Contentions of the Iewes with the Apostles 550. Contention about iustification before the Apostles 594. Conuersion of Paule whye it is so dyligently descrybed 399. The hystorie of Paules conuersion Pag. 857. Conuersion what effect it bringeth Pag. 625. Conuersion hath hir begynning of God. 786. Conuersion cōsisteth in three points Pag. 625. The maner of true conuersion 787. An example of true conuersion Pag. 375. The duetyes of those that are conuerted 787. Corinthe what manner of Citie it was 677. Cornelius compared with the souldiours of our dayes 427. Cornelius obedience 431. Cornelius calling 428. Corne throwne into the Sea. 885. Corporall absence of Christ hindereth not the faythfull 124. Corporall presence of Christ is none vpon the earth 38. Corporall presence of Christ wrongfullye maynteyned in the supper confuted by arguments 38. No corporall presence of Christ vppon earth after his ascention ibidē No neede of Christes corporall presence vpon earth 8. They that defende the corporall presence of Christ in the supper denie the veritie of his body 11. Correction in religion is necessarye  Corruption of our nature 531. Man is subiect to corruption 541. Corpses why they were washed in tymes passed  Counsell of the Priestes Scribes Pag. 794. An example of an antichristian counsell 796. The counsels decree agaynst the Apostles 206. Counsell gathered in the holy ghost Pag. 598. A Paterne and fourme of a lawfull counsell 250. Counselles of the Pope descrybed Pag. 196. Counsell called to wythstande the Apostles 249. The question asked in the Priestes counsell 198. What the Popes counsels are 794. Ministers must not bee commytted to antichristian counsels 778.779 How Papistes deale with the faythfull in their counsels 598. Counsell howe to make an vnitie betweene the Iewes and Gentiles 601. Counsell of the elders discussed 771. The ende of mannes counsell is not happie 771.772 The counselles of God are daungerous to search 555. The counselles of God can not bee hindered by mannes deuise 251. The counsels of men agaynst Christ are but vayne 204. The counsell of the souldyours to kyll the prysoners 886. Couetousnesse pulleth the mynde from God. 631. Couetousnesse commonlye maketh men the enimies of truth 631. Couetousnesse in Ministers is to be condempned 756. Paule disswadeth from couetousnesse by his owne example ibidem Couetousnesse in the Church is a great euill 804. Couetousnesse howe hurtefull it is Pag. 631.632 Howe couetousnesse robbeth God of his honor 370. Cowardly feare 25. C ante R. Craft and subtiltie in Steuens accusers 289.291 Craft of the enimies of truth  Craft of Sathan 588. Creple or lame man heareth the gosple and beleeueth 565. Creple from his mothers wombe healed through the power of God. Pag. 151. Creple miraculously healed 566. Creples state most miserable 565. Crosse must Christians beare after Christes example 206. The crosse and slaunderous death is no token of Gods wrath 490. The crosse is not one of the least notes of Christs church 415. The crosses standarde is the tryumph of the faythfull 253.254 The crosse must not offend vs. 647. C ante V. Curious and vnprofitable questions 27.28 Curiositie a great euill 27. Custome of GOD in punishing of sinners 59. Custome must gyue place to y word of God. 442. D. D ante A. DAmascus delyuereth Paule out of daunger 411. Day of refreshing 174. Day of restitution 175. What is the great day of the Lorde Pag. 97. Dauyd prophecied of Christ bicause he was a Prophet 121. Dauid reported to haue fulfilled all the wyll of God in what sence Pag. 529. Dauids authoritie among the Iewes Pag. 121. Dauids prophecie touching Christs ascention declared 125. Dauids prophecie touching Christs resurrection declared 123. Dauids prophecie concerning christ Pag. 122. Dauid praysed 529. Dauids sinnes reprooued by the worde of God. 129. Dauids persecutions are figures of Christes persecutions 59. D ante E. In what state the dead are 541. Deacons openly elected 66. Deacons of the Church dyd sometime Minister 286. Deacons who ought to bee what maner of men 278. Deacons vppon what occasion they were ordeyned 274. Deacons howe they were chosen at the begynning 66.67 c. Deacons of the church 280. Deacons instituted in the Primitiue churches haue three commodities Pag. 283. Death is not the destruction of the fleshe and body 116.117 Death of Christ was voluntarie Pag. 380. Death is a rest or quiet 117. Death hath no power vpō the soule Pag. 116. Death is an enterance into the kingdome of heauen 355.356 Death is a ioyfull thyng 116. Decins after he had shed the bloude of the Martyrs dyed in a barbarous Country with hys Sonne where his body could not be found to be buried 301. Decree of the Synode apostolike declared 608. Decree renewed for the not preaching of Christ. ibidem Deceyuers vse to chalenge godlye honor 570.571 Degrees of dignitie among christians are not abolished 292. Deliuerie out of Egypt cyted by Paule 525. The delyuered must ascrybe the glorie vnto God. 496. The delyuered out of one trouble must prepare them to an other Pag. 810. The duetie of the delyuered out of daunger and trouble 167. Death of the godly expressed by this worde sleeping 355. Death is but a sleepe 356. Death is a passage into heauen ibidē The causes of Christes death 108. The effect of Christes death 111. Death of Christ is included in hys resurrection 64. Death is to be considered 541.746 Death and the Deuill conquered by Christ. 381. The rest after death is grounded vpon hope 117.118 Death must not be procured 638. Death of Christ must not offend vs. Pag. 535. Death must not offende vs. 381. Deade Corpses must bee decentlye buryed 358. Deade men canonized deface the merite of Christ. 359. Deuill what hee maye doe by Gods permission but not of hys owne absolute power 364. Deuils notable pollicie 809. D ante I. Diana called Multiniamia or the nourisher of all thyngs 722. Dianas Image come downe from heauen 726. Difference betwene Saule and Dauyd 529. Difference of the olde and newe Testament 95. Difference betweene Christ and ministers 22. Difference betweene the doctrine of Iohn and Christ. 698. Difference betweene the godlye and vngodly 494. Dignitie of the Ministerie of the church 623. Dignitie of all men is one before God. 601. Dyligence of Herode in watchyng Peter 490. Dioclosian Maximinian and Galerius persecuting the Church are destroyed of God. 301. Disobedience layde to the Apostles charge 256. Disobedience reprehended 878. Disobedience punished 875. Discipline in the Church taught by the Apostles 3. Discipline in the church necessarie Pag. 150. Discipline at the Table 883. Disciples of Christ comforted by aungels 41. Disciples after hys ascension desyre styll his bodily presence 38. Disciples reprehended of the Aungels 38. Disciple what the name teacheth vs. Pag. 419. Disciples at Ierusalem afrayde of Paule 412. Dissention workers 588. Dissentiōs no cause why we should doubt of our saluation 588.589 Dissention in religion must not offende vs. 592.593 Dissention betweene Paule Barnabas 612. D
in the meane season ought greatly to comfort vs that God here addeth The nation whome they shall serue I will iudge For God is iudge of all the worlde and will not fayle of his office although he seéme sometime neyther to see nor heare the fierce and cruell attemptes of the wicked nor the afflictions of the Godly For howe should he not see that hath made the eye and howe should he not heare that hath made the eare For he beholdeth not the Theatre or stage of thys worlde after the maner of ydle gazers but vieweth and considereth all things in the worlde as a iuste Iudge And bycause nothing is more deere vnto him than the church which he hath redeemed with the bloud of hys sonne therefore he letteth no man goe vnpunished that doth molest or afflict hir yea they are iudged to touch the apple of his eye that ouer boldely touch any of the faythfull Ministers of God. There appeere horrible examples of Gods iudgementes against such persons amongst which this that hee shewed againste the Egiptians as hee here threatened is first to be numbred The Assirians felt euen the same which were grieuously punished for their tyranny against the people of God â–ª Neyther did Antiochus long scape quyte for his cruelty against them What was shewed vpon Herode is more apparaunt than needeth long rehearsall And if a man consider the thinges that followed after Christes incarnation he shall see none that euer persecuted the Churche escape the horrible hande of Goddes iustice The first in this number was Nero who perceyuing that the people of Rome tooke in euill parte the firing of the Citie whereof he was authour accused the Christians of that heynous mischiefe and vsed all kind of punishment against them as Cornelius Tacitus reporteth And God suffered the rage of the most cruell tyrant so farre to burst that they say he also shed the bloud of Paule and Peter the Apostles But shortly after God reuenged the bloud of his Apostles with an horrible iudgement For there ensued a pestilence that consumed more than thirtie thousande of his people After the pestilence the Romaine armie was ouerthrowne in Britaine and certaine prouinces in Armenia fell from them and the Romaine Legions were constrayned in shamefull wyse to yeelde to their enimies And at length the vengeance of God caught the tirant himselfe who being iudged by the Senators to be an enimie to his Countrie first sought to saue himselfe by dishonest and shamefull flight and at length being disappointed of his hope killed himselfe Domitian following and treading in the steps of Nero felt Gods iustice also being murthered by his owne men Traâ—ane although he called in the cruell proclamations set out against the Christians yet tasted he of Gods wrath For his golden house at Rome was burned horrible famine and pestilence horriblye reygned in his dayes and a number of Townes in Asia Galatia and Graecia were ouerthrowne and soonke wyth earthquakes The fourth Emperour after Nero that rose agaynst the Churche was M. Antonius Verus not long after whome rose the Germaines and such a plague followed therevpon that certaine townes in Italy with the infection thereof were quyte left destitute of anye dwellers