripture in the first place which must be the moderation of zeale for we know that many are feruent without consideration as the Iewes did rage against the gospel by reason of a peruerse affection which they did beare toward the lawe and euen at this day we see how whotte the papistes bee who are carried headlong with furious violence being
of a long and werisome iourney vnles he be also brought in danger of his life by those which lay in waite for him Let all the seruants of Christe set this mirrour before their eyes that they may neuer faint through the wearisomnes of straits Notwithstanding when Paul doth iourney another way that he may auoid their laying in wait he sheweth that we must haue regard of our life so farre foorth that wee throw not our selues headlong into the midst of dāgers And those who accompanie him giue no smal testimonie of their godlines and we see how precious his life was to the faithful when as a great many beeyng chosen out of diuers countries to be his companions do for his sake take a hard sharp iourney not without great charges Luke saith that Paul tarried at Philippos so long as the daies of vnleauened bread did last bicause he had at that time better opportunitie offered to teach And for as much as it was vnknown as yet that the law was disanulled it stoode him vpō to beware least by neglecting the feast day he shuld be thought among the rude to be a contemner of God Though for mine owne part I thinke that he sought principally opportunity to teache because the Iewes were then more attentiue to learne 7 And vpon one day of the Sabbothes when the disciples were come together to breake bread Paul disputed with them being about to take his iourney on the morrow and he prolonged his speech vntil midnight 8 And there were manie lightes in an vpper chamber where they were gathered together 9 And a certaine young man named Eutichus sitting in a window being fallen into a deepe sleepe as Paul disputed long time being more ouercome with sleep he fel down from the third loft downward and was taken vp dead 10 And when Paul came downe he fel vpon him imbracing him said Be not yee troubled for his soule is in him 11 And when he was gone vp and had broken bread and had eaten hauing had long conference vntill it was day he departed 12 And they brought the boy aliue and were not a litle comforted 13 But when we had taken ship we loosed to Asson thence to receiue Paule for so had he appointed being about to goe by land 7 And in one day Either doth he meane the first day of the week which was next after the Sabboth or els some certaine Sabboth Which latter thing may seeme to me more probable for this cause because that daye was more fit for an assēbly according to custome But seeing it is no new matter for the Euangelists to put one insteed of the first Mat. 26.1 Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1 according to the custome of the Hebrew tongue it shal very wel agree that on the morrow after the Sabboth they came together Furthermore it were too cold to expoūd this of any day For to what end is there mentioned of the Sabboth saue only that he may note the opportunity choise of the time Also it is a likely matter that Paul waited for the sabboth that the day before his departure he might the more easily gather al the disciples into one place And the zeale of them al is woorth the noting in that it was no trouble to Paul to teach vntil midnight though he were ready to take his iourney neyther were the rest weary of learning For he had no other cause to continue his speech so long saue onely the desire and attentiuenes of his auditory To breake bread Though breaking of bread doth sometimes signifie among the Hebrewes a domestical banquet yet do I expound the same of the holie supper in this place being moued with two reasons For seeing we may easily gather by that which foloweth that ther was no smal multitude gathered together there it is vnlikely that there could any supper be prepared in a priuate house Again Luke wil afterward declare that Paul tooke bread not at supper time but after midnight Herevnto is added that that he saith not that he tooke meate that he might eate but that he might onlie tast Therefore I thinke thus that they had appointed a solemn day for the celebrating of the holy supper of the Lord among themselues which might be commodious for them all And to the end Paul might remedy after a sort the silence of longer absence he continueth his speech longer then he did commonly vse to doe That which I spake of the great number of men is gathered thence because there were many lights in the vpper chamber which was not done for anie pompe or ostentation but only for necessities sake For when there is no need it is ambition vanitie which maketh men bestow cost Furthermore it was meet that all the whole place should shyne with lights least that holy company might be suspected of some wickednes or dishonestie adde also another coniecture if the chamber had bin emptye those which were present would not haue suffered Eutichus to sit vpō a window For it had bin filthy licenciousnes in despising the heauēly doctrin to depart aside into a widow seing ther was room inough elswhere 9 When he was faln into a deep sleep I see no cause why some interpreters shuld so sore sharply condēn the drousines of the yong mā that they should say that he was punished for his sluggishnes by death For what maruell is it if seeing the nighte was so farre spent hauing striuen so long with sleepe he yeelded at length And whereas against his will and otherwise then he hoped for hee was taken and ouercome with deepe sleepe we may guesse by this that he did not settle himselfe to sleepe To seeke out a fit place wherein to sleep had bin a signe of sluggishnes but to be ouercome with sleep sitting at a window what other thing is it but