is it seene in thys present Booke where in the report of the Apostles actes and description of the primitiue Church Luke alwayes ioyneth these two thinges togyther that is to say the successe of Christes kingdome and the furious rage of the vngodly against the same These thinges serue to the ende that we should neyther be offended at the Crosse and aduersitie whereof Christ so often tymes hath gyuen vs warning neyther hope for anye contynuall peace and tranquillitie of the Church in thys worlde but that we should euen then prepare our selues to the crosse when the Church seemeth to be most in safetie Wherevnto thys present hystorie is chiefely to be referred For Luke a little before setteth forth vnto vs a flowrishing state of the Church shewing vs what aâ—thoritie it grewe in and how it increased day by day in so much that the Citie of Ierusalem was nowe to little to conteyne the kingdome of Christ bicause it began to be caryed abroad among straunge Nations But among these so many and prosperous proceedings there foloweth a grieuous persecution and great daunger bicause Christ gaue his enimies such power that they layde handes on the Apostles and put them in prison thinking also to put them vnto death Yet these things serue more to comfort vs than to feare vs bicause the Lorde so presently helped the Apostles being in daunger for the glorie of his name But that we maye receaue the more vtilitie and profite hereby first we must consider the enimies of Christ and the Apostles Then howe the Lorde did elude and frustrate their enterprise And last of all we will declare what the Apostles did after they were delyuered from the perill they were in Luke wryteth diligently of the enimies and persecutours of the church and of their enterprises For he sayth the high priest rose vp agaynst the Apostles and not he alone but all his complyces and fellowes and they that were his nearest friendes and familiars and these sayth he were of the Sadduceyes secte that we may perceaue what corruption raigned nowe among the Iewes when they were supreame heades of the Church to whome the resurrection of the dead which is the chiefe article of our fayth and religion seemed but a game and pastime as we haue often tymes declared And surely if they had not bene vtterly voyde of all religion eyther the sinceritie of the Apostles doctrine or the reuerente maiestie of the congregation or the wonderfull worthynesse of myracles and so great concursse of all sortes of people to the kingdome of Christ might haue mooued them lesse to haue raged But Luke declareth also what incensed them For he sayth they were full of zeale that is enuie and indignation For they could not abyde them to be had in prise and estimation by whose doctrine theyr honor and aduauntage was defaced Yet is it no doubt but they made the zeale of God and the publike commoditie of all the people to be the pretence of their priuate affections as we reade Caiaphas and his complyces did before Wherevnto came this zeale so farre that they layde hands on the Apostles and commaunded them to the common gayle as breakers of publike peace and open malefactours These things must be applyed to our times also bicause it is manifest al things are written for our sakes that we may haue enstruction and comfort thereby First this example teacheth vs who are alwayes like to be the greatest persecutors of Christes truth Truely they which glorie in the tytle of Priesthoode and will be taken for the chiefe heades of the Church and ought chiefely to maintaine and preach the truth But as soone as vnder pretence of Religion they beginne to seeke their owne gayne and lucre then can they neyther beleue themselues nor yet suffer the light of the truth whose brightnesse discloseth their naughtinesse and deceit And such for the most parte are these Sadduceis yea the Hogges of Epicures hearde For vnlesse they thought the thinges written in Scripture touching Heauen and Hell the immortalitie of the soules and the resurrection of the deade more vaine than fables they woulde neuer neyther so wickedly corrupte the scriptures with their traditions nor yet so impudently turne relygion into priuate lucre and aduantage Therefore Christ and the Apostles shewe vs how Antichrists place and Sea should be euen in the very church that we might perceyue from whence most daunger were to be looked for and feared And if we well marke these tymes it shall appeare they onely haue bene the enimies of the doctrine of the Gospell and kingdome of Christ which heretofore haue bene thought to be the chiefe heades of the Church For it is euident that the matters attempted by Princes and Kings were done for their sakes and by their procurement and instigation This thing offendeth many in these daies and make them thinke that the doctrine in our Churches is not the truth bycause the Popes and Byshoppes are enimies thereto But great folly it is to be offended with that which hath bene the most vsuall and common thing since the worlde beganne as other wher 's hath bene declared But we must as diligently consider wyth what craft and weapons these men fight Where first is to be noted howe egregiouslye they can counterfaite the zeale of God whose glorie they lament to be troden vnder foote and his Church to be so daungerously deuided But this is but a corrupt zeale as we see in Caiaphas to whome the confession of truth which Christ vttered seemed blasphemous and intollerable So nothing seemeth so impious and intollerable to these our heades as that that tasteth of the truth of the Gospell and is repugnant to their proude tyrannye and aduauntage And it appeareth euen by this place that we ought to haue no better iudgement of the zeale of our enimies bicause that as the Bishops of the Iewes coulde beare with the madde errours of the Saduceyes so they woulde helpe to bring downe Christ so these men can beare with the wicked sale and marte of holye things condemned by the Popes owne Canons with the scorcing of Gods doctrine with horrible periurye whoredome and all kinde of vnbridled lyuing so that those things that pertaine to their vaineglory and aduauntage might be left alone vntouched But to graunt them that in deede they haue a zeale to the glory of God yet can they not be excused but are lyke vnto the Iewes which as Paule sayth had a zeale of God but yet were voyde of all knowledge and truth For GOD will not haue vs followe our owne zeale but his woorde which for this cause he hath witsafed to reueale to all ages to the intent no man should followe the suggestions of the fleshe and wisedome of man But what maner of zeale these men had may be iudged by the successe of the thing For they that were Stewardes of the worde of God and ought with argumentes of Scripture to haue
priest But when God afterward vnder the law would haue these offices seuered yet ordeyned he a great coniunction and amitie betweene the kinges and priestes least eyther the kings shoulde reigne without religion or the Priestes by them not cared for and regarded might at the pleasure of wicked men bee misused Wherevnto also maye be referred howe God when he first gaue his lawe vnto the Iewes chose Moses and Aaron which were brothers germaine committed to the one the charge of the Tabernacle and Gods whole seruice and to the other the ordering of the common weale therby teaching vs that then both Churches and common weales are in most safetye when brotherly concord and agreement is betweene both these administrations This thing all those iudges and kinges well perceyued which are commended in the Scriptures for their well gouerning the common wealth Such as we reade chiefly Gedeon Samuel Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias were with whome if a man would compare the residue that the holy ghost hath noted as naught he shall find this to bee the cause as well of priuate as publike calamitie that they haue thought the worde of GOD and care of religion hath eyther nothing belonged vnto them or else that they might dallye and playe with the same at their pleasure And if we will reade the Hystoryes of the Gentyles it shall appeare they were woonderfullye deceyued in the knowledge of the true GOD and that therefore they polluted the seruice of God with horrible errours And yet they firmelye helde this as a generall rule and principle that common weales coulde not be happely gouerned without the true worshippe of God and knowledge of his will which was the cause that they greatly reuerenced the Philosophers as professours of rare and singuler wisedome and in doubtfull affayres asked counsell at the Gods and in erecting of Temples Altars and Images to them spared no kinde of lauishe and cost Uerilye the people of Athens whose Citie was compted as a publike vniuersâ—tie and schoole of wisedome so thought the care of religion belonged vnto them that amonge the articles of publike othe ministred to their Citizens this was the chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say for the Temples and seruice of the Coddes I will fight both alone and in company These menne thought that whosoeuer were desirous eyther of publike peace or priuate thryft ought to haue a speciall regarde of Gods honor Let no man therefore accuse me of temeritie if I saye that such are destitute of common sense and blinder than the prophane Gentyles which crie out the care of the Churche and religion belongeth not to temporall Magistrates and rulers And I thinke I shall not do much amisse if I say that such are to be auoided as the publike and open enimies of mankind For take away religion from man and what shal remaine wherin he shall differ from the brute beasts â–ª we see in them like motions of affections as are in wild beasts And if they were not bridled with the feeling of religion they woulde burst out at euerye occasion and the more they are armed with authoritie and with the sword the more harme they woulde doe Therfore that we offende not through the bolde and preposterous wisedome of the flesh it shall be verie profitable to haue a true paterne and forme of a Church for men to follow in their Councels that desire eyther to mainteyne the Church or else to reforme it being fallen in decay This paterne the holy scriptures in euerie place set out vnto vs and while the lawe endured it did set forth vnto vs all the partes thereof vnder the figure of the Tabernacle and in the time of the Prophetes vnder the allegorie of a spouse a flocke a vineyarde the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem A most absolute and euident paterne or President of the Church this booke comprehendeth and setteth foorth vnto vs declaryng that the same so grewe and increased as the Prophetes once described it vnto vs bicause none shall saye that we still had in our mouth such a Church as neyther was euer vpon the earth or euer shall bee as wise men vsed sometymes to saye of Plato his common weale For although wee shall hereafter see the accomplishment and full perfection of the church in heauen yet doth this booke set before vs such a president therof that whosoeuer frame themselues thereafter shall be members of that heauenly and perfite church and shall also vnderstand what way is best to take in preseruing and reforming their Churches and shall be offended at no chaunces of aduersitie nor yeelde to the dreames of such as obtrude vnto vs a straunge forme of Church saying our predecessours wanted many things which holye fathers afterwarde ordeyned and were receyued and established by authoritie of generall Councels For where this booke conteyneth in it an Hystorie of about xxviâ—j yeares settyng out vnto vs the Actes done in the Church ouer all the worlde besides the sermons of the Apostles their Counselles their sayings and doyngs aswell publike as priuate opened in a plaine and sufficient narration or discourse who will not say but hee is impudent that will affirme there are diuers other thinges necessarie vnto saluation which wee knowe the true Christian Church in the Apostles tyme had not Furthermore what arrogancie were it to contende with the Apostles whome the sonne of God appoynted to bee the teachers of all the worlde and to be witnesses of his doings as though wee were able of our selues to inuent or deuise a more absolute and perfite thing than they It shall also be very profitable to marke the trade and order of this Primitiue Church as out at a loupe or creuise and the chiefe poyntes thereof which Luke sayth sprang first of the word of God after Christ was ascended into heauen and from thence had sent his holy spirite through whose inspiration the Apostles beganne to preach the Gospell vnto the worlde and to bring disciples or beleeuers vnto christ Wherevppon wee gather that they which either will be members of Christes Church their selues or bring other to the communion and felowshippe thereof must beginne with the wholesome doctrine of the worde of god For where by byrth we are the children of wrath wee must needes be regenerated from aboue to become the children of god The seede of this regeneration is the eternall worde of God which beeing preached by the ministerie of man but quickened in the myndes of the hearers by the power of the spirite renueth the whole nature of man so that his fleshe being mortified he lyueth onely vnto GOD through Christ who not long before being estraunged from God lyued vnto sinne And the Apostles taught but one vniforme doctrine of the worde in all places the which worde Christ himselfe distributed into hys partes when he first commaunded repentaunce to be preached in his name and then next forgiuenesse of sinnes And although the Apostles had not alwayes