The fifth persecution Lucius Septimius Seuerus beganne who was both greatly vexed with ciuill warres being yong of yeres dyed in England not farre from York With whose examples bicause Iulius Maximinus was little mooued but boldly raged agaynst the Church it came to passe by the iust iudgement of God that he and his sonne were torne in pieces by their souldiors all men crying that one whelpe ought not to remayne of so vngracious a Syre And Decius had a death not much vnlyke for after he had shedde the bloude of Christes martyrs he and his sonne died in a barbarous Countrie where their bodies coulde not be founde when they were sought to be buried What shall we say of Licinius Valerianus the eyght persecutor of the Christians who being taken by Sapores king of the Persians was constrayned to laye his backe on the grounde like a blocke for Sapores to get on horsebacke by Valerius Aurelianus which woulde be the ninth in this number being first feared by a thunderbolt falling at his feete and not repenting him afterward of his tyrannie was slayne of his owne men And when after all these with greater adoe Dioclesian with Maximiniane and Galerius Maximinus coparteners armed themselues agaynst Christes Church they euidently felt the hande of God reuenging the same For we reade that many thousands of men were consumed with earthquakes Dioclesian and Maximinian of their owne accorde in one day resigned and gaue vp the Empyre eyther for sorrowe that they sawe they coulde not bring to passe that they attempted or else for feare of Constantine And Dioclesian afterwarde hearing that Constantine had killed and ouercome Maxentius slewe himselfe But Maximinian desirous to haue his Empyre againe being expulsed by Maxentius fledde to Constantine his sonne in lawe whom he laye in wayte to haue killed But his daughter preferring hir husbands lyfe before hir fathers disclosed the treason and so he was killed at Massilia â–ª And this was the ende of two most cruell tyrants which whole tenne yeares had cruelly afflicted the Church Galeâ—ius being ouercome with the gryping panges of an incurable disease called in the bloudy proclamations which he had sent out agaynst the Christians And all these things came to passe within the space of three hundred yeares vnto the reygne of Constantine the great And the Lord from this time yet was not in rest For when Iulian the Apostata both by open force â–ª and also by craft and subtiltie had vndermined the Church being ouerthrowne in the fielde and wounded with a Iaueling he cryed out Thou hast ouercome ô Galileyan thou hast ouercome For so had he vsed to call Christ in contempt Infinite others myght be reckoned beside these if it were nedefull But there want not later and freshe examples whereby God hath in our age shewed the seueritie of his iudgement agaynst the persecutors of his Church This therfore shall stande fast for euer that God will by his iudgement take vengeance on them which enterprise to vexe his people by tyranny at any time These things ought to serue both for our comfort and instruction Let it comfort vs that we heare God is a reuenger of his Church that we thinke he neglect vs not when we be afflicted We are also taught to laye aside the raging desire of priuate reuenge and to commende all the iudgement of our enimies vnto God who sayth Vengeance is mine I will recompence The same doctrine may also be stretched further that we seeke not by any meanes violently to oppresse any man knowing that God reuengeth the iniurie that is done to the weaker sort For Christ sayth with what measure you meate with the same shall other measure to you agayne And the Prophete
onely to him Therfore it frameth it selfe to his lore and desireth nothing so much as to be seene of all men whereas it knoweth it hath to reioyce in none but Christ alone These thinges reprooue the sluggysh mindes of the men of our dayes which are ashamed of Christ and saye that fayth maye be dissembled if there be lyke to ensue any daunger by the confession thereof Howbeit there were manye thinges which myght haue feared the Aethiop from being baptized for as much as he knewe that both Queene Candace and all the people of hir Countrie were farre from the knowledge of Christ which thing threatened him manifest perill both of his estate and goodes But his mynde incensed with the liuely fayth of Christ ouercommeth and bursteth through all impediments in whose hart vndoubtedly was written by the suggestion of the holy ghost that saying of Christ whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduouterous sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his father with the holy Aungels Moreouer this also is one other propertie of fayth that although the Eunuch thinketh he hath obteyned in Christ all the treasures of Gods grace and the infallibe certaintie of saluation yet for all that he iudgeth not the vse of baptisme to be vnprofitable or superfluous For fayth knoweth that Christ hath ordeyned nothing vnprofitably or in vayne bycause it knoweth that he is the eternall wisedome of God the father in whome are hidden all the treasures of knowledge It knoweth also that the corruption of our fleshe hath neede of many thinges and that it scarsely can be compelled with many prouocations to take the way of saluation Wherby it appeareth that they are voyde aswell of the knowledge of Christ as of themselfe that vse to despyse and reiect the sacramentes For although by fayth in Christ we attayne to whatsoeuer thinges are necessary to our saluation yet bicause of the inclination of our flesh it is profitable that Gods benefites shoulde be confirmed with outwarde seales and that by them we shoulde be admonished of our dutie whereof oftentymes we are forgetfull But Luke bringeth forth the other person of this act that is to say Philip which by and by obeyed not the Eunuch least he shoulde seeme to haue yeelded vnto him bicause of his dignitie or humanitie but he requireth of him first the confession of a true fayth saying If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou mayest He hath therefore a respect to hys fayth and will haue it voyde of all guyle and dissimulation By which example we are taught that the sacraments ought not to be prophaned that is to saye to be giuen to the faythlesse For where they be the badges and cognizaunces of the Church of Christ it becommeth not them to weare them that are straungers fro the church bicause such for the more part are dogges and hogges before whome Christ forbiddeth vs to whoorle pearles And if we consider the commaundement of Christ it shall appeare that the Apostles first ought to teach and then they that beleeued their doctrine shoulde be baptised For he sayth Teach ye all Nations baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost c. Yet let no man thinke we support or maintayne the madnesse of the Anabaptistes For they erre and keepe a pernitious coyle whyle they drawe that to the infants of Christians and rashly keepe them from baptisme which is onely to be obserued in straungers from religion and those that are of a full age For we affirme that such as â—e straungers from the church of christ as were sometime the Iewes and Gentyles and as are at this daye the Iewes and Turkes and other such lyke ought not to be baptised vnlesse we wyll to grossely pollute baptisme vntill they haue made profession of their fayth But the reason of infantes borne of Christians is of a farre other sort and case For these are accounted among the children or houshold of the church by reason of the lawe of couenant They be holy and Christ commaundeth them to be brought vnto him It is also manifest that they please God bicause their Aungels alwaies see the face of the father And although our capacitie cannot conceyue their state and condicion yet Christ testifyeth they haue fayth And that they haue the holy ghost both the examples of Iohn the Baptist and others do teach vs Wherfore to denye baptisme vnto them is no small impietie and a point of boldenesse more than monstrous Howbeit bicause we haue intreated hereof in other places let thys little suffice for this present Further let vs see the confession that the Eunuch made which in marueylous breuitie comprehendeth thinges of most importaunce I beleeue sayth he that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God. This confession is much like to that that Peter made in the name of all the Apostles He attributeth vnto Christ whatsoeuer is spoken of him in holy scripture Yea if the matter be narrowly marked it comprehendeth all the articles of our fayth or Creede Apostolicall For he acknowledgeth him to be God no doubt that God which the Scriptures say was Creator of heauen and earth He confesseth no such God as the Iewes and Turkes doe but such an one as hath a sonne borne of himselfe coeternall and consubstantiall with him He beleeueth that this sonne was incarnated as may be gathered of the thinges which he red in Esay Further he beleeueth that the sonne of God is Christ that is to say annoynted wherein he vnderstandeth his kingdome and Priesthoode Unto the Priesthood belongeth all the passion of Christ where he offered the sacrifice of his bodie and bloud for the sinnes of the whole worlde In the name of Kingdome is conteyned his glorious resurrection whereby he ouercame death also his ascention whereby as by a most gorgeous tryumph he entered into heauen and is sitting on the right hand of the father which declareth him to be a most mightie king to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth and which shall come againe to giue iudgement and sentence vpon all fleshe But he that confesseth Christ to be a King must needes also confesse that he hath a Church wherein he reigneth and gouerneth This Church is the Communion or felowship of all Saintes to whome Christ hath committed his inestimable treasures to say â–ª the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and felowship of eternall lyfe These mysteries I say this short confession of the Eunuch comprehendeth Whereby we are taught what an one we also should acknowledge and confesse Christ to be It is well to be considered howe confession of mouth is ioyned with fayth of minde For we haue before this declared â–ª howe these two must of necessitie be coupled togither and Paule expressely teacheth the same where he sayth This is