without fault to yeelde to nature As if a man shoulde faint through hunger or too much wearisomnes Those who being drowned in earthly cares come vnto the word lothsomly those who being ful of meate and wine are thereby brought on sleepe those who are vigilant ynough in other matters but heare the woord as though they did not passe for it shal be iustly condemned for drousines but Luke doth in plaine words acquit Eutichus when he saith that he fel downe being ouercome with deepe sleepe after midnight Moreouer the Lord meāt not only by the sleep but also by the death of this yong man to awake stir vp the faith of his that they might more ioyfully receiue Paul his doctrine might keep it deeply rooted in their minds It was in deed at the first no small temptation but such as might haue shaken euen a most constant man full sore for who woulde haue thought that Christ had bin chiefe gouernor in that company wherein a miserable mā through a fal became dead Who would not rather haue thought this to be a signe of Gods curse But the Lord by
they should neuer see him any more And it was very expedient that the patterne which was set before them by God of them to be followed shuld be alwayes before their eies that they should remember him when he was dead For we know how readily men degenerate from pure institution But thought hee deny that he doth know what shall befall him at Ierusalem yet because hee was taught by many prophecies that boÌ„ds were prepared for him there as if he were now readie to die he cutteth off shortly after the hope of his returne And yet for all this he is not contrarie to him selfe Hee speaketh doubtfully at the first of set purpose that hee maye soften that which was about to be more hard bitter yet he doth truly affirm that he knew not as yet the ends eueÌ„ts of things because he had no certain and special reuelation touching the whole processe bound in the spirit Some expound this that he was bound to the churches who had committed to him this function to carry almes Notwithstanding I doe rather thinke that hereby is meant the inward force and motion of the spirit not as thogh he were so inspired that he was out of his witte but because being certified of the will of God he did meekely follow the direction and instinct of the spirit euen of his owne accord Therefore this speech importeth as much as if he shoulde haue saide I cannot otherwise doe vnlesse I woulde be stubborne and rebellious against God who doth as it were draw me thither being bounde by his spirit For to the end he may excuse himself of rashnes he saith that the spirite is the authour guide of his iourney But woulde to God those brainsick men who boast that the spirit doth indite to theÌ„ those things which proceed from their own fantasie did know the spirit as familiarly as did Paul who doth notwithstanding not say that al his motions and instigations are of the spirit but declareth that that fel out in one thing as a singuler thing For men do oftentimes foolishly vnaduisedly take in hande those things which they put in practise afterwarde stoutly because they be ashamed of lightnes and vnstabilitie And he doth not only meane that he tooke in hand his iourney for a good cause which the spirit of god sheweth him but that it is altogether necessary for him because it is wickednes to resist Furthermore let vs learne by the example of the holy man not to kick against the spirit of the Lord but obedieÌ„tly to giue ouer our selues by him to be gouerned that he may rule vs at his pleasure after we be as it were bound to him For if the reprobate who are the boÌ„d slaues of SataÌ„ be carried not only willingly but also greedily through his motion how much more ought this voluntary bondage or seruice to be in the children of God 23 But that the holy ghost I do not vnderstand this of secret oracles but of those foretellings which he heard euery where of the Prophets And this speech hath greater dignity to set forth the prophecies then if the men theÌ„selues which spake were called cited to be witnesses For by this meanes the word of God hath his authoritie wheÌ„ we confesse that the spirit of God is the author therof though the ministers be meÌ„ Now for as much as the same spirit which foretelleth Paul of bonds tribulations doth also hold him fast bouÌ„d that he caÌ„not refuse to submit himself vnto him by this we learn that what dangers so euer hang ouer our heads we are not therby acquitted but that we must obey the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of god folow his calling In vain therfore do those meÌ„ flatter theÌ„ selues who wil do good so long as they be free from molestation may make discoÌ„modities damages and dangers of death sufficient excuses 24 I care not Al the godly must be so framed in their minds chiefly the ministers of the word that settiÌ„g al things apart they make hast to obey god The life is indeed a more excelleÌ„t gift theÌ„ that it ought to be neglected to wit seing we be therin created after the image of god to the end we may think vpoÌ„ that blessed immortality which is laid vp for vs in heaueÌ„ in which the lord doth now by diuers testimonies tokeÌ„s shew himself to be our father But because it is ordained to be vnto vs as a race we must alwaâ—â—sten vnto the marke ouercome all hinderances least any thing binder or stay vs in our course For it is a filthy thing for vs to be so holden with a blind desire to liue that we loose the causes of life for life it self this do the words of Paul expresse For he doeth not simplie set light by his life but he doth forget the respect thereof that he may finish his course that he may fulfil the ministery which he hath receiued of Christ as if he should say that he is not desirous to liue saue onely that he may satisfie the calling of God and that therefore it shall bee no griefe to him