First let vs here consyder howe when the tyme of promise drew nigh God raysed vp such a king as oppressed his people with tyranny and so intreated them that scarce they had any more hope to be deliuered Thys is Gods vsage of olde to mixe aduersitie and prosperitie togyther and then to suffer Tyrannes most to rage when their destruction draweth nighest By thys meane he vseth to trye the fayth of his people and is verie carefull that they by carelesnesse abuse not their liberty There are euerywhere examples hereof in Dauid Ezechiel and infinite others Hereto belongeth that that came to passe after the people returned from Babilon about the restoring againe of the church when neyther the authoritie of Cyrus could represse the attemptes of their enimies and Cambyses his sonne following encouraged the enimies of the church by his supportacion insomuch that they that wrought vpon the walles of the Citie were fayne to worke with one hande and fight with an other It is for our profite diligently to consyder these things that we be not to bolde in prosperitie least we be entangled in securitie but rather that we consyder howe we must tryumphe vnder the crosse and that we therefore must prepare our selues vnto the same howsoeuer all things seeme to laugh vpon vs. Next we haue to consyder that he sayth a king arose which knew not Ioseph And if we searche the Chronicles we shall finde it to be scarce fiftie yeares betwene the death of Ioseph and the raigne of this tyranne For Ioseph at thirtie yeares of age was made ruler of Egypt Then followed the seauen yeres of plentie and in the seconde yeare of the dearth he sent for his father Iacob to come vnto him Wherefore if we allowe them anye time to prepare for their iourney and to iourney in we shall finde that Israell came into Egypt not long after Ioseph was fortie yeres of age Ioseph lyued yet after this three score and tenne yeares for Moses sayth he dyed when he was an hundred and ten yeares olde Now the Israelites were in Egypt two hundred and ten yeares from which if we take the three score and ten yeres of Ioseph and the foure score yeares that Moses liued before he brought out the people there shall but three score yeares onely remaine betweene the death of Ioseph and the byrth of Moses from which yet must be taken ten yeares at the least that Amram liued in matrimonie in the tyme of persecution before Moses his sonne was borne For it is playne that Aaron was borne three yeares before Moses And when Moses was founde by the ryuer side his sister Marie was of that age that she was able to talke with Pharaos daughter and to giue hir counsell howe to saue and bring vp the childe The consideration of these things teache vs howe little remembraunce princes of this worlde haue of good turnes that men doe vnto them seing the kings following within so little a space are ignoraunt of Ioseph through whose counsell Egypt was preserued and the kings power so greatly increased For being drunken with prosperitie and good successe they easily waxe prowde and thinke it an heynous matter to acknowledge themselues debters to any man Therefore Dauid both truely and wisely sayth Put not your trust in Princes nor in anye childe of man for there is no helpe in them Agayne It is better to trust in the Lorde than to put any confydence in Princes We are also taught howe hurtfull a thing it is to forget or to be ignorant in the auncient actes lawes and priuiledges For this place plainely testifieth that this thing was the cause of most cruell tyrannie and at length of most horrible destruction Therfore notable is the custome of the Persians and Medians whose kings as Hystoriographers saye are contynually occupied in the reading of the Chronicles For howe much profite ensueth thereof the onely hystorie of Mardocheus aboundantly declareth Thirdlye let vs consider the craftes that tyrauntes vse in oppressing their subiectes For Pharao seemeth not to vse his absolute power but craftily circumuenteth the people of Israel and so vseth the matter that he seemeth to haue great regarde both of publike tranquillitie and equitie and yet in deede he cruelly persecuteth a people spoyled of their auncient libertie For vndoubtedly he complayned that it was not reason and right that a straunge Nation shoulde be free and haue more libertie than the Egyptians Furthermore he sheweth that it was a daungerous matter and to be feared least they should ioyne with some forreyne Nation and aspyre to the kingdome of Egypt But if we consider the falling out of the matter the ende was altogither couetousnesse which taught the Egyptians howe to waxe rich by oppressing and abusing the labor of others Hereof followed a crueltie passing all other which the very infantes new borne coulde not escape So lawfull thinke they it is for them to doe all things which once haue violated and broken all lawe and right and haue tasted any priuate aduantage or profite thereby Let vs marke these crafts that we may learne the easilier to beware of thē Yet let vs not be discouraged forasmuch as it commeth to passe many times that tyraunts enterprises set forth the power glory of God who can most easily ouerturne the deuises of people as the godly prophet teacheth and as appeereth came to passe in this place Nowe Steuen goyng forth with his narration bringeth forth Moyses in whome the Iewes as in their Captaine deliuerer and lawe maker chiefely gloried And he prooueth that he was preserued and aduaunced to so high a dignitie through the singuler goodnesse of God and had nothyng wherein to reioyce Wherevpon it is easie for euery man to conclude that they which were deliuered by his ministerie and receyued the lawe of him were much more bounde to the goodnesse of god There are three reasons whereby he prooueth that that we haue sayde First arguing of the time he sayth he was borne when the tyranne most raged and when he coulde by none other meanes be saued than by the secret working and goodnesse of god He addeth another poynt that euen when he was newe borne there appeared manifest tokens of Goddes fauour which surelye can be ascribed to no deserte of Moyses In the meane season we must note howe he was then borne to be their deliuerer when there was almost no hope of deliuerie and when himselfe was lyke to bee in daunger before he coulde declare anye token of his valiauntnesse in deliuering of them So God vseth to succour his people when all hope is past and as Esaye sayeth that he maye doe his worke his straunge worke and to forget it as it were that he may execute it afterwarde with the more glorie For it is Gods proper worke to saue men which he then doth when all hope and helpe seemeth to them quite past The lyke thing fell out in Christes
translated diuers other treatises also out of Gréeke into Latine as Didimus worke touching the deitie of the holy ghost Epiphanius bishop of Cyprus Epistle to Iohn the Patriarch of Ierusalem and diuers other such And bicause none shall saye what maketh this for the translating of the Bible into other more vulgar tongues as into the Englishe c. For they can well admit the Hebrewe Gréeke and Latine tongues and any other that the people vnderstande not therefore S. Hierome translated the Bible into the Sclauonian tongue that is to say into his owne natiue countrie tongue We haue therefore antiquitie ynough on our side for proofe of our diuers translations Neyther did he euer feare or make account of such inconueniences as these new Diuines pretende spring of such translations or any thing regarded the sharpe censure and checks of diuers Comptrollers that founde fault with his doings but helde on and continued to the ende translating wryting and endyting sending his bookes onewhile to virgins one other whyle to married women sometime to widowes but euer to one kinde of person or other being still exercised and occupied in such doinges And I marueyle why these men should be so offended that euery Nation shoulde haue the scriptures in their owne tongue séeing in some places of their writings they make the holy ghost the author of this opinion and iudgement Doth not Aeneas Syluius which was afterwarde Pope and called Pius secundus tell vs that when about the yeare of our Lord .900 there fell a great contention at Rome whether the Hungarians shoulde haue their seruice in their owne tongue yea or no that there was a voyce hearde from heauen saying Let euery thing that hath breath prayse the Lord and euery tongue giue thankes vnto his holy name Whervpon sayth this Aeneas the Councell brake vp and the contention surceased So that by this storye whosoeuer denyeth Gods people Gods seruice in their owne proper tongue resist Gods ordinance and commaundement These men count it a great absurditie that a woman a childe or an artificer shoulde talke of the Gospell or of the Scripture And yet many times we may heare women children and artificers vnderstande more of Gods holy mysteries than a number of some ruddy Rabbines that notwithstanding looke very high and lofty Moses was not of this minde and opinion For when Iehosuah his seruant would haue had him to forbid Heldad and Medad from prophecying he aunswered woulde God that all the Lordes people coulde prophecie and that he woulde giue his spirite vnto them all Christ commaundeth little children to be suffred to come vnto him and not to be forbidden But who maye not more iustly thinke it a greater absurditie to heare women children and artificers patter their Pater noster in a tongue that they so little vnderstande that Cardinall Ascanius Parot at Rome was as wise as they Yea the Crowe that saluted Augustus coulde saye his Aue Caesar better than they coulde their Aue Maria. And surely if the newe Diuines godly intention may not in this case helpe at a pinch they may also saye and say truly as an other Crowe did at another time we haue lost all our labour So little doth God allowe such godly intention For he biddeth we shoulde not be like Horse and Mule in whome there is none vnderstanding Then séeing we haue the Scriptures aswell of the olde Testament as the newe so full and whole on our side séeing Christ commaundeth vs to search the Scriptures séeing S. Paule sayth they are written for our learning and instruction séeing we haue thexample of the Primitiue Church permitting all men to haue and reade the Scriptures in all tongues séeing we haue so many translations of the Scriptures I meane of olde tyme I speake not of those in the Englishe tongue in Ethelstanes dayes and in the Saxons tongue ne yet of that gift of tongues giuen to the Apostles to the intent that all Nations might heare the great workes of God in their owne language séeing there is nothing in the Scriptures eyther threatened or promised but it appertayneth to all men in all ages nothing done by Christ of olde but the same in one respect or other is dailye done For Christ is newly borne among vs euen at this day There are Herodes that goe about to murther him in his Cradle