them powers or vertues least he might seeme to haue any affinitie with Iuglers For the things which the Euangelistes write of him he did verilye and in deede and of his owne power as Luke plainely testifieth where he sayeth vertue or power went from him whereby the sicke were healed And himselfe sayth in another place power or vertue went from him when he healed the woman that was sicke of the bloudy fluxe Then he calleth Christes workes woonders bicause they exceeded the common course of nature and drewe the mindes of the beholders into an admiration and amazednesse But bicause the things whose causes we know not are oftentimes taken for woonders when in deede they portende nothing at length he calleth the thinges that Christ did signes For the workes of Christ had a certaine ende which was to beare witnesse of his Godheade and of his office For by them he was knowne to be both the sonne of God and also he that was promised to be the redeemer of the worlde For the which cause he sent the disciples of Iohn to the consideration of his works And oftentimes he inculcateth his workes to the Iewes and vpbraydeth them so that the fault of their incredulitie is the greater The works sayth he that the father hath giuen me to finishe the same workes that I doe beare witnesse of me that the father hath sent me Againe If I doe not the workes of my father beleue me not But if I doe and ye beleeue not mee beleeue the workes that ye may knowe and beleeue that the father is in me and I in him And againe If I had not done among them the woorkes which none other man did they should haue had no sinne Therfore Peter doth very wel to call the workes of Christ signes He sayth these signes were done amongest them and he calleth none other to witnesse the same but themselues to whome he preached which did see them And so he quippeth their greate waywardnesse and ingratitude which coulde not be mollified and ouercome with so many and so great benefites of Christ being so marueylous and woonderfull He also goeth about by the consideration hereof to bring them to the knowledge of Christes diuinitie wherof not long after he discourseth more largely For although he here say that God did these things by Christ yet it derogateth nothing from the power and diuinitie of Christ whereas he confesseth these workes are giuen him of the father and that the father and he be all one In these things we are taught the true knowledge of Iesus Christe He is very God and man in one vnseparable person Uerye God from euerlasting begotten of the father Man made of a woman when in the tyme appoynted he came into the worlde to be the redeemer of mankinde And we must well marke the difference of the natures to saye the diuine and humaine which neyther deuyde the vnitie of person nor by reason of the vnitie are confounded among themselues For the properties of bothe the natures remayne inuiolable whole and sounde according as the Euangelists teach vs in euery place For euen Christ himselfe which touching his diuinitie is all one with the father speaking of his manhoode confesseth his father to be greater than he And Christ in his humanitie or manhoode dyeth who in his diuinitie or godheade is subiect neyther to death ne yet to any other corruption Such an one doth the holy scripture teach vs euery where that Christe is For whome the Prophetes call the ofspring and sonne of Dauid the same they vse also to call the father of eternitie our Lorde and our god And whome they prophecie shoulde be borne in Bethlehem his progresse and outgoing they confesse to haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting Yea the Lorde himselfe speaking of Christ sayth Aryse O thou sworde vpon my shepehearde and vppon the man which is my fellow or as some interprete it my coequall In the which words the two natures of Christ are more cleerely to be seene than the day For God calleth him Virum that is a very man and also testifieth that he is his coequall Manye other testimonies might be brought to this purpose if neede so were which they that reade the scriptures maye euerye where see On these things rest the first articles of our fayth and beliefe in christ For we protest that we beleeue in the onely begotten sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ which was conceyued by the holy ghost borne of the virgin Marie and so foorth To the declaration whereof all those things serue that are written in the Euangelistes concerning the mysterye of his incarnation See Luke 1. 2. Iohn 1. Math. 1. It shall be profitable for vs to holde fast the knowledge of both natures in Christ bicause that vppon these dependeth the office of Christ and the certaintie of our saluation For where it is manifest that he is both God and man we certainly beleeue that he is a mediatour betweene God and man bicause such ought to be the condition of a sequester or mediatour that he may be accepted of both the parties at variance But the infirmity of man was not able to abyde the rigour and maiestie of Gods iustice no more than the iustice of God alloweth mans righteousnesse which is nothing Therefore Iesus Christ was founde out who being the sonne of God of the same eternitie and substance with God was made man and ioyned both the natures so togither in one person that by his meane we haue a peace renued with God and a free entrance prepared to the throne of grace His merite the father can not deny bicause he is both his beloued sonne and also free himselfe from all sinne and wickednesse To him also maye we safelye trust considering he hath experience of our infirmities and knoweth howe to haue compassion on vs Wherevnto Paule had a respect saying We haue not an high Priest which cannot haue compassion on our infirmities but was in all poyntes tempted lyke as we are but yet without sinne Agayne Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of fleshe and bloude he himselfe also lykewise tooke part with them that through death he myght vanquishe him that had Lordship ouer death that is to say the deuill and that he myght deliuer them which through feare of death were all theyr lyfe time subdued vnto bondage For he in no place taketh on him the Angels but the seede of Abraham taketh he on him Wherefore in all things it became him to be made lyke vnto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God for to purge the peoples sinnes For in that it came to passe that he himselfe was tempted he is able to succour thē also that are tempted The consideration of these things might teach men how they dote which leaue this only mediatour Iesus Christ and turne
not written for Monkes and Friers onely to pore vpon but for our learning that is for as many as professe Christ which thing being spoken by Paule of the olde Testament for as yet the newe was not written howe much more learning may we nowe receyue hauing the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles ioyned all togither Likewise in his seconde Epistle to Timothie the thirde Chapter he sayth All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct and amende in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfite instructed vnto all good workes This epitheton or adiectiue inspired of God quite wypeth awaye all vnwritten verities all mannes gloses and traditions all fayned visions and myracles such as are to be founde in Gregorie the Popes dialogues and throughout the workes of our newe Diuines Since therefore the Scripture teacheth reprooueth correcteth and amendeth maketh men perfite and furnished with all good workes what thing then can there be deuised in all the worlde of more profite and vtilitie Had I not bounde my selfe by a particion to prooue by apparant reason also the truth of this assertion I shoulde néede no further to trouble eyther my selfe with more writing or you with more reading But such promises as these we are bounde to performe First therefore this is one reason verye euident playne that séeing our Sauiour Christ as Paule sayth woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth and for that ende did and suffered whatsoeuer he did and suffred while he liued here on earth the meane whereby men shoulde attaine vnto that truth and saluation which are Gods holy Scriptures ought by no meanes to be kept from them The practise of our Sauiour admitting all men to his sermons and familiar communication Publicanes souldiors artificers Phariseys harlots strayed shéepe vnrighteous persons yea kéeping company most with such abundantly prooue the same And bicause the scriptures as teaching the way to come vnto god best of all other things are méetest for such straglers all men by testimonie of the same scripture of their owne nature disposition are such straglers therfore ought all straglers that is to say all men to haue the law the scriptures wherby they may both sée howe they haue strayed out of the way and how to returne into the same againe The Maior is prooued by Christ Math. 22. Iohn 5. by the olde Doctors as we shall sée when we come to the last part of our particion The Minor God himselfe maketh Genes 8. where he sayth The imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth The writings of the Prophetes and Apostles doe inculcate and repeate nothing more The places are infinite therefore I quote them not The commaundement of Christ a little before his ascention bidding his Apostles to go into all the world and teach the gospell to all Nations doth further prooue it as their practise also declared teaching the same somewhile to Tentmakers somewhile to Tanners somewhile to women that were Dyers otherwhiles to Souldiers yea at all times to all states and degrées of persons And whereas Christ was borne dyed and was buryed rose againe and ascended into heauen for all men and shall come agayne to receyue all states and degrées of men for with God there is no respect of persons but in euery Nation he that feareth him and woorketh righteousnesse is accepted of him What are we that we shoulde withstande god and kéepe this knowledge from any kinde of menne What meaneth it moreouer that Christ will haue his light to shine throughout his house that he will haue his worde preached on the house toppes that the light of his gospell must not be put vnder a bushell why doth he many times conclude his sermons thus generally He that hath eares to heare let him beare Why doth god cry vnto the Prophets bidding them to speake out and exalt their voyces like to a Trumpet and to tell his people their wickednesse Christ suffred all men Tinkers Taylers Carpenters Coblers Masons and Bricklayers to heare his voyce and will these Comptrollers barre them from reading his bookes But I wote what a newe deuine will saye In the primitiue Church when the scriptures were extant for all men to reade what a swarme of heretikes bredde they which disturbed the whole church What heresie hath there bene at any time so absurde but it hath had hir colour of maintenance out of the Scripture Sir by the way I will take it for graunted that you say the Scriptures were extaunt in the primitiue Church for all men to reade as in déede they were And so was it gods will they shoulde be and for that cause did the holy ghost mooue the Euangelistes and the Apostles to wryte the gospels and the Epistles in the Gréeke tongue which then was vniuersallye vnderstoode of most Nations yet notwithstanding these heresies bredde as you say the primitiue church neuer called the scriptures in ne yet forbade any kinde of people the reading of them You haue done both without all example of the primitiue church whereby may and doe appeare your newe proceedings But nowe to aunswere question with question what heresie I praye you euer was there but the same hath bene confuted by the scriptures Bicause some men haue misvsed the scriptures shall all menne be depriued of them shall the Bées be kept frō gathering hony of the swéete flowers bicause spiders make poyson of them shall all they that can vse wine and breade to chéere and strengthen mans heart giuing god thanks for them taste or assay none of them bicause a great many abuse them to surfetting drunkennesse Lay the fault where it is in the men not in the things that they misvse What fault is in the money that lyeth and rusteth in the cofer of the couetous what in the knife or sworde that killeth a bodye Ptholomeus Philadelphus thought himselfe very well occupied as in déede he was when he caused the bookes of Moses and the prophets to be translated into the Gréeke tongue by thréescore and tenne learned men called the seauentie Translators or Interpreters two hundreth thréescore and seauentene yeares before Christ was borne An hundreth and fower and twenty yeares after Christes ascention Aquila a Iewe in the dayes of Adrian the Emperor translated them againe After him Theodotion in Commodus dayes Then Symachus vnder Seuerus Then was there an other translation founde at Hierusalem without anye name called the common translation After this againe Origene tooke great paynes to correct the seauentie Translators adding of his owne where he thought they were not full and taking from them where he sawe redundance and superfluitie All these no doubt labouring to elucidate and make playner as much as in them lay the former translations Yea S. Hierome after all this was not afrayde to translate the whole Bible againe into the Latine tongue which is perished He
may first sée what the opinion of the Latine Church was in this poynt by one of the most approouedst Doctors in the same Church S. Hierome vpon these wordes of Paule to the Colossians Let the worde of Christ dwell plentifullye among you sayth thus By this place it is declared that euen the laye people ought to haue the woorde of Christ among them not onely sufficiently but also abundantly and to teach and admonishe one another Here besides that S. Hierome permitteth the lay people to haue the Scriptures and that plenteously he also suffereth them to teach and instruct one another saying moreouer that it is their dutie so to doe Chrysostome vpon the same place and wordes sayeth euen the same thing though in more large and ample maner Harken sayth he all yee secular people that haue charge of wife and children howe the Apostle commaundeth you chiefly to reade the scriptures and that not lightly and slenderly but with great diligence And a litle after that again Lysten sayth he I pray you all you laye people Buye you the Bible which is the medicine of the soule Or if you will haue nothing else get you the newe Testament the Gospels and Actes of the Apostles for your continuall and diligent teachers And by and by after he addeth This sayth he is the cause of all euill that the scriptures are not vnderstanded Note well I pray you howe Chrysostome holdeth this as an vndoubted and infallible truth that ignoraunce in the Scriptures is the cause of all euill Our Countrie man Beda called worshipfull as I suppose bicause of his great learning and reuerende life and demeanor is of the very same iudgement as appeareth by that he hath written vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter the seconde Chapter I might also here shewe howe the sayde Beda for more than nyne hundreth yeares past translated the Gospell of Saint Iohn into the Englishe tongue and howe Constantine so greatly commended for his godlynesse caused infinite copies of the Byble to be written and sent abrode into all the partes of his Empyre long before that But returne we to Chrysostome who many times chideth as it were with his hearers for that they giue no better héede to his sermons sometimes againe he prayeth and desireth them that they woulde come oftner to them and reade and pervse the scriptures at home at their houses more diligently than they had vsed Otherwhiles he aunswereth the obiections they vsed to make for their excuse But let vs heare his owne words Tell me saith he I pray you you that stand here present which of you can say one Psalme without the booke if it were required of you or any other peece of the scripture And he by by maketh their obiection answere But sayth he this is your defence for all such faultes I am say you no Monke I haue wife and children and charge of housholde verily this is it wherewith as it were with the plague you â—arre and corrupt all thinges bicause you thinke the reading of scriptures belongeth to Monkes onely where in deede it is much more necessary for you than for them for they that go abrode in the world and daily receyue wounde vpon wound haue more neede of Gods medicine than other men Wherefore it is a more grieuous and heynous fault to thinke the lawe of God to be superfluous than to be ignorant in it for these be wordes proceeding of a diuelishe cogitation Hearest thou not Paule say the scriptures are written for our correction Thus much hath Chrisostome in his second Homelie vpon S. Mathew these words also to the like effect in the same place folowing This sect sayth he is the working of the deuils inspiration that will not suffer vs to loke vpon the treasure least we should attaine to the riches therof Therfore he perswadeth men that there is no profit ryseth by reading the holy Scriptures bicause he woulde see no practise followe of the hearing Againe in his .xvij. Homelie vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues he bringeth other like obiections whervnto he also answereth Thou wilt saye sayth he I haue not reade it this is no excuse but a fault And in his .xxviii. Homely vpon the Genesis he earnestly erhorteth and counsayleth all men to the hearing reading of the scriptures These be his words I pray you sayth he come hither oftener and harken more diligently to the reading of the holy Scripture and not onely when you come hither but at home also take the holy Bible in your handes and receyue with great studie the commoditie therein conteyned And a little after that againe I pray you therfore sayth he let vs not lose so great a commoditie through our negligence but let vs apply the reading of the holy scripture euen at home also Nowe if these newe Diuines which haue gone so long disguised vnder the visar of antiquitie will yet farther replye and saye that the Scriptures are to difficult for all men to vnderstand and that they are not sufficient to discusse all controuersies that may arise in the church but that we must wayte for the Oire and determiner of counselles or that diuersitie of translations bréede obscuritie and errours among the people we will hereto also make them an aunswere and that out of the doctors that it may herein also appeare that they doe but pretende doctors seing they will not yéelde to the doctors when they heare them speake and make so expressely against them First touching hardnesse and difficultie wherewith they charge the scripture Saint Augustine in his second booke of christian doctrine and sixe chapter sayth thus The holye ghost hath so honorably and wholesomely tempered and qualified the holye Scriptures that it hath put hunger awaye by playner places and lothsomnesse by darker And againe in his thirde Epistle to Volusianus he sayth The maner of speech wherof the holy scripture consisteth all men may easely come vnto although verie fewe can pearce through it vttering the playner things therein conteyned like a familiar friend without all coulour to the heart aswell of the vnlearned as learned And those things which it hydeth in mysteries it doth not set out with haultie elocution fraying the slowe and vnlearned minde to come neere it lyke as the poore man commeth vnto the riche but allureth all men with lowlinesse of speeche feeding them not onely with manifest truth but exercising them with secret hauing the verie same things in playner places that it hath in harder Cyrill in his seauenth booke against Iulian sayth to the intent that the scriptures might be knowne to all men both small and great they are so commodiously set foorth in familiar speache that they passe nones capacitie Saint Hierome vpon the .xix. chapter of Esay sayth It is the maner of the scriptures after harder things to set playner Saint Austen in his .83 booke and .69 question affirmeth that circumstaunce of the Scriptures openeth the sence and meaning
preacheth and writeth 915 Paule reproueth the Iewes of stubbornesse 90â— Paule an example of Christian charitie 412 Paule preacheth to the Iewes 647 Paule preacheth boldly 735 Paule defendeth his Ministery modestly and constantly 866 Paule by a myracle became knowne to the people of Malta â—88 Paule sheweth a token of christiaÌ„ modestie whyle hee can patiently suffer reâ—ulse 412 Paule sayled in an Idolatrouse ship Pag. 892 Paule commaundeth to stay the Marinâ—s 882 Paule taketh on a Nazarites vowâ— Pag. 770 Paule aâ—monished not to go to Ierusalem 761 Paule offendeth not in â—ebuking the Byshop 800 Paule resisteth to be set at libertie in hucker mucker 643 Paule answereth them that suspected the story of his calling 789 Paule confirmed with the meeting of the Brethren 895 Paule is a debtor to all men 864 Paule lawfully ordeyned an Apostle by the ministrye of Ananias 789 Paule preacheth at Philippi 6â—3 Paule preacheth Iesus 407 Paule tooke Christes parte agaynste his will. 856 Paule calleth the chief of the Iewes togyther 896 Paule forbidden to preache in Asia Pag. 619 Paule how hee was conuerted 789 Paule returneth to Ierusalem 792 Paule preacheth the kingdom of god Pag. 916 Paule sent to Ananias to bee further instructed 789 Paule restored to his sight and baptised 404 Paule defendeth him selfe by the Romaine lawes 797 Paule accused of sedition heresie and polluting of the church 820 Paule excuseth himself 8â—2 Paule goeth to the Elders at Ierusalem 769 Paule professeth hee is a Phariseye Pag. 802 Paule was a sower of tentes 756 Paule a prisoner two whole yeares Pag. 915 Paule preacheth a whole daye togyther 900 Paule desyreth ayde of the Captayne Pag. 810 Paule tryed of God diuers wayes Pag. 764 Paule commeth to Ierusalem 412 Paule brought out to preach in chaynes 845 Paule shaketh of the Adder without any hurt 889 Paule commaunded to bee whipped Pag. 796 Paule called into Macedonia 621 Paule in daunger of his lyfe 776 Paules departure out of Asia 758 Paules accusers are of great power and might 818 Paules araynement before Festus the nâ—w President 833 Paules singular feruencie in the office committed vnto him 760 Paules companions 870.397 Paules commendacion 815 Paules state or condition 398 Paules confidence 826 Paules counsell despysed 871 Paules constancie 646 Paules tyrannie agaynst the Church of Christ. 856 Paules dignitie 878.879 Paules traunce 793 Paule excused in forsaking the Iewes religion 784 Paule Barnabas visite the churches Pag. 613 Paules doctrine and Companions Pag. 6â—7 Paule and Elymas the sorcerers first encounter 514 Paules familie 890 Paules fortitude 844 Paules enemies fal out among them selues 850 Paules notable prayse 402 Paules innocency 842 Paules taking vp into paradise 398 Paules nauigation described 870 Paule hath scales fall from his eyes Pag. 405 Paules office enioyned him of God described 792 Paules oration to Agrippa and the argument thereof 848 Paules oration is interrupted 794 Paule taken into the ministery 402 Paules first acte after hee was Apostle 406 Paules iourney into Arabia amitted of Luke 410 Paules wisedome 812 Paules childhod bringing vp 849 Paules iourney to Rome 894 Paules auctoritie in writing 399 Paules passage into Macedonia 622 Paules vocation to preache too the Gentyles proued to be lawful 793 Paules very christian wyfe 868 Paule what happened to him before Felix the president 816 Paule permitted to speake for himselfe ibidem Paules chaunce at Damascus 410 Paule sent to Anania by Christe and to what ende 399 Paule being humbled is receyued of Christ. 396 Paule called Mercurie by the people of Lystra 567 Paule eased of hatred by the Elders Pag. 770 Paule accused by the Bishoppes and Iewes 835.818 Paules pointes of his sermon before Felix 831 P ante E Peace is restored to the Churche Pag. 415 Peace must not be sought with the derogation of Christes glory 591 Peace how it may be procured to the Church 416 Peace in the Churche of what commoditie it is 416 Peace gyuen of God how it was vsed of the godly ibidem Pentecost daye why it was appointed to send the holy ghost on 75 Pentecost feaste when it was instituted and what manner of thing it was ibidem Pentecost and the ceremonies therof Pag. ibidem Peoples reporte must not be trusted to much 577 People of Israell saued and multiplyed in Egypt through the grace of God. 314 Persecution against the Apostles 562 Persecution vniuerâ—al in the Church at Ierusalem 357 Persecution rageth when famine dearth ryseth 487 Persecution raysed by the Iewes 555 Persecution attendeth on Chrystes ministers 410 Persecutions auctors causes 488 Persecution how far it raigeth 562 Persecutions of the Apostles what they teache vs â–ª 811 Persecutions in the church were ten the ende of the persecutors 300.301 Persecutions of the primitiue church why so diligently written of Luke Pag. 219 Persecution being ended the faythfull reioyce 558 Persecution reignyng the faythfull must call to mynde the oracles of God. 217 Persecuted must not by and by forsake their standing 360 Persecutors make men blaspheme God. 857 When Persecutions rage what the Christians must do 216 Persecutors are brydled by the hand of God. 410 Persecutors of the church who be 191 Persecutors of the faythfull persecutors of Christ. 789 Persecutors of the truth who are alwayes most lyke to bee 245 Persecutors of Christ hys Church lyuely portraictured 856.857 Persecutors of the church if their examples be well considered we shal see that none of theÌ„ haue escaped the horrible vengeaÌ„ce of god 300.301 Persecutors incurable impietie 207 Persecutors punished 394 Persecutors haue their limites and boundes prescribed 358 Perseuerance or continuance needful in religion 549 Perseuerance in prayer of what force it is 47 Persones respecte in iudgement is a great mischief 837 Persones respecte with God is their none 446 Peruersâ—nes of men in seeking their saluation 585 Petitions and desires of them that beleeue 220 Peter apprehended 490 Peter lodged with Simon a Tanner 423 Peter comforted by promises 133 Peter will haue goddes benefyte set forth and declared 501 Peter rayseth vp Dorcas 422 Peter desirous to ioyn with the church agayne 497 Peter waked by the Aungell ibid. Peter seketh his escape by flying â–ª 501 Peter maryed â–ª 45 Peter prayeth fasting 432 Peter what hee did after hee was deliuered 496 Peter answereth the offence that might be taken out of gods prouidence 52 Peter quipped but with a light taunâ— constantly defendeth Christ and his Gospell 91 Peter what hee taught in the firste sermon hee made 127 Peter preacheth that Iesus is the Sauiour 200 Peter after he receiued the holy ghost desired no supremacie emonge the Apostles but to bee equall with them 90 Peter is taught by a vision the vocation of the Gentyles 431 Peter how hee was receyued of the faythfull 499 Peter goeth through al the churches Pag. 417 Peters counsell giuen to the Iewes in his first sermon after hee receyued the holy ghoste 130 Peters iudgement touching Anâ—nias facte 230 Peâ—ters opinion touching