Saintes companye how profitable it is 879 Saintes how much wee must attribute to them 161 Saintes are tryed with feare 684 Sapphira maketh an impotent and bolde lye 229 Sapphira ignoraunt of hir husbands death for a season and why 232 Sapphiras wickednesse reproued by Peter ibidem Sapphira punished as was hir husbande 237 Satan put men out of the waye of saluation 576 577 Satan can doe nothing against man but by gods permission 410 Satan hath his instrumentes euerye where 576 Satan throwne out by the name of Christ. 629 Satan what traines he vseth to establishe his kingdome among men Pag. 627 Satan howe hee is sayde to fill the heartes of the vngodlye 230 Satan beareth witnesse to the truth Pag. 628.629 Satans â—lightes must be taken heede of 577 Satans effectes in Hypocrites and in the wicked 230 Satans propertie 357 Satans pollicie 576 Saule receyueth a two folde answere of the Lorde 395 Saule persecuting the faythfull persecuteth Christ. 790 Saule an example of a cruel tyraunt Pag. 390.359 Saule truely called a rauening wolfe Pag. 357 Saule set forth for a peculiar example of Gods goodnesse and grace Pag. 394.395 Saule authorised by the Priestes to playe the Tyraunt 390 Saule when he was conuerted 392 Saule how he was conuerted ibideÌ„ Saule a president of tyranny 390 Saules conuerting to Christ historised 392 Saules ende and purpose 391 Saule the persecutor described 390 Saule the persecutors punishment Pag. 394 Saules saluation must be attributed to the grace of God onely 395 S ante C Schisme beginners are the byshops of Rome 194 Schooles foundations 49.84 Schooles needefull 509 Sclaunders wherewith Ministers are charged 467 Sclaunders must Christians put away and defende their good name Pag. 91 Sclaunders maye lawfullye be aunswered to ibidem Sclaunder or offence ibidem Scripture is of it selfe of credyte and auctoritie sufficyent 867 Scripture is enspired of God. 54 Scripture conteyneth al thing needefull for vs to beleue and obserue 7 Scripture of the olde and newe Testamentes pertayneth to all them that loue God. ibdem. Scripture must be expounded 647 Scriptures authoritie and certaynetye 897 Scripture must bee interpreted by conference of places 127 Scripture with what minde men must reade it 62 Scripture must be elucidated wyth interpretations 398 Scripture containeth the knowledge of the true God. 571 S ante E Sectes cause of discention among the Iewes 803 Securitie or carelesnesse must bee auoyded 269 Sedition described 722 Sedition happily ended 653 Sedition ended with ioye 653 Sedicion soone appeased 728 Sedition beginners who 770 In sedicion what christians must do Pag. 725 Seditious persons but fewe in number maye be authors of manifolde euilles 724 Sermons ought to beginne and ende with prayers 754 Seruers of tyrauntes turnes what they may looke for 504 S ante H Shipwrake described and the number of them that were in the shippe Pag. 885 A true sheapeheardes example 764 Shooes putting of what it meaneth Pag. 328 S ante L Sleepinesse or drowsinesse of churchmen 733 Slouthfulnesse of men in our dayes Pag. 272 Slouthfull men reprehended 890 Sluggishnesse and ydlenesse 653 S ante I Signes externe seale the interne and spirituall gyftes of God. 304.305 Signes visible of the presence of the holy ghost 82 Signes that God sheweth must bee dilygently considered 158 Signes externe are not sufficient to saluation 305 Signes called after the names of the things that they signifie 80.290 Signes haue muche lykenesse wyth the thinges that they signifie 80 Signes are diuerse 159 Signes to what vse they serue 359 Signes must not haue to much attributed to them 305 Sticking to signes is the beginning of ydolatrie 158 Simon how he tooke Peters expostulation 374 Simon Magus beleeueth and is baptised 367 Simon Magus an example of an hipocrite and a deceyuour 268 Simon Magus his sinne 370 Simons of our dayes 371 Simplicitie of the fayth 672 S ante O Solomon for his wiues sake that were aliauntes buylded Temples Pag. 340 Solomons wish 20 Sole or single lyfe maintayners 46 Soules of men vnder the protection of God. 119 S ante P Spirites appearing what wee ought to iudge of it 762 Spirite of Christ author of concorde and holynesse 78 Spirite of Christe his efficacy how great it is in men 155 Spirite of Christ in whome it raigneth 90 Spirites of the disseassed walke not Pag. 500 Spirite signified by the blowing of the winde and for what cause 79 Spirite of Christ so delyuereth vs from fearâ— that wee dare boldelye confesse Christ. 86 Spirite of God is from euerlasting Pag. 74 Spirite why it was promised to the Apostles 19 Spirite teacheth vs to reason of Gods doings and to call vpon him for helpe 84 Spirite of God wrought in the Apostles 74 Spirite of God spake by the Apostles 8 Spirite of Christ maketh men bolde in the confession of Christ. 85 Spirite of God altereth and enformeth tongues and for what causes Pag. 84 Spirite is the promise of the father Pag. 18 Spirite when he was sent 75 Spirite what daye he was sent to the Apostles ibi Spirite how he must be receyued 77 Spirite how he is giuen to whom Pag. 94 Spirite how he is sent 78 Spirite in what scence it is sayde to be sent to the Fathers 18.19 Spirite often promised and wherefore 74 Spirite where it was giuen ibidem Spirite sent visibly for what cause Pag. 78 Spirites effect in the Apostles and their hearers 82 Spirites effectes common to all beleeuers 96 Spirite how necessarie and to what vse in men 78 Spirites inuincible power 558 Spirites sending and Christes ascention ioyned togyther 124 Spirites sending called by the name of baptisme 21 Spirite promised Christ confirmeth by an argument taken from baptisme and the argument explicated ib. Spirites operation and giftes 77 Spirites effectuous operation 124 Spirites effectes in these dayes why they be so rare 258 Spirite promysed serueth for our comfort and instruction 19 Spirites power can not be comprehended nor hindred by any man. 80 Spirite howe the Apostles are sayde to haue receyued 74 Spirite must bee receyued of men with great preparation 77 Spirite of Satan what it doth in vncleane persons 85 Spirite of the olde and newe testament is but one 76 S ante T Steuen accused of impietie and stubbornenesse and vpon what occasion 288 Steuen accused of blasphemye against God and his lawe 292 Steuen by slaunders and false witnesse brought in hatred with all the people 287 Steuen instructed by the holy Ghost sheweth himselfe a fine disputer and abolde ibid. Steuen readye to yelde vp his lyfe is comforted by a vision and what that vision teacheth vs. 334 Steuen is without feare though in daunger of death 290 Steuen went not about to abrogate the lawe 351 Steuen prooueth that the cerimoniall lawe is abrogated ibid. Steuen deserued the crowne of martirdome 357 Steuen what he did at his death 355 Steuen no dispiser of Moses 321 Steuen blasphemed not the Temple and holy place nor the outwarde seruise 345
teacheth vs in euery place that hee is gyuen to vs a King and a Priest but chieflye Dauid So as he was King he gaue vs Lawes of lyfe euerlasting and made his expedition as it were into this worlde to fight against Sathan the common enimie of mankinde ouercame him and set vs at libertie which were tyed fast in the chaines of our sinne Furthermore of his liberalitie more than royall he abundantly enriched all that beleeue in him with the treasures of the kingdome of Heauen Moreouer by his Priesthood he taught vs he prayed for vs and for al them which hanged him on the Crosse and he offred his body bloud which he tooke of vs to be a sufficient sacrifice and acceptable to God for our sinnes Hereunto serued the myracles by the which he thought to bring men to the obedience of faith and to teache the simple thereby how to know him The other place he assigneth for Doctrine wherin the reason of all the things done by Christ is declared In the meane season we must not thinke Luke in vaine to haue ioyned Workes and Doctrine togyther comprehending in these twoo woordes all that concerneth christ For he teacheth that in the consideration of Christ these twoo must needes be ioyned togither For except wee consider hys doctrine with hys woorkes they shall no more auayle vs to the knowledge of saluation than the thinges done by any other liuyng a thousand fiue hundred yeares past and more But if we consider his doctrine we shall vnderstand that all these thinges were wrought for our sakes that saluation might happen to vs through the benefite of Christ our Redeemer Also the consideration of hys woorkes shall bring credite and authoritie to his doctrine forasmuch as they beare most manifest witnesse of hys diuine power and Godhead as Christ him selfe teacheth saying the woorkes which the Father hath giuen mee to finishe the same woorkes that I doe beare witnesse of mee that the Father hath sent mee And againe If I doe not the woorkes of my Father beleeue me not but if I doe them and if you beleeue not mee beleeue the woorkes that yee may know and beleeue that the Father is in mee and I in him With these woordes are the counterfait Christians of this worlde impeached who beleeue all the workes of Christ and furnished with an Hystoricall faith vse to praise all the things that euer he did or suffered but when it commeth to the poynt to beleeue in one Christ and the saluation obtayned by his onely merite then as though they had forgotten theyr former fayth they turne an other way and seeke infinite meanes besides Christ to attayne to saluation by These men doe as they which being allured with the testimonye of common reporte of friendship or familiarity greatly extoll the Science of Phisicke but when they fall sicke refuse to vse the same thereby plainely declaring that they distrust both the Arte and knowledge of Phisicke Euen so that which these men confesse of Christ with theyr mouth they denie in deede The cause of this hurtfull wauering is none other but this for that they consider Christes bare woorkes whereby they are mooued somewhat to marueyle at them but that marueyle endureth not forasmuch as it wanteth the proppe of doctrine and is ignorant of the ende of them Whereas if they would heare Christes teaching they should perceyue that these myracles were wrought and described to the intent that in him onely wee should repose all hope of our saluation For this is his saying I am the waye the light and the truth No man commeth to the Father but through mee Whosoeuer drinketh of this elementall water drawne by his owne strength shall thirst againe But whosoeuer shall drinke of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are laden and I shall refreshe you Furthermore it is to be considered that Luke maketh Christes ascention the very ende and bounde of the story of the Gospell For he saith that he hath spoken in the first Booke of all the things that Christ both did and sayde vntill the same daye that he was taken vp into Heauen after he had giuen commaundements to his Apostles whom he had chosen Hereby we gather that Christ by his glorious ascention into Heauen hath perfourmed all the poyntes of our redemption and saluation For wee haue shewed before that in the Gospell is perfectly contayned the thinges which concerne our saluation Bicause therefore the Ascention of Christ is placed last it is certaine that it was the last ende of all the thinges necessarye to our saluation This if wee holde it shall appeare as cleare as may be that wee henceforth neede no more bodily presence of Christ in the earth For what should he doe in earth which longe since hath faithfully and fully perfourmed the things he had here to doe Wee haue neede of the Spirite the Grace the Meryte the Doctrine the Counsell and protection of Christ which he neuer withholdeth from his and after this sorte as he promised He is with them vntill the ende of the worlde He him selfe also forbiddeth vs to beleeue them which shall say hee is any where corporallye present But bicause wee haue a more commodious place to speake of these thinges a little after where the Hystorie of the Ascention is handled let these fewe woordes suffice for this present This is now to be obserued that Christ would not leaue the earth before he had giuen commaundementes to his Apostles For I vnderstande not this place of that one commaundement where he badde they should not departe from Hierusalem till they had receiued the promised holy Ghost but Luke seemeth to speake vniuersally of all the thinges which Christ meant to admonish his Apostles of and chiefly those which concerned the office of their Apostleship of the which a little after followeth more to be saide This is very comfortable that Christ although absent in his body ceaseth not yet to care and prouide for his Church For here he fulfilleth the dutie of a good and faithfull Householder which goyng into the countrie committeth the charge of his familie to his trusty friendes and in the meane season telleth eche of his housholde what they shall doe while he is absent Euen so Christ ascending into Heauen commended the care of his Church to his Apostles whom he testifieth in the Gospell to take as his friendes He instructeth them with commaundements least they through rashnesse or vnfaithfulnesse should offende The Parables in the .xxiiij. and .xxv. of Mathew make for the exposition of this place Let no man therefore thinke that he is in such daunger of Tyraunts and deceyuers that he is left destitute of the ayde of Christ and so lieth open to theyr pleasure crueltie For he that hath redeemed his sheepe with the pryce of his owne bloud and gaue such charge of them