to loose his life so that hee may come by death vnto the goale of the function prescribed to him by God And we must note that which he saith with ioy for his meaning is that this is taken from the faithful by no sorrow or griefe but that they both liue and die to the Lord. For the ioy of a good coÌ„science is more deeply surely laid vp thaÌ„ that it can be takeÌ„ away by any externall troble or any sorrow of the flesh it triumpheth more ioyfully than that it can be oppressed Also we must note the definition of his course to wit that it is the ministery receiued of the Lord. Paul doth in deed speak of himself yet by his own example he teacheth that all those goe astray who haue not God to be the gouernour of their course Whereupon it followeth that his calling is vnto euery one of vs a rule of good life Neither can we be otherwise perswaded that the Lorde alloweth that which we doe vnlesse our life be framed ordered according to his wil which certainty is required especially in the ministers of the worde that they take nothing in hand vnlesse they haue Christ for their authour Neither is it to be doubted but that Paul in giuing his Apostleship this mark as he vseth to do very often doth confirm the credit thereof He calleth it the Gospel of the grace of God of the effect or end notwithstanding this is a title of rare commendation that by the gospel saluation the grace of god are brought vnto vs. For it is very expedient for vs to know that god is fouÌ„d ther to be merciful fauorable 25 And behold now I know He doeth now vtter that plainely which he had insinuated couertly And wee said that he did put them out of hope of his returne to the end he might more
so For if hee ought to beleeue Paul his wordes euery malefactour might by this shift haue escaped punishment But this was their manner of dealing hee which did say that he was a citizen of Rome vnlesse hee could bryng in some which knewe hym or proue it lawefullie hee was punished For it was death for any man to pretend the freedome of the citie falsly Wherefore the Centurion referreth the matter vnto the chiefe captaine as doubting thereof and he as wee haue said doth streightway examine the matter more throughly And though Luke doeth not expresse by what testimonies Paul did proue himselfe to bee a citizen of Rome yet vndoubtedly the chiefe captaine knewe the truth of the matter before he loosed him 28 With a great summe The chiefe captaine obiecteth this to refute him as if he shoulde say that the freedome of the citie is not so common and easily to be obtayned How can it be that thou beeing some base fellowe of the countrie of the Cilicians shouldest obtayne this honour for which I paid sweetly Whereas Paul maketh answeare that he was free borne who neuer saw the citie yea whose father it may be was neuer there there is no cause why this should trouble any man For those who are skilfull in the Romaine historie knowe that certayne were made free of the citie who dwelt in the prouinces if hauing deserued well of the common wealth or in warre or in other waighty affaires they did desire and craue this rewarde of the deputies so that it is no absurdity to say that he was borne a Citizen of Rome who discending by his ancetors of some prouince farre distant from Rome did neuer set foote in Italy Notwithstanding the question is howe this can hang together that the chiefe captaine was afraide because hee had bounde a Citizen of Rome and yet he did not loose him from his bondes vntill the morrowe It may be that he deferred it till the next daye least he shoulde shew some token of feare Notwithstanding I thinke that the chiefe captaine was afraide because Paul was bounde at his commaundement that he might be scourged because this was to do iniurie to the bodie of a Citizen of Rome and to breake the common liberty and that it was lawfull to put a Romane in prison CHAP. XXIII 1 ANd Paul beheld the Councel stedfastly and said Men brethren I haue serued God vntil this day in all good conscience 2 And the high Priest Ananias commanded those that stoode by him to smite him on the face 3 Then Paul saide to him God will smite thee thou painted wall And thou sittest iudging according to Lawe and transgressing the Lawe Commaundest thou me to be smitten 4 And those which stood by said Railest thou on Gods high priest 5 And Paul saide I wist not brethren that he was the high priest for it is written Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people 1 Looking earnestly Paul beginneth with the testimonie of a good cōscience that al the whole multitude may vnderstand that he is vniustly charged with such an hainous offence as if he had gone about to ouerthrow the woorshippe of God It may be indeed that a man may offend of ignorance who will not otherwise be a contemner either of God or of religion but Paul meant at the first only with this excuse to mollifie their netled mindes that he might the better be heard For it had byn in vaine for him to haue defended himselfe so long as that opinion did sticke in the mindes of the priests that he was a wicked reuolt Therefore before he enter the cause hee excuseth him selfe of that cryme not onely that he may purchase fauour by that desire which he had to liue godlily but also that he may preuent false accusations or at least that he may refute vniust preiudices which might haue made against him wherewith he saw the whole multitude infected and corrupted We know not what he meant to say besides Notwithstanding this preface teacheth that no man can rightly handle the doctrine of godlines vnlesse the feare of God reigne and beare the chief sway in him And now though hee giue not the priestes so honorable a title heere as hee did a little before when he stood vppon the steppes of the fortresse yet he calleth them brethren giuing them that honour not because they deserue