euen at this day He notwithstanding groweth in fauour with God and men euen at this day He healeth all maner of maladies Leprouse Demoniacks Dumbe Blinde Deafe Dropsies Palsies bloudy Fluxes at this day so that we say sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs and Lord if thou wilt thou canst make vs whole Yea he rayseth men from death to life againe by the power of his worde euen at this daye He teacheth threatneth promiseth comforteth euen at this day There are Iewes which will not suffer their vayled Moses to yéelde to his brightnesse in these dayes He hath Scribes Phariseys and Sadduceyes that lye in wayte to catch and entangle him in his talke euen nowe a dayes also He hath more than one Annas and Caiphas to buye and more than one Iscarioth to sell him at this daye Herode Pylate and their Crewes want not to mocke whip and crucifie him yea to kéepe him downe also in his graue that he rise not againe euen at this day And yet all this notwithstanding he hath still also at this day his little flocke that doth and will depende vpon him saying Lorde to whome shall we go Thou hast the wordes of eternall life Therefore whatsoeuer the newe Diuines say to the contrary let vs still reade the Scriptures and sticke to that olde Diuinitie But bicause many men are ledde not so much eyther with reason or testimonies of Scriptures as with authoritie of Doctors to fulfill my promise and somedeale to satisfye if happily it may be their preposterous zeale and peruerse iudgement I will shewe also that the best and soundest of the olde Doctors haue alwayes bene of this opinion that all people at all times ought to haue the scriptures in their owne tongue And if any man as delighting in a worke of supererrogation that is to say for a man to doe more than he hath bounde himselfe to or néedeth shall require so much I will also by the olde Doctors aunswere the obiections of such as thinke the scriptures ought not to bee read of all men bicause of the difficultie of them and that varietie of translations cause and bréede errors And first we will begin with the Doctors of the Latine Church not for worthynesse eyther of life or learning that hath bene at anye time in them more than in the Gréekes For verily the Gréekes are able to shew as many worthy writers of their Church as the Latines can by any meanes if I say not more but bicause perhaps some Romanist or Latine man may hit vpon this writing which if he be partially affected toward the Latine Doctors
lyghtened wyth the gospel Pag. 655. The church at Berrhea disturbed Pag. 656. B ante L. Blasphemie is a deniall of the faith Pag. 856. Blasphemous and filthy talkers are ledde with the euill spirite 85. Who are sayde to be blessed and happye 763. Blessedfulnesse is to bee iudged of holynesse of place 313. True blessednesse discrybed 119.120 True blessedfulnesse is to bee most like vnto God. 757. It is more blessed to gyue then to take ibidem To blesse is to bid farewell 35. The heyres of blesse 187. The maner of Christs blessing 188. Christ is the Mediator of blesse 47. Blessing what it comprehendeth in it ibidem B ante O. The true marke of those that are borne againe 138. Bookes of the Byble belong to all men 326. B ante R. The vtilitie of well bringing vp of chyldren 615. Breaking of breade 140.734 Brethren kinsfolke of Christ. 48. Brethren at Rome their kindenesse Pag. 894. B ante V. Burials must be reuerently vsed by christians 359. Burthens and yokes are all those things that are taught beside fayth in Christ. 608. B ante Y. Byshops could alwayes abyde to be reprehended of other Byshoppes Pag. 468. Byshops of Rome make money of religion 719. Byshops accuse Paule 818. Byshops of Rome may erre 198. Byshops counselles what they are Pag. 240. Byshops of Romes craft and tyranye in persecuting the truth 191. Byshoppe of Rome hys incurable impietie 350. Byshops which ought most to sette foorth Christes doctrine greatest enimies thereof 191. C. C ante A. CAlamities of men directed to an ende by God.  Captiuity of Babilon 343. Care of God for vs. 832. God careth most for his people wheÌ„ they are most destitute of mannes helpe 349. Carnall men what they seeke for in Christ. 26. Causes of the calamities of thys worlde 101. Cause of all calamitie is the not beleeuing and gainesaying of the Gospell 31. Causes of calamitie are as well in the godly as the vngodly 101. Causes of strife and contention 550 Cause of saluation is fayth 168. Causes of the euilles of these latter dayes ibidem Causes whye Saule was cast of Pag. 528. Causes of afflictions are to bee diligently considered 269. C ante E. Centurion is Paules friend 871. Centurion gentlye obeyeth Paule Pag. 810. Centurion and his souldiours fayth Pag. 882. Ceremonies that the Apostles taught are certaine 3. Ceremonies of the lawe are abolyshed 76. Ceremonies in religion howe farre they are lawfull 349. Ceremonies of the olde lawe to what ende and vse they were 292. Certainetie and antiquitie of christian fayth 175. C ante H. Chanaan lande a figure of our saluation and of heauen 294. Charitie of the Apostles towarde their enimies 561. Charitie must be vsed euen towarde the vnthankfull 355. Charitie is the cognizaunce of Christes children 77. Charitie hath hir markes and tokens ibidem Charitie and wisedomes examples Pag. 758. What the nature of charitie is 896. Charitie is not suspitioâ—s 769. The propertie of charitie 756. Charitie in Steuen 351. The effect of Gods chastisement declared in Paule 395. The chastisement of God requyreth repentaunce ibidem The duetie of those whome God chastiseth 491. Chiliastes errour touching the dwelling on earth 98. Goddes children acknowledge hys iudgements and amend by others examples  Who be the children of God. 94. Howe the children of GOD are knowne 181. The children of Iacob grieuouslye offende 308. Choyse of meates 434. and .435 Christian libertie must bee mainteyned 607. Christian fayth doth not derogate from humanitie and ciuilitie 293. The beginning of the christian faith Pag. 202. Christians nowe denie and betraye Christ as the Iewes did 166. Christian people may sometime saue themselues by flying 411. Who ought to bee called Christians Pag. 141. Howe christians be ydolaters 343. Christes enimies 100. The begynning and vse of a christian name 490. Christians what they owe to theyr brethren being in daunger for the testimonie of Christ. 491. Christians must talke of the kingdome of God. 15. Christians must increase go forwarde in fayth 476. What the markes and weapons of christians are 227. The duetie of christians 879.793 and 761. The sacrifices of christians ibidem Christians maye vse the lawe for their safegarde and succour 838. Christians maye possesse thynges of their owne 143. Christians maye seeke ayde of Magistrates 812. Christians which waye they maye get themselues fauour and authoritie 241. Christians must boldely defend their cause 500. Christ is reiected of the buylders Pag. 202. What Christs last comming teacheth vs. 41. Why Christes second comming is so long differred 175. Howe Christ is the aungell of the great counsell 326. Christ instructed hys Apostles with commaundementes before he left the earth 8. Christ is taken hold of by faith 544 Christ is the head of apostolike doctrine 679. Christ comforteth hys Apostles being in errour of an earthly kingdome 30. Christ descrybed of the Prophetes to be honourable 2. Christ called a Mountayne of the Prophets ibidem Christ is the Sauiour of all Nations 32. Christ being preached the kingdome of God is preached 119.915 Christ by his diuine power and operation is euery where 40. Christ is very God. 106.448 Christ is the Lorde 127. Christ is the name of God and the Image of hys father 9 Christ is a priest 127. Christ is a man. 106. Christ is a man approoued of God. Pag. 107. Christ is lyfe and they that beleeue in hym haue lyfe 12. Christ is the lyfe and the resurrection 119. Christ is an vniuersall sauiour 127. Christ dyed according to Gods appointment 109 Christ was a very man of the stock of the Iewes 178.448 Christ tooke hys humane nature into heauen 35. Christ appertayneth to the Iewes Pag. 184. Christ is ascended into Heauen the place of the blessed 35. Christ is ascended into that place whyther our bodyes must also ascende ibidem Christ gyueth light to his people in the myddle of darknesse 494. Christ was crucyfied being innocent 535. Christ shall iudge the quick and the deade 457. Christ resembled to Moses 179. Christ seeth and careth for his sheepe on earth 8. Christ is the peacemaker betweene God and man. 448. Christ the Prince and chiefe of all Prophets 333. Christ is the Phisition for sinnes 130. Christ ouercame by death 381. Christ preached by Moses and the Prophets 177. Christ is the Prince or chiefe of the Prophets 333. Christ is a Prophet 178. How Christ must be acknowledged and confessed 649. How Christ must be preached ibideÌ„ How Christ perfourmed the office of a priest 6 How Christ is a stumbling block to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gentyles 663. Christ ruleth in the myddle of hys enimyes 242. Christ is declared a king by God his father 2. Christ is a king and a priest 37.452 Howe Chryst fulfylled the office of a king 6. Christ is a victorious king 126 Christ aduaunceth vs to saluation Pag. 576. Christ is not euerye where in bodye Pag. 34.35 Christ ought to dye but once 540. If Christ bee
