Helpe They crie out as if they were in extreame danger and they call vpon all men to helpe them as if all religion were in hazard Whereby we see with what furious hatred they were inflamed against Paul onely because in shewing that the full and perfite truth is found in Christ he taught that the figures of the Law had an end Now whereas they conceiue a false opinion hauing seene Trophymus they do more bewray by this headlong lightnes how venemous they be They accuse Paul of sacrilege Why because he brought into the Temple a man which was vncircumcised But they laid a most cruell crime to the charge of an innocent through a false opinion Thus the boldnesse of those men vseth commonly to bee preposterous who are carried away with an opinion conceiued before But let vs learne by such examples to beware of the distemperature of affections and not to let light preiudices haue the raine least we runne headlong vpon the innocent being carried with blind force 30 And the Citie was moued Wee see in this place the vanitie of the common people which count Paul a condemned man before euer they heare him Whereas the citie is moued about godlines it is no maruell but this is a point of peruerse zeale and mad rashnes in that they set themselues against Paule before they knowe his matter For in this corruption of nature frowardnes is ioined with foolishnes so that those will readily of their owne accord make haste to maintaine an euil cause who can hardly be moued with many exhortations to do well This is a hard case that the whole world should be armed against vs at a sodaine through the perswasion of a fewe but seeing it pleaseth the Lorde it should bee so let euery one of vs prepare himselfe by this and such like examples to suffer all manner assaults and to beare and abide albrunts 31 And as they sought to kill him it was told the captaine of the band that all Ierusalem was on an vprore 32 Who tooke with him streightway soldiars and vnder captaines and ranne downe vnto them But they when they saw the chiefe captaine and the soldiars left smiting of Paul 33 Then the chiefe captaine drew neere and tooke him and commanded him to be bounde with two chaines and hee asked what he was and what hee had done 34 And some cried one thing and some another among the people And when he could not know the truth by reason of the tumult he commanded him to be carried into the campe 35 And when he came to the staires it happened that he was carried of the soldiars because of the violence of the multitude 36 For the multitude of people followed crying Away with him 37 And when Paul began to be carried into the campe he saith to the captaine May I speake to thee who said canst thou speake Greeke 38 Art not thou that Egyptian which before these dayes madest an vprore and leddest into the wildernes fower thousand men which were murderers 39 And Paul saide I verely am a man which am a Iewe borne in Tharsus a citizen of no vile Citie of Cilicia But I beseech thee suffer me to speake to the people 40 And when he had giuen him leaue Paul standing vpon the staires beckoned with the hand vnto the people and when there was made great silence he spake in the Hebrew tongue saying 31 As they sought to kill him Assuredly the force of satan appeareth therein in that he driueth the people headlong into such rage that whē they haue shut the doares of the Temple being not content with meane punishment they conspire to put Paul to death Wee must thus thinke with our selues that Sathan doth pricke forward the enimies of godlinesse least their rage how cruell and troublesome so euer it be trouble vs. On the otherside appeareth the wonderfull goodnes of God when as he raiseth vp the chiefe captaine at a sodaine that hee may deliuer Paul from death He himselfe thought vpon no such thing but he came to appease the tumult which was raised among the people but the Lord sheweth a more euident token of his prouidence because Paul his life was deliuered from such present danger without mans counsell Thus doth he suffer the faithful not only to labor but to be almost oppressed that hee may deliuer them from death more wonderfully Luke calleth him the chiefe captaine of the band improperly seing euery chiefe captain was set ouer a thousand which doth also appeare by the text where he saith that the chiefe captaine tooke with him vndercaptaines 32 And when they saw the chiefe captaine Those whose furie neither the maiestie of God ne yet the reuerence of the temple could once stay begin to relent when they see a prophane man Wherby it appeareth that theye were set on fire rather with barbarous crueltie than zeale Nowe whereas the chiefe captaine bindeth Paul with chaines hee declareth thereby sufficiently that he came not to ease him The vnbeleeuers wold attribute this to fortune but the Spirit hath depainted out vnto vs the prouidence of God as in a table reigning amidst the confused vprores of men And though this be very hard that this holy minister of God is so shamefully handled yet the equitie of the chiefe captaine is to be commended if hee bee compared with the Iewes Hee bindeth him with chaines as if he were some euill doer or some wicked person yet doth he vouchsafe to heare him when he is bounde whom they did beat vnmercifully neither doeth hee determin to handle him hardly before he knew his cause Yea this was the best way to mitigate their cruelty because they thought that Paul should be punished immediatly 34 Some cried one thing and some another The madnesse of the raging people doth bewray it selfe on euery side They make horrible outcries whereof one is contrary to another Neuerthelesse they desire with one consent to haue him put to death who was conuict of no offence In the meane season we need not doubt but that they were blinded with a color of holy zeale but the truth of the cause wel known maketh mē truly zealous as it maketh them true martyrs of God but rage bewraieth diuellish madnes Whereas mention is made in this place of the campe or fortresse we must know that the soldiars which were placed to gard the City had a place which was trenched fortified on euerie side which they might defend as if it were a castle from which they might beat backe all assaultes if any sedition were raised For it had not been good for them to haue been dispearsed here and there in diuers Innes seeing the people were treacherous and the Citie troublesome And wee gather by this that the place was high because Luke saith that when they came to the steps Paul was carried of the soldiers And whether the soldiers did lift vp Paul on high that they might bring him safe to the station or campe
he would sticke to winne peace or the peoples fauour with the punishent of an hundred men or moe Wherefore we must thinke with our selues that hee was tyed by one that had the rule ouer him that hee might not more vehementlye oppresse the Churche Hee slue Iames as when any sedition is raised the heads and captaines goe first to the pot that the common riffe raffe may by their punishment be terrified Neuerthelesse the Lord suffered him whom he had furnished with constancie to bee put to death that by death he might get the victorie as a strong and inuincible chāpion So that the attempts of Tyrants notwithstanding God maketh choyce of sweete smelling sacrifices to establish the faith of his gospell Luke calleth this Iames which was slaine the brother of Iohn that hee may distinguish him from the sonne of Alpheus For wheras some make him a thirde cosin of Christes who was only some one of the disciples I doe not like of that because I am by strong reasons perswaded to think that there were no more Let him that will repayre to the second to the Galathians Therefore I thinke that the Apostle and the sonne of Alphe were al one whom the Iewes threw down headlong from the top of the temple whose death was so highly commended for his singular prayse of holinesse 3 Seeing that it pleased the Iewes It appeareth more plainely by this that Herod was not moued either with any zeale that he had to Moses lawe or with any hatred of the Gospell thus to persecute the Churche but that he might prouide for his owne priuate affayres For hee proceedeth in his crueltie that hee may winne the peoples fauour Therfore wee muste knowe that there bee diuers causes for whiche the Churche is assaulted on euery side Oftentimes peruers zeale driueth the wicked headlong to fight for their superstitions and that they may sacrifice an offering to their idols by sheeding innocent blood but the more parte is moued with priuate commodities onely So in times past at such time as Nero knewe after the burning of the citie that hee was lothed and hated of the people hee sought by this subtill meanes to get into fauour againe or at least he went about to stay their slaunders and complaintes by putting certaine thousandes of the godly to death In like sort that Herod may winne the peoples fauour who did loue him but a litte hee putteth the Christians to death as a price wherewith hee might redeeme their fauour and such is our estate at this day for though all men runne by troupes vppon the members of Christe yet fewe are pooked forwarde with superstition but some sell them selues to Antichriste like profitable bond slaues othersome beare with and commende the outragious outcries of Monkes and the common people but wee in the meane season beeyng abiectes must bee glad to beare their mockes yet there is one comfort which doeth excellently keepe vs on foote in that wee knowe that our blood is precious in the sight of Almightie GOD which the worlde doth shamefullye abuse yea the more shamefullie and reprochefullie the wicked doe handle vs so muche the lesse shall Gods goodnesse forsake vs. 4 Adding foure quaternions of souldiars Luke doth in this place declare by circumstances that Peter was as it were shut vp in his graue so that it might seem that hee was quite past hope For as they diuided the day and night into foure partes by three houres so Herod diuided the watches that foure souldiars might alwayes keepe watche and that one quaternion might succeede another euery third houre He sheweth the cause why hee was not foorthwith put to death because it had been an haynous offence to put him to death in the Easter holidayes Therefore Herod doeth not delay the time as doubtfull what to doe but doth only waite for opportunitie Yea hee maketh choice of a time when as his gifte may bee more plausible because there came a great multitude together from all partes vnto the holy day 5 But prayers were made Luke teacheth here that the faithfull did not in the meane season foreslowe their dutie Peter stoode in the foreward alone but all the rest fought with their prayers together with him and they ayded him so much as they were able Heereby we doe also gather that they were not discouraged for by praier they testifie that they persist so much as they are able in defence of the cause for which Peter is in danger of life This place teacheth first how we ought to be affected when we see our brethren persecuted by the wicked for the testimonie of the gospell For if wee bee slothfull and if we be not inwardly touched with their daungers we doe not only defraude them of the due dutie of loue but also treacherously forsake the confession of our faith and assuredly if the cause be common yea if they fight for our saftie and saluation we do not only forsake them but euen Christ and our selues and the present necessitie requireth that they be farre more feruent in praier then commonly they are whosoeuer will bee counted christians We see some of our brethren being brought to extreeme pouertie liue in exile others we see imprisoned many cast into stinking dungeons manie consumed with fire yea we see newe torments oftentimes inuented whereby being long tormented they may feele death Vnlesse these prouocations sharpen our desire to pray we be more then blockish Therefore so sone as any persecution ariseth let vs by and by get our selues to prayer Also it is a likely thing that the church tooke greater thought for Peters life because they shoulde haue suffered great losse if hee had gone Neither doth Luke say barely that prayer was made but he addeth also that it was earnest and continual Whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that the faithfull prayed not coldly or ouer fields but so long as Peter was in the conflict the faithfull did what they coulde to helpe him and that without wearisomnesse We must alwayes vnderstande the name of God which is here expressed whensoeuer mention is made of prayer in the scripture For this is one of the chiefest and first principles of faith that we ought to direct our prayers vnto God alone as he challengeth to himselfe this peculiar worship Psal 50.15 Call vppon mee in the day of tribulation 6 And when Herod was about to bring him foorth the same night slept Peter betweene two souldiars bound with two chaines And the keepers kept the prison before the dore 7 And behold the Angel of the Lord stood and a light shined in the habitation And he smoote Peters side saying Arise streightway and his chaines fel from his hands 8 And the Angell saide to him Gyrde thy selfe and binde on thy sandales And hee did so Then he saith to him Put thy garment about thee and follow mee 9 And going out he folowed him neither vnderstood he that that was true which was done by the angell
doctrine it is and whether it can be proued out of the scriptures but they enquire whether any man durst mutter against their superstitiōs that so soon as he is cōuict they may forthwith burne him Furthermore Steeuens answere may seeme at the first blush absurd and foolish He beginneth first at the very first beginning afterward he maketh a long narration wherein there is no mention made in a maner of the matter in hande And there can be no greater fault than to vtter many wordes which are nothing appertinent vnto the matter But whosoeuer shall throughly consider this long speech hee shall finde nothing therein which is superfluous and shall full well perceiue that Steuen speaketh very appertinently as the matter requireth He was accused as an Apostata or reuolt which did attempt the ouerthrow of religion and the worship of God Therefore he beateth in this diligently that he reteineth that God which the fathers haue alwayes worshipped So that he turneth away the crime of wicked backsliding and declareth that his enemies were pricked forward with nothing lesse than with the zeale of the law For they bare a shew that they were wholy determined to encrease the glory of God Therefore he wringeth from them this false boasting And because they had the fathers alwaies in their mouths because they were puft vp with the glorie of their nation Steeuen declareth also that they haue no cause to be proud of this but rather that the corruptiōs of the fathers was so great so manie that they ought to to be ashamed and humbled As concerning the principall state of the cause because the question was concerning the temple and the ceremonies he affirmeth plainely that their fathers were elected of God to bee a peculiar people before there was any temple and before Moses was born And to this end tendeth that exordium or beginning which is so far fet Secondly he telleth them that all externall rites which God gaue by the hand of Moses were fashioned according to the heauenly paterne Whereupon it followeth that the ceremoniall law is referred vnto another ende and that those deale foolishly and disorderedly who omit the truth and stay only in the signes If the readers shal referre the whole oration of Steeuen vnto these pointes they shall finde nothing therein which agreeth not very well with the cause as I shal declare again briefly in the end Neuertheles that scope of the whole oration shal not hinder but that we may discusse all things briefly which are worth the noting 2 Men brethren and fathers Although Steeuen saw that those which sate in the councell were for the most part the sworn enemies of Christ yet because the ordinarie gouernment of the people did belong to thē and they had the ouersight of the church which God had not as yet cast of therefore hee is not afraide for modesties sake to call them fathers Neither doth he flatteringly purchase fauour hereby But he giueth this honour to the order and gouernment appointed by god vntill such time as the authoritie shuld be taken from them the order being altered Neuerthelesse the reuerence of the place which they had doth not hinder him nor stoppe his mouth but that hee doeth freely dissent from them Wherby it appeareth how ridiculous the papists are who wil haue vs so tyed vnto bare vain inuented titles that they may enforce vs to subscribe vnto their decrees though they be neuer so wicked The God of glory By this beginning he declareth that hee doth not disagree or dissent from the fathers in true religion which they folowed For all religion the worshippe of God the doctrine of the lawe all prophesies did depend vpon that couenant which God made with Abrahā Therefore when Steeuen confessed that God appeared to Abraham he embraceth the law and the prophets which flowe from that first reuelation as from a fountaine Moreouer he calleth him the god of glory that he may distinguishe him from the false and feigned Gods who alone is worthie of glory When he was in Mesopotamia It is well knowen that that region is called by this name which lyeth betweene the riuer Tygris and