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
one kinde of hearers but such as seemed greatly to differ both in vocation conuersation nature yet did not they thinke it good for this cause to chaunge or omit any thing in the doctrine of the gospel being wholy busted to bring many men vnto Christ by duly orderly dealing of his word And vnto this doctrine of the word they ioyned the vse of the sacraments and those whome they perceyued to beleue they tooke into the societie of the Church by baptisme with all their family and deliuered to them the sacrament of thankesgiuing in such sort as Christ prescribed the often receyuing whereof sealed to them the benefite of their redemption and a thankefull commemoration of the Lordes death is therein celebrated and the whole bodye of the Church is the more surely knitte togither with the bande of loue and charitie And by these meanes within the space of eyght and twentie yeares it is euident the whole worlde was brought vnto the obeysaunce of Christ and that by the ministerie of such as were neyther of noble stocke dignitie in calling nor of any estimation in learning Therefore this was the verie working of God from aboue wherein wee haue to reuerence his power and to embrace his goodnesse which so graciously prouided for the worlde liuing oppressed vnder the tyrannie of the deuill This booke setteth forth most diligently the exercises of the Primitiue Church Great sinners and notorious wicked men such as not long before had wickedly enterprysed to shed the bloud of the only begotten sonne of God embraced the doctrine of the gospell And the same being brought to the consideration of their sinnes openly confessed them and trusting in the onely mercie of God through Christ obteyned fauor and forgiuenesse From thenceforth forsaking their former sinfulnesse and taking a better waye and trade of lyfe they forsooke their companie by whome before they were polluted And to their Godlye life they ioyned prayers wherein they were feruently occupied both in consideration of their owne infirmitie and by reason of dayly perilles and incombraunces as many examples declare And for that they woulde haue neyther doctrine nor the wholesome frequenting of the Sacramentes to cease they had a speciall regarde that there might be Ministers and Elders euerywhere appoynted whome they placed in euery Citie and with great diligence kept in dooing their dutye And at length least the profession of Christ might seeme to consist onely in vaine contemplation there sprang and grewe among them such feruent loue and liberalitie that we may in these dayes sooner woonder at the same than follow it For eche Church and congregation faythfully made prouision for their poore and those Churches that were of best habilitie and ryches relieued the want and pouertie of others further of sending to them such collections of money as they had made and gathered for them Well remembring vndoubtedlye our Sauiour Christ which being readie to leaue the earth appointed the poore in his place promising to accept whatsoeuer benefite bestowed vpon them as done vnto his owneselfe And where being occupyed in such Godlye exercyses all men ought to haue made much of them and loued them they yet founde on euery syde most grieuous enimyes The Iewes Scribes and Phariseyes and Philosophers of the Gentyles gainsayde them whereby they were enforced to haue perpetuall conflicts with those that had the chiefe commendation for wisedome and learning as well amonge the Iewes as the Gentyles Moreouer euen out of the Church it selfe arose false brethren who both through their lewde conuersation hindred the growth of the Church now springing and offended very manye with their craftie and deceyueable enterpryses such as Ananias was among the Iewes and Simon Magus amonge the Samaritanes And certaine wicked persons giuen vnto vnlawfull sciences muche troubled the Apostles and the other godly Bariesu or Elymas the Sorcerer in Cyprus a mayde possessed with a prophecying spirite at Philippi and certaine exorcistes or coniuring Iewes at Ephesus And when the deuill perceyued he coulde nothing preuaile by any of these instrumentes he began to styrre vp the Magistrates and Rulers by them to keepe vnder the towarde croppe of the true and healthfull fayth And this thing the Iewes first began to bring Christes religion the more in suspicion seeing that Nation where it first sprang receyued not the same Herevppon the Apostles were called before councelles at Hierusalem were commaunded to silence were beaten with roddes and so being further threatned were lette go againe At length Stephen was stoned the godlye driuen out of the Citie and persecution raunged in euery place neyther were the Apostles themselues spared For Herod beheaded Iames and thought for the Iewes pleasure to haue serued Peter likewise if God had not after a myraculous sorte deliuered him out of the present daunger hee was in And the Iewes were not content themselues to reiecte Christ as none of their king and sauiour but also they would not haue him to reigne among the Gentyles Wherefore they mooued and procured vprores agaynst the Apostles in all places as appeareth by the adoe that happened at Antioche Iconium Lystrae Corinth Thessalonica and many other places And finally they brought to passe that the Apostles and professors of the Christian fayth were reported to bee guyltie not onely in matters of religion but also to haue â—oldelye transgressed and broken the Romayne