things which can not be attayned too nor perceyued by mans reason it becommeth vs with Paule to marueyle with godly confession of our ignorance and to crie out O the depth of the riches and of the wisedome of God how vnsearchable be his iudgementes and his wayes vnfindeable for who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who hath bene a counsell with him or who hath first giuen to him and it shall be giuen to him againe For of him and by him and in him c. Nowe let vs see the other part of Christes aunswere wherein he repeateth such thinges of his kingdome as serue for this present purpose Hee so handleth this matter as I sayde before that he both marueylously comforteth the Disciples and admonisheth them of their dutie For he sayth You shall receyue power when the holy ghost shall come vpon you and you shall be witnesses to me not only in Hierusalem but in all Iurie and Samarie and vnto the worldes ende First he repeateth the promyse of the holy ghost wherwith he comforteth the Disciples and describeth the state of his kingdome I woulde not sayth he haue you abashed where you heare you are appointed to the setting forth of my kingdome among the Gentyles For this thing will not bee compassed by mans strength which I perceyue in you to be very small and little regarded Here needeth heauenlye and diuine strength from aboue which I haue often promised you shal not want and now againe I promise you the same For the holy ghost shall come vpon you which shall giue you courage and strength that shall make you able to fulfill your office We are here admonished that Christes kingdome as hee confessed before Pylate is not of this worlde or earthly but spirituall neyther consisteth in the power honour glory triumphes riches and pleasures of this world but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holye ghost Wherevpon we gather further that it is not set foorth and defended with carnall weapons and strength of Princes of this worlde but with preaching of the worde wherwith the spirite of God worketh effectuously in the harts of men This teacheth the wordes of Paule where he sayth Though we walke in the fleshe yet warre we not after the flesh For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty in God to cast downe strong holdes wherewith we ouerthrowe counsayles and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God bring into captiuity all imagination to the obedience of Christ. c. Therfore they labour in vaine which go about by mans counsell leagues fight fauour and amitie of Princes and such lyke meanes to set vp the kingdome of god For Christes kingdome is in the mindes of men which by no mans strength can be forced but with the power and operation of the holye ghost It becommeth both Kings and Princes to be the nurses and maintayners of the Church as Esay sayth but they shall neuer with outwarde power and strength set forth the kingdome of christ And the examples of all ages plainely teach vs that whatsoeuer man went about by his counsell and strength that way to bring it to passe neuer happily succeeded Moreouer he expressely teacheth what the Apostles haue to doe in their office in this kingdome You shall be my witnesses sayth hee This shall bee your kingdome your office your dignitie to beare witnesse of my doctrine life myracles passion death buriall resurrection from death and ascention into heauen and briefly of all the things which I haue done and suffred for mans saluation Neyther shall you expounde the hystorie of things by mee done onelye but declare the ende and vse of them that all nations maye acknowledge mee their onelye teacher sauiour and redeemer Christ thought good in this place to vse this worde witnesse as also in Iohn the .xv. to admonish as well the Apostles as the hearers of their dutie For the Apostles and their successors learne by the dutie of a witnesse how to preache the Gospell of Iesus christ In a witnesse the looue of truth is chiefly required and a lying witnesse God hateth Againe it is the part of a witnesse to speake nothing but that he knoweth which he hath so certainly seene and heard that he doubteth nothing of the truth of them Further he must haue no corrupt affections least of hatred feare or fauour he put to hyde or conceale any thing but plainly confesse the thing he knoweth Such witnesses we reade that the Apostles were For whatsoeuer they heard Christ teach or sawe him doe they truely preached it neyther feared they the threates of their enimies as appeareth in all hystories Neyther confirmed they their witnesse of Christ with words onely but with their life with death and with their bloud It becommeth the Ministers of the worde to imitate their truth and constancy who if for fauour of man or feare of daunger they chaunge or at least dissemble any thing in the quarrell of Christ they pollute themselues with an horrible crime and are in daunger of Christes sentence Whosoeuer is ashamed of me in this naughty and adulterous world him will I also be ashamed of when I come wirh the holy angels in the glory of my father Againe the hearers of the Apostles and Apostolicall doctrine are here admonished what an heynous offence it is not to beleeue the holye gospell or to gainesay it For it is not a simple preaching of Christ or an hystoricall and bare narration but a testimonie which the Apostles as sworne witnesses brought into the worlde by the very sonne of God gaue not only before the common people but also before the Bishoppes and Priestes Kinges and their Counsell But he that in the lawe giueth no credite to sworne witnesses and openly denieth their testimony bringeth himselfe in daunger of lyfe What shall we saye then of those â–ª which feare not to speake against the Apostles being Christes witnesses For they accuse not only the Apostles of lying but also Christ himselfe as much as in them lyeth yea they woulde cause God the father to be suspected as though he would bring forth false witnesses and obtaine his sonnes cause with suborned witnesses This sawe that beloued Disciple of Christ when he sayth If we receyue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnesse of God which he bare of his sonne He that beleeueth the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe He that beleeueth not God maketh him a lyer bicause hee beleeueth not the witnesse that God beareth of his sonne c. These things if we consider brethren we shall finde the chiefe cause of the euils of these daies For where we take it for a ieast and pastime to call in question and doubt the things written by the Apostles of Iesus Christ yea many wickedly deny them and persecute that testimony of Iesus Christ with fire and sworde
they fell out For as the Euangelistes write when Iudas sawe Christ deliuered vnto Pylate being stricken with repentaunce of his wicked fact he returneth to the Priests confesseth his offence and rendreth back the money which was the rewarde of his wicked treason But being mocked of them disdainefullye and reiected he hurleth the money downe in the temple and getting him from thence throtleth himselfe with an halter The Priestes bicause they coulde neyther with honestye let the money lye scattered in the Church nor durst put it among the treasure of the Church knowing it to be the pryce of bloude they buye with it a Potters fielde to burye straungers in hereby meaning cleane to wype out the wickednesse whereof they were not long before autors Howbeit by this meanes they purchase to themselues the perpetuall shame of so wicked an acte whyle by Gods prouidence it commeth to passe that the fielde called after the name of the money that was the pryce of bloud beareth perpetuall witnesse of their wicked offence This fielde Peter sayth Iudas himselfe tooke possession of both bicause it was bought with his money and for that the greatest part of so slaunderous a memory belonged vnto Iudas Furthermore in these things let vs marke first in Iudas the sorrowes of a boyling conscience which is playne were most cruell and more intollerable than the paynes of hell bicause they were able not only to make him set naught by his money but also being otherwise a most couetous caytife made him hate the same and brought him to the confession of his fault which Christ at his supper aduertised him of in vaine and made him weary of this present life Adde herevnto his horrible kind of death He knitteth the halter about his owne necke he is his owne hangman and dispatcheth himselfe out of life And for a more aggrauation of his cruell death he brast a sunder in the middest and all his intralles gushed out For he well deserued to haue his intralles poured forth which feared not to sell Christ the onely Autor of true lyfe for filthye lucre And yet the rigor of Gods iudgement here ended not but the remembrance of so heynous an offence endureth for euer So it commeth to passe that the vnhappy childe of perdicion neyther enioyeth his lyfe long nor yet the money which he helde dearer than his lyfe Let them set the eyes of their minde vpon this glasse whosoeuer vse for filthy lucre sake and for priuate gaine to betraye Christ to denye the truth and shamefullye to mocke the Church of christ Let whosoeuer lyueth by bloude well weye these things and such as thinke it a most worthye commendation to bee enriched by wages for their warring and testifie their welth by gorgeous building by trimming their sarmes by costly housholde stuffe by braue apparell and sumptuousnesse in all their doings For what doe these else but openly bewraye themselues to be bloudthirsty and leaue after them the monuments of a lyfe led in cruelty But whereas some poyntes pertaining to this matter remaine to be spoken in the things that followe Let the vnhappye ende of Iudas warne vs to mortifie slaughter our sinnes with the syncere feare of God that we may imbrace Iesus Christ with sure fayth to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The eyght Homelie FOR it is written in the booke of Psalmes His habitation be voyde no man be dwelling therein And his Byshopricke let another take Wherfore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lord Iesus had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vnto that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned to be a witnesse with vs of his resurrection BIcause our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ woulde haue his Apostles witnesses of our redemptiō which he hath purchased vnto vs by his merite it shal not be superfluous to consider the more diligently the things that are sayde of their calling ordering For except we well knowe these things their authoritie shall be of no such weyght with vs as it ought to be Which thing is the chiefe cause that their vocation whom Iesus Christ chose while he was here on earth is written with such diligence by the Apostles that no man can doubt but they were ordayned by god But bicause the authoritie of Matthie shoulde not seeme the lesse which after Christes ascention succeeded in the place of Iudas was numbred with the Colledge of the Apostles Luke therfore so describeth his election that it may appeare he was no lesse appoynted to the administration of this office by Christ than the other Apostles For he neither ran of his owne head nor Peter which propounded this matter to the congregation to be consulted of doth any thing of his priuate authoritie but falling to prayer with the residue of the Church leaueth al the matter to the ordering of God as in the next Homely shal be declared By which example wee learne that Ministers must wayte till they be lawfully called neyther that anye man must be permitted eyther to thrust himselfe or any other into the Ministery ouer hastily and vnaduisedly For in the Prophete they are grieuously reprehended which runne of their owne heade not being lawfully called of the Lorde And Paule sayth How shall they preach except they be sent Yet Paule was not ignorant that there were many that preached not sent of the Lord whom in some place hee calleth false brethren ▪ which crept in being not lawfully ordayned but he affirmeth that such can not discharge their office duely yea Christ himselfe tooke not vppon him the office of teaching before he was solemnely declared by God the Father to be the teacher of all the worlde whereof the Autor of the Epistle to the Hebrewes maketh mention Which order if it be not obserued neyther can the people take them for Gods Ministers of whose calling they are vncertaine neyther can the Ministers vse themselues in their office with such credite and constancye as becommeth them For with what weapons shall they arme themselues against the threates of the world the attemptes of tyrants perils on euery side which knowing in their conscience how vniustlye they haue vsurped can conceyue in their mindes no hope of Gods ayde or assistaunce But let vs returne to Peter who in the beginning of his Oration as wee sayde yesterday taketh away the offence that might ryse of Iudas fall by referring or sending them to the decree of Gods prouidence which the holy ghost many yeres past gone reuealed to vs by Dauid And bicause he had made mention of the holy scripture now he bringeth forth certaine testimonies of the same And omitting the testimonies wherein Iudas transgression which before was sufficiently declared was prophecied he rehearseth onely those that are extant of his horrible punishment And he ioyneth two testimonies togither wherof the first
their mindes as they read occupied with other cogitations as though the reading of scripture were appoynted but for delyte or to passe the time away Let vs therfore well marke what commaundementes and examples belong to our vocation that we maye continue in the same and declare our industrye towarde god For in thus doing a minister of the worde shall thinke whatsoeuer things are spoken by the Prophetes or Apostles touching the administration of the same worde to be sayde vnto him And they that be Magistrates let them thinke whatsoeuer is sayde in the Scriptures touching the dutie of Officers with examples of auncient Magistrates whether they be good or badde to be spoken vnto them The same shall priuate men also doe of what state or condicion so euer they be So shall it come to passe that with a certayne godly delight and pleasure of minde they shall receyue incredible profite by reading of the Scriptures Let vs examine the wordes of Peter wherein two things most appertayning to this present purpose are handled First he teacheth what maner of person should be chosen to the roume of an Apostle Then he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle And of these two he so disputeth that they may serue to the institution of all Ministers of the word of the congregation To the first part appertayneth this saying Wherefore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lorde IESVS had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vntill that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned c. Peter requireth here two things of great weyght The first is a sure and sounde knowledge of Iesus Christ and of all the things he did whyle he was amongst his Disciples For vsing an Hebrewe phrase by two contraries that is to saye of going in and comming out he includeth all things that euer Christ did Yet least any man should take occasion hereof ouer curiouslye to inquire after euery thing he compasseth this knowledge within certaine boundes that is to saye the baptisme of Iohn and the glorious ascention of Christ into heauen For before Christ was baptised of Iohn he led a priuate life in Nazareth of Galiley behauing himselfe obediently to his Parents and exercising the Carpenters craft as maye be gathered But the thinges that concerned our redemption and belonged to the office of the Messias he then went aboute when hee had bene baptised of Iohn and was authorized by the visible annoynting of the holy Ghost and by the testimonye of the father which was hearde from heauen For which cause the Euangelists contented with the describing of his incarnation touching his nonage and childehoode haue written very little For the holy ghost ment hereby to bridle the foolish curiositie of mans wit which not many yeares ago vttred and set forth it selfe by no simple writers I warrant you who haue compyled vs the lyfe and whole chyldehoode of Christ to the great mockery open scorne of the Christian profession Howbeit Peter thinketh the knowledge of these things sufficient and inough which Christ did after he was so solemnlye admitted and put in office And this knowledge was necessary bicause Christ ordayned his Apostles to be faithfull witnesses of his doings Secondly he requireth a certaine and euident signe of perseuerance and continuance For he woulde haue none chosen out of that number which were yet but nouices and newly entred into Christes religion but such as began to follow Christ from the beginning of his conuersation amongst men and so continued with him being neyther feared with daunger of persecution nor offended with the crosse and his â—launderous death And these thinges should now a dayes be obserued in choosing ordering of Ministers if they had any care of the Church which chalenge greatest authoritie ouer the same For it is playne that the chiefe dutie of the Minister standeth in teaching as God sayth by the Prophete In the Priestes lippes should be the sure knowledge that men may seeke the lawe at his mouth For hee is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes But how shall he teach who is vnlearned and rude him selfe Surely Paule in a Bishop requireth this thing chieflye that he be able to teach and that not only the playne doctrine of truth to the more tractable sort of men but also that he be able to refell and conuince such as shall gainesay and contrary the same whereof there is alwayes a great multitude Therefore in a Minister of the worde the knowledge of Christ and his misteries is necessary with al the things that concerne the articles of the Christian fayth and the dutie of the faythfull There is required of him diligent reading of the Scripture wherein hee ought to be well exercised He hath neede of the knowledge of the tongues that in reading the Scriptures he depende not vpon the sense of others and be constrayned to looke with other mens eyes and to go with other mens feete Furthermore it is meete he be furnished with the Artes of speaking that hee maye perceyue what to propounde in what place and after what sort and order All which are of such weyght that Paule not without a cause exhorted Timothy to continue on still in reading who yet he confesseth of a childe had learned the Scriptures Moreouer whereas infinite daungers hange ouer the function of Ministers boldenesse of minde is requisite least being ouercome with feare of perill hee drawe backe or sticke in the middest of his course But this shall chiefly be perceyued by perseuerance or continuance whereof no doubt he had giuen manifest tokens The same hath Paule obserued likewyse where he sheweth vs that a Byshop shoulde not be a yong scholer or Nouice least being puffed vp with sodaine dignitie he commit some thing dishonest or vncomely and giue occasion to the aduersary to reprooue him Yea and Christ himselfe at his last supper commendeth his Apostles whom it is plaine were subiect to many faultes and infirmities chiefely for this cause that they abode with him in all his temptations But let vs see Peters last wordes where he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle Let one be appoynted sayth he which may be a witnesse of his resurrection First he will haue a partner or fellow ioyned with the eleuen not a seruant whome the reast at their pleasure might commaunde For he knewe that equalitie was needefull to be amongst Christes Ministers Then he calleth him a witnesse which name Christ called them by a little before he went from hence And the often repeticion and diligent consideration of this name is not a little profitable For hereby the worthynesse of the Christian fayth and certaintye of the doctrine euangelicall may be perceyued bicause Christ had not onely preachers of the things he did â—ut also sworne witnesses which wrate and deliuered to vs the fayth in him Last of
noysed no further among the people let vs threaten and charge them that they speake hencefoorth to no manne in this name And they called them and commaunded them that in no wise they shoulde speake nor teach in the name of IESV THe Apostle Peter so aunswereth the question propounded to him and to Iohn in the counsell at Ierusalem concerning the lame man that was healed that he teacheth them not onely that they enquire of but also declareth to them after a compendious and briefe sorte the whole effect and summe of saluation We are taught by this example so to traueyle with the professed enimies of the truth as to laboure to winne them to Christ and to saluation Which ende Christ as it is manifest set before him as often as he had contention with his aduersaries But nowe let vs see what effect ensued of Peters answere which in so great vehemencie of speach and earnest ayde of the holy ghost coulde be of no small force Where we may see a marueylous confusion of mindes which that it might be the more perceyued is so described of Luke that first he declareth what an abashment it wrought in the counsell then what deuise and counsell they toke concerning the Apostles both which we meane to entreate of in order First they are filled with admiration and amazednesse and wotte not what way to take in so much that they know not what to say against it And least any man might thinke they were fooles or at their wittes ende for feare he sheweth the causes which made them so perplexed and in doubt First was the confidence and boldnesse of speach in the Apostles which they here perceyued did surpasse their expectation For they knewe they were simple and vnlearned men not brought vp in faculties or artes beside their mother tongue They knewe they were taken from fyshers craft to be the Apostles of christ And euen yet still did that olde opinion bewitch their mindes which caused them once to saye that none of the Scribes or Phariseys but the accursed and rascall people which were ignorant in the lawe and scriptures helde with christ Therefore presupposing they shoulde easily haue ouercome the Apostles they could not choose but be amazed when they see them aunswere with such discretion to their question reprooue their iniustice so boldlye and defende Christes quarell with such wisedome and constancie For they are compelled will they nyll they to acknowledge some power of God in them and perceyue they are ledde with a farre other wisedome than the wisedome of the fleshe And this was the chiefe cause why Christ woulde choose ignorant and vnlearned Apostles that the doctrine of the Gospell might be acknowledged to be set forth by the power of God and not through mans wisedome eloquence or authoritie and that all the prayse and glorie thereof might redounde vnto God alone whereof Paule disputeth at large in the first to the Corinthians the first Chapter The other cause of their amazednesse was the euident truth of the myracle wrought by the Apostles which they are neyther able to call in doubt nor yet to charge with any suspicion of Magicke or enchauntment For they see the man stande before them on whome the Apostles had bestowed this benefite of health whether called by them or of his owne accorde ioyned to them to see the ende and successe of the matter I wote not Therefore they are in a perplexitie of minde and haue not one worde to answere So they which thought to haue ouercome and caught the Apostles in some trip by demaunding of one question are shamefully vanquished and confounded Here is fulfilled that which Christ promised saying I will giue you vtteraunce and wisedome against which all your aduersaries shall not be able to make resistaunce It appeareth also howe vaine the deuises of men are against christ He knoweth their cogitations to be vaine and bringeth the counsayle of the heathen to naught but the counsayle of the Lorde endureth for euer as Dauid sayd Psal. 33. and. 94. For it is he verily who as Elephas the Themanite sayth destroyeth the deuises of the subtill so that their handes are not able to perfourme any stedfast thing he compasseth the wyse in their owne craftynesse and ouerthroweth the counsayles of the wicked The Gospell sheweth vs a like example in a blinde man restored by Christ to his sight againe who being both vnlearned and a begger doth marueylously hold the whole Colledge of Scribes and Phariseyes at a baye that the more questions they aske of him the more they vtter their foolishnes Let no man therefore be afrayde eyther of the power or craft of these enimies where as God so easily turneth them both vpside downe For it is not our cause that we haue in hande but Gods which will giue vs both a mouth and vtterance nor it is not we that speake but the spirite of our father which is in vs. But before we leaue this place we must speake somewhat of two things very worthy to be obserued First it is not without a cause that Luke writeth the wicked enimies of Christ were so amazed at the bolde and free speach of the Apostles For by this example we are taught that there is nothing so effectuall to bridle the wicked as is freedome of speach where they are reprooued to their faces and the truth which they withstand is boldly defended For such is the force of wordes that they easily pierce the minde But if the zeale of Gods truth and glorie be ioyned therevnto it cannot be but the consciences of the hearers must be wounded howsoeuer â–ª they many times dissemble the same Whereby it commeth to passe that although they alwayes do not truly repent yet many times they counterfeyte repentaunce and abstayne from doing euill where of we maye see a manifest example in Achab after that Elias had with such libertie as beseemed a Prophete vpbrayded him with the vnworthy slaughter of Naboth Againe when the ministers of the word suffer their tongues to be brydled or else of themselues keepe silence to please the worlde by and by we see the wicked are encouraged to runne into all kinde of licentious sinne and fill vp the measure of iniquitie and at length miserably perishe with their blinde watchmen and dumbe dogges See Ezechiel the .iij. and .xxxiij. Chapters For the which cause a franke and bold kinde of reprehension is euerywhere required in the Ministers The Lorde sayth vnto Esaye crye now as lowde as thou canst leaue not of lift vp thy voyce like a Trumpet and shewe my people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes And the Lorde commaundeth Hieremie to stande against the Priestes people Princes and Kinges like a brasen wall without feare Therefore Paule woulde haue sinners openly rebuked afore all men that other thereby might be brought in feare Yea where being iâ— prison he commendeth himselfe and his cause to the