Saintes companye how profitable it is 879 Saintes how much wee must attribute to them 161 Saintes are tryed with feare 684 Sapphira maketh an impotent and bolde lye 229 Sapphira ignoraunt of hir husbands death for a season and why 232 Sapphiras wickednesse reproued by Peter ibidem Sapphira punished as was hir husbande 237 Satan put men out of the waye of saluation 576 577 Satan can doe nothing against man but by gods permission 410 Satan hath his instrumentes euerye where 576 Satan throwne out by the name of Christ. 629 Satan what traines he vseth to establishe his kingdome among men Pag. 627 Satan howe hee is sayde to fill the heartes of the vngodlye 230 Satan beareth witnesse to the truth Pag. 628.629 Satans â—lightes must be taken heede of 577 Satans effectes in Hypocrites and in the wicked 230 Satans propertie 357 Satans pollicie 576 Saule receyueth a two folde answere of the Lorde 395 Saule persecuting the faythfull persecuteth Christ. 790 Saule an example of a cruel tyraunt Pag. 390.359 Saule truely called a rauening wolfe Pag. 357 Saule set forth for a peculiar example of Gods goodnesse and grace Pag. 394.395 Saule authorised by the Priestes to playe the Tyraunt 390 Saule when he was conuerted 392 Saule how he was conuerted ibideÌ„ Saule a president of tyranny 390 Saules conuerting to Christ historised 392 Saules ende and purpose 391 Saule the persecutor described 390 Saule the persecutors punishment Pag. 394 Saules saluation must be attributed to the grace of God onely 395 S ante C Schisme beginners are the byshops of Rome 194 Schooles foundations 49.84 Schooles needefull 509 Sclaunders wherewith Ministers are charged 467 Sclaunders must Christians put away and defende their good name Pag. 91 Sclaunders maye lawfullye be aunswered to ibidem Sclaunder or offence ibidem Scripture is of it selfe of credyte and auctoritie sufficyent 867 Scripture is enspired of God. 54 Scripture conteyneth al thing needefull for vs to beleue and obserue 7 Scripture of the olde and newe Testamentes pertayneth to all them that loue God. ibdem. Scripture must be expounded 647 Scriptures authoritie and certaynetye 897 Scripture must bee interpreted by conference of places 127 Scripture with what minde men must reade it 62 Scripture must be elucidated wyth interpretations 398 Scripture containeth the knowledge of the true God. 571 S ante E Sectes cause of discention among the Iewes 803 Securitie or carelesnesse must bee auoyded 269 Sedition described 722 Sedition happily ended 653 Sedition ended with ioye 653 Sedicion soone appeased 728 Sedition beginners who 770 In sedicion what christians must do Pag. 725 Seditious persons but fewe in number maye be authors of manifolde euilles 724 Sermons ought to beginne and ende with prayers 754 Seruers of tyrauntes turnes what they may looke for 504 S ante H Shipwrake described and the number of them that were in the shippe Pag. 885 A true sheapeheardes example 764 Shooes putting of what it meaneth Pag. 328 S ante L Sleepinesse or drowsinesse of churchmen 733 Slouthfulnesse of men in our dayes Pag. 272 Slouthfull men reprehended 890 Sluggishnesse and ydlenesse 653 S ante I Signes externe seale the interne and spirituall gyftes of God. 304.305 Signes visible of the presence of the holy ghost 82 Signes that God sheweth must bee dilygently considered 158 Signes externe are not sufficient to saluation 305 Signes called after the names of the things that they signifie 80.290 Signes haue muche lykenesse wyth the thinges that they signifie 80 Signes are diuerse 159 Signes to what vse they serue 359 Signes must not haue to much attributed to them 305 Sticking to signes is the beginning of ydolatrie 158 Simon how he tooke Peters expostulation 374 Simon Magus beleeueth and is baptised 367 Simon Magus an example of an hipocrite and a deceyuour 268 Simon Magus his sinne 370 Simons of our dayes 371 Simplicitie of the fayth 672 S ante O Solomon for his wiues sake that were aliauntes buylded Temples Pag. 340 Solomons wish 20 Sole or single lyfe maintayners 46 Soules of men vnder the protection of God. 119 S ante P Spirites appearing what wee ought to iudge of it 762 Spirite of Christ author of concorde and holynesse 78 Spirite of Christe his efficacy how great it is in men 155 Spirite of Christ in whome it raigneth 90 Spirites of the disseassed walke not Pag. 500 Spirite signified by the blowing of the winde and for what cause 79 Spirite of Christ so delyuereth vs from fearâ— that wee dare boldelye confesse Christ. 86 Spirite of God is from euerlasting Pag. 74 Spirite why it was promised to the Apostles 19 Spirite teacheth vs to reason of Gods doings and to call vpon him for helpe 84 Spirite of God wrought in the Apostles 74 Spirite of God spake by the Apostles 8 Spirite of Christ maketh men bolde in the confession of Christ. 85 Spirite of God altereth and enformeth tongues and for what causes Pag. 84 Spirite is the promise of the father Pag. 18 Spirite when he was sent 75 Spirite what daye he was sent to the Apostles ibi Spirite how he must be receyued 77 Spirite how he is giuen to whom Pag. 94 Spirite how he is sent 78 Spirite in what scence it is sayde to be sent to the Fathers 18.19 Spirite often promised and wherefore 74 Spirite where it was giuen ibidem Spirite sent visibly for what cause Pag. 78 Spirites effect in the Apostles and their hearers 82 Spirites effectes common to all beleeuers 96 Spirite how necessarie and to what vse in men 78 Spirites inuincible power 558 Spirites sending and Christes ascention ioyned togyther 124 Spirites sending called by the name of baptisme 21 Spirite promised Christ confirmeth by an argument taken from baptisme and the argument explicated ib. Spirites operation and giftes 77 Spirites effectuous operation 124 Spirites effectes in these dayes why they be so rare 258 Spirite promysed serueth for our comfort and instruction 19 Spirites power can not be comprehended nor hindred by any man. 80 Spirite howe the Apostles are sayde to haue receyued 74 Spirite must bee receyued of men with great preparation 77 Spirite of Satan what it doth in vncleane persons 85 Spirite of the olde and newe testament is but one 76 S ante T Steuen accused of impietie and stubbornenesse and vpon what occasion 288 Steuen accused of blasphemye against God and his lawe 292 Steuen by slaunders and false witnesse brought in hatred with all the people 287 Steuen instructed by the holy Ghost sheweth himselfe a fine disputer and abolde ibid. Steuen readye to yelde vp his lyfe is comforted by a vision and what that vision teacheth vs. 334 Steuen is without feare though in daunger of death 290 Steuen went not about to abrogate the lawe 351 Steuen prooueth that the cerimoniall lawe is abrogated ibid. Steuen deserued the crowne of martirdome 357 Steuen what he did at his death 355 Steuen no dispiser of Moses 321 Steuen blasphemed not the Temple and holy place nor the outwarde seruise 345
of the people and sheweth that the myracle done on the lame man was to be attributed neither to the power nor holynesse of men Nowe let vs see the seconde part wherein he maketh God the author of the myracle and teacheth them to haue a respecte vnto Christ Iesus in whose name it was done And bicause this is the chiefe poynt of all the sermon he handleth the same verye industriously and in apt order First he propoundeth the summe of the whole matter in fewe wordes Next he telleth them of their cruell wickednesse committed against the sonne of god Then at last returning to the purpose he declareth plainely all the whole meaning of the myracle The summe of all the matter is The God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his sonne Iesus He comprehendeth in these wordes both how God is the author of the myracle and also howe the finall cause of the same was the glorifying of Iesus Christ the sonne of god And as at the first he shewed nothing was to be attributed to the power or holynesse of man so nowe he teacheth that all is to be referred to God the only author and to the glory or setting forth of his sonne Where we haue two things to obserue First howe in speaking of God he calleth him the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and to be short the God of the fathers which title or style God himselfe vseth often in the olde Testament And this is a great token of Gods loue whereby he declareth to vs his goodnesse The Princes of this worlde take to them names of the people and Nations that they haue vanquished and ouerrunne and thinke it a great glorye to be called Parthians Gothickes Almanickes Africanes and Numidians But what other thing doe men learne by these styles but that they haue destroyed this people and spoiled their countries with fire and sworde God dealeth farre otherwise which will be named after those men whome of fauour deseruing no such thing he hath bounde vnto him by an euerlasting couenant and of whome he looketh neyther for great spoyle nor any profyte but such as himselfe bringeth forth in them Yet Peter herein had respect to an higher matter and giueth those tytles to God which he thought were chiefely agreeing with the present matter in hande For first where he nameth the fathers he admonisheth them of the promises which God in times past made to the fathers concerning christ For to Abraham it was sayde I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee In thy seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Which promise we reade was repeated afterwarde in Isaac and Iacob To speake nothing of Dauid and the Prophetes which are busilye occupied in setting forth the same promises It was profitable yea necessary that those promises shoulde be repeated bicause the Iewes a little before had denyed them all in the presence of Pylate saying they had nor looke for none other king but Caesar as hereafter we shall heare Therefore bicause they shoulde not thinke themselues vtterly fallen from the couenant and promises and premised to be past all hope of saluation Peter sheweth them that the same God liued and reigned yet still which in time past made the couenaunt with the fathers and had not forsaken Abraham Isaac and Iacob but euen as in the beginning so nowe also he woulde be called their God so that they woulde turne vnto him Furthermore to auoide the suspicion wherwith the Apostles were charged this title and style of God serued very much For many suspected that they preached a newe God a newe faith a new religion hitherto vnknowne to the fathers for the which cause many would not heare them many thought them worthy death according to the law of Moyses But Peter vsing this title of God so openly protesteth as it were that he acknowledgeth none other God than he which shewed himselfe in times past to the fathers nor preacheth none other faith or religion than that whereby the father 's pleased God and were saued To conclude he teacheth them what fathers the Iewes ought to marke and followe in faith and religion They gloried in certaine fathers of a later time such as after Moyses and the Prophetes came in and were the authors of manifolde superstition Whose traditions they obserued so straightly that they had rather breake the lawes of God than chaunge or leaue vndone any iote or poynt of them which thing Christ many times layde to their charge Neyther did any thing more set them against Christ and his Apostles than for that they did by their doctrine impugne the ordinances of the elders Therefore Peter maketh mention of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to declare that all fathers are not to be followed in religion For as God alone is the father of all men and Iesus Christ alone the maister of all men whom the father hath appointed to be the teacher of all the worlde so must we onely follow their steppes whose fayth and religion we knowe pleased God and of whose faith and integritie God doth vouchsafe to beare witnesse In the number of whome Abraham is the chiefe whome the Scripture therefore calleth a father of the beleeuing and of many Nations bicause as manye as embrace the faith of Iesus Christ which was imputed to him for righteousnesse appertaine vnto him Unto the same Abraham Christ beareth witnesse where he sayth he reioyced to see his daye and sayth as many as shall come from the East and West into the Church of God shall sit downe with him in the kingdome of heauen Hereof let the men of our age learne what vanitie it is to bragge of those younger sort of fathers which haue deuised or followed a newe trade of saluation besides christ Except we become the children of Abraham by faith in Christ we can be defended by no helpe or authoritie of others no though they were kings and Emperors Secondly let vs marke howe he sayth The God of our fathers glorified his sonne Iesus Yet he speaketh of the myracle done vpon the lame man the ende whereof he vttereth in these wordes we are here taught that the glorifying of Iesus Christ the sonne of God is the marke and ende of all the myracles of the new Testament wherevnto al they also which glorie in their myracles ought to haue respect The Euangelist by expresse wordes vttreth this ende saying Manye other signes did Iesus which are not written in this booke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is that Christ the sonne of God. And Christ himselfe speaking of the power of working myracles and of the iudgement giuen to him of his father teacheth this to be the ende therof that all men might honour the sonne as they honour the father And reasoning with his Disciples of Lazarus sickenesse he sayeth This infirmitie is not to death but for the