Euphrates And he saith before he dwelt in Charran because Abrahā being warned by an oracle fledde from Chaldea to Charran which is a Citie of Mesopotamia famous by reason of the slaughter of Crassus and the Romane armie althogh Plinie saith that it was a citie of Arabia And it is no maruell that Chaldea is in this place comprehēded vnder the name of Mesopotamia because although that region which is enclosed with Tygris and Euphrates be properly “ Or Mesopotamia the countrie between two riuers Yet those which set down any descriptiō of countries do cal both Assyria Chaldea by this name The summe is this that Abraham being commanded by God did forsake his countrie and so he was preuented with the meer goodnes of god when as he sought that which was offered him at home of the owne accord Read the last chapter of Iosua But it seemeth that Moses his narration doth somewhat disagree with this For after that about the end of the 11. chap. of Genesis he had declared that Abraham doth goe into another countrie to dwel hauing left his house he addeth in the beginning of the twelf that god spake vnto Abrahā This is easily answered For Moses reciteth not in this latter place what hapned after the departure of Abraham but least any man should thinke that Abraham wandered into other countries hauing vnaduisedly forsaken his owne house as light and vndiscrete men vse to doe sometimes hee sheweth the cause of his departure to wit because he was commaunded by God to flit into another place And thus much do the words of the Oracle import For if hee had beene a straunger in an other countrie God could not haue commaunded him to depart out of his natiue soyle forsaking his kinsmen and fathers house Therefore wee see that this place agreeth wondrous well with the wordes of Moses For after that Moses hath saide that Abraham went to Charran to the end he may shewe that this iourney was taken in hande not through any lightnes of man but at the commaundement of god he addeth that afterward which he had before omitted which maner of speaking is much vsed of the Hebr. 3 Come out of thy countrie God vseth many wordes to the end hee may the more wound the mind of Abrahā as if it were not a thing sharpe enough of it self to be banished out of his own countrie And that serued to trie his faith euen as that other thing also that god assigneth him no land wherin he may dwel but maketh him stande in doubt waite for a time Wherfore the obedience of Abrahā was so much the more to bee commended because the sweetnes of his natiue soyle keepeth him not back frō going willingly as it were into exile in that hee doubteth not to folow God althogh
hath no confirmation by baptisme for they reasoned thus the Eunuch is commanded to bring perfect faith vnto baptisme therfore there could nothing be added But the scripture taketh the whole heart ofteÌ„times for a sincere vnfeigned heart whose opposite is a double heart So that there is no cause why we should imagine that they beleeue perfectly who beleeue with the whole heart seing that there may be a weak faint faith in him who shal notwithstaÌ„ding haue a sound minde and a mind free froÌ„ all hyporcisie Thus must we take that which Dauid saith that he loueth the Lord with all his heart Philip had in deede baptized the Samaritans before yet hee knewe that they were yet far from the mark Therfore the faith of the whole heart is that which hauing liuing rootes in the heart doth yet notwithstanding desire to encrease daylie I beleeue that Iesus Chrâ—st As Baptisme is grounded in Christe and as the truth and force thereof is contained there so the Eunuch setteth Christ alone before his eyes The Eunuch knewe before that there was one God who had made the couenant with AbrahaÌ„ who gaue the Law by the hand of Moses which separated one people from the other nations who promised Christ through whom hee would be mercifull to the world now he confesseth that Iesus Christ is that redeemer of the world and the sonne of god vnder which title he comprehendeth briefly al those thinges which the scripture attributeth to Christ This is the perfect faith whereof Philip spake of late which receiueth Christe both as hee was promised in times past also shewed at leÌ„gth that with the earnest affection of the heart as Paul will not haue this faith to be feigned Whosoeuer hath not this when he is growne vp in vaine doth hee boast of the baptisme of his infancie for to this end doth Christ admit infants by baptisme that so soone as the capacitie of their age shall suffer they may addict themselues to be his disciples and that beeing baptised with the holy ghost they may comprehend with the vnderstanding of faith his power which baptisme doth prefigure 38 They went downe into the water Here wee see the rite vsed among the men of old time in baptisme for they put all the bodie into the water now the vse is this that the minister doth only sprinkle the bodie or the head But we ought not to stand so much about such a smal differeÌ„ce of a ceremonie that we should therefore diuide the churche or trouble the same with brawles We ought rather to fight euen an hundred times to death for the ceremonie it selfe of baptisme in as much as it was deliuered vs by Christ than that we shoulde suffer the same to bee taken froÌ„ vs. But forasmuch as we haue as well a testimonie of our washing as of newnesse of life in the signe of water forasmuch as Christe representeth vnto vs his blood in the water as in a glasse that we may fet our cleanenesse thence forasmuch as he teacheth that we are fashioned againe by his Spirite that being dead to sinne we may liue to righteousnesse it is certain that we want nothing which maketh to the substaÌ„ce of baptism Wherefore the churche did graunt libertie to her selfe since the beginning to change the rites somewhat excepting this substance For some dipped them thrise some but once wherefore there is no cause why wee shoulde bee so strait laced in matters which are of no suche weight so that that externall pompe doe no whit pollute the simple institution of Christe 39 When they were come vp To the ende Luke may at length conclude his speech coÌ„cerning the Eunuch he saith that Philip was caught away out of his sight and that was of no small weight to confirme him forasmuch as he saw that that man was sent vnto him by God like to an Angell and that he vanished away before he could offer him any reward for his paines whence he might gather that it was no gainefull insinuation seeing that he was vanished away before he had one halfe pennie giuen him Whereas Philip had no rewarde at the Eunuches hande let the seruauntes of Christ learne heereby to serue him freely or rather let theÌ„ so serue men for nothing that they hope for a rewarde froÌ„ heauen The Lorde graunteth leaue in deede to the ministers of the Gospell to receiue a reward at their hands whom they teach but he forbiddeth theÌ„ therewithall to be hyrelings which labour for lucres sake 1. Cor. 9.9 Ioh. 10.12.23 For this must bee the marke whereat they must shoote to gaine the men themselues to God Reioysing Faith and the knowledge of God bring foorth this frute alwayes of theÌ„selues For what truer matter of ioy can be inuented than when the Lord doth not only set open vnto vs the treasures of his mercie but powreth out his heart into vs that I may so speake giueth vs himself in his sonne that we may want nothing to perfect felicitie The heauens begin to looke cleer and the earth beginneth to be quiet then the conscience being then deliuered from the dolefull and horrible feeling of Gods wrath being loosed from the tyrannie of Satan escaping out of the darknesse of death beholdeth the light of life Therefore it is a solemne thing amongst the prophets to exhort vs to be ioyfull and to triumph so often as they are about to speake of the kingdom of Christ But because those men whose mindes are possessed with the vaine ioyes of the world cannot lift vp theÌ„selues vnto this spiritual ioy let vs learne to despise the world and all vain delights therof that Christ may make vs mery in deed 40 He was found at Azotus It is well knowen out of the booke of Iosua cha 11. Iosua 11.22 that Azotus was one of the cities out of which the sonnes of Enack could not bee expelled It is distant from Ascalon almost 200. furlongs the Hebrewes cal it Asdod Thither was Philip caried there began he to take his iourney on foot after the maner of men sowing the seed of the Gospell wheresoeuer he became This is surely rare wonderful stoutnesse that hee spreadeth the name of godlinesse in his iourney And whereas Luke saith expresly that he preached in all cities vntill he came to Cesarea and doth not declare that he returned to Samaria we may thereby coniecture that he stayed at Cesarea for a time and yet I leaue this indifferent CHAP. IX 1 AND Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord comming vnto the highest priest 2 Required epistles of him to Damascus vnto the Synagogues that if he should finde any of this sect whether they were men or women he might carrie them bound to Ierusalem 3 And as he was in the way it hapned that he drew neere to Damascus and sodainly there shined a light about him from heauen 4 And falling flat to the ground he heard
that skâ—lleth not much for the sense And it was meete that the Apostles who had no certaine place of abode shoulde wander hither and thither as occasion was offered wherefore whiles they are all occupied in diuerse parts Peter tooke vpon him this charge Whereby the foolishnesse of the Papistes is refuted who gather Peter his primacie by the authoritie which he had to visite As if the rest of the Apostles did liue idlely at Ierusalem like priuate men when Peter did visite the Churches Againe admitte wee graunt that Peter was the chiefe Apostle which thing the Scripture sheweth oftentimes doth it thereupon follow that he was the head of the world but would to God the Bishoppe of Rome who will be counted Peter his successor woulde trauell as hee did to animate the brethren and woulde euerie where proue in deede that he is the Apostle of Christ Nowe he which out of his throne doth with more than tyrannous Lordship oppresse all the Churches pretendeth that Peter did visit the Churches with great paines Which dwelt at Lydda Lydda which was afterward called Diospolis was situate not farre from the mediterranean sea being a renowmed citie as well for antiquitie as also for many giftes Ioppa was nigh to this Citie which had a famous hauen though very full of rockes The Citie it selfe stood vpon an high cliffe whence they might see to Ierusalem At this day there is nothing to be seene there but the ruinous wals of the olde Citie saue onely that the hauen remaineth which they call most commonly Iaphet It should seeme that Luke nameth Assaron as some town or citie Hierom readeth it Saron and thinketh that thereby is meant the whole plaine lying betweene Cesaria and Ioppa But because Ierom sheweth no reason why hee should chaunge the reading which is commonly vsed I admit that willingly which Luke his text sheweth mee to wit that it was a citie hard by But I do not contend about this matter as I do not ambitiously gather those things which may serue for a vaine brag because it shal be sufficient for the godly readers to knowe those things which make to Luke his meaning 34 Iesus Christ make thee whole It is certaine that the Apostles would neuer haue attempted the doing of myracles vnlesse they had ben first certified of the will of God whereupon the effect did depende For they had no such power of the Spirite giuen them that they coulde heale whatsoeuer sicke persons they would but as Christ himselfe vsed a measure in his myracles so he woulde haue his Apostles to worke no more than he knewe were profitable Therefore Peter did not rashly breake out into these words because hee might haue set himselfe to bee laught at vnlesse he had alredy known the wil of God It may be that he praied apart The Spirit who was the authour of all myracles and which wrought by the hande of Peter did euen then direct his tongue and did mooue his heart by a secreat inspiration And in these wordes Peter sheweth plainly that he is onely the minister of the myracle and that it proceedeth from the power of Christ that he may by this means extoll the name of Christ alone Make thy bedde These circumstances doe amplifie the glorie of the myracle in that he doeth not onely recouer strength to rise but is also able to make his owne bedde who could moue no member before To the same ende tendeth the continuance of the disease for a palsie of eight yeeres continuance is not easily cured In like sort is hee saide to haue laid in his bed that we may know that all his members were lame for it was a little bed wherein they were wont to rest at noone Whereas Eneas was so readie to make trial of his members hee thereby declared the obedience of his faith For although hee perceiued the strength which was giuen him yet he was most of all moued with the efficacie of the words to rise 35 And all those His meaning is that the myracle was published abroad and was knowne throughout the whole citie For when the scripture saith All it doth not comprehend euery one howe many so euer it noteth but it putteth All for the more part or for many or for the common sort of men Therefore the sense is that whereas there was but a small number of Godly men there a great part of the people became members of the Church And in this clause is expressed the fruite of the myracle because they embraced Christ and his Gospel Wherefore those men corrupt myracles whosoeuer they be which looke onely vpon men do not turne their eies toward this end that being instructed concerning the power and grace of Christ they may sticke only to him Therefore that token of Christs diuine power which hee shewed was the beginning of turning to him 36 And there was a certaine disciple at Ioppa called Thabita which if you interpret it is called Dorcas This woman was full of good works and almes which she did 37 And it happened in those dayes that shee was sicke and died And when they had washed her they laid her in an vpper parlour 38 And for as much as Lydda was neere to Ioppa the disciples who had hearde that Peter was there sent two men to him requesting him that he would come to them 36 There followeth a more famous token of Christs power by howe much it is more hard to restore life to a dead body than to restore helth to a man that is sicke But Luke doth first commende the person of Tabita on whom the myracle was shewed and that with a double title to wit that shee was Christs disciple and that she approued her faith with good workes and almes Hee hath oftentimes alreadie put this worde Disciple for a Christian man and least we should thinke that that name was proper to men onely he attributeth the same to a woman And this title teacheth vs that Christianity caÌ„not be without doctrin that that forme of learning is prescribed that the same Christ may be master to al. This is the chiefest praise this is the beginning of holy life this is the roote of all vertues to haue learned of the sonne of God the way to liue and the true life The fruits of good works proceed afterward from faith By good works I meane the dueties of loue wherewith our neighbours are holpen and Luke placeth the chiefe kinde in Almes The commendation of liberalitie is great because as the holy Ghost doeth witnesse it containeth in it selfe the summe of a godly and perfect life Now we see what titles Thabita hath For religion toward God or faith goeth first secondly that she exercised her selfe in helping the brethren and specially in releeuing the pouertie of the poore For by vs it is come to passe that all that helpe wherewith the poore and those which are in mysery are holpen is called Eleemosyna Thabita is rather a Syrian word than an