seene these men turned out againe by Monkes and Bishops and that they haue founde no helpe or succour in those goodes which they had layde vp for that vse to defende the Church by force agaynst the open enimies of religion And better successe let them not looke for which commit lyke offence For if Ananias and Sapphira deserued sodeyne death who as Luke writeth tooke nothing from the Church but deceytfully put aside and withhelde part of their owne goods what deathes and mischiefes doe not they deserue â–ª which dare ryfle Churches by open force and publike authoritie Let vs in these things acknowledge the power of Iesus Christ who as he alwayes doth vouchsafe to be mercifull to his Church so will he not suffer hir to be beguiled but will worthily punish both hir professed enimies and persecutors and also all hypocrites and deceyuers that the synceritie of true religion may be preserued to him be prayse honor power glorye for euer Amen The .xxxiiij. Homelie AND great feare came on all the congregation and as many as hearde it By the handes of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed among the people And they were all togither with one accorde in Salomons porch Anâ— of other durst no man ioyne himselfe to them Neuerthelesse the people magnified them The number of them that beleeued in the Lord both of men and women grewe more and more in so much that they brought the sicke into the streetes and layde them on the beddes and couches â—hat at the least waye the shadowe of Peter when he came by might shadowe some of them There came also a multitude out of the Cities rounde about vnto Ierusalem bringing sicke folkes and them which were vexed with vncleane spirites And they were healed euery one WEe haue hearde the horrible example of Goddes iudgement whereby Ananias and his wife Sapphira were punished with sodeyne death both for that they falsly counterfeyted a fayth in Christ and al so went about to beguyle the Churche in the goodes that were giuen for the reliefe of the poore This example teacheth vs how great the seueritie of God is in punishing of hypocrytes who as he cannot be deceyued so can he not but be grieuouslye offended with them that go about to beguyle him We haue seene also what a feruent desire was in the primitiue Church to conserue and mainteyne discipline least eyther dissemblers or open malefactors shoulde creepe in and cause the fayth of Christ eyther to be defamed or suspected And to thintent all posteritie myght be enflamed to followe the same this present place followeth which rehearseth manye and singuler fruites of this example whereto are adioyned the traueyles and exercises of the primitiue Church to thintent we maye learne by them what we haue in these dayes to doe if we desire to haue the kingdome of God enlarged or Christ to be fauourable vnto vs. First Luke sayeth And great feare came on all the congregation and on as manye as hearde these thinges Then the Christians feared as well as straungers to whome the report of this thing came And this was no vnprofitable feare for by it the godlye were the more aware and traueyled the more earnestly in Gods affayres â–ª and the enimies durst doe the lesse against the Church which they sawe had the spirite of God so manifestlye with them This is the chiefe fruite of ecclesiasticall discipline that it keepeth the godly in doing their dutie and feareth the vngodly Now a dayes bicause all men may doe what they will the Churches being disordered by licentiousnesse of lyfe become a praye to the enimies Here must we also learne the vse of Gods iudgementes which consisteth in this that by them we learne Gods iustice and being afrayde amende our liues by the godly consideration thereof God taught vs this vse â–ª when he shewed Abraham the horrible destruction of Sodome saying I knowe that he will commaund his housholde and his children after him that they keepe the way of the Lord and doe after right and conscience And for this cause woulde â—e that the presidentes of his iudgementes shoulde be recorded in writing and be reade in the Church both priuately and apertly as Asaph testifieth where he thus writeth He made a couenant with Iacob and gaue Israel a law which he commaunded our forefathers to teache their children That their posteritie might knowe it and the children which were yet vnborne To the intent that when they grew vp they might shew their children the same That they might put their trust in God and not to forget the woorkes of God but to keepe his commaundementes And not to be as their forefathers c. Therefore this vse of Gods iudgement whereby Ananias and Sapphiras dissimulation is punished must also be now a dayes retained that we may conceyue a true feare of God and take heede of hypocrisie and worship God in spirite and truth as Christ hath commaunded vs yea let all men be excited with this example and applye vnto themselues whatsoeuer any where in hystories is written of this kinde that by other mennes examples they maye learne what they haue to doe if they meane to auoyde the wrath of God. Secondlye it is sayde of the Apostles that by their ministerie many signes and woonders were shewed among the people Wherby it appeareth the prayers of the faythfull were hearde also in this behalfe which besought God that the Apostles might be endued with myracles through the authoritie whereof they might be holpen in setting forth the kingdome of christ And they worke not only common myracles but their power is extended so farre that the diseased layde in the streete desire but the shadowe of Peter paâ—sing by and thinke that it will helpe them Nowe beginneth that saying of Christ to be fulfilled He that beleeueth in mee the woorkes that I doe he shall doe the same and greater than these shall he doe This is the second fruit of ecclesiasticall discipline that God heareth the prayers of the Church and encreaseth the gifts of his spirite where contrarily he abhorreth their prayers which stop their eares at his lawe This appeareth by histories which euidently declare that the rarer giftes of the holy ghost and working of myracles began then to cease when discipline beganne to waxe dissolute and corruption of maners encreased Yet let no man thinke that superstition is here defended by that is written of Peters shadowe no more than by that we shall afterwarde heare of Paules handkerchefe â–ª Some vse thus to reason of this place If Peters shadow helped many how much more shall his rayment and bones And herof springeth all that confused Chaos of superstition which we see is in pilgrimages about Saints reliques wherof the most part be counterfeyted But we say that these myracles were not wrought to testifie eyther of Peter or Paules power but to confirme the preaching of the Gospell whereof they were ministers Therefore they
serue to commende and set forth the Gospell and sende men vnto Christ whom vaine superstition hath hitherto entangled in trifles of no profite Furthermore we may more firmely reason of Peters wordes which we heard in the thirde chapter There is more regarde with God of vertue and godlynesse than is of garmentes or of all mannes bodye yea the vertue and godlynesse of the Saints auayled nothing to the working of myracles Therfore much lesse ought they to be ascribed to their garmentes or to their bones We will adde to this argument how in an other place it is sayd that power went from Christ himselfe not from his cote But superstition will quickly fall if we consider the ende and marke wherto all myracles are to be referred and directed which is of two sortes First it behooued that by them the doctrine of the Apostles shoulde be confirmed as Christ himselfe teacheth Wherevpon we gather that he is to be beleeued and that nowe a dayes we neede no newe myracles For if the Ministers preache the doctrine of the Apostles that doctrine hath long sithence bene prooued and confirmed by miracles And if they teach a doctrine not agreable with that they ought not to be receyued though they worke neuer so many myracles forasmuch as myracles are permitted to false and Antichristian teachers to th ende the fayth of the elect maye appeare the more manifest and euident See Deuter. 13. Math. 24.2 Thess. 2. The other ende and vse of myracles is to teach the knowledge of Iesus Christ in whose name they were wrought by the Apostles and Apostolike men Diuers diseased with sicknesses and infirmities are in Christes name healed and with them some Demoniackes whome the naughtie spirite of Satan did haunt Therefore let vs acknowledge Iesus Christ to be hee which as sayeth the Prophete hath borne our diseases and infirmities and he that healeth not onely our bodies but also our soules For we being borne againe of his spirite and word receiue fresh strength so that we are able to do all things through his comfort He only deliuereth vs from the tyranny of Satan For he therfore came into the world as Iohn saith to destroy the workes of the Deuill And the first promise of saluation teacheth vs that through his power and merite the serpentes heade must be troden downe Which to be done alredy himselfe partly teacheth in the gospell and partly the myracles wrought in his name abundantly testifie And Luke sayth they were all healed in the name of Christ that were brought vnto the Apostles to be healed Wherevpon we gather that he is an vniuersall Sauiour who as he calleth all men vnto him that labour and are laden euen so he excludeth none that come vnto him He adioyneth to the Apostles myracles the publike exercise of the whole Church where he sayth they all continued with one accorde in Salomons porch Which is to be vnderstanded of their holy assemblies as appeareth by the ende of the seconde Chapter where there is mention made of houses in which they brake breade The Euangelist by this place meaneth none other thing but that the faythfull had a speciall care to come vnto the Church and there to be vnited togither not so much in bodies as in myndes by fayth and charitie Wherein they shewe vs an example of christian stoutnesse and constancie who being not ignorant of the threates and decrees of the Counsell woulde not yet for all that refrayne from commyng among the congregation Howbeit it woulde haue sufficed mannes wisedome to haue kept their fayth in their myndes and to haue commoned of Christ with their faythfull brethren wythin their priuate houses And now a dayes many excuse their dastardlynesse by these reasons wherby they account the confession of Christ amongest indifferent thinges and suffer Princes by their decrees and lawes to wring and wrest it from them yea it is thought a poynt of prudencie in tyme of daunger to dissemble our fayth to intermit comming to the Church and all Sacraments eyther vtterly not to meddle with articles in controuersie or else to make a shypmans hose of them or else wholye to denye the fayth But what yll ende the successes of this wisedome hath the Church findeth not without great griefe and the destruction of manye They doe muche better which haue learned of Christs wordes that confession can not be seperated from faith For with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse but with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation And it is Christes saying Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and my wordes in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Aungels Let vs consider that it is not without a cause that mention is so often made of comming to the Church For hereof we gather that the Church can by no meanes stande wythout these assemblies both bicause of publike prayers which Christ hath commended to vs not without a peculiar promyse and also to preuent false teachers whose propertie Paule wryteth is to go into houses and to bring into bondage women laden with sinne and all such as lye open to their craftynesse And that no man shoulde take occasion to trouble or breake so necessary an order Christ himselfe neuer shunned comming to the Church but taught therein openly and by that argument prooueth that he ought to be taken neyther for schismatike nor false teacher And for this cause it seemeth that the first beleeuers abhorred not the Iewes temple bicause they had no more commodious place in all the Citie The Anabaptistes are confuted by this example a fanaticall broode and kinde of seditious people which thinke it vnlawfull to come within our Churches and in our congregation and haue a great warynesse that they be not polluted with them where notwithstanding it seemeth to them but a trifle to make a schisme in the Church of Christ which is the most horrible and detestable crime that is But let vs returne to the discipline and exercises of the primitiue Church amongst which in the thirde place is conteined a certaine maiestie that made the enimies afrayde of them and all the people to reuerence them For Luke sayth Of other durst no man ioyne himselfe vnto them But the people magnified them Which is to be vnderstanded of those which were not vtterâ—y godlesse and voyde of all religion and yet were ledde with the carke and cares of the worlde and the fleshe For when they had seene the horrible and vnhappie ende of Ananias and Sapphira they were afrayde to ioine themselues to the company of those that punished hypocrisie so seuerely their consciences well knowing their owne imperfection Therfore the societie and company of the Church was from thence forth the purer into the which perhaps at the first many such as Ananias was had craftily crept in yet these men
accuse that religion of falsehood whose professours they see exercised with persecutions and aduersities Wherefore it is not so profitable as necessary that we be well instructed agaynst all occasions of offences Which thing is the cause that the holye ghost would haue Luke so diligently wryte the afflictions of the primitiue Church Wherein chiefely is to be obserued what hath alwayes beene the state of Christes Church in this worlde and howe through the present and faythfull ayde of the Lorde it hath in times past beene preserued in greatest tribulations that we neyther be offended at the calamities of our daies as vnwonted nor dispayre of Gods helpe and preseruation of hys Church Thys present hystory sheweth vs examples of both these things the conclusion whereof the Euangelist nowe discribeth and first he telleth what the coniured enimies of Christ did and afterwarde what the Apostles dyd Concerning Christes enimies gathered togyther in the counsell Luke wryteth thus They agreed vnto Gamaliel and when they had called the Apostles they bet them and commaunded them they should not speake in the name of Iesu and let them go He sayth they obeyed Gamaliel his saying when yet they did two things which he counselled them not to doe For they bette the Apostles with roddes and renewed their first decree whereby they go about to prohibite the preaching of the Gospell Yet they herein obey Gamaliel that they put not the seruauntes of Christ to death as they had minded to doe yet could they not refrayne but beat innocent men with whippes and roddes Therefore it must needes be that they were in a verie great rage which when matters seemed done and past was not yet quenched But this is the verie propertie of the persecutours of Christ that when they seeme pleased and appeased yet secretly foster hatred and furie in their mindes and seldome will let any of Christs ministers passe without some marke of ignominie or open punishment least they might seeme vniustly to haue risen against them and for that they would put those that followe them in feare So Pylate although he iudged Christ to be innocent yet would he not let him go before he had scourged him It is yet verie comfortable that the Lorde so brydeled their rage by the onely perswasion of Gamaliel that they durst not put the guyltlesse to death whereof we gather that the wicked can not alwayes doe what they liste but are ruled euen against their willes with the raynes of Gods prouidence There are in this example diuers other thinges the obseruation whereof is also verie profitable for vs in these dayes And first we are taught that it is no straunge and vnwoonted thing though the godly and holy worshippers of Christ in these dayes be subiect to the will and pleasure of the vngodly and suffer afflictions For Christ hymselfe gaue vs warning hereof long agoe tolde vs that a time would come that whosoeuer kylled anye of his people should thinke he dyd God seruice He calleth those that be his to the crosse and by his owne example teacheth vs that we should not hoâ—e for any better state or condition than he suffered The Apostles nowe feele the same and are not offended thereat but rather oftentimes admonishe vs that we be not offended as at any straunge thing if at any tyme we be tryed by fyre See the first of Peter the fourth Chapter It shall be profitable for vs diligently to consyder and thinke vpon the same For in so doing it shall come to passe that we shall neyther vse our selues insolently in prosperity nor yet be discouraged in aduersitie bicause we haue foreseene them both Secondly it is worthy of consideration that the Apostles the elect instruments of Christ in a verie good and holy quarrell which to defend they take vpon them according to Christs commaundement are ignominiouslye beaten Whereof we plainly gather how foule and shamefull an error they are in which iudge afflictions to be a token and argument of a naughtye and vnrighteous cause of whose number are they which now a dayes charge vs as causers of all kinde of miseries and calamities whereby it appeareth say they how we erre in our beliefe and religion But herby it appeareth howe destitute they be of wytte and reason for that they perceaue not those thinges wherein the verie Ethnike Poets gaue a better iudgement For it is well knowne what Naso sayth I wyshe he may misse of successe That of the effect the deede doth gesse For if these mens iudgements preuayle we shall finde fewe or none of the true worshippers of God but they deserue likewise to be condemned bicause a blinde man may see many of them not onely molested with many persecutions but also slayne by the handes of most cruell enimies And that we should hope for no better Christes worde where he aduertiseth vs of the state of the latter dayes aboundantly teacheth vs Wherfore whosoeuer iudgeth of religion according to the falling out and successe of thys worlde may be iudged lyke to the Iewes Souldiours which gaue Christ hanging on the crosse Uineger to drinke and sayd If he be the king of Israel let him nowe come downe from the crosse and we will beleeue him Hee trusted in God let him delyuer him if he will haue him for he sayde he was the sonne of God. And surely what more tarte and eger Uineger can there be than such vpbraydings whereby both the glory of God and the certaintie and truth of his worde is called in question And yet we may not thinke that God hath no care nor prouidence of the worlde when we see the true and holy seruaunts of God afflicted For to say nothing of his secrete iudgementes there are infinite other causes wherefore God suffreth these things so to come to passe For thys wayes God sometime pulleth downe the secret corruption and haultinesse of our flesh which vnlesse it were tamed would burst forth to the great inconuenience and dammage of his people And we may not reply and say that God many times vseth to humble bring downe those that otherwyse are lowly ynough and neuer shewed any great signe of fiercenesse or pride For God knoweth the naughtinesse of mans inclination and wherof we haue neede better and surelier than we can perceaue Therfore he chastiseth vs in time and some whyle preuenteth our naughtinesse before it waxe strong and make vs incurable and to be condemned with the worlde Furthermore he tryeth our fayth by this meanes not that he is ignoraunt of any thing but that both we may be an example to others and also prooue what infirmitie as yet remayneth in vs and howe much we haue neede of the helpe and grace of god Beside this he wyll hereby shewe vnto the worlde howe sinne displeaseth him seeing he so seuerely correcteth the small faultes of his electes yea their secret and hidden naughtinesse And herevnto had Peter a respect where he sayth
Tharsus for behold he prayeth and hath seene in a vision a man named Ananias comming vnto him and putting his handes on him that he might receyue his sight Then Ananias aunswered Lorde I haue hearde by many of this man howe much euill he hath done to thy Saints at Ierusalem and here he hath authoritie of the high Priestes to bynde all that call on thy name The Lorde sayde vnto him Go thy way for he is a chosen vessell vnto me to carie my name before the Gentyles and Kinges and the children of Israel For I will shewe him howe great things he must suffer for my names sake ALthough we ought diligently to consider the conuersions and callinges of all the Apostles yet Paules conuersion of all others deserueth singulerly to be marked partly bicause it contayneth in it a rare example of Gods mercye towarde sinners and partly for that Paule laboured more than alâ— the Apostles neyther is there anye other whose writings are more often alledged eyther of the olde writers or newe in matters of fayth and religion It is therfore necessary that we knowe who he was howe God called him and conuerted him that we may haue his doctrine in the more authoritie which thing is the cause that Luke writeth his hystorie so diligently And hitherto he hath declared howe the Lorde interrupted his fiercenesse and horrible attempts in the middle of hys race and businesse and that so forceably that he was fayne to offer himselfe to the Lord to be obedient and to be taught being a whyle before his grieuous enimie Herevnto he conueniently addeth howe he is appoynted to the office of an Apostle which contayneth a notable discourse betweene the Lorde Iesus Christ and Ananias by whose ministerie Paule was to be ordered Euery part whereof we will declare as farre forth as God shall permit First the Lorde calleth Ananias that Paule may take orders by his ministerie And of Ananias Luke speaketh but little in this place but Paule at large where he commendeth him of his godlinesse and sayth he deserued among the Iewes the testimonie of a good and an innocent man Him the Lorde certifyeth of his will by a vision and likewise prepareth Paule being in his prayers by an other vision worthily to receyue Ananias Here our Sauiour Christ is well to be marked which instructeth them both by euident visions For hereby is perceyued the ardent desire that Christ hath to the saluation of mankinde shewed and declared ingenerall towardes all men and especially in seeking the lost sheepe as himselfe elsewhere testifyeth Which thing as it is for our comfort so it also serueth for our instruction that we should traueyle rather to saue sinners than to destroy them and not follow those which glorying in their feruent zeale of Gods glorie rashly reiect and condemne all those whome they see once to haue swarued from the way of truth Moreouer we are taught how expedient it is that all things be done rightly duely in the outwarde ministerie of the worde For except the ministers be duely called and well assured of their calling and the hearers well prepared to receyue their sayings there can followe no worthie fruite and auayle of their doing For howe shall they preach except they be sent Or with what argumentes shall they bee emboldened agaynst the threates and enterprises of the wicked which craftily haue vsurped and intruded vpon the office of teaching Againe if the hearers come not well minded and prepared to heare the worde of the Lorde then shall they receyue that wholesome seede eyther into the way eyther into stonie places or among thornes and there shall be many impediments that shall cause that they shall bring forth no worthie fruites Wherfore Christ requireth honest mindes which will holde fast the seede they haue once receyued and being armed agaynst all suggestions of Satan the worlde and the flesh bring forth worthie fruits with pacience And that we haue neede of diligent preparation hereto euery man may easily vnderstande that well considereth the corrupt nature of man These things if we will well weigh and expend it shall easily appeare why there is so much preaching in these dayes with so little profite For most part of the Ministers without wayting for the lawfull calling of the Lorde get into the ministerie by vnlawfull meanes for the belly sake and they that will not seeme the vngodlyest of the hearers of the worde come vnto it more for custome sake than of any earnest desire of amendment beeing altogither like vnto those which in the Prophete sayde Come I praye you let vs heare what woorde is gonefoorth from the Lorde Furthermore we haue also to consider Paule whom the Lord speaking to Ananias witnesseth to be in his prayer This is to be vnderstanded of the continuall prayers he made all the three dayes long as easily appeareth by the circumstaunces bicause there were many thinges which might mooue Paule vnto prayer For he felt the horrible hande of God which threw him downe He hearde howe he was accused from heauen to be the professed enimie of the sonne of god Then came to his minde the wicked enterprises crueltie that he had vsed against the name of Christ and his Church also the banishments chaynes imprisonment and torments with the lamentation and crying of women and children whereofhe had beene the authour Yea his guiltie conscience as yet troubled him Then againe the wayting for the promise of reuelation and instruction was able to styrre him vp to earnest prayer and yet in this earnestnesse and diligence of praying God disappoynteth him as I might say whole three dayes togither These things commend vnto vs an incessant earnestnesse of prayer bicause there are as many and as vrgent causes to styrre vs vp also theretoo For if we discende into our selues wee shall finde they are no tryfling sinnes whereby we haue deserued Gods wrath We many tymes feele the hande of Gods anger The conscience of our wickednesse oftentymes molesteth vs We are still in daunger of all kindes of aduersitie And if the thinking hereof be not able to kindle in vs heartie and ardent prayer then shall wee worthily be called colder than yron or yce Paule for these causes commaundeth vs continually to pray And let vs so remember to continue in prayer that we be not ouercome with distrust or impaciencie and rashely prescribe God any tyme to heare or helpe vs in For he sometime deferreth the helpe he promiseth vs not bicause he meaneth to disappoynt them that trust in him but bicause he will exercise and trie our fayth Examples wherof we haue both in Paule in Abraham in the woman of Chanaan and in many others Here therefore let vs bende the force of our fayth and follow the example of that Widdow by whose importunatenesse Christ sayth the wicked Iudge was ouercome But O miserable and vnhappie wretches that we be which as we scarce take vs vnto prayer
to euery one that asketh vs And with howe great trust and diligence Paule discharged the office committed to him of Christ the Text shall declare For he confesseth that from Ierusalem and the coastes rounde about to Illyricum he filled all Countries with the Gospell Thirdly least any man might thinke that so great a Minister of Christ was endued with any priuiledge of immunitie to escape alway free he maketh mention also of his afflictions I sayth he will shewe vnto him howe great things he shall suffer for my sake Which wordes haue in them no commination but a promise For first we knowe that Christ maketh them partakers of his glorie whome he doth vouchsafe to haue parteners of hys crosse Insomuch that Paule afterward commendeth the Philippians for this cause that it was giuen them not onely to beleeue in the â–ª Lord but also to suffer for his sake Further he sayth he shall be inuincible promiseth him hys succor and ayde in bearing the crosse Paule himselfe shall be the best expositor of this saying which writing vnto the Corinthians sayth Of the Iewes fiue times receyued I euery time fourtie stripes saue one Thryse was I beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffred thryse shipwracke Night and daye haue I bene in the deepe sea in iourneying often in perils of waters in perils of robbers in ieoperdies of myne owne Nation in ieoperdies among the heathen in perils in the Citie in perils in wildernesse in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren c. See the place â–ª 2. Cor. 11. and .12 Furthermore these things teach vs that the Gospell can not be preached without the crosse and tribulation For this worlde cannot abyde the lyght thereof bicause the workes thereof bee naught Therefore euen as Paule in this place so Christ in euery place admonisheth those that be his to beare the Crosse. Therefore they be most foolishe of all other men which thinke that in the ministerye of the Gospell the matter may be brought to passe without daunger and go about to please the worlde Nay he shall be little meete for this office and function except he well haue prepared himselfe to beare the crosse and all kinde of aduersities Touching which poynt see Luke xiiij Let vs remember that God onely giueth vs power and strength whose looue wherewyth he looued vs if we well perceyue we shall be prepared and ready to all assayes as Paule afterwarde teacheth Let vs therefore make our continuall prayers vnto him that he will graunt vnto vs to be able both to suffer for the name of Christ and also to come to the inheritance of heauen with him to whome all prayse honor power and glory is due for euer Amen The .lxvj. Homelie And Ananias went his waye and entred into the house and put his hands on him and sayde Brother Saule the Lorde that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mayst receyue thy sight and be filled with the holy ghost And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales and he receyued sight and arose and was baptised and receyued meate and was comforted Then was Saule a certayne dayes with the Disciples which were at Damasco And streyghtwayes hee preached Christ in the Sinagoges howe that he was the sonne of god But all that heard him were amazed and sayde Is not this hee that spoyled them which called on thys name in Ierusalem and came hither for that intent that hee myght bring them bounde vnto the high Priests But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Iewes which dwelt at Damasco affirming that this was very Christ THe Euangelist Luke descrybeth the conuersion of the Apostle Paule very diligently partly for that we myght vnderstande thereby what grace and goodnesse God sheweth vnto sinners and partly for that Paules doctrine myght be of the more authoritie with vs as which he commendeth vnto vs with so earnest protestation that he sayth an Aungell of heauen is not to be beleeued that woulde teache the contrary To both these appertaine that singuler and notable testimonie wherewith Christ as we hearde yesterday set forth Paule For he calleth him a chosen vessell who a little before seemed to be the vessell of wrath Furthermore he attributeth to him in handling of his affayres fayth dexteritie constancie paciency of mynde Whereby we gather that the goodnesse of God towarde sinners is great and that we maye not contemne the doctrine of Paule vnlesse we will contumeliously sinne against Christ and accuse his testimonie of falshoode But let vs see this present place which comprehendeth the restitution of Paule and the first thing he did in his Apostleship or ministerye of the Gospell Concerning Paules restitution which was three dayes blynde and at length receyued hys sight agayne and was by baptisme receyued into the Church of Christ the persons both of Ananias and Paule are to be considered with the marueylous effect which the Euangelyst sayth by and by followed But first we will speake of Ananias whose ministery it pleased God herein to vse He as it is sayde went his waye and entred into the house of Iudas where he hearde that Paule was lodged The earnest repeating of Gods commaundement did put from him the stupiditie that he was in before neyther alleageth he any more the talke of the people or the reasons of fleshlye wisedome agaynst the commaundements of the Lorde which mynde we may see in all the true worshippers of God which haue this speciall care that no feare withholdeth them from the dutie of obedience which they owe vnto god Let vs also imitate these people and knowe that they are vnworthye of all pardon and excuse who are so ouercome of the infirmitie of the fleshe and feaâ—e of daunger that they forget and denye God and the dutie they owe vnto him Further Ananias layeth his handes vpon Saule whych ceremonie is for good purpose borowed of the olde testament in the ordering and making of our Ministers For in tymes past the priests layde their handes vppon the sacrifices whereby declaring that the thing which they did was in the behalfe of all the people and so consecrated the beastes standing at the aultar vnto god By a lyke reason the publike cure and charge of the Church is commended vnto the Ministers by imposition of handes and they are therby admonished to remember howe they be consecrated vnto God and that therfore they must apply all their study care labour and watching to set forth the glory of God. But bicause there is no vse or profite of a bare ceremonie Ananias ioyneth the word thereto wherby he declareth to him whatsoeuer Christ commaunded him to say Wherein the bolde courage of Ananias is to be considered who plainely professeth the name of Iesus Christ and acknowledgeth himselfe to be his seruaunt before him whome he knewe hytherto to be Christes mortall enimie Agayne