it but that hee may testifie that hee is not the cause of the breache of friendship 2 And the chiefe priest Luke his narration seemeth not to agree with the vsuall history For Iosephus writeth thus concerning the high priests of that time that Quadratus deputie of Syria deposing Cumanus from the gouernment of Iudea commanded him to answere for himselfe before Caesar and sent Ananias the highest priest bound with him into whose place who was chosen he maketh no mentiō sauing that it is likely that Ionathas had the honour giuen him who as he reporteth was afterward slaine by the subtlety and trechery of Felix Deputie of Iudea wh succeeded Cumanus For when he had oftentimes told Felix part of his minde and he coulde not away with the constancie of the man he made a compact with one Doras that hee shoulde priuily conuey in murtherers to slea him Then as the same Iosephus doth witnesse King Agrippa made Ismael the sonne of Phebeus priest But when he was sent by the people to Rome about a certaine suite and was kepte there by Popea wife to Nero Agrippa putteth in his place one Iosephus whose name was Chabus the sonne of Simon But immediatly being also weary of him he appointeth Ananus the sonne of Ananus to be high priest Futhermore he saith that this last thing happened at suche time as after the death of Festus Albinus did succeede him And I see not why some call this Ananus Ananias That hath indeed some colour in that he is called a pharisie also in that it is said that he was bold and stout who wythout any lawfull authoritie caused Iames the Lords brother to be stoned But if we giue credaunce to Iosephus he coulde not bee that Ananias of whome mention is made in this place by Luke who was then made priest when manye yeeres were past and gone after that Felix departed out of the prouince I haue another coniecture in my head For there flourished during all that time one Ananias an high prieste who excepting the title of honour was almost chiefe in the order And because Iosephus leaueth some voyde time betweene Ananias and Ismael it may be that this manne had the roome of the highest priest in the meane time But though this were not so it appeareth out of Iosephus that Ananias who died when the Citie was besieged was in the reigne of Claudius Caesar and Nero equall in dignity with the chiefe priestes which were then Yea his authoritie is so highly extolled as if he had had the chiefe gouernement howsoeuer other men did beare the insignes
are in popery whot are quiet only so long as they ioine hand in hand to oppresse the Gospell For which cause the disciples of Christ must be more couragious to foster nourish trueth that being ioyned together they may the better resist Also we gather by this what manner of peace the Scripture commendeth vnto vs. Christ saith that the peace makers are the childreÌ„ of God this is true that they must do what they can Mat. 5.9 to bring all meÌ„ that they may grow together vnder the Lord. Yet this doth not hinder but that we may fighting vnder the banner of the same Lorde as it were with the sound of the trumpet stirre vp the wicked that they may like Madianites one slea another so that both simplicity of zeale Iud. 7.22 the wisedom of the spirit direct vs hither One part were Sadduces We see here again as in a glasse how deformed and confused the ruine of the Church was at that day Faith is the soule of the Church nothing is more proper to faith then agreement nothing more contrary then sects And this thing must needes followe when euery man setting aside the worde of God did draw his disciples vnto his owne inuentions For there is no other holy bond of vnity then the naturall and plaine truth of God So sone as men depart from that no maruell if they bee despearsed and drawne hither and thither like members pulled a sunder Therfore the beginning of sects among the Iewes was the corruption of the law like as the Lord did reueÌ„ge the profanatioÌ„ of his word which was corrupt with diuers inuentions of men with like punishment in popery Wherfore we must the more fear least horrible more lamentable scatterings hang ouer our heads then was that which was in time of popery whereof there appeare some tokens And no maruell seeing we prouoke the Lord to wrath so many wayes with our vnthankefulnesse But though the face of the church be blotted and blurred with manie spottes and blottes and what manner of deformitie soeuer fall out heereafter let vs comfort our selues with this that as God was carefull then to deliuer the church wonderfully from destruction so thorow his grace there shall alwayes some seede continue It cannot bee in deede but that godly mindes will somewhat despaire when they see thinges so farre out of order but let vs learne streightway to holde vp that buckler that the Lorde who in such a thick mist of errours in such an heape of superstitions in the vnbridled licenciousnes of sectes did preserue his Church among the Iewes will neuer suffer the same to bee quite put out wholly in the world The same thing did likewise happen in poperie For when as the worship of God was ouerthrowne there the doctrin of saluation was oppressed the kingdome of Christ was thrown downe and vngodlinesse did openly reigne yet God did saue certaine hidden remnants and there was alwaies some wheat in the chaffe It is very profitable to conferre these examples togither When as wee inueigh at this day against popery the hyred patrons thereof crie out on the otherside that nothing is more absurd thaÌ„ that we should imagine that the Church of God was extinguished during many ages as if wee did imagine that God had no people left when those had forsaken him who ought to haue maintained his pure worshippe Yea we complaine that those tyrants did corrupt the church that the temple was by them profaned so that it did not greatly differ from