lawes and to haue troubled and distourbed the whole worlde Wherevppon the matter went so farre that the Romaine Emperours also whose power at that tyme stretched ouer all the worlde drewe their sworde agaynst the Christians But among all these so great and many daungers and in so craftie and most cruell attempts of the enimies there appeared a marueylous constancie of the Apostles and other beleeuers whereby they both truely and plainely protested their fayth in Christ and boldly defended and mainteyned the doctrine of truth and neyther by flattrie or threats coulde be brought to forsake the standing wherein God had placed them Therfore our faythfull God did not fayle them in so Godly a constancie but declared by many and euident tokens that he had a care of his Church For being in bandes and prison he deliuered them out of the same by the ministerie and seruice of Aungelles he comforteth them with ioyfull â—ightes and visions he armeth them with the spirite of constancie he giueth them a mouth and tongue which none of the enimies was able to resist he confirmeth the doctrine and faith of his people with myracles he effectually draweth the mindes of men to beleeue them and to be short he causeth the doctrine of the Gospell dispite of the worlde and Prince thereof through fire and sworde luckily to spreade ouer the whole face of the earth In these things is conteyned a perfite and an absolute paterne of a Church wherevnto all things written any where else in the scriptures touching the Church maye bee referred This fourme or frame of a Church it is euident that
bicause all things are written for our instruction we must applie the example of Abraham not onely to this present cause but also to our selues and there shall no little profite ensue vnto vs if we well consyder the calling of God and the fayth or obedience of Abraham In the calling of God whereby Abraham came out of Vr in Chaldaea into the land of Chanaan are two things principally to be considered The first is that he was called without any merite or desert of his before going For Iehosuah in his .xxiiij. Chapter testifieth that he dwelt among Idolaters and worshipped straunge Gods. Yea Epiphanius by report of auncient writers sayth that Thares Abrahams father was the first that made ymages of claye and that therfore he was punished of God with the death of Haran his sonne who was the first among the auncient fathers that of naturall death died before his father Neyther coulde he be commended bicause he was circumcised or was in the time of the Temple whereof the one was built many yeares after the other was a signe of the couenaunt made with him whereas the righteousnesse of fayth which he had alreadye attayned was sealed and confirmed The seconde is howe all this calling dependeth vpon the bare worde of god For he is commaunded to forsake his countrie and kindred and seeth nothing that might cause him to looke or hope for any better state or coÌ„dicion For God promised him neither trustier friendes nor fruitfuller countrie but speaking directly sayth Come into the lande which I shall shewe thee These things are worthy to be diligently obserued For first they teach vs that we are called to saluation and to the heauenly countrie whereof the lande of Chanaan was sometime a figure through the meere grace of God without respect of any our workes or deserts in this matter For what had we deserued seeing we were chosen in Christ before the world was made Or what can they bragge of that haue nothing but that they haue receyued And surely if we consider the disposition of our nature it shall appeare that we are no more mindefull of the heauenly Countrie before we be called and drawen than Abraham was of the land of Chanaan whose name he had not heard of yea when the Lord calleth vs we prooue the vntowarde nature of the fleshe stryueth agaynst Gods calling which we can neuer be able to ouercome except we be holpen by the effectuous drawing of the holye spirite Furthermore we are taught that our vocation which offereth vs saluation dependeth vpon the onely worde of God and therefore can not be taken holde of by fleshlye sense or mannes reason but by fayth onely which also is the gift of God For the naturall man perceyueth not the things belonging to the spirit of God. And God hath prepared such things for them that loue him as neyther eye hath seene nor eare hearde nor yet hath entred into the heart of man And here the power of fayth marueylously declareth it selfe which only taketh holde of the promises of God and most surely embraceth those things that farre exceede all sense and capacitie of mannes reason Therfore Paule calleth it a sure confidence of things which are hoped for and a certeyntie of things which are not seene These things ought well to be considered of them who thinke the doctrine of the iustification of fayth so light a matter as though it appoynted to easie a waye vnto saluation and so mainteyned the securitie and licentiousnesse of the fleshe For how can that be iudged a light and easie matter that surmounteth and passeth all the powers of man Or shal we account it a matter of greater weyght before God that men doe of their owne power than that that cannot be done without the power of the holy ghost Let vs compare fayth with all the workes of all the Monkes that euer were and yet shall we finde more yea and perfiter workes among the Philosophers of the Gentyles but fayth shall we be able to shewe in none but in him that is