that Iesus Christ which otherwheres receyueth no testimonye of man woulde prooue his promise by an argument taken from the authoritie of Iohn and his baptisme For this is the guise and maner of God to accommodate himselfe to our capacitie for that he would haue it appeare that Iohn spake by the holy ghost This therfore seemeth to me to be the meaning of Christes words If you remember with your selues both the things which I haue sundry times promised you and which you haue heard of Iohn my forerunner you can no longer doubt of the sending of the holye ghost For when he baptised those that came to him in Iordane he gathered the people not to himselfe but to me whom he truely confessed to be more excellent than himselfe and shewed them what I would giue them that beleued in me euen the holy ghost which is the spirite of adoption and earnest of saluation kindled in the beleeuing people a great desire of my kingdome The water of baptisme was a figure of this benefite which afterward I should bestow vpō them Which seeing ye haue receyued of Iohn not without the inspiration of God doubt not of the things which he hath promised you For as Iohn hath discharged his dutie towardes you and hath receyued you being sprinkled with water into the felowship of my body which is the Church euen so wil I not fayle truly to accomplishe that that belongeth to my charge that is to poure out my spirite most abundantly vpon you the signe whereof you haue already receyued This sense I say seemeth of all other most agreeable to Christes purpose Neyther ment Christ here to make a difference betweene his and Iohns outwarde baptisme For it is plaine that Iohns baptisme and Christs was all one forasmuch as Christ would be baptised of him He rather maketh a difference betweene the signe and the thing signified by the signe and betweene his and Iohns office He calleth the sending of the holy ghost by the name of baptisme by an allusion and bicause of the proportion that is perceyued to be betweene the outwarde signes and the things signified But we haue in these wordes two things most worthy to be considered First that we ought to make a difference betweene the Ministers and Christ whose Ministers they are least we attribute to them that that belongeth only to christ Iohn baptiseth with water but Christ giueth the holy ghost So the Minister is occupied about outward things while he preacheth the word admonisheth exhorteth rebuketh comforteth prayeth for the congregation ministreth the sacraments But they themselues be subiect to Christ which according to his good will quickneth the seede of the word in them by his holy spirit worketh holy motions cheereth them with comfort and to conclude reformeth and frameth them after the image of God neyther mattereth it that all these thinges sometimes be attributed to the Ministers and that Paule sayth he had begotten the Corinthians in Christ and that he traueyleth againe with the Galathians For where God hauing no neede of vs doth vouchsafe to vse men as his coadiutors bicause he would haue the Ministery by him ordeyned in the more authoritie therefore vseth he to adorne it with such titles For the which cause the same Paule sayth vnto the Corinthians whom he perceyued too much addicted to the Ministers What is Paule what is Apollo but Ministers by whom you haue beleeued and as the Lorde hath giuen to euery man I haue planted Apollo hath watred but it is God that giueth the increase So neyther is he that planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God which giueth the increase If these thinges be obserued both we shall worthily esteeme of the Ministerie and giue all the glory of our saluation to Christ for the which his spirite euery where in the Scriptures so earnestly laboureth Secondarily it is very worthye the consideration that Christ taketh an argument from baptisme to prooue to his Apostles the truth of his promise Wee are taught hereby that the Sacramentes doe so seale the promises and benefites of God that wee neede no whit to doubt of the same For God mocketh vs not with vaine shewes and promises but whatsoeuer he promiseth in worde and sealeth with sacraments the same hee vseth to perfourme in deede He promiseth vs by the preaching of the gospell forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesu Christ and the spirite of adoption whereby we are made the children of god He addeth as a seale to his promise baptisme where we being visibly washed are receyued into the outwarde societie of the Church or children of god Therfore whosoeuer beleeueth the promise of the Gospell hee is so certayne of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes of his adoption and the possession of the heauenly inheritance as he is certayne hee is washed with baptisme By a lyke reason are we taught in the Gospell that the flesh and bloude of Christ were gyuen and offred on the aultar of the crosse for the lyfe of the worlde that the sinnes of the worlde should be purged with the sacrifice of the immaculate lambe Christ hath ioyned to this promise his supper the remembraunce of hys death in steade of a seale therof Therefore whosoeuer beleeueth the Gospell is as certaine that Christes body and bloude was offred for his sinnes and is as surely fedde with the merite of Christes bodye and bloude vnto lyfe euerlasting as hee is sure that he receyueth part of the breade and wine at the Lordes table according to Christes institution And after this sort the sacraments are sayd to seale the righteousnesse of fayth and to confirme and feede our fayth not that the outwarde elements conceyue anye secrete vertue or power by the wordes of consecration for that efficacy and power must be attributed to all that holy businesse by reason of Christes institution which institution if thou take away alter or breake thou prophanest and ouerthrowest the sacrament vtterly Therfore our myndes must be lift vp that the thing we testifye by outwarde action wee may perfourme by fayth which only apprehendeth Christ and the benefites which he hath bestowed on vs and gathereth vs into the number of those which shall raigne with him in heauen to whom be blessing honour glory and power for euer Amen The fourth Homelie WHEN they therefore were come togither they asked of him saying Lorde wilt thou at this time restore againe the kingdome to Israell And hee sayde vnto them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power But yee shall receyue power after that the holy ghost is come vpon you And you shall be witnesses vnto me not onely in Hierusalem but also in Iurie and in Samarie and euen vnto the worldes ende AFter Luke with great diligence hath declared how our sauiour Iesus Christ instructed his Apostles whō he would haue to be teachers of al the world with
them powers or vertues least he might seeme to haue any affinitie with Iuglers For the things which the Euangelistes write of him he did verilye and in deede and of his owne power as Luke plainely testifieth where he sayeth vertue or power went from him whereby the sicke were healed And himselfe sayth in another place power or vertue went from him when he healed the woman that was sicke of the bloudy fluxe Then he calleth Christes workes woonders bicause they exceeded the common course of nature and drewe the mindes of the beholders into an admiration and amazednesse But bicause the things whose causes we know not are oftentimes taken for woonders when in deede they portende nothing at length he calleth the thinges that Christ did signes For the workes of Christ had a certaine ende which was to beare witnesse of his Godheade and of his office For by them he was knowne to be both the sonne of God and also he that was promised to be the redeemer of the worlde For the which cause he sent the disciples of Iohn to the consideration of his works And oftentimes he inculcateth his workes to the Iewes and vpbraydeth them so that the fault of their incredulitie is the greater The works sayth he that the father hath giuen me to finishe the same workes that I doe beare witnesse of me that the father hath sent me Againe If I doe not the workes of my father beleue me not But if I doe and ye beleeue not mee beleeue the workes that ye may knowe and beleeue that the father is in me and I in him And againe If I had not done among them the woorkes which none other man did they should haue had no sinne Therfore Peter doth very wel to call the workes of Christ signes He sayth these signes were done amongest them and he calleth none other to witnesse the same but themselues to whome he preached which did see them And so he quippeth their greate waywardnesse and ingratitude which coulde not be mollified and ouercome with so many and so great benefites of Christ being so marueylous and woonderfull He also goeth about by the consideration hereof to bring them to the knowledge of Christes diuinitie wherof not long after he discourseth more largely For although he here say that God did these things by Christ yet it derogateth nothing from the power and diuinitie of Christ whereas he confesseth these workes are giuen him of the father and that the father and he be all one In these things we are taught the true knowledge of Iesus Christe He is very God and man in one vnseparable person Uerye God from euerlasting begotten of the father Man made of a woman when in the tyme appoynted he came into the worlde to be the redeemer of mankinde And we must well marke the difference of the natures to saye the diuine and humaine which neyther deuyde the vnitie of person nor by reason of the vnitie are confounded among themselues For the properties of bothe the natures remayne inuiolable whole and sounde according as the Euangelists teach vs in euery place For euen Christ himselfe which touching his diuinitie is all one with the father speaking of his manhoode confesseth his father to be greater than he And Christ in his humanitie or manhoode dyeth who in his diuinitie or godheade is subiect neyther to death ne yet to any other corruption Such an one doth the holy scripture teach vs euery where that Christe is For whome the Prophetes call the ofspring and sonne of Dauid the same they vse also to call the father of eternitie our Lorde and our god And whome they prophecie shoulde be borne in Bethlehem his progresse and outgoing they confesse to haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting Yea the Lorde himselfe speaking of Christ sayth Aryse O thou sworde vpon my shepehearde and vppon the man which is my fellow or as some interprete it my coequall In the which words the two natures of Christ are more cleerely to be seene than the day For God calleth him Virum that is a very man and also testifieth that he is his coequall Manye other testimonies might be brought to this purpose if neede so were which they that reade the scriptures maye euerye where see On these things rest the first articles of our fayth and beliefe in christ For we protest that we beleeue in the onely begotten sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ which was conceyued by the holy ghost borne of the virgin Marie and so foorth To the declaration whereof all those things serue that are written in the Euangelistes concerning the mysterye of his incarnation See Luke 1. 