that was very seldome secondly there came but smal fruite therof And God hath wrought myracles for the most part wherby the worlde might know him not simply or in his bare maiestie but in his worde So Luke saith in this place that the Gospel was established by myracles not that some confused religion might possesse the mindes of men but that Paul his doctrine going before they might be brought vnto the pure worship of God whence we may easily gather how foolishely the Papists deale when as they indeuour to lead away the world from the reuerence of God and the gospel by bare myracles For wee must hold that principle that those myracles which came from God at anye time did neuer tend to any other end but that the gospel might haue his perfect and full authoritie Now must we see whether the Gospel commaund vs to call vpon the dead to burne incense to idols to translate vnto fained Saints the grace of Christ to take in hand vowed pilgrimages to inuent profane worshippings wherof there is no mention made in the word of God But there is nothing more contrary to the Gospell then that these superstitions should take place Whereupon it followeth that the Papists do wickedly make engines of the shoares of the gospel to oppugne it To the same end tendeth that which Luke saith that the Lord graunted that by the handes of his seruants myracles might be done in which words he teacheth that those were only ministers who obeyed God and that he was the authour who vsed their hand and industrie Wherefore in speaking properly we cannot say that they were Paul and Barnabas his myracles but the myracles of God alone who doth so worke by men that hee will not haue his glory darkened by their ministerie Furthermore wee must note the title of the Gospell which Luke putteth in here that it may be made to vs more amiable For in calling it the worde of grace it hath a most pleasant tast because saluation is offered to the world in it through Christ and we must vnderstand the contrarietie with the law wherein only the curse is set before vs. Therfore let vs remember that God speaketh to vs in the Gospel to this end that he may reconcile himself to vs and may testifie that he is mercifull to vs. Neither doth this hinder that it is the sauour of death vnto death to the reprobate because they chaunge not the nature thereof by their fault Reade those thinges which we haue spoken in the second Chapter touching signes and wonders 2. Cor. 2.16 4 The multitude was diuided The most troublesome part of the tragedie followeth now for the citie is diuided into two partes at length Paul and Barnabas being enforced by the vprore of the people depart vnto an other place If it be demanded what was the originall of the discorde assuredly it flowed from the Gospell to which notwithstanding there is nothing more contrary then to cause discord But the frowardnesse of men causeth that the gospel which ought to be the bond of vnitie is so soone as it cōmeth abroad the occasion of tumults Wherfore so soone as any scisme ariseth before we condemne those who seeme to be the authours it behoueth vs wisely to consider who ought to bear the blame Wee heare heere that one citie was diuided whereby some were brought vnto Christ The Spirit of God pronounceth this to the praise and not to the shame of Paul and Barnabas The same rule must we obserue at this day least the Gospell bee burdened with false enuie if it bring not men together vnto God but the wicked rage against it It is assuredly a miserable matter to see diuision among men But as the vnitie is accursed which doth separate vs all from God so it were better that a few should depart an hundred times from all the whole worlde and in the meane season come in fauour againe with GOD then that disagreeing with him continually they shoulde haue peace with the worlde 5 And when there was an assault made of the Gentiles Iewes together with their rulers to doe them violence and to stone them 9 When they knewe the matter they fled into cities of Lycaonia to Lystra and Derbe to the countrie lying nigh there about on euery side 7 And there they preached the Gospel 8 And there sate a certain man at Lystra impotent in his feet who had bin lame from his mothers wombe neither had he euer walked 9 This man heard Paul speak who beholding him and seeing that he had faith to be healed 10 Said with a loud voice Arise vpright vpon thy feet And he lept vp and walked 5 Marke how far foorth the holy chāpions of Christ did suffer They giue not backe when their enemies doe only set themselues against thē but when the sedition waxeth whot and they be in danger of stoning though they haue many fauourers of their doctrine they go no further but remembring the saying of Christ wherein he warneth the faithfull in patience to possesse their soules they auoide the furie of the enemie And though they flie-least they throw themselues headlong into death yet their constancie in preaching the gospel doeth sufficiently declare that they feared not danger For Luke saith that they preached the gospel in other places also This is the right kinde of feare when the seruants of Christ do not runne wilfully into the hands of their enemies of them to be murthered and yet they doe not forslow their dutie neither doth feare hinder them from obeying God when he calleth and so cōsequently they can afoord if need be to go euen through death it self to doe their dutie 8 A certaine man at Lystra Luke teciteth one myracle which wee may thinke was one of manie but there was mention made of it alone by reason of the famous euent For wee shall see by and by what happened Luke reckoneth vp the circumstances which doe more plainelie set foorth the power of God when he saith that the man did neuer walk and that he was a creeple euen from his mothers wombe and that hee was sodainly healed by the voice of Paule alone before the eyes of all men and that his legs which were dead were made nimble so that hee leapt vp whithout making any stop 9 He heard Paul speake Hearing is set down first that we may know that the faith which Luke will commend by and by was conceiued of Paul his doctrine Therefore when he heard Paul he hoped to bee healed But the question is whether this was promised to him specially for God doth not commaund vs to hope for euery thing by and by when he offereth vnto vs eternall saluation in the Gospel I answere that this was a singular and extraordinarie motion of the Spirite of God in the creeple as it was on the other side in Paul when he knew his faith by beholding him only It may be that many may receiue the Gospell and
buried there may a probable reason bee drawne thence that it pleased him that such an example of seueritie should be shewed And surely the offence of Ihon Mark was greater then it is commonly taken for He slid not backe in deed from the faith of Christ yet did he forsake his calling and was a reuolt from the same therefore it was a matter which might haue giuen euill example if he had bin streightway receiued again into the calling from which he was slid backe He had giuen himselfe ouer to serue Christ vpon this condition that he should be free no longer It was no more lawfull for him to break his promise made in this behalfe than it is for a husbande to leaue his wife or for a son to forsake his father Neither doth infirmitie excuse his vnfaithfulnes whereby the holinesse of the calling was violate And we must note that he was not altogither reiected of Paul he counted him as a brother so he woulde be content with the common order he refused to admit him vnto the commō function of teaching from whence he fell filthily through his owne fault And there is no great difference betweene these two whether he which hath offended be quite excluded from pardon or he haue onely publike honor denied him though it may be that they did both exceed measure as accidents do oftentimes mar a matter which is otherwise good It was wel done of Paul according to the right of discipline profitably not to admit him to be his companion whose inconstancy he had once tried but when he saw Barnabas so importunate he might haue yeelded to his desire We ought to make more account of the truth than of the fauor of all the whol world but it is cōuenient that we ponder wisely what great weight there is in the matter which is in hande For if in a matter of no weight or edification a man vant of his constancie prepare himselfe for the cōflict cease not to defend that vntil the end wherin he did once take delight it shal be but foolish peruerse obstinacie There was also some midle way meanes whereby Paul might haue granted somwhat to the importunatnesse of his fellow in office and yet haue not reuolted from the trueth It was not for him to flatter Mark or to cloake his offence yet was he not letted by religion but that after he had freely professed what he thought he might suffer himself to be ouercome in that matter which did neither indamage true doctrin nor indanger mans saluation which I say for this cause that we may learne to moderate our desire euen in the best causes least it passe measure and be too feruent CHAP. XVI 1 AND he came to Derbe and Lystra and behold there was there a certain disciple named Timotheus the sonne of a certaine faithfull woman a Iewesse and his father was a Grecian 2 He was well reported of by the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium 3 Paul would haue him to go with him and when he had taken him he circumcised him because of those Iewes which were in those places For they all knewe that his father was a Grecian 4 And as they passed through the Cities they deliuered to them to bee kept the decrees which were decreed by the Apostles Elders which were at Ierusalem 5 And so the Churches were confirmed in the faith and abounded in number daily 1 Luke doeth now now begin to declare what were the proceedings of Paul after that Barnabas and he were seperate And first he sheweth that he took to his company at Lystra Timothie to be his companion But to the end we may knowe that Paul did nothing rashly or without good consideration Luke saith plainely that Timothie was such a man as the brethren did well like of and that they gaue testimonie of his godlines for thus doth he speake word for word And so Paul himselfe obserueth the like choise which he elsewhere commandeth to be made in choosing ministers Neither is it to be thought that those prophecies did euen then come to light wherewith Timothie was set foorth 1. Tim. 1.18 and adorned by the spirit as Paul doth testifie elsewhere But there seemeth to be some disagreement in that 1. Tim. 3.7 in that Luke saith that Timotheus was well reported off amongst the brethren and Paul will haue him to haue a good report of those who are without who is chosen to be a Bishoppe I answere that wee must principally looke vnto the iudgement of the godly as they be sole meete witnesses and doe alone rightly discerne well and wisely according to the Spirite of God and that we ought to attribute no more to the wicked than to blind men Therefore it appeareth that godlines and holines of life must bee iudged according to the will and consent of godly men that he bee counted worthie to be a Bishop whom they commend Notwithstanding I confesse that euen this also is required in the seconde place that the verie infidels be enforced to commend him least the Church of God come in danger of their slanders and euill speaking if it committe it selfe to bee gouerned by men of euill report 3 He Circumcised him because of the Iewes Luke doth plainely expresse that Timothie was not circumcised because it was necessarie it should be so or because the religion of that signe did continue as yet but that Paul might auoid an offence Therefore there was respect had of men whereas the matter was free before God Wherefore the circumcising of Timotheus was no sacrament as was that which was giuen to Abraham and his posterie but an indifferent Ceremonie which serued only for nourishing of loue and not for any exercise of godlinesse Nowe the question is Gen. 17.13 whether it were lawfull for Paule to vse a vaine signe whose signification and force was abolished for it seemeth a vain thing when there is a departure made from the institution of God But Circumcision was commaunded by God to continue onely vntill the comming of Christ To this question I aunswere that Circumcision did so cease at the comming of Christ that notwithstanding the vse thereof was not quite abolished by and by but it continued free vntill all men might know that Christ was the end of the Law by the more manifest reuelation of the light of the Gospel And here we must note three degrees The first is that the ceremonies of the Law were so abolished by the comming of Christ that they did neither any longer appertain vnto the worship of God neither were they figures of spiritual things neither was there any necessitie to vse them The seconde is that the vse thereof was free vntill the truth of the Gospel might more plainely appeare The third that it was not lawful for the faithful to retaine them saue onely so farre forth as the vse thereof serued for edification neither was there any superstition therby fostered Though that
not hearde in the midst of the heat of the tumult If any man obiect that he doeth nowe seeke remedie too late and out of season yea that he doth catch at a vain foolish comfort when he requireth that the magistrates come themselues wee may readily answere Paul was like to fare neuer a whit the better therfore but we must marke that he meant nothing lesse then to prouide for his owne priuate commoditie but that he might ease the brethren somwhat afterward that the magistrates might not be so bold as to rage so freely against the good innoceÌ„t brethren Because he had gotteÌ„ their heads vnder his girdle he translated his right to help the brethren that they might be born with This was the cause for which he did chide theÌ„ And so Paul did wisely vse the opportunitie offred him as we must neglect nothing which may make for the brideling of the enimies that they take not to theÌ„selues so much libertie to oppresse or vexe the innocent forasmuch as the Lord bringeth to our haÌ„ds such helps not in vain notwithstanding let vs remember that if we haue byn iniuried in any thing we must not repay iniuries but we must only indeuour to stay their lust least they hurt others in like sort 38 They were afraâ—d because they were Romanes They are not once moued with the other point because they had handled innocentes cruelly without discretion and yet that was the greater reproch But because they did not feare that any man would punish them they were not moued with Gods iudgement this is the cause that they doe carelesly passe ouer that which was obiected concerning iniurie done by theÌ„ only they are afraid of the officers of the Romans least they shuld be beheaded for violating the libertie in the body of a citizen They knewe that this was death if any of the chiefe gouernours shoulde commit it then what should become of the officers of one free citie Such is the feare of the wicked because they haue an amazed conscience before God they doe long time flatter themselues in all sinnes vntill the punishment of men hang ouer their heads 40 When they saw c. They were desired to part presently yet it became them to regard the brethren least the tender seede of the Gospell should perish vndoubtedly they would haue taried longer if they had been suffered but the praieres requests of the magistrates were imperious armed which they are inforced to obey Neuertheles they foreslow not their necessary duty but they exhort the brethreÌ„ to be coÌ„stant And wheras they went straight to Lydia it is a token that though the church wer increased yet that womaÌ„ was the chief eueÌ„ of a great nuÌ„ber as touching diligeÌ„ce in duties of godlines that appeareth more plainly therby because al the godly wer assembled in her house CHAP. XVII 1 ANd when they had iourneyed through Amphipolis and Appolonia they came to Thessalonica where was a Synagogue of the Iewes 2 And as his maner was Paul entred in vnto them three Sabbothes disputed with them out of the scriptures 3 Opening and alleaging that Christ must haue suffred and rise againe from the dead and that this is Christ whom saith he I preach to you 4 And certaine of them beleeued and were ioyned to Paule and Silas of religious Grecians a great multitude and of chiefe women not a few 1 They came to Thessalonica We know not why Paul atteÌ„pted nothing at Amphipolis Apollonia which were notwithstaÌ„ding famous cities as appeareth by Plinie saue only because he followed the spirit of God as his guide took occasion by the present matter as occasion was offered to speake or hold his peace peraduenture he did also assay to do some good there but because it was without any good successe therfore Luke passeth ouer it And wheras being beaten at Philippos scarce escaping out of great danger he preacheth Christ at Thessalonica it appeareth therby how coragious he was to keep the course of his calling and how bold he was euer now then to enter into new dangers This so inuincible fortitude of minde such patient induring of the crosse doe sufficiently declare that Paul laboured not after the maner of meÌ„ but that he was furnished with the heaueÌ„ly power of the spirit And this was also woÌ„derful patieÌ„ce in him in that entring in vnto the Iewes whose vnbridled frowardnes he had so often tried he procedeth to procure their saluation But because he knew that Christ was giuen to the Iewes for saluation that hee himself was made an Apostle vpon this condition that he shuld preach repeÌ„tance faith first to the Iewes then to the Gentiles coÌ„mitting the successe of his labor to the Lord he obeyeth his coÌ„mandment thogh he had no great hope to do good He semed before to haue taken his last farewel of the Iews wheÌ„ he said It was behoueful that the kingdom of god shuld be first preached to you but because ye receiue it not behold we turne to the Gentiles but that harder sentence must be restrayned to that company who had wickedly reiected the Gospel when it was offred vnto them made themselues vnworthy the grace of God And toward the natioÌ„ it self Paul ceasseth not to do his embassage by which example we be taught that we ought to make so greate account of the calling of God that no vnthaÌ„kfulnes of men may be able to hinder vs but that we proceed to be careful for their saluatioÌ„ so long as the Lord appointeth vs to bee their ministers And it is to bee thought that euen nowe there were some who on the first sabb … refused sound doctrine but their frowardnes did not hinder him but that he came againe vpon other Sabbothes 2 He disputed Luke setteth down first what was the sum of the dlsputatioÌ„ to wit that Iesus the son of Mary is Christ who was promised in times past in the law the prophets who by the sacrifice of his death did make satisfactioÌ„ for the sins of the world brought righteousnes life by his resurrectioÌ„ secoÌ„dly how he proued that which he taught Let vs haÌ„dle this second member first Luke saith that he disputed out of the scriptures therfore the proofes of fayth must beâ—fet froÌ„ the mouth of god alone If we dispute about matters which coÌ„cern meÌ„ theÌ„ let human resoÌ„s take place but in the doctrine of faith the authority of God alone must reigne and vppon it must we depend All men confesse that this is true that we must stay our selues vppon God alone yet there be but a few which heare him speake in the scriptures But and if that maxime take place among vs that the scripture commeth of God the rule either of teaching or of learning ought to be taken no where els Whereby it doth also appeare with what diuelishe furie the papists are driuen when they denie that there can any