borne agayne of the word of God through the holy spirite Therefore our saluation and iustification is iustly ascribed to the greatest and exellentest thing that any man liuing can haue vpon the earth Nowe the beliefe and obedience of Abraham following the calling of God is very woonderfull There were diuers thinges which myght haue lette and hindred hi m. For to let passe all other great is the force of our natiue soyle and countrie and draweth men as the Poet sayth with a great desire and lyking and still maketh them mindefull thereof And it is no small authoritie that kinsefolke and allyaunce be of whome we then most vehemently loue when we be ready to forgo them The age also and infirmitie of his father myght haue stayed him whereof he dyed before he came to the borders of the Countrie promised And it is also likely that Abraham was in great honor in his countrie such as he coulde not easily hope for in a forreyne lande among straungers But none of all these things coulde withholde that godly brest but that without delaye he woulde followe the vocation of God wythout any curious enquirie of the condicion and state of the Countrie This is that obedience of fayth so oftentimes commended of Paule and which he sayth is the ende of the lawe This doth Christ require of vs where he commaundeth vs to forsake father mother sister brother wife children and our selues if we will be his Disciples And the accomplishment hereof is so difficult a thing that it is vndoubtedly impossible for vs to performe it except we be regenerate and borne againe of the holy spirite as Christ teacheth disputing with Nichodemus Therefore let them that desire to be called Christians examine themselues after this rule least whyle they rashly bragge thereof they become lyke foolishe buylders who go about to set vp some great building before they haue cast the charges thereof Let this consideration awake vs incessantly to make our feruent prayers for the increase of fayth that after the losse of all these worldlye goodes we maye come to the inheritaunce of the heauenly Countrie with Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The .xliiij. Homelie AND he gaue him none inheritaunce therin no not so much as one foote and promised that he woulde giue it him to possesse and to his â—eede after whereas yet he had no sonne God sayde on this wyfe thy seede shall be a soiourner in a straunge land and they shall make them bonde and intreate them euill fower hundred yeares And the Nation whome they shall serue I will iudge sayth the Lorde And after that they shall come forth and serue me in this place BIcause Steuen was accused as a publike enimie of Gods glory and all religion by reason of his doctrine of abrogation of the lawe and ceremonies
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
and wyckedlye abused their gifte of libertie they are nowe depriued thereof and constrayned to suffer suche presidentes as had neyther commendation of Nobilitie nor fame of vertue but were defamed and euill reported by reason of filthye luste and beastlye crueltie And where yet they woulde not amende for all these plagues at length they were vtterlye forsaken and shut out of the kingdome of god These thynges suche menne oughte diligentlye to consyder as nowe a dayes also abuse the prerogatiue of libertie and make of it an vnbrydeled licenciousnesse bothe of saying and doyng But returne we to Lysias the Captaynes letter whiche after he had superscribed it begynneth the narration with Paules greate commendation For he declareth that he was apprehended for no demerite or faulte that hee hadde done through the vnreasonablenesse and iniustice of the Iewes Next he sayth he is a Citizen or freeman of Rome At length hee testifieth he is an Innocent where he sayth he had done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment and that the Iewes had made this sturre and adoo agaynst him for no cause but for their lawe and religion sake This is a singuler commendation but we muste remember that these are the wordes of a Souldier and that he speaketh after the maner of the Romanes For where they desyred the vtter abolishment of the Iewes religion they cared not whether the presidents defended the same or not Therfore we see euery where that they litle regarded controuersies in religion But God commaundeth a farre other thyng whiche appointeth Magistrates to haue a speciall care of religion for it is not meete that they whom God of his goodnesse hath placed in such degree of dignitie should suffer the honour of God to be eyther neglected or defaced Yet the craft of the children of this worlde appeareth in the Captayne which so trimly dissembleth his errour committed in bynding and whipping a Citizen of Rome wryting now nothing but that that made for the getting of him praise and fauour Here is cheefly to be marked what a care God hath of his true seruauntes consydering he defendeth their innocencie by testimonie of their enimies Example hereof we nowe see euery day wheras they highly extoll and praise the Prophetes and Apostles which persecute their faith and doctrine with deadly hatred Why therfore feare we the slaunders of enimies or infamie of the worlde Nowe remaineth the latter part of the Epistle which consisteth of a certayne preoccupation or aunswere to an obiection that myght be made For lest Felix myght be offended for that an innocent person was not rather set at libertie than sent to hym with suche coste and charges He sheweth also the