2. Iohn 1. Math. 1. It shall be profitable for vs to holde fast the knowledge of both natures in Christ bicause that vppon these dependeth the office of Christ and the certaintie of our saluation For where it is manifest that he is both God and man we certainly beleeue that he is a mediatour betweene God and man bicause such ought to be the condition of a sequester or mediatour that he may be accepted of both the parties at variance But the infirmity of man was not able to abyde the rigour and maiestie of Gods iustice no more than the iustice of God alloweth mans righteousnesse which is nothing Therefore Iesus Christ was founde out who being the sonne of God of the same eternitie and substance with God was made man and ioyned both the natures so togither in one person that by his meane we haue a peace renued with God and a free entrance prepared to the throne of grace His merite the father can not deny bicause he is both his beloued sonne and also free himselfe from all sinne and wickednesse To him also maye we safelye trust considering he hath experience of our infirmities and knoweth howe to haue compassion on vs Wherevnto Paule had a respect saying We haue not an high Priest which cannot haue compassion on our infirmities but was in all poyntes tempted lyke as we are but yet without sinne Agayne Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of fleshe and bloude he himselfe also lykewise tooke part with them that through death he myght vanquishe him that had Lordship ouer death that is to say the deuill and that he myght deliuer them which through feare of death were all theyr lyfe time subdued vnto bondage For he in no place taketh on him the Angels but the seede of Abraham taketh he on him Wherefore in all things it became him to be made lyke vnto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God for to purge the peoples sinnes For in that it came to passe that he himselfe was tempted he is able to succour thē also that are tempted The consideration of these things might teach men how they dote which leaue this only mediatour Iesus Christ and turne
glorye of God that the sonne of God may be glorified by it Hereby it appeareth howe we shoulde iudge of those myracles and signes wherewith some men labour to seeke their priuate glorye and to bring men vnder them as schollers and seruantes whome Christ hath redeemed and sanctifyed with the pryce of hys bloude But bicause Peter had occasion to make mention of Christ he admonisheth his hearers very aptly and commodiously of the heynous trespasse which they committed against him And this doth he not lightly as one that doth but touch and go but layeth all the heynousnesse thereof open before their eyes For his Oration ascendeth as it were by certaine steppes the ende whereof is that they shoulde be striken with the consideration of so grieuous an offence and be enflamed with repentance and desire of saluation in christ First he sayth they deliuered the sonne of God to the Gentiles to be mocked and crucifyed But it is an horrible offence to deliuer an innocent to death and there are terrible iudgements of God against them that pollute themselues with bloude Looke Numer 35. But here is a greater and a more horrible thing For where God had chosen and consecrated to himselfe the Iewes out of all Nations none of them ought to haue bene deliuered to the prophane Gentyles to be mocked and put to death without a prophane contempt and treading vnder foote of God and his glorye Which seemeth to me was the cause that Christ speaking of his death maketh mention so many times how they should deliuer him to the Gentyles And that they thus did not by chaunce and at all aduentures but by the common counsell and consent of the Elders and with the lyking and allowance of the people which followed them vnto Pylates house as the Euangelistes testifie Besides this in the seconde place he sayth And yee denied him before Pylate And he speaketh not of a certaine light and tryfling deniall of him but of such an one as whereby they renounced all the promises of God touching their Messias and king that shoulde redeeme them and denied the hope of the fathers wherewith so many yeares they wayted for the comming of their Sauiour as we reade they did Iohn 19. For where Pylate still repeated to them the name of their king respecting no doubt the Messias promised which they all hytherto looked for they with great impietie crie out we haue no king but Caesar. Was then the promise made vnto Dauid to be vnderstanded of Caesar that of his sâ—ocke one shoulde be borne that should be a king for euer And is it to be vnderstanded of Tiberius that naughtie and wicked person where it is sayd Behold thy king commeth vnto thee euen the righteous and sauiour lowlye and so forth Therefore Peter chargeth them with such an impietie as whereby they spoyled themselues of saluation and all the promises of health and hope of saluation And least they shoulde lay the fault on Pylate as though they did it for feare of him he sayeth they themselues did it where Pylate iudged him to be loosed and gaue openly a testimonie of his righteousnesse and innocencie Therefore he affirmeth the Iewes were in fault who to fulfill all wickednesse and mischiefe made both themselues and their children guiltie of his bloude by publike and solemne protestation These thinges be horrible and yet the Iewes wickednesse did not herein staye or ende For Peter addeth you haue denyed that holy and righteous and desired a murtherer to be giuen you and haue kylled the author and Lorde of life He chargeth them with so bitter hatred against Christ and with such blindnesse that they were not ashamed to preferre a bloudye murtherer before christ And to make their wickednesse seeme the more heynous he vseth a comparison You denyed Iesus which was an holy person and a iust and in whome neyther the Bishops although they did what they coulde nor Pylate nor Herode coulde finde any faulte Furthermore you stewe him which was the author of lyfe yea the Lorde of lyfe and death whome you ought to haue knowne by reason of his myracles the late raising againe of Lazarus In the meane season you required a theefe a murtherer and a rebell to be deliuered you and set at libertie And where it was in your choyse and election whether you woulde haue forgetting all the benefites of Christ you were not ashamed to preferre a wicked theefe before him What coulde be sayde more cruell grieuous and horrible Yet Peter speaketh these things in that Citie yea in that Temple where they bare all the swinge that were the chiefe authors of this wyckednesse and who he knewe as yet breathed hatred against christ Therefore we are here againe taught with what libertie open wickednesse should be reprooued by them whome the Lorde hath appointed to be watchmen in his Church to shewe the daunger and sworde hanging ouer vs least men shoulde perishe through their owne slothe and negligence And there is no cause why we shoulde harcken to them which saye there is no neede of such vehemencie in these dayes forasmuch as there is none to whome such crueltie can be obiected Nay the Iewes onely haue not thus sinned but there be euen in these dayes that sinne as grieuously as euer they did A number deliuer Christ vnto death in that they euery where kill and burne the faithfull seruantes of christ Many denye him for feare more for fauour following the pleasure of men And they sinne not of simplicitie and ignorance as Peter herafter excuseth the Iewes For we haue seene many which quite against their conscience haue denyed christ My heart trembleth as oft as I remember that heynous offence that was committed by them who not onely denied the truth themselues but compelled those that belonged to them to denie the same and embraced a forme of religion which the very author and inuentor thereof allowed not The like impietie to that that was then committed hath not bene hearde of And God graunt they may all repent of their wickednesse that were faultie therein In the meane season we see howe these bloudye Barabasses euerye where reigne flourishe and are had in great price which for money are hyred and vsed to shed bloude and prouoke the wrath of God and horrible destruction against their countrie through their vngodlynesse Therfore such must be accused and where these things be openly committed and accounted no more for wicked there ought no modestie at all to be vsed But oh impietie and vngraciousnesse For nowe a dayes amongst the professours of Christianitie it is not lawfull to saye that that was lawfull for Peter to saye in the bloudie Citie of Ierusalem Wee be therefore in this respect woorse than Iewes that where we committe the same offences that they committed we cannot with like pacience abide to heare the worde of correction as they hearde it Peter returneth to his purpose to describe more plainly how God