If afterward I examine and search the scriptures more throughly I shal finde other testimonies oftentimes which shal not onely help my faith but also encrease it and establish it that it may be more sure and setled In like sort as concerning vnderstanding faith is increased by reading the Scriptures If any man obiect againe that those men doe attribute but small authoritie to Pauls doctrine who search the scriptures whither these things be so I answere that such are the proceedings of faith that they sometimes seeke for that in the Scripture whereof they are alreadie perswaded by God and haue the inward testimonie of the spirite And Luke doth not say that the faith of the Thessalonians was in all points perfect but he doth onely declare how they were brought to Christ and how they did profite in faith vntill the absolute building of godlines might he erected among them 12 And many beleeued This is not referred vnto the sentence next going before as if those of whom he spake beganne to beleeue making choise of some of them for that were an absurde thing But Luke his meaning is because many were added by their example the Church was increased in that Citie And hitherto hath Luke declared the first beginning of the Church of Thessalonica least any man should thinke that Pauls labours did perish through his sodain and violent departure for vnles I be much deceiued he sheweth for this purpose what fruit his preaching brought forth in the other Citie before he came to the exile of Berrhea 13 And when the Iewes We see how the Iewes were carried to and fro with such hatred of the Gospel as coulde neuer be appeased For they doe not onely expell Christ suriously when hee is offered vnto them at home but when they heare that he is preached elsewhere they run thither like madde men But we must not so much in this place consider the furie of the nation as the desperate malice of Satan who pricketh forward those which be his to trouble the kingdome of Christ and to destroy mans saluation he vseth them as fannes to raise sedition Wherfore let vs know that when at this day so many furious enimies doe set themselues against the faithfull ministers of Christ it is not men which procure the war but it is Satan the father of lying who doth goe about all these things that he may ouerthrow the kingdome of Christ And though there be not alwayes the same forme in fighting encountring yet will Sathan neuer cease to make weary those whom hee knoweth to serue Christ faithfully either with open war or secreat lying in waite Iohn 8.44 or domesticall cumbates 16 And as Paul waited for them at Athens his Spirit was sore grieued in him forasmuch as he saw the Citie giuen to idolatrie 17 Therefore he disputed in the Synagogue with the Iewes and religious men and in the market daily with those which light vpon him 18 And certaine Epicures and Philosophers of the stoickes disputed with him and some said What will this Babler say And othersome He seemeth to be a declarer of new “ or gods diuels because he preached to them Iesus and the resurrection 19 And when they had caught him they led him to Mars street saying May we know what new doctrine this is which thou vtterest 20 For thou bringest certaine new things to our eares Therefore we will know what these things meane 21 And all the men of Athens and the straungers which were there gaue themselues to nothing else but to speake or heare some new thing 16 Was sore grieued Though Paul whither soeuer he came did stoutly execute that function of teaching which he knewe was inioyned him yet Luke sheweth that he was more incensed and moued at Athens because he saw idolatrie reigne more there then in any other place for the most part The whole world was then full of Idols the pure worship of God could be found no where and there were euerie where innumerable monsters of superstitions but Satan had made the Citie of Athens more mad than any other Citie so that the people thereof were carried headlong with greater madnes vnto their wicked peruerse rites And this example is worth the noting that the Citie which was the mansion house of wisedome the fountaine of all arts the mother of humanitie did exceed all other in blindnes and madnes We know with what commendations wittie and learned men did set forth the same and she had conceiued so great good liking of her selfe that shee counted those rude whom she had not pullished But the holy Ghost condemning the whole world of ignorance and blockishnes saith that those masters of liberall sciences were bewitched with an vnwonted madnes Whence we gather what mans wit can do in matters which concerne God Neither neede we doubt of this but that the Lord suffered the men of Athens to fal into extreme madnes that all the worlde might learne by them and that they might teach all ages that the foresight and wit of mans minde being holpen with learning and instruction doeth altogither dote and is meere foolishnes when it commeth to the kingdome of God They had vndoubtedly their cloakes and colours wherewith they did excuse their worshippings how preposterous and corrupt so euer they were And yet notwithstanding it is certain that they did not onely deceiue men with childish and friuolous toies but that they themselues were deluded shamefully with grosse and filthie iugglings as if they were depriued of common sense were altogither blockish and brutish And as we learne what manner religion proceedeth from mans vnderstanding and that mans wisedome is nothing else but a shop of all errours so we may know that the men of Athens being drunke with their owne pride did erre more filthilie than the rest The antiquitie the pleasantnesse and bewtie of the Citie did puffe them vp so that they did boast that the Gods came thence Therefore forasmuch as they did pull downe God from heauen that they might make him an inhabitant of their citie it was meete that they should be thrust downe into the nethermost hell Howsoeuer it be the vanitie of mans wisedome is here marked with eternal infamie by the Spirit of God because where it was principally resident there was the darknes more thicke idolatry did reigne most of al there and satan carried mens minds too and fro more freely by his mockes iugling Now let vs come vnto Paul Luke saieth forasmuch as hee saw the Cittie so giuen to Idolatrie his Spirite waxed hote or was moued where he doth not attribute vnto him indignation onely neither doeth he onely say that he was offended with that spectacle but he expresseth the vnwonted heat of holy anger which sharpned his zeale so that he did addresse himselfe more feruently vnto the worke And here we must note two things For in that Paul was wroth when he saw the name of God wickedly prophaned
they goe about to make of none effect shal so gird them that they shall at length perceiue that they haue striuen in vaine with their snare And no maruel if this point of Paul his doctrine were derided at Athens For it is a mystery hid from mens minds wheron the chiefest Philosophers did neuer thinke neither can we otherwise comprehend it then when we lift vp the eies of faith vnto the infinite power of God And yet Paul his sermon was not altogether without fruite because there were some of the hearers which were desirous to profit and go forward For when they say that they wil heare him againe their meaning is that though they were not as yet throughly persuaded yet had they some tast which did prouoke them to be desirous to profit Surely this desire was contrary to lothsomnes 34 Among whom was also Dionisius Seing that Luke doth name one man and one woman onely it appeareth that there was but a small number of those which beleeued at the first For those other of whom he maketh mention remained indifferent Because they did neither wholly despise Paul his doctrine neither were they so throughly touched that they ioyned them selues vnto him that they might be his schollers Luke maketh mention of Dionisius aboue the rest because hee was in no small authoritie among his Citizens Therefore it is likelie that Damaris was also a woman of some renowne Furthermore it is ridiculous in that the papistes made of a Iudge an Astrologer But this is to be imputed partly to their ignorance partly to their boldnesse who seeing they knewe not what Areopagus or Mars streete meant tooke to themselues libertie to feigne whatsoeuer they woulde And their rudenesse is too grosse who ascribe the bookes of the heauenly and ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and of the names of God to this Dionysius For the heauenly Hierarchie is stuffed not onelie with manie doltish and moonkish trifles but also with many absurd inuentions and wicked speculations And the bookes of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie doe themselues declare that they were made many yeeres after when as the puritie of christianitie was corrupt with an huge heape of ceremonies As for the Booke of the names of GOD though it haue in it some thinges which are not altogether to bee despised yet it doeth rather breath out subtilties then sounde godlinesse CHAP. XVIII 1 AFter this Paule departed from Athens and came to Corinthus 2 And hauing gotten a certaine Iewe called Aquila borne in Pontus who came lately from Italy and Priscilla his wife because Claudius had commanded al Iewes to depart from Rome he came vnto them 3 And because he was of the same craft he abode with them and wrought and they were tent makers 4 And he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabboth day and perswaded both Iewes and Greekes 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paul was forced in the Spirit testifying to the Iewes that Iesus was Christ. 1 This historie is worthy to bee remembred euen for this one cause because it containeth the first beginning of the Church of Corinthus which as it was famous for good causes both bicause of the multitude of men also because of the excellent gifts bestowed vpon them so there were in it grosse and shamefull vices Furthermore Luke sheweth in this place with what great labor and how hardly Paul did winne the same to Christ It is well knowne what a rich Cittie Corinthus was by reason of the noble mart how populous how greatly giuen to pleasure And the old prouerbe doth testifie that it was sumptuous and ful of riot All men cannot goe to Corinthus When Paul entreth the same what hope I pray you can he conceiue He is a simple man vnknowne hauing no eloquence or pomp shewing no wealth or power In that that huge gulph doth not swallow vp his confidence and desire which he had to spreade abroad the Gospel by this we gather that hee was furnished with wonderfull power of the Spirite of God and also that God wrought by his hand after a heauenly maner and not after any humane maner Wherefore he boasteth not without cause that the Corinthians are the seale of his Apostleship For they be twise blind 1. Cor. 9.2 who doe not acknowledge that the glory of God did more plainely appeare in such a simple base kind of dealing and he himself shewed no smal token of inuincible constancie when being vexed with the mockes of all men as the proude did contemne him he did notwithstanding stay himselfe vppon Gods helpe alone But it is worth the labour to note all the circumstances as Luke setteth downe the same in order 2 A Iew called Aquila This was no small triall in that Paule findeth none at Corinthus to lodge him saue Aquila who had bin twise exiled For being borne in Pontus he forsooke his countrie and sailed ouer the sea that he might dwell at Rome Hee was compelled to depart thence againe by the commandement of Claudius Caesar Though the commodiousnes of the Citie was such the plentie so great the situation so pleasant and there were also so many Iewes there yet Paul founde no more fit hoast than a man that had bin banished out of his owne countrie and also out of another soile If we compare the great fruite which ensued immediatly vpon his preaching with such a base entrance the power of the Spirit of God shall plainly appeare Also we may see howe the Lord by his singular counsell turneth those things to his glorie and the saluation of the godly which seeme contrary to the flesh and vnhappie Nothing is more miserable than exile according to the sense of the flesh But it was farre better for Aquila to be Paul his companion than to be in the highest office either at Rome or in his countrie Therfore this happie calamitie of Aquila doth teach vs that the Lord doeth often better prouide for vs when he doeth sharply punish vs than if he should most gently intreat vs and when he tosseth vs to and fro in most extreme exile that he may bring vs vnto the heauenly rest All Iewes to depart from Rome The estate of that nation was then very miserable so that it is a wonder that they did not almost all depart from the worship of God But this is a greater wonder that the religion wherin they had bin brought vp preuailed against Caesars tyranny and that so soone as Christ the sunne of righteousnesse did arise few were turned vnto him Notwithstāding I do not doubt but that the Lord suffered thē to passe through many troubles that they might the more willingly yea the more greedily receiue the grace of redemption offered them but the more part became dull in their miserie fewe did submit themselues to be taught when the Lord did punish them as did Aquila and Priscilla Yet if Suetonius say the truth they were expelled through hatred of the name of Christ and so
their cauil is sufficiently refuted by Luke For seeing there was nothing more stubborn then the Iewes we need not to feare but that those weapons wherto Apollos trusted and ouercame them shal suffice vs against all heretikes seeing that by them we get the victorie of the diuell the prince of all errours CHAP. XIX 1 And it came to passe when Apollos was at Corinthus that Paul hauing gone through the vpper partes came to Ephesus and hauing found certaine disciples he said vnto them 2 Haue ye receiued the holy ghost since ye beleeued But they said vnto him yea wee haue not so much as heard whether there be any holy ghost 3 And he said vnto them wherewith were yee then baptised And they sayde with the Baptisme of Iohn 4 And Paul said Iohn truely baptized with the baptisme of repentance speaking to the people that they should beleeue in him who should come after him that is in Christ Iesus 5 When they hearde these thinges they were baptised in the name of the Lorde Iesus 6 And when Paul had laide his handes vpon them the holy Ghost came vppon them and they spake with tongues and did prophecie 7 And all the men were about twelue 1 Luke sheweth here that the Church of Ephesus was not only confirmed and increased by Paul his returne but also that there was a miracle wrought there because the visible graces of the spirite were gyuen to certaine rude and newe Disciples Furthermore it not knowen whether they were inhabitauntes of the citie or straungers neyther doth it greatly skill It is not to bee doubted but that they were Iewes because they had receiued the Baptisme of Iohn also it is to be thought that they dwelt at Ephesus when Paule founde them there 2 Whether they had receiued the holie Ghost The end of the history doth shew that Paul doth not speake in this place of the spirite of regeneration but of the special gifts which God gaue to diuers at the beginning of the Gospel for the common edifying of the Church But now vppon this interrogation of Paule ariseth a question whether the spirit were common to all euerie where at that time For if he were giuen onely to a fewe why doth he ioine him with faith as if they were so linked together that they could not be separate Peraduenture they were none of the common sort or because they were an indifferent number that is twelue Paul demaundeth whether they were all without the giftes of the spirite Notwithstanding I thinke thus that so manye Iewes were offered in presence of the Gentiles not by chaunce but by the counsaile of God and that at one time beeyng Disciples that is of the number of the faithfull who did notwithstanding confesse that they were ignorant of the principal glory of the gospel which was apparant in spirituall giftes that by them Paul his ministerie might be beautified and set foorth For it is vnlike that Apollos lefte so few Disciples at Ephesus and he might haue taught them better sithence that hee learned the waye of the Lorde perfectly of Priscilla and Aquila Moreouer I doe not doubt but that the brethren of whom Luke spake before were other then these In summe when Paul seeth that these men doe professe the name of Christ to the end he may haue a more certaine triall of their faith he asketh them whether they haue receiued the holy Ghost For