to god For if euer there were any Cities notable for power and glory Hierusalem will in that poynt easily haue the superioritie For to omit that for the space of foure hundred three score and seauentene yeares there was among the people of God the seate of the kyngdome and Priesthoode that the kingdome stretched to the riuer Euphrates that it brought forth most valiant kings most holy Priests and most diuine Prophetes this one thing farre passeth all the glorye of the worlde that God did vouchsafe to make it a president and a patterne of the Church of Iesus christ For this cause is she adorned with such prayses in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Therfore is Christ sayde to reygne in Syon Therfore the Scriptures call hir the Citie of the great King. Besides this glory the Apostles receyue in hir the holy ghost and with good successe doe there begin the helthfull preaching of the Gospell But coulde all this glory deliuer hir from the hande of God being angrye with hir and from imminent destruction when she had forgotten the benefits of God and his commaundementes and followed not the vertues of hir forefathers nor shewed hir selfe thankfull and obedient to God Naye but where they chose rather to follow the multitude of such fathers as brake both Gods lawes and mans shed the bloud of the Prophets neyther the godlynesse of Dauid which first builded there his pallace and temple neyther the wisedome of Salomon neyther the integritie of Iosaphat neither the valiantnesse of Ezechias neyther the zeale of Iosias neither the sermons of the Prophets which rang in euery place of hir neyther the myracles done by Christ and his Apostles in hir neyther the Gospell begonne there to be preached could let but that within fourtie yeares she was vtterly destroyed and being raced and layde euen with the grounde hath scarce any marke or monument there left of so famous and noble a Citie And that we saye happened to Hierusalem both Capernaum that peculiar Citie of Christ and Corozain and Bethsaida notable by reason of the Apostles dwelling there felt euen the same Let them cease therefore to glorye in the vertues of their forefathers and in the olde benefites of God that cease not with vnthankfulnesse and disobedience to prouoke the wrath of god For vnlesse the hearers of the worde of God be aunswereable to Gods benefites they shall haue the same lot and porcion with the vnhappy Cities of Iurie Furthermore to return to the purpose of Christ let vs see what the Apostles haue to do in the citie of Hierusalem He biddeth them to wayte there for the promise of his father by the which he meaneth the holy ghost which he calleth the promise of the father both for that he is truely promised and giuen of the father only and also for that he had promised sundry times by the Prophetes that in the comming of the Messias he would plentifully poure forth his spirit vpō men as Peter afterwards declareth out of Ioel. In the meane season he putteth them likewise in remembrance of his promises which appeare euery where in the Gospell If any man beleeue in me sayth he as the Scripture sayth riuers shall runne out of him of the water of lyfe Which wordes are to be vnderstanded of the holye ghost whom they that beleeued in Christ should receyue as the Euangelist there teacheth And in another place he sayth I will praye vnto my father and he shall giue you another comforter which shall abide with you for euer euen the spirite of truth whome the worlde cannot receyue Againe That comforter which is the holy ghost whom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things and shall put you in remembrance of all things which I haue sayde vnto you And againe When the comforter shall come which I will sende you from my father the spirite of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall beare witnesse of me And a little way after When he commeth which is the spirite of truth he shall bring you into all truth Bicause therefore the father once promised by his Prophetes this spirite to the worshippers of his sonne Iesus Christ and Christ hath obtayned vs the same according as hee is our Mediator and intercessour therefore it is well called the promise of the father Here is to be considered that Iesus Christ suffreth not his Apostles appointed long before to the office of preaching and a great while by him faithfully instructed to leape sodeinly into the ministery but requiring obedience of them cōmaundeth them to waite for the spirite promised of his father We are taught by this example of Christ that obedience to Christs commaūdements is chiefly required in the ministers of his word For it is very meete that they which should bring other to the obedience of faith which is the ende of the preaching of the Gospel should first be obedient to the same themselues and that they should doe nothing without the appoyntment and commaundement of their Captayne For so shall they not onely by their doctrine but also by their owne example perswade their hearers the better to obedience Moreouer this place admonisheth vs that it is not ynough for Ministers of the word to be furnished with knowledge and learning except they haue also the gift of the holy ghost For where no man commeth vnto Christ without hee be drawne by his father they that haue the gouernaunce of the Church shall in vayne teach and admonish men vnlesse the holy ghost work with their studie and industry Paule the Apostle well perceyued this matter which calleth the Church the tillage of God and confesseth that neyther he that planteth neyther he that watreth is any thing but ascribeth all the glorye and successe of this matter to God onely which alone can giue increase Therefore the Ministers haue neede to be prepared by the holy ghost least while they vndertake such a charge without his guyding they procure displeasure and losse not onely to themselues but also to the whole Church Neyther shall he euer be meete for this roume which feeleth not the effectuous motions of the holy spirite within his hart Hereof proceede those preparations of the Prophetes which we reade in Scripture such as Esay Hieremie Ezechiel and other had before they preached which seemeth to be the cause that Paule forbade that yong Studentes shoulde not be chosen to the ministery of the Church bicause such for the most part cannot be verye sure of the operation of the holy ghost and his present ayde But that we speake of the ministers of the worde is to be referred to all men which are appointed to great charges and offices in the common weale In which number Magistrates are not last to be placed who being the expositors and interpreters of Gods iudgements are in scripture called Gods. For what can they eyther well foresee or iudge vnlesse
all he sheweth whereof hee shoulde beare witnesse namely of his resurrection Which is not so to be vnderstanded as though the Apostles should preach of nothing else but Christs resurrection but he thought hereby to expresse the chiefe article wherin al the other be contayned yea which plainely teacheth whereto all the other are to be referred For verilye the preaching of his death is of necessitie included and ioyned to the resurrection For how shall he teach that Christ is risen from death which first teacheth not that he died But if any man will teach that Christ dyed he must first speake of that nature of Christ in the which he was able to dye He must teache therefore that the sonne of God which is of one euerlastingnesse substance with the father at the tyme appoynted tooke mans nature in the virgins wombe in the which after many and diuers troubles of this life at length he suffred bitter death vpon the aultar of the Crosse. Therefore he that will be a Preacher and witnesse of the resurrection of Iesus Christ must omitte none of the things that went before the same But there is another cause also why Peter would make mention of the resurrection For this is the ende accomplishment of our redemption as Paule sheweth at large in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the .xv. Chapter For sinne is the sting power of death whervnto all men were subiect But that death is ouercome and vanquished the resurrection of Christ doth manifestly declare Wherefore sinne also by meanes whereof death had power ouer vs by the meryte of the same Christ must needes be taken awaye And if the guylt of sinne be taken awaye death spoyled and vnarmed then who seeth not how the Serpents heade is all to crushed and the tyranny of the Deuill vtterly subdued In deede he rageth yet and maketh an horrible adooe but Christian mindes are not afraide of his terrors For how shoulde he be able to hurt vs who hauing the dartes of sinne and death taken from him is all naked and of no force But this Christ hath taken away whyle he purged the sinnes of the worlde vppon the aultare of the Crosse and by his glorious resurrection hath killed the force of death Therefore syth Peter will haue him which must be taken into the number of the Apostles to be a witnesse of Christes resurrection he appoynteth him the same office that the residue had to whome it was sayde Go yee into all the worlde and preache the kingdome of God vnto all creatures Whosoeuer beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued In the meane season they that in these dayes will be called and taken for successors of the Apostles are admonished of their dutie For although no man can require of them to be such witnesses as sawe Christes resurrection yet their office is truly and boldly to beare witnesse of Christ and of all those things that he aswell did as suffred for vs that all men may vnderstande howe the redemption and saluation of mankinde is contayned in Christ onely For whosoeuer will be taken for Apostolykes being puft vp onely with the bare name thereof and neyther can nor will preache they are not the right successors of the Apostles but foolishe Pastors such as are described in Zachary the .xj. Chapter And on them that sentence of Paule may truly be spoken Woe vnto mee if I preach not It is our partes to acknowledge the goodnesse of God which woulde haue his sonne to dye for our sinnes and to ryse agayne for our iustification and hath also gyuen vs most faythfull witnesses of Christes most profitable resurrection Let vs therefore beleeue their testimonye that being borne agayne of the seede of the immortall worde wee maye be made the heyres of God and coheyres with Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour glorye and power for euer Amen The ninth Homelie THEN they appoynted two Ioseph which is called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias And when they prayed they sayde Thou Lorde which knowest the hearts of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen that he may take the roume of this ministration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell that he might go to his owne place And they gaue forth their lottes and the lotte fell on Matthias and hee was counted with the eleuen Apostles AS the Church hath great neede of Ministers of the Worde by whose meane it may be instructed and confirmed in the knowledge of God and mysteries of the true fayth so it behooueth that the same be duely truely chosen and ordayned that all men may perceyue they be chosen and appoynted of god Which thing was the cause that in the election of a newe Apostle to be put in the roume of Iudas the primitiue Church proceeded with so great circumspection deliberation And the holy ghost would haue all this hystory diligently described for that a sure rule and president might be left to them that came after whereby to order the election of their Ministers The first thing herein to be obserued is that S. Peter referreth all the matter to the congregation to be discussed by their whole consent and counsell We are taught hereby that nothing ought to be appointed or decreed in the Church by any one mans priuate authoritie For where the Church is as Paule sayth Gods building and Gods husbandry yea the housholde and familye of God. No man must take vpon him so much authoritie as to thinke he hath power giuen him to prescrybe any thing of his owne heade And although the rashnesse of some go so farre yet he shall little profite amongst the true sheepe of Christ which vse to harken and follow the voyce of Christ onely But let vs returne to the narration of the hystory begoon by Luke who hauing recited Peters oration now rehearseth the election of the new Apostle which we must diligently expende in euerye poynt First he sheweth that two be openly named and set in the sight of the whole congregation Then with godly and deuout prayer they commit the election it selfe vnto God whose will and pleasure they seeke to enquire by religious lottes Then they appoynted twoo sayth he Ioseph which was called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias Although the order howe this was done is not expressed yet it is likely it was done by common consent of all the congregation For where Peter referred the matter to the whole Church he coulde not pretermit the iudgement of the Church It seemeth therefore euerye mans sentence was asked and that they named all those to the Church whom they thought meetest for the office of an Apostle And here the Church at length agreed that eyther Ioseph or Matthy should be chosen to that roume as men who excelled the others in all kinde of vertues And both of them vndoubtedlye was such that whether had had the place the lot coulde not seeme