Magistrates which haue denyed their fayth vnto god This Constantius father to Constantine the great well perceyued in tyme past which thought good to thrust them out of his Court which had at his bidding burnt sacrifice to the Goddes thinking that they would doe him little true seruice which would be vnthankfull to God and betray his true religion Furthermore it is not to be omitted how agayne he attributeth a praise of godlynesse to the souldier which vsed to wayte vpon Cornelius For besides that it appeareth hereby howe much the conuersion of the godlye maketh to the attayning to godlynesse and saluation We are also taught that there is no state or kinde of lyfe vtterly voyde of religion since that it hath place among souldiers in warfare which in manye mennes opinion doth then best brooke hir name when she hath cast from hir all religion Howbeit the scripture teacheth vs that God is the most prosperous Captaine of warres By his conduct and leading Ioab encountring wyth a great bande of Assirians had a notable victorie Dauid being ready to darren battell with Goliah calleth vpon God for helpe Dauid attributeth vnto God all the victories and prayse that euer he gate by warre where he sayth that God teacheth his handes to fight Yea Constantinus being admonished by an Oracle caused the signe of the holy crosse to be borne before his armies as finding better successe vnder it than vnder the ensignes of the Romaines Eagles And when Theodosius in the daungerous warre agaynst Eugenius and Arbogastus had spent an whole nyght in prayers and was encouraged to the fyght by a sight of Aungels cheering and exhorting him therevnto we read howe the next day he had the victorie with the ayde and helpe as it were of the windes that blewe that daye Therefore their sayinges are most to be discommended who as the Romaine Orator sayth there is no rowme or place for law or ryght whiles warres are in hande so they thinke warres may be made and followed without any religion But take awaye religion and they shall nothing differ from the rage of sauage beasts nor cannot be defended with any honest colour yea they shall most cruelly rage beyonde all right and reason These things teach vs that the furiousnesse of the Anabaptistes is not to be suffred which holde opinion that it is not lawfull for a Christian man to weare a weapon considering that these Captaynes and diuers other souldiers in the Scripture are commended for their faith and religion And surely their opinion is so absurde that rather they ought to saye that no manne can worthily weare his weapon but he that is a Christian. Nowe let vs come to Peter the Apostle whome God instructeth by a peculiar vision that being deceyued with the common error of the Iewes he should not reiect the message of Cornelius And that that is here done is not much vnlike to that we hearde before came to passe betweene Ananias and Saule For euen as there so here also is Cornelius first admonished to sende for Peter After this Peter is certifyed of hys vocation not to denye his dutie of loue eyther to Christ or to Cornelius This is a peculiar and singuler argument of Gods goodnesse which is desirous that men shoulde be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth It is good to examine all the circumstances of this vision that the knowledge of the thinges belonging to our saluation may appeare the playner First Peter is to be considered who as it is sayde was gone vppe fastinge into the vpper storie of the house about the sixt houre of the daye while in the meane whyle his dinner was a preparing For we haue declared before in the third Chapter how in times passed certaine houres were appoynted for prayers For although the effect of prayers be bounde neyther to time nor place yet must we obserue a certayne opportunitie in them certayne times must needes be prescribed for prayer least being occupied in other businesses we neglect a thing most necessary of all other Peters example also teacheth vs that prayers requyre as well a secret going apart and aside as also a certaine sobrietie in body and minde that the deuotion of them be not extinguished by surfet and pampering of the bodye For the which cause the Scriptures both of the olde and newe Testament manye times ioyne praying and fasting togither This thing reprooueth the foolishnesse of the hypocrites who as they order their praying for ostentation sake so they ascribe the prayse of merite absolutely vnto their fasting wheras the vse thereof serueth for none other cause but to tame and keepe vnder the fleshe that it waxe not to prowde and malapert and so disturbe and ouerturne aswell prayer as all other exercises of true godlynesse See Mathew 9. Esay 58. chap. Moreouer it is written that he fell into a traunce to th ende we should vnderstand that in this matter nothing is to be attributed to naturall sight nor that Peter was deceyued through defect or want of hys naturall senses For being rapt taken as it were out of himselfe he perceyued these things with the eyes of his mindâ— For where the naturall man as Paule sayth perceyueth not the things that appertayne vnto God it followeth that his minde must be rapt by the spirite of God out of the worlde to perceyue the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen This thing Paule teacheth vs by his owne example whereas writing how he was rapt into the thirde heauen he plainly confesseth that he was ignorant whether this came to passe vnto him in the body or out of the body And this thing is the more certayne to be beleeued bicause he sawe not these things with his corporall senses which vse for the most part to be deceyued After these thinges followeth a diligent description of the vision He seeth the heauens opened he seeth a great vessell let downe lyke vnto a sheete bound at the foure corners There seemed to be in the same all kinde of beastes as well fourefooted as creeping and flying fowles but specially such as in the lawe are called vncleane concerning which we may reade Leuit. 11. Deut. 14. Herevnto is added a voyce bidding Peter aryse kill and eate Aboue all things it behoueth vs to marke the ende and scope of the vision which by the things that followe appeareth to haue bene none other but that God would thereby teach vs that all the difference which hitherto had bene betweene the Iewes and Gentyles by reason of the ceremonies of the lawe was nowe taken away and that there was no impediment or let but that the Gentyles also might be admitted into the fellowship of the Gospell and saluation gotten by Christ. It shall appeare that this vision maketh marueylously for this present businesse if all the mysteries in the same be throughly considered For it confirmeth Peters wauering minde and notably
God giueth repentaunce after two sortes eyther when he graunteth time and place to repent or else when he mollifyeth and conuerteth mens mindes by his spirite and worde by repentance to frame themselues to a better trade of lyfe In this place it appeareth that God did both although the later sense be more agreeing to this present argument It is most worthy to be obserued where they say repentaunce vnto lyfe is giuen vnto the Gentiles by preaching of the Gospell For in so saying they testifie that they speake of that repentaunce which through fayth in Christ bringeth saluation and which we may call the scope and marke of all the Gospell which is that we being reconcyled vnto God through Christ shoulde turne vnto him with all our hartes and liue in him For so Paule writeth God hath reconcyled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ and hath giuen to vs the office to preache the attonement Nowe then are we messengers in the rowme of Christ euen as though God did beseech you through vs So pray we you in Christes steede to be reconcyled vnto God. They name repentaunce expreslye hauing respect vnto that saying of Christ which commaundeth both repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes to be preached in his name Neyther must these two be at any time seperated least men take occasion vnder pretence of the Gospell to liue carnally Againe this hath in it a singuler comfort that he sayeth repentaunce is giuen vnto lyfe Therefore repentaunce in the faythfull is neuer in vayne or vnfruitefull but maketh them partakers of saluation through christ There are apparaunt promises of God wherein he euerywhere promiseth lyfe vnto them which turne vnto him with all their hart Where he sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue And we must not thinke that God flattereth or deludeth any man with vaine promises Hereto belongeth the whole booke almost of the Iudges which prooueth by many examples that the Israelites neuer returned to God by true repentaunce in vayne And it is manifest that the Niniuites through faythfull repentaunce caused God to reuoke his sentence passed against them What shall I speake of these seing we reade that the repentaunce that Achab had but for a season and little time was by the mouth of God commended These things ought to encourage them which stande vpon the pytbrinke of desperation thinking that God is so offended with them for their former wickednesse that their repentaunce is not acceptable vnto him Which men woulde be comforted with these sayings of the Prophet If your sinnes were as red as Scarlet they shall be as whyte as snowe And though they were like purple they shall be as whyte as woolle Againe The Lorde is full of compassion and mercye long suffring and of great goodnesse He will not alwaye be chyding c. Nowe after Luke hath made an ende of the storye of Cornelius which contayneth the beginning and first fruites as it were of the vocation of the Gentiles he returneth to the discourse of the things belonging to the whole Church which he had intermytted and declareth howe the kingdome of Christ began to be stretched enlarged vnto the Gentyles And first he telleth how Antioch was conuerted vnto Christ and how men were there first called Christians And principally he noteth the occasion therof saying it was bicause of the persecution that was raysed agaynst Steuen And it is very worthye to be considered where he sayth the beginning of such a benefite sproong of so dolefull a cause For howe pitifull a case the Church stoode in in the time of that persecution we hearde in the .viij. Chapter when the rage of persecutours went so farre that it was not safe for a man in secrete â—o be a christian when both men and women were haled out of their dores as to a slaughterhouse which thing was the cause that the Church being scattered hither and thither seemed like a scratched and torne body that had beâ—ne incurable But by the grace and goodnesse of God it commeth to passe that of euery member of this scattered Church springeth a newe body For they whome this cruell tempest had thus scattered remembring their office and dutie beganne to preach euerywhere the name of Christ and many of them going as farre as Phenicia and Cyprus did illustrate those countries with the light of the Gospell By which example the primitiue Church and fayth full of all ages might be confirmed not to be offended with the cruell attempts of enimies forasmuch as it appeareth by these men that the kingdome of Christ can not be ouerthrowne nor driuen into straightes but is rather thereby builded vp enlarged For that that Luke reporteth here to haue come to passe the same the writers of the Ecclesiasticall hystorie report to haue come to passe in all persecutions And as after horrible tempests cleere weather commonly followeth so it appeareth that after persecutions the Church alway looked more bright cheerefull For God scattereth the deuises of Nations but his purpose standeth fast for euer whereby he hath made his sonne king and Ruler of all the worlde See the Psalmes 33.2 110 But Luke diligently intreateth of those by whose ministery God brought to passe a matter of such weight and importance All which were dispersed bicause of the faith and doctrine of Christ yet they agreed not in all points touching the order ministerie of the gospell For some of them preached to the Iewes only who it is lyke were ignorant of the things done betweene Peter Cornelius Other some which he writeth were of Cyprus Cyrene came to Antioch and preached to the Greekes that is to the Gentyles So it oftentimes commeth to passe that in some things they which are counted the most faithfull seruants of Iesus Christ doe disagree God so disposing his giftes that his woorde may be of the more authoritie and that the successe thereof shoulde not seeme to depende of a certayne conspiracie and consent of men among themselues Wherevnto also is to be referred that that is hereafter reported of the contention that fell betweene Paule and Barnabas which wexed so hote that those singuler and chosen instrumentes of Christ departed one from another Therefore let it offende no man if nowe a dayes he see any like matter to fall out in the Church For Paule writeth that there must be sectes that the elect may be tryed Howbeit in all this adooe the feruent desire of spreading abrode the kingdome of Chryst is greatly to be praised wherewith they all being enflamed haue vtterlye forgotten the daungers that they were in a little before and euerywhere publishe the worde of god Such constancie ought all faithfull Ministers of Christ to haue to th ende they must not thinke they haue done all their dutie when they haue bene once in daunger for the name of christ And they must not thinke they are for
none other cause graunted to flie but for that they shoulde after such daunger escaped turne vnto doing their dutie againe and to bestowe all their life after in setting forth the glory of Christ. Howbeit Luke maketh a diligent mention also of the places where these men preached And first he nameth Phaenicia which is neare vnto Iurie famous by reason of the Cities and people therin and is accounted notable euen among the prophane writers After that he nameth Cyprus an Islande of great fame in the Poets writings which they say by reason aswell of the pleasantnesse of the soyle as of the dissolute maners of the inhabitants is consecrated vnto Venus And here appeareth partlye the great goodnesse of God which woulde vouchsafe to endue such people with the knowledge of his sonne and partly the woonderfull and inuincible power of the Gospell through the preaching whereof the boundes of Christes kingdome were in short time so enlarged that from the mayne land it passed ouer sea and beganne to come into the Islandes as was long before foretolde of the Prophetes See Psalme 72. Esay 60.66 c. He chiefely maketh mention of Antioch which was the moste famous Citie of all the Cities of Syria For as it was notable by reason of Seleucus the builder thereof and of great renowme bicause of their woonderfull glorie and ryches so as we shall herafter heare the first Church among the Gentyles was there assembled and flourished in such number that they which before were called onely but Disciples of Christ beganne nowe to be called by a more worthy name Christians This Citie hath had Bishops notable both in life and learning It hath also so abounded in Martyrs that scarce any other can be compared therewith It is therefore woonderfull and much to be obserued that God woulde haue so great a Citie conuerted by the ministerie of those men whose names be not extant For this onely is written of them that they were of Ciprus Cyrene Howbeit it might haue pleased God aswell to haue vsed the helpe of notable Apostles But by the vyle and contemned thinges of this worlde after his maner he woulde bring to passe a thing of most importance that we might knowe howe we ought to reioyce and glory in him and not in man. Now let vs see what they preached that layd the foundations of the Church at Antioch They preached sayth Luke the Lord Iesus He was then the argument theme of their doctrine whome Paule also saith he only acknowledgeth He maketh mention onely of Iesus Christ bicause in him is contayned whatsoeuer things make for our saluation For he is giuen vnto vs of God to be the authour of repentance and remission of sinnes to all mankind as hath bene declared in the fyft Chapter For as in him onely remission of sinnes is to be founde so that repentance that is made without fayth in Christ cannot please god We haue here therfore what to answere them which reprehende vs and scorne vs bicause in our Sermons we inculcate and often repeate Christ only Thus we doe following the example of the Apostles and we can not doe otherwyse forasmuch as we can fynde no saluation without Christ. Last of all Luke declareth a notable successe of the Gospell saying And a great number beleeued and turned vnto the Lorde He first declareth the cause efficient least any man might ascribe it vnto the ministerie of men For he sayth the hande of the Lorde was with them Whereby we gather that all successe of fayth and saluation dependeth vppon God and that nothing is to be attributed to man more than the outwarde ministerie This thing Paule declareth at large in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the thirde Chap. And it is good oftentimes to haue the same in remembrance both bicause Ministers shoulde not waxe to prowde and also for that they whome God hath illuminated with true faith might learne to be thankfull vnto him Also the Euangelist expresseth the proper ende of Christian faith which is that they which through ignorance or superstition or sinne haue turned from God might conuert and turne againe vnto him Therefore fayth is not occupied in vayne speculation but is a liuely knowledge of Iesus Christ which draweth whole man vnto the obedience of god And they are not to be taken for Christians which being drowned in superstition and sinne will not conuert vnto the Lorde Let vs therefore set before vs this marke that we turning by true faith vnto God may attayne to saluation in Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxx. Homelie Tydings of these things came vnto the eares of the congregation which was in Ierusalem And they sent forth Barnabas that he should go vnto Antioch which when he came and had seene the grace of God was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would continually cleaue vnto the Lorde For he was a good man and full of the holye ghost and of fayth and much people was added vnto the Lorde Then departed Barnabas vnto Tharsus for to seeke Saule And when hee had founde him hee brought him vnto Antioch And it came to passe that a whole yere they had their conuersation with the cōgregation and taught much people insomuch that the Disciples of Antioche were the first that were called Christians BYcause God had appointed Iesus Christ his sonne to be the Sauiour of all the worlde therefore it was requisite that all nations should be brought vnto him by preaching of the Gospell as it appeareth by the Oracles of the Prophetes and by the commaundement of Christ where he bade the Apostles to go into all the world and to bring him Disciples out of all Nations And howe this thing beganne to come to passe Luke declareth in this chapter For although it be described before in the storie of Cornelius conuersion to the fayth of Christ yet bicause it might seeme he was called vpon some speciall fauor or priuiledge the conuersion of the notable citie of Antioch is ioyned therevnto in the which a Church of the Gentyles for many causes notable is gathered togither The beginners whereof were certayne men that came from Cyprus and Cyrene as was yesterday declared of small or no name yet whose names vndoubtedly are written before God in the booke of life These men comming into the Citie preached Iesus Christ onely vnto the Gentyles teaching them that he was sent from God the father to giue repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes to them that beleeue in him And their godly enterprise wanted not a most prosperous successe For Gods power working most effectually by their ministery an innumerable sort of menne learned the fayth and turned vnto the Lorde Now vnto these premisses Luke ioyneth certaine things touching the confirming of the Church at Antioch And first he declareth the kindenesse of those of Ierusalem towardes this newe Church of Christ which
that were committed to his charge and by all meanes to be alwayes instant vppon them Therefore their error is most absurde which thinke all doctrine vnprofytable and superfluous for those which haue already once attayned to the knowledge of truth Thirdly Barnabas goeth to Tharsus from thence he bringeth Paule to Antioch to thintent the congregation through his ministery might the more be strengthened This is an other argument of a true faithfull minde and feruent in loue towarde christ For Barnabas coulde not be ignorant howe great giftes of the spirite were in Paules brest and how much authoritie he should lose if Paule came to Antioch who was the singularest instrument that Christ had But we haue before shewed that they which are feruent in faith seeke not to be glorifyed of men but desire to promote the glory of god Yea it is certayne that all they lacke fayth which are led with the desire of their owne glory prayse which argument Christ vseth against the Scribes of the Iewes In the meane season Barnabas example teacheth vs that in well ordred congregations the chiefe care is to haue fit Ministers of the word and that they shoulde be sought for and brought from all places Christ teacheth the same where he biddeth vs to praye vnto the Lorde of the haruest that he will sende forth labourers Herof we see it came to passe that the chiefe of the Prophetes and most noble Kings had so diligent a care and consideration of schooles bicause without them they perceyued the Church coulde not stande nor the pure doctrine of fayth be maintayned Wherefore their ingratitude is very grosse which do not onely contemne the Ministers as persons vnprofitable whome the Lorde of his mercy offreth but also hate them as the greatest malefactors that can be and woorse than Toades Last of all is adioyned howe Barnabas and Paule continued a whole yeare togither at Antioch For this cause vndoubtedly for that they sawe the congregation had neede of their help For Luke writeth not that they sate ydelie there like sluggards but declareth that they instructed there a great company of men in the true faith and religion of christ Let ministers of the Church followe this example and while they perswade other men to perseuerance let them constantly perseuer in their duty and not boaste themselues of the bare name of Pastors but lette them doe that that belongeth to true Pastors least they become followers and successors of that foolishe shepeherde which is described in Zachary .xj. Chapter Nowe remayneth the profite and successe of this godly and feruent diligence which Luke sayth was notable For first he sayth a great company was added vnto the Lorde Whereby it is euident that the traueyles of the godly Ministers was not without effect For as the worde of God like vnto a fruitefull seede hath power or vertue in it selfe to bring forth fruite so it alwayes falleth vpon some which being well disposed to receyue it bring forth worthy fruites And although some bring stony hearts some thorny giuen to all kinde of pleasures yet hath God his people euerywhere which receyue his seede into good hearts and there keepe it till it bring forth much fruite And the Prophete beareth witnesse that the worde of God returneth not without fruite or in vaine but is like vnto a showre of raine which watereth the grounde and maketh it fruitfull Moreouer God blesseth the studies of his Ministers so that they shall not labour in vayne This ought to encourage those that labour in the Church of Christ to thinke their traueyles can not be lost For if they deliuer but a fewe soules from destruction let them thinke they haue gotten great treasure bicause Christ witnesseth that the saluation of one soule cannot be redeemed with all the substance of the world In the meane while marke howe he sayth this compaâ—ye was added vnto the Lorde Then Paule and Barnabas gathered not scholers to themselues but vnto the Lorde For they knewe well that they must glory in Christ alone as their teacher and maister And they knewe Christ commaunded them to bring schollers vnto him Therefore great is their insolencie which be authors of sectes among Christians and make them the seruauntes of men whome Christ hath purchased to himselfe with the price of his bloude See what Paule sayth against this doing in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1.3.7 c There ensueth yet another commoditie which hath gotten perpetuall and immortall glory to the Citie of Antioche For where in that Citie the first Church of the Gentyles was gathered togither it came to passe that they which hytherto were called but Disciples are now first adourned with the name of Christians And this is that newe name which God long before promised hee woulde giue vnto his elect And what greater glorye coulde comme vnto the Antiochianes Let the Bishoppes of prowde and haultie Rome be compared with these men and they shall whether they will or nill be inforced to giue place And yet we neuer reade that that prowde tytle was giuen to Antioch to be called the heade of the Church But to let passe these matters let vs rather expende the force of this name bicause it is not giuen vs without the prouidence of god It is euident that we be so called of the sonne of God which according to the figure of the olde â–ª Testament wherewith Kings and Priests were annointed is of the Greekes for excellencie sake called Christ of the Hebrues Meschias and of vs annoynted bicause God hath appointed him the vniuersall and euerlasting King and Priest of his people as may be seene Psalm 2. and .110 And where he giueth himselfe and all that is his wholye to his people therefore he woulde haue them to be called Christians after his owne name And he hath not giuen vs a naked and an emptie name but as the Apostle sayth he hath annointed vs and made vs Kings and Priestes to God his father Therfore the vse of this name is manifolde For first it admonisheth vs of the dignitie which we haue in Christ wherevnto there is none like as they shall confesse which throughly weigh the matter For it is plaine that there was neuer King which was able to make all the subiectes of his Realme Kings no not his Courtyers or those that were of his counsayle But such is the vertue power of Iesus Christ that he is able to make them Kings for euer that acknowledge him to be their king Then this name serueth to confirme the beliefe and certaintie of our saluation For in Iesus Christ is God the father well pleased Therefore he can not be angrye with vs nor forsake vs whome he hath vouchsafed to call after the name of his belooued sonne Hence therefore may we fett arguments of consolation in aduersity especially in the temptations of our conscience Finally this title admonisheth vs of