men counsel how they should be saued he must beginne alwayes with these twoo things For vnlesse we acknowledge our sinnes and be sory for them we shall neuer thinke of anye amendement and reconciliation with god But bicause the wicked sometime acknowledge their sinne and be sorie for them as we see Iudas did he addeth an other worde namely that they must conuert The conuersion or turning must be vnto that thing from which by sinne they departed before But that we depart from God by sinne is more manifest than needeth any great proofe of wordes Therefore it is sayde in the Scriptures that sinners doe forsake the wayes of god Therefore we must turne vnto God by repentance And we conuert vnto God partly by amending our life and partly by faith in Iesus Christ. The one maketh vs to ceasse from sinne whereby we prouoked the wrath of God the other indueth vs with the righteousnesse of Christ and maketh vs able to stande in his sight For the doctrine of the Gospell teacheth vs that God the father is reconcyled vnto vs by christ Of faith springeth the inuocation of God and whatsoeuer other fruites vse to growe of repentance Therefore Peter sheweth the same waye of saluation here that he did before which we must thinke belongeth no lesse to vs than to the Iewes We are the shorter in this place bicause the things that might here be spoken are sayd before where he may see more hereof that listeth Unto this precept or counsell he addeth a promise to mooue them the more He promiseth them forgiuenesse of sinnes wherof it is credible they were chiefely carefull But marke the maner of speach which he for great cause and consideration vseth Conuert sayth he that your sinnes maye bee done away He doth not attribute vnto them any glorie of merite or desert as though by workes of penaunce they might put awaye their sinnes or make satisfactioÌ„ for them But teacheth them how they must be done away by another that is to saye by God against whome we sinne and by sinne become debters vnto him For it is a Metaphore or translation taken from Creditors or lenders who only haue power and authoritie to wype debtes out of their bookes of reckening when eyther they are satisfyed by their debters or else themselues of fauour and goodnesse will remitte and forgiue all the debt And all they which sinne become debters vnto God according to that saying of Dauid I haue sinned against thee O Lorde And verily whatsoeuer is coÌ„mitted against the will of the Lord is sinne Therfore vnlesse God wype out the â—â—btes of our sinnes there can none other deliuer vs from them The wysest both of the Iewes and Gentiles haue herein consented and agreed For albeit the Gentiles attributed muche to their superstitions yet they confessed they were in vaine vnlesse some peculiar fauor of God were ioyned with them Among the Iewes the Phariseyes attributed much to their works yet we read that they themselues confessed openly that God onely had power to forgiue sinnes He forgiueth them or putteth them awaye not bicause it is in our power to purge them and to make satisfaction for them for before him no fleshe is iustified and all our righteousnesses be as an olde worne and ragged clothe which can neyther couer vs nor keepe vs warme but for that Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath pourged them vppon the aultar of the crosse by the merite of his death and by the price of his bloude hath cancelled all that that hath made vs guiltie of death before god The Lord in the same sense vseth this translation of doing awaye or wyping out in Esay the Prophete cap. 43. and .44 And Christ declareth all the maner hereof by a feate Parable in the .xviij. of Mathew Peter therefore admonisheth the Iewes hereof to th ende they might vnderstande that their sinnes were nowe all done awaye so that they would with all their heart embrace Iesus Christ by whose merite they were put away Nowe that which is sayde to them we must thinke spoken also to vs who aboue all thinges must haue this care that in our repentance we haue our eyes fast fixed vppon the onelye forgiuenesse of our sinnes that through to wicked and ouer bolde a confidence we chalenge not to our selues or to the merites of our workes that benefite which commeth of the only grace of God obtayned by the meryte of Christ. Furthermore as there is nothing more wholesome and necessary for man than repentaunce and turning vnto God wherevnto Peter in this place counselleth vs so the fleshe will credit and beleeue anye thing more easily than this For such is the corruption of our nature that we delight in sinne and are so proude that we are ashamed to confesse our fault and to amende it Therefore the Apostle vrgeth them standing wauering and in doubt with most strong argumentes agreeable to this purpose He setteth before their eyes the remembraunce of the later daye and the glorious comming of Christ our Iudge His talke or phrase herein is somewhat defectiue not full but may in this wise be easily supplied It is not in vaine that I require you to repent and to turne vnto god For the same shall be profitable and necessary for you that you maye hereafter be able to stande sure when the time of refreshinge which we shall haue of the Lordes sight commeth and when he shall sende the same Iesus Christ which was before preached whome the heauens must receyue vntill the time that all things be restored againe Out of the which wordes we may gather two argumentes The one is taken of the time the sense whereof is thus This forme of the worlde shall not alway endure neyther that trade of men and other creatures that we now see For there shall come a daye of refreshing and restoring of all things when both the godly shall be deliuered and restitution required of the wicked c. Therfore as your saluation is deare vnto you so applie you busily that that day may bring vnto you refreshing and saluation and not feare and tormentes The other argument he taketh of the Iudges person â–ª God will sende this Iesus Christ of whome we now speake to be a Iudge before whose iudgement seate all men must stande that there they may receyue in their bodies according to all their doings whether they be good or badde Is it not therefore necessarye that you shoulde get the fauour of this Iudge before he come to punishe you for your offences It seemeth that a thirde argument also maye be gathered of these wordes in that he sayth he whome he now preached shall come to be a Iudge For so he taketh from them all pretence of ignorance that they shoulde not thinke theyr former ignorance shoulde excuse them in the daye of iudgement And of such weyght are the thinges here spoken that if the consideration of them can not mooue any man certes
most high and vnder the shadowe of the almightie although a thousande fall beside him and tenne thousande on his right hande Luke in this present hystorie giueth vs an euident example hereof where he declareth what they did with the Apostles in the Counsell wherein we shall heare they were whipped and so escaped the handes of their enimies Yet before the Euangelist commeth therevnto first hee describeth howe the Priestes accused the Apostles and howe they aunswered and defended themselues Hereof at this present we purpose to saye so much as the Lord shall giue vs grace and leysure for The Apostles are accused by the high Priest who also is the chiefe Iudge in this controuersie Neyther doth he so accuse them as though it were a matter doubtfull wherein they had offended but his intent is with great exaggeration of wordes to fraye them and almost to ouerwhelme them as persons conuicted of heynous offences For he sayth Did not we straightly commaunde you that you shoulde not teach in this name And beholde you haue filled Ierusalem with your doctrine and intende to bring this mannes bloude vpon vs. By which wordes if they be well marked we shall perceyue the Apostles are accused not of one but of diuers most weightie offences For first they accuse them of contumacie and disobedience bicause they continued preaching agaynst the manifest Edict and decree of the sacred Counsell And this was no small offence bicause the authoritie of the high Priest was of great account euen by Gods appoyntment and it was death to resist him Furthermore they might be called transgressors and breakers of Goddes constitution in that neyther being called nor annoynted they tooke vppon them so boldlye the Priestes authoritie and to teache as we reade Corah with those of his conspiracie did And that the Bishops had a speciall care that none shoulde thrust themselues into the roume of teachers except they had taken their orders of them after the accustomed maner appeareth by this that they oftentimes demaunded of Iohn the Baptist and of Christ who gaue them authoritie to teach as they did But the seconde crime is more grieuous where they saye they had filled all Ierusalem with their doctrine For this is as if a man would saye It is an heinous offence that you haue thus continued teaching against the Counsels decree But in that you haue spreade abrode yours that is to say a new and false doctrine this is by no meanes to be suffered forasmuch as God in the beginning appoynted them to dye that were authours of anye false doctrine To these they adde yet a third offence more heynous grieuous than the rest where they saye you meane to bring this mannes bloude on vs. For by these wordes they charge them with sedition as though therfore they preached to the people that Iesus Christ was vniustly put to death bicause they woulde incense and mooue the mindes of the people agaynst them as open tyrauntes But it is a marueylous matter that they nowe so much abhorre to be charged with Christes death seeing before Pylate they tooke vppon them with solemne protestation all the fault thereof For when they perceyued Pylate somewhat slacke to pronounce sentence of death agaynst him bicause it stoode not with his conscience they cryed His bloude be vpon vs and vpon our children And nowe as though they had forgotten all this they thinke they are much wronged to be counted the authors of such an offence This is the perpetuall guyse of the vngodly that although they glory in their wickednesse as the holye Psalmist sayth and seeke prayse of their mischieuous actes yet will they not haue them reprooued and accused by the worde of