A Prophet shall the Lord your God rayse vp vnto you euen of your brethren like vnto me him shall you heare in all things whatsoeuer he shall saye vnto you For the time will come that euerye soule which will not heare that same Prophete shall bee destroyed from among the people All the Prophets also from Samuell and thenceforth as many as haue spoken haue in likewise tolde of these dayes AFter that the Apostle Peter had grieuouslye accused the heynous wickednesse of the Iewes which they committed against the sonne of God in the thirde part of his sermon he gaue them counsell howe to obteyne saluation as we declared in our last Sermon He bade them repent and conuert vnto God which we partly doe by repentance and partly by faith in Iesus Christ through whose merite we be reconciled vnto god But it was no small blocke that kept the Iewes from embracing of christ For where they were not yet come to the knowledge of him a great many feared that if they shoulde receyue him they shoulde offende against Moyses and the lawe giuen them from god And it seemed a weightie matter to them to forsake the religion which God had giuen vnto them and which they had helde so many yeares after that order and according as they receyued it of their forefathers Therefore the Apostle in the fourth part of his oration correcteth this errour teaching them that both Moyses and the Prophetes direct the true worshippers of God vnto Christ and that therefore they so little offended against the lawe by beleeuing in Christ that rather they disobey Moyses and beleeue not the Prophetes truly except they receyue Christ of whome they beare witnesse Againe least they shoulde distrust the goodnesse of Christ whome they nowe so oftentimes hearde they had offended by their great crueltie he declareth that he that was promised to the fathers belongeth to them also and is their sauiour as well as the fathers so that they woulde embrace him with true fayth But at this present we will speake but of those thinges onely which Peter alledgeth concerning the mysterie of Christ grounded vppon the bookes of the olde Testament He beginneth with Moyses bicause he was of greatest authoritie among the Iewes Out of whome where he might haue brought diuers testimonies he taketh one among a manye whereby he teacheth vs that Christ was long agone appointed to be the teacher and schoolemaister of Gods people Which thing serued much to this present purpose bicause as I saide euen nowe many thought it a grieuous matter to forsake Moyses who they knewe was appointed of God to be their lawmaker and maister He sheweth therefore that it was not Moyses minde that they should alwaye hang vppon him but that he pointed them to another Prophete which shoulde more perfitely teache them all things The place is in Deuteronomie .xviij. Chapter In that place are prohibited all superstitious and soothsaying Artes of the heathen whereby they go about to search out the knowledge of thinges to come and the secretes of God by diuination by the wicked Mathematicalles by the noise of birdes flying by Necromancie and such like kinde of diuinations And Moyses doth aduertise them that they shoulde forsake these things and turne to the only worde of God and wholy depend vpon the same And bicause they should not thinke it an harde matter to finde out the meaning of Gods word he sayth they should neuer want Prophetes whome God would rayse vp from among themselues by whose ministerie they shoulde learne what the will of God was in all things they shoulde take in hande And they are not deceyued which thinke that an vniuersall promise is conteyned in this place whereby the gift of prophecie is established and confirmed in the people and Church of god But Peter wittily applieth this generall promise vnto Christ who it is euident is the chiefe of the Prophetes and by whose spirite as he sayth in another place all the Prophetes were ledde and inspired And that the things here spoken by Moyses belong vnto Christ is more euident than needeth anye long demonstration For he was both borne of the Iewes and was sent of God as appeareth by his doctrine and myracles whiche we see in all pointes conformable to the doctrine of the Apostles Therefore Peters argument seemeth most strong whereby he laboureth to perswade them to beleeue in Christ according to Moyses saying euen as if he shoulde say Moyses so little challengeth to him selfe alone all authoritie of teaching that he commaundeth vs to giue eare and credite to euerye Prophete teaching the worde of God and hath appointed all those that despise the Prophetes sayings to be punished with death Therfore how much more ought you to beleeue Christ who hath taught vs the will of God the father more plainly and perfitely than anye man and in whome most truly are verified whatsoeuer Moyses sayth of that Prophete And so Peter trimlye toucheth the ende and scope of his purpose that is to take out of their mindes that preposterous religion which let and hindred them with the ouermuch reuerence of Moyses and the law and their pieuish opinion and woulde not let them to embrace Iesus Christ. Yet bicause both Peter and Steuen as appeareth hereafter expounde this place of Moyses as ment of Christ we also will here search out such thinges as maye enstruct vs in the knowledge of christ And first of all Moyses doth elegantlye describe vnto vs Christ our sauiour Next he teacheth vs what dutie we owe vnto him and pronounceth sentence of death agaynst them that doe contemne him First in the description of Christ he sheweth of whome he shall spring or be borne The Lorde your God shall rayse him vp of your brethren He must then be borne of the Iewes which is an infallible argument of hys incarnation and of his true manhoode whereby they are conuinced which saye Christ brought his flesh from heauen and tooke it not of the substance of the virgin but came through the virgin into the worlde as water runneth through a conduite Verily Paule testifieth that he tooke not on him the aungels nature or any heauenly creatures but the seede of Abraham And speaking of the prerogatiues of the Iewes wherewith God aboue other nations did vouchsafe to endue them among other things he maketh mention howe Christ touching the fleshe shoulde be borne of them which is God in all things to be praysed for euer Wherevnto the promises of the olde Testament are to be referred where often times he is called one whyle the seede of the woman another whyle the seede of Abraham and of Dauid We must here obserue the singular goodnesse of God who hauing appointed his sonne to be our sauiour and teacher woulde haue the same incarnated and made man least eyther we might be afrayde of his maiestie or thinke he disdained our infirmitie which Paule also considered Heb. 2. 4. Secondlye he
declareth the office of Christ calling him a Prophete Howbeit Moyses was not ignorant that Christ should be both a King and the Redeemer of mankinde and denyeth it not in this place but maketh mention of his office which for his purpose and matter in hand was chiefly to be required Prophetes whether they shewe of things to come or else by the worde of God admonish men of things present are the interpreters and openers of Gods will. But bicause Christ shoulde be a Priest in the Church of God for euer he must not abstayne from teaching which is the chiefe poynt required in a Priest as maye be seene Malachie 2. Wherfore also in another place he is described in the person of a Prophete or preacher as in Esay 61. Which place he himselfe expoundeth of himselfe in the sinagoge at Nazareth And he is not declared to be such an one in the olde Testament only but God hath set him forth also being here on earth by a very solemne and open authorisement to be the vniuersall and vndoubted teacher of all the worlde Whereas vpon mount Thabor before most credible witnesses both of the deade and of the liuing that is to saye before Moyses and Elias Peter Iames and Iohn he pronounced that notable saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And Christ himselfe followed the office of teaching with great studie and diligence and openly confesseth that he was sent for that cause Therefore it is not without a cause that Moyses and Peter calleth him a Prophet And we are taught by this place that it is not sufficient if we confesse Christ to be our sauiour and Redeemer vnlesse we acknowledge him to be a teacher sent of God and doe that dutie to him that schollers owe to a faythfull and trustie schoolemaister Thou shalt moreouer consider howe we ought to reuerence the ministerie whereby the Gospell is preached For whereby can it more singularly be commended than by the example of the sonne of God who both himselfe was a minister on the earth and appoynted the ministerie to be alwaye in his Church wherevnto Paule hauing a respect sayth that wee be messengers in the roume of Christ and preache vnto the worlde the worde of attonement Which woulde God both the hearers and ministers woulde alwaye remember least the one sort thinke to contemptuously of the ministerie and the other through their naughtynesse make it to be laughed at Thirdly is declared what maner a Prophete Christ should be to saye like vnto Moyses Which is not so to be taken as though we shoulde acknowledge in Christ nothing of more excellencie than in Moyses whereas Moyses was but a meere man and a sinner and Christ was both God and man the author of our saluation But this similitude or comparison must be referred to the office of a Prophete and figure of Christ which Moyses bare wherein many things both pleasant and profitable come to be considered First Paule testifieth of Moyses that he had rather to suffer sorrowe and affliction with the people of God than to be taken for Pharao his Nephewe and enioye the treasures and delightes of Egypt The same affection we see in Christ who being in the shape of God humbled and abased himselfe and taking on