cause hereof he saith he did thus bycause of the waites that the Iewes laide for him which Paule shoulde neuer haue escaped if he had ben set at libertie Therfore it behoued in this wyse sayth he to prouide for the safetie of an innocent to see publique peace obserued Where againe the example of this Captayne putteth Magistrates in remembraunce of their duetie namely to take heede that no man suffer violence or iniurie because it is euident they are cheefly ordeyned to the ende that good men should not be oppressed through the insolencie and pleasure of other that are wicked Reade Psalm 72. Rom. 13. It foloweth what successe this matter had verilye a moste happye as God ordered it For the Souldiers faithfully fulfill the charge committed vnto them and bring Paule safely vnto Felix the President and he as though he had chaunged his nature becommeth curteous and easy to be spoken to and asketh him what cuntrey man he is Which when he knew he deferreth the hearing of his matter vntil the comming of his accusers For the lawe of nature teacheth vs that both partes ought to be hearde before sentence be giuen Let vs remember that all these thinges so happened according to Gods prouidence For it was his working that the Souldiers without grutching serued Paules turne that they were ready to defende him with perill of their lyfe that Felix accepteth him more curteously and frendly than his custome was and causeth hym to be kept in Herodes Iudgement Hall being an honest kynde of pryson The vse of these thinges is to teache vs that we must not passe much vpon the enterprises of men but studie onelye to please God which can mollifie barbarous mens heartes tame sauage and wylde maners and turne our enimies heartes to loue vs Let these thinges embolden vs with inuincible constancie of fayth to ouercome the tyrannie of the worlde and so to lyue hereafter eternally in heauen with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xxiiij. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Clij Homelie AFter fiue dayes Ananias the Highe priest descended with the Elders and with a certaine Oratour named Tertullus which enfourmed the Deputie against Paule And when Paule was called foorth Tertullus began to accuse him saying Seeing that wee liue in greate quietnesse by the meanes of thee and that many good things are done vntoo this Nation through thy prouidence that allowe we euer and in all places most noble Felix with all thankes Notwithstanding that I be not tedious vnto thee I pray thee that thou wouldest heare vs of thy curtesie a fewe wordes For we haue found this man a pestilent fellowe and a moouer of debate vnto all the Iewes in the worlde and a maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites which hath also enforced to pollute the Temple whome wee tooke and would haue iudged according to our lawe but the highe Captaine Lysias came vpon vs and with great violence tooke him away out of our handes commaunding his accusers to come vnto thee of whom thou mayest if thou wilte enquire knowe the certaintie of all these thinges whereof we accuse him The Iewes likewise affirmed saying that these thynges were euen so THe Euangelist Luke declareth in this Chapiter how Paule was handled before Felix the Presidente beinge sente to hym from the Captayne that was appoynted for the safegarde of Ierusalem as we haue heard before In the whiche Narration firste it is declared howe the hyghe Priest and Elders layde matter of death vnto Paules charge And albeit that Paule so declared and opened his cause that the Lord Presidente coulde fynde no matter of death agaynst hym yet he keepeth him in pryson two whole yeares together and bicause he woulde shewe the Iewes a pleasure leaueth him bounde in pryson still till Pontius Festus succeeded him in the office These thynges are declared to this ende that we may learne thereby what state the godly are lyke to be in alwayes in this worlde and howe the worlde continually hateth them forasmuch as we see the Iewes spare for no laboure or costes to bryng Paule beyng a most faithful preacher of gods word to his cōfusion But as Christ prophecied these things shold happē to his disciples euē so he
witnesse of Christe at Rome also before the Emperoure hee woulde also perfourme his promisses whose counselles seeing no subtilitie of manne is able to preuente it was easie for him to disappointe the enterprise of the Iewes And where he hathe power ouer the hearts of menne also hee nowe planteth suche a will in Festus that hee prouideth rather for Paules commoditie than for the Iewes And afterward when he would haue gratified the Iewes he stoppeth him by an other meane from dooing the same Heere may we take singular consolation considering we see that wicked men and such as daunce after the worldes pipe are subiect vnto the commaundement of God so that he hath full power and aucthoritie both vpon their bodies and minds Why therfore are we afraid of their councels and deuises why feare we their power why put we not our trust rather in God which is able to putte in their hearts new willes or else mightily to binde their handes But lette vs returne vnto the Iewes who according to the Presidentes commaundement goe againe vnto Caesarea and make a greeuous complaint and accusation against Paule in the description whereof Luke is the shorter for that they were for the most part such things as had bene many times before obiected vnto him Heere we haue to consider the Iewes the complainants