an hogstie that the flock of Christ was scattered abroad and his sheepfold broken downe Finally that the church was hidden from the eyes of men yet so that the Lorde knew his elect though they were dispearsed and did browd them vnder his wings And by this it appeareth how foolishly the Papists brag and boast of the titles of honour in that not the coÌ„mon sort or any priuate men but the priestes them selues did in times past diuide the Iewishe church by deadly dissention Wherefore there is no cause why we should be afraid stoutly to resist the pride of the Pope and of all his adherents with whom we haue the same cumbate which the prophetes and apostles had with the priestes of their time And as the reuerence of the church did not keep back holie men but that they did molest the tyranny of the wicked priestes so we must not be terrified with vaine visures vnder which the Papists doe vainly boast seeing they haue notwithstanding cast from them the doctrine of godlines It is certaine that the people were then diuided into three sects but Luke doth only make mention of the pharisies and Sadduces omitting the Essenes because it was most fit for his purpose thus to do And though this be the coÌ„mon opinion concerning their names that the former took their name of separating because they withdrew themselues from the company of other men by reason of their feigned holines and that the second sort took their name of righteousnes as if they were called Zeduchim notwithstanding for mine owne part as I haue said elswhere I am rather of their mind who sâ—y that the pharisies took their name of interpreting For Phrus signifieth exposition wherevpon also interpreters are called phruschim we know that the pharisies being not content with the natural doctrine of the law prophets did put in many inuentioÌ„s which they said they receiued of the fathers 8 The Sadduces say Though Luke maketh mention of 3. points wherein these sects did dissent yet shortly after he bringeth them to 2. because there is like respect to be had of spirits of Angels Therefore he saith that the Pharisees did confesse both to wit that the dead shall rise againe and that humane and angelicall spirites are immortall And here Luke declareth in what sense the Apostle professed himselfe to bee a Pharisee not because he did subscribe to all their inuentions but only in the resurrection of the dead We know howe sharply Christe reproueth their errours therefore it had been good that some exception had byn added least any man might thinke that Paul was one with them in all thinges Now though the Saduces did denie the resurrection yet may we not thinke that they were altogether like to the Epicures Mat. 22.29 For they did confesse that the world is gouerned by the prouidence of God and that euery man is rewarded for his workes In this point they wer sounder then the Epicures But they did dote too grosly when they included the rewards of righteousnesse the punishments of wickednes in this life For that I may omit the scripture experience doeth teach that as well the godlie as the vngodly are either punished with many miseries or els gently dealt withall and that the wicked doe oftentimes liue in wealth and pleasures when as the worshippers of God are oftentimes miserably tormented as it is Psalm 73. Psal 73.4 Therefore whosoeuer esteemeth the
gather that his cause is approued of God Therefore there is in these wordes a secreat commendation of the Gospell Neuerthelesse wee see how Paul triumpheth in his bonds when hee is the minister of safetie to so manie men and the interpreter of God 24 Feare not Paule Hee is verie desirous to bring to passe that they may giue God alone the praise for their deliuerance least these superstitious men doe falsely translate it vnto their idols and by this meanes hee inuiteth them vnto the true faith But by this it appeareth howe great the mens wickednesse is in that they shut their eares against sounde and wholsome counsell and doe forthwith forgette the grace of God though it were familiarly knowne to them Yea that which worse is they doe not see nor perceiue it when it is present before their eies But howsoeuer the more parte was vnthankefull yet this Oracle was not reuealed without fruite yea this was good that those might bee made without excuse who did flatter themselues too much in their deceipte And seeing it was saide that hee must bee presented before Cesar it tended to this ende that his confession might the more strengthen the godlie when as they shoulde knowe that hee came foorth from God as a witnesse to confirme and auouche the doctrine of the Gospel and that hee was appointed and saued to that end Hath giuen thee all the soules Luke seemeth to giue vs to vnderstande by these wordes that Paule prayed not onelie for himselfe but also for the rest that God woulde saue them all from drowning And surelie it is likelie that seeing hee sawe the daunger common to them all hee was not so carefull for his owne life that hee cared not for the rest whom hee sawe in like daunger Notwithstanding it may bee that the Lorde did of his owne accorde preuent his prayers Neither is it any newe thing that his blessing shoulde reach euen vnto the vnworthie who are ioyned to the faithfull with any societie So hee woulde haue saued Sodome if there had beene tenne good men founde there Heere ariseth a question howe farre the integritie of the saints doth profite the wicked First wee must remoue the superstition of the Papistes who when they heare that God is good to the badde for the goods sake dreame that they bee mediatours who obtaine saluation for the worlde through their merites And they bee twise fooles in that that they applie these titles of the lyuing vnto the deade and thinke that God will bee fauourable to them for no other cause saue onelie because he beholdeth them