God. But chiefely we haue here to consider the tyrannie and insolencie of false and wicked Bishops which when they haue gotten the supremacie in the Church vnder the colour of Gods ordinance dare exact and require what pleaseth them and will haue men obey their commaundementes without further adoe Hereof came it to passe that they thought the Apostles had so grieuously offended bicause they continued teaching contrary to their commaundement And would to God this tyranny had reigned but in the daies passed only and did not in these days also beare to great a swinge For since the Bishops of Rome haue persuaded the people that they be the lawfull successors of the Apostles and that it is sayd vnto them he that heareth me heareth you I will giue you the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. We see howe they are gone so farre that they haue not onelye chaunged lawes and times as Daniel prophecied long sithence Chap. vij but also they saye they are not to be reprehended though they shoulde by heapes tumble mennes soules into hell See the .xl. Distinction Chapter If the Pope O shamelesnesse O blindnesse And yet euen in these dayes when they see their iuggling and craft disclosed by the light of the Gospell they dare require obedience of vs and striue most egarly for them where they ought with all diligence to defende both their owne libertie and theirs which are committed to their charge of which libertie Christ is the author Let vs also here marke what crimes the Ministers are commonlye charged with For the worlde holdes his owne and striueth against the truth at this daye euen with the same weapons and sleightes that it vsed at the beginning Disobedience and contumacie was alwayes layde to the charge of Gods Ministers and that they woulde be Lordes and Rulers and obeye neyther Princes proclamations nor Counsels decrees They were also called deceyuers and beginners of sedition as men delighting in tumultes and vprores There are many examples hereof in Moses and the Prophetes Achab calleth Elias the disturber and troubler of the people of Israel and sayth he is his enimie He sayth also he hateth Micheas bicause he prophecieth nothing but aduersities and troubles towardes him Amos is accused to Ieroboam for that the Citie and whole Countrie coulde not awaye with his sermons They laye to Ieremies charge that he feareth the mindes of the souldiers with his sermons whose strength serued for the defence of the Countrie and they openly saye he was the cause of all the aduersitie trouble that they suffred What things the enimies of Christ layde to his charge are more manifest than neede greatly to be rehearsed It is no marueyle therefore if the Apostles be charged with the lyke and as many as in these dayes followe their steppes Let no man therefore to rashly beleeue those which lay such faults to the Ministers charge but let him search the truth that he be not deceiued through to rash iudgement In the meane season let vs acknowledge the naughtynesse of the worlde and the ingratitude of the people who being blinded take them for their enimies by whose ministerie the benefite of saluation is offred them But let vs
heare the Apostles aunswere very Apostolike and venerable by reason of the grauitie thereof which may be deuided into three partes First they put awaye the crime of disobedience Secondly they aunswere the other two obiections briefely And last of all they declare the whole matter of Christs kingdome if happily they might winne any of them vnto the same The fault of disobedience they excuse briefely not denying they were forbidden to preache but replying that they ought to obey God more than men Which sentence they before also so propounded that they made the Priestes themselues Iudges thereof bicause all men endued with common reason and vnderstanding might easilye perceyue the authoritie and truth thereof But forasmuch as they perceyue the Priestes growne to such impudencie that they sticke not to preferre their owne authoritie before Gods they boldlye and plainely repeate the same agayne In these wordes we may learne the true trade of obedience For they deny not that men must be obeyed to whome God hath giuen rule ouer vs such as be our parentes teachers Officers maisters and Lords but that we must obey God more than them They therefore appoynt certaine boundes and limittes of obedience within the compasse whereof they must walke which shall prescribe others what to doe For parentes haue left them their authoritie ouer their children Magistrates haue their power reserued by doctrine of the Gospell ouer their subiectes And that authoritie which God hath giuen to the Ministers of his worde must not be broken or violated And Peter in another place commaundeth seruants to obey their maisters though they be vnreasonable and waywarde The lyke reason is also of persons maried and of all others whome God hath made superiours ouer other But if they beginne to abuse their power and dignitie and will take vpon them to commaunde things contrary to the lawes of God and to the dutie that we owe him we must then run vnto the rule of Peter not suffer the authoritie of man and counterfayte shewe of Gods institution to preiudice or derogate any thing from Gods commaundement For assoone as they beginne to passe their boundes and to resist God they are but meere men and not to be accounted as the ministers of god But bicause we haue spoken hereof before let these fewe wordes suffice for this time Secondly they aunswere the other two crimes in one saying The God of our fathers hath raysed vp agayne Iesus whome yee slewe and hanged on tree In fewe wordes they dispatch two things The first is the God of our fathers hath raysed vp Iesus that is to saye we preache that Iesus and sauiour which we haue not imagined of our owne heade but which the God of our fathers once promised yea whome he from euerlasting ordeyned to be the sauiour of the world Therfore no man ought to accuse our doctrine eyther as new or false And I see none other cause why they make mention of the fathers but for that they woulde put them in minde of the promises reuealed to the fathers concerning christ Where by the waye may be perceyued the antiquitie and infallible certaintie of the Christian fayth and religion And we maye vse the same argument in these dayes against them which accuse our doctrine of newnesse and falshoode For why is it called new which preacheth Christ that was promised from the beginning of the world Why is it called false which sheweth vs saluation in him that is the way the light and the truth The seconde is where he speaketh of Iesus saying whom ye slewe and hanged on tree As though he should say we go not about to bring vpon you the blode of Christ nor to charge you with his death For you your selues were the authors principalles of that heynous deede you condemned him by your consents delyuered him to Pylate you required him to be put to death when Pylate iudged him to be let loose It was you that sayd His bloud be vpon vs vpon our children These things al men know bicause they were openly done And though we would holde our peace yet the thing it selfe cryeth out and will not be kept hid c. We learne by the Apostles example with what constancie and libertie we must cope with the professed enimies of the truth It behooueth vs boldly to defend the quarrel of the truth We must also freely reprooue their wickednes that they thinke not men be afraid of them For such is the nature of wicked Bishops that the more they be feared the more fierce they waxe bicause they think their craft is not yet espied But if a man withstand them to their face then their combe is cut Hence springeth that constancie of the prophets wherby they withstoode most mightie princes For this cause Christ which was the myldest of all other men seemeth to thunder when he hath to doe with the Scribes Phariseis whom he knew to be altogither incurable Therfore their modestie is preposterous that now a dayes flatter Popes Bisshops who in deede are greater enimies of the truth worse than the Iewishe Priests Howbeit least they might seeme to neglect them which perhaps might be woonne they briefly set forth the whole hystory of Christ and of our saluation and confirme the same with most sure testimonies which is the thirde part of this Apologie or defence For they say Him hath God lift vp with his right hand to be a ruler and a Sauiour for to giue repentance vnto Israel and forgiuenesse of sinnes And we be witnesses or recordes hereof c. In these wordes both Christ himselfe and the maner and meane whereby he giueth vs saluation is described And they saye Christ is not onely a sauiour but the Prince of saluation exalted by the right hande and power of god In the Scriptures mention is oftentimes made howe Christ is a King and Prince chiefely in the Psalmes and sermons of the Prophetes For herevnto belong the things reade in the Psalmes ij xlv.lxxxix.cx c. Mich. 5. And the Aungell Gabriel seemeth to haue alluded herevnto where he sayth he shall sit in the chaire of Dauid his father and of his kingdome shall be none end Thus the holy ghost teacheth vs that Christ is not only the minister of our saluation but is the author which by his owne power hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie of the deuill also that he is so mightie a sauiour that no man is able to resist him Neither did he by force take vnto him that honor but when he had most lowly humbled himselfe that name was giuen vnto him that is aboue all names in the which euery knee shoulde bowe c. This serueth for our comfort in temptations For where Christ is a mightie king whome the right hande of God hath exalted and to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth it shall be an easie matter for him to defende vs neyther