him the shape of a seruaunt chose rather to be afflicted with vs and to die for vs than to see vs any longer in misery Furthermore as Moyses was of his brethren moste vnworthilye refused so when Christ came amongst his owne his owne receyued him not and before Pylate they denyed him saying wee haue no king but Caesar. Yea and nowe a dayes also he is most vnworthily reiected of manye to whome he offreth himselfe and in himselfe eternall life and saluation through the Gospell Thirdly as Moyses deliuered the people of God from the cruell tyrannie of Pharao brought them out of Egypt and drowned them in the surges of the read sea so the sonne of God hath deliuered mankinde from the power of the deuill and brusting the bondes of sinne and death hath slayne Satan the spirituall Pharao with all his preparation engines and armor through the merite of his bloude Fourthly as Moyses lyke a faithfull shepehearde ledde the people of Israell safely through the vnknowne wayes of the wildernesse so Iesus Christ is that faythfull shepeherde that goeth before his sheepe and leadeth vs safelye through the deserte of this worlde being full of all kinde of daungers by the light of his worde and guiding of his spirite Fifthly as Moyses gaue Manna to the people being an hungred and gat springes of water out of the rocke for them being a a thirst so Iesus Christ feedeth our soules vnto life euerlasting by the merite of his flesh hath opened in his side a most plentifull fountaine of saluation by the which only al thirsty drouthes of the soule are quenched See Iohn 6.4.7.19 Sixthly as Moyses was the interpretor of Gods worde to the people when they were not able to abide the maiestie of God speaking to them so where none of vs hath seene God nor can see him as long as we be clothed with this mortall fleshe the sonne of God which is in the bosome of his father hath declared vnto vs whatsoeuer behooueth vs to knowe of God and prooueth by that argument that he taketh vs for his friendes bicause he hath hid none of these things from vs which he heard of his father Seuenthly as all the weyghtie causes which coulde not be discussed by the ordinarie Iudges vsed to be referred and brought vnto Moyses and he receyuing sentence from the mouth of the Lorde declared it and that was taken for vndoubted and ought not to be countermaunded as may be seene Exod. 18. and .33 Leuit. 24. Numer 15. c. so whatsoeeuer things eyther in the mysteries of faith and kingdome of heauen or in the conuersation of our whole lyfe passe the capacitie of our reason it behooueth they be referred to Christ onely and we must stand to his sentence so that we must subdue all our vnderstanding to the obedience of fayth which Paule testifieth is the end and scope of the Gospell Eightly as Moyses alwaye made intercession so God for the people as oft as they sinned and did it so faythfullye that for their sakes he desired to be wyped out of the booke of God So Christ when the sentence of damnation hoong ouer all our heades made intreatie for vs and woulde become accursed for vs to deliuer vs from the curse The same also being made a mediatour betweene God and man maketh alwayes intercession for vs to the father And as manye as feele they haue deserued Gods wrathe through their sinnes must vse him for their aduocate and spokesman vnto god Many other things might be alleaged in the which it is manifest Christ was like vnto Moyses or rather an absolute and perfite accomplisher of
of Adam are accursed For the Scripture euerywhere teacheth that the curse belongeth vnto sinne And the lawe pronounceth him accursed which fulfilleth not all the things that God commaundeth Deut. 27. Therfore bicause we be all sinners and destitute of the glory and grace of God we be subiect to his wrath and iudgement And as through sinne all kinde of euill is come into the worlde so God by blessinge promiseth all goodnesse Therefore this is a most large promise and comprehendeth all mannes saluation And bicause enmitie was growne betweene God and vs by reason of sinne we coulde not be reconciled vnto him without a Mediator nor attayne vnto this blessing God therefore sheweth vs this mediator where he promiseth the blessing in the seede of Abraham Which place Paule the Apostle with great plainnesse expoundeth of Iesus Christ who wee reade tooke the seede of Abraham For he writeth to the Galathians the third chapter To Abraham were the promises made and to his seede He sayth not and in his seedes as of many but in thy seede as of one which is Christ. Neyther doe we here regarde the cauilling Iewes which expounde this worde seede bicause it is a nowne collectiue of the whole nation of the Iewes and make a comparison as though all people shoulde be blessed after the example of that nation For where it is euident all mankinde standeth accursed Gods Testament shoulde be of no profite vnlesse he appoynted some one which shoulde blesse them and deliuer them from the curse But who that is the Iewes can neuer shewe vs if they refuse Christ forasmuch as in al Abrahams posteritie many and great sinnes may be shewed Whereby it is euident the curse cleaueth to them For the Lorde truly sayd to them by Esaias Thy first father offended sore and thy Rulers haue sinned against me Onely Christ is he in whose mouth was founde no guile and which was able to saye to his enimies which of you can reprooue or impeach me of sinne And he only is declared by God the father to be that man in whome we obtayne this blessing For of him God sayde This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased And he in his last supper openlye testifyed that the accomplishing of the newe Testament consisted in his bloude Through his bloude therefore be our sinnes purged which caused the sentence of male diction to fall vpon vs Whosoeuer therefore will obtaine the inheritance of blisse let them embrace Christ. Howbeit bicause this blisse or felicitie shall not seeme to pertayne to a fewe persons or to one Nation only he sheweth expressely howe farre it ought to be extended including within the blessing that commeth by Christ all the kinredes of the earth For as Paule sayeth he that ordeyned these things is not the God of the Iewes only but of all Nations also And we are euery where warned that touching our saluation there is no difference of nations before God but as Peter afterward testifieth in all people they that feare him and worke righteousnesse are accepted with him Further Christ himselfe sayth that the saluation whereof he is author appertayneth to all men where he testifyeth in the Gospell that many shall come from the East and from the West and rest with Abraham Isaac Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Whervnto this also appertaineth where he giueth coÌ„maundement to his Apostles to preach the gospell ouer all the world Marc. 16. Act. 1. For as the first promise of saluation was made to our first parentes so God woulde haue the same emparted to all their issue and posteritie Neyther is there any other reason wherefore Abraham can be called the father of many Nations but for that all the faithfull of all nations ioyned togither in Iesus Christ are made heyres of the promises of his sonne and of the saluation set forth in Christ by faith The consideration hereof is both full of instruction and comfort For it teacheth vs that we must rashly contemne no man nor yet be prowde of the vaine prerogatiue of our nation which most times dependeth of earthly men and of their fonde iudgement forasmuch as Iesus Christ which is our saluation and glory apperteyneth to all nations Againe it confirmeth vs in the temptations of our fayth that we suffer not our selues to be secluded from Christ in whome we heare that all the nations of the earth be blessed by which argument Peter laboureth here to perswade the Iewes the certaintie of their saluation Thirdlye he comforteth them with the late benefite of God and the present state and condicion of things First when God raysed vp his sonne Iesus vnto you he sent him to blesse you that euerye one of you shoulde turne from his wickednesse He vnderstandeth not by this worde raysing vp the resurrection of Christ from death but he alludeth vnto the oracle of Moyses which a little before he cited As though he should say God hath perfourmed that he promised and hath raised vp that great Prophete and redeemer of mankinde one of your owne brethren And he hath sent him being thus raysed vp and incarnated not to other nations but vnto you and willed him first to notifie intreate of saluation among you Neither can any man denye this For Christ taught among you he wrought myracles among you he vsed himselfe conuersantly with you yea he plainly confesseth that he chiefelye belongeth to the lost sheepe of Israel Furthermore when he first sent vs forthâ—to preache he badde vs we shoulde keepe our selues within the boundes and borders of your nation and not to goe into the way of the Gentiles And his last commaundement when he was ready to ascende into heauen was that we shoulde beginne to preache the Gospell first at Ierusalem and so to publishe it throughout Iurie and then to bring it to other nations â–ª Wherefore you haue no iust cause to doubt vnlesse you list to despise the present grace of God and to doubt of these things which God little lacking offreth to you to feele with your handes Howbeit he beguileth not men with vaine promises he mocketh vs not with emptie bragges of benefites but hath a pleasure to giue vs them in deede and taketh no greater delight than in our saluation We are here taught howe we also maye assure vs of our saluation by the preaching of the Gospell For where it is the message of saluation God truly offreth saluation to them whome he calleth thereby into the knowledge and fellowship of his sonne Neyther is there nowe a dayes any other way or meane by the which God sendeth his sonne vnto vs than by preaching the gospell which fully comprehendeth all the blisse of saluation Nowe Peter in fewe wordes describeth the office of Christ where he sayth he is sent of God to blesse vs. Whereby also we perceyue that by the seede of Abraham he vnderstoode none other but Christ as before