it appeareth by Paul himself that this was a signe token of the grace of God to establish the credite of doctrine I would know of you whether yee receiued the holy ghost by the workes of the law Gal. 3.2 or by the hearing of faith Wee knowe not whether there bee anie holie Ghost Howe could it be that men being Iewes heard nothing of the spirite concerning which the prophetes speake euery where and whose commendations and titles are extaunt in the whole Scripture Surely wee gather by this that Paule did neither speake generally of the Spirite and that these menne as they were asked did denie that they knewe those visible graces wherewith GOD had beautified the kingdome of his sonne Therefore they confesse that they knowe not whether God giue such giftes Therefore there is in the woorde Spirite the figure Metonymia And this sense doth that confirme that if they had altogether denied that they knew any thing concerning the spirite of God Paul woulde not haue passed ouer with silence such a grosse errour yea an errour altogether monstrous When he demaundeth to what ende or ho◠they were baptised hee sheweth therewithall that wheresoeuer Christ had been soundly and throughly preached the visible graces did also appeare that suche woorship might be common to all Churches Wherefore no maruell if Paul woonder that the faithful are ignoraunt of such glorie of Christ which God woulde haue to bee apparant euery where at that time and adding a correction immediatly he telleth them that they must not stay in those rudiments which they had learned because it was Iohn his office to prepare Disciples for Christ 4 Iohn truelie Paul his admonition tended to this end that these mē being conuict of their ignorance might desire to goe forward He sayth that Iohn preached of Christ who was to come Therfore he sēt out his disciples that running in the course they might goe toward Christ who was not as yet reuealed Wherfore to the end these mē may not flatter thēselues refuse to go forward he sheweth that they be yet far frō the marke For the feeling of want doth enforce men to desire that which is as yet lacking The summe commeth to this end as if Paul had said Before Christ was glorified this power of his did not appeare in the world whē he was ascēded into heauē he wold haue his kingdō to florish thus Therfore the graces of the spirit were much lesse shedde out when Iohn was as yet in the course of his ambassage which doe nowe declare that Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father Forasmuch as he had not as then openly shewed himself to be the redeemer of the world Therefore know yee that you must goe farther forward because yee be farre from the marke So that hee doeth plainely shewe that the faith of the godly who had beene taught by Iohn ought to haue looked vnto Christ who was to come least these men should stand still being newly entred without going any farther And euen by this also are we taught that the Baptisme of Iohn was a token of Repentance and remission of sinnes and that our Baptisme at this day doth not differ any thing from it saue onely that Christ is alreadie reuealed and in his death and resurrection our saluation is made perfect and so Baptisme was brought vnto his effect because out of that fountaine of Christes death and resurrection whereof I haue spoken floweth repentance and thither is faith referred againe that it may thence fet free righteousnes In summe Paule sheweth plainely
confession of a sure faith as are they in their filthie errour For wee see what the Spirit of God prescribeth vnto vs by the mouth of Dauid Psal 106.10 I beleeued and therefore will I speake 35 And when the towne clarke had pacified the multitude he saide Yee men of Ephesus what man is he that knoweth not that the Citie of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddesse Diana and of the image that came down from Iupiter 36 And seing these things are out of question you must bee quiet and doe nothing rashly 37 For yee haue brought men which are neither Churchrobbers nor yet blasphemers of your goddesse 38 But and if Demetrius and the craftsmen that are with him haue a matter against any man there be open assemblies and there be deputies let them accuse one another 39 But and if there be any other matter in question it shal be decided in a lawfull assemblie 40 For it is to bee doubted least wee be accused of this dayes sedition seeing there is no cause whereby we may giue a reason of this concourse And when he had thus spoken he let the assembly depart 35 Luke sheweth in this place that the tumult was so appeaâ—ed that yet notwithstanding superstition preuailed with the madde people and the truth of God was not heard For the town clarke as politike meÌ„ vse to do counteth it sufficient for him if he can by any meanes appease the outragious multitude Neuerthelesse the cause it selfe is oppressed He saw vndoubtedly Demetrius his malice and howe hee had troubled the citie abusing the pretence of religion for his owne priuate gain but he toucheth not that wound which he knew to be vnknowen to the vnskilful Neuerthelesse to the end he may stay the vproare contention he extolleth the feigned power of Diana maintaineth her superstitious worship If Paul had been in the common place at that time hee would rather haue suffered death an hundreth times then haue suffered himselfe to be deliuered from daunger paying so deare for it For thogh the towne clarke had not been by him commaunded to speake thus yet it should haue been treacherous dissimulation in a publike witnesse and preacher of heauenly doctrine The Scribe affirmeth that the Image which the Ephesians did worship came downe from heauen and that Paul and his companions spake no blasphemie against their goddesse Could he haue holden his peace but he must needs by his silence haue alowed his false excuse And this had been to shake hands with idolatry Therefore it was not without cause that Luke said before that Paul was kept backe by the brethren and not suffered to enter into the common place 37 Men which are neither church robbers Hee doeth both truly and well denie that they be churchrobbers but he doth shortly after falslie define the kinde of churchrobberie to speake blasphemously against Diana For seeing that all superstition is profane and polluted it followeth that those be sacrilegious persons who translate the honour which is due to God alone vnto Idols But the wisedome of the towne clarke and that carnall is heere commended and not his godlinesse For hee had respect vnto this alone to extinguish the heat of the vprore therfore doth he at length conclude if Demetrius haue any priuate matter there be iudgement seates and Magistrates And that publike affayres must be handeled in a lawfull and not in a disordered assemblie in an assembly gathered by the commaundement of the magistrates and not in a concourse which is without consideration runne together through the motion of one man and to satisfie his appetite He calleth them deputies in the plurall number not that Asia had more then one but because Legates did sometimes keep courtes in the place of the deputies Also he appeaseth them by putting them in feare because the deputie had occasion offered to punish and fine the citie sore CHAP. XX. 1 AND after the tumult was ceased when Paul had called vnto him the disciples and had imbraced them he tooke his iourney that hee might goe into Macedonia 2 And when he had walked through those partes and had with much speech exhorted them he came into Grecia 3 And when he had spent three monethes there when the Iewes laid in wait for him as he was about to loose into Syria he purposed to returne through Macedonia 4 And there accompanied him vnto Asia Sopater of Berrhea and of the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus and Caius of Derbie and Timotheus and of Asia Tichichus and Trophimus 5 When these were gone before they stayed for vs at Troas 6 And we sailed away after the day of sweet bread from Philippi and came to them to Troas within fiue dayes where we staied seuen daies 1 Luke declareth in this chapter how Paul loosing from Asia did againe crosse the Seas to goe to Ierusalem And though whatsoeuer is written in this narration bee worthie of most diligent meditation and marking yet doth it need no long exposition It appeareth that the church was preserued in saftie by the wonderfull power of God amidst those troublesome tumults The church of Ephesus was as yet slender weake the faithfull hauing had experience of a sodaine motion once might for iust causes feare least like stormes should euer now and then arise We need not doubt that Paul did with much ado depart from theÌ„ yet because greater necessitie doth draw him vnto another place hee is enforced to leaue his sonnes who were lately begotten and had as yet scarce escaped shipwracke in the midst of the raging Sea As for them though they be very loth to forgo Paul yet least they do iniurie to other churches they do not keepe him back nor stay him So that wee see that they were not wedded to themselues but that they were carefull for the kingdome of Christ that they might prouide as well for their brethren as for themselues We must diligently note these examples that one of vs may studie to help another in this miserable dispearsing but if it so fall out at any time that we be bereft of profitable helps let vs not dout nor wauer knowing that God doth hold the helme of our ship And we must also note this that Paul doth not depart vntill he haue saluted the Brethren but doth rather strengthen them at his departure As Luke sayeth straightway of the Macedonians that Paul exhorted them with many wordes that is not ouerfieldes as if it were sufficient to put them onely in minde of their dutie but as he commaundeth els where that others shoulde doe hee vrged importunately and beate in throughly things which were needfull to bee knowen that they might neuer bee forgotten 2. Tim. 4.2 3 Because the Iewes laid wait for him The Lord did exercise his seruant so diuersly and continually that hee set before vs in him an example of most excelleÌ„t constancy It is not sufficieÌ„t for him to be wearied with the labour and trouble
applying a remedie doth forthwith rid the minds of his of all perturbation 10 He lay downe vpon him We know that the Apostles in working miracles did sometimes vse certaine externall rites whereby they might giue the glorie to God the authour And nowe whereas Paul doeth stretch himselfe vppon the young man I thinke it was done to no other end saue onely that he might more stirre vp himselfe vnto prayer It is all one as if he should mixe himselfe with the dead man And peraduenture this was done for the imitation of Elizeus of whom the sacred historie doth report the same thing Yet the vehemencie of his affection did more moue him that the emulation of the Prophet For that stretching of himselfe vpon him doeth more prouoke him to craue his life with all his heart at the handes of the Lorde So when he embraceth the bodie of the dead man by this gesture he declared that hee offered it to God to be quickned and out of the text wee may gather that hee did not depart from imbracing it vntill he knew that the life was restored againe Bee yee not troubled We must note that Paul tooke great care principally for this cause least that sorowfull euent should shake the faith of the godlie and should trouble their mindes Neuerthelesse the Lorde did as it were seale vp establishe that last Sermon which Paul made at Troas when he sayeth that his soule is in him hee doeth not denie that he was dead because by this meanes he should extinguish the glorie of the myracle but the meaning of these wordes is that his life was restored through the grace of God I doe not restraine that which followeth to wit that they wer greatly comforted vnto the ioy which they had by reason of the young man which was restored to life but I do also comprehend the confirmation of faith seeing God gaue them such an excellent testimony of his loue 13 When wee had taken shippe It is vncertain why Paul did choose rather to goe by lande whether it were because sayling might be to him troublesome or that as he did passe by hee might visite the brethren I think that hee did then eschew the seas for his healthes sake And his curtesie is greately to bee commended in that he spared hys companions For to what ende did hee suffer them to departe saue onelie that hee might ease them of the trouble So that we see that they did striue among them selues in curtesie and good turnes They were ready and willing to doe their duetie but Paul was so farre from requiring thinges streitly at their handes that of his owne accord and curteously he did remit those dueties which they were readie to doe yea setting aside his own cōmodity he cōmāded them to do that which was for their comfort It is well knowen that the citie Asson is by the describers of countries attributed to Troas The same as Plinie doeth witnesse was called Appolonia They say that it was a free Citie of the Aetolianes 14 And when we were come togither at Asson hauing receiued him we came to Mitylenes 15 And sailing thence the day following we came ouer against Chios and on the morrow we arriued at Samos and hauing tarried at Trogyllium we came to Miletum 16 For Paul purposed to saile beyond Ephesus least he should spend the time in Asia For he made hast if it were possible for him to keepe the day of Pentecost at Ierusalem 17 And hauing sent messengers from miletum to Ephesus he called the Elders of the Church 18 Who when they were come to him he said vnto them Yee know from the first day wherein I entred into Asia how I haue bin with you at all seasons 19 Seruing the Lord with all humilitie of minde with many teares temptations which hapned to me by the laying in wait of the Iewes 20 So that I haue kept nothing back which might bee for your profite but did shew to you and teach you publikely and through euery house 21 Testifiyng both to the Iewes and Grecians the repentance which is towarde God and the faith which is toward our Lord Iesus Christ 16 For Paul purposed It is not to be douted but that he had great weightie causes to make hast not that he made so great account of the day but because strangers did thē vse to come together to Ierusalē out of al quarters Forasmuch as he did hope that he might doe som good in such a great assembly he would not foreslow the opportunitie Therfore let vs know that the worship of the law was not the cause that he made so great hast but he set before his eyes the edifying of the church partly that he might shew to the faithfull that the kingdome of Christ was enlarged partly that if there were any as yet strangers from Christ hee might gaine them partly that he might stoppe the mouthes of the wicked Notwithstāding we must note that he did in the meane season prouide for other churches For in sēding for the elders of Ephesus to Miletum he sheweth that he did not neglect Asia And whereas they come together when they be called it is not only a token of concord but also of modestie For they were manie yet doeth it not irke them to obeye one Apostle of Christe whome they knewe to bee indued with singular giftes Moreouer it appereth more plainely by the text that those are called elders not which were gray headed but such as were rulers of the Church And it is an vsual thing almost in all tongues that those be called elders fathers who are appointed to gouern others though their age be not alwaies according 18 Yee knowe Paul in this sermon standeth principally vpon this that he may exhort those pastours of Ephesus by his owne example to doe their duetie faithfully For that is the true kinde of censure and by this meanes is authority purchased to doctrine whē the teacher prescribeth nothing which he himselfe hath not done in deed before And it was no vnseemly thing for Paul to speake of his vertues There is nothing lesse tollerable in the seruauntes of Christ then ambyrion and vanity but for as much as all men know full well what modestie and humility was in the holie man hee needed not to feare least he shoulde incurre the suspition of vayne boasting especially seeing that beyng inforced by necessitie he did declare his faithfulnesse and diligence that other might take example thereby He doth in deede greatly extoll his labours patience fortitude and other vertues but to what ende Surely not that he may purchase commendation at the hands of his auditory but that this holy exhortation may pearce more deeply and may sticke fast in their myndes He did also shoote at another marke that his integritie and vprightnesse in dealing might serue afterward to commende his doctrine And he citeth eie witnesses least he seem to speake of things vnknowen I call those