and therefore they make them their patrons I omit that that by extolling mens merites they darken the free goodnesse of God Nowe that wee may aunswere the question propounded wee must briefely note this that for as much as the good are mixed with the badde as well prosperitie as aduersitie doeth happen as well to the one as to the other and yet it falleth out sometimes that when the Lorde doeth spare his he beareth also with the wicked for a time togither with them Againe that there bee manie causes for which God doeth good to the wicked and reprobate for the faithfuls sake Hee blessed the house of Putiphar for Iosephs sake that hee might mooue him to handle this holy man gentlie Gen. 39.5 Hee declared his good will towarde Paule in sauing manie men that he might beare witnesse of his godlinesse that the maiestie of the Gospell might thereby appeare more plainely But we must note this that whatsoeuer benefits God bestoweth vppon the wicked they turne at length to their destruction as on the other side punishmentes are profitable for the godlie which they suffer togither with the reprobate In the meane season this is a singular pledge of Gods loue toward vs in that he maketh certaine droppes of his goodnesse distil from vs vnto others 25 For I beleeue God Paul telleth them againe whence hee had such boldnes that he affirmeth that though they be amidst infinite gulfes of the sea yet shall they all come safe to the hauen namely because God had promised it shuld be so in which words the nature of faith is expressed when there is a mutuall relation made betweene it and the worde of God that it may strengthen mens minds against the assalts of temptations And he doth not only exhort the mariners by his own example to beleue but doth as it were take vpon him the office of a promiser that he may winne credite to the Oracle That which followeth immediatly touching the I le is a latter signe whereby it may more plainly appeare after the ende of the matter that this their sailing was not vncertaine otherwise it had bin to no end for the mariners to know how they should escape Therefore we see how God doth giue that safetie which he promised a marke that it may not seeme to come by chance Notwithstanding wee must note that God kept them still in some doubt partly that he may exercise the faith of his seruant partly that they may all knowe that Paul learned that of the holy Ghost which hee could not as yet comprehend by mans reason Notwithstanding Luke teacheth in the text it selfe that he was not beleeued for al this For seing the mariners thought that there began some countrie to appeare vnto them it did not agree with the promise made touching their arriuing in an I le Therefore wee see howe that they were scarce enforced euen by experience to thinke that he spake the truth 30 And as the mariners sought The grace of the holie spirit appeareth in Paul euen in this point also in that he did wisely admonish that the mariners shoulde not bee suffered to flie For why doeth not rather the Centurion or some other of the companie smell out their fraude saue onely that Paul may be the minister of their deliuerance euen vnto the end But it is a maruel that he saith that the rest could not be saued vnlesse the mariners shoulde remaine in the shippe As if it were in their power to make the promise of God of none effect I aunswere that Paul doeth not dispute in this place precisely of the power of God that hee may seperate the same from his will and from meanes and surely God doth not therefore commend his power to the faithfull that they may giue themselues to sluggishnesse and carelesnesse contemning meanes or rashly cast away themselues when there is some certaine way to escape God did promise Ezechias that the citie shoulde be deliuered If he had set open the gates to the enimie would not Iesaias straightway haue cried Isai 37.6 35. thou destroyest both thy selfe and the Cittie And yet for all this it doeth not followe that the hande of God is tied to meanes or helpes but when God appointeth this or that meanes to bring anie thing to passe hee holdeth all mans senses that they may not passe the bounds which he hath appointed
wer growen out of kinde religion was depraued and corrupted among them with many errours yet the very name of the lawe and the worship of the temple were greatly reuerenced Furthermore Paul denieth not but that he did freely omit those ceremonies whereto the Iewes were superstitiously tied yet he cleereth himselfe of the crime of reuolting whereof he might be suspected Therefore vnderstande those ordinances of the fathers whereby the children of Abraham and the disciples of Moses ought according to their faith to haue beene distinguished from the rest of the Gentiles And surely in that he did cleeue so holily to Christe who is the soule and perfection of the lawe hee is so farre from impairing the ordinances of the fathers that none did better obserue the same 19 I was enforced to appeale This appeale was full of hatred and enuie for this cause because the authoritie and libertie of the Iewish nation did seeme to be sore opprest who coulde haue been content to haue liued with their owne lawes Secondly because his defence was ioyned with infamie losse of all the people Therfore he answereth this obiectioÌ„ also because he was enforced with the stubbornnes of his enemies to flie to this fortresse For he is excused by necessitie because hee had no other way to escape death And after that hee had excused that which was done alreadie he promiseth that he wil so handle his matter hereafter that he will not labour against the Iewes 20 For the hope of Israel Wee must vnderstande much more vnder these wordes then Luke expresseth as we gather out of the answer where the Iewes speak of the sect to wit repeating his speeche which Luke omitteth Therfore