haue diminished but vtterly to be extinguished was meruaylously increased and that in Ierusalem where the power and authoritie of the enimies was greatest Furthermore not onely the commons and those of the lay fee but nowe also the priestes beginne to submit themselues to the obedience of fayth and to professe Christ. These thinges haue in them marueylous consolation if they be diligently considered For they teach vs by what armor and weapons Christes church is most profitablie enlarged and conserued Uerily not with the counsailes of fleshly wisedome or mens deuises but with puritie of doctrine and holye discipline whereof this ought to be the ende that all outwarde things may aunswere to the doctrine of Christ and that such errours as happen may diligently be corrected And the ende and marke of all togither must be the glorie of God and the saluation of many When these things be diligently obserued the wiser sort which before were feared with noueltie beginne to giue eare to the doctrine and credite it And no doubt but there would be in these daies better successe in church affayres if we in this behalfe were not vtterly deafe For as though the bare profession of a christian name were sufficient to saluation we stay ydlely in the same and are mooued neyther with publike corruption of maners and manifest errours nor with the iust complaints of the godly earnestly to amende the things that ought to be amended Therfore through our negligence and securitie it commeth to passe that the gospell in these daies goeth no better forward Againe we are taught by an euydent example howe vaine and forcelesse the enterprises of the wicked are against the kingdome of christ For the more they rage the more it spreadeth and nowe the christian fayth findeth place among the priestes which fayth before was thought vnmeete to be suffered in the common people The like thing happened while Christ was yet vpon the earth when Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathaea beleeued in him whome all the residue of that order wyshed out of his life Yea whyle Nero by cruell proclamations thundred against the Church yet were there founde in his owne Court which professed Christ as Paule to the Philippians wytnesseth This is also a singuler token of the goodnesse and mercy of God that he doth vouchsafe to illuminate with the knowledge of hys truth a many of that number that had shed Christes bloud and were taken to be the chiefe procurers of his death Who shall henceforth dispayre in his sinnes when we see these men haue founde forgiuenesse Let vs rather hearken to Christ which doth of his owne accorde offer to synners remission and peace and did vouchsafe to pray for them that crucified him And yet this example serueth not onely for our consolation but also for our instruction that we also with like facilitie and readinesse must pardon them that doe vs iniurye For so it shall come to passe that we hauing the true spirite of the children of God giuen vnto vs and being deliuered from all the debt of our trespasses shall come to the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome with Iesu Christ the onely begotten sonne of God to whome be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlij. Homelie AND Steuen full of fayth and power did great wonders and myracles among the people Then there arose certaine of the Synagoges which is called the Synagoge of the Libertines and Cyrenites and of Alexandria and of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Steuen And they coulde not resist the wisedome and the spirite which spake Then sent they in men which saide we haue heard hym speake blasphemous wordes against Moses and against god And they mooued the people and the elders and the Scribes and came vpon him and caught him and brought him to the counsell brought forth false wytnesse which sayde Thys man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous wordes against this holy place and the lawe for we heard him say This Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall chaunge the ordinaunces which Moses gaue vs And all that sate in the counsell looked stedfastly vppon hym and sawe his face as it had beene the face of an Aungell FOr as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ is entred into the kingdome and glory of God his father by the bitter death of the crosse the same lotte must all they abyde that desyre to lyue godly and to be partakers with him of the heauenly kingdome And forbicause we are offended with nothing more than the crosse God would haue vs instructed and confirmed not onely with precepts but also with the example of the primitiue church that we should not be offended with persecution and aduersitie as at any straunge and vnwonted thing for as much as we see in times passed prosperous successes amōg horrible persecutions mixed the church for al that stil increasing An example wherof the story that we presently haue in hand shall shewe vs if it be compared with the things that went next before For Luke hath declared vnto vs the most prosperous proceedings of the gospell and how not only the common people but also many of the priestes beganne to beleeue it So that the church affayres seemed nowe to haue bene in quyet and safetie seing it was defended by so many and such singuler Patrones But beholde a newe conflict beginneth more horrible and perillous than any yet before was in the which Steuen by whose side the whole church of Christ was foyned at was constrayned to defende Christes quarrell not onely by wordes but also by stowte protestation of his fayth and by his bloude The vse of the hystorie is chiefely in thys poynt that we must not be offended though grieuous tumults sodainely arise when all things seeme hushte and when they whome we hoped to haue our faythfullest defendours eyther are not able or wylling to helpe vs For God suffereth it so to come to passe to take from vs the trust in carnall helpes and for that we shoulde learne in deede that Christes kingdome is not enlarged neyther by hoste of men nor by force but by the spirite of the Lorde But bicause diuers other things are here concurrent which make both for our instruction and consolation the whole hystorie with all the circumstaunces is diligently described of Luke First beginning with the discription of the person he sheweth who Steuen was and of what calling Then he descrybeth his enimies and their attempts agaynst him Thirdely he declareth howe Steuen behaued himselfe in this concertation and his glorious martyrdome Nowe will we speake of the thinges that belong to the treatise of this present place Luke in the beginning shewed how Steuen was the first in the number of the Deacons Nowe he addeth the things making for this present historie And first he sayth he was full of fayth doing vs to vnderstande that he was syncere and no bragger or counterfaiter of the fayth but endued with true fayth and feruent
senses into heauen that we maye enioye Christ sitting on the right hande of the father aboue Nowe if the ceremonies instituted of God can neyther iustifie nor saue vs yea to vse them it is hurtfull if they be done without fayth how much more detestable is the errour of them which will attribute to mans constitutions and to the wearishe and colde ceremonies that the bolde curiositie of brayne hath deuised the glorye of iustification and saluation For as the Lorde once vniuersally condemned all the traditions of men so it is as cleere as the Sunne that these ceremonies can not be ministred with faith bicause fayth can rest vpon none other foundation than the worde of God as Paule teacheth Therefore this onely Canone ouerthroweth all Poperie which with all the rytes and ceremonies therof is so mainteyned with the foolishe decrees of superstitious men that it needeth no further demonstration Steuen prosecuteth his narration begonne and beateth downe the vaine affyaunce in the fathers in whome they marueylously gloryed as we tofore haue declared And to prooue that the fathers were iustifyed neyther by circumcision nor euer a whyt the better therfore nor yet merited saluation by anye workes but were saued through the meere and vnspeakeable goodnesse and fauour of God he rehearseth the straunge vnnatural deede that they did against Ioseph their brother which he toucheth in fewe words but such that it may easily appeare how heynous a deede it was For thus he sayth The Patriarches hauing indignation solde Ioseph into Aegypt The storie is in Moses Gene. 37. chap. First he sheweth the spring of this fact to be enuie wherein they boyled against their innocent brother for none other cause but for that they vnderstoode God had appointed for him great honors and dignities They were in the lyke fault that Caine once was in For he slewe his brother Abel blynded with the affection of enuie and hatred For although the Patriarches shed not his bloude yet were they guilty of murther both bycause of their pretenced malice of mynde the fulfilling wherof God stopped by meanes of Ruben and also for that they solde their brother to alyauntes which was a thing that God afterwarde appoynted to be punished with death Adde vnto this a number of other things concurring in the doing of this deede and it shall appeare that by this one fact they had deserued to be cast of for euer and therefore that it was not to be ascribed to their righteousnesse but to Gods goodnesse that he did vouchsafe to make the nation that came of them his owne people and inheritaunce For they vpon a bolde and rashe impietie and vngodlynesse tooke vpon them to contende wyth God whose deuise by thys meane they thought to stop and hinder They were also vnkinde towardes their father who they knewe well had a great delight in Ioseph and whose olde age they should rather haue comforted than haue made sadde Of theyr vngodlynesse towarde their brother what needeth it to speake whom as much as in them laye they went about not onely to kyll in bodye but also in soule whyles they sell him to Ismaelites into Egypt miserably to serue among such as they knewe had no knowledge of God nor his wyll What punishmentes therefore what Helles were sufficient to reuenge suche a deede if God would haue shewed his rigour rather than his goodnesse and mercie This place also serueth for our information teacheth vs that it is a vaine thing to vaunt or glory in the vertue of our auncestors Not that we deny it is a singuler gift of God if any man happen to haue famous and excellent progenitors but we say we haue them not to thend to brag of them in Gods sight For though our forefathers were neuer so good yet had