worlde betydeth vs for Christes sake And he doth not onely the part of a comforter but is also a most faythfull counsaylour For he telleth vs what to doe and when we be in perplexitie and doubt he lighteth vs the torch of truth by whose conducting we escape the daungers of fayth and ofsaluation Beside all this he is the earnest and sure pledge of our redemption and saluation For as Iesus Christ taking vp into heauen the fleshe that he tooke of vs would haue it there to be a gage of our saluation so he putteth his spirite in our heartes in steede of a pledge to imprint the confidence of saluation in vs and to arme vs strongly agaynst temptations Wherefore he is called of Paule the spirite of adoption because that being regenerated by him we are assured by his testimonie that we be the sonnes and heyres of god Therefore it is not without a cause that the Prophete taketh the gift of this holy spirite amongst all other most to be commended We are also here taught what we ought chiefly to doe in the kingdome of christ In which place we may see the diuers and noysome errours of men which while they followe carnall things onely and vnder the coulour of Christ gape after worldly goodes vse many tymes to denie Christ in their life whome they professe with their mouth And to these shall be ioyned those to whome hereafter it shall be sayde Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Christes kingdome is a spirituall kingdome and not of this world Therefore let vs desire the giftes of the spirite wherewith if we be furnished the other things that we haue neede of shall come of their owne accord Moreouer it is conuenient we see the maner of this promise and to whome it apperteyneth He declareth the maner in this one word of pouring out whereby he promiseth a large and plentifull grace of the spirite As touching the persons to whome he will giue it he treateth more at large saying I will poure out of my spirite vpon all fleshe Therefore this is an vniuersall promise But he addeth for expositions sake sonnes and daughters yong men and olde to teach vs that there is no difference in the kingdome of Christ eyther of age or sexe For in Christ as Paule sayth there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle neyther bonde nor free neyther man nor woman In the meane season least any might thinke that the holy spirite was giuen to good and bad alyke God restrayneth his promise to his seruauntes and handmaydens to the ende we should vnderstande that it ought vniuersally to be expounded of them For where he is the spirite of adoption he can be receyued of none but of them whō God doth vouchsafe to acknowledge for his sonnes But they be sonnes of God which acknowledge him to be their father and call vpon him which serue him which worship him which please him and honour him And although they cannot performe the things that belong to the sonnes of God before they be regenerated by this spirite through the free benefit of God and therforethey be oftentimes vnknowne to vs before we see the effects of the holy ghost in them yet it is euident that none be partakers of this spirite but such as the Lorde taketh for his And he knoweth who be his and so knoweth them that no man can take them out of his hande And here by the waye commeth the difference of the olde and newe Testament to be considered For although one and the same Christ one and the same fayth and way of saluation one and the same spirite is set forth in both of them yet there may be perceyued no little difference wherein easily appeareth howe much greater our dignitie and felicitie is than theirs of the olde Testament This appeareth first in the number of the faythfull and next in the maner of teaching For in the olde Testament it is plaine there were but a small number of worshippers and the knowledge of saluation seemed to be compassed within the boundes of the people of Iurie For the wordes of God be well knowne which he sayth to the Israelites Ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine Ye shall bee vnto me a kingdome of priestes and an holy people Againe You only haue I accepted of all the Nations on the earth For which cause sake me thinketh that is also spoken in the Psalmes In Iewrie is God knowne his name is great in Israell At Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Syon Hee sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinaunces vnto Israell Hee hath not dealt so with any Nation neyther haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes But in the newe Testament the spirite of the Lorde is poured vppon all fleshe and the way of saluation is stretched to the farthest endes of the earth There it is sayde that they shall come from the East and from the West that shall sitte in the kingdome of God with Abraham Isaac and Iacob There the Apostles receyue a commaundement to preache the Gospell to all Nations There Peter learneth vs howe there is no respect of persons wyth God but in all Nations they that feare him and worke righteousnesse are accepted of him And here is fulfilled that which was spoken before by the Prophete That the barren and desolate should haue more children than shee that was maryed ▪ Againe though there be singuler examples of the faythfull of the olde Testament the like whereof you shall hardly finde in these dayes yet is it plaine that the way and meane of our saluation is now much more manifestly taught than it was woont to be in the olde Testament Before the lawe was published there were in deede large and liberall promises but obscure ynough if we waye them that liued in those dayes which sawe them not as then fulfilled In the lawe our saluation was shadowed with signes and figures but such as whereof many tooke occasion to establishe the righteousnesse of workes Then followed the Prophetes and they declare the mysteryes of Christ somewhere darckely and somewhere more plainely and openly And the thinges which seeme to vs most euident in their writinges seemed without doubt to them in those dayes obscure and darke ynough But in the new Testament the vayle of darcknesse is rent and that light brought in which being come giueth light to all men in the worlde In the Gospell the things are plainely taught which before tyme were hidden and secrete And there fishers and Publicanes see and heare those things which many Prophetes and iust men desired in tymes past to heare and see As touching this plentifull and bounteous gift of the holye ghost and true light thereof Ioel also prophecieth The ende and vse of
them vnto creatures and thinke their causes must be relieued by intercession of Saintes In which doyng they plainly testifie that they are voyde of the knowledge of Christe forasmuch as they are ignoraunt of his office and of the causes for the which he being God from euerlasting would take verye manhoode into the vnitie of his person He surely sayth in the Gospell No man commeth to the father but by me And Paule as he acknowledgeth one God so he testifieth that there is but one mediatour betweene God and man that is Iesus Christ. But bicause we shall otherwheres haue occasion to speake more largely of these things let these fewe suffice for this present And let vs take it for a great comfort that we see his Godheade whome we reioyce in as our sauiour and redeemer and after whose name we be called Christians prooued by so many argumentes Let vs now returne to Peters sermon and to the explication thereof Secondarilye he setteth forth the passion and death of Christ in suche sort that he laboureth to bring them in feare considering howe heynous a matter they had committed For he sayth This Iesus haue you taken by the handes of vnrighteous persons after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God and haue crucyfied and slayne him Three things are here affirmed concerning the death of christ First he accuseth all the people of so horrible a murther You sayth he haue crucified him and slayne him Yet Peter was not ignoraunt that the souldiours hong him on the crosse with their owne handes And yet truly doth he lay this crime to all the peoples charge bicause they did not only consent to his death but also required with importunate and sedicious clamour to haue him crucified and with their importunacie ouercame Pylate which long withstoode them as the Euangelists teach vs. By this example of Peter we are taught howe to beginne the preaching of the Gospell verily with the rebuking of sinne the which must be detected published and accused For except men acknowledge their sinnes they will not care much for Christ so long as they thinke they haue no great neede of him For it fareth in this matter as in the diseases of the bodye They that eyther perceyue not their sickenesse or else go about to hide it care not for Phisicke neyther will they receyue the Phisition though he offer himselfe So whosoeuer feele no conscience of their sinnes or thinke their sinnes may be dissembled or purged by their owne satisfactions they neyther seeke Christ greatly themselues nor worthily receyue him shewing himselfe to them in his Gospell but standing rather vpon the affiance of their owne righteousnesse feare not to withstande him Whereof we haue manye examples in the Phariseys For the which cause Christ professeth he is the Phisition of those that be sicke and that he came not to saue the righteous but to call sinners to repentance And speaking of the holy ghost amongst his properties he first reckeneth that he shall reprooue the worlde of sinne Agayne when he commendeth the preaching of the Gospell to his Apostles he will first haue repentance to be taught next after which he will haue remission of sinnes to be ioyned Therefore Peter doth not without a cause proceede in this order that speaking of the death of Christ he first prooueth his hearers to be guiltie and to be the auctors thereof And so were it necessary to haue Christes death preached in these dayes that all men myght vnderstande the sonne of God dyed for their sinnes and that they were the auctors thereof For thus it shall come to passe that men shall learne to be sorye in their heart for their sinnes and shall embrace the saluation offered them in Christe with the more feruencye of fayth But least Peter might seeme to accuse the Comminaltie only he addeth another thing whereby the heades and chiefe are accused to be the ringleaders of so heynous a deede For you sayeth he haue taken him by the handes of vnrighteous and slayne him But who are those wicked and vnrighteous The first among them is Iudas sometime a disciple of Christ and an Apostle but afterward a capitayne to them that tooke Iesus The next to him are the high Bishops with all the Colledge of Scribes and Priestes who brybed Iudas with money and hyred him to doe so outragious a mischiefe In the same number may Pylate be reckoned which sitting in iudgement as Lieutenant to the Emperour pronounced sentence of death vpon him And Herode is not altogither faultlesse who when he myght haue set him at libertie being sent vnto him thought it better when he had mocked him to sende him backe agayne All these Peter comprehendeth vnder the name of vnrighteous whose power and authoritie was greatest in the Citie of Hierusalem Howe daungerous a matter it was thus to saye he shall easily perceyue that diligentlye considereth the state and degree of these persons It is an heynous offence to saye the sentence of the Iudge condemning the guiltie is vniust and vnrighteous Yet Peter boldly sayth so in a most populous Citie where the remembraunce of Christ whome he so highly commendeth was yet very freshe Here therefore as in a glasse we maye beholde howe stoute and bolde defenders of Christ the holy ghoste maketh them whome he doth vouchsafe to inspire with his spirite We are also taught what libertie and freedome of speach ought to be in the ministers of the worde to accuse publike offences and how little they are to be regarded who require I can not tell what maner of modestie in the ministers For we neede not thus to extenuate sinne which otherwyse of it selfe as Dauid sayeth vseth to flatter vs Nor wee must haue no respect of persons seeing the person or the auctor can not excuse sinne yea howe much more of authoritie the offender is so much more hurtfull is the offence Besides the minister is a publike person to whose office and charge it is manifest all men are subiect For Christ hath made him a stewarde of his housholde wherein are riche poore Nobles and Commons Magistrates and subiects And that the Lord saith to Hieremie is spoken to all ministers Beholde this daye doe I make thee a strong fensed towne an yron piller and a brasen wall against the whole lande against the kings and mighty men of Iuda against the priests and people of the lande Therefore whosoeuer haue taken vppon them the office of teaching in the Church let them regarde no reasons of the worlde nor of the flesh wherby to be made afrayde but let them rather followe the examples of Iesus Christ the Prophetes and the Apostles all which it is plaine vsed the like libertie in reprehending of sinne that Peter vseth in this place And whereas the things he spake of Christes death myght giue occasion of much offence as though he had bene oppressed by the