their moodes who iudged the Apostles to be put to death But before wee declare Gamaliel his wordes we haue to consider howe easie a thing it is for God to deliuer his people from daunger seeing he can raise vp for them defenders euen from among their enimies by the counsell and authoritie of one man can confounde the enterprises attempts of a great many For as euen now was sayd no kinde of men were more bent against Christ and his doctrine than the Phariseyes who had a good whyle before this pronounced sentence of excōmunication against all those that professed christ And yet of this Colledge also was Nicodemus who before this defended Christes quarell Now commeth Gamaliel out of the same Colledge whose meanes it pleaseth the Lorde to vse for the deliuerie of the Apostles And this one man without any armour or weapon only by prudent counsayle dasheth all the deuise of the whole counsayle There are other examples of lyke sort which teach vs to take a generall doctrine consolation hereof Herevnto apertayneth it that Ruben only who also hated Ioseph in his hart yet afterwarde saued him from present death To this maye we adde also howe the Philistines deliuered Dauid being inclosed on euerye side wyth Saules souldiors What shall we speake of Moyses the Capitaine of the people of Israel whome the daughter of cruell Pharao saued from drowning in the riuer Nilus But it woulde be very long if we shoulde tarie in all the examples which might be brought It behooueth vs rather to obserue the vse of them which is that we be not feared with the attempts of men which the Lord can forthwith bring to naught to whose seruice we all are bound Which one thing if men as well in generall as particulerly woulde thin ke on they woulde by no meanes suffer themselues to be pulled from fulfilling their vocation Let vs marke Gamaliel his counsayle full of wisedome in deede yet such as wherein a man may perceyue diuers things wanting which declare hee was not yet fully instructed in the truth Yet it pleased the Lorde to vse his helpe and it is to be thought that he afterward grewe to more godlynesse His saying consisteth in three poyntes First he vseth a pretie preface wherby he apeaseth the furious and exhorteth them to do nothing rashly or vnaduisedly Take heede to your selues sayth he concerning these men what you intende to doe As though he shoulde saye I heare that you determine they shall suffer death But I feare your deuyse is to headie and therefore to daungerous I woulde therefore haue some diligent and sober deliberation taken that in our wrath we commit not that which afterwarde wee may repent This is a most profitable and in all ages necessary admonition that in our anger we doe or appoynt nothing For the auncient wryters sayde anger was an euill counsayler as the which is a very phrenesie for the whyle And what goodnesse or equitie maye a man hope for of a madde man wherefore Iames most truly sayth The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God. And would God the authoritie of this sentence were as much in these dayes as we reade it was among the Ethnickes It is sayde of Augustus that he thought the companye of Athenodorus the Philosopher very necessary for him bicause vpon his departure from him he admonished him that he shoulde decree or appoynt nothing to be done in his anger before he had first recyted the Alphabet or names of the .xxiiij. letters For the wyseman vnderstoode that wrath by leysure woulde coole and abate And as notable is it that another of the Philosophers said to his seruant that had offended him Thou shouldest be beaten if I were not angry But now a dayes among Christians many thinke that men in their anger may doe what they list and they go about vnder the cloke of anger to excuse most heynous offences And in deede if God had made vs Beares or Lyons their excuse might take some place But forasmuch as we be men who ought to be ruled with the bridle of reason and word of God we shall be inexcusable as many as let our selues be caried and ruled with the lust of our affections But chiefely men of authoritie and Iudges must be myndefull hereof least they being caried awaye with wrath swarue from equitie and righteousnesse Gamaliel his saying also is worthye to be diligently considered Take heede to your selues c. Why the Apostles case was in question and their lyfe in daunger But the wise man and diligent obseruer of Gods law perceiued that Iudges commonly were more in daunger through giuing false iudgement than they that were accused For what thing can chaunce vnto them more acceptable than death that chaunge this mortall lyfe for an immortall But these Iudges prouoke the wrath of God against them which sitteth in the middest of them as is written Psal. 82. and will not suffer their boldnesse to go vnreuenged which vnder the pretence of godly iudgement exercise vnrighteousnesse Therfore whosoeuer beare office let them thinke this sayd vnto them and take heede to themselues that being blinded with affections they stray not from the tracke of righteousnesse In the seconde part of his Oration he intermedleth examples out of the which a little after he draweth the arguments of his sentence He first alledgeth examples very prudently and so telleth them that at the first it appeareth not what he will conclude thereof least eyther they shoulde not harken to his saying or without expending of it reiect it Out of a great many he chooseth two specially which as they were to all men knowne so were they able most to mooue their minds the one was of Theudas the other of Iudas of Galiley Iosephus also maketh mētion of them but touching the order of the storie he much dissenteth from Luke bicause he writeth Iudas was many yeares before Theudas whome yet Gamaliel openly testifieth to haue risen long before him But the authoritie of an holy writer must be of more credite with vs than Iosephus who it is euident was deceiued in many other things also whose writings might easily be corrupted and peruerted In the histories there is no difficultie and Gamaliel his purpose is to teach none other thing thereby but that none hitherto went vnpunished that tooke vpon them the name and office of the Messias but that they with all their sect perished which vnder this pretence went about to seeke their owne profite and aduauncement whereof afterwarde he gathereth that the lyke woulde come to passe by the sect of the Christians if Christ had bene a fraudulent and deceytfull worker and that therefore they ought to abyde the iudgement of god c. We haue to obserue in the rehearsal of these examples what shal become of them which wil not embrace Iesus Christ the true Messias For such men commonly as are authors and beginners of
haue their common weales in safetie For this saying of the Romane hystory is confirmed by the example of many kingdomes and nations By concorde small things increase through discorde great things come to decay And no doubt but theyr ende is alwayes vnhappie that are at contynuall discension among themselues And if we now compare Moses minde and doings with those which now a dayes haue the rule in christendome we shall lesse marueyle at the vnhappie state of our age bicause now such raigne euerywhere as are both ashamed of their people and careleslye contemne them or else with ouer great exactions vtterly impouerishe them and moreouer mainteyne diuision among them and to conclude thinke theyr greatest prayse to consist in warres rashely and vnaduisedly taken in hande and in needelesse and vnnecessarie shedding of bloude Let vs also examine what thankes Moses gotte of the Iewes by his louing benefite Steuen sayth it was verie little For that naughty packe which feared not to doe his brother iniurie of hys stowte naughtynesse burst out agaynst him in all opprobrious maner saying Who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge ouer vs wylt thou kyll me also as thou diddest the Aegyptian yesterday In which wordes he vpbraydeth him as though he tooke vpon him to be a ruler hauing refused and forsaken all rule and authoritie for their sakes He also accuseth him of manslaughter yea of murther which with the daunger of his owne lyfe procured the safegarde of the people And although there is but one noted of this naughty ingratitude yet it appeareth many were like minded bicause none rebuked him for his sawsinesse and malapertnesse and not long after Moses doing came to Pharaos knowledge whereof no Egyptian was wytting It must needes therfore be that an Israelite was his accuser And they were no whyt the better after they were delyuered out of Egypt and had learned by many signes and woonders that he was sent of God to be their Captaine and defendor For as oft as all things fell not out after their mindes so oft they accused Moses of treason and falshood And this is the property of the world on this sort to recompence their best benefactors And that that fell to Moses came to passe also vnto Dauid Ezechias Iosias and all the Prophets among the Gentyles to Myltiades Phocion Camillus the Scypions and infinite others The consideration of whome serueth to teache vs that we be not grieued with the ingratitude of the worlde and that we leaue not our duetie and vocation for any like cause Let vs therefore looke for recompence at hys hande who is a most liberall rewarder Let vs remember that euen now is layde vp for vs in heauen a great rewarde and that if we be faythfull in a little we shall be appointed hereafter ouer much See Mathew the fifth and .xxv. chapter Moreouer Moses example comprehendeth in it the mysteries of our redemption and vpbraydeth vs with our vnkindnesse toward christ For as Moses forsooke Pharaos court the riches of Egypt visited his brethren and tooke vpon him their defence so Iesus Christ being in the glory of his father did vouchsafe to humble himselfe by his incarnation became our brother to take vpon him our quarrell defence Agayne as Moses reuenged defended the Israelite by killing the Egyptian so Iesus vanquished and slue the deuil set vs at liberty For he is that feede of the woman that was promised by whose merite the serpents head should be troden downe And as Moses was the author and perswader of his brethren to concorde so Iesus Christ prescrybeth to them whom he hath set at libertie by the merite of his death and made children and members of his body none other thing but precepts of charitie and hath appointed charitie for a cognizance for his disciples whereby to be knowne And as the Israelites were not afrayde to murmure against Moses so manye persons feare not to murmure most vnworthily against the lawes of Christ and fewe there be that acknowledge him for their king and delyuerer bicause the most part of men eyther giue the glory to creatures that he alone hath deserued or else boldly robbing him ascribe it to themselues and to the merites of their owne workes Therefore we are to impudent to charge the Iewes with the crime of vngratefulnesse where we our selues offende much more in the same against the sonne of God. It shall be profitable nowe to consyder the punishment that God vseth against vnkinde persons Moses is dryuen awaye and entertayned of Iethro in Madian taketh his daughter to wyfe by whome he hath two children to comfort him in his exylement In the meane season the Israelites lack their reuenger and deliuerer and are fayne to feele the smart of tyranny fortie yeares longer out of which they might now haue bene deliuered but that they draue Moses away So many times it commeth to passe that our naughtinesse is cause that God can not helpe vs according to the goodnesse of hys nature This is like as when they came to the borders of the lande of Chanaan and through their grutching and murmuring deserued