who first stande round about Paule being brought into the place of iudgement which was a thing contrary to the common order in iudgements euen to dismaye him with their outwarde shewe and with their aucthoritie to moue Festus This done they bring out againe the olde pointes of their former accusation as may appeare by Paules answere But it seemeth they cheefely vrged the crime of sedition as though therby he had committed treason against Caesar. But although they lay many things to his charge they were yet able to proue nothing Paule so pleading his cause that it appeared manifestly to all men that he had offended in nothing either against the law of God either against the Temple and seruice either against Caesar. And what arguments were brought on bothe sides any man may easily gather by the accusations aforesaide Heere may we see what impudencie and boldnesse is in the ennimies of truthe For what could they more impudently haue done than againe to lay to Paules charge without profe or testimonie those things whervnto Paule before had oftentimes answered Yet where they wanted both argumentes and witnesses they compasse Paule about so boldly as if their aucthoritie only ought to haue preuailed in a matter of life death This is the guise of the wicked that they will be satisfied with no kinde of answeres but alwayes recourse to their olde slaunders This we finde true in these dayes where our aduersaries being conuinced with so many arguments yea now with so many yeares experience yet they impudently lay to our charge the crimes of seduction seditiō blasphemie and infinite suche like For why should they be ashamed to lie before men who are not ashamed to speake against God but in Paules answere this is worthy to be obserued that he denieth he hathe any wayes offended against Caesar yet preached he that Christe was God and procured the people vnder the Romaine Empire to take vnto them a new faith which thing Tertullian declareth was vnlawfull for any man to do by the Romaine lawes How can Paule therfore say he offended not against Caesar Heere we must know O brethren that religion is subiect neither to Caesar nor yet to any other Magistrate so that they at their pleasure may decree what they will therin For it belōgeth vnto God and according to his word and appointment it must be ordered And as Christ commaundeth to giue vnto Caesar that thing that belongeth vnto him so wil he haue reserued for God also that that is due vnto him Wherfore he offendeth not against the Magistrate which without purpose of raising any tumult defendeth the true honor of God although the Magistrate forbiddeth the same For when such Magistrates passe their bounds and wil encroche vpon Gods kingdome they are not to be hearde But rather Peters rule muste take place which teacheth vs that God be must be obeyed rather than men Heere hast thou what to answere to those which crye out that we seditiously bring vp many things contrary to the proclamations of Emperours and say that in matters of religion we must simplie obey our Princes Whose saying if it may preuaile then not we only but also all the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles with them shal be condemned who it is euident preached the word of God beat downe superstition and planted true faith contrary to the commaundements of Magistrates and rulers There is no cause therfore why we should regard these slaunders but let vs rather with a cleare conscience holde on in the true faithe and with a pure minde serue our sauioure Iesus Christ To whom be praise honoure power and glory for euer Amen The Clvij Homelie FEstus willing to do the Iewes a pleasure answered Paule and saide wilt thou goe vp to Hierusalem and there be iudged of these things before me Then saide Paule I stande at Caesars iudgement seat where I ought to be iudged To the Iewes haue I no harme done as thou very wel knowest If I haue hurt them or committed any thing worthy of deathe I refuse not to die If none of these things are wherof they accuse me no man may deliuer me to them I appeale vnto Caesar. Then spake Festus with deliberation Thou hast appealed vnto Caesar vnto Caesar shalt thou goe WHere Paule the Apostle speaking of his afflictions vnto the Corinthians saithe he was made a gasing stocke vnto the world and vnto angels and vnto men that same may cheefely be perceiued by the things which chaunced vnto him in his last captiuitie or imprisonment For now had he bene foure times presented in iudgement to pleade for his life First before the people at Ierusalem vpon the staires going vp to the castle secondly before the coūsel of the priests And thirdly before Felix the President After which foloweth this newe arainment before Festus the new President Euery one of them were notable by reason of the great dāgers that fel out in them as we haue seene in their places all which dangers he yet escaped through the help of god These things teach vs what power God suffereth the wicked to haue vpon his elect whom he yet deliuereth with a mightie hand out of all their tribulations bicause of their faith Wherefore we must not be offended if we haue the like happen vnto vs also And this is the chefe vse of this place where we are taught how Paule escaped this new daunger where of the President himselfe was the author bicause no man should thinke that hee was heeretofore deliuered rather by the benefite of men and power of the Presidentes than by the fauor of god Let vs therfore consider eche thing in