Paul entreated of Christ that it migh plainlie appeare that neither the lawe nor the temple did profite the Iewes anye thing without him because the couenaunt of adoption is grounded in him and the promise of saluation is in him confirmed Neither did they doubt but that the restoring of the kingdome did depend vpon the comming of the Messias and euen at that time their miserie and decay did increase the hope and desire of him Wherefore Paul saieth for good causes that he is bounde for the hope of Israel Whereby we be also taught that no man doth hope aright but hee which looketh vnto Christ and his spirituall kingdome for when he placeth the hope of the godly in Christ he excludeth all other hopes 21 But they said vnto him wee neither receiued letters from Iudea touching thee neither did any of the brethren come and shewe vs or speake any euill of thee 22 But we will heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning that sect we know that it is spoken against euery where 23 And when they had appointed him a day many came to him to his lodging to whom he expounded and testified the kingdome of God and persuaded them of Iesus out of the lawe of Moses and out of the prophetes from morning till night 24 And certaine beleeued those things which were spoken but certaine beleeued not 21 Neither by letters The Priestes and Scribes did not hold their peace because they were become more gentle towarde Paule or to the end they might spare him that proceeded rather of coÌ„tempt or els of despaire because they neither knew how to oppresse him when he was so farre from them and his carrying into Italie was to them in steede of a graue For they did lord it no lesse carelesly then proudly so that no body did trouble them at home Furthermore though the Iewes come not altogether rightly prepared to heare yet they shewe some desire to learne when as they doe not refuse to heare the defence of his doctrin which is spoken against euery where For many doe stop the way before themselues with this preiudice because they cannot abide to hear that which is refused by common iudgement but subscribe to the opinion of other men to the condemning of doctrine which they know not Neuerthelesse this is not without fault as I said that they obect gain-saying to cause hatred or to procure euill suspition as if it had not beene said before by Isaias that god should be a stone of offence to al the people It is vncertaine whether vpon the day appointed Paule disputed all the day or they reasoned one with another saue only because we may gesse by the circumstance of time that Paul did not continue speaking still For he could scarse haue framed a speech which could haue continued from morning to night Wherefore I doe not doubt but that after the Apostle had briefly expounded the summe of the gospel he graunted libertie to the hearers to propound questions did make answere to the questions which wer obiected to him But we must note the state of the disputatioÌ„ which Luke saith is double For Paul taught first after what sort the kingdome of God was amoÌ„gst them and principally what manner chiefe felicitie and glory that was which was promised to theÌ„ which the prophets doe so highly extoll For seeing that many of them did dreame of a fraile estate of the kingdome of God in the world did place the same falsly in idlenesse pleasure and in plentie of present good things it was necessary that it should be rightly defined that they might know that the kingdome of God is spirituall whose beginning is newnesse of life and the end thereof blessed immortalitie and the heauenly glory Secondy Paule exhorted them to receiue Christe the authour of the promised felicitie And againe this second point had two members for it could not be handled profitably and soundly vnlesse he did expound the office of the promised redeemer secondly vnlesse he did shewe that he is alreadie giuen and that the sonne of Mary is he in whom the Father 's hoped It was in deed a common maxime among the Iewes that the Messias should come and restore all things into perfect order But Paul laboured another point which was not so well knowen that the Messias was promised who should with the sacrifice of his death make satisfaction for the sinnes of the world who should reconcile GOD to men who should purchase eternal righteousnes who should fashion meÌ„ after the image of God being regenerate with his spirit who should finally make his faithful seruants heires with him of eternally life And that all those thinges were fulfilled in the person of Iesus Christe crucified He could not entreat of those things but he must needes call backe the Iewes from their grosse and earthly inuentions into heauen and also take away the stumbling blocke of the crosse seeing he taught that there was no other way or meanes whereby we are reconciled with God And let vs note that as Luke doth testifie Paul tooke all that which he spake of Christe out of the law and prophets For true religion differeth from all feigned religâ—ons because the worde of God alone is the rule thereof Also the church of