to be brought backe agayne into the wyldernesse and fortie yeares longe were afflicted with all kinde of miserie and there dyed Therefore they which are the authors of their owne aduersitie accuse God vndeseruedly Let them marke this which complayne of the diseases which they procure themselues through their owne distemperancie likewise they that can not away with pouertie being through their owne ryotousnesse fallen into the same The same is lyke also euen in the businesse of our saluation For where many disdayne to imbrace the righteousnesse of God which he offereth vs in his sonne and dare set vp their owne righteousnesse it commeth to passe through their owne desertes that they are able neyther to auouch their owne righteousnesse in Gods sight ne yet to be iustified and saued by Christ. Last of all we haue to consider Moyses flight by whose example we are taught that it is lawfull for vs sometyme to prouyde for our selues by flying and to keepe our selues for more commodious seasons For both we reade that Christ so did oftentimes and commaunded his Apostles to doe the lyke But here we haue neede to take good heede and to be circumspect least vnder the pretence of Christes commaundement we seeke a cloke wherewith to hyde our feare and dastardlynesse and so by vnhonest flying leaue the standing wherein we are appoynted of god Moyses fled and yet is not to be accused therefore bicause he vnderstoode by his vngentle repulse that the time of deliuerie was not yet come and that he coulde not as yet bring them out of Egypt who so disdainfully cast him of But as soone as they beganne to acknowledge that he was appoynted of God for their reuenger and yeelded themselues to the calling of God then could he by no threates of the Tyrant be
the Lords And to this ende it is that he sayth he is the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob which yet were deade long before he thus spake And Christ by the same reason calleth Lazarus his friend being both dead and buryed Whervnto chiefely it appertayneth that Christ out of this place tooke a generall doctrine to confirme the resurrection of the deade and certaintie of eternall lyfe against the Sadduceyes cauillations Let vs therefore be occupyed in the meditation of this tytle as oft as feare of death ariseth in vs and we shall perceyue by and by that we shall be delyuered from all care and pensiuenesse But whereas Moses feared aswell with the sight of the burning bushe as with the voyce of God durst not come neere by and by he is tolde what he must doe For God sayth moreouer Put of thy shooes from thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy grounde So he sayth bicause of hys owne being there and for that he had appointed that place to set forth hys lawe in It is not without a cause that Steuen maketh mention of this precept for hereby he meaneth to admonishe the Iewes what God in tyme past requyred of Moses and what he also requyreth of vs nowe a dayes that is to saye neyther temple neyther leuiticall worshipping no colde ceremonies whether it be the bloud of Oxen or Goates but that we should purge our minds from beastly affections which are signifyed by the shooes and should be wholy ioyned to him by sinceritie of fayth and puritie of mindes For this is that true worshipping of God which Christ otherwheres sayth consisteth in spirite and in truth And herevnto belongeth his precept of washing the feete whereof we ought to haue greater respect than of any outwarde things We must also marke euery where howe all the scriptures testifie vnto vs that God is present in euery place and how daylie examples aboundantly prooue the same Last of all God openeth his intent and pleasure vnto Moses I haue sayth he perfitely seene the affliction of my people in Aegypt and haue heard their groning and am come downe to delyuer them Which words serue most aptly to Ste ens purpose For they declare that there was no desert in the Israelites for the which they ought to be delyuered and that God regarded nothing in them but their afflictions wherewith they were miserably troubled wherevpon it followeth that all the benefite of their deliuerie appertayneth to the meere grace of god Wee are also taught that God doth not neglect his people although he sometime seemeth so to doe He seeth their teares which Dauid sayth are put in a Bottle in his sight He heareth not onely their crie but also their groning bicause he searcheth the heart and the reynes And they that reade hystories finde examples euerywhere whereby it may easily be prooued Let this serue therefore to comfort vs when we are forsaken of false and vnkinde persons Let it also serue to instruct vs that we vnaduisedly afflict not those whome God hath so speciall a care of Hereto appertayneth that that is written concerning Wydowes fatherlesse and straungers crying vnto him And that that is written in Zacharie the second chap. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye And chiefely let vs haue regarde that we giue our seâ—â—es wholy to that God which considering the miserie of all mankinde hath giuen vs his sonne Iesus Christ â–ª to be our deliuerer and reuenger to whome â—e prayse honor glorye and power for euer Amen The L. Homelie THIS Moses whome they forsooke saying who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge the same did God sende to bee a Ruler and a delyuerer by the handes of the Aungell which appeared to him in the bushe And the same brought them out shewing woonders and signes in Aegypt and in the redde Sea and in the wildernesse fortie yeares This is that Moses which sayde vnto the children of Israel A Prophet shall the Lorde your God rayse vp vnto you of your brethren like vnto mee him shall you heare ALthoughe Steuen taught none other waye of fayth and saluation than that that is founded vpon the merite of Iesus Christ the promised Sauiour to whome Moses and the Prophets beare witnesse yet he is accused that he teacheth a newe fayth and an erronious yea that he is a blasphemer of Moses and the fathers and goeth about to abolishe the fayth which they obserued and deliuered vs The same state was the worlde in then that in these daies it is where they that follow the fayth deliuered by the Apostles and sealed with the bloud of the Martyrs are accused as subuerters of auncient religion and condemners of the olde fathers But what we haue to doe in thys case Steuens example teacheth vs He reasoneth diligently and at large touching the beliefe of the fathers chiefely he cyteth the hystorie of Moses that by rehearsall therof he might shew partly how reuerently he iudged of Moses and partly prooue that he was no enimie to the auncient religion of the fathers although he taught them that those ceremonies were nowe to be put awaye without the which they well ynough serued God yea without the which Moses also pleased God and was aduaunced to so high dignitie and honor So the vnlearneder sort nowe a dayes must be taught what the beliefe and doctrine of the Martyrs was in time past and howe they were saued without those things whereabout now a daies is such bytter contention But after Steuen had brought his oration to the solempne vocation of Moses then prosecuteth he the same at length and entreth into the prayses of Moses and first testifyeth that he acknowledgeth all things in Moses that God bestowed vpon hym Then prooueth he hys doctrine of Iesus Christ by the testimonie of Moses whose meaning he sayth was not that the Israelites should stick in the lawe and ceremonies gyuen by him but that they should haue an eye to that especiall Prophet which God afterwarde should sende of whome he was but a signe and figure onely This is a notable place whereby we are taught that we must thinke and speake so reuerently of the ministerie vertues of the Saints that yet we leaue Iesus Christes honor whole to hymselfe who onely hath the preheminence in all those thinges that concerne the true worshypping of God and meane of our saluation First he begynneth with the office of Moses which was the most excellent thing that he could deuise For he sayth that God sent him to be a ruler and delyuerer of the people of Israell Thys thing he so proponeth that he hytteth them agayne in the teeth with the ingratitude of their fathers which vnworthily refused Moses laying to their charge how they contemned him in whome they so greatly bragged For he sayth Thys Moses whome they denyed saying who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge the same did God sende to be a
followed We are here taught that we must not alwayes cleaue to the iudgements and examples of notable men but rather trie and examine all things after the rule of the Scripture afore we imitate them For if they were so fowly deceyued which had the greatest dignitie among the people of God by his appointment what shall we hope of others They are also confuted which when we bring forth the worde of God bring vs the examples of Princes and great estates For the question is not what men doe but what is done according or contrarye to the worde of god Moreouer we are taught that the reading of the Scripture neuer so much preuayleth not if we well vnderstande not the meaning of the Scripture Moses the Prophets were read of ordinary among the Iewes in all their sinagoges But whereas they were deceyued in the affiance of their owne righteousnesse they knew not the ende of the lawe which was Iesus Christ and being ignorant thereof they fulfylled the Scriptures presumptuously putting him to death whom Moses the Prophets did prophecie should be their sauiour We see the same hath come to passe these many yeres in the papacie or Popedome The vnlearned Monkes and Priests reade and sing the holy scriptures Yet Christ whome the scriptures teach is despised of a great many and Antichrist is worshipped and glorifyed whome the scriptures with one consent warne vs to beware of And other cause of so fylthy an error is there none than for that men being puffed vp with a Iewishe affiance of their owne works are not able to see the righteousnesse of Christ while they go about to set vp their owne righteousnesse See Rom. 10. Secondly he alleageth the authoritie of Gods prouidence declaring that for this cause no manne ought to be offended at the death of Christ bicause he suffred nothing but that the Prophetes to whome the holye ghost long before reuealed the counsayles and ordinaunce of God prophecied he shoulde suffer Wherefore the Priestes when they vnderstoode not the scripture yet they fulfylled them in that they presumed to condemne and put Christ to death And it is no doubt but Paule in this place brought forth the oracles of the Scripture which are extant euerywhere touching Christes passion In that he sayth the Prophecies were fulfylled by the wicked enimies of Christ we learne that the very wicked also are the instruments of God by whome oftentimes he vseth to bring his ordinances and deuises to passe And yet they are not therfore