so often as they come vnto them and that they must not refuse priuate admonitions For they bee rather Beares then sheep who do not vouchsafe to heare the voice of their pastour vnlesse he bee in the pulpit and cannot abide to bee admonished and reproued at home yea doe furiously refuse that necessarie dutie 21 Testifying both to Iewes Descending nowe vnto the thyrde poynt he setteth downe the summe of this doctrine in a fewe woords to witte that he exhorted all menne vnto faith and repentaunce as it was sayde before that The Gospell consisteth vpon these two points onely Whence wee doe also gather wherein the true edifying of the Church doth properly consist the care and burthen whereof doeth lie vppon the Pastours shoulders and wherevnto wee must applie all our studie if wee be desirous to profite profitably in Gods schoole We haue already saide that the woorde of God is profaned when the readers of the same doe occupie themselues in friuolous questions But to the end we may not reade the same wanderingly we must note aime at this double mark which the Apostle setteth before vs. For whosoeuer he be that turneth vnto anie other thing in taking greate paynes hee shall doe nothing else but walke in a circuite By the woorde Testifie he expresseth greater vehememencie as if he shoulde haue sayde that by â—â—â—ifying he did commend that the excuse of ignorance might not remaine For he alludeth vnto the custome vsed in Courts where testifying is vsed to take away all doubt As men are not onely to be taught but also to be constrained to embrace saluation in Christ and to addict themselues to God to leade a new life And though he affirme that hee was wanting to none yet doth he place the Iewes in the first place because as the Lord had preferred them in the degree of honor before the Gentiles so it was meete that Christ and his grace shoulde bee offered them vntill they should quite fall away Repentance toward God We must first note the distinction of faith and Repentance which some doe falsely and vnskilfully confounde saying that repentance is a part of faith I grant in deede that they cannot bee seperate because God doth illuminate no man with the Spirit of faith whom he doth not also regenerate vnto newnesse of life Yet they must needs be distinguished as Paul doth in this place For Repentance is a turning vnto God when wee frame our selues and all our life to obey him but faith is a receiuing of the grace offered vs in Christ For all religion tendeth to this end that imbracing holinesse and righteousnes we serue the Lord purely also that wee seeke no part of our saluation any where els saue only at his hands and that we seek saluation in Christ aloue Therefore the doctrine of repentance containeth a rule of good life it requireth the deniall of our selues the mortifying of our flesh and meditating vpon the heauenly life But because we be all naturally corrupt strangers from righteousnesse and turned away from God himself againe because we flie from God because we know that he is displeased with vs the meanes as well to obtaine free reconciliation as newnesse of life must be set before vs. Therefore vnlesse fath be added it is in vain to speake of repentance yea those teachers of repentance who neglecting faith stand only vpon the framing of life precepts of good works differ nothing or very little from profane Philosophers They teach how men must liue but forasmuch as they leaue men in their nature there can no bettering be hoped for thence vntill they inuite those who are lost vnto hope of saluation vntill they quicken the dead promising forgiuenes of sinnes vntill they shewe that God doth by his free adoption take those for his children who were before bonslaues of Satan vntill they teach that the spirit of regeneration must be begged at the haÌ„ds of the heauenly father that we must draw godlines righteousnes goodnes from him who is the fountaine of all good things And herevppon followeth calling vpon God which is the chiefest thing in the woorship of God We see now how that repentance and faith are so linked together that they cannot be separate For it is faith which reconcileth God to vs not only that he may be fauorable vnto vs by acquitting vs of the guiltines of death by not imputing to vs our sinnes but also that by purging the filthinesse of our fleshe by his spirite hee may fashion vs again after his owne image He doth not therfore name repentance in the former place as if it did wholly goe before faith for as much as a part therof proceedeth from faith and is and effect thereof but because the beginning of repentaunce is a preparation vnto faith I call the d … sing of our selues the beginning which doth inforce vs after we bee throughly touched with the feare of the wrath of God to seeke some remedie Faith toward Christ It is not without cause that the scripture doeth euery where make Christ the marke whereat our faith must ayme and as they say commonly set him before vs as the obiect For the maiesty of God is of it self higher then that men can climb thervnto Therfore vnlesse Christ come between al our senses do vanish away in seeking God Againe in as much as he is the iudge of the world it must needes bee that the beholding of him without Christ shal make vs afraid But God doth not only represent himself vnto vs in Christ his image but also refresh vs with his fatherly fauour by al meanes restore vs to life For there is no part of our saluation which may not bee found in Christ By the sacrifice of his death he hath purged our sins hee hath suffered the punishmeÌ„t that he might acquit vs he hath made vs clean by his blood by his obedience he hath appeased his fathers wrath by his resurrectioÌ„ he hath purchased righteousnes for vs. No maruel therefore if we sayd that faith must be fixed in the beholding of Christ 22 And behold I goe now bounde in the spirit to Ierusalem not knowing what things shall befall me there 23 Saue onely that the holy Ghost doth witnes throughout euery citie saying that bonds and afflictions are prepared for me 24 But I care not neither is my life deare to me that I maye finishe my course with ioye and the ministery which I haue receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God 25 And now behold I know that after this ye shall not see my face al you through whom I haue gone preaching the kingdome of God 26 Wherefore I take you to record this daye that I am cleane from the blood of all men 27 For I haue kepte nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God 22 And behold He declareth now more fully to what end hee intreated of his vpright dealing to wit because
token when a man is more bent to giue then to take Neither did Christ speake only politikelie as if those who are liberall are therefore blessed because they binde other men vnto them with their benefites and it is a kinde of bondage to owe anie thing but he had respect vnto an higher thing because he which giueth to the poore Prou. 19.17 lendeth vnto the Lorde that those be faithful and good stewardes of God who impart to their brethren some of that plentie which they haue lent them that men drawe neerer vnto God in nothing then in liberalitie We doe also reade these titles of liberality in profane Authours and a good part of the worlde confesse that these things are true but they cōsent as it is in the prouerb with Asses eares For the common life doth shewe howe few be perswaded that nothing ought more to be wished then that we bestow our goods to helpe our brethren For which cause the Disciples of Christ must more studiously thinke vpon this felicitie that abstaining so much as in them lieth frō that which is an other mans they accustome themselues to giue And yet they must not doe this with an hawty heart as if it were a miserable thing for them to be in any mans danger either through ambition that they may binde other men to them but onely that they may exercise themselues willingly in the duties of loue and by this meanes make knowne the grace of their Adoption 36 And kneeling downe The inward affection is in deed the chiefest thing in prayer yet the external signes as kneeling vncouering of the head lifting vp of the hands haue a double vse the first is that we exercise all our members to the glorie and worship of God secondly that by this exercise our sluggishnes may be awaked as it were There is also a thirde vse in solemne and publike prayer because the children of God do by this meanes make profession of their godlinesse and one of them doth prouoke another vnto the reuerence of God And as the lifting vp of the hands is a token of boldnesse and of an earnest desire so to testifie our humilitie wee fall downe vpon our knees But he sealeth vp and concludeth that sermon which he made before with prayer because we can hope for no profite of our doctrine saue onely from the blessing of God Wherefore if we be desirous to do any good by teaching admonishing exhorting let vs alwayes end after this sort to wit with prayer 37 Great weeping No maruell if all the godly did intirely loue this holy man For it had been a point of too grosse vnthankfulnesse to despice him whō the Lord had so beautified with so many excellent gifts And the chief cause of their weeping was as Luke noteth because they should see him no more For they did bewayle their owne condition the condition of all the whole church of Asia not in vaine which they saw to be depriued of an inestimable treasure And when the Spirit commēdeth their teares by the mouth of Luke as witnesses of sincere godlinesse he condemneth the rashnes of those who require at the hands of the faithful hard and cruel constancie For that is false whereof they dreame that those affections proceed only of corruption which we haue naturally from God Wherefore the perfection of the faithful consisteth not in this that they put off all affections but that they be moued therwith only for iust causes and that they moderate the same CHAP. XXI 1 AND when it came to passe that wee had loosed beeing pulled away from them wee came with a streight course to Choos and the next day to the Rhodes and thence to Patara 2 And when we had gotten a ship which sailed ouer to Phenice when wee were entred into it we lanched 3 And when Cyprus began to appeare to vs leauing it on the left hand we sayled into Syria and came to Tyrus for heere the shippe did vnloade her burthen 4 And when we had found disciples we staid there seuen daies who said to Paul by the Spirite that he should not go vp to Ierusalem 5 And when the dayes were ended wee departed and went our way and they all with their wiues and children accompanied vs vntill wee were out of the citie and when we had kneeled downe vpon the shoare wee prayed 6 And when we had taken our leaue one of another we went vp into the ship they returned home 1 Luke reckoneth vp briefly the course of his sayling and that not only to winne credite to the historie that we may know what was done in euery place but that the Readers may weigh with themselues the inuincible and heroicall fortitude which was in Paul who had rather bee tossed and troubled with such long vnleauell and troublesom iourneies that he might serue Christ then prouide for his owne quietnesse Wheras he saith that they were drawen and pulled away it is not simply referred vnto the distance of places but because the brethren stood on the shoare so long as they could see the ship wherin Paul and his companions were carried He nameth the hauens where the ship arriued for this cause that we may know that they sailed quietly without trouble of tempest Let vs search the describers of countries touching the situation of the cities wherof he maketh mention it is sufficiēt for me to shew Luke his purpose 4 And when they had found disciples Though the number of the faithfull was but small yet there came some seed of the gospel thither according to the prophesies of the prophetes least Tyrus shuld be altogether void of the blessing of God And here as in other places going before Esai 23.18 Luke calleth christians disciples that wee may knowe that those alone are numbred in the flocke of Christ who haue imbraced his doctrine by faith For that is a vain false profession for a man to giue his name to Christ not to vnderstand what he teacheth or speaketh And let the Readers mark that Paul staied seuen dayes at Tyrus for no other cause sauing that he might strengthen them So that we see that whither soeuer he came he foreslowed no occasion to doe good They said by the spirit Namely with the approbation of speeche that Paul might know that they spake by the Spirite of prophesie Surely this was no smal temptation to cause him not to finish the iourney which he had taken in hand seeing the holy ghost dist disuade him frō the same And this was a very faire colour to flie from the crosse if hee had cared for his own safetie to be drawen backe as it were with the hand of God Notwithstanding he ceaseth not to hold on thither whither he knew he was called by the Lord. Notwithstanding heere ariseth a question howe the brethren can disuade him by the Spirit from doing that which Paul did testifie he doth by the secret motion of the same spirit
or he was thus tost with the violence of the crowde this was no dutie of fauour But the greater the crueltie of those which followed him was God did more plainly declare that he was fauourable to his seruant in sparing his life least if hee should haue been murdered in the tumult his death should haue wanted due frute 37 May I speake vnto thee Paul offered himselfe to defend his cause which all the seruaunts of God must do For wee must doe our indeuour to make our integritie knowen to all men least through our infamie the name of God bee blasphemed But when the chief captain demandeth whether Paul be not that Egyptiā which was a murtherer which a litle before had ledde away a companie of men let vs learne that how modestly and quietly soeuer the ministers of Christ behaue themselues and howesoeuer they bee voide of all fault yet cannot they escape the reproches and slaunders of the worlde Whiche thing wee must note for this cause that wee maye acquaint our selues with rebukes and that in well dooyng wee may bee prepared too bee euill spoken of When hee asketh him concerning the Egyptian he meaneth not Theudas the sorcerer as some men falsly suppose of whom Gamaliel made mention before in the fift Chapter Ch. 5.37 and of whom Iosephus speaketh more in his twentieth of antiquities For besides that wee reade there that Theudas carried awaie onelie foure hundred menne and the chiefe Captaine reckoneth vp in this place foure thousande and saith that they were all murtherers that is more in that Theudas raised that faction during the reigne of Tiberius or Augustus Caesar whereof remained onlie an obscure report because so soone as a troupe of horsemen was sent after them they were forthwith destroied Notwithstanding it seemeth to me that Iosephus is deceiued in that where he saith first that Cuspius Fadus was sent by Claudius and then hee addeth that Theudas was of him ouercome seing I haue before shewed that that former insurrection was made at such time as Claudius was but a priuate man Though he disagree much with Lukes narration euen in the number seing he saieth that there were about thirtie thousand made partners in the sedition vnlesse happily we expound it thus that after hee was put to flight by Felix he fled into the wildernesse with fower thousand And it had bin an absurd thing that the number should be made ten times greater as also that a troupe hauing no skill in warre or being altogither without courage shoulde haue bene defamed with the name of murderers For as Iosephus doeth witnesse that seducer had deceiued the simple and credulous common people with false promises boasting that he was a prophet of God which would lead the people dry foote through the midst of Iordane But the same Iosephus putteth the matter out of doubt when hee saith that an Egiptian a prophet did gather together a band of men vnder Foelix the president and did carry them into mount Oliuet whereof foure hundred were slaine two hundred taken and the residue dispearsed The historie was fresh in memorie Againe forasmuch as the authour of the sedition was escaped the region filled with murtherers it is not without cause that the chiefe captaine demaundeth of Paul when he seeth all men so hate him whether he were that Egiptian Luke recordeth no longer conference had betweene the chiefe captain and Paul yet it is likely forasmuch as both of them vnderstood the Greeke tong that they had farther talk Wherby it came to passe that so soone as Paul had wel purged himself he had licence graunted him to speake to the people For the chiefe captaine would neuer haue suffered a wicked man to make any publik speech in a citie which was so sore suspected CHAP. XXII 1 MEN Brethren and fathers heare mine excuse which I make nowe before you 2 And when they heard that he spake to them in the Hebrew tongue they kept the more silence And he said 3 I truely am a man a Iewe borne in Tharsus a citie of Cilicia and brought vp in this citie at the feete of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect maner of the Lawe of the fathers and was zealous towarde God as yee all are this day 4 And I persecuted this way vnto death binding deliuering into prison both men and women 5 As the chiefe priest doth beare me witnesse and all the order of Elders Of whom also I receiued letters vnto the brethren and went to Damascus to bring them which were there bounde to Ierusalem that they might bee punished 2 Though wee may gesse by the beginning of this speech what was Paul his drift yet because he was interrupted we know not certainelie what hee was about to say The summe of that part which is resited is this that Forasmuch as he was well and faithfully instructed in the doctrine of the Law he was a godlie and religious worshiper of God in the sight of the world Secondly that hee was an enimie to the Gospell of Christ so that hee was counted among the priests one of the principall maintainers and defenders of the Law Thirdly that he did not change his sect vnaduisedly but that being tamed and conuict by an Oracle from heauen he gaue his name to Christ Fourthly that he did not embrace vnknowne things but that God appointed him a faithful teacher of whom he learned al things perfectly Lastly that when he was returned to Ierusalem and sought to doe good to his countrimen God did not permit him So that he brought not the doctrine of saluation vnto forraine nations without good consideration or because hee hated his owne nation but being commanded by God so to do Men Brethren and fathers It is a wonder that hee giueth so great honour yet to the desperate enimies of the Gospel for they had broken al bonde of brotherly fellowship and by oppressing the glory of God had spoiled themselues of all titles of dignitie But because Paule speaketh in this place as some one of the people he speaketh so louingly vnto the bodie it selfe and vseth towards the heads words honourable without dissembling and surely because their casting off was not made knowne as yet though they were vnworthie of any honour yet it was meete that Paul should reuerently acknowledge in them the grace of Gods adoption Therefore in that he calleth them Brethren and Fathers hee doth not so much regard what they haue deserued as into what degree of honour God had exalted them And all his Oration is so framed that hee goeth about to satisfie them freely in deede and without flattering yet humblie and meekely Therefore let vs learne so to reuerence and honour men that wee impaire not Gods right For which cause the Popes pride is the more detestable who seing hee hath made himselfe an high Priest without the commaundement of God and the consent of the Church he doth not onely chalenge to himselfe all titles of honour but