god differeth from all profane sects in this bicause it heareth him speake alone and is gouerned by his commandement And now by this we see the agreement that is between the olde and the newe testaments to establish the faith of Christ secondly that double profit of the scripture which the same Paul commendeth in another place to wit that it is sufficient as well to instruct those which are willing to learne as to refute the stubbornnesse of those which set themselues against the truth 2. Tim. 3.16 Tit. 1.9 Therefore let those who desire to be wise with with sobrietie and to teach others wel appoint thēselues these bounds that they vtter nothing but out of the pure fountaine of the worde The philosophers deale otherwise who contend only with reasons because they haue no sound authority whom the papists imitate too much who set apart the oracles of God and leane only to the inuentions of mans braine that is too meere folly 24 Some beleeued Luke declareth that this was at length the successe of the disputation that they did not al profite in the same doctrin We know that the apostle was indued with such grace of the spirit that he ought to haue moued stories and yet hee could not after long disputing and testifiyng winne all men vnto Christ Wherefore let vs not maruell if the vnbeliefe of many doe at this day resist the plaine doctrine of the Gospell and if many remaine obstinate to whom the truth of Christ is no lesse made manifest then the sunne at moone day Moreouer those returne frō Paul blinde blockish who came vnto him willingly as if they had bin desirous to learne If there were such stubbornnesse in voluntarie hearers what maruell is it if those refuse Christe with a malicious minde who swell with pride and malice and do openly flie and hate the light 25 And when they could not agree they departed after that Paul had spoken one word well spake the holy ghost by Iesaias to our fathers 26 Saying Goe to this people and say ye shal heare with your eares and not vnderstande and seeing yee shall see and not perceiue 27 For the hearte of this people is waxed grosse and their eares are dull with hearing and with their eyes they haue winked least at any time they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their heart they be conuerted and I heale them 28 Bee it knowen therefore vnto you that this saluation of God is sent to the Gentiles and they shall heare it 29 And when he had said these thinges the Iewes went out from him and had great reasoning among themselues 30 And Paul remained two yeeres full in a thing hee had hired for himself he receiued all those which came in vnto him 31 Preaching the kingdome of God and teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus with all boldnesse and no man did let him 25 And when they could not The malice and frowardnesse of the vnfaithfull is the cause of this that Christ who is our peace and the only bond of holy vnitie is an occasion of dissention and doth cause those to goe togeather by the eares who were friends before For behold whē the Iewes come together to heare Paul they thinke all one thing and speake all one thing they doe all professe that they embrace the law of Moses So soone as they heare the doctrine of reconciliation there ariseth dissentiō among thē so that they are diuided And yet for al this we must not think that the preaching of the Gospel is the cause of discord but that priuie displesure which lurked before in their malicious minds doth then breake out and as the brightnesse of the sunne doth not colour things otherwise then they were but doth plainely shew the difference which was none so long as it was dark Therfore seeing God doth illuminate his elect peculiarly and faith is not common to all men let vs remember that it cannot be but that so soone as Christe commeth abroad there will be a diuisiō among men But thē let vs cal to mind that which Simon foretold of him that he shall be a signe which shall be spoken against that the thoughts of many hearts may be disclosed Luc. 2.34.35 that vnbeleef which striueth against God is the mother of dissention After that Paul At the first hee went about to allure them meekelie and gently now so soon as he espieth their obstinacie he inueigheth sharply doth seuerely denounce the iudgement of God for the rebellious must be handeled thus whose pride cannot bee tamed with plaine doctrine The same order must wee keep wee must gently gouerne those who are apt to be taught gentle but we must cite the stubborne vnto Gods iudgement seat Whereas hee bringeth in rather the holy Ghoste speaking thē the prophet it maketh to the credite of the oracle For seing God requireth that he alone bee heard doctrine cannot otherwise be of authoritie then if we know that it did proceed from him and that it did not issue out of mans braine Againe hee declareth therewithall that the stubbornesse of one age only is not there noted but that the oracle of the spirite is extended vnto the time to come 26 Go to this people This is a notable place Mat. 13.14 Ioh. 12.40 Rom. 11.8 Mark 4.12 Luk. 8.10 because it is cited sixe times in the new Testament but because it is brought in els where to an other end wee must marke for what purpose Paul applyeth it vnto the present cause Namely hee meant with this as with a mallet to beat in peeces the hardnesse and frowardnesse of the wicked and to incourage the faithfull who were as yet weak and tender least the vnbeliefe of others should trouble them Therefore the sum is that that was fulfilled which was foretold by the prophet that therfore there is no cause why the reprobate should flatter themselues or that the faithfull should be terrified as it wer with som new and vnwonted thing And though it be certain that this blindnesse whereof the prophet spake began in his time yet Iohn sheweth that it did properly appertaine vnto the kingdome of Christ Therefore Paul doth fitly applie it vnto that contempt of the Gospel which hee saw as if he should haue said this is the very same thing which the holy ghost foretold in times past by the mouth of Isaias And though this place be diuersly applyed not only by the Euangelists but also by Paule himselfe the shewe of contrarietie is easily put away and aunsweared Matthew Marke and Luke say that this prophesie was fulfilled when Christ spake by parables vnto the people and did not reueale to them the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen For then the vnfaithful hard the voice of God with their outward eares but they did not profit therby Iohn saith in a sense not much vnlike to this that the Iewes wer not