to be excused bicause they doe that that God will haue to bâ— done For where they like Bedlems rage in impietie against God and go about to hinder and not to set forwarde his ordinances they are in the fault and God is to be praysed and glorifyed which can moderate and order their audacitie and boldenesse so well Also his inuincible power and infallible veritie appeareth in these examples For if hys deuises take effect through the meane of his very enimies also then must they needes stande fast for euer Therefore they whose infyrmitie is feared with the cruell deuises of the Princes of this worlde let them seeke comfort hereat But whereas it might notwithstanding be obiected that it was scarce credible that God would appoynt him to be our Sauiour who was made away by so slaunderous a death and such as was cursed euen by the lawe therefore in the thirde part he prooueth he was innocent and guiltlesse and sheweth that his kinde of death must not be so much considred as his cause when they founde by him sayth he no cause of death yet desired they Pylate to kill him These things might haue bene declared more at large as it is like Paule did bicause he spake vnto them which suspected all Christes doing Let it suffyse vs to holde fast the scope and ende of Paule that is howe no man ought to be offended at Christes death which he suffered being an innocent forasmuch as many times the holyest men of all vse to be put to death both vnworthily and vniustly Also the true vse of Christes innocencie must be well weyghed which consisteth in the purgation or clensing of our sinnes For if Christ had not bene free and cleere of all sinnes he coulde neuer haue bene able to haue satisfyed for our sinnes For howe can he make others cleane that is himselfe vncleane Or how shoulde one being indebted himselfe paye other mennes debtes Therefore it behooued Christ shoulde be innocent that we might knowe howe he who had deserued no death for his part suffred death for vs Esay maketh mention herof where he expoundeth the mysterie of our redemption cap. 53. And hereto belongeth that saying of Paule God made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes shoulde be the righteousnesse which before God is allowed And this is the chiefe cause why the Euangelistes be so earnest in setting forth the innocencie of christ Then if none ought to bee offended with Christes death bicause he suffred innocently by the same reason the vnworthy and vniust slaughters of the Saintes ought to offende no body whereby they are made partakers of Christes crosse to th ende to be glorifyed with him Fourthly least anye man shoulde thinke that Christ was ouercome by the force or power of his enimies and therefore shoulde deny that he were a sauiour or reuenger he teacheth that he receyued no losse or harme by the wicked enterprises of the Priestes They perfourmed all the thinges which were prophecyed of him while they killed him on the Crosse and pierced his side with a speare and at length tooke him down from the crosse and layd him in a sepulchre But for all this he was of neuer the lesse power or glory For God as he foreshewed raysed him vppe from death so that now he liueth for euer in a glorifyed body where they enuyed him this miserable and corruptible life But let it here offende no man that Christes buriall is permitted to his wicked enimies the honor whereof the Euangelistes ascribe to his faythfull disciples Ioseph and Nichodemus For Paule here speaketh howe they were not contented with his ordinary buriall but caused the grauestone to be sealed with Pylates signet and gotte souldiours to watch him and forceably to keepe him downe in his graue thinking that they of their owne power had killed him vpon the crosse and were ignorant that he layde downe his lyfe of his owne voluntary This diligent description of his buriall maketh for the more certaintie and truth of his resurrection For thus it appeareth there coulde be no frawde or deceyt in the matter and that it was a false rumour that the Priestes caused to be raysed by the souldiours being well bribed with money that his Disciples came and stole away his body In the meane season we may take a generall comfort hereof that the enimies of Christ fyght against him in vaine The same
but shadows of Chryst and of the things that belonged vnto hym I omitte the testimonies of the Prophetes for breuitie sake Let this suffise for them al where Christ teacheth vs that the mysteries both of his death and resurrection were long before prophesied by Moses the Prophets and wryters of the Psalmes Therefore Paule very well professeth that he teacheth none other fayth or hope of saluation than that which the fathers had which beleeued the promises that God had made Let vs also obserue howe he complayneth that he is accused for thys selfe fayth and that of the Iewes which did moste glory in the fathers and in the promises This thing teacheth vs what state the truth is in in this world verily euen suche that not only the open enimies take against hir but also those that will seeme to be the most earnest followers of hir This we read came to passe in the time of the Prophets long agone And as Chryst teacheth vs they made muche of the Prophetes tombes and graues which yet hated their doctrine worse than a tode So wheÌ„ Christ came vnto them which euery day looked for him according to the Oracles of the Prophets yet they neither knew him nor receiued him The same we see falleth out also euen in our dayes For they that bragge of the name of Chryst and supersticiously worship the mother of Chryst the Uirgin and the Sainctes with their reliques for Chrystes sake the same persecute the true fayth of Chryst and the doctrine of the Apostles for no cause so muche as for that it chalengeth to Chryste onely all the glory of our redemption and saluation And now a dayes euery where among the Christians suche men are accused of vngodlynesse and heresie as do teach that men ought to trust in Chryst onely and to seeke all their saluation in him alone Therefore we haue as great occasion in these dayes to complayne as Paule had who thought it vnmeete to be accused of the Iewes for the promise sake made sometime vnto the fathers But this is the vntowardnesse of this worlde wherat we must not be offended seeing it is both an olde practise and examples of al ages teach vs that the true worshippers of God haue alwayes wrastled and striuen agaynst the same Let vs obserue moreouer in what order and after what sorte Paule defendeth bothe his fayth and doctrine First he alleageth the promise or word of God and therevnto he ioyneth the consent of the whole Church For he nameth the twelue tribes togither therby playnly declaring that he hath no regarde what a certayne few of the Priestes thinke but what the whole company of the faythfull haue beleeued in all ages according to the word of god This is the best way of mayntayning and defending the fayth For where mannes traditions are of no authoritie with God the worde of God muste principally be brought foorth and by it a reason must be rendered of all opinions This foundation beeing layde then must we also haue an eye vnto the Churche not to the company of a certayne fewe which chalenge to them selues alone the name thereof but vnto that vniuersall assemblie and congregation which wee knowe hath bene from tyme to tyme continually since the beginning of the worlde although sometymes it hath bene somewhat selde and obscure somewhile somewhat more in number and more euident euen as it seemed good vnto him which chose vs in his sonne before the foundations of the worlde were layde Therefore the errour of our age is enormious and playne absâ—rde where many by and by at the firste choppe wyll alleage the consente of the Churche constituting the same vppon a certayne sorte of conspired counterfaytes that is to say smered and shauen creatures of Antichryst to whome they make the worde of God and the interpretation thereof to bee in subiection and gyue them power to decree and appoynte what they wyll concerning the fayth Whome if a man would examine according to the markes of the Primatiue Churche they shall so little be accounted worthy to be heades of the Church that they ought scarse to be taken for any members thereof Laste of all we see that the Article of resurrection ought to be taken for certayne and assured seeing that Paule alleageth the same with a certayne kind of indignation agaynst those that douted therof saying Why seemeth it vnto you an incredible thing that God should raise vp thâ— deade agayne As if he should say Is it not a maruayle that men should doubt of that which is euery where proued by so many argumentes â— For to let passe the Scriptures the reason of Gods iustice requireth that the dead should ryse agayne and receiue a recompence for the things which they heere haue done considering we see the wicked lyue mosâ—e commonly welthyly in this worlde and the godly in miseâ—ie Wee haue more ouer examples appearing euery yere in plants trees and in euery lyuing creature Do we not reade also that the first man was made of the earth â–ª and howe many were raysed agayne to life miraculously firste by the Prophets and then at length by Chryst him selfe But letting passe these arguments Paule sendeth his hearers to the consideration of Gods power onely verily to preuent this mischiefe that measureth the mysteries of fayth according to the capacitie and reache of mans reason It is also a ridiculous errour to thinke that impossible to God whereof we can not perceyue a reason by and by And this is to be obserued not onely in the Article of resurrection but also in all others to the ende wee shoulde subdue our reason to the obedience of fayth Yet must we not bring in as some men vse new and absurde opinions vnder the pretence of Gods omnipotencie For where we are certayne of the will of God according to his worde there it shal be lawfull for vs to reason of his omnipotencie which thing thou shalt in vayne doo if thou doo not first proue that God is willing to do that which thou meanest Furthermore let vs holde faste the chiefe poynt of this place that we trusting in the hope of the ancient promises worship God day and night which hath opened to vs life and eternall saluation in the promised seede Iesus Christ our sauiour to whom be praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clxij Homelie I Also verily thoughte in my selfe that I ought to doo many contrary things cleane agaynst the name of Iesus of Nazareth which thing I also dyd in Ierusalem and many of the Sainctes dyd I shutte vp in prison and had receiued authoritie of the highe Priestes And when they were put to death I gaue the sentence and I punished them oft in euery Sinagoge and compelled them to blaspheme and was yet more madde vpon them and persecuted them euen into straunge Cities About which things as I went to Damascus with authoritie and licence of the high Priestes euen at Mid-day