was the author of this myracle and to shew all the vse therof Yet first he preacheth the resurrection of Christ both for that the reason of our saluation purchased by Christ consisteth in it and also for that it commodiously doth away the offence or slaunder of the crosse You sayth he killed the authour of lyfe but God hath raysed him from death whereof wee are witnesses It was needefull that these things shoulde be ioyned to the premisses least anye man might thinke the wicked had ouer much power permitted them For these things teach that their crueltie and iniquitie coulde derogate nothing from Christ as who being raysed from death doth nowe liue and raigne in heauen Herof we may take a generall comfort For as the crueltie and tirannie of the Iewes could nothing hinder or let Christ so whosoeuer doth imitate the Iewes impietie and tirannie cannot hurt the members of christ In deede the Princes of the worlde ioyne togither and desire to ouerthrowe the kingdome of christ But the Lord from high laugheth at their deuises whose counsayle shall stande for euer Looke the Psalmes .ij. and .xxxiij. Let no man therefore be afrayde of men who though they rage neuer so much haue no power but on our goods and body which otherwise is mortall and shall perishe Yea neyther haue they power theron farther than God permitteth who hath all the heares of our heade numbred But the soule being out of all daunger and hazarde trusteth in Christ hir redeemer and shall neuer be deceyued of hir hope But let vs see how Peter setteth forth the order of the myracle His name through the faith of his name hath made this man whole whome you see and knowe It seemeth a darke kinde of speache except a man marke the order of the wordes And it deceyueth manye bicause they thinke nomen this worde name is put in the accusatiue case whereas all the order of construction plainly prooueth it to be the nominatiue Thus must it be set in order and construed The name of Iesus Christ hath strengthned and made whole this man whome ye see present and that through the beliefe which hee hath in the name of Christ. And for the more playne vnderstanding he addeth by waye of exposition The faith which is by him hath giuen to him this health in the presence of you all The sense of all togither is that Iesus Christ through his name that is by his vertue power and merite hath giuen helth and safetie to this lame man bicause he hath beleeued in him He repeateth the name of Christ and faith of Christ the oftner to the intent the glory of Christ might seeme the greater in setting forth whereof the Apostles thought they had neuer done ynough as appeareth euerye where in their writings and sermons These wordes surely are not lightlye to be passed ouer For where we sayde that in this lame man was set forth to vs a figure of all mankinde in the healing of him we may beholde all the order of our saluation Here therefore is declared who is the true author of our saluation then the meane whereby we receyue saluation and the ende wherevnto all these things serue and tende As concerning the author of saluation Peter alleageth the name of Iesus Christ whome a little before he called the author and Lorde of life That this worde name is taken for power rule or merite it is more euident than needeth with many wordes to be declared And where at first he excluded all power and holynesse of men from this businesse and nowe maketh mention of Christ onely by whose meane and power all this matter is brought to passe it easily appeareth that the origen and beginning of our saluation is to be referred to Christ only For by his merite we are deliuered from sinne and redeemed from death and the tirannie of the deuill And himselfe in the Prophete testifyeth there is none other redeemer but he only But we shall haue occasion to speake more hereof in the fourth Chapter where Peter testifieth there is none other name vnder heauen giuen vnto man by the which he may be saued c. Howbeit it is not ynoughe to knowe that all saluation is contayned in Christ vnlesse we vnderstande howe to attaine and take holde of the saluation in him But Peter sheweth that also where he sayeth this man was made sounde and whole by faith that is bicause of his fayth in the name of Iesus Christ. Againe The faith which is by him hath giuen to him this health Therefore we take holde of saluation by faith and beside fayth there is nothing in vs whereby to take holde of it bicause wee bee graffed in Christe none other waye than by fayth Hee that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in mee and I in him For where he is departed from vs in bodye and dwelleth in vs by his Spirite and liueth and reygneth in vs by his Spirite it is onelye a worke of fayth whereby we apprehende him and the saluation in him For the which cause oftentimes fayth is sayd to saue and to iustifie So Christ sayth to the woman which was sicke of the bloudy fluxe Thy fayth hath made thee whole And he promiseth saluation to Marie Magdalen by the same wordes Christ onely in deede saueth and iustifyeth For in him is life and he is made vnto vs of God the father wisedome righteousnesse satisfaction sanctification and redemption But bicause faith grafteth vs in Christ and maketh vs partakers of the goodnesse that is in him therfore saluation and iustification is not without a cause attributed thereto Marke now the definition of faith which Peter compriseth in these wordes where he sayth The fayth of hys name and the fayth that is by him For by these wordes he declareth that he speaketh of such a faith as stayeth vpon Christ and which acknowledgeth and beleeueth Christ to be such an one as he is described in name to be The name of the sonne of God incarnate is Iesus Christ. He receyued the name of IESVS of the Aungell before he was borne but in his Circumcision he tooke it againe after the solemne vsage of the people of Iewes which signifyeth a sauiour or Redeemer as sayeth the Aungell Thou shalt call his name IESVS for he shall saue his people from their sinnes This worde Christ with the Latines is asmuch to saye as annoynted and signifyeth the maner of our saluation and redemption For Kings and Priests in the old time were annointed and for that cause were called Meschijm and Christi that is to saye annointed So it behooued the Sauiour that was promised shoulde be called bicause he is that true King whome God hath set ouer his holy hill of Sion and whose kingdome is stretched ouer all the world See the Psalmes ij lxxij Zach. 9. For he like a faithfull king hath deliuered his people from the tyrannye of the deuill he ruleth
manifestly set forth Gods helpe and the myraculous deliuerie of the Apostles For they say they finde the prison close shutte and the keepers diligently watching and yet no man in the prison What other could be hereof gathered but that this was the worke of God For who was able so to haue beguyled the keepers and brought out the Apostles without their knowledge They are therefore not without a cause wonderfully vexed in their minde and wote not what to doe For they feele the prickes of conscience which vse to take holde euen on the wickedst But there commeth an other message that more mooueth and grieueth them For there commeth one that telleth them how the Apostles are openly and boldly teaching in the Church which could not but be occasion of great griefe to such ambitious men perceauing that their authoritie was neyther regarded nor their power feared This example teacheth vs howe easie a thing it is for God to frustrate the wicked attemptes of his enimies For who would haue thought the Apostles could haue bene brought out of the prison without the knowledge of the keepers But that which seemeth impossible to man is as easie to God as the dust to be scattered with the winde For he is able to beguile them whom it seemeth no man can beguile eyther by sleepe eyther by benumming of senses eyther by giddinesse of head or many other wayes Furthermore they haue them to witnesse and declare the myracle whose helpe they thought to vse in oppressing the truth Therefore the same thing happeneth here vnto them that did at the first when they sent their seruauntes to take Christ and they returned agayne not onely without him but also gaue a notable testimonie of hys doctrine Whervnto that testimonie was not vnlyke that the souldiours gaue of Christes resurrection whome they therefore hyred to watch his graue bicause he should not rise agayne Lyke examples we reade euerywhere in the scripture Pharao went about to oppresse and destroye the children of Israell And yet he brought hym vp in his owne house and set him on his lap whome God had appointed to be the delyuerer and reuenger of his people Afterwarde when he set the Magitians agaynst Moses he hearde them openly testifie that the finger of God wrought by Moses And this is also like where Balaam hyred by the king of Moabytes to cursse the people of Israell was enforced whether he would or no to blesse them What shall we speake of Achab who most cruelly persecuting the Prophetes of God cherished and reuerenced the most faythfull Patrone of the Prophetes and the verye onely Mecaenas of those dayes amongs the Lordes of his Court I omyt infinite examples of lyke sort which might be brought both out of later and auncient hystories besides those whereof we haue daylie experience I thought good to admonishe the faythfull seruaunts of Christ by these onely that they might diligently marke and obserue the lyke For great and verie profitable is the vse of these examples For first they comfort vs in aduersitie in that we see mannes power farre inferriour to Gods and that mannes enterprises can not hynder the purpose of god Next they profite vs to frame our lyfe after that we rashely withstande not Gods prouydence and ordynaunces For what is impossible to God which in times past so merueylousâ—y did frustrate and disappoint the attempts of the men in the beginning with the wonderfull diuision of tongues and not so fewe tymes as once by the ministerie of one Angell only made kinges and princes to be laughed at of all men Wherfore to humble our selues vnder his mightie hand is both safest and profitablest for our helth and saluation Further let vs consider the priestes and other that satte in thys counsell which yet haue not learned to gyue place vnto God and not content that their folly is nowe opened to all men shewe yet an incurable impietie of minde For the Captaine of the Temple being sent by them bringeth the Apostles without anye resistaunce before the counsell absteyning in deede from vyolence not that the consideration of Gods woorke and myracle made them euer the meeker but bicause they feared least the people would stone them Here we haue to consider not onely the priests and their complyces but also God and the Apostles In the Priestes and Captayne of the Temple may be perceaued the incurable malice and peruerse blindenesse of minde in the wicked For it was sayde before howe they were in doubt and perplexitie what to doe Whervpon maye easily be gathered that they were striken with some perseueraunce of the thing that was done But yet they go not on therein so farre to acknowledge the myracle with their hart and to yeelde vnto god Nay they returne to their purpose and as the things folowing declare go about to kyll them whome they sawe God a little before had so marueylously saued Many examples prooue that thys is the disposition of all wicked Pharao many times ouercome with the maiestie of Gods myracles and griefe of plagues confesseth the God of Israell desyreth Moses to make intercession for him and promiseth he wyll accomplish the commaundement of god By and by he falleth to hys olde vsage being ready to resist God agayne a freshe And euen as these men doe here so did they before in the resurrection of christ For when they knewe it by relation of the souldiours they would neyther beleeue the truth nor feare the inuincible power of Christ but brybed the souldiours with money and spredde false rumours amongst the people of him as though Christes glorie could haue beene defaced by lying whome the authoritie of the Emperours maiestie in whose name the graue stone was sealed could not keepe within the graue And would to God we had onely but olde examples of thys obstinacie and founde not euery where nowe a dayes such as neyther by the iudgements of God nor testimonie of their owne conscience are content to yeelde to Christ and his truth This is an infallible argument of reprobation and a worthy punishment of the contempt of Gods word which once by his Prophete and afterwarde by Christ he threatned to his enymies where he sayth yee shall heare in deede but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainely see and not perceaue Harden the hart of this people stop their eares and shut their eyes that they see not with their eyes heare not with their eares and vnderstande not with their hartes and conuert and be healed These things ought to feare vs that we contynue not in hatred of the truth the ende whereof hath so euill successe We are further taught that the wicked can not alwaye doe that they would but that they many times are brydeled by the secret power of god For hereof commeth it to passe that the Captaine and his souldiours holde their handes fearing least the people woulde stone them So he that thinketh he maye contemne