our dutie that we should not forget that we be made Kings and Priestes by Christ and that we should valiauntly maintayne the dignitie of our name It is the propertie of a King to be at his libertie and not to be in subiection vnder the rule of another Let vs therfore abide in the libertie wherevnto the sonne of God hath called vs and not suffer our selues to be oppressed hereafter with the seruitude of sinne which is the fylthiest and miserablest thing that can be It is the property of a King to vanquish and ouercome his enimies Let vs therefore subdue and vanquishe the moste cruell enimies of our saluation Satan the world and the fleshe with all the concupiscences therof It is the part of a king to cōmaunde and beare rule Let vs therfore rule our selues mightily ouercome al those things which leade vs crosse the way of saluation So let vs lykewise performe the dutie of Priests to teach to pray to consecrate and offer Wherefore it shall be our dutie to teach those that belong vnto vs both by word and example of lyfe as farre forth as the dutie of our calling bindeth vs It shall be our parts to pray both in secret and openly and to make intercession to God not onely for our owne necessities but also for our neyghbors It shall also be our duties to consecrate our selues for liuely sacrifyce vnto God and to offer to him euery day the bullockes of our lippes that is to say giuing of thankes which is the moste acceptable and thankefull sacrifyce that we can giue vnto him These thinges myght at large be drawne through the whole lyfe of man but it shall suffyse to giue the vnlearned an occasion to expende and consider better of them Whosoeuer perfourmeth these things is worthy to be called a Christian. And such it appeareth the Patriarches were in times past whome God in the hundreth and fyft Psalme calleth his annoynted that is to saye Christians Such it is credible those men of Antiochia were which first enioyed that name And if any will presumptuously bragge of the name they shall surely deceyue themselfe but God they cannot deceyue Let vs therefore diligently thinke of these thinges that remembring both our dignitie and dutie we may aunswere to so notable and excellent a name and being taken from this lyfe may raigne in heauen with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxj. Homelie IN those dayes came Prophetes from the Citie of Ierusalem vnto Antioch And there stoode vp one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirite that there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to passe in the Emperour Claudius dayes Then the Disciples euerye man according to his abilitie purposed to sende succour vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iurie which thing they also did and sent it to the Elders by the handes of Barnabas and Saule ALthough our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ is alwaye present with his Church yet he suffereth it as he foretolde diuerslye and manye wayes to be troubled hauing aduersitie as it were by continuall enterchaunge still following prosperitie The principall cause wherof is partly for that he woulde brydle the lustynesse of our fleshe and partlye bicause he woulde teache vs that he is as well able to deliuer his people in aduersitie as to maintaine them in prosperitie We haue heretofore seene certayne notable examples hereof For the Gospell in the beginning being prosperouslye preached at Ierusalem brought a great number of Disciples vnto Christ shortly after riseth a tempest of persecution that driueth down the florishing of the Church flat to the grounde By and by againe when Saule was conuerted vnto Christ sodeinly the Church was quiet the doctrine of Christ being caried vnto the Gentyles gaue likelyhoode of great encrease seeing that at Antioch the noblest Citie in all Syria there was a Church of Gentyles assembled togither and were there first called after that noble name of Christians But beholde a great and straunge aduersitie following namely a dearth which as it troubled the whole worlde so it most miserablye afflicted the faythfull whose goodes were spent partlye in finding the poore of the Church and partly were taken from them in the rage of persecution The consideration herof is most profitable for vs for herby we may learne the lesse to be offended if the lyke aduersity betide vs in these dayes And of all other this present place is worthy to be diligently considered as well for the manifolde comfort as also the instruction which the holy ghost here setteth forth For it declareth the dearth that was in the Church and it setteth out the fatherly prouidence of God hauing a care for the same and also sheweth what way and counsayle the faythfull tooke seeing the publike calamitie like to ensue And of all these we meane orderly to intreate First we will speake of the dearth wherof prophane writers but chieflye Iosephus and Suetonius make mention This dearth no man will deny but was sent by the iudgement of God except such an one as will deny God to be the gouernor of the whole worlde For the Prophete witnesseth that there is no plague in a Citie without the Lordes doing And in the lawe among the punishmentes wherewith God reuenged the contempt of hys worde barrennesse of grounde and scarcitie of victuals ar◠chiefely reckoned See Leuiticus 26. Deuter. 28. And we must not thinke that anye thing commeth vnto man by fortune forasmuch as it appeareth that the care of Gods prouidence extendeth it selfe euen to the sparrowes flowres of the field It shall be good when such things come to passe to search the causes of Gods iudgements which can be founde no where sooner than in mennes conuersation And surely Luke seemeth to poynt as it were with his fynger the causes of this dearth where he writeth it was in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. For he therefore named the Prince of the world who had then all authoritie and rule in his hande that by him we might iudge of the whole state of the worlde and the condicions of those dayes For it appeareth that the vices of Princes first infect with their contagiousnesse the Nobilitie and then their corrupt example poysoneth the Comminaltie And euen prophane writers report that Claudius was in all poyntes a moste naughtye Prince For from his childehoode he was cumbred with diuers and continuall diseases so that being dulled and made lumpish both in bodye and spirit growing further in age he was thought vnable to discharge any office publike or priuate Insomuch that Antonia hys mother vsed to say he was a monster a worke of nature begunne but not fynished and when she woulde note any body of blockishnesse or dulnesse she would say he was more foole than hir sonne Claudius And his sister Liuulla hearing on a time that he should be chosen Emperour did openly and alowde
Christ that is to saye of the Church Therefore absurde and pernicious is the errour of them which when persecution ariseth forsake the congregation or else if they once haue bene in daunger thinke they haue done ynough for their part and will be ioyned to them no longer for feare of newe daungers And thus they alienate themselues from Christ for whose name sake they abode the first bruntes and whyle they will keepe their bodies out of daunger destroye their soules Let vs also see what maner of Christians Peter founde in the house of Mary Luke comprehendeth a great matter in fewe words and sayth there were many there gathered togither and praying And yet it is not to bee thought that all the faythfull of the whole Citie were gathered into one house but it is likely that there were other assembles also in other places and that in the night season bicause they might not meete togither in the day time And hereof it seemeth that those meetinges of Christians in the night and earely in the morning tooke their beginnings Wherof the prophane writers make mention not that they thought anye more religion or effect of prayers in one time than another but for that in the time of persecutions lying in wayte of their enimies they coulde not otherwise scarse come togither Nowe a dayes such kinde of meetinges are of many vtterly condemned thinking that all men ought to abstaine from them least the godly might giue some suspition of sedicion or of some other more dishonest misdemeanour But why doe not these notable comptrollers consider the example of the Primitiue Church and suffer the brethren that be vnder the crosse to doe as they did in times passed seeing both their cases be a like In the meane whyle we denie not but that there ought to be had herein great diligence and circumspection For as it was in tymes passed a great occasion to the enimies of Christ to rayle and depraue the Christian religion euen so in the ages following it was cause of superstition whyle certaine foolishe men thought they might here vppon grounde their Mattens and singing before daye This place in the meane whyle yet teacheth vs what maner of exercises the Christians shoulde haue at all times but specially when persecutions are stirring or any other kinde of publike calamitie And here ought to be diligent heede had of these holy meetings For as Christ desireth to haue his to be one so it becommeth them to testifye publikely the desire of their vnitie and fellowship Which thing was cause that in the olde Testament Moses gaue such diligent aduertisement concerning their festiuall dayes in all which the chiefe matter was the holy conuocation or assembly And Ioël the Prophet admonishing the people of their dutie in the time of the Assyrian warres commaundeth them oftentimes to proclayme an holy assembly And it is not without a cause that Paule wryting to the Corinthians reasoneth in diuers Chapters of the good order to be had and vsed when the congregation meete togither For he knewe that Christ had adourned such as were gathered togither in his name with a peculiar promise testifying that he is in the middle of them And yet shall not those assemblies be allowed be they neuer so great except those things be done in them which God commaundeth He will haue his worde openlye taught Therefore we must come togither to heare it He will haue vs to praye vnto him Therefore when we meete we must ioyne togither in prayer that we maye euen in a troupe togither I will vse Tertullians wordes compasse and beset God about with prayers For this kinde of violence is acceptable vnto him as Christ hath taught vs by the example of the wydowe It is euident that these men obserued both these things For although Luke make mention in this place but of prayers onely yet forasmuch as they be ordred according to Gods worde and take their force of the promises of God it is not lyke they were slacke herein Of such assemblies as these the most auncient writers make plentifull mention And if we woulde compare these things with the vsage of our dayes it should easily appeare howe farre we haue swarued from the integritie of the Primitiue Church For it pleased God that these companies shoulde come togither in the night time bicause of perilles on euery side at hande but wee will not come togither in the day time when we maye so doe without anye daunger And they that come to the Church doe as they did whose vanitie and wickednesse Ezechiel accuseth cap. 33. And againe they that meete in the night time eyther they striue who shall quaffe best or they playe at the defamed dyce or else runne vp and downe the streetes with their noyses in too dissolute a wise To speake nothing in the meane whyle of those that if any persecution aryse turne to cursing and rayling vsing all vnseemelye speach against the harmelesse Ministers as though the matter touched not the whole congregation but them alone And hereof commeth it that wee perceiue such continuall calamities in our days For why should God spare to strike them which whilste they are layde on will not acknowledge his hande nor turne vnto him correcting them like a father Luke now proceedeth in his Oration begunne and declareth how the faythfull were affected at this sodeine and vnlooked for comming of Peter And first it appeareth they were somewhat troubled at the knocking at the doore bicause Rhoda the mayde runneth not forthwith to open the doore but standeth harkening who it shoulde be that was at the doore For whereas they were not ignorant howe greatly Herode burned in hatred against the church there was nothing so sure but they had some suspicion and feare in it But Rhoda knowing it was Peter by his voyce surprised with exceeding ioy and desirous to be the messenger of such gladsome tydings before shee would open the dore goeth and telleth it within They which scarce thought of any such thing much lesse hoped therefore fyrst sayde she was madde and afterwarde hearing that she constantly affirmed it to be true supposed yet that it was not Peter but his Aungell that was at the doore and did counterfeyte his voyce So a man may see the notable seruants of Christ bewtifyed with all kinde of vertues tossed with diuers affections and betweene hope feare and ioye standing in a doubt Hence therefore with the madnesse of the Stoykes who whyle they teache that a good and perfite man must be voyde of all affections of the mynde go about to make of men blockes and mushroomes And yet Paule witnesseth that Iesus Christ was subiect to such infirmities and was many wayes tempted like a very true man so that he coulde haue compassion on vs Yet here are two things to be diligently considered before we go any further The first is for our consolation where we are
through the infyrmitie of the fleshe shall by Christes merite be supplied and if they fall into any sinne by repentance through guiding of the spirite they shall rise vp againe Moreouer Paule taking occasion of the storie of Dauid passeth to the seconde part of his sermon wherein he declareth that Iesus whome the Apostles preached is the promised Sauiour for whose sake God in times past did so benefyte the fathers And bicause he knewe he had to doe with the Iewes the most grieuous enimies of Christ he prooueth it by manye and strong arguments of the which there are three contayned in this place which we will in order treate of The fyrst is where he sayth he shall be borne of that stocke whence the Prophetes sayde he shoulde come that is to say of the seede of Dauid But it woulde be long to recite all the promises yea superfluous considering they were so common and ryse that the Messias was commonly called the sonne of Dauid Yet if any man desire more let him reade the thinges written 2. Sam. 7. Psal. 132. Esay 11. Ierem. 23. c. That Christ was borne of the seede of Dauid touching his manhoode Mathewe and Luke prooue by a diligent Genealogie or Pedegree And here we haue to marke that he sayth this Sauiour was raysed vp according to the promise This part teacheth vs that he was giuen vnto vs also according to the meere grace of God and that it is to be attributed to no merites of man that God hath sent his sonne to be our Sauiour For that the promise was made of fauour Dauid himselfe confesseth as erewhile we sawe And if any man attribute this vnto Dauids modestie he shall be conuinced by the promise that we reade was made to our fyrst fathers who had deserued death and fledde away to hyde themselues from god And Chryst himselfe truly referreth all this saluation to the grace of God where he sayth Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Which words the Apostle expoundeth writeth Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs c. Here also appeareth the infallible truth of God which must be extended to all promises that we maye herein fet fyrme comfort in all kinde of temptatioâ—s For he that woulde not deceyue vs when his sonnes death laye vpon it howe shoulde he in other things deceyue vs The seconde argument is that he sayeth he shall come in such sort and wise as the Prophetes prophecied the promised Messias shoulde come For he had a forerunner such as is described Esay 40. Malach. 3. and .4 Chapters That was Iohn which preached the baptisme of repentance whereby he prepared the mindes of men duly to receyue Christ. Marke the Euangelist vseth the same argument where he writeth the Gospell of Iesu Christ beganne as it was foretolde by the Prophetes In the meane season it is worthy to be obserued that it was necessarye to haue a forerunner who by repentance which he declared both by preaching and sacraments should prepare a people vnto christ This prooueth the corruption of our nature whereby it commes to passe that we cannot attaine to saluation except we be wholye chaunged and regenerated Furthermore it confuteth them which thinke that Christes doctrine is the seede of licentious liuing seeing none coÌ„meth vnto him but he that is worthily prepared by true repentance But bicause we haue alreadye often intreated hereof and haue freshe occasion still offered to speake of the same it shall suffyse briefly thus to haue noted it The thirde argument he taketh of testimonie For he alleageth the testimonie of Iohn not for that Christes cause consisteth or stayeth vppon mannes testimonie but for that Iohn was of suche authoritie among the Iewes that he was commonly taken for a Prophete as may be seene Mathew 21. and in Iosephus which sayth that the death of Iohn was cause of the ouerthrow that Aretes gaue vnto Herode In which sense Christ in another place vseth his testimonie Iohn 5. This man sayeth Paule where some thought he was the Messias to put the people out of all suspicion sayeth whome thinke you that I am I am not Christ for behold there commeth one after me c. These things are more at large declared in Iohn 1. Luc. 3. and Math. 3 â–ª Chapters Herein is declared what the propertie of the people is in their iudgements of Gods seruants For eyther they attribute to much vnto them or vtterlye contemne them for meane is there none For they that at fyrst thought Iohn was the Messias suffered him not long after to be the pray of a most cruell tyrant Example whereof we shall see in those of Lystra in the next Chapter Iohn teacheth vs by his example what trustynesse the godlye ought to vse in setting forth the glorye of christ For they dandle not the dulnesse and folly of the people thereby to haue themselues the more magnifyed but that Christ may haue his whole glory they vse to abase themselues and to thinke themselues the woorst of all other Yea they thinke their glorye consisteth in this if by their meane Iesus Christ may euerywhere be glorifyed And if Iohn which was the holyest man that euer was borne of a woman be no body in comparison of Christ who then perceyueth not that the whole prayse of our redemption is to be ascribed to Christ alone The example of Peter and Iohn haue declared the same whereof was spoken in the thirde and tenth Chapters It is our dutie to trust in Christ onely and to acknowledge him to be the Sauiour that was promised in the beginning to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxj Homelie YE men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is this worde of saluation sent For the inhabiters of Ierusalem and their rulers bicause they knewe him not nor yet the voyces of the Prophetes which are reade euery Sabboth daye they haue fulfilled them in condemning him And when they founde no cause of death in him yet desired they Pylate to kill him And when they had fulfilled all that were written of him they tooke him downe from the tree and put him in a sepulchre but God raysed him againe from death the thirde day and he was seene many dayes of them which came vp with him from Galiley to Ierusalem which are his witnesses vnto the people THat that all the Scripture both of the olde and newe Testament with one consent declareth that same in this sermon Paule both plainly and constantly teacheth namely that Iesus Christ is the onely redeemer and sauiour of mankinde in whom alone we haue blessing righteousnesse saluation and life But bicause he had to doe with the Iewes whome he knewe still withstoode Christ with great obstinacie therefore he handleth this cause with great grauitie And fyrst he
Iewes who went out sayeth he of the Sinagoge before the congregation brake vp And this they did for none other cause but for that they coulde not abide to heare the doctrine of Christ as shall appeare by that that followeth where it is written howe they made much adoe and striuing against the Apostles For as they that are borne of God heare the worde of Christ and knowe by and by the voyce of their shepehearde so the reprobates and children of this worlde hate that voice as euill as a Tode and can not be brought willinglye to seeke it and if at any time they seeme to heare it otherwise than they looked for or agaynst their will then they turne their heades from it and gette them out of the place where such noyse soundeth This is an euident token of incurable malice as we reade Dauid also noted comparing them to a deafe Adder which will in woonderfull wise stoppe his eares bicause he will not heare the voice of the charmer And although somtime they pretend they doe it for modesty yet it is alway the beginning of a greater impietie For they which at the fyrst doe but a little lothe the worde of God and refuse to heare it if they shall more stronglye be vrged there with then without all reason they rage against it The Scripture sheweth vs examples in Pharao Saul Achab and many others which to rehearse woulde be superfluous forasmuch as we shall streightway heare how stowtly and impiously these men bende themselues against the doctrine of saluation Nowe against these men Paule setteth other which worthily embraced the Apostles doctrine who Luke sayth were partly Gentyles and partly Proselytes And that these Proselytes were the more apt to receiue Christ it is euident for that they had not that prowde affiance in their owne worthynesse that hindred the Iewes from the fayth in Christ as Paule otherwheres teacheth Although among these were also some Iewes bicause God did not so vtterly cast of that Nation but that he reserued certayne remnantes to be saued Moreouer as in the fyrst sort we may see the maners of the reprobate so in these other sorts the propertie of the elect and children of God doth notablye appeare Which therefore is the more diligently to be considered bicause by them we may see what is wanting in our selues and what we ought to doe First they desire the Apostles that they will the next Sabboth day preach to them againe the same doctrine of saluation Ergo they loue the worde of God and they are not weary of it bicause by the secret suggestion of the holye ghost they perceyue the voyce of their heauenly father soundeth in the same Then when the Church brake vp they followed the Apostles and openly acknowledge them for teachers of the truth and their saluation who yet they knewe were hated of a great number Then they are not ashamed of the worde of God before men and they preferre the grace of Christ before the friendshippe of the worlde These are the principles and rudimentes of true religion wherein who so well exercise themselues shall at length bring forth fruites of fayth and saluation not to be repented of By these may we iudge of the maners of our dayes For a great many nowe a dayes despise the worde and thinke nothing so voyde of true wisedome as for a man to take aduise of the worde of God concerning his doings and sayings And though we no way else declare the same yet we abundantly testifye it by this one token in that we be not onely ashamed of the Ministers but also hate them abhorre them flie from them rayle at them and euery way iniurie them as the publike enimies of saluation and authors of all euill And yet on Gods name we bragge egregiously of our fayth and zeale towarde Christ and his Gospell But God is not beguiled with vaine wordes nor delighted with any kinde of religion but such as hath truth ioyned therwith But what saye the Apostles herevnto They exhort them to continue in the grace of God For they knewe well that saying of Christ No manne that layeth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is worthye of the kingdome of God. Againe He that abideth to the ende shall be safe And bicause they had good experience of mannes infyrmitie they knewe that exhortation was needefull for them for that they had but newlye layde the fyrst foundation of their faith and saluation For many times it cōmeth to passe that they which haue begonne well being eyther afraide of daunger or caried away and maystred of their affections fall away againe and swarue Therefore we must note the example of the Apostles that we thinke not faithfull admonitions superfluous without the which faith and the knowledge of saluation are very seldome retayned In the meane season it is very worthy the noting how they which perseuere in the Gospell are sayde to continue in the grace of god For by the Gospell is the grace of God offred vs And Christ sayth that that peace that the Gospell preacheth shall dwell in that house where the children of peace be who are such as embrace with true faith the peace and grace of god Wherevpon we gather againe that all they which refuse the Gospell which is the only message of that grace doe fall from the grace of god And hereof followeth all kinde of euill so that they are the most vnworthie people in the worlde which forsake Christ for the worldes sake This appeareth by the example of the Iewes whome the contempt of the Gospell brought to that miserable state that they haue liued in nowe more than .xv. hundreth yeares Therfore let vs thinke that sayde vnto vs that the Apostles sayde to these men in this place and let vs embrace the Gospell and perseuer in the same that we may likewise enioy the vndoubted grace of God and his assured helpe in all aduersities Howbeit Luke adioyneth to these premisses a grieuous contention following this prosperous successe of the Gospell wherby we are taught that the kingdome of Christ in this worlde beginneth neuer so prosperously but that some stormes of persecution are ready for them which go about to sette forth the same For the saying of Christ fayleth not If they haue hearde my voyce they will heare yours also And where this worlde commonly hateth the light of the truth the more they perceyue the same shineth the more they vse to rage and be madde Therefore no man ought to thinke it a straunge thing if the like fall out in our dayes and that we see troubles aryse among them to whom the Gospell at the fyrst is preached For Paule and Barnabas the faythfull Apostles of Christ doe here fynde the same to be true For the next Sabboth daye when almost all the Citie was gathered togither to heare the worde of God the Iewes beholding such a great company readye to