touching the Iewes The question is whether it were lawfull for Paul to obiect these reasons to Christ for it is as much as if he did auouch that that is probable which Christ saide coulde not be I answere that God giueth his saintes leaue familiarly to vtter their affections before him especially when they seeke no other thing but the confirmation of their faith If any man stand in his own conceit or stubbernely refuse that which God commaundeth his arrogancie shall be worthily condemned but God vouchsafeth his faithfull seruants of a singular priuilege that they may modestly obiect those things which may call them backe from the desire to obey to the end that being free from lets they may wholly addict themselues to serue God as Paul after that he was taught that it pleased the Lord that it should be so he doth not gainesay nor contend any longer but being content with that one exception and making an end there he maketh himselfe ready to take his iorney which he seemed to be loth to take In the meane season whereas the Iewes are not touched with so many myracles their stubbernes and pride which can not be tamed is discouered Which vpbraiding did vndoubtedly cause them to rage 22 Away with such a fellowe Luke sheweth heere howe outragiouslie Paul his sermon was interrupted For they doe not onely opppresse him with their crying but they desire to haue him put to death where it doeth also plainelie appeare howe frensie pride is The Iewes conceiued so great good liking of themselues that they did not onely despice all the whole worlde in comparison of themselues but they stoode also more stoutly in defense of their owne dignitye then of the Lawe it selfe as if al religion did consist in this that Abraham his stocke might excell all other mortall men So now they rage against and raile vpon Paul because hee saide that hee was sent to bee the Apostle of the Gentiles as if God were bounde by his owne liberalitie to suffer the contempt of his power in the wicked and vnthankfull on whom he bestowed excellent graces aboue all other And it is no maruell if there were suche fiercenesse and fury at that day among the Iewes seeing that being by all meanes wasted and accustomed to suffer extreme reproches at this daye they cease not notwithstanding to swell with seruile pride Rom. 11.5 But these be fruites of reprobation vntil God gather together the remnant according to Paul his prophecie 23 And as they cried and cast off their garmentes and threwe dust into the ayre 24 The chiefe captaine commanded him to be led into the campe and hee commanded that he should bee scourged and examined that hee might knowe for what cause they cried so on him 25 And when they had bounde him with thonges Paul said to the Centurion that stoode by Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Romaine and vncondemned 26 When the Centurion heard that he went to the chiefe captaine and told him saying what wilt thou doe For this man is a Romaine 27 And when the chiefe captaine came he said to him Tell mee art thou a Romaine And he said yea 28 And the chief captaine answered with a great summe I purchased this freedome And Paul said I was so borne 29 Then those who were about to examine him departed from him immediatly And the chiefe captaine also was afraid after that he knew that he was a Romaine and that he had bound him 30 And on the next day when hee woulde know the trueth he loosed him from his bonds commanded the high priests al the Counsaile to come together and he brought Paul and set him before them 24 The chiefe captaine It was well and wisely done of the chiefe captayne thus to withdraw Paul from the sight of the people forasmuch as his presence did moue and more prouoke them who were alreadye too muche mooued For by this meanes he prouideth for the life of the holie man and partly appeaseth the madnesse of the people But when he commaundeth him to be scourged to whose charge hee hearde no certayne crime laide hee seemeth to deale vniustly and yet this iniurie was not without colour because it was likely that it was not without cause that all the people had conspired to putte one manne to death Therefore a vehement presumption was the cause of so straite examination But we must note that this is a common custome among politike menne that they bee iust iudges so farre as is expedient for them but if they be called away by profite then they go out of the way Neuerthelesse it is sufficient for them to colour this their wickednesse with the title of wisdome because they hold that generall principle that the world cannot be gouerned without some shewe or colour of iustice But in all actions that subtiltie whereof I spake doth preuaile that they consider rather what is profitable then what is equall and right 25 Is it lawfull He alleageth first the priuiledge of the citie then he defendeth himselfe by common lawe And though there were more weight in the second point to wit that it is not lawfull to scourge a man before his cause is heard yet should he haue preuailed nothing vnlesse the centurion had been more moued with the honour of the Romaine Empire for nothing was then more hainous thē to doe any thing which was contrarye to the libertie of the people of Rome Valerius his law the law of Porcius and of Sempronius such like did forbid that no man should doe any violence to the body of the citie of Rome without the commaundement of the people The priuiledge was so sure and holy that they thought it to be not only a deadly offence but also such an offence as could not be purged that a citizen of Rome should bee beaten Therfore Paul escaped rather by the priuiledge then by cōmon equitie yet did he not dout in a good cause to beare of the iniurie which was prepared for him with this buckler of the citie But wee must know that he did so alleage the right priuiledge of the citie that the chief captain was brought to beleeue him because his words should not haue been credited vnlesse he had vsed some proof Moreouer it was no hard matter for a man who was well knowen to bring foorth witnesses Wee alleaged a cause in the sixteenth chapter Cha. 16.37 why he suffered himself to be scourged at Philippos which he now preuenteth by his owne declaration to wit because hee shoulde not haue been heard in a tumult raised among the common people But because he hath nowe to deale with the souldiers of Rome who did behaue themselues more moderately and grauely he vseth the opportunitie 26 This man is a Romane Some man may maruel that he was so credulous who was appointed to be chiefe in examining Paul that he doth affirme the thing as if hee knew it to be
so For if hee ought to beleeue Paul his wordes euery malefactour might by this shift haue escaped punishment But this was their manner of dealing hee which did say that he was a citizen of Rome vnlesse hee could bryng in some which knewe hym or proue it lawefullie hee was punished For it was death for any man to pretend the freedome of the citie falsly Wherefore the Centurion referreth the matter vnto the chiefe captaine as doubting thereof and he as wee haue said doth streightway examine the matter more throughly And though Luke doeth not expresse by what testimonies Paul did proue himselfe to bee a citizen of Rome yet vndoubtedly the chiefe captaine knewe the truth of the matter before he loosed him 28 With a great summe The chiefe captaine obiecteth this to refute him as if he shoulde say that the freedome of the citie is not so common and easily to be obtayned How can it be that thou beeing some base fellowe of the countrie of the Cilicians shouldest obtayne this honour for which I paid sweetly Whereas Paul maketh answeare that he was free borne who neuer saw the citie yea whose father it may be was neuer there there is no cause why this should trouble any man For those who are skilfull in the Romaine historie knowe that certayne were made free of the citie who dwelt in the prouinces if hauing deserued well of the common wealth or in warre or in other waighty affaires they did desire and craue this rewarde of the deputies so that it is no absurdity to say that he was borne a Citizen of Rome who discending by his ancetors of some prouince farre distant from Rome did neuer set foote in Italy Notwithstanding the question is howe this can hang together that the chiefe captaine was afraide because hee had bounde a Citizen of Rome and yet he did not loose him from his bondes vntill the morrowe It may be that he deferred it till the next daye least he shoulde shew some token of feare Notwithstanding I thinke that the chiefe captaine was afraide because Paul was bounde at his commaundement that he might be scourged because this was to do iniurie to the bodie of a Citizen of Rome and to breake the common liberty and that it was lawfull to put a Romane in prison CHAP. XXIII 1 ANd Paul beheld the Councel stedfastly and said Men brethren I haue serued God vntil this day in all good conscience 2 And the high Priest Ananias commanded those that stoode by him to smite him on the face 3 Then Paul saide to him God will smite thee thou painted wall And thou sittest iudging according to Lawe and transgressing the Lawe Commaundest thou me to be smitten 4 And those which stood by said Railest thou on Gods high priest 5 And Paul saide I wist not brethren that he was the high priest for it is written Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people 1 Looking earnestly Paul beginneth with the testimonie of a good cōscience that al the whole multitude may vnderstand that he is vniustly charged with such an hainous offence as if he had gone about to ouerthrow the woorshippe of God It may be indeed that a man may offend of ignorance who will not otherwise be a contemner either of God or of religion but Paul meant at the first only with this excuse to mollifie their netled mindes that he might the better be heard For it had byn in vaine for him to haue defended himselfe so long as that opinion did sticke in the mindes of the priests that he was a wicked reuolt Therefore before he enter the cause hee excuseth him selfe of that cryme not onely that he may purchase fauour by that desire which he had to liue godlily but also that he may preuent false accusations or at least that he may refute vniust preiudices which might haue made against him wherewith he saw the whole multitude infected and corrupted We know not what he meant to say besides Notwithstanding this preface teacheth that no man can rightly handle the doctrine of godlines vnlesse the feare of God reigne and beare the chief sway in him And now though hee giue not the priestes so honorable a title heere as hee did a little before when he stood vppon the steppes of the fortresse yet he calleth them brethren giuing them that honour not because they deserue it but that hee may testifie that hee is not the cause of the breache of friendship 2 And the chiefe priest Luke his narration seemeth not to agree with the vsuall history For Iosephus writeth thus concerning the high priests of that time that Quadratus deputie of Syria deposing Cumanus from the gouernment of Iudea commanded him to answere for himselfe before Caesar and sent Ananias the highest priest bound with him into whose place who was chosen he maketh no mentiō sauing that it is likely that Ionathas had the honour giuen him who as he reporteth was afterward slaine by the subtlety and trechery of Felix Deputie of Iudea wh succeeded Cumanus For when he had oftentimes told Felix part of his minde and he coulde not away with the constancie of the man he made a compact with one Doras that hee shoulde priuily conuey in murtherers to slea him Then as the same Iosephus doth witnesse King Agrippa made Ismael the sonne of Phebeus priest But when he was sent by the people to Rome about a certaine suite and was kepte there by Popea wife to Nero Agrippa putteth in his place one Iosephus whose name was Chabus the sonne of Simon But immediatly being also weary of him he appointeth Ananus the sonne of Ananus to be high priest Futhermore he saith that this last thing happened at suche time as after the death of Festus Albinus did succeede him And I see not why some call this Ananus Ananias That hath indeed some colour in that he is called a pharisie also in that it is said that he was bold and stout who wythout any lawfull authoritie caused Iames the Lords brother to be stoned But if we giue credaunce to Iosephus he coulde not bee that Ananias of whome mention is made in this place by Luke who was then made priest when manye yeeres were past and gone after that Felix departed out of the prouince I haue another coniecture in my head For there flourished during all that time one Ananias an high prieste who excepting the title of honour was almost chiefe in the order And because Iosephus leaueth some voyde time betweene Ananias and Ismael it may be that this manne had the roome of the highest priest in the meane time But though this were not so it appeareth out of Iosephus that Ananias who died when the Citie was besieged was in the reigne of Claudius Caesar and Nero equall in dignity with the chiefe priestes which were then Yea his authoritie is so highly extolled as if he had had the chiefe gouernement howsoeuer other men did beare the insignes