proposeth three arguments to prooue the same vnto these he adioyneth other which he so putteth forth that therewithall he also aunswereth those obiections which might pull the hearers from embracing the fayth in christ For fyrst he testifyeth that Christ pertayneth vnto them least any man might thinke hee spake of a matter pertayning nothing to the purpose Then he putteth the offence away that men might take bicause Christ suffred on the crosse And last of all he alleageth and constantlye prooueth the resurrection of Christ which is the chiefe argument of his godheade We shall speake of eche of them in order as much as God shall permit vs. Yee men and brethren sayth he children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the worde of this saluation sent This is a graue little preface wherwith he meaneth to prouoke them to think that the doctrine of Christ belongeth vnto them For it is like there were diuers in those dayes which thought it vnsitting for their profession to haue ought to do with controuersies rising about faith and religion such as are now a days euerywhere to be seene who by this opinion go about to purchase to themselues great prayse glory But Paule denieth this that he might the more easily perswade them the truth he calleth them by a worshipfull name and title For besides that after the common vsage he calleth them Men and brethren he addeth therevnto children of the generation of Abraham in which name by reason of the couenant and promises of God he knewe they greatly reioyced Yet that they shoulde not thinke the prerogatiue of the Nation sufficient he admonisheth them also of their dutye where he sayth and whosoeuer among you feareth God. For by this meanes he teacheth them that they are then the true and right children of Abraham that ioyne vnto outwarde profession the feare of God and syncere study of religion whereof Christ also in the .viij. of Iohn disputeth Then he proceedeth saying To you is the worde of this saluation sent As though he should say If you will be taken for the children of Abraham and the syncere worshippers of God you must by no meanes despise the doctrine of saluation which is offered vnto you by the singuler benefyte of god Yet Paule speaketh not this in such meaning as though he thought the Gentyles still excluded from the fellowship of saluation whome the holy ghost had appointed him to call But he hath a respect vnto the counsell of God who as he set forth the promises of Christ vnto the fathers of the Iewes and called them out from others as a peculiar people vnto himselfe so would he first haue the saluation giuen vs in Christ preached vnto them as Christ in the Gospell euidently testifyeth when he fyrst sent out the Apostles forbidding them to go into the way of the Gentyles But when the vayle whereby the Gentyles were deuided from the Iewes was remooued away by the death of Christ then also was the doore opened vnto them that being made the children of Abraham by fayth they might enter into the same inheritance of saluation with the Iewes Therefore Paule admonisheth the Iewes of the prerogatiue that God did giue them least they should vnaduisedly reiect the knowledge of Christ as nothing appertaining vnto them And this example of Paule ought all Ministers of the worde to followe remembring that they must so preache the worde of God that the hearers must vnderstande howe the things spoken doe belong vnto them For except they so doe the worde of God shall strike their eare like a song whose sounde is in vayne as wee reade in Ezechiel the .xxxiij. Chapter So therefore let them inculcate the commaundementes of God that all men may bee assured that the obseruation thereof belongeth vnto them So let them preach the iudgements of God that they that commit the lyke may know they haue to looke for the like For then is the worde of God rightly deuided and cut when euery body may learne thereby to take what serueth eyther for their instruction consolation or erudition Furthermore it is a singuler prayse of the Gospell that it is called the worde of saluation in the which sense the Angell spake vnto Cornelius as we before sawe Simon Peter shall speake wordes vnto thee through which thou and thy house shall be saued c. Let it suffyce here to admonish thus much that their ingratitude is very enormious which rayle at that worde and that they are the greatest enimies of their owne saluation of all other From hence Paule commeth to the slaunder of the crosse which he diligently putteth away bicause they that were ignoraunt of Christes mysteries were offended with Christes death not without a great cause And chiefly it seemed an heynous matter that the Priests at Ierusalem were the authors thereof For Ierusalem was the sea of religion priesthoode and doctrine and from thence according to auncient Prophecies was the worde of saluation looked Wherefore it coulde not choose but seeme a great absurditie to acknowledge him for a Sauiour whome the chiefe of Ierusalem put to the death of the Crosse as a schismatike and a deceyuer and to embrace that doctrine that was not receyued at Ierusalem For such was the authoritie of the holy Citie for so the Prophetes called Ierusalem that many thought it impossible for them to erre in matters of faith and religion But Paule so aunswereth this offence that he teacheth the example of that Citie is rather to be auoyded than to be folowed least they might offend God through lyke ingratitude and impiety And there be fower things which he bringeth to this ende First he sayth they that dwelt at Ierusalem and their Rulers bicause they knewe him not condemned him Therefore he sayth ignoraunce was the cause of their so heynous an offence as also is sayd 1. Cor â–ª 2. Who will think it a thing worthy to be followed when he heareth men sinne of ignorance And yet this is not to be counted such ignorance as excuseth the deede For they are sayde also to be ignorant of the scriptures yea of those common Scriptures which vsed to be reade euery Sabboth day But it is a foule thing and not worthye to be pardoned for a Priest to be ignoraunt in the Scripture considering God commaundeth to search the knowledge of the lawe at his hande Furthermore he taketh from them a great part of their excuse in that Christ admonished them to search the scriptures But Paule in another place sayth that this was the onely cause of their ignorance for that they were occupyed in reading Moses and the Prophetes without the helpe of christ For this was that vayle that was the onely cause that they could not see Moses face that is to say the true meaning of the lawe Seeing therefore they were blind guides as Christ also calleth them Math. 15. they are not to be
and trust which they did vse in the office committed vnto them For as we sawe in the ende of the Chapter before the Magistrates of Antioch so tooke against them by reason of the instigation of the Iewes that they were in daunger of their lyfe and were banished the coastes of Pisidia in shamefull wise Besides there were diuers thinges which might haue made them despaire of the Iewes saluation For they were not ignoraunt of the prophecies and threates of Christ which with one consent declared howe the kingdome of God shoulde be caryed to the Gentyles and they might manye wayes perceyue that the time of this forsaking was at hande And what I praye you might they hope for at their handes whome they sawe embrued with the bloude of the sonne of God and who did deadly hate the truth Yet go they on constantly executing the charge committed to them of the holy ghost least any shoulde perish through their sloth And no doubt but that saying rang in their eares which was sayde vnto Ezechiel If I saye vnto the wicked and vngodly man without doubt thou shalt die and thou giuest him not warning that he maye turne from his euill waye and so liue â–ª then shall the same vngodly man dye in his owne vnrighteousnesse but his bloude will I require at thy hande c. But let all men to whom God hath committed charge ouer any persons thinke that sayde vnto them that was sayde to the Prophete and which we see the Apostles obserued In which place Magistrates Parents and other such like are to be accounted All which must well beware that they let not the malice of menne ouercome them For although they whome they haue the charge of be incurable yet shall they receyue great profyte by their diligent study and endeuour if they doe deliuer but their owne soules Moreouer this is a notable example of Christian charitie that the Apostles so painefully and with such perill traueyle to bring a most enuious nation and like shortlye to perishe by reason of their incurable wickednesse vnto saluation For where charitie alway hopeth well they also hoped that some remnants might be saued as we see commeth to passe oftentimes in shipwrack Hereof commeth it that Paule so incessantly prayeth for them and wisheth to be accursed so that they might be saued The like affection we see in Christ who was mooued with all maner of pittie when he sawe them miserably dispersed like sheepe that had no shepehearde He wept also when he behelde that bloudie Ierusalem bicause he sawe they obstinatelye ranne into their owne destruction and woulde not knowe the daye of their visitation By these examples are those barbarous and grosse people reprooued who are touched so little with the calamitie of others or else so impotently ledde with the desire of priuate reuenge that for some fewes sake who haue iniuried them they will beare hatred to the whole Nation to say nothing of such who when they can alleage no cause of their hatred are yet of a certaine secrete corruption of nature driuen headlong with hatred reioyce at the miserie of others But how can they be the children of God which so farre differ from the nature and propertie of God For he desireth that men shoulde be saued and come to the knowledge of truth He vseth to spare whole Cities for a fewes sake that be good which Cities they desire to be destroyed for a fewes sake that be euill But the chiefe cause of this euill is for that we consider not as meete is the goodnesse of God towardes those that deserue a thousande deathes nor his promises which rewardeth them that earnestly doe their office and dutie Nowe let vs see what the Apostles gotte by this feruent proceeding of theirs that hereby they also may be refused which leaue of despayring they shall doe any good before they take the matter in hand They so spake sayth he that a great multitude both of the Iewes and Greekes beleeued Therefore the worde of God is neuer preached without fruite and euerywhere there are some founde which receyue it as they ought to doe so that it bringeth forth fruite as we haue oftentimes declared And God fayleth not for his part those that faithfully labour in his name For as Peter letting slippe his nettes at the Lordes bidding caught a great hale of fyshe hauing before taken nothing as long as he followed his owne heade so as manye as order their matters in the name of God and as he appoynteth them fynde greater commoditie of their labour than they looked for Therefore it must be attributed to our sloth and falshoode that so little good is done in these dayes For howe shoulde the Lorde with his helpe prosper them who hauing no regarde of his glory seeke onely their owne commoditie and neuer will aduenture to doe any thing for Gods name sake and for the saluation of all men â–ª Also it appeareth in this place as we haue often sayde that the enterprises of Christes enimies are in vaine and that his kingdome by persecutions is rather furthred than hindred The continuall course of the Actes of the Apostles declareth the same if we well regard it Let vs in these things acknowledge the wisedome of God and not despaire to soone of Christes kingdome seeing he can so prosperously defeate the deuises of his enimies Furthermore after this good successe Christes kingdome is afreshe persecuted so that a manne may see it is most true that Christ foreshewed concerning the wicked enterprises of the worlde and the traueyles and daungers of his Ministers It shall profyte our knowledge if we deepely weigh and consider all the circumstaunces of this newe tragedie First he nameth the beginners of the persecution euen the Iewes who not content with their owne incredulitie incensed the mindes of the Gentyles against their brethren who had professed Christ which coulde not be without slaundering of them And no doubt but they called them the authours and sowers of sedition and trouble forasmuch as we see the faythfull seruants of Christ haue in all ages bene charged with like crimes It is verily an horrible thing that the Iewes should conceyue such a cankred hate against the truth and they whome God in time past vsed to call his children and Priestly kingdome to be made the vngodly vesselles and instrumentes of wrath Lette no man therefore put his confydence in the worthynesse of forefathers or in any such prerogatiues but followe humilitie and reuerence God if they meane not to be throwne downe of God as they were let vs marke in this place who are the authors of tumultes and sedition Not they that beleeue the Gospell but they which refuse to beleeue it For the beleeuing labour to be at peace with all men as much as in them lyeth The other bicause they can not abide the light vse to bring the Ministers of the truth in suspition with the
and for that men woulde after the vsage of the Gentyles call the nature essence of God to the iudgement of mans reason Which error brought in the multitude of Gods and the grosse and absurde opinions that men had of them Of this followed another error that where they thought there were many Gods they iudged euery person and thing whereby they had any benefyte and commoditie to be a god Hereof it came to passe that they counted the starres of heauen the elementes beastes and men to be gods whose pedegrues tombes and monuments were to be seene vpon earth Now these false and counterfeite Gods must needes haue sacrifyces and worshippings Then were holy dayes deuised altars erected temples builded sacrifyces killed pictures and Images hong and set vp and infynite such like deuises of auncient superstition brought in Of all which thinges the Priestes were the Captaines and Ringleaders who by this stuffe sought their priuate honor and gayne And if now a man would compare the doings these many yeares among Christians with these thinges he shall fynde no difference betwene the olde and newe superstition more than that the names of the Goddes being chaunged the same rytes and sacrifyce are still retayned and the errour is so much the more detestable bicause vnder the pretence and name of them which willingly lost their liues for the glory of Christ the glory of God the father and of his Christ is defaced And the multitude of Priestes which hereby perceyued such plenty of gayne growing vnto them encreased the ignorance of the people But how much this doing offended the true worshippers of God Paules oration following abundantly sheweth Let vs learne to knowe God by the Scriptures to worshippe him in spirite and truth to call vppon him onely in our needes and distresses and to giue thankes to him onely when we be deliuered out of daungers in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ to whome be all prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxviij Homelie WHEN the Apostles Barnabas and Paule hearde this they rent their clothes and ranne in among the people crying and saying Sirs why doe you thus We are mortall men like vnto you and preach vnto you that you shoulde turne from these vanities vnto the liuing God which made heauen and earth the sea and all things that are therein the which in times past suffred all nations to walke in their owne wayes Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that he shewed his benefites from heauen giuing vs rayne and fruitefull seasons filling our hearts with foode and gladnesse And with the sayings scarce restrayned they the people that they had not done sacrifice vnto them MAn through the fall of sinne did not onelye lose his former dignitie wherein he was created but also had the light of his reason wherwith before he vsed to beholde God and his proceedinges so extinguished that he was not able by his owne capacitie and vnderstanding to attayne vnto the knowledge of those things that belonged vnto the spirite of god Which thing was the cause that he not onely deceyued himselfe through his owne imaginations but also perniciouslye abused those thinges that God had ordeyned whereby to bring him to knowledge Examples hereof appeare euerywhere in the hystories of all ages and this is one very notable that falleth out among these people of Lystra For Paule and Barnabas preach vnto them the Gospell of Iesus christ And no doubt but they vsed as great diligence in preaching to them as we reade they vsed in other places Besides their teaching they shewed a myracle wherby a certaine lame man was through the name and power of Christ restored to his limmes againe and so was it declared by the very deede selfe that Christ was such an one as the Apostles preached he was that is to say a most mightie restorer redeemer of mans decayed nature But what preuayled all these thinges with the men of Lystra which being destitute of the light of the holy ghost were led with the blinde reason of their fleshe They learne not to knowe Christ hereby They take no occasion by such a myracle to glorifye him But according to the nature and propertie of man taking holde of euery thing next them sticke onely in the Apostles woonder onely at them and thinke they ate the onely workers of the myracle and without anye regarde had vnto Iesus Christ prepare godly honor and sacrifyces for them And it had bene a tollerable thing if they of Lystra onely whome custome of Gentyle superstition had long bewitched had thus offended But the infection of this ensample ranne so farre that among the professours of Christes name the chiefe poynt of godlynesse and religion seemed to stande in like worshipping of Saintes vnto whome by reason of the myracles wrought by them in times past sicke persons prisoners men in daunger on the seas and otherwhere vsed to make their prayers to eâ—eâ—t altars to make 〈◊〉 and to builde Churches and to offer all kinde of sacrifyces hauing in the meane season little or no regard at all of Christes merit in whom only the Apostles and Martyrs shewed vs all hope of saluation The madnesse of these people deserueth more at large to be confuted But this present place is sufficient to confute them where it is declared howe the Apostles tooke this doing of the people of Lystra First he liuely describeth the Apostles gestures whereby they abundantly declared howe much this kinde of honor displeased them For they rent their garments after the maner of their Nation which was a gesture of those that tooke great griefe indignation by reason of some intollerable blasphemie as appeareth by the example of Ezechias and Caiaphas of the which Ezechias hearing the blasphemous sayings of Rabsaces the Chaldey declared his sorowe and indignation by this gesture and the other sitting as a Iudge vpon Christes cause did egregiously counterfeyte a minde abhorring blasphemie by the same gesture But the Apostles which vsed alwaye to preferre the glory of Christ before all priuate affections did not counterfeyte or dissemble in this place And being not satisfyed with tearing of their garments they leape into the throng of the people as menne ready to quench some publike fyre which they being straungers and forreners coulde not doe without daunger of their life Furthermore they goe not about their matters with bare wordes only but with crying out that a man woulde thinke they had forgotten all modestie and myldenesse being in their priuate cases knowne to be most modest and pacient Therfore by this example may be gathered what the nature of the godly is and with what feruencie of zeale they vse to striue for the glory of god It seemeth to them an intollerable blasphemie when men go about to giue vnto them or to any other creature any diuine honour They haue a carefull regarde vnto the couenaunt of God and to his lawe the chiefe and principall
the saying of Dauid Many are the tribulations of the iust and that Christ foretolde shoulde come vnto vs And in all these things we must remember that so it must be not onely for that God maye be founde true of hys worde but bicause it is expedient thus to tame and brydle our fleshe and to mooue vs to lothe this lyfe and to desire the life to come For we feele in our selues what a loue of this worlde is in our fleshe and with howe much adoe we are brought to the desire of heauenly things And what thinke you woulde come of vs if we should taste of no aduersitie in this world but haue all things come to passe according to our desire lyking Surely the flesh would neuer be brought to renounce this worlde which notwithstanding all these vexations is woonderfully in loue with the worlde The second reason is that they declare how there is a ioyfull ende of tribulations for that by tribulations there is an entrance for vs into the kingdome of god Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though by suffring afflictions we deserue the kingdome of God which is purchased for vs by the bloude of our Sauiour Christ only But they teach vs that Christ by his example hath trode out this way vnto vs that as he by the crosse entred into the glory of his father so the ende of all afflictions is set forth vnto vs to be the inheritaunce of eternall life according to the promise of Christ I will that where I am there my Minister shall also be Who therfore will henceforth abhorre the crosse who will be offended at afflictions seeing he heareth they come also vnto the wicked but by Christes meane worke to the saluation of the godly Let vs remember these things at this day O brethren Let vs consider that it is Gods appoyntment that we should be thus invred with diuers troubles and that it can not be otherwise bicause the naughtynesse of our flesh so requireth Let vs haue an eye to the example of Christ who bicause he woulde be our Captaine suffered fyrst all these things Furthermore let vs fasten the eyes of our minde vppon the glory of the heauenly life and forgette these frayle and temporall things behinde vs Lette vs ioyne herevnto feruent prayer that he maye vouchsafe to accomplish and performe the good worke which is begonne in vs And so shall it come to passe that being inspyred with his spirite and grace and hauing prosperously ended this race of our life and attayned to the rewarde of the heauenly we shall liue and reigne with our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The C. Homelie AND when they had ordeyned them Elders by election in euery congregation and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lorde on whome they beleeued And when they had gone thorowout Pisidia they came to Pamphilia and when they had preached the woorde in Perga they descended into the Citie Attalia and thence departed by shippe to Antioch from whence they were committed vnto the grace of God to the woorke which they fulfilled When they were come and had gathered togither the congregation they rehearsed all that God had done by them and howe hee had opened the doore of fayth vnto the Gentyles And there they abode long time with the Disciples AS it was the dutie of the Apostles to bring our Sauiour Iesus Christ Disciples and to gather him a Church out of all Nations by preaching of the Gospell so was it their parts and dutie carefullye and diligently to see vnto the same Churches And this doe Paule and Barnabas most faythfullye For after they had with perill of their lyues planted Congregations at Antioche Iconium and Lystra they laboured with all industrie possible to maintaine and defende the same against the assaults and craftes of Satan And bicause they knewe the Iewes did marueylously vexe them they returned againe to the Churches there notwithstanding they were opprobriously driuen forth of them Neither doe they returne without profyte but confyrme and strengthen the mindes of the Disciples with admonitions and comfortes exhorting them to continue and abide in the doctrine and putting away the slaunder and offence of the Crosse of all which hath bene spoken in the sermon before going Herevnto is to be adioyned that that is sayde in the beginning of this place touching Elders ordeyned by the sayde Apostles When we haue hereof intreated as much as God shall giue vs grace then will we speake of their returne vnto the Church at Antioch agayne to whome they recounted all that they had done abrode When they had sayth Luke ordeyned them Elders by election in euery congregation and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lorde on whome they beleeued They are called Seniors or Elders which partlye are Ministers and teachers of his word and partly such as are ayding and assisting the Pastours in the administration of the Church and which by reason of their authoritie see that Discipline be obserued in the Church And where Luke sayth they ordeyned such in euery Church it easily appeareth that it is very necessarye for the conseruation of the Church to haue such as by whose ministery the doctrine of the worde may be had in continuall vse This is requisite both for the infyrmitie of the flesh and also bicause of the corruption of mannes nature which must needes be oftentimes warned to doe his dutie least he be brought to destruction by the craftes and subtiltie of the Deuill For the which cause Christ did not onely sende forth the Apostles to preach the Gospell among all Nations of the worlde but also gaue vnto his Church Pastours and teachers by whose diligence the fayth and knowledge of God which the Apostles taught might be confyrmed and preserued in mens mindes And Paule writeth that he left Titus for this cause in Creta that he should ordeyne Elders in euery Citie of that Islande And herevnto it is manifest the godlyest Kings and Princes that were hertofore had a respect by whose liberalitie Churches were endowed and enriched least for want of prouision the ministery of the word shoulde haue fayled Therefore their error is very pieuishe and absurde which reiect the doctryne of the worde as vnprofytable and superfluous For if these men did well knowe themselues they would perceyue that thys is the readyest waye whereby to attayne vnto saluation as Christ sometime tolde Martha being very much busied and occupyed in other matters Therefore as many as will haue the Church to be maintayned let them diligentlye prouide that the Church want not fytte and worthy Ministers The Euangelyst also declareth the ceremony or maner of choosing Elders wherein prayer and fasting were fyrst placed whereof mention was made as we haue hearde before in the lyke case Act. 1. and .13 When the Scripture vseth to ioyne both these togither it signifyeth that
God thought good to adourne Apollo Amongst these thinges eloquence occupieth the fyrst rowme which is a thing necessary for all persons as well in the ministerie as in the common weale as daylie experience declareth But whether this gifte come vnto man by nature or be gotten by arte labour studie and traueyle we knowe it hath bene a thing long agone argued on amongst the fyne witted Orators and Phylosophers But we following the Apostles saying account the gift of vtteraunce amonge the giftes of the holye Ghost By whose inspiration we say that Apollos had this gift Secondarily Luke sayth that he was mightie in the Scriptures and endued with an effectuall dexteritie of handling them Thus he maketh a difference betweene this mans godly eloquence and prophane For vnlesse the matter entreated of be taken out of the holy scriptures or from the mouth of God eloquence is to no purpose as the which is occupied rather about tryfles and in ostentation then about things needeful to be knowne and done And verily the Orators of the gentiles are not to be called eloquent which in deede disputed and debated things fynely and trimly but such as perâ—â—yned nothing to the godly and christian leading of our lyfe what else therefore shall we saye they did but heaue out vaine wordes pulling Hercules buskinnes as they say vpon a childes legges Certaine men marueyle at the force of their speech but yet vaine men and not much vnlike vnto them Howe much better did that Lacedemonian aunswere a Sophister that promised to tell a long and extemporate tale of any matter I sayth he would not commende that shoomaker that woulde pull a wide shooe vppon a little foote Therefore vnto this godly and profytable studie of Scripture Apollo ioyneth the knowledge of eloquence But bicause diuers euen in scripture seeke ostentation and vain glory as Christ vpbraided the Iewish Scribes therfore in the third place Apollo is sayd to haue bene infourmed in the way of the Lorde that is to haue the knowledge of christ Luke vseth this word way to declare that he was not ydle in this knowledge but following the rule of Christ laboured to order his whole conuersation of life thereafter This is the ende of all giftes For where our saluation is conteyned in Christ onely vaine and vnprofytable is the ostentation of all other things except men ioine the knowledge of him with their other studies And Christ himselfe expressely teacheth vs that this shoulde be our marke and ende in searching the Scriptures Which was the cause that Paule iudged all those things which the worlde greatly esteemeth as dunge so he might attayne to the knowledge of christ He sayth also that Christ is made of God our wisedome and he desireth to knowe nothing but Iesus Christ and 〈◊〉 crucifyed Woulde God they woulde consider these things which in schooles and vniuersities bewitch yong men with vaine Philosophie and banishe from thence the knowledge of Christ as a thing belonging only to beggerly Diuines as they call them The seconde thing to be learned in Apollo is that such an excellent man wanteth yet some thinges which to know is necessary for all men Wherevpon we gather that God giueth not all things vnto all men and that there are increasements and certaine degrees of encrease in gyftes considering no manne in the worlde hath full and perfyte knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdome of God which Paule sayth we shall haue in the worlde to come when we are taken into heauen and shall see God face to face as he is Whereof yet no manne must gather that all things sayde of religion in this worlde are vncertayne For where God by his worde in the Scripture reuealeth to vs the knowledge hereof it cannot be vncertayne that is declared in the worde Yet bicause the perfyte knowledge of God is reserued for vs in heauen we may euery day as long as we liue profyte and encrease therein We must therfore neuer rest here but still studie for more knowledge of God that we maye attayne euen in this worlde to some taste of this perfection as farre as we are able Hereby are those ydle Dranes reprooued which thinke all studye that is giuen vnto Scripture is vaine and vnprofytable thereby declaring that they neuer once tasted the same For such is the pleasantnesse of Scripture that it is a baite as it were for men always to bite at Those prowde men also that haue so much affiance in their knowledge that they thinke there is no more for them to learne and therefore despyse all study of scripture are here confuted which are so farre from that perfection that they perswade themselues to haue that they yet knowe not themselues very well Furthermore to returne vnto Luke he ioyning to the description of his person the thinges that he did declareth howe Apollos vsed these giftes that God gaue him He spake feruently in the spirite and taught diligently the things of the Lorde Agayne hee beganne to speake boldlye in the Synagoge Therefore he vsed his giftes to the setting forth of the glorye of the Lorde teaching vs by his example that then Gods gifts are lawfully vsed when Gods name which gaue them vs is by them celebrated This thankefulnesse we owe euen by the lawe of nature which is graffed in all creatures Therefore they greatly offende which ydly bury the gifts that God hath giuen them whereof Christ intreateth vnder the Parable of a naughty seruaunt Math. 25. Yet much more grieuously doe they offende which abuse his giftes at their pleasure to the reproche of his holye name as nowe a dayes commonly the giftes both of the minde and bodye are abused But they shall one day giue a streight account vnto God that thus fylthilye defyle and pollute themselues Also this example declareth what trade of teaching shoulde be vsed in the Church First zeale and feruencie of spirite is needefull that all men maye see their saying commeth from the heart For onlesse this spirite be present the teaching shall serue but to ostentation Thus that ardent and continuall traueyle in teaching and that feruent spirite in reforming the Temple abundantlye declared the zeale that Christ was enflamed with And those that are milke warme teachers shall neuer be allowed bicause Christ will haue euen priuate men in matters of religion to be hote See Apocalyps 3. Next it is needefull to vse diligence both bicause of our dull witte which perceiueth not heauenly thinges and also bicause of the corruption of our nature which alwayes vseth to resist Gods commaundement Beside the malice of Satan our common enimie whose craftes it behooueth the faythfull Ministers of God day and night diligently to withstande Therefore Paule commaundeth Timothie whom he knew was brought vp of a childe in the studie of Scripture to giue heede to his reading Likewise hereafter he exhorteth the Pastors of Ephesus to wakefulnesse and diligence by most weighty arguments Thirdly it
deede but not according to knowledge suche as Christ sharpely reprehended in Peter when he also dissuaded him from bearing the Crosse yet their affection is to be praised in that they are carefull for Paules safetie being farre vnlike to menne in these dayes which bring Ministers in daunger wythout a cause and thinke that they haue well discharged their dueties if they can for a time redeme a worldly peace with the liues and bloud of the Ministers But Paule moste earnestly withstandeth them and complayneth of them saying they greeue him more with their weping than with the remembraunce of the daunger Therfore Paule was not stony hearted such an one as the Stoikes faine their good and blissefull man to be but he coÌ„fesseth plainely that Goddes calling is more deare vnto him than his life and body The holy Ghost setteth his Example before all Ministers yea before all Christians to bee followed For vnlesse wee bee of the same mynde wee shall little or nothyng profytte in the waye of Christe bicause daungers are at hande on euery syde to them that seeke to serue Chryst. And this is no grieuous thing to the true godly if they wel wey the matter for what more profitable losse can we haue of this transitorie life and body which shall in few moneths mouldre into dust than to giue it for Chrystes sake whome we know died and rose againe for this ende that whether we liue or die we haue him to our Lord and Protectoure Which is the cause that Christ biddeth vs we should not feare theÌ„ which are able to kill the body but yet haue no power vpon the soule which is the better part of man And vnto these reasons do Paules companions also giue place For seeing him so constantly to persist in his purpose they say The will of God be fulfilled So now they perceiue at length that he is instigated heereunto by the calling of god Therfore least they might seeme to striue against God they commit them selues and the whole businesse vnto him folowing bothe the example and commaundement of christ And surely there is no more safe hauen for the godly to get them selues into amidde the raging and horrible tempests of these dayes than the will of god Which bicause it is holy and wholesome is able most effectually to recreate and cheare the mindes that are tossed with troubles and cares with the consideration therof Let vs therfore after the example of these men haue a regarde onely vnto the same and couragiously suffer what so euer God layeth vpon vs who for that he is faithfull wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength but euen in the middle of temptation wil make a way that we shall be able to beare it Nowe followeth Paules arriuall at Ierusalem where we haue three things to be considered First his frendes accompanie him which hitherto had bene his companions and vnto these are added newe frendes gotten at Caesaria In which place the truth of God appeareth which vseth to ioyne freendes and companions to them that suffer daunger for his names sake as otherwheres we haue declared Furthermore in them appeareth a notable example of faithe and constancie For they were not ignorant what was like to happen vnto Saule And there was greate cause for their owne parte also to be afraide Yet they forsake him not whome they knewe maintained Christes quarrell nor would not be driuen from him by any waues and â—ourges of aduersitie Let suche marke this Example as are pot freendes and as long as fortune laugheth will be companions with men but if shee begin once to lowre they forget all frendship and benefites and turne their backes The second is how the faithfull there prouide Paule of a commodious lodging For althoughe daungers were toward him yet prudencie must be ioyned with religion as Christ teacheth who in daungers wil haue vs to be wise as serpents His hoste was one Mnason a Cypriote borne and an olde disciple or protestant whereby is noted the perseueraunce and continuaunce he was of in the faith And charitie accompanieth faithe whereof this was a notable argument that he would lodge Paule and his companions knowing what daunger they were like to be in This is the propertie of true faith that the nigher daunger approcheth and the more vehemently it vrgeth the brighter it shineth Therefore our coldnesse is very worthy to be blamed which in daungers dissemble our faith and plainely neglect the duetie of charitie Last of all the brethren at Ierusalem do gladly receiue Paule yet heereafter we shall heare what euill rumors they spread of him But thy brethren would not condempne him without hearing of his cause They are most worthy to be folowed and teach vs by their example that we rashly beleue not such as ill report the brethren For such as these for the most parte are the chosen instrumentes of the Deuill which knoweth that the Church can no way be more greuously disturbed than by the deuision of the brethren Let vs therfore be mindfull of charitie which of all things abhorreth suspitiousnesse and let vs wholely apply our selues to keepe the vnitie of the Church vnblemished in Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxix Homelie ANd on the morrow Paule went in with vs vnto Iames. And all the Elders came togither And when he had saluted them he told by order all things that God had wrought among the Gentiles by his Ministration And when they heard it they glorified the Lord and said vnto him thou seest brother how many thousand Iewes there are which beleue and they are all earnest followers ouer the law And they are enfourmed of thee that thou teachest all the Iewes which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses and sayest that they ought not to circumcise their children neyther to liue after the customes What is it therfore The multitude must needes come togither for they shall hear that thou art come Do therfore this that we say to thee We haue four men which haue a vow on them TheÌ„ take purifie thy selfe with them and do cost on them that they may shaue their heads and all shall knowe that those things which they haue heard concerning thee are nothing but that thou thy selfe also walkest and keepest the law But as touching the Gentiles which beleue we haue written and concluded that they obserue no such thing saue only that they keepe them selues from things offred to Idolles and from bloud and from strangled and from fornication ALthough many false rumors were spred of Paule the Apostle that chosen vessell of Iesus Christ whereby bothe his good name and doctrine was greeuously stained and impeached by his aduersaries yet Luke wryteth that the brethren at Ierusalem did frendly and courteously receyue him thereby teaching vs that they had a more regarde of charitie than of a fewe of persones boyling in hatred