they easily heare the voyce of Christ and perceyue that God calleth them bicause they haue the seede of God in them which lying hidden before is by the worde of God quickened and brought to maturitie and perfyte ripenesse Hereof it proceedeth that Christ sayth they that are borne of God and are the sheepe of his flocke heare his voyce and are delighted therwith yea and those he acknowledgeth for his sheepe of whome hitherto he was vnknowne and which were afterwarde to be called and drawne saying I haue other sheepe also which are not of this folde Them also must I bring in and they shall heare my voyce and there shall bee one folde and one shepehearde Of which sort Luke sheweth that these Antiochians were And the treatie hereof ought to seeme to no man superfluous forasmuch as there is nothing belonging to our saluation more pleasaunt or profytable to bee considered than this For herein are opened the fountaines of our saluation and we are taught that the same dependeth vppon the meere grace of God and therefore the arrogant and Pharisaicall glorying in mannes iustice and merite is hereby quite ouerthrowne and buryed This also prooueth the certaintie of our saluation and marueylously fortifyeth our fayth if it shoulde stagger through temptations For God cannot repent him of his electing and calling vs. And whereas we be elected or chosen in Christ which is that impregnable rocke against which the gates of hell are not able to preuayle and which will not suffer his sheepe to be taken out of his handes It is impossible that they should fall from their saluation which feele themselues to be graffed in him Wherevnto this place also is to be referred where it is sayde As many beleeued as were ordeyned vnto life euerlasting For although the Iewes raged neuer so much they coulde not hinder the saluation or faith of one of the elected And as many as shall in this wyse consider Gods predestination and election shall perceyue their fayth to be marueylously increased And if any will wade yet deeper in Gods secrets mysteries and will presume to call his eternall counsayles to the count of mans reason they shall at length go so farre that eyther they shall scoffingly deride the iudgements of God or else attribute that vnto man which it becommeth vs to seeke only in the grace and fauour of God and shall spoile Christ of his glory who is the foundation of our saluation See Rom. 9.11 But to returne to these electes let vs consider the effect of Gods word that appeared and shewed it selfe in them by the which may easily be gathered what their dutie is whome God electeth This is a marueylous effect of Gods worde that euen in the greatest feare of all daungers the hearts of those that beleeued are recreated with ioye considering howe God the father is well pleased with them Wherevnto Christ had a respect when he bade vs reioyce in troubles Then after that it is sayde they glorifyed the worde of God which is a token of thankefulnesse which they cannot choose but render vnto God which haue anye thing tasted of the grace of god They vse to glorifye the worde of God which embrace it with fayth and submit themselfe vnto it subduing all their reason and vnderstanding vnto it which is not the last nor least ende of preaching the Gospell as we haue in other places declared These thinges teache vs what they haue to doe that will be counted of the number of the elect and they also are here confuted which saye the exercises of Christian religion and good workes are by this doctrine of free election and predestination put away and destroyed For where as it was before declared vocation or calling followeth election and iustifycation by fayth followeth calling or vocation it cannot be that he which vnderstandeth he is elected can cast from him the workes of a Christian man For he knoweth that we are elected in Christ to that end that after we haue here liued an innocent and irreprehensible life we shall liue with Christ for euer in heauen Wherefore according to the Apostles commaundement he laboureth by continuall traueyle in innocencie and godlynesse to ratifye and confyrme his election and calling Thirdly it is to be obserued howe Luke sayth the worde of God was published throughout all the Countrie For hereby it appeareth howe little the wicked are able to preuayle against Christ with all their attempts For the spirite of God bloweth where it listeth and is not mooued eyther with the authoritie or power of man Therfore the same commeth here to passe that we sawe came to passe before at Ierusalem in the persecution of Steuen And this is the propertie of the worde of God the more to shewe his power and force the more it is withstanded delighting as it were to wrastle with the aduersaries And there is no cause for any man to aske why we see not Christes kingdome haue as good successe in these dayes For by our sloth and negligence the boundes thereof are drawne in and narrowed and we see that saying of Christ is true in all states of men where he testifyeth that in the later times faith shall be very rare scant vpon the earth Furthermore after these ioyfull successes of the Apostles and victories gotten against these wicked enimies a newe businesse aryseth namely a manifest persecution whereof the same Iewes were the authors bicause they coulde preuayle nothing at the fyrst and bicause they sawe the doctrine of Christ stronger than to be ouerturned with the craft of Sophisters or with slaunders and reproches And the Iewes many times in this booke are reported to haue bene the beginners of persecution and Paule writing of them in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians seconde Chapter sayth For as they killed the Lorde Iesus and their owne Prophets euen so they persecute vs and God they please not and are contrary to all men and hinder vs that we shoulde not speake vnto the Gentyles that they might bee saued to fulfill their sinnes alwaye c. Which things are therfore to be obserued that we might acknowledge the iust iudgement of God vpon them and how those horrible and straunge calamities fell vpon them worthily which our Sauiour Christ threatened vnto them and are written in hystories For God purposed by the example of them to teache vs what remayneth for all the despisers and enimies of his sonne And it is very worthy the consideration to see by what subtile meanes they procured this persecution and what effect it had First their subtiltie appeareth in those whom they went about to make on their sides against the Apostles And these were fyrst certaine women commended for their honestie and godlynesse And it was not without a cause that they thought their helpe meete for this purpose For this sexe of women as they are naturally inclined and giuen to superstition so are they very
apt to deceyue specially when the matter hath a pretence of religion and colour of any custome receyued Then by them is there an entry made vnto the husbandes with whome by flattery and enticements they are able to doe very much but specially if they be commended for their honestye and godlynesse Heua the fyrst mother of vs all maye serue for example whom Satan in the beginning thought a meete instrument to abuse whereby to deceiue mankinde And bicause his fyrst enterprise succeeded so well he thought afterwarde to vse the same instrument still Therefore through women he deceyued Salomon which was the fyrst sower of Idolatrie among the Israelytes which Idolatrie afterwarde coulde not be rooted out with all that the kings and Prophetes coulde doe And by the authoritie of Iesabel he brought in the worshipping of Baal I let passe infynite other examples which might be alleaged Paule had so well marked this thing that he wrote howe this was commonly the propertie of deceyuers to beguyle women specially such whose consciences they see are clogged with sinne And this is so common a thing in our daies that he is blinder than a Mole or Want that seeth it not Yet let no man thinke I speake this in reproch of womankinde But let it serue rather to teach women to beware that they suffer not themselues to be beguyled vnder so false a visor and pretence of religion And where women alone perhappes might be made light account of they mooue the Magistrates also and the chiefe of the Citie against them in exasperating of whome they doubtlesse vsed the helpe of the women They make the Magistrates offended with them as with disturbers and breakers of publike peace which hath in all ages bene the onely argument wherewith the wicked haue most impugned the doctrine of truth as the hystories of the Propetes teache vs all which it is plaine were for the most part accused with Christ of sedition And at this daye there is nothing more ryfe and common But let vs marke howe there is nothing in all Antioch of any power eyther by reason of holynesse or publike authoritie but it is bent and armed against the Apostles hauing none but the Commons onlye to take their part They that measure religion according to the authoritie of men are hereby reprooued For if this opinion may preuayle the Apostles cause must be in daunger of quailing Therefore Christ teacheth vs a farre other maner of lesson who testifyeth that the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are hidden from the wise and reuealed vnto little ones Referre also to this place the things spoken 1. Cor. 1. about the ende to this purpose Nowe the effect of the persecution was that the Apostles were exyled the borders of Pisidia by publike authoritie Yet was not the gospell vtterly banished and put to flight forasmuch as there is mention made hereafter of Disciples which were endued with all kinde of giftes of the holye ghost It was a common thing in all ages that alwayes the true worshippers of God were put in exylement as publike plagues Where in the meane season the wicked might without checke walke vp and downe in the middle of the streetes for whose sake the wrath of God vseth to be kindled And after banishment commonly followeth losse of goodes and miserable pouertie God suffreth these things to light vpon his elect for many causes For this waye he declareth his power which then most appeareth when he preserueth his Church in the middle of the waues of persecution Then also he trieth the faith of those that be his as gold is tried in the fyre mortifieth the vnworthy reliques of the flesh that we be not therby deceyued â—warâ—e aside Moreouer he maketh vs like vnto his sonne y they which suffer with him may also reigne with him Furthermore he vseth this waye to make those that be his weary of the worlde which worlde otherwise our fleshe vseth to esteeme and make to much of Therefore these things ought to offende no man but let vs rather often thinke on the promises of Christ such as are these There is none that hath forsaken house or brethren or sistren or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my sake but hee shall receyue an hundreth folde nowe in this life with persecutions and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting Againe ye are they which haue bidden with mee in my temptations and I appoynt vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appoynted to me that you may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome c. And againe where I am there shall my minister also bee They which diligently consider these things can haue nothing come vnto them so grieuous or intollerable but they knowe the ende thereof shall be ioyfull In the meane season let vs earnestly shew our dutie of charitie vnto those that are banished for Christes sake and which come vnto vs being driuen out of their owne Countrie and let vs not suffer them by our meanes wrongfullye to be suspected seeing they suffer for the same cause that Christes Apostles did Let vs remember that saying of Christ I was harbourlesse and you tooke me in c. Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie which Luke writeth was very horrible and miserable to the obstinate Iewes but very ioyfull to the godly those that beleeued For the Apostles seeing y malice of the Iewes to be inuincible shooke of the dust of their feete against them and departed vnto Iconium a Citie of Lycaonia which thing they did according to Christes commaundement who sayde on this wise to his Disciples whosoeuer will not receyue you when you go out of the Citie shake of the verye dust from your feete for a testimonie against them And againe in the same Euangelist he sayth cap. 10. Into whatsoeuer Citie you enter and they receyue you not go your wayes out into the streetes of the same and saye euen the very dust of your Citie which cleaueth on vs wee wype of against you Notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kingdome of God was come nigh vpon you Therefore this shaking off of dust was a solemne and publike signe of execration whereby was signifyed that all the wicked contemners of the Gospell shoulde be scattered abrode like dust and that such horrible curse of God hong ouer them that they which woulde be saued shoulde not so much as be partakers of the dust belonging vnto them And these thinges God woulde haue done for a testimonie or witnesse against them to take awaye from them all maner of excuse For the wicked commonly pretende ignorance when they are vrged with Gods iudgementes And to the ende they shoulde not so doe but be choked with the testimonie of their owne conscience the Apostles might not depart thence without publike protestation and denunciation of punishment which shoulde come vpon them as if
is not without a cause suspected For a Bishop must be blamelesse and Paule forbiddeth yong schollers chiefely to be kept out of the Ministery bicause such are in daunger of backbiting and slaundering Nowe adayes bicause we be to soone intreated in admitting of euerye one it is no marueyle though the authoritie of the Ministerie growe so much in contempt Moreouer it maye seeme to anye man marueylous that God woulde suffer such most chosen vessels of his grace to be intangled in such implacable hatred and that the holye ghost woulde haue their errours recorded in wryting for their sake that shoulde come after But to him that shall deepely ponder these things there shall appeare to be diuers iust and weightye causes of this doing For fyrst these things teache vs that euen the holyest men also are subiect to perturbations of minde and therefore haue neede of the grace of god This Paule acknowledgeth where he writeth that he felte the pricke of the fleshe and had the messenger of Satan sent him agaynst the which he had none other wayes to resist but by the grace of God. The same Paule writing of the lawe of sinne which in all men fyghteth against the spirite of God cryeth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body subdued vnto death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lorde The vse of all these things is to teach vs that whatsoeuer things holy men doe commendably we should ascribe them vnto God as to the author and only magnifye him therefore Againe these slydinges of holye men stirre vs vp vnto a feruent and continuall desire of godlinesse that according to Paules saying we may worke our saluation with feare and trembling For who will not be afrayde who will not be stirred vp to watch and praye when he seeth such notable seruaunts of God so grieuously fall Who will not stande in dreade to fall yea euen then when he seemeth to stand sure There is also another vse and commoditie of this contention that we now adayes be not offended with the discentions of the Ministers of the worde nor for discentions sake suspect the doctrine of Gods worde For the authoritie thereof dependeth not on man but as Esaias sayeth endureth for euer when all fleshe with the glory thereof wythereth and falleth away like a flower The fourth and last poynt of this Chapter is the peregrination of Paule and Barnabas in which they execute and perfourme their deuise concerning the visiting and confyrming the Churches in the word of god For although they disagreed among themselues yet is neyther of them vnmindefull of his dutie But Barnabas goeth into Cyprus and Paule into Syria and Cilicia and from thence into Lycaonia And this constancie is worthy of all men to be followed that we suffer not our selues by contention and importunitie of men to be ouercomme and so forgetting our duties become vnfaythfull vnto god In the meane season it behooueth vs to consider the goodnesse and wisedome of God which knoweth best howe to vse the offences of his people For of this lamentable discorde of the Apostles springeth this profyte that diuers Churches are at one very time visited and confyrmed Yea God many tymes vseth the sinnes of the wicked to the setting forth of his glory and the saluation of manne Examples whereof are extant both in the sale of Ioseph and manye other hystories Yet let no man for all this thinke vs voyde of fault For men sinne and by sinne deserue to be made the vesselles of wrath And if any good followe of their offending all that is to be ascribed to the goodnesse and wisedome of god God graunt that by vs his name may be glorifyed and that our most mercifull father woulde vse all our doinges to that ende to serue for the commoditie and saluation of many that we may lyue in heauen with Iesus Christ to whome be all prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xvj. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cvj. Homelie THEN came he to Derba and to Lystra and beholde a certaine Disciple was there named Timotheus a womans sonne which was a Iewesse and beleeued but his father was a Greeke Of whome reported well the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium Him would Paule that he should go forth with him and toke and circumcised him bicause of the Iewes that were in those quarters For they knew al that his father was a Greke As they went through the Cities they deliuered them the decrees for to keepe that were ordeyned of the Apostles and Elders which were at Ierusalem And so were the congregations stablished in the fayth and increased in number daily THe Apostle Paule appoynted to visite the Churches which he had gathered togither by preaching of the Gospell and to confyrme them in the fayth they had once receyued least being eyther drowned in securitie or circumuented with the subtiltie of Satan or ouercome wyth persecutions they shoulde fall awaye This he so doth that whersoeuer occasion also is offred he laboureth to winne moe congregations vnto christ This hystorie Luke in this place describeth who was Paules continuall companion in this iourney and therfore as a witnesse that sawe all things knewe all things well And fyrst we hearde how they went ouer Syria and Cilicia Then it followeth what they did in Lycaonia the Churches wherof by reason of the Iewes the bitterest enimies that Christ had had more neede to be strengthned than others and hereof Paule stoode in feare bicause he had diuers times tryed the hostyle attemptes and implacable mindes of the Iewes Moreouer the Euangelist taketh his beginning of the calling of Timothie whome Paule tooke vnto him as a companion in his voyage and partener in all his labors For he knewe that without fytte Ministers of the worde the kingdome of Christ and fayth in him could not be enlarged Wherefore as the Princes of this world which labour to dilate and stretch out their borders a farre are altogither occupied about getting of long tryed Captaynes and bolde souldiours from all places so was this the chiefe care of Paule to searche and get many faythfull and fytte Ministers for the Church of Christ by whome the kingdome of Christ might be stretched farre and wyde whosoeuer desire the safetie of the Church whether they be teaching Bishops or ruling Magistrates they must followe this example For as without the preaching of the worde newe Churches cannot be planted so those that are already planted and gathered togither cannot be kept in doing their dutie without the same Hereof proceeded that care and industrye which the Prophetes of the olde Testament had about schooles which our Predecessors being most prudent and godly men did imitate as the foundations of most auncient Colledges doe testifye In the vocation of Timothie there are two things to be considered wherof we shall speake in order Fyrst it is described who and what maner
day examples But forasmuch as Christ once prophecyed that these thinges shoulde come vnto vs it is our partes not to be offended thereat but with constant fayth and pacience to hye vs vnto the marke appointed vs that we may obtayne the rewarde promised to vs in Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxj. Homelie AT midnight Paule and Sylas prayed and lawded god And the prisoners hearde them And sodeinly there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened euery mans bandes were loosed When the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe and saw the prison dores open he drue out his sword would haue killed hymselfe supposing that the prisoners had bene fledde But Paule cryed with a lowde voyce saying Do thy selfe no harme for we are all here Then he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell downe at the feete of Paule and Sylas and brought them out and sayde Sirs what must I doe to be saued And they sayde beleeue on the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy housholde And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lorde and to all that were in his house AS the holy scripture euerywhere doth teach the godly that they must suffer persecutions in this worlde so likewise it promiseth them Goddes abundant helpe and succour and there want not examples whereby God euen from the verye beginning of the worlde hath declared the truth of his promises such as are the examples conteyned in this booke For before this by his Aungell he brought all the Apostles out of the prison who as we hearde before had taught in the Temple And Peter being deliuered out of prison defeated the cruell deuise of Herode and of all the people gaping for his death It is very notable also that your charitie euen nowe hearde recited For here the faythfull Apostles of Christ Paule and Silas are not onely deliuered out of prison but also the keeper of the prison a barbarous and cruell person is deliuered out of the bandes of impietie and being illuminated with the true knowledge of saluation is conuerted vnto Christ. And bicause this hystorie maye many wayes serue both for our instruction and consolation it shall be very profytable to examine all the circumstances thereof Let vs see therefore what God and the Apostles doe in this case which thing being considered then we will also intreate of the Iaylers conuersion We haue hearde howe Paule and Silas were verye euill intreated and beaten with roddes and at length put in the stockes Wherefore some might thinke they shoulde like puling women bewayle their mishappe and euery houre complayne of Gods iustice But Luke reporteth they were farre otherwise occupied For he wryteth that at midnight they made their prayers vnto God and magnifyed him and that not in any soft and secrete wyse but so lowde that the prisoners in the farther prison might easilye heare them This was an argument both of a constaunt fayth and merye conscience which can be found in none other kinde of men but in the faithfull onely in the time of aduersitie For this thing Paule attributeth to them as peculiar that in tribulations they glory and reioyce Luke declareth the cause of this ioy in the .v. chapter where he writeth how the Apostles were beaten with roddes in the Counsell and went out praysing God and reioycing that they were iudged worthy to suffer for the name of christ For they had a regarde to the promise of Christ who promiseth them the fellowship of the kingdome of heauen which haue abidden wyth him in his temptations Wherevpon they gather with Paule that they shall be partakers of the glory of Christ and lyue with Christ for euer which in this world are made like vnto him by bearing the crosse It is very worthy to be considered that we heare the Apostles so feruent and earnest in prayer who being illuminated with the holy ghost and with true fayth knowe that all thinges are ruled and gouerned by the prouidence of god By this example are those fyne and ouercurious wittes confuted which say there is no neede of prayers bicause God of himselfe knoweth all our necessities and by his prouidence all things are administred whose deuyse cannot be reuoked or interrupted by any maner of prayers In deede we declare not our case vnto God as one that is ignoraunt but by carefull and faythfull remembring him we testifye our fayth The holy men and Saintes also know that this is Gods euerlasting decree that as manye as are in distresse and conuert vnto him and call for his helpe and succour those he heareth For it is the commaundement of God Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee c. Agayne Turne vnto me and I will turne vnto you c. The Apostles therefore praye in their afflictions and according to their ensample all the godly in their aduersitie ought to seeke helpe and deliuerye at God onely and in none else We are taught moreouer that we ought not onely in aduersitie to seeke our deliuerie but also to giue God thankes and magnify his holy name when we are afflicted For verily it is an argument of his fatherly affection towards vs when he correcteth the wantonnesse of our fleshe with the rod of the crosse or tribulation And in nothing is the force of Gods comfort more effectually seene than when we are exercised in diuers temptations according to that saying of the Prophete In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comfortes haue refreshed my soule And Paule sayth As the afflictions of Christ abounde in vs so through Christ aboundeth our consolation Wherevnto it seemeth Peter also had a respect when wryting vnto the brethren dispersed among diuers Nations he beginneth with the prayse of God and commendation of hys grace These thinges ought we to remember when we are tempted with impaciencie of the fleshe that we be not ouercome thereof and mutter agaynst God which sinne of all other chiefely prouoketh the wrath of God as the examples of the children of Israel murmuring in the wildernesse abundantly declare Nowe let vs come to the seconde poynt of this place where it is shewed what God did Sodeinly sayth Luke there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened and euery mans bandes were loosed And no man neede doubt but that this was the only worke of God and of none other bicause the Scripture declareth there is none other that can doe these thinges In this place is set forth the force and effect of faythfull prayer For as the wise man sayth it pierceth the Cloudes and ascendeth vp into the sight of God which neglecteth not the same Hereof commeth it to passe that by prayer those
among the Thessalonians they exaggerate the matter and say that the Apostles did all things against the lawes and decrees of Caesar and so accuse them of treason saying they appointed an other to be king of the worlde affirming in a maner the same that they of Ierusalem before obiected against Christ before Pylate If you let these men go you are not Caesars friende The chiefe vse of these thinges is to learne vs with what instrumentes and weapons the wicked most assault the truth and hir Ministers First they vse open force For where Satan is a murtherer they thinke they haue a great defence therein for themselfe So Pylate sent forth his crewe with swordes and clubbes to take Christ which plainely sayde he did exercise the power of darkenesse Thus Cain violently kylled Abel And Pharao openly afflicted the Israelites Yea if a man would consyder the hystories of all ages he shoulde see the chiefe argumentes of the enimies of the truth founded vpon seculer power And commonly in these dayes they vse to dispute against the godly with imprisonment chaynes Gunnes Speares fyre and sworde Howbeit bicause the wiser sort abhorre from manifest violence and tyranny Satan knoweth craftily howe to mittigate the heynousnesse of this matter with lying going about by false accusations and slaunders to bring the seruauntes of Christ and faythfull Ministers of the truth in ignominie and suspicion Examples hereof we haue else where alleaged in Achab the king and in the Iewes accusing Christ before Pylate so that we neede tarie no longer in this matter Let vs learne at the least not rashely to beleeue them that grieuously accuse the godly as though they were blasphemers of God iniurious to the saintes and disturbers of the common weale Let vs rather search out the verie truth of the matter and commonly it shall appeare they are most innocent which before seemed worthy of all kinde of punishment This place teacheth vs furthermore what great destruction commeth vnto common weales by ydle and gracelesse persons For when they haue spent and consumed their owne goodes they gape after other mens and will be hyred for a little to commit a great mischiefe whereby it commeth to passe that they which will not by iustice of discipline punishe them are at length much cumbred and endammaged by them and perceyue their common weales by them to be much hyndered So these men being long suffered at Thessalonica wax at length so bolde and desperate that being entised and hyred by the Iewes they beginne a publike sedition and their boldenesse putteth all men in feare which thing seemeth to me to haue bene the cause that Paule afterward wryting to the Thessalonians warneth them so dyligently to see to the ordering of them that liued ydly of other mens labours For to let passe this present example there are euerywhere manye examples of other nations which teache vs that there are no kynde of men more pernitious vnto common weales But in steede of a great many that one may serue that is written in the storie of the Romaines of the coniuration of Catiline and his Complices Most prudently therefore did the Athenians sometyme inact that sluggishe and ydle persons shoulde be brought out into the market place and openlye shamed as men getting their lyuing by no honest arte or trade With the same Athenians the officers called Areopagitae when they suspected anye of inordinate lyfe called them before them and demaunded of them howe they liued and mainteyned themselues Which seueritie and industrie if it were vsed in our dayes woulde make our common weales and Churches more quiet than they be But it is a foule thing for christian men in this poynt to be ouercome of Gentiles whome reason and experience of the fleshe onely taught to be more wise than we Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie whose beginning was such that no man would haue thought it coulde haue bene ended without shedding of bloud First the Iudges and people are both mooued as commonly it vseth to be in sedition so that at the fyrst brunt wisemen and modest also are almost amazed and wote not what to doe But as God with a little blast of winde can chase away the threatning and clowdie countenance of heauen so in this place with small adoe he maketh them quiet calme that erewhile seemed to be starke mad For by the secret working of hys spirite he mittigateth the mindes of the Iudges to heare Iason speake and at length being satisfyed to dismysse hym and the other brethren In the meane while the brethren in the night season sende away Paule and Silas to Berrhoea where they againe go into the Synagoge and preache with great fruit and vtilitie But as in this councell of Thessalonica is set forth a president of ciuile iustice and equitie for all men to follow which are in office and authoritie so in the other persons haue we some thinges also to be obserued And fyrst this thing is verie comfortable that is tolde of Iason He for his kindenesse shewed vnto the Apostles is in great daunger But the Lorde so deliuereth him that he obteyneth an euerlasting praise in the congregation of the saintes And thus is the promise of Christ fulfylled which promised a sure rewarde vnto him that giueth but a Cup of cold water vnto any one of his disciples Let this kindle in vs also a desyre vnto godlynesse that it seeme not to vs intollerable to suffer traueyles and perilles for Christes faythfulles sake Further the brethren of Thessalonica shewe themselues thankefull vnto Paule and Silas in that they accompany them and bringing them on their waye in the night season putting themselues a freshe in daunger so that it is not without a cause that Paule commendeth their fayth in the Epistle he wryteth vnto them The Galathians also are commended of him for the same cause who sayth he were ready to haue giuen him their eyes if he had needed them But nowe a dayes Ministers haue small thanks for they are the fyrst in daunger and sometime deliuered into the handes of their cruell enimies by them which will be taken for most christian people and Gospellers Finally we haue to consyder Paule which embraseth the counsell of the brethren wylling him to flye vnderstanding that it was a thing permytted by Christ when neyther the glorie of God nor the weale of the brethren and congregation was in daunger For God will not haue vs perishe without great cause and for no profyte In the meane season in the flying they are not forgetfull of their duetie but assoone as they come to Berrhoea they teach agayne By which example we are admonished that we must so see to our owne safety that we forsake not our standing and tackle But if we be endued with the zeale of God the cause it selfe time and place shall easily giue vs counsell what to doe Let the power and goodnesse of God also comfort vs wherby we see Paule
straunger and to follow his voyce onely Howbeit the short role or recount of beleeuers that Luke rehearseth must be also consydered which we see was gathered togither of al kinde of men Fyrst many Iewes beleeue althoughe the forsaking of that Nation was euen at hande Yet God vtterly forgetteth not his couenaunt but according to his promise preserueth certaine remnaunts Unto these are adioyned certaine noble and chiefe women of the Gentyles and at length are dyuers men besides numbred Whereby it appeareth that the grace of God which is giuen vs in Christ appertayneth to all sortes of men and that none is to be excluded from it eyther for cause of countrie nation sexe or whatsoeuer condition For in Christ Iesu there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle bondman nor free man nor woman c. Which thing as it serueth to comfort vs so it teacheth euerie man to be mindefull of christian societie and to contempne no man ouer insolently in comparison of himselfe But let vs see what Satan attempted at Berrhoea against the kingdome of Christ verily euen the same that he dyd otherwheres For he can not suffer that to go forwarde that he knoweth hyndereth and ouerthroweth his kingdome And bicause he could fynde none in that Citie meete to serue his turne he calleth out the Iewes from Thessalonica who hearing and disdayning that the fayth of Christ went forwarde at Berrhoea come flying in post haste and cause a great sturre and tumulte there also Satan therfore vseth the lyke pollicie here that we sawe he vsed before at Lystra which is his propertie also at these dayes if he perceyue there want disturbers of Christes kingdome in one place to bring and fetch them from an other And it is a marueyle to see howe nymble the Monkes be in accomplishing this matter whome the Deuill can craftily sende abroade not onely into Cities but also into kings Courtes and priuie counsels to cause Princes being bewitched with their suggestions to shut their eares against the doctrine of truth In the meane season marke here the incurable malice of the Iewes wherewith they are so netled that they themselues doe not onely refuse the fayth of Christ but also can not suffer other to be illuminated with the same so that it is not without a cause that Paule so earnestly reprehendeth them in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians the seconde Chapter Lyke vnto these men are all those in these dayes that giue themselues to the deuill to be instrumentes to impugne the fayth of Christ and thereby seeke great commendation Yet let them remember that they shal haue the same iudgement whereof was shewed an example vppon the Iewes to the woonder of the whole worlde For the holy ghost long agone prophecyed that all they shoulde be brused with the yron rodde of Christ which would not be corrected and amended by his worde And there want not examples of most mightie kings which haue founde this reuengefull sentence of Christ true to their great losse and hynderaunce whereof bicause we haue alreadie at large intreated otherwheres we will for thys time be contented to haue spoken these fewe wordes But what doe the brethren in the middest of this hurlye burlye Leaue they Paule in the bryars and daunger or refuse they to giue him counsell and to helpe him No. But rather leauing Silas and Timotheus which were not in such daunger to remaine at Berrhoea they conuey Paule away vsing therein great and singuler diligence For they take their iourney towarde the sea and by and by turne their course and come to Athens from whence Paule afterwarde wrote his fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians It seemeth they helde not on their waye directly bicause they woulde auoyde the wayte of the Iewes who they sawe raged in such hatred against Paule Furthermore here is to be obserued the loue and kindnesse that they of Berrhoea shewe vnto their teacher For who doubteth but this attempt of theirs was a matter not onely of much expence and labour but also of great daunger But nothing could let them to go on in their godly duetie bicause they had a right iudgement of the benefyte of the gospell which they had receyued and they thinke it but a small matter to shewe an outwarde duetie and reuerence for the gift of eternall saluation Nowe a dayes bicause fewe men iudge rightly of Gods grace offered in the gospell they wil susteyne no labour and perill about the same But most times it commeth to passe that they which will suffer no daunger for Christes cause an other tyme are molested with greater cares for causes lesse godly This place furthermore teacheth vs that wisedome with fayth maye well stande togyther For Christ commaundeth vs to beware of the wylinesse of men and to vse the wisedome of Serpents against it We haue neede therof bicause of the children of this worlde whom Christ himselfe witnesseth to be wiser in their generation than the children of light Yet let vs remember that we must appoynt certaine boundes vnto the wisedome of the fleshe that we doe nothing through the counsell and perswasion thereof against our duetie wherein there is no better or more safe remedy then if we submyt all our vnderstanding vnto the obedience of fayth as Paule otherwheres teacheth vs So shall it come to passe that we shall neyther tempt God by putting our selues rashely in daunger nor dishonestly forsake the truth but holde the myddle way in dooing our duetie and hereafter raigne with Iesus Christ whome we serue in heauen to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxvj. Homelie WHILE Paule wayted for them at Athens his spirite was mooued in hym when he sawe the Citie giuen to worshipping of Images Then disputed he in the Synagoge wyth the Iewes and with the deuout persons and in the market daylie with them that came vnto him by chaunce Certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoikes disputed with him And some there were which sayde what will this babler say Other sayde he seemeth to be a tydings bringer of new Deuils bicause he preacheth vnto them Iesus and the resurrection And they tooke him and brought him into Mars hys seate saying maye wee not knowe what thys newe doctrine whereof thou speakest is for thou bringest straunge tydings to our eares we would know therfore what these things meane For all the Athenians and straungers that were there gaue themselues to nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newe thing THe Euangelist Luke hytherto hath described the dyuers iourneys and wandrings of Paule the Apostle by reason whereof he lyghtened so manye nations and Cities with the preaching of the gospell that he sayde otherwheres not without a cause that he had laboured more than all the Apostles Further least any man might thinke he had drawne ignoraunt and vnlearned men onely with an artifyciall and elaborate kinde of eloquence he came at length to Athens not
women with their heades couered bicause the man is free but the woman vnder the mans power whome she ought to take for hir heade For the which cause when the time of the vowe was out the Nazareans were shauen in solemne wise to th end they might know they were restored to their former libertie againe It may seeme that Paule tooke this vowe vpon him bicause of the Iewes which thought him to be a prophane and wicked contemner of the lawe and therefore thought by this meane the sooner to winne them to hearken to the Gospell For he seemeth to confesse a like thing where he writeth he became a Iewe vnto the Iewes and to those that were vnder the lawe as one himselfe vnder the lawe Otherwise he was not ignorant of Christian libertie which he euerywhere writeth ought not to be broken for anye ceremonies sake See Colos. 2. Galat. 4. Therfore they doe most foolishly which abuse the example of Paule to the maintenance of Monkishe vowes For this vowe was instituted in the lawe of God which although in the death of Christ it is abolished with the ceremonies thereof yet for the auncient dignitie thereof and for the weakes sake it was not sodeinely to be made awaye and buried but by little and little But it is euident that Monkes vowes are founded vppon the traditions of men which ought to be of no authoritie in religion Againe the Nazareans vowed vnto God where the moste part of Monkishe vowes are made vnto Creatures Agayne the vowes of the Nazareans altered not the trade of lyfe neyther was the vnitie of the Church therby deuided But Monkish vowes as they take away all former trades of life so they bring into the Church many diuers sectes The Nazareans vowed such things as man was able to performe Monkes vowe chastity which the whole Scripture sayth is not giuen to euery man The Nazareans were grieuous or chargeable to none by reason of their vowe But Monkes whyle they vowe wilfull pouertie will be fedde like ydle paunchbellies of other mennes labors The Nazareans vowe forbade them not obedience to Magistrates Parentes and all other estates to whome we be bounde by nature Monkes vowes breake all obedience and bind them onely to their Abbots who owe obedience both to Parentes and Rulers Furthermore the Nazareans had no affiance in their owne merites For they both confessed themselues to be sinners when their vowe was ended and that God was the author of all goodnesse But Monkishe vowes moste of all other maintayne an affiance in mans righteousnesse and deseruings Wherfore if there were no other cause this one were sufficient to condemne them and put them away But to let passe this pumpe and sinke of superstition returne we vnto Paule which traueyling out of Achaia into Asia the lesser came to Ephesus where we haue to consider foure thinges in order First he goeth into the Synagoge and disputeth with the Iewes Agayne here appeareth the loue he bare to his countriemen whome for manye causes as we haue otherwheres declared he coulde not hate although he had once or twyse before shaken the dust of agaynst them This example of Paule teacheth vs that the wrath and iudgement of God shoulde so be set out vnto the wicked that if they conuert they may yet knowe there is hope left that God will be fauourable vnto them and pardon them For it is God that sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and lyue Wherefore we must vse all the diligence that we can to bring and winne people vnto the lord Secondlye the example of the Ephesians teacheth vs that the labor of the Saintes is not in vayne For where they are desirous to haue Paule remayne longer among them it appeareth euidently they had much profyted by him For it cannot be that they can delyght in the Ministers companye that haue not as yet tasted the fruite of the doctrine of the gospell Neyther can they be iudged for louers of the Gospell that vse to hate the Ministers thereof and little to regarde their labors and disdainefully to auoyde their companies Let vs agayne consider howe Paule refuseth to accomplishe a godly request For he sayth I must needs at this feast that commeth be at Ierusalem I pray you what neede vrged Paule so to be Shall we say it was for deuotion sake of the feast No. For he knewe well that holye dayes were abrogated among other ceremonies and there was no cause vrged him for the weake brethrens sake to go vp to Ierusalem bicause there were many Iewes in euery Citie drowned in Iewishe superstitions which notwithstanding went not thither Wherefore as in other places we haue reade howe Paule was guided by the holy ghost in all his doinges so it is lyke he was secretly mooued by the same spirite to take this voyage nowe in hande although the cause be not expressed nor yet declared what he did there more than saluted the congregation and brethren Surely Paules traueyle coulde not be in vayne in such a Citie wherevnto agaynst the feast repayred such a great multitude both of Iewes and Gentyles from among all nations For so euen at one time togither might the doctrine of the Gospell be scattred among many Nations It is to be marueyled why Paule is pulled so soone from them which seemed to be so ready to receyue profyte by the gospell and it may seeme an vncourteous and an vnloouing part to leaue them if we should herin leane vnto reason But Gods doings are to him knowne and certaine And the chiefe vse of such examples is for vs to learne to submit our willes and desires seeme they neuer so holy and good vnto the pleasure of god Fourthly let vs see howe Paule departed from Ephesus He biddeth them farewell which is a token of thankefulnesse and friendly good will. For their discourtesie is very vnhonest that depart from their hoste where they haue receyued benefytes without taking of leaue Moreouer he leaueth Aquilas with them that they should not seeme altogither destitute Furthermore he promiseth to returne to them againe by the leaue of god Whereby it manifestly appeareth that he bare them no euill will but was compelled and strayned for weighty considerations to leaue them Here we haue to imitate Paules religiousnesse which in a most godly cause presumeth nothing of his owne heade but vnderstanding that all endeuors and deuises depend vpon Gods prouidence referreth all things vnto his pleasure This sentence of Salomon is common manne purposeth but God disposeth What rashnesse then is this of men to attribute so much to themselues in prophane matters so to appoynt their doinges as though they woulde prescribe lawes vnto god See Iacob 4. Luc. 12. Paule being nowe departed from Ephesus commeth to Caesarea in Iury and from thence to Ierusalem when he had there greeted the congregation and dispatched the matters about the which he went he came to
Trogyllion The day following we came to Miletum For Paule had determined to saile ouer by Ephesus bicause he would not spend the time in Asia for he hasted if it were possible to keepe at Ierusalem the feaste of Pentecoste AFter that the Apostle Paule had accomplished at Ephesus all things that appertained to the establishment of the same Church theâ— went hee on with the voyage that hee had before purposed to make in the which hee visited the Churches of Macedonia and Greece and confirmed them in the true faithe Wee haue seene there notable argumentes of the Apostles faythe and diligence when as Paule lette for no laboure or daunger eyther to gette Churches or to preserue those that were gotten At length hee came to Troas where fell oute certaine peculiare things in the describing whereof Luke is very diligent And first hee setteth out an ensample of Ecclesiasticall assemblie and next a myracle that God would haue wrought in that place bothe for the commendation and setting forthe of Paules Ministerie and for diuers causes else Hee describeth this Churche assemblie with all the circumstaunces thereof very diligently And beginning with the time he saythe they came togither on a Sabboth day which day as yet was muche celebrated bicause of the auncient custome Afterward when the Church began more and more to increase the next day following the Sabothe was appoynted for Goddes seruice and in remembraunce of Christes resurrection it was called the Lordes day By this place we learne that suche dayes as God hathe appoynted for seruice or religion ought not to bee neglected of Christian menne For they are not onely needefull bicause of outwarde woorshippe but also inwarde which cheefely consisteth in the studie of Goddes woorde and in the diligent meditation of his benefites the bodie and minde for the time beeing cleane separated from all prophane matters whiche thyng was the cause that GOD commaunded the breakers of the Sabothe to bee punished with deathe And the breaking of the Saboth is accoâ—â—ted of the Prophetes amongest the moste haynous sinnes and causes of the Captiuitie of Babylon so that it was not without a cause that Nehemias thought it is duetie to see that day kept so holy when the people retourned from their captiuitie Whereunto appertaineth also the example of Christ who as he oftentimes vppon the saboth day went into the Sinagoges so he diuers times disputed diligently of the right vsing of that day to deliuer it both from superstition â–ª and also from contempte Then he sheweth also the place where this companie or assemblie mette This was a loft or chambre in the priuate house of some one of the faithfull who appointed it for the Churche or Congregation bicause the Christians for good cause abhorred the Temples of the Idolaters and they had no publike place permitted them by reason the Romane Presidentes bare rule in euery place which either were no fauourers of Christian religion or else were open enimies thereof He sayth there were diuers candles lighted in the chamber to putte away the darkenesse of the nighte and for auoyding the suspition of dishonestie Therefore it is a peeuishe erroure of them which of a foolishe imitation make that a seruice of God which in times past serued for necessitie and thinke that God which is the light euerlasting is woorshipped with candles of tallowe or waxe and for the defense of their inuention vse both this place and the example of Moses lawe For heere is plainely expressed the night time when it is needefull for candles to bee lighted And for the same cause afterwarde the Christians vsed candles in their assemblies bicause they coulde not meete togyther but in the morning before day by reason of the lying awayte of their ennimies as appeareth by the Epistles of Plinius Secundus and may be gathered oute of the Churche wryters The which cause being taken awaye it is but foolishnesse to helpe the day lighte with artificiall lightes It is euident there was a farre other meaning of the Candlesticke in Leuiticus For as all the ceremonies of that Priesthoode were figures of things that Christ shoulde perfourme and were ordained only till the time of correction so the candlesticke also was a figure of Christ which is the true and eternall lighte of the worlde and which by the ministerie of the Gospell lighteneth his Churche for the which cause the Apostles and they which are theyr true and lawful successoures are called the light of the world In the meane season wee learne that it is necessary to haue certaine places for the outwarde woorshipping and for the Congregation to meete in suche as in the olde Testament the Temple and Sinagoges were and suche as after the Apostles times when the Churche began somewhat to be at rest the Oratories that were builded were In these places all things must serue for honestie and for religion and nothing must be suffered that declareth any superstition too much riotous cost or prophane contempt Thirdly he sheweth the cause of this meeting which was as he writeth to breake bread He meaneth the holy supper of the Lorde which in times past they called breaking of bread bicause the bread was broken therein according to Christes institution bothe for that wee shoulde confesse oure selfe sinners and guiltie of the death of Christ and also for that we should vnderstand that the merite of Christ was dealt among vs and pertained indifferently vnto all beleeuers It is very worthy to be obserued howe our forefathers in the time of the Apostles vsed to order and celebrate this Supper Firste of all Paule maketh a sermon as the things following declare bicause the supper was ended after Eutychus was raised Therfore when the sermon was ended they went to the supper and that in the open sight of the assemblie in a place and time appoynted for Gods seruice and after none other fashion than was appointed by christ For that they obserued the same manner and rites in all pointes both the woorde breaking of breade and the example of Paule declareth which reuoked the Corinthians so carefully to that forme of supper that Christ ordained Thus is it euident that Christ also vsed to teach before the supper and did ordaine nothing tending more to superstition than religion Therefore let the Papistes regarde with what argumentes or examples they defend their Masse wherin there is no word of God taught al things are don in a straÌ„ge tong the people haue nothing to muse or think on but wearish and peeuish gestures and stage playes to say nothing in the meane while of the impairing of Chrystes sacrifice of the derogation of his merit and how the faith religion of Christ is ouerthrowne euen vnto the foundations But so ought they to be seduced which had leauer folow the imagination of their own braine than the institution of Christ. Moreouer the manner that Paule vsed in his preaching pertaineth to the description of the assembly of
an angel hath appeaâ—ed to him let vs not stryue agaynst god And when there arose great deâ—bate the Captaine fearyng lest Paule should haue bene plucked asunder of them commaunded the souldiers to go downe and to take him from among them and to bring him into the Castle GOd vseth to exercise his chosen with diuers and greeuous tribulations but agayne he deliuereth them diuers and many times by meanes vnlooked for of both which we haue examples in euerye place But among them all this is very notable which the holy ghost setteth forth by Luke in Paule the chosen vessell of christ For we haue hearde howe he was many wayes layde wayte for by the Iewes and was many times in daunger of his life But God oftentimes raised vp new helpes which for the moste part were suche as Paule once thought not of muche lesse coulde haue wished for or requyred For fyrste he was deliuered out of the furiouse Iewes handes by the Captayne and his Souldiers Shortlye after where he woulde haue pleated his cause he was defended from scourging by priuiledge of the freedome of Rome at length when the Captaine had committed both his matter and life vnto most wicked Iudges God sendeth such a diuision among his enemies that they which not long before wished his death pronounced him innocent These things ought to comfort vs that we through cowardly feare giue not ouer in time of temptation For they confirme the promisses of God wherby he euery where promiseth to be the reuenger of his people But where in this presente place there are many other things also very worthy to be considered it shall bee profitable to examine all the circumstances of the matter which is here rehearsed Fyrst and formost it behoueth throughly to consyder the cause of the dissention which Luke saith was the diuersitie of sectes among the Iewes for some of his aduersaries were Phariseis and some Saduceis And as touching the sectes of the Iewes there are many thinges written in Iosephus which referreth their beginning vnto the time of the Machabees And in deede the approuedst authors testifie that they began vnder Iohannes Hircanus the first for when the Priestes applied them selues more to beare rule than to care for religion diuers opinions began to spring about religion by reason the doctrine of Gods worde ceased which God had appoynted to be still among his people Therfore three sectes sprong vp which deuided the vnitie of the Church and people of god The fyrst was that of the Phariseis who not contented with the lawe folowed traditions and beleued that righteousnes and saluation might be atteyned by workes besides being giuen to the study of Astrologie they taught fatall destenie not much differing in this point from the Stoikes And these men being cloked with the outwarde couering of workes were taken for the most holy of all other The second was the Saduceis who denying that men were subiect vnto destenie attributed freewill vnto them and although they seemed earnestly to commende the studie of vertue yet opened they the windowe vnto Epicure and vnto all kynde of licentious liuing For they denied the Angels and immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the body This sect of all other was in most aucthoritie bicause it gaue more libertie than the sharpe traditions of the Phariseis and therfore was very acceptable vnto many Of the thirde sect were the Esseni who perceyuing that the Phariseis and Saduceis measured or weighed vertue but by wordes only and would not them selues expresse the same in their deedes liued a single life would haue no seruantes had their goods common gat their liuing with the labour of their hands and would not come at publique seruice for feare of polluting them selues with other mens companie And bicause these men were fewe in number and sought not to be in office and aucthoritie they got them to dwell in pleasaunt places set with Balsamum where they planted gardens and studied Phisicke wherby bicause they dyd men good they gat great commendation of vertue among all men These mens vsages the Anabaptistes in our dayes doe greatlye resemble sauyng that they more disturbe common weales and fulfill their profession lesse sincerelye bicause they runne headlong into all kynde of beastlinesse and are miserablye vexed and tossed with the perturbations of enuie and hatred Yet bicause thys rule of the Essenes was somewhat austere and vnpleasant it had therefore as we saide the fewer that followed it This is the cause that the wryters of the Gospell make mention onely but of the two first sectes Wee haue to obserue what euill the couetousnesse of Bishoppes and idlenesse that springeth thereof vseth to breede seeing these euilles so defourmed the primitiue Churche For the orders of Monkes in Papistrie bredde of the like beginning abundantly teache vs that this is alwayes the effecte of those vices For the which cause we haue the more neede to take heede in these dayes that the like or worsse happen not againe Also the goodnesse of God is to bee magnified which in so foule a scatterment of his flocke hathe yet reserued some remnauntes in his Churche whereby the same at lengthe might be renewed againe as we see came to passe in the Papacie where the Monkes in euery place ruled the roste For at all times and in all places there haue bene found which durst openly inuey against their hipocrisie and dissimulation to say nothing of those which haue lien lurking in their houses haue thought it great wickednesse to be pertakers of their superstitiousnesse Heere in this place hast thou what to answer the aduersaries which aske if there were no Churche before Luther and Zwinglius dayes Yes wee knowe there was a Churche but the same almoste ouerwhelmed and buryed suche an one as we read was before Christes time among the Iewes and suche an one as was in the dayes of Helias when God saide there were seuen thousand left which had neuer bowed the knee vnto Baal although Helias knewe not one of them Furthermore as concerning this present Historie wee are taught that although the wicked bee diuersly deuided bothe in manners and religion yet they will easily agree togither againste Christe and the truthe For where they all fighte vnder one Prince which is the Deuill they cannot chuse but all take him for their ennimie which specially assaulteth his kingdome Woulde God that they woulde diligently consider these things which seeke their cheefe praise and glory by dissentions and debates which they practise against the Ministers of Christ taking theyr naughtie affections vnto Counsell For heereby they encourage the wicked ennimies of Christe which thinke it an easie matter to vanquishe them whome they see contend so bitterly among themselues But hereof we shall haue more commoditie to speake else where Nowe lette vs see Paule who perceiuing his bande of aduersaries to consist of so diuers sectes deuiseth a way by and by howe to set them