they that goodnesse of the fauour of God and to vs commeth no profite by their vertue vnlesse we endeuor to follow it which thing is at large set forth in Ezechiel the .xviij. Chapter And it is manifest that God neuer sharplier threatned the Iewes than when they begonne to bragge of Abrahams vertue For then Iohn calleth them Adders broode and Christ the children of the Deuill And that that Steuen noted in the Iewes the same is most euident to be seene in all Nations as well particulerly as generally For although there be some of their forefathers which by reason of their vertues and good deedes deserued some prayse amongst men yet there want not diuers others whose vngraciousnesse deserued not onely the destruction of the whole Nation but also eternall damnation and forsaking of the whole posteritie vnlesse God of his peculiar and fauourable sparing woulde haue them saued Let vs all therefore humble our selues in the sight of God and let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lorde who is mercifull louing pacient and of great goodnesse who dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs according to our wickednesse See the Psalme 103. And bicause Steuen is entred into the historie of Ioseph whose chastitie wisedome righteousnesse and godlynesse myght seeme to deserue to bring him to promotion and dignitie and that for his sake all the Nation of the Iewes was honoured and benefited he aunswereth this error also and sheweth that euen Ioseph also receyued whatsoeuer he had of Gods fauour and not of his owne desert and merite God sayth he was with him and deliuered him out of all his troubles Where Ioseph therefore suffred aduersitie paciently that he was not ouercome with the whorish entisements of his dishonest mistresse that he kept his fayth and trust to his maister vnblemished that he despayred not in the miserie of prison and captiuitie all this was the benefite of God which woulde not leaue him destitute of his grace By his grace it came also to passe that he being instructed with the spirite of prophecie coulde giue the king wholesome counsell and get hys fauour Wherfore it is to be attributed neyther to Iosephes witte neyther to Pharaos clemencie but to Gods goodnesse that Ioseph came to be gouernor of all Egypt Adde herevnto howe God woulde haue all these things come to passe in a prophane Countrie when the people of God had yet no temple builded nor ceremonies of the lawe as yet appoynted Wherevpon agayne we gather that the ceremonies which long after ensued were not deliuered to iustifie by but to shadowe to vs the true meane of iustification and saluation which was giuen by promise in the beginning of the worlde and was to be fulfilled by Christe in the time thereto appoynted What meane we therefore to contende for those thinges without the which it is playne the fathers pleased God and were saued There remayne in the example of Ioseph certaine other pointes that serue for the information and teaching of euery man whereof wee haue yet farther to speake The first is that he sayth God was with Ioseph Then neyther the falshoode of his
and clamor with vniust force wyth stones swordes firebrandes and whatsoeuer other instrumentes of the power of darckenesse With these we reade the Prophetes were in tymes past assaulted With such they disputed agaynst christ And the hystorie following will shewe howe they vsed the same agaynst the Apostles But bicause Christ hath many times giuen vs warning of these thinges we must not be offended at the same Let vs therefore be so prepared that they light not vpon vs vnawares and vnlooked for It is worthy of great obseruation and heede that whyle they rage most in violence and wrong yet they seeme to obserue a kinde of lawe and equitie For bicause they had accused him of blasphemie agaynst God and false doctrine therefore they gyue him the punishment appoynted of God for blasphemers and seducers And the witnesses as is prescribed in the law threwe the first stones at him which to doe with the more ease they put of their apparel and deliuer it vnto Saule to keepe who after he was conuerted vnto Christ was called Paule Therefore here wanteth nothing belonging to the forme of lawe And Steuen myght seeme iustly to haue suffered and according to the lawe But that is not alwayes lawfully done which hath a shewe of lawe and we must deepely wey the causes of punishments or else we shall grieuouslye erre in our iudgement In the meane season marke howe God sometime suffreth the wicked with whose rage he will haue his people exercised to fyll vp the measure of their wickednesse And by example of the witnesses we are taught howe farre impietie proceedeth if it be not stopped at the beginning They sinned in bearing of false wytnesse being neyther ignoraunt of the lawe of God neyther of the punishment appoynted for false wytnesses And they are not afrayde that Salomon sayth the Lorde hateth and vtterly abhorreth a false witnesse They are not yet contented to haue committed so horrible a fault but they go further and embrue their handes with innocent bloude where also they were not ignorant of that that is written in the lawe touching murtherers So true it is that Salomon sayth when the wicked are once ouer their shooes there is no hoe with them Let vs therefore feare the entycing beginnings of sinne least whyle they instill into vs an hatred to the worde of God we sticking fast in the toughe myer thereof be at length wholye swallowed vp of the great gulfe of vngodlynesse The things sayde of Saule who as it is written consented to the death of the holye man and receyued great pleasure therein make a waye and preparation to the hystorie following and for the setting forth of the glory of god But of these things more shall be sayde in their place It remayneth that we declare howe Steuen behaued himselfe when he was put to this cruell death where three thinges are tolde of him First he called vpon the Lorde which thing we beleeue he continually vsed to doe And it is expressed that he prayed in three wordes Lorde Iesu receyue my spirite These wordes haue in them the confession of a true fayth and an argument and token of a great and strong beliefe For being on euery side beset with the terrors of death yet he acknowledgeth and confesseth that Christ is his Sauiour folowing the example of the theefe crucified with Christ. Further he beleeueth that the soules dye not in death but passe to the state of a better life yea he knoweth that euen in death through fayth in Christ men fynde lyfe This is a great prayse of fayth that euen then it is inuincible and comforteth vs when all other helpes fayle Also Steuens example teacheth vs to whome to commende our soules when we be at the poynt of death Not to Saintes as the superstitious vse but vnto Christ our Lorde who as he hath redeemed them with the pryce of his bloude so by his resurrection he hath ouercome death and by his ascention into heauen hath prepared for vs a place in the which we shall be gathered vnto him Secondarily Steuen sheweth a token of charitie which can not be seperated from fayth For folowing the example and commaundement of Christ he prayeth for his enimies that God woulde not punishe them for their sinne as they deserued This reprooueth the wickednesse of his enimies which put him to death as an enimie of the common weale which witnesseth by his last wysh he made that no man was more desirous of all mennes welfare than he But this is the state of the vngodly in this worlde the chiefe cause of whose infelicitie is this that they neyther can knowe their benefactors nor beware of the most daungerous enimies of the publike weale Let vs learne to extende our charitie euen to the ingratefull and with godly prayers commende them to God which moste grieuously offende agaynst vs And let vs not suffer our selues to be feared with the wickednesse of men forasmuch as Gods iudgements be vnknown to vs and God lightly vseth not to reueale vnto euery man who they be that are incurable amongest men as we reade he did sometime vnto Ieremie 7.14.15 cap. Let vs also be stirred vppe with the effect of this prayer which the conuersion of Saule alone prooueth was not fruitelesse Last of all is sayd that Steuen hauing thus spoken fell on sleepe whom yet his enimies hoped now with his doctrine to haue now bene cleane dispatched out of the way The scripture oftentimes vseth this word slepe speaking of the death of the godly For so is the condicion propertie of death set forth Death is the resolution or dissolution of man consisting of soule and body In this death the soule neyther dyeth nor sleepeth but passeth into lyfe euerlasting as Christ sayth Iohn 5. Wherevpon death hath aptly bene called a passing into heauen The body is sayde to sleepe bicause it is layde in the earth as it were to sleepe out of the which in the latter daye it shall be raysed vp by Christ that it may also enioye the blysse of heauenly lyfe There are euerywhere testimonies of Scripture concerning these things and occasion shall serue oftentimes to intreate of the same Wherefore we nowe meane to be briefe Let vs set Steuen before vs to imitate that when we shall depart this lyfe our soules being gone before to the dwellings of the blessed and happy we being at the last gloriously raysed vp also in body may attayne to the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The eyght chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lvj. Homelie AT that tyme there was a great persecution agaynst the congregation which was at Hierusalem and they were all scattered abrode throughout the regions of Iurie and Samarie except the Apostles But deuout men dressed Steuen and made great lamentation ouer him As for Saule he made hauocke of the
power of this worlde is but vayne if it be compared with christ For this Agrippa that in short space had clymed by prosperous successe to such heyght of power and dignitie which had escaped the cruell handes of Tyberius and marueylously defeated the craftes of Herodes Antipas assoone as he beganne to encounter with Christ dyed most miserably as we shall heare in the ende of the Chapter The like was seene in Iulian who where he had bene a most prosperous warryