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
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
to shew our sâ—lues lesse obedient vnto god Daniels fellowes through the consideration hereof refused to obey Nabuchodonozers proclamation wherein he commaunded an ymage to be worshipped against the commaundement of god And Daniel constantly helde on in calling vpon the true God against the Kings proclamation God allowed and approued their obedience with rare and singular myracles There are infinite like examples in the Martyres whome euery man must confesse to haue bene verye fooles if Princes proclamations and commaundementes might haue prescribed Gods preceptes The same ought we to obserue in the duties we owe to our parentes as we are taught by the example of Christ who being chydden of his mother bicause he taried in the Citie without the knowledge of hir and Ioseph aunswered Wyst you not that I must be aboute my fathers businesse The religion of Monkishe vowes is most foolishe and causeth the obseruers of them to commit double offence For while they vowe those things which partly they are not able to perfourme and partly are contrary to the expresse commaundements of God they doe grieuously sinne And that done bicause they would be taken for very religious persons they obstinately holde on in the things they haue vngodly and foolishly vowed albeit they be taught a better waye being lyke vnto Herode who bicause he woulde not seeme periured ioyned murther vnto his vnaduised oth Therfore the safest waye is that we remember what dutie we owe vnto God and promise nor doe nothing for any mannes sake that shall be against the saâ—e And if any thing escape vs vnawares to acknowledge our fault and not to performe our promises with more wickednesse than we made them And if any shall be founde so insolent and prowde that will haue their authoritie to be taken greater than Gods to set our selues against their impietie with an holy and godlye boldenesse as we see in this place Peter and Iohn did Also the Apostles aunswere teacheth vs with what argumentes the Ministers of the Gospell must arme themselues against the assaultes of the worlde For we haue sayde before how the worlde will alwayes hinder the preaching of the Gospell and daylie experience teacheth it Therefore first they must consider that it is Gods commaundement the gospell should be preached that the ministerie of this preaching belongeth to them for that they are called and sent of God about this businesse Therfore if should be a token of wicked and vngracious temeritie to denye God their seruice as Amos well sawe which sayde to the people of his dayes that liked not his propheticall rebukes When a Lyon roareth who will not bee afrayde Seeing then the Lorde God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecie For he sawe howe vnhappily it succeeded with Ionas when he would haue shunned the office of preaching to the Niniuites Therefore Paule cryeth out woe to me if I preach not the Gospell Agayne let them consider howe the testimonie of truth is committed to them and of that truth which concerneth the chiefe glory of Christ and the saluation of mankinde Therefore if they conceale anye thing for fauour of men it can not be but they must committe treason against God and be accounted the publike enimies of mankinde Finally let them remember howe they shall one day come before Christ the Iudge who will not onely punishe eternally the false embasers and corrupters of the talent committed to them but also them that hide their talent and labour not as much as in them is to winâ—e men vnto christ These things must we set against the vaine terrors of the world and then shall we not much passe for them which neyther will haue the waye of saluation plainly taught nor false Christians to be reprooued nor open malefactors to be accused Howbeit this is much to be marueyled at that Luke wryteth the Apostles were let go when they had openly refused to obey them considering there remayned still in the Iudges an obstinate will to persecute the Gospell For least any man might thinke the Councell yeelded to their reasons he saith They threatned them and let them go These things expresse the condicions of the wicked and the great hatred they beare to the truth wherewith being blinded they can neyther giue place to anye reason nor yet feare the iudgement of god Neyther haue they any thing to answere Peters arguments And yet they threaten still And other colour of their doing haue they none but that they thinke the Apostles vnworthy wyth whome to haue any long disputation In the meane time this example teacheth vs that the faithfull so ouercome not that they enioye long anye rest or quiet in this worlde For the worlde continuallye breatheth â—ute threates and the enimies of truth once ouercome are still prouoking to the fight So Elias although he had ouercome the Priestes of Baal in Carmele both by his doctrine and myracle shewed by God and had put them to death yet Iesabel the Queene prepareth freshe persecution and entrappings against him Therfore let the souldiours of Christ neuer gyue them to carelesnesse although they perceyue they haue ouercome their enimyes but let them remember their triumph must be vnder the Crosse vntill tâ—ey be deliuered out of the pryson of the fleshe and shall raigne with Christ in Heauen where they shall haue no occasion to feare Tyrauntes any more But some man may marueyle how the Apostles are let go free from their most cruell enimies considering their great power and authoritie Luke therefore declareth the cause hereof saying They founde no way to punish them bycause of the people For all men praysed God bycause of that which was done For the man was aboue fourtie yere olde on whome thys Myracle of healing was wrought Here is the marueylous power of God to be considered who so easily can bridle the wicked They were of suche power and authoritie before that they were onely taken for Lordes and Rulers and stoode in awe of no mans power But lo they are afrayde of the people and coystrell Commones So God which hath set the flytting and rolling sande for lymites and boundes against the sea a most raging element which the sea can not passe except he permit it doth set most times the people the vnconstantest thing that is against most mightie tyrants or else brydâ—eth them by other vnaccustomed and vnlooked for meanes so that they are not able to doe that against the weake succorlesse people which they most gladly woulde and seemeth most easily to be done So he sometime defended the Patriarches in the middest of the lande of Chanaan putting a certaine secret feare in the mindes of the Chananites So he wythhelde Saul from persecuting of Dauid by the Philisteans and through theyr helpe defended Dauid being his greatest enimies And now through feare of the people keepeth the Priestes that they lay not handes on the Apostles which people before that with a sauage bethleem
morning the Bishops come togither and call an assembly or counsell consulting which waye they maye quench the fire of the Gospell But the Lorde from aboue laughing at them and meaning to make all the worlde laugh at them by the helpe of one Aungell deliuereth the Apostles out of prison and marueylously eludeth the counsell of their enimies who thought themselues craftie and wyly ynough But bicause it seemed good to the holy ghost to describe all the partes of this hystorie we also must thinke no studie or diligence to much to search them out bicause we maye receyue much profite by our traueyle therein First therefore let vs consider the Counsell to the which we sayd they busily addressed and hyed themselues the circumstaunces whereof beyng considered we shall perceyue all things declaring a shew and countenance of a lawfull Counsayle The chiefe in the Counsayle is the high Priest who in these cases was appoynted of God to haue the highest authoritie and who by Goddes apoyntment was most to be obeyed For sentence of death was long ago giuen against them which durst obstinately despise the Priestes saying To him be adioyned the other Priestes least anye man might thinke the Bishop did any thing of his priuate affection And least any man also might suspect the whole order of Priests the Elders were also called the institution of which order was long before appoynted of God and represented the forme of the whole Church Furthermore they take vnto them the Capitaine of the Temple with the other publike Officers that bicause they woulde seeme to doe nothing against the common weale These things being thus ordeyned what letteth nowe that this should not be a Counsell lawfully gathered togither Surely touching outwarde appearance you can easily require none other thing But if a man regarde the ende of all this doing it shall appeare they were not gathered togither by the holy ghost but by the instigation of Satan and that therefore no good or godly person ought to obey or submit himselfe to them For they assembled togither to oppresse the truth and they go about to ouerthrowe the kingdome of Christ by conspiracie Thys place teacheth vs to iudge of counsayles which are now a daies in euery mans mouth bicause manye suppose controuersies of religion can not be decyded wythout a generall counsayle Touching whose opinion as I will not nowe dispute so it seemeth to me it would be very profitable if such a free and generall counsell might be obteyned wherein all controuersies might be concluded by the onely worde of God such as was the Synode of the Apostles whereof shall be spoken in the .xv. chapter and such as we knowe those olde counsayles were of Nicaea Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and such other as the godly Emperours by their authoritie gouerned and ruled least the ambition of Byshops might kindle more cōtention But whether we may hope for any such like in these dayes I can not easily tell bicause I see none of the contrary parte contented to forsake their possession of the Church wrongfully vsurped nor wylling to submyt themselues to the iudgement of others Agayne if we consider what counsels haue beene these many yeres since the Bishops of Rome gate the supremacie ouer the Church no man that is in hys right wits can looke for any goodnesse to come of them bicause they obserue not so much as any outwarde shewe of a lawfull counsayle For to beginne with the chiefe poynt Their counsayles vse to be summoned and called by the Byshops of Rome whose supremacie is not ordeyned of God and is most contrarie to the glorie of christ They also will be the chiefe rulers Presidents and Iudges of the counsell which ought rather to pleate their cause and to gyue an account of their stewardship which many yeres now hath bene requyred of them They haue Bishops sytting which them not such as Paule requyreth but such as the God on earth vseth to create from whome if a man take their pieuishe and stage play apparell and vayne names and tytles they shall haue nothing left that representeth any show of Byshoply duetie or dignitie And they onely haue authoritie to gyue sentence which are not worthy the lowest rowme in the Church but are by Gods sentence long since excommunicated For the Prophet affirmeth that the Chanaanites that is to say sellers of holye thinges shall haue no place in the Lordes house And such as they did Christ long since dryue out of the Iewish temple And Christ sayth in his reuelation that Infidels Murtherers Whoremongers Wytches Idolaters and all lyers haue their place prepared in the lake burning with fyre and Brymstone And who I pray you is so impudent that will denie but a many of them are polluted with these vyces which yet haue onely the power and authoritie to iudge matters of religion And although they vse to call Emperours kings and princes to their counsayle it skilleth not bicause it is euident they haue all sworne obedience to the Pope and are not accounted for Catholikes onlesse they giue vp themselues wholy to the Sea of Rome Wherfore thys outward shewe representeth no lawfull counsayle but with a vayne visure beguyleth the simple and vnwarie And if a man marke the ende wherevnto they referre all thing it shall appeare more plainely that they seeke onely the oppressing of the truth and the ghospell than needeth with many words to be declared For this doth the bloud of the Martyrs of Christ testifie which they haue shed and most greedily thirst after The warres whereof they haue bene the first authors agaynst the mainteyners of the true fayth doe prooue the same They confesse the same in their Bulles wherby they summon and call counsellers For they so burne in hatred of the truth that where they are wholy couered with hypocrisie and furnished at all points to cloke and dyssemble all things yet can they herein little or nothing dissemble their great hatred but openly professe that which they long ago haue conceyued against the Ghospell Therefore let them that desyre the ouerthrowe of Christes church and kingdome and will wittingly perishe submit matters of fayth and religion to their iudgement But whosoeuer hath a care of his owne saluation of the glorie of Christ and safetie of the Church let him vnderstande that this saying of Dauid chiefly belongeth to this place Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stande in the way of sinners and hath not sitte in the seate of the scornefull But let vs let passe these matters and come to the priestes and Elders who hauing consulted about the Apostles sende their seruaunts to the prison to bring them before the counsell And here the Lorde agaynst whom they stroue doth marueylously mocke and deryde them For the seruaunts finde the Apostles deliuered out of prison They returne to their maysters and so declare the matter that they
such mischiefe become a praye for sedicious and wicked persons For who seeth not here that saying of Christ fulfilled I came in my fathers name and ye receyue me not If another come in his owne name him you will receyue Which thing we see coÌ„meth to passe also in these dayes For the nature of the worlde is incurable delighting and reioycing in seducers and deceyuers and hating the Ministers of the truth continually Therefore it commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God that they taste of effectuall elusion and wittingly and willingly runne into destruction But let vs returne to Gamaliel to see how he vseth these examples For of these he gathereth the foundation of his sentence whose proposition or coÌ„clusion is abstayne from these men and let them alone Which to perswade them he bringeth his argument in fourme of a Dilemma in this wise This businesse wherof the Apostles whome you iudge worthy to die are ministers and stewards is eyther of God or of man But whether soeuer it be I think it good you absteyne from shedding their bloud For if it be of man and is gouerned none other waies than by mans counsayle it wil fall of it selfe as the examples of Theudas and Iudas within these few yeres passed abundantly declare Therfore what madnesse were it to incense and stirre vp the â—urie of the Commons to take that out of the waye which within a shorte space though no man set hande to it will fall to the grounde alone But if it be of God and be gouerned and ordered by him it cannot quayle by anye force or counsayle of man For what is man being but dust and ashes able to preuayle agaynst God Now the ende of this counsell must be diligently obserued the which whyle manye neglect they take occasion hereby of a most pernicious opinion whereby say they no attemptes be they neuer so wicked no errors be they neuer so blasphemous are by force to be kept vnder Whereof can followe none other thing but the ouerthrowe of all discipline aswell ciuill as Ecclesiasticall For the Magistrate shall carie his sworde in vayne And in vayne doth Paule appoynt such Ministers in the Church as shall not onely teache the truth but also be able to confute and conuince the gaynesayers Who will thinke that this so wyse a man ment to loose all the sinewes of Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall gouernement at once It appeareth rather he had this meaning to saue the Apostles from the furie of the Iudges and from present death which he sawe he shoulde most commodiously doe if he shewed them that they could not without manifest daunger conclude any extremitie agaynst them For eyther they must fall in daunger to Godwarde if the Apostles doctrine were true and they the ministers of God or else of the commons whose rage they were better to auoyde than to prouoke speciallye in such a matter as coulde not long stande if it were but mennes working Furthermore whether he vnderstoode the truth or not he yet seemeth ambiguous and doubtfull in his talke Therefore their case is of a farre other sort which being illuminated with the true knowledge of the truth ought by office to defende it and to roote out errors and wickednesse In the meane season this ought to be to vs as an Oracle that we learne Gods counsels can be hindered by no force of men but that mans counsell falleth of it selfe For God is eternall and immutable so is his worde eternall and can by no meanes be infringed And Dauid testifyeth that God scattereth the counselles of the Nations but establisheth his owne counsayle for euer We haue examples euerie where to prooue the same Saul long stryued against the counsell of God who had fully decreeed to make Dauid king of Israel But the more he stryued the lesse he perceyued he preuayled and founde an euill ende of his contending with god But chiefely this thing is to be applyed to matters of fayth and religion It is Gods counsell and decree that his sonne whome he begat from euerlasting should beare rule ouer his holy hill that is to say the church To him it was saide Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole Satan from the beginning of the world hath withstanded this deuise and counsell And in Abel whome for this cause we may call the first Martyr of Christ beganne this persecution which continued all the yeares following and yet to thys houre endureth But the kingdome of Christ and the Church endureth also bicause it is buylt vpon that rocke agaynst the which the gates of hell are not able to preuaile And if on the contrary side a man consider the vsage of the Gentiles and that monstrous Chaos of ydolatrie which most mightie Monarchies followed confirmed by space of manye yeares allowed by the consent almost of all people and nations assaulted at no tyme by force of any man he shall see it is fallen downe of it selfe and scattered abroade by the spirite and worde of christ The lyke reason is of the holy scripture which the Apostle calleth inspired of God. For if a man consider the prophane wryters their Bookes surely were in great estimation and had no enimies to make them away yet the most part of them are perished and scarce are the names of those bookes extant which in tymes past most riche kings sought with great diligence and bought full dearely as is reported of Ptolomeus Philadelphus and such other lyke But the holy bookes of Scripture so many tymes burned banished and hated of most mightie princes are yet forth comming and being almost translated into al tongues be in stead of maysters and teachers ouer all the worlde Let these thinges therefore serue for our instruction and comfort that we rashely doe nothing against God nor feare not the threatning decrees and ordynaunces of the world and of tyrannes against the kingdome of Christ. But let vs so acknowledge God for our reuenger and defender that we may faythfully serue him in buylding vp of his church according to our vocation as Coadiutours of Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxxix. Homelie AND to him agreed the other And when they had called the Apostles they bette them and commaunded that they should not speake in the name of Iesu and let them go And they departed from the counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name And daylie in the Temple and in euerye house they ceased not to teache and preache Iesus Christ. BIcause it is so ordeyned that all men of a certaine naturall instinct are desyrous of helth welth it can not be chosen but they must be much offended at aduersitie tribulation especially such as accustometh to ryse bycause of religion For it commeth to passe most times that men iudge of religion according to the effect and successe therof and
heauen Againe you are they which haue abidden with me in my temptations and I appoynte vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appoynted to me that you maye eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome c. Which promises bicause they sawe fulfilled and confirmed in Christ which through the crosse triumphed ouer all the power of hell and by death entred into the kingdome of heauen they could not but greatly reioyce when they perceyued that by these beginnings they hasted to the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome And as these thinges were an occasion to the Apostles to reioyce so ought they to cause vs in afflictions to reioyce and be glad For this is the propertie of all Christians as Paule sayth to reioyce and be merie in afflictions And surely there are notable causes which in these dayes ought to stirre vs to the consideration of these thinges forasmuch as we see these many yeares the enimies of Christ swarming in Germanye who for this cause most cruelly persecute vs for that we haue chosen rather to obey Christ than Antichrist At whose victories and successe many are so offended that they suspect as it were the doctrine of truth and we haue seene many more is the pitie as touching the fayth to haue made shipwracke But if we would call to remembrance our sinnes and woulde diligently consider the ingratitude whereby Germanie these many yeares hath partly neglected the vnspeakable benefite of Gods worde and Christian libertie and partly betrayed it and with vnbridled licentiousnesse of lyfe polluted the same we shoulde see the wonderfull goodnesse of God towardes vs who woulde haue vs in ieoperdie for the truth of his worde and become witnesses of his sonne and yet had deserued destruction through our sinnes and wickednesse And that it might appeare we stoode in daunger and suffered not for our owne wickednesse but only for religion and the truthes sake he sent in among vs such enimies whose liuing and maners abundantly declare that they were not so much prouoked with our sinnes agaynst vs as with our onely confession of the truth Therefore what more euident argument of Gods goodnesse and grace coulde be shewed vnto vs than that he hath giuen vs strength not onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his names sake For hereof we may conclude with Paule If we die with Christ we shall liue with him· If we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him Bicause manye see not this glory of the crosse eyther they filthily fall away from the profession of the fayth or else with vngodly reproches vpbrayde vs with our fayth and sclaunderously defame vs which mourne vnder the crosse of christ As many truly as consider these thinges as they ought cannot choose but glory and reioyce in Christ when they see his markes appeare in their bodies Therefore greatly is their folly to be bewayled who are offended at the afflictions and crosse of Christ whereas they might rather gather argumentes of comfort and ioye of the same Finally Luke sayeth of the Apostles that without any regarde had to this wicked decree they ceased not to teache and preach in the name of Iesus christ And this they did openly in the Temple as long as they coulde be suffred But when the tyrannie of their enimies had driuen them out of the Temple then beganne they to preache in the houses of the faythfull For Gods truth is not bounde to any certaine place but may be taught euery where so that a regarde be had of order and comlynesse as Paule teacheth Thus they perfourme in very deede that which they protested in the Counsell that is howe God was more to be obeyed than men and by their example confute them which now a dayes affirme that in matters of faith and religion we must simply obey the magistrates As though God had made himselfe and his religion subiect to mannes pleasure and appoyntment But bicause we haue already intreated hereof once or twyse there needeth no more to be sayde at this time In the meane whyle◠the◠constancie of the Apostles is woonderfull which being scourged and beaten doe boldly go on in the office that God appointed The slothfulnesse of men in our dayes is by this example confuted who hauing suffred somewhat for the truthes sake alreadye thinke they haue nowe done all their dutie and will henceforth suffer neyther paines nor daunger any more In deede their doings might after a sort be borne with if it were in our owne libertie to appoynt the boundes of our labour But bicause we be seruants it becommeth vs to wayte vpon the Lordes will and to abide his leysure with silence And Christ sayth they be not meete for his kingdome which loke backewarde but such as continue vnto the ende See Luke the .ix. Mathew the .xxiiij. Beside it is the commaundement of God that we being deliuered out of daungers and distresse through his benefite shoulde glorifie him Which thing they cannot doe that leaue and forsake their standing and being ouercome with feare of perilles procure their ease and quietnesse Wherfore let euery man in his calling followe the constancie of the Apostles but chiefely such as the Lorde hath committed the dispensation and ordering of his Church and worde to and let them not distrust his ayde who they see so long agone had such a care of his flocke Whosoeuer can giue a iust account of their ministerye vnto him shall be partakers of his kingdome To him be blessing honor glory and power for euer Amen The sixt chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xl. Homelie IN those dayes when the number of the Disciples beganne to increase there arose a grutch among the Greekes against the Iewes bicause their widowes were despised in the dayly administration Then the twelue called the multitude of the Disciples togither and sayde It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God and serue Tables Wherefore brethren looke you out among you seauen men of honest report and full of the holy ghost and wisedome to whome we may commit this businesse But we will giue our selues continually to prayer and to the ministration of the worde THe Euangelist Luke thus farre hath set forth the beginning proceeding increase and order of the primitiue Church In the which we haue seene all things very wisely ordered according to the worde of God and amongst the horrible persecutions and cruell attemptes of the enimies with moste prosperous successe administred Howbeit bicause the things there intreated be somewhat generall nowe at length the godly writer descendeth to matters more speciall declaring howe certaine peculiar persons employed their great traueyle to promote and aduaunce Christes kingdome Among whome bicause Steuen which was one of the Deacons of whom no mention hath bene heretofore made is the first he beginneth most commodiously his hystorie with the institution of the Deacons and in this present place teacheth vppon what
of Iesus Christ his sonne who in times past hauing suffered all kinde of iniuries at our handes and yet dayly suffreth cannot yet forget his loue and liberalitie but acknowledgeth vs for hys brethren and doth good euen to them that haue deserued a thousand deaths and crosses Let vs imitate this condicion of God the father if we will be called and taken for his children Yet is there no cause why their sinnes shoulde not be reprooued and accused who we see haue done and doe many things out of square Nor we may not so pardon them who haue iniuried vs that through our to much bearing they become the worse but we must thinke this the chiefe poynt of charitie if we can by anye meane call them from sinne and destruction which as yet be voyde of godlynesse But let vs consider the seconde part of this place where Iacob and all his familie and kindred commeth downe into Egypt Here it appeereth none remayned in the countrie of Chanaan that were of the number of Goddes people but they were all outlawes and preserued there without any ceremonies or rytes of the law by the meere grace of god And it is not wythout a cause that Steuen so diligently reckoneth the number of soules For the consideration hereof setteth before our eyes the ineffable and inuincible power of God which was able within two hundred and tenne yeares to make so small a company so innumerable For as Moyses testifieth when they went out of Egypt there were mounstred .vj. hundred thousand three fiue hundred and fiftie fighting men of the Israelites With the which thing if we compare the tragicall attempts of Pharao which euery way went about to destroy and roote out this people it shall easily appeare that the promise of God made sometime to Abraham Genes 15. 17. coulde no wayes be hindered by any power or deuyse of man This ought to be obserued for the instruction and comfort of vs all that we feare not the threates and enterprises of the worlde seeing it appeareth the force thereof agaynst God is altogither vayne Let vs compare this to Christ and his Church God promised him a kingdome which he possesseth and shall for euer possesse despyte of his enimies He promised also that his Church shoulde be enlarged which thing we see is fulfilled although one Pharao alone hath not sought the ouerthrowe thereof Let euery body marke this in their temptations that they suffer not their fayth to be ouerthrowne seeing as Paule sayeth there is nothing that can seperate vs from the loue of God. In the later part of this diuision Steuen sheweth how the father 's died in Egypt and were afterwarde caryed to Sichem And Moyses wryteth plainely of Iacob that his corps was caryed into Chanaan And the Scripture lykewise sheweth that the Israelites brought Iosephes bones out of Egypt as he gaue commaundement Concerning the other Patriarches although Moyses write nothing yet it is credible that their bones were also brought by their posteritie bicause Steuen affirmeth it so boldly before them who he knewe were diligent markers of his wordes Furthermore that the writers haue erred in the name of Abraham it is more plaine than needeth long declaration See at the least what is written touching this field which Iacob bought of the sonnes of Hemor Genes 33. and Iosua 24. He sayth the Patriarches dyed in Egypt for that it may appeere they dyed in that religion which consisted in no ceremonies but in the onely fayth which embraced the promyses of god Wherof may be gathered that they were iustifyed and saued by fayth through the meere grace of God and not by the lawe ceremoniall In the meane season we are taught that the faithfull dye godlily in what place so euer it be and that they are not to be thought miserable which dye in exyle out of their countrie For where this life wheresoeuer it is ledde is but a Pilgrimage and our countrie or Citie is permanent and abyding in heauen he cannot dye in banishment which hauing ended the race of his pilgrimage is taken into the hauen of the heauenly countrie For the Aungell calleth them blessed which die in the Lorde And Christ testifieth that they which beleeue in him passe from death vnto lyfe Furthermore God is present euerywhere with his that are ready to die And in the later daye the earth the sea and all the parts of the world shall render agayne all those that euer they made awaye and consumed Therefore pieuishe and foolishe is the superstition of those which measure beatitude or blisse by holynesse of places and thinke it a great matter in what place a bodye is buried whereas it is playne that all the earth is the Lordes whose power and grace can be included and bounde to no place And let not these men obiect to mee the Patriarches which wylled their bones to be caried out of Egypt into the lande of Chanaan For they did not that to th ende to shewe they had any hope of saluation in the place of buriall but this was a worke of fayth which no feare of death coulde driue from them And for that they woulde testifie to all menne that they firmelye beleeued the promises of God which he had made vnto them touching their posteritie to be possessors and inhabiters of the land and would allure their ofspring to loue the same therfore they would there be buried so that euen at the poynt of death it may be sayde they had an hope and beliefe in the same And that good cause thus to doe appeereth by the condicions and behauiour of their posteritie who being deliuered out of Egypt by the singular myracles and woonders of God had yet an eye still vnto the same and despised the Countrie where their fathers were buried What woulde they therefore haue done if their fathers had appoynted their Sepulture in Egypt Therefore the example of these Patriarches nothing helpe their superstition which thinke so great an hope of mannes saluation and glory in the buriall place Let vs rather marke the poynt of thys diuision of Steuens whole oration and leauing the obseruation of ceremonies let vs keepe fast our hope and fayth that we may fitte with the holye Patriarches in the kingdome of heauen as Iesus Christ hath promised vs to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlvij. Homelie BVT when the tyme of the promise drewe nigh which God had sworne to Abraham the people grewe and multiplied in Aegypt till an other king arose which knewe not of Ioseph The same delt subtilly with our kynred and euyll intreated our fathers and made them cast out their yong chyldren that they should not remayne alyue The same tyme was Moyses borne and was acceptable vnto God and nourished vp in his fathers house three Moneths When he was cast out Pharaos daughter tooke him vp and brought him vp for hir owne sonne And Moses was learned in
natiuitie For when the Iewes had lost their libertie and were compelled to pay taxe and tribute to a straunge Prince and an Ethnike and euery man was ceassed by Cyrenius then was that promised and so long looked for Sauiour of the world borne Yea he was borne of the stocke of Dauid where as it had lost all dignitie and seemed as Esaye once sayde a rotten and vnprofitable stocke Therfore let no man despayre in imminent afflictions The seconde argument whereby he prooueth Moses to bee saued by the mercy of God he taketh of his Parents who brought him vppe three moneths at home at their house contrary to the kings commaundement For this was as Paule testifyeth and interpreteth it Hebr. 11. a worke of fayth whereby they respecting Gods mercie and his promises were so comforted that they durst breake the kings commaundement But that fayth and boldenesse of minde are the gyftes of God is more euident than needeth long proofe So therefore must the fayth of Moyses parents be considered that we encouraged by their example must learne to contemne those wicked commaundementes oftyrauntes which no man can obey with godlynesse For in such thinges must Peters rule be followed which plainely sayth we must rather obey God than men Thirdly he rehearseth the order and maner howe Moyses was saued that the grace and power of God may the more appeere For Pharaos daughter tooke him being cast out into the riuer Nylus and brought him vp as if it had bene hir owne sonne Furthermore being trayned vppe in the Court in all maner of wisedome of the Egyptians he became expert in all qualities belonging to a ruler and gouernour Who will in these thinges attribute anye thing to mannes desertes or merites who will not acknowledge Gods singuler grace and fauour Here is the power of God marueylous woonderfull who disappoynteth and laugheth at tyrants enterprises Pharao bringeth vp in his owne Court and as it were in hys owne bosome the Captaine and deliuerer of that people which he sought most to oppresse So whyle Achab persecuteth the Prophetes and the Church Abdias a most faythfull defender of the Prophetes and true doctrine is in greatest honor and authoritie in the court So vnder the Romaine Emperours sometime the mainteyners of the true fayth had greatest charge in the fielde although the Emperours would haue had the faith destroyed And many other examples there are which declare howe the greatest enimies of Christ haue furthered and set forwarde the Church Who therfore will be afrayde of their attempts which are ruled by the bridle of Gods power and prouidence Let vs also consider howe he sayeth Moyses was brought vp in all maner wisedome of the Egyptians Christians therefore maye reade the workes of Gentyles and Philosophers as it appeareth Paule did by his writings and sermons wherein he feately placeth the sentences of the Ethnickes Yet a meane must be obserued least the mysteries of the worde of God beginne to be contemned of those that delyght in Gentyle philosophie and that we make not to much of those things in their writings which openly impugne the prophecies of heauenlye wisdome This thing commeth to passe in Astrologers and in the ouer curious searchers of naturall causes which yet are not ashamed to defend their vngodlynesse by Moyses example But they ought rather to followe his modestie who in the description of the frame and workmanship of this worlde hauing great occasion to haue shewed and set out his Egypticall wisedome comprehendeth all those things in marueylous playnenesse and breuitie that the curious wittes of Mathematicalles and Philosophers haue wearied their braynes vnprofitably about nowe these manye hundred yeares For where he referreth the causes of things to God alone as the Scripture euerywhere doth he easily saw that it was a wicked ostentation of the wit to spoyle God of any part of his glorye and to bring the gouernaunce of the world in subiection and bondage to the course of Creatures Therefore their foolishnesse and madnesse is detestable which make Abraham and Moyses the authors of iudiciall astrologie Let vs rather depende vppon Gods appoyntment and prouidence onely who of his goodnesse chose both Abraham and Moyses and hath by them promised vs hys sonne to be our Sauiour and King To whome be all prayse honor power and glory Amen The .xlviij. Homelie AND when he was full fourtie yeares olde it came into his heart to visite his brethren the children of Israel And when hee sawe one of them suffer wrong he defended him and aduenged his quarrell that had the harme done to him and smote the Aegyptian For he supposed his brethren would haue vnderstande how that God by his hande shoulde deliuer them but they vnderstoode not And the next daye he shewed himselfe to them as they stroue and would haue set them at one agayne saying Sirs yee are brethren why hurt yee one another but he that did his neyghbour wrong thrust him awaye saying who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge ouer vs wilt thou kill mee as thou diddest the Aegyptian yesterdaye Then fledde Moyses at that saying and was a straunger in the lande of Madian where hee begate twoo sonnes WHereas the blessed Martyr Steuen following the order and tracke of the storie of the fathers is commen to Moyses in whom the Iewes so greatly glorie as in their deliuerer and lawe giuer he diligentlye handleth his hystorie partly bicause Moyses touching their deliuerie out of Egypt was a figure of Christ and bare witnesse of Christ and partly bicause he would not seeme to be a contemner of Moyses as they accused him in that he preached agaynst the Temple and Ceremonies of the lawe And bicause he woulde quyte take from them the vayne affiaunce they had in outwarde ceremonies he sheweth that the fathers so little trusted in mannes righteousnesse that Moyses himselfe had nothing whereof to reioyce before God bycause through no helpe of man but by the onely grace of God he was saued and called to such honour as he had Wherevpon it followeth that whatsoeuer afterwarde he did worthy of any singuler prayse and commendation it was to be attributed vnto Gods goodnesse and grace The same is more plainely set forth in this present place where he declareth how Moyses beganne to vse his office wherevnto God had appoynted him and howe the fathers vnworthily despised the benifyte of deliuery giuen them and very vncourteously reiected Moyses their reuenger and defender He beginneth with Moyses age and with the cause that mooued him to take vppon him the charge of the people being so grieuously afflicted he sayth he was fourtie yeares olde before he gaue anye token of the peoples deliuerie In the meane time liuing in the Court among the Nobles of the Realme he seemed to haue little regarde of the people which thing Steuen manifestly teacheth where he sayth when he was full fourtie yeares of age it came into his heart to visite his brethren Who
haue their common weales in safetie For this saying of the Romane hystory is confirmed by the example of many kingdomes and nations By concorde small things increase through discorde great things come to decay And no doubt but theyr ende is alwayes vnhappie that are at contynuall discension among themselues And if we now compare Moses minde and doings with those which now a dayes haue the rule in christendome we shall lesse marueyle at the vnhappie state of our age bicause now such raigne euerywhere as are both ashamed of their people and careleslye contemne them or else with ouer great exactions vtterly impouerishe them and moreouer mainteyne diuision among them and to conclude thinke theyr greatest prayse to consist in warres rashely and vnaduisedly taken in hande and in needelesse and vnnecessarie shedding of bloude Let vs also examine what thankes Moses gotte of the Iewes by his louing benefite Steuen sayth it was verie little For that naughty packe which feared not to doe his brother iniurie of hys stowte naughtynesse burst out agaynst him in all opprobrious maner saying Who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge ouer vs wylt thou kyll me also as thou diddest the Aegyptian yesterday In which wordes he vpbraydeth him as though he tooke vpon him to be a ruler hauing refused and forsaken all rule and authoritie for their sakes He also accuseth him of manslaughter yea of murther which with the daunger of his owne lyfe procured the safegarde of the people And although there is but one noted of this naughty ingratitude yet it appeareth many were like minded bicause none rebuked him for his sawsinesse and malapertnesse and not long after Moses doing came to Pharaos knowledge whereof no Egyptian was wytting It must needes therfore be that an Israelite was his accuser And they were no whyt the better after they were delyuered out of Egypt and had learned by many signes and woonders that he was sent of God to be their Captaine and defendor For as oft as all things fell not out after their mindes so oft they accused Moses of treason and falshood And this is the property of the world on this sort to recompence their best benefactors And that that fell to Moses came to passe also vnto Dauid Ezechias Iosias and all the Prophets among the Gentyles to Myltiades Phocion Camillus the Scypions and infinite others The consideration of whome serueth to teache vs that we be not grieued with the ingratitude of the worlde and that we leaue not our duetie and vocation for any like cause Let vs therefore looke for recompence at hys hande who is a most liberall rewarder Let vs remember that euen now is layde vp for vs in heauen a great rewarde and that if we be faythfull in a little we shall be appointed hereafter ouer much See Mathew the fifth and .xxv. chapter Moreouer Moses example comprehendeth in it the mysteries of our redemption and vpbraydeth vs with our vnkindnesse toward christ For as Moses forsooke Pharaos court the riches of Egypt visited his brethren and tooke vpon him their defence so Iesus Christ being in the glory of his father did vouchsafe to humble himselfe by his incarnation became our brother to take vpon him our quarrell defence Agayne as Moses reuenged defended the Israelite by killing the Egyptian so Iesus vanquished and slue the deuil set vs at liberty For he is that feede of the woman that was promised by whose merite the serpents head should be troden downe And as Moses was the author and perswader of his brethren to concorde so Iesus Christ prescrybeth to them whom he hath set at libertie by the merite of his death and made children and members of his body none other thing but precepts of charitie and hath appointed charitie for a cognizance for his disciples whereby to be knowne And as the Israelites were not afrayde to murmure against Moses so manye persons feare not to murmure most vnworthily against the lawes of Christ and fewe there be that acknowledge him for their king and delyuerer bicause the most part of men eyther giue the glory to creatures that he alone hath deserued or else boldly robbing him ascribe it to themselues and to the merites of their owne workes Therefore we are to impudent to charge the Iewes with the crime of vngratefulnesse where we our selues offende much more in the same against the sonne of God. It shall be profitable nowe to consyder the punishment that God vseth against vnkinde persons Moses is dryuen awaye and entertayned of Iethro in Madian taketh his daughter to wyfe by whome he hath two children to comfort him in his exylement In the meane season the Israelites lack their reuenger and deliuerer and are fayne to feele the smart of tyranny fortie yeares longer out of which they might now haue bene deliuered but that they draue Moses away So many times it commeth to passe that our naughtinesse is cause that God can not helpe vs according to the goodnesse of hys nature This is like as when they came to the borders of the lande of Chanaan and through their grutching and murmuring deserued to be brought backe agayne into the wyldernesse and fortie yeares longe were afflicted with all kinde of miserie and there dyed Therefore they which are the authors of their owne aduersitie accuse God vndeseruedly Let them marke this which complayne of the diseases which they procure themselues through their owne distemperancie likewise they that can not away with pouertie being through their owne ryotousnesse fallen into the same The same is lyke also euen in the businesse of our saluation For where many disdayne to imbrace the righteousnesse of God which he offereth vs in his sonne and dare set vp their owne righteousnesse it commeth to passe through their owne desertes that they are able neyther to auouch their owne righteousnesse in Gods sight ne yet to be iustified and saued by Christ. Last of all we haue to consider Moyses flight by whose example we are taught that it is lawfull for vs sometyme to prouyde for our selues by flying and to keepe our selues for more commodious seasons For both we reade that Christ so did oftentimes and commaunded his Apostles to doe the lyke But here we haue neede to take good heede and to be circumspect least vnder the pretence of Christes commaundement we seeke a cloke wherewith to hyde our feare and dastardlynesse and so by vnhonest flying leaue the standing wherein we are appoynted of god Moyses fled and yet is not to be accused therefore bicause he vnderstoode by his vngentle repulse that the time of deliuerie was not yet come and that he coulde not as yet bring them out of Egypt who so disdainfully cast him of But as soone as they beganne to acknowledge that he was appoynted of God for their reuenger and yeelded themselues to the calling of God then could he by no threates of the Tyrant be
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
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
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
knees and prayed with them all For where he knew that God only gaue all increase as otherwheres he teacheth therefore he was not vnmindfull of prayer specially in a matter of such importaunce whervpon depended the saluation of al men And hereof sprang that auncient and notable vsage of the Church wherin sermons vsed to be begon and ended with prayers which prayers who so neglect abundantly declare that they resorte vnto sermons more of curiositie than either for desire of Gods glory or their owne saluation of which sort they are which are described in Ezechiel the xxxiij Chapter And as this example commendeth prayers and specially publike prayers which it behoueth vs to make with feruent affection of minde so it teacheth vs to obserue also a godly modestie of behauiour in the same wherby we testifie the meaning of our minde Among these gestures this is the moste auncient where the godly men vse to pray on their knees or else lying with their bodies prostrate on the ground therby setting themselues in order of humblenesse They vse also commonly to lift vp their hands vnto heauen both to declare the ardent desire of their minde and also to testifie their fayth wherby they firmly beleue that they shall receiue that they desire Yet muste we take heede that we cloke not a naughtie minde with a vayne kinde of gesture or that we lifte not vp handes embrued with bloud Touching bothe which vices reade Esai 1. and .29 Chapiters After all these things Luke addeth Paules departure out of Asia in the which two things fall out chiefly to be marked First he sayth they fell on weeping of all hands and euen they whom Paule had somdeale more openly quipped But they regarded not so muche their priuate reprehension as the publike commoditie of the whole Churche They are therfore sory that the Church should be depriued of suche an Instrument and they declare their sorrow by weeping embracing and kissing This is a very delectable example of mutuall charitie wherein the Ministers and Congregations shoulde stryue eche to ouercome others Paule loued them wonderfully as his whole trade of life declared Therefore they agayne loued him and reuerenced him as their Apostle and Father Where this mutuall affection reigneth all things prosper well But they whych hate their Ministers are for the moste parte moste vnhappy as may euidently bee seene in the Israelites which hated Moyses and Aaron Also by this place the indolencie of the Stoikes is condemned They thinke it vnlawfull for any man to shew any token of any affection As though affections were euill of themselfe and not set in vs by nature and that when any excesse is committed it were not through our default God requireth of vs a moderation of the minde but will not haue men to become stockes or stones Last of al they bring Paule to the shippe which is a dutie of reuerence and for the most parte proceedeth of loue Here we learne that they are worthy of honor which labour diligently in setting foorth the glory of God or otherwise wel accomplish their duetie Agayne we are taught that God neuer letteth them go without glory that are such For his promise is I will honour those that honoâ—r mâ— â–ª Leâ— ministers of the Church Magistrates also remember these things thaâ— they may learne by like industrie to preserue and maintaine their autority And let vs one with another lay to our helpes to the maintenaunce of the Church so shall we hereafter be partakers of the heauenly honour wyth Chryst our Lord and Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .xxj. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxxxviij Homelie ANd when it chaunced that we had launched foorth and were deparâ—ed from them we came with a straight course vnto Choon and the dayâ— following vnto the Rhodes and from thence vnto Patara And when wâ— had gotten a Ship that would sayle vnto Phenices we went abooâ—d on it and set foorth But when Cyprus began to appeare vnto vs we lefte it on the lefte hande and sayled vnto Syria and came vntoo Tyre for there the Ship vnladed the burthen And when we had found brethren we tarried there seuen dayes And they tolde Paule through the spirit that he should not goe vp to Hierusalem And when the dayes were ended we departed and went our way and they all broughte vs on our waye with wiues and children till we were come out of the Citie And we kneeled downe on the shoare and prayed And when we had taken our leaue one of another we toke Ship and they retourned home againe When we had ful ended the course from Tyre we went downe to Ptolemais and saluted the brethren and abode with them one day THe holy Ghost rehearseth very diligently the paynefull and dangerous voyages of the Apostles that by them we might learne the exceeding goodnes of God towarde vs who woulde haue his elect instrumentes and most faithful Ministers for oure saluation sake â–ª inured with such trauels and dangers for that wee shoulde the more feruentelye embrace the doctrine of the Gospell which it behooued to haue sette foorth wyth so greate paynes And to this ende must the hystorie of this Chapiter be referred wherin we are taught how Paule passing many seas through many hazardes came into Syria and from thence to Ierusalem where beeing courteously receiued of the godly but betrayed by the sedicious and apprehended he was committed to the power of the Deputie or lieuetenaunt of the Romanes al which things we shal consider in their time place This place specially hath many things which make muche for the explication of that we sayd euen now Wherefore the Contents muste be the more diligently discussed whiche at the first sight seeme but barren First it is declared how Paul vnwillingly departed froÌ„ Athens with his company We launched foorth sayth he and were plucked from them On this sort it is said Christ was pulled from his Disciples at mount Oliuet Luc. 22. By which worde is declared a great griefe of minde risen about his departure And verily the causes of this griefe were neither fewe nor yet tryfling For Paules three yeres conuersation amongst them had engendred a mutuall loue betweene them And diuers arguments of this loue were apparaunt all which these freshe teares and common griefe taken on all partes called agayne to remembraunce Moreouer Paule knew that he should come no more amongest them which loued him so intierly that he had lefte them in daunger of Wolues whom he had trayned and brought to with great paynes and trauell All these things had bene able to moue euen an heart of yron Thus wee see Parentes mourne when their children by death are pulled from them which by reason of their minoritie are not yet able to helpe them selues Yet Paule ouercommeth all griefe of minde bicause he would obey the calling of God which drue him to Ierusalem By
which the Scripture euery where teacheth are clensed purged by the onely bloud of Chryste But bycause that washing which is made by the bloud of Chryst is outwardly shadowed and expressed by Baptisme it commeth to passe that by reason of suche phrase of Scripture synnes are sayde to bee washed away by baptisme And bycause Paule shoulde not thinke it a straunge or harde kynde of saying he addeth thereto by calling on the name of the Lorde For by these words he is sent vnto Chryst which being taken hold of and called vpon by faith bestoweth such gifts of saluation vpon vs as the sacraments vse to figure and shadow out vnto vs And as we must in vsing of the Sacraments haue a respecte vnto Chryste if wee will haue them to profite vs so agayne wee are taught that they muste not be condemned nor thought superfluous by any meanes For God hath ordeined nothing without gret coÌ„sideration whose intent is not to haue his church ouercharged or clogged by any means Therfore Philip baptised the Eunuch also after he had confessed his fayth And Peter thought it good to baptise Cornelius houshold wheÌ„ they had receiued the holy ghost Yea Paul whoÌ„ the holy ghost secretly coÌ„mendeth is here earnestly moued to receiue baptisme These examples reproue the despisers of SacrameÌ„ts which while they will seeme too spiritual do wickedly set light the ordinances of God. Buâ— chiefly wee haue to marke Paule to followe hys example and in Religion not to deale rashly or vnconstantly but beeing rightly instructed in the truth to labour diligently to keepe and holde fast the same For so by labours and perils we shall come to the inheritaunce of eternal life which God the father of mercy hath appoynted vs from euerlasting in his sonne Iâ—sus Chryste to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxlv. Homelie ANd it fortuned when I was come agayne to Hierusalem and prayed in the Temple I was in a traunce and sawe him saying vnto mee make haste and get thee quickely out of Hierusalem for they will not receyue thy witnesse that thou bearest of mee And I sayde Lorde they know that I prisoned and bet in euery Synagoge them that beleeued on thee And when the bloud of thy witnesse Steuen was shedde I also stoode by and consented vnto his death and kept the rayment of them that slue him And he sayde vnto me departe for I will sende thee a farre hence vnto the Gentiles They gaue him audience vnto this worde and then lifte vp their voyces and sayde away with suche a fellowe from the earth For it is not reason that he should lyue PAule the Apostle as hath nowe oftentimes bene declared goeth about in this diligent and long discourse of his dooings to put away the wrongful suspitions and reproches wherewith hys enimies burthened him There were two thinges chiefly which incensed the mindes of the people agaynst him namely his turning from the Iewes religion vnto the fayth of Chryst and that in preaching the Gospell of saluation vnto the vncircumcised Gentiles he seemed to match them with the Iewes For by these things they gathered that he was the very enimie of the people of God a prophane and wicked contemner of the lawe and of the Leuiticall seruice To the first poynt he hath hitherto answered alleaging still this one thing that he had done nothing rashly or of his owne head but all things according to Gods commaundement and calling So teaching vs by his example what wee also haue to doo in altering or defending our religion And now he proceedeth to the seconde poynte alleaging the same argument declaring that he was called foorth of God to preach vnto the Gentiles and neuerthelesse yet ceassed not to loue his Countreymen which thing shall moste playnely appeare by all the partes of that Hystorie which he here rehearseth For first he sayth he returned to Ierusalem verily to bestowe hys labour vpon them of whom he was borne and of whom he was brought vp and instructed For he maketh mentioÌ„ of this iourney for none other cause but to proue and declare that the faulte was not in him that he preached not the message of saluation vnto his own nation Furthermore we declared before out of the ninth chap. of his Epistle to the Galathians that this iorney of his was in the fourth yere after he was conuerted Wherefore to let passe the supputation of the time let vs consider the example of Paule which teacheth Ministers that although they be detters vnto al men yet ought they to haue a speciall care of their owne countrey and nation For this is the lawe of nature that we be bounde vnto those aboue others amongst whom we haue bene borne and brought vp from our childhoode This rule Chryst obserued also when he offered the doctrine of saluation euen at the beginning to those of Nazareth whose vnkindnesse yet he was not ignoraunt of And that that is sayd vnto the Ministers the same must all men obserue most to esteme their own natiue soyle countrey Wherin it behoueth them to folow Moses which chose rather to forsake the riches and delytes of the Court than his brethren oppressed with tyrannie Let thâ—m here learne their wickednesse which are growen to such impudencie that they can find in their heart to sel the libertie of their countrey lawes and priuileges and all other things so they may get any priuate gayne and aduauntage thereby But let vs returne vnto Paule who after he was come againe into the Citie went into the Temple to pray And of the Temple he maketh mention partly bicause none should say he lay lurking in a corner partely to put away the suspition of polluting the Temple which opinion he knewe many had of him What he desired in his praier may easily be gathered out of the tenth to the Romanes where he saith he praied oftentimes for the Iewes that they might obteine saluatioÌ„ And that this was the very end of his prayer we shal playnly see by the communication folowing which he had with Chryst touching the Iewes Agayne Ministers are here admonished of their duetie that is with continuall prayers to helpe procure anâ— further the saluation of the people For as the rule of faith charitie wherby they are bound to the flock committed vnto them commaundeth the same so necessitie also requireth it bicause it is euident that their labours are but in vayne onlesse God giue the encrease This the auncient Prophets likewise sawe in whose writings are extant many prayers for the people This must Magistrates also obserue forasmuche as they are able to do dothing without the ayde and assistance of God by whose spirit it is nedeful that they be ruled and led They haue also to imitate the examples of Moses Dauid Salomon Ezechias beside infinite others Now at length Paule expoundeth the Oracle wherby he was coÌ„maunded to go vnto the Gentiles He saith he was in
and wyckedlye abused their gifte of libertie they are nowe depriued thereof and constrayned to suffer suche presidentes as had neyther commendation of Nobilitie nor fame of vertue but were defamed and euill reported by reason of filthye luste and beastlye crueltie And where yet they woulde not amende for all these plagues at length they were vtterlye forsaken and shut out of the kingdome of god These thynges suche menne oughte diligentlye to consyder as nowe a dayes also abuse the prerogatiue of libertie and make of it an vnbrydeled licenciousnesse bothe of saying and doyng But returne we to Lysias the Captaynes letter whiche after he had superscribed it begynneth the narration with Paules greate commendation For he declareth that he was apprehended for no demerite or faulte that hee hadde done through the vnreasonablenesse and iniustice of the Iewes Next he sayth he is a Citizen or freeman of Rome At length hee testifieth he is an Innocent where he sayth he had done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment and that the Iewes had made this sturre and adoo agaynst him for no cause but for their lawe and religion sake This is a singuler commendation but we muste remember that these are the wordes of a Souldier and that he speaketh after the maner of the Romanes For where they desyred the vtter abolishment of the Iewes religion they cared not whether the presidents defended the same or not Therfore we see euery where that they litle regarded controuersies in religion But God commaundeth a farre other thyng whiche appointeth Magistrates to haue a speciall care of religion for it is not meete that they whom God of his goodnesse hath placed in such degree of dignitie should suffer the honour of God to be eyther neglected or defaced Yet the craft of the children of this worlde appeareth in the Captayne which so trimly dissembleth his errour committed in bynding and whipping a Citizen of Rome wryting now nothing but that that made for the getting of him praise and fauour Here is cheefly to be marked what a care God hath of his true seruauntes consydering he defendeth their innocencie by testimonie of their enimies Example hereof we nowe see euery day wheras they highly extoll and praise the Prophetes and Apostles which persecute their faith and doctrine with deadly hatred Why therfore feare we the slaunders of enimies or infamie of the worlde Nowe remaineth the latter part of the Epistle which consisteth of a certayne preoccupation or aunswere to an obiection that myght be made For lest Felix myght be offended for that an innocent person was not rather set at libertie than sent to hym with suche coste and charges He sheweth also the cause hereof he saith he did thus bycause of the waites that the Iewes laide for him which Paule shoulde neuer haue escaped if he had ben set at libertie Therfore it behoued in this wyse sayth he to prouide for the safetie of an innocent to see publique peace obserued Where againe the example of this Captayne putteth Magistrates in remembraunce of their duetie namely to take heede that no man suffer violence or iniurie because it is euident they are cheefly ordeyned to the ende that good men should not be oppressed through the insolencie and pleasure of other that are wicked Reade Psalm 72. Rom. 13. It foloweth what successe this matter had verilye a moste happye as God ordered it For the Souldiers faithfully fulfill the charge committed vnto them and bring Paule safely vnto Felix the President and he as though he had chaunged his nature becommeth curteous and easy to be spoken to and asketh him what cuntrey man he is Which when he knew he deferreth the hearing of his matter vntil the comming of his accusers For the lawe of nature teacheth vs that both partes ought to be hearde before sentence be giuen Let vs remember that all these thinges so happened according to Gods prouidence For it was his working that the Souldiers without grutching serued Paules turne that they were ready to defende him with perill of their lyfe that Felix accepteth him more curteously and frendly than his custome was and causeth hym to be kept in Herodes Iudgement Hall being an honest kynde of pryson The vse of these thinges is to teache vs that we must not passe much vpon the enterprises of men but studie onelye to please God which can mollifie barbarous mens heartes tame sauage and wylde maners and turne our enimies heartes to loue vs Let these thinges embolden vs with inuincible constancie of fayth to ouercome the tyrannie of the worlde and so to lyue hereafter eternally in heauen with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xxiiij. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Clij Homelie AFter fiue dayes Ananias the Highe priest descended with the Elders and with a certaine Oratour named Tertullus which enfourmed the Deputie against Paule And when Paule was called foorth Tertullus began to accuse him saying Seeing that wee liue in greate quietnesse by the meanes of thee and that many good things are done vntoo this Nation through thy prouidence that allowe we euer and in all places most noble Felix with all thankes Notwithstanding that I be not tedious vnto thee I pray thee that thou wouldest heare vs of thy curtesie a fewe wordes For we haue found this man a pestilent fellowe and a moouer of debate vnto all the Iewes in the worlde and a maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites which hath also enforced to pollute the Temple whome wee tooke and would haue iudged according to our lawe but the highe Captaine Lysias came vpon vs and with great violence tooke him away out of our handes commaunding his accusers to come vnto thee of whom thou mayest if thou wilte enquire knowe the certaintie of all these thinges whereof we accuse him The Iewes likewise affirmed saying that these thynges were euen so THe Euangelist Luke declareth in this Chapiter how Paule was handled before Felix the Presidente beinge sente to hym from the Captayne that was appoynted for the safegarde of Ierusalem as we haue heard before In the whiche Narration firste it is declared howe the hyghe Priest and Elders layde matter of death vnto Paules charge And albeit that Paule so declared and opened his cause that the Lord Presidente coulde fynde no matter of death agaynst hym yet he keepeth him in pryson two whole yeares together and bicause he woulde shewe the Iewes a pleasure leaueth him bounde in pryson still till Pontius Festus succeeded him in the office These thynges are declared to this ende that we may learne thereby what state the godly are lyke to be in alwayes in this worlde and howe the worlde continually hateth them forasmuch as we see the Iewes spare for no laboure or costes to bryng Paule beyng a most faithful preacher of gods word to his cōfusion But as Christ prophecied these things shold happē to his disciples euē so he
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
communication with Agrippa touching Paule Festus testifieth that Paule is innocent Paules hearers Paule is broughte forthe in chaines to preache Festus causeth Paule to be diligeÌ„tly heard Paule hathe licence to speake for himselfe Paul declareth his cause without feare The argument of Paules oration Pauls childhode and education Of what importance the godly bringing vp of children is The state of the whole coÌ„trouersie The sum order of this preseÌ„t place The faithe of the Fathers is a most ancient thing 1. Cor. 5. Collos. 2. Adam Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Gene. 12. Roma 4. Iohn 4. Isahac and Iacob Moses Luke 24. The state of the true fayth in this world The true trade of mainteining the The resurrectioÌ„ of the dead oughte not to bee thought incredible Paul became a Christian agaynst hys will. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Cor. 15. Psalm 7. Psal. 2. .33 The tirannie of Paule agaynst the Churche of Christ. The state of the churche Persecutours cause men to blaspheme The story of Paules conuersion Christe rayseth vp Paul whoÌ„ he had throwen downe before Paule is called to the office of an â—postle A minister Roma â–ª 1. A witnesse God deliuereth his seruants being in danger The ende vse of the Gospell 1. Corin. 3. The order and manner of saluation Paule obeyeth God coÌ„trary to the bidding of the Priestes The maner of true obedience Saule 1 Sam. 13. 15 The points and order of Euangelike doctrine Math 10 Luke 24 Luke 17 Paul is laid holde on for his obeying of God. 2. Peter 2 1. Cor. 10 Psal. 34. c Paule preacheth the gospel vnto Agrippa Paule is a detter vnto all men The sum of the gospell Festus is a president of those which heare the worde with a prophane intent Paule constantly and modestly defendeth his ministerie Which is the best wai of teaching Christian religion is certain and not to bée suspected of obscuritie The scripture of it self worthy of credite Agrippa is a paterne of those in whoÌ„ the cares of this worlde chooke the seede of the woorde A very christian wishe of Paule Iohn 6 Math. 11. c 1. Cor. 5 The innocencie of Paule The argument of the Chapter Paul is brought to Rome among malefactours Sée Valeri Max. 16. Booke and v. chapter Esay 53 â–ª Luke 22. Paules companions Aristarchus The Centurion is Paules freÌ„d Paul would not flée no not when he might Paules voyage or nauigation is ful of danger God warneth vs of danger and giueth vs counsell in time See Leui. 16. Paules aduise is despised The punishmeÌ„t of gods counsel despised Mannes power is of nâ— force against God. What happeneth to such as will lose nothing at Gods bidding Paule hym selfe is in hazard with the despisers of God. Paul giueth comforte and counsel inaduersitie He modestly rebuketh their former disobedieÌ„ce He comforteth He alleageth the Oracle The promises of God must be taken holde of by faithe The incredulitie and distrust of the Maryners The propertie of the flesh in dangers Exod. 5 The properties of those that are too confident or bolde Paule commaundeth to stay the Marriners The right vse of Gods instrumeÌ„ts or meanes Prouer. 31 The faithe of the captaine and souldioures Paule exhorteth them to take meat The nature or propertie of fayth The discipline of the Table Parali 14. They caste their Corne into the sea The description of the shipwracke The deuise of the souldiers in killing the prisoners The truthe of Gods promise cannot be let or hindred The hospitalitie of those of Malta Luke 10. Hebr. â—3 Mark. 19. Paul by miracle was knowen to those of Malta A vyper byteth Paule Paul shaketh off the viper without any hurte The people of Malta take Paule for a God. The family or stocke of Paule Marke 10. The hospitalitie of Publius Math. 25. The rewarde of hospitalitie The thankfulnesse of the people of Malta Math. 10. Luke 9 and .10 Paule is caried in an Idolatrous shippe The church at Putesti The Romane brethren goe out to méete Paule The thankfulnesse of the Romane brethren Paule is encouraged or confirmed by the méeting of the brethren Paul is kept in an hired house at Rome Paule calleth togither the chéefe of the Iewes Rom. 10.9 Math. 5 1 He putteth away wrongfull suspitions 2 He excuseth his appealing 3 He declareth the state of the whole coÌ„trouersie The Iewes beare witnesse of Paules innocencie Paule preacheth in an house The argumente of Paules sermon The fountaine of the Apostles doctrine Psal. 45 Iohn 10 Paule teacheth all the whole day Amos. 7. The effecte of Paules Sermon Iohn 15. Paule rebuketh the stubbornesse of the Iewes The Iewes vnbeléefe was wilful The cause of incredulitie Iohn 3. The punishment of incredulitie Iohn 8. Deut. 32. Math. 21. In his .vii. boke and .xv chapter The contention of the Iewes about the doctrine of the Gospell Paule was in prison two yeres togither 2. Timo. 2. Paule being in prison preacheth writeth j. Paul preacheth the kingdome of God. 1. Timo. 2. Colos. 2. Mat. 3. 17. Iohn 14. ij. Paule precheth plainly iij. Paules successe Iob 38. Ierem. 5. What Paul did after the two yeres were expired A conclusioÌ„ with a repetition of the Premisses THE IVDGEMENT of S. Hierome vppon the Actes of the Apostles The Actes of the Apostles seme to set forthe but a bare History onely and to weaue as it were the infancie and beginning of the Church but if we consider howe Luke the wryter of them is that Physition whose praise is in the Gospell we shall at once perceiue euery woorde of him to be a medicine for the sicke and languishing soule IMPRINTED AT LONdon by Henrie Denham dwelling in Pater noster rowe at the signe of the Starre