biddeth them make ready such a bande of men as might suffise for his purpose He commaundeth also to prepare beastes for Paule to ryde on Furthermore he appoynteth the nyght to carry him in for auoyding of tumulte And giueth them in their hands letters of commendation to Felix the President All which things coulde not be done without great labours and expences But he remembring his office spareth neyther for paynes nor charges to deliuer a prisoner as yet conuict of no crime out of the handes of murtherers The lyke industrie must Christian Magistrates vse in the defence of good men forasmuche as it is playne that they are cheefly ordeyned for that ende But the example of this Ethnicke reproueth both the negligence and iniquitie of a great many persons which had leefer to deliuer an hundred ministers of the worde to be slaughtered than they would take such paines and be at suche costes for their sake Yet let the vnthankfulnesse of this age feare no man from doing his duetie faythfully For although men cease from doing their partes and that there appeareth no helpe in them yet will God neuer fayle of his promise which vseth to take those that worship him out of a thousande daungers and that by meanes vnlooked for and will bring them at length to the inheritaunce of heauen through his sonne Iesus Christ to whom be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clj. Homelie ANd the Captayne wrote a letter after this maner Claudius Lisias vnto the most mightie Ruler Felix sendeth greeting This man was taken of the Iewes and shoulde haue bene killed of them Then came I with Souldiers and rescued him and perceyued that he was a Romane And when I would haue knowen the cause wherfore they accused him I brought him forth into their Counsell There perceyued I that he was accused of questions of their lawe But was not giltie of any thing worthye of death or of bondes And when it was shewed me howe that the Iewes layde wayte there for him I sent him straight waye to thee and gaue commaundement to his accusers that the thinges which they haue agaynst him they shoulde tell before thee farewell Then the Souldiers as it was commaunded them tooke Paule and brought him by night to Antipatras On the morrowe they lefte the horssemen to goe with him and retourned vnto the Castle which when they came to Caesarea and deliuered the Epistle to the Deputie presented Paule also before him When the Deputie had read the Letter he asked of what countrey hee was And when he vnderstode that he was of Cilicia I will heare thee sayde hee when thine accusers are come And he commaunded him to be kept in Herods Iudgement hall SOme man might thinke the diligence of Luke the Euangelist superfluous which he vseth in declaryng how Paule by meane of the Romane souldiers escaped awaytes that certaine murtherers had layd for hym inculcatyng in hys report therof euery small trifle almost to the tediousnesse of the hearer But where it is euident that he writ by the suggestion of the holye spirite we must thinke nothyng superfluous that is tolde by his aucthoritie For hereby he setteth before our eyes the infallible veritie and trueth of God and the inuincible power which he vseth in defending his people For he defeateth not the enterprise of these wicked murtherers deliuering Paule after anye common and vsuall sorte according to his promyse but he so ordereth all the matter that he bryngeth it about by their helpe of whom the godly hoped for no such thing for that they were enimies of the Christian faith and perhappes of no religion But bicause God is truthe it selfe he can not breake his promise And bycause he holdeth the heartes and myndes of men in his hande it is therefore a most easie matter for him to vse the helpe of his enimyes in bringing to passe that he will haue done Therfore the industrie both of the Captayne and Souldiers must be ascribed to the power of God which is in suche wyse described as a man myght thinke they had coniured aswell to deliuer Paule as the other to kill him The consyderation of all these thynges as we haue oftentymes declared serueth for the confyrmation of our faith Which bicause it must diligently be shored and stayed vp by reason of daylye temptations let vs see howe Paule was brought to Caesarea to the Presidente of Iurye bicause euerye where there are diuers thinges to be founde making for the maintenance and vpholding of our weake fayth In the beginning he putteth the coppie of the Epistle wherein Lisias the Captaine commended Paule vnto Felix This Epistle teacheth vs among other thinges what breuitie our auncestours vsed in matters of waight and importance where now adayes in triftes men vse too many woordes whereof none other cause can be alleadged than for that all fayth and credite is buried in whose steade lying and false counterfeting beareth the swinge This letter consisteth of diuers partes whereof the fyrst is the superscription This conteineth both the name of the Author and also of him to whome it was written and declareth who was Lieutenaunt ouer the Iewes at that time Namely one Felix of whom prophane writers also make muche mention This man they saye was of a bondeman made free by Claudius Caesar and through foolishnesse of the Emperoure aduaunced to suche dignitie that he passed the Citizens and Nobilitie of Rome in honoures Yet kept styll his seruile condicions polluting all places with filthye luste whoredome and murther For Suetonius wryteth that he had bene the husbande of three Queenes whiche he had entyced to marriage partelye through the aucthoritie of Claudius and partely by whoredome and baudrye Drusilla daughter to that Herode whiche was smitten of the Angell as we hearde Chapter .12 he gate from Aniazus Kyng of the people called Amazi by the crafte and conueyaunce of a certayne Magitian of Cyprus He caused Ionathas the hygh Priest when he thought nothing thereof to be cruellye kylled in the Temple by Cutthrotes sent thether of purpose All whiche are tolde to this ende that thou mayst see Paules fortune vppon whome God permitted so wycked a man to haue power but yet defendeth him that he had no hurte done to him by him We are fooles therefore to feare the power or force of menne seeyng God is able to bryng downe the heartes of Lyons and make them to forbeare his people contrarye to theyr nature and vsage Also here appeareth what state that people is in whiche hauynge abused theyr lybertye heretofore haue plucked the wrath of God vppon them Suche it is euident the Iewes haue bene whom God had not onely endued wyth libertye and freedome but also hadde consecrated them to hys owne selfe and amongest all Nations chose theym to be his peculiare people But bycause they woulde not obeye the holye lawes of GOD nor be amended by the admonyshementes of the Prophetes and of Christe
of iustice be punished for euer Fourthly through the conducte and guyding of this fayth he sayth he laboureth to keepe a good conscience both towarde God and man which thing is the right fruite of fayth For fayth iustifieth men but they that are righteous and iust worke righteousnesse 1. Iohn 3. And it can not bee that they will pollute their conscience with filthinesse of sinne which beleeue stedfastly there shall bee a resurrection of the dead Hereby it appeareth what Paules fayth was And hereby he proueth that he ought to be taken for no heretike As many therefore as by true fayth worship the God of their fathers according to the Scriptures and holde fast the hope of resurrection and labour to keepe a cleane conscience both toward God and man these be true followers of Paule and the Apostles yea true and right Christians howsoeuer the vnhappie world rage and storme agaynst them Let vs therefore sticke to this fayth O brethren and through the stedfaste hope of resurrection to come stoutly passe through all tribulations beeing sure we shall one day haue an eternall rewarde with Iesus Chryst our Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cliiij Homelie BVt after many yeres I came and brought almes to my people and offerings in the which they found me purified in the Temple neither with multitude nor yet with vnquietnesse Howbeit there were certayne Iewes out of Asia which ought to be here present before thee and accuse me if they had ought agaynst me or else let the same here say if they haue found any euil doing in me while I stand here in the Counsel except it be for this one voyce that I cried standing among them of the resurrection of the dead am I iudged of you this day When Felix heard these things he deferred them for he knew very well of that way and sayde when Lysias the Captayne is come downe I will know the vttermost of your matter And he commaunded an vnder Captayne to keepe Paule and to let him haue rest and that he should forbid none of his acquayntaunce to minister vnto him or to come vnto him AS the holy Ghoste woulde haue the accusation which the Iewes made against Paul diligently written that we might learne thereby whereof this worlde doth alwayes accuse the faythfull Ministers of Chryst so as diligently dothe Luke reporte the apologie or oration that Paule made in his owne defence Wherby we are taught how we should behaue our selues in the like case First and formoste he answereth very diligently boldly vnto the crime of sedition teaching vs by his example how the ministers of Christ aboue al things must be free and cleare from such attempts As touching his faith about the which they accused him of heresie and schisme he plainly confesseth the same and rendreth a reason or account therof in fewe words but yet very perspicuous and playne Whereby we gather that confession of fayth doth most become the ministers of Chryst which must so be declared that the reason therof may appeare vnto all men which are led with any feare or feeling of God. Now followeth the crime of polluting the Temple in putting away wherof Paule is very diligent albeit he was not ignorant that the vse and maiestie of the Temple was for the most part abolished by the comming and death of christ And we must not thinke that Paule did beare with the Iewes herein which as yet reuerenced their Temple too supersticiously but hath a respect vnto the right vse of temples which christian men by nâ— meanes can want For although the maiestie of God can not be included or kept within Churches neither can the worship of God be tied vnto them yet outwarde religion requireth a certayne place where the people may assemble togither to heare the worde preached and the Sacramentes administred And common reason telleth vs â–ª that places dedicated to these and suche excellent vses oughte to bee kepte from all kinde of pollution forasmuche as we read that Christ once commaunded that no man should carry any vessel or prophane thing through the temple And it is very like that he hath little deuotion or religion which wickedly contemneth or misvseth the places consecrated to religion Which thing seemeth to bee the chiefe cause wherfore Paule vsed suche diligence in puâ—ting away this obiection By this example we also are taught that the Temples or Oratories of Christians ought stoutly to be kept from all contempt and prophanation Which thing Hystoriographers report that Constantine the great and other Princes in times paste like vnto him dyd to their great prayse and renowne But let vs see Paules apologie which first excuseth him selfe by an argument taken of the tyme For he sayth he had bene many yeres from Ierusalem Wherby it playnly appeareth that he could attempt nothing agaynst the Temple Againe he declareth that the cause of his coÌ„mnig was not for the temples sake but to bring vnto the nedy brethren of Iewry the almes that was gathered among the Gentiles See what is written of this almes in the Epistles to the Corinthians especially in the 8. and 9. Chapters of the .2 Epistle In the meane season he accuseth theÌ„ of discurtesie vnthaÌ„kfulnesse which so vnworthely intreat one that had deserued so wel of the whole nation which brought vnto them a fresh benefit and pleasure We haue here to consider beside the exaÌ„ple of christian liberalitie wherof we spake about the end of the .11 Chapter the vnkindnesse of the world towards Christes ministers which is so great that it wisheth the destruction of those that day night labour for the saluatioÌ„ of al meÌ„ Thus we read the Sodomites enuied Lot for whose sake Abraham deliuered theÌ„ out of the captiuitie of their enimies And Moses receiued nothing of the Israelites but raylings threats who forsoke the delightes of courâ—ly life and the treasures of Aegypt for their sake What chaunced vnto the Prophets and after them vnto Christ our Lord is more apparant than nedeth any long rehersall But that that hapneth here vnto Paul is very notable which after his many yeres trauels his so many wakefull nightes and almes gathered in euery place to releeue the neede of the poore hath none other reward of them whose saluation he earnestly desired and for whose sake he wyshed to be accursed but strypes imprisonment and all kinde of contumelious handling Why therfore are we offended at the ingratitude of the world which being altogither set on mischiefe knoweth not otherwise how to recoÌ„pense the authors of their saluation But let vs returne vnto Paules arguments which in the third place sayth he was purified in the teÌ„ple without any multitude of men raysed or vnquietnesse Wherby agayne it appeareth that he had not polluted the Churche But if Paules argument be true as no Christian man will deny it is also true that the Temples are not polluted by them
comforted the congregations abroade insomuche as if a man consider those times we shall confesse we haue receiued more profite and commoditie by Paules bondes than of all his doings and sayings beside while he went at libertie oueral the world For those times may we thāke for those singular Epistles written as the holy Ghost endited them to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Collossians to the Hebrues to Philemon and the seconde to Timothe Which the Churche vntill this day hathe kepte and preserued as moste singular and precious Iewels Howbeit many thinges mighte haue feared Paule either to haue written or to haue taughte For this doctrine was the cause he was put in pryson Also he alone trauayled in this quarell at Rome Lykewise at the firste meeting he founde the Iewes lyke vnto them selues that is to say stubborne and disobedient Furthermore that earnest desire that he had to write vnto forrein nations might seeme to declare a minde somewhat inconstant and vnquiet And it might be thought next neighbour to sedition to teache and confirme men in that fayth and religion which we sayde before was condemned by the whole consent of the Senate Againe he was in daunger to be depriued at length of this libertie and to haue had more bonds layde vpon him to haue ben cast into some inner prison and dungeon And we muste not thinke that he was so blockishe that he did not perceiue and consider these thinges But he that knew that he ought his life vnto Christe coulde not by these persuasions be pulled from doing his duetie And this is verily a wonderfull example whereby we be taught how muche we owe vnto God if at any tyme we perceiue we be holpen and defended by him in the middest of dangers and aduersitie For then we must be feared neither with dangers paste neither with dangers present or to come but must be inflamed with greter zeale that by our bolde defending the glory of God we may shewe our selues thankful to him accordingly Therfore that reason of fleshly wisdome that many in these dayes follow is playnly foolish and peruerse which thinke we should hold our peace bicause of enimies dangers on euery side appering as though it were in the enimies power to hinder or further the course of the Gospel Nay it becommeth vs the more boldly to go forward with Gods quarel bicause we plainly find his truth power so apparant in the middle of our dangers But touching Paules doctrine Luke sayth three things which we must not let passe The first is what he preached namely the kingdome of God wherof we haue intreted oftē times before And here by way of exposition he addeth teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus Wherby we gather that then the kingdome of God is preached when Chryste is preached For there is none other way to come vnto that kingdome than the same which all the Scriptures with one consent shew vs to be in Christe Iesus For he onely it is that hath destroyed the kingdome of the diuel the works therof he only is the mediator betweene God and vs. He only hath put out the hande writing of sinne that was against vs and purchased vs the good will of his father Therfore it is not without a cause that he saith No man cōmeth vnto the father but by me These things only are sufficient to disproue all other religions which shew vs the kingdome of God or any way of saluation beside christ Secōdly is declared how Paule preached with al confidence or boldnesse that is to say plainely and freely so that for fauour of men he cloked dissembled nothing For he was not ashamed of the gospel of Iesus Christ as he testifieth otherwheres Neither feared he the tirānie of the world prince thereof bicause he had learned of a long time to wrastle therewith And verily Chryst requireth such ministers as will do his businesse diligently and leaue nothing vnto the worlde nor to the wisedome of the flesh which vnder a fayre pretence of modestie bringeth in a dastardly dissembling of the truthe and a denyall of the right fayth Thirdly is declared the successe that Paule had in his preaching Which by this onely argument appeareth was moste prosperous or luckie bycause there was none whiche forbadde him to preache And this me thinketh is the greatest miracle of all others that God wrought to Paule For alwayes before this tyme whersoeuer he came he founde enimies who either by secrete awaytes or else by open force and sedition alwayes troubled him and would hynder him in his teaching and at lengthe draue him out of their Cities But when he was brought to Rome as a prisoner there he teacheth beeing in bondes where Nero a monster of mankinde was Emperoure where bothe the Christian and Iewishe religion was hated and enuied where all men were bewytched either with the vayne superstition of the Gods or with an Epicurious contempte of all religion Where finally the diuell seemed to haue the chiefe See of his kingdome there preached he Chryste freely two yeres togither no man forbidding hym Of whiche thing wee can shewe none other cause but that God woulde brydle the mindes of all men with a mightie hande that though all would not yelde to the doctrine of the Gospell yet they shoulde not be so bolde as to withstande it Thus in a Citie that was the Lady and maistresse of the world the Apostle beeing a captiue triumpheth by preaching Chryste crucified bringing many more vnto the obedience of Chryste than any Emperoure euer subdued The lyke wee reade happened in tymes paste when Daniell beeing ledde captiue to Babylon defended the true Religion bothe constantly and prosperously And althoughe the chiefe of the kingdome were muche agaynst it yet firste he instructed Nabuchodonosor and afterwarde Darius with some knowledge of the true God and was the authour that they dyd by publike Proclamations spread farre and neare the honour and glory of God ouer all their kingdomes Wherevnto also this deserueth to be referred that when the Romane Emperours vsed all kinde of outragious crueltie agaynst the name of Chryste and his Churche yet were there many tymes founde euen in their owne courtes and among the chiefe of them suche as greatly fauoured the Christians and openly defended the true religion Some of which afterwarde when the enimies of Chryst were taken away were aduaunced to the Empire as may be seene in the Stories of Iouinian and Valentinian the Emperours Thus Christ declareth his power where a man would least thinke Nor it is no harde thing for him to brydle the willes of men bycause he compasseth in the sea with bounds which causeth the same to lay down his swelling waues and surges Therfore as many as are strong in him let them hope for his present ayde and they shall neuer be disappoynted of their hope Nowe what Paule dyd after the two yeres were expired Luke dothe
not declare ending in this place his hystorie according to the instincte of the holy spirite which would not haue the Church ouercharged with too many writings or bokes and therfore he hath writen onely those things which may suffise for the instruction of our fayth and life Howebeit out of Paules owne Epistles may some coniectures be taken wherby it is declared what he afterwarde did For in his seconde Epistle to Timothe and fourth Chapter he expresseth playnly that he pleated his cause before the Emperour saying he was deliuered through the benefite of God when he was redy to be offred And writing to the Philippians among other things he sayth I hope shortely to sende Timotheus vnto you assone as I shall see howe my matters will go and I truste in the Lorde that I my selfe also shall shortly come And writing to Philemon the Colossian he sayth Moreouer prepare me a place to lodge in for I trust that through the helpe of your prayers I shall be giuen vnto you Agayne in the .xiij. to the Hebrues he sayth Pray for vs and this I desire you the more instantly to do that I may the soner be restored vnto you Knowe yee that brother Timothe is deliuered with whome if he come shortly I will see you Yet before he was led prisoner to Rome he was minded to go into Spayne as the Epistle to the Romanes in the .xv. Chapter declareth Of the which thinges men gather not altogither without a cause that he was set at libertie and so returned through Grece and Asia the lesseâ— into Syria and when he had saluted the Easte Churches wente through Italie and Fraunce into Spayne Thus according to the opinion of these men he preached the Gospell ten yeres after he was set at libertie and at length beeing called backe to Rome agayne in the laste yere of Nero loste his heade and receiued the crowne of Martyrdome when he had preached Chryste vnto the moste parte of the worlde seuen and thirtie yeres long togither But bycause our saluation dependeth not on suche poyntes as these I will not contende herein ouer muche with any man And â—e thinketh they deserue not very much of Christian fayth and Religion which laboure in searching foorth those thinges which the holy Scriptures haue passed ouer in silence â–ª For in so doing bothe the Scriptures are more negligently handled and the supersticious haue occasion giuen them to be occupied in doubtfull and vnprofitable questions neglecting the doctrine of the Apostles and so being bewitched with fables do greeuously â—ire in matteâ—s of faith and saluation â–ª And surely as God would haue Moses sepulchre or buriall place in times paste vnknowen and the holy Ghost hath left fewe things in memorie in the olde Testament touching the martyrdomes of the Prophetes so in this present Treatise Luke hath described thâ—â—â—de but of two persons onely namely of Stephen and 〈◊〉 the Apostle beeing contented to say this onely of the residue that they moste constantly preached and confessed Chryst in all kindes of aduersitie â—o commending vnto vs the studie of the Apostles doctrine which maketh men followers of the Apostles and partakers with them of the heauenly inheritaunce Wherefore wee also in this place muste principally obserue and followe â–ª that feruent and continuall trauayle of Paule in setting foorth the glory of Chryste And wee muste not bee offended at his â—â—de â–ª For hereby Chryste maketh those that worshippe him lyke vnto him selfe in this worlde to the ende that hereafter they may bee partakers with him in heauen of his glory and kingdome Hitherto we haue expounded this booke according to the grace of God giuen vnto vs We haue seene therin the forme fayth and doctryne of the primatiue Church which we also must keepe and obserue in these dayes if we will be coumpted to be of Christe his Churche For we must giue no eare vnto those which say that many things are necessarily required about religion and the way of saluation that the primatiue Churche lacked Whose rashnesse or rather impudencie I know not whether a man may more maruell at For heerein they accuse the Apostles either of negligence or of vntrustnesse and feare not to prefer themselues before those whose examples the holy Ghost hathe set forthe to all men that will be counted the members of Christ and attaine to saluation in him to folowe And who will thinke that they which continued whole eight and twentie yeeres in the faithe and religion taughte by the Apostles lacked any of those things without the which saluation could not be obtained But if they were saued without those things which certaine bolde superstitious persons afterwardes brought in who will then deny vs saluation which folowe their steppes No man I thinke but hee that is led with the madnesse and frensie of the Manichees will accuse all this boke of falshode We haue seene also the state that the church is in in this world being molested with continuall tribulations whiles bothe open ennimies and false brethren vexe and disquiet the same Wee haue seene the vnworthy case that the Ministers are in and howe slenderly the world requiteth them Wee haue seene also the mighty hand and power of Iesus Christe whereby he faithfully defendeth his Churche in the middest of the waues of persecutions and by the crosse of his seruauntes moste gloriously triumpheth ouer the world and Prince therof Let vs therfore diligently vse these things to the instruction and confirmation of oure faithe that being strong in the same and ouercomming al dangers according to the example of the Apostles and primatiue Churche we may come to the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen prepared for vs from euerlasting â–ª 〈◊〉 Iesus Christe our King and Priest To whome be prayse honoure power and glorye for euer Amen FINIS I fought be said amisse remember man it spake If well do thou alone O Christ the glory take Deut. 6. Psal. 78. Math. 23. Math. 15. They began in the dayes of Ioannes Hircanus high Bishop of the Iewes about an hundred and thirtie yeares before Christ was borne Prou. 21. Galat. 1. Actes 20. Math. 15. Math. 15. 1. Cor. 7. Math. 16. Actes 17. 1. Thes. 12. Math. 11. Luc. 10. Psal. 119. Psal. 148. Psal. 47. Psal. 8. Math. 21. Math. 22. Marc. 12. Luc. 20. Iohn 5. Rom. 15. 1. Tim. 2. Actes 10. Rom. 2. Math. 5. Mar. 4. Luc. 8. Math. 19. Math. 11.13 Marc. 4. Esay 58. Psal. 150. Numer 11. Marc. 10. Psal. 32. Math. 2. Luc. 2. Math. 14.15 Luc. 5. Math. 9.20 Math. 8. Luc. 5. Math. 21. Mar. 12. Luc. 20. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. Iohn 18. Math. 27. Iohn 6. Colos. 3. ix. Homely vpon the Epistle to the Colossians In his Apologie toward the ende Matth. 7. Luc. 12. Rom. 11. Math. 5. Iohn 10. Psal. 110. Psal. 2. 1. Iohn 4. Apolog. 2. Tim. 2. Math. 24. Marc. 13. The commeÌ„dation of the holy History or Scripture The commeÌ„datioÌ„ and argument of