they might not condemne any man to death yet they might vse some light chastisement as was scourging Neuerthelesse Tertullus doth not cease to desire before the president to haue him put to death 8 Hauing made inquirie A good request that the Gouernour doe not giue sentence before hee throughly examine and know the matter and that he do not condemne Paul before he be lawfully conuict But howe dare they put in these conditions seing their owne consciences doe accuse them of vniust dealing I answere that they had witnesses in redinesse and that they do not offer themselues to proue the matter vntill they do cal theÌ„ though there were another end For they did hope that Felix would be so perswaded with such glorious words that hee woulde turne ouer vnto them the man whom they did accuse for a condemned man whom they might handle at their pleasure In summe the more fierce they be vppon him and the more they were puffed vp with some affiance they had in themselues they thinke they shall get the vpper hand by this meanes because the partie arreigned shal haue no licence granted to defend himselfe Thus doe false accusars boldly boast that their matter is plaine that they may blind the eyes of the iudges 10 And Paul answered after that the Gouernour had beckened to him that he should speake with a better mind do I speake for my selfe forasmuch as I know that thou hast iudged this nation this manie yeere 11 Seing that thou maist know that there are yet but twelue dayes since thâ—â— I came vp to Ierusalem to worship 12 And they neither found me in the Temple disputing with any man or causing any concourse of people neither in the Synagogues neither in the Citie 13 Neither can they proue those things whereof they accuse me 14 But this I confesse to thee that according to the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers beleeuing all thinges which are written in the Law and the Prophets 15 And haue hope toward God that the same resurrection of the deade which they wait for shal be both of the iust and vniust 16 And herein I studie alwayes to haue a cleare conscience towarde God and toward men 17 And after many yeeres I came and brought almes to my nation and offerings 18 Wherein they founde mee purified in the Temple neither with multitude neither with vnquietnes 19. 20 And certaine Iewes out of Asia who ought to haue bin present here and to accuse if they had any thing against me 21 Or else let these same here say if they haue found any iniquitie in me “ Or seeing I stande when I stood in the Councell 22 Except it be for this one voyce that I cried standing among them I am iudged of you this day of the resurrection of the dead 10 And Paul The state of Paul his defense is not conuersant in the qualitie but he denieth the crime that was laide to his charge not that hee was ashamed of the Gospell or affraied of the Crosse but because that was no place to make any full confession of fath in Therefore omitting the cause of the Gospell which his accuser had not touched he answereth simplie vnto the crimes whereof he was accused But before he come thither he saith that he doth the more willingly answere for himselfe before Felix because he had long time beene gouernour of Iudea because peraduenture some new gouernour would haue bin sore moued hearing such things laid to his charge He doth not coÌ„mend the vertues of the gouernour but he saieth that he is glad because hee is of great experience that he may iudge more iustly This is surely a syncere and free manner of defending to set matter against wordes Yet Paule semeth to gather amisse that Felix can know the time of his comming because he had bene gouernour many yeeres I answere that this is said therefore because it is likely that he wil deale more moderately as if he should say Because thou hast bin acquainted with their conditions long time I haue the better hope that they shall not deceiue thee For want of skill doth make iudges too credulous and doth inforce them to make too much haste 11 To worship First it is certaine that he came for other causes and he will afterward confesse that this was the chiefe that he might bring almes for the sustentation of the brethren But we may well excuse him because it was not of necessitie that hee shoulde giue an account of his comming onely he meant by the way to excuse himselfe of corrupt religion Wherefore though he came to Ierusalem for some other cause yet this is alwayes true that he came with no other minde but to professe himselfe to be a worshipper of God and to approue the holinesse of the Temple by his worshipping The other question is more harde how he saith that he came to worship seing the religion of the temple was alreadie abolished and all difference of the temple taken away I answere in this place likewise that though he do not make his purpose knowne yet he doth not lie or dissemble For the faithfull seruants of Christ were not forbidden to worshippe in the Temple so they did not tie holinesse to the place but did lift vp pure handes freely without making choice of places â— Tim. 2.8 It was lawfull for Paul to enter into the temple after he was come to Ierusalem that hee might make his godlinesse knowne and there to vse the solemne rites of the worshippe of God because he was voide of superstition so hee did not offer any propitiatorie sacrifices which were contrarie to the Gospel Therefore religion did not compel him to come to Ierusalem according to the appointment of the law as if the sanctuarie were the face of God as in times past yet hee doeth not abhorre the external worshippe which was vnto men a testimonie of godlinesse 12 Disputing with any man Paule had no neede to denie any of these things if he had done them because hee might haue answered for himselfe that it was wel done He had bin one of the Scribes which disputed daily neither were they forbidden either by the Law or by custome but that they might assemble themselues togither to bee taught Yea to this end there were in diuerse places of the Cittie Synagogues wherin they met togither Moreouer hee knewe that both Christ and also his Apostles had done the same thing Also he might easily haue turned backe vppon his aduersaries the crime which they did obiect to him who did dayly vse the very same things But because he aimeth at no other thing at this present but to refute the false accusations of his aduersaries and to proue that importunate men had vnaduisedly molested him for no cause hee intreateth not of the lawfulnesse of the fact as they say but onely of the fact And hee standeth chiefely vppon this point to refute that slaunder
his glory Certain it is that hee was not so quickly framed by Ananias his industrie but that so soone as hee had learned the first priciples by mans mouth he was extolled by God vnto higher things afterward He comprehendeth the summe of his preaching briefly when hee saieth That Christ was the sonne of God In the same sense he saith shortly after That he was Christ And vnderstand thus much that when Paul intreated out of the Law and the Prophets of the true office of the Messias he taught also that al whatsoeuer was promised of and was to be hoped for at the handes of the Messias was reuealed and giuen in Christ For the words signifie thus much when he saith that he preached that Christ is the sonne of God That was vndoubtedly a principle amongst the Iewes that there shoulde a redeemer come from God who shoulde restore all things to an happie estate Paul teacheth that Iesus of Nazareth is hee which he cannot do vnlesse he shake off those grosse errours which he had conceiued of the earthly kingdome of the Messias Certaine it is that Paule declared how Christ was promised in the Lawe and to what end but because all tended to this end that hee might prooue that the sonne of Mary was he of whom the Law and the Prophets bare witnes therefore Luke is content with this one word onely 21 They were all amased This is added that wee may knowe that the power of God was acknowledged For seeing that the zeale of Paul against the Gospel was openly knowne they saw no other cause of such a sodaine chaunge but the hand of God And therefore this is also one fruite of the myracle that they all wonder at him being made a newe man so sodainly so that his doctrine doth the more moue their minds Whereas they say that hee raged horriblie with great crueltie and that he came of late to Damascus that he might proceed in his purpose these circumstances serue to augment the myracle Wee must also note the phrase those which call vpon this name which witnesseth that the godly did so professe the name of Christ that they placed all their hope of saluation in him according to that These men put their trust in chariots and others in horses but we will call vpon the name of the Lord. Finally whatsoeuer the scripture commaundeth concerning calling vpon the name of God it agreeth to the person of Christ 22 And Saul waxed stronger Luke doeth not onely in this place commend the bold zeale of Paule in confessing the faith of Christ but also he telleth vs that he vsed strong reasons to conuince the Iewes He waxed strong saith he that is he gat the victorie in disputation his confession did carrie with it great force and efficacie because being furnished with testimonies of Scripture and such other helpes of the holy Ghost he did as it were tread all his aduersaries vnder his feete For the word confounded which Luke vseth doth signifie That for as much as Paul did vrge them out of measure they were so striken that they coulde not tell where they were The manner of the confounding is expressed because Paul proued that Iesus was Christ For the sense is this that euen when the Iewes were most desirous to resist they were ouercome confounded So that Paul tried by experience that that was most true which he himselfe affirmeth that the Scripture is profitable to conuince Also he performed that which he required elsewhere of a Bishop and teacher for hee was armed with the word of God to maintaine the trueth And Luke setteth down two things that Paul so gate the victory in disputing 2. Tim. 3.16 Titus 1.7 that he ouerthrew the Iewes and yet their stubbernesse was not broken and tamed that they yeelded to the trueth because their consciences rage neuerthelesse inwardly and being throwne downe from their false opinion they doe not submit themselues to Christ Whence had Paule this victorie saue onely because the Scripture was his sworde Therefore so often as Heretikes stande vp to resist the true faith so often as wicked men endeuour to ouerthrowe all godlinesse so often as the vngodly doe obstinately resist let vs remember that wee must fet armour hence Because the papists finde no weapons in Scripture yea because they see that it maketh quite against them they flie vnto this miserable fortresse That they must not dispute with heretikes And that there can no certaine thing be set downe out of Scripture But if Satan himselfe be vanquished with the sword of the worde why shall it not bee able to put heretikes to flight not that they will submit themselues or make an ende of murmuring but because they shall lie ouercome in themselues And if so be it wee couet to escape this trouble let vs raise no tumults against God but let vs with a quiet and meeke spirit receiue that peace which the Scripture offereth vs. 23 When many dayes were fulfilled He saith that many dayes were expired that we may know that Paul had some space of time granted him wherein he might doe good For although the Iewes did resist him euen from the first day yet the Lord did not suffer the course which hee had begunne well to be broken off so soone so he doth with his wonderfull counsell hinder the purposes of the enimies stay their indeuours restraine their malice and madnesse whiles that he furthereth the Gospel and also we see what the hatred of the truth doth For when the wicked see that they are vnable to resist they are carried headlong vnto bloodie furie They would gladly contemne the word of God if they coulde but because they are enforced whether they will or no to feele the force thereof they runne headlong like furious beasts with blinde violence The vnaduised and rash heate of zeale will alwayes almost breake out into such crueltie vnlesse men suffer themselues to bee ruled by the worde of God This is assuredly horrible blindnesse For why are they so madde saue onely because their wounded conscience doth vexe them But God doth by this meanes punish their hypocrisie who doe therefore hate sounde religion because being friends of darknesse they flie the light Furthermore wee see howe sweetly these preposterous zealous fellowes graunt themselues libertie to doe whatsoeuer them lusteth when Satan hath once pricked them forward to persecute the trueth For they feare not to take counsell vnder colour of zeale to put a man to death which they knowe is meere wickednesse as at this day the Papists thinke that they may do whatsoeuer they will so they can quench the doctrine of the Gospel they rage not only with sworde but they goe about by laying in waite by trecherie and by most execrable meanes to destroy vs. We must first beware that that do not befall vs that wee intangle not our selues in the defense of euill causes secondly that we handle those causes wel which we know are good But
it is to be thought that they laide wait for Paul priuily that done when they could do no good this way it is likely that they came to the gouernor of the citie and that then the gates were watched that they might by one meanes or other catch him For Paul saith that Aretas the kings gouernour commaundeth that which Luke attributeth in this place to the Iewes 25 The disciples hauing taken him by night There is a question moued here whether it were lawfull for the disciples to saue Paul thus or no and also whether it were lawful for Paul to escape danger by this means or no For the Lawes say that the walles of cities are holy and that the gates are holy Therefore hee ought rather to haue suffered death than to haue suffered a publike order to bee broken for his sake I answere that wee must consider why it is decreed by the Lawes that the walles shoulde not be violated to wit that the cities may not be laide open to murthers and robberies and that the citizens may be free from treason that reason ceaseth when the question is concerning the deliuerie of an innocent man Therefore it was no lesse lawfull for the faithfull to let downe Paul in a basket than it shal be lawfull for any priuate person to leape ouer a wall that he may auoide the sodaine inuasion of the enimie Cicero doeth handle this later member and he setteth downe very well that although the Law forbid a straunger to come neere the wall yet doth not he offende who shal go vp vpon the wall to saue the Citie because the lawes must alwayes bee inclined to equitie Therefore Paul is not to be blamed because he escaped by stealth seing he might do that without raising any tumult amongst the people Neuerthelesse we see how the Lord vseth to humble those that be his seeing that Paule is enforced to steale his life from the watchmen of the Citie if he will saue himselfe 2 Cor. 11.32 Therefore he reckoneth this example amongst his infirmities He was acquainted betime with the crosse with this first exercise 26 And when Saul was at Ierusalem hee assaied to ioyne himselfe to the Disciples and they were all afraid of him not beleeuing that he was a disciple 27 But when Barnabas had taken him he brought him to the Apostles and he tolde them how that he had seene the Lord in the waye and that he had spoken to him and howe hee had behaued himselfe boldlie at Damascus in the name of Iesus 28 And he was conuersant with them at Ierusalem And when he was imboldened in the name of the Lord Iesus 29 Hee spake and disputed with the Grecians And they went about to kill him 30 Which when the brethren knew they brought him to Cesarea and sent him to Tharsus 31 Then the Churches throughout al Iudea and Galilee Samaria had peace and they were edified and walked in the feare of the Lorde and were filled with the consolation of the holy Spirit 26 When Saul was These were yet hard entrances for Paul who was as yet but a fresh water soldier in that when hee had hardly escaped the hands of the enimies the disciples would not receiue him For he might haue seemed to haue beene so tost too and fro as it were in mockage that he could haue no resting place all his owne nation was set against him for Christes cause the Christians refuse him might hee not haue beene quite discouraged and out of hope as one expelled out of mens companie First what remaineth but that he fall away from the Church seing he is not receiued But when he remembreth the life which hee had led aforetime hee maruelleth not that they are afraid of him Therefore he doth patiently suffer the brethren to refuse his company seeing they had iust cause of feare This was true conuersion that whereas he raged horribly before he doth now valiantly suffer the stormes of persecutions in the meane season whē as he cannot be admitted into the companie of the godly he waiteth with a quiet mind vntill God reconcile them vnto him We must diligentlie note what he desireth to wit that he may be numbred amongst the disciples of Christ this can he not obtaine here is no ambition but he was to be instructed by this meanes to make more account euen of the lowest place amongst the disciples of Christ than of all masterships in corrupt and reuolted Synagogues And from this submission was he exalted vnto the highest degree of honour that he might be the principal doctour of the church euen vnto the end of the world But no man is fit to be a teacher in the Church saue onely he who willingly submitteth himselfe that hee may be a fellow disciple with other men 27 When Barnabas had taken him Whereas the disciples fled so fast from Paul that was peraduenture a point of too great fearefulnes and yet he speaketh of none of the common sort but of the Apostles themselues But he doth either extenuate or lighten their fault because they suspected him for iust causes whom they had founde and tryed to bee such a deadly enimie and it was to be feared least they should rashly indanger themselues if they should haue shewed themselues to bee so easie to intreat Therefore I thinke that they are not to be blamed for that feare which they conceiued for iust cause or that they deserue to be euen accused for the same For if they had beene called to giue an account of their faith they would haue prouoked not Paul onely but also all the furies of hell without feare Whence we gather that euery feare is not to be condemned but such as causeth vs to turne aside from our duty The narration which Luke addeth may be referred as wel vnto the person of Barnabas as of Paul yet I thinke rather that Paule declareth to the Apostles what had befallen him and yet the speech may bee well applyed to Barnabas especially when as mention is made of Paul his boldnes 28 Luke saieth afterward that Paul went in and out with the disciples which speech signifieth amongst the Hebrewes familiaritie as the inhabitants of Citties are said to go in and out at the gates of the cittie Therefore after that Paul was commended by the testimonie of Barnabas he began to be counted one of the flock that he might be throughly knowne to the church Luke saith againe that he delt boldly in the name of the Lord by which words he commendeth his stoutnes and courage in professing the Gospel For hee durst neuer haue whispered amidst so manie lets vnlesse he had beene endowed with rare constancie Neuerthelesse all men are taught what they ought to doe to wit euery man according to the measure of his faith For though all bee not Pauls yet the faith of Christ ought to engender in our minds so great boldnesse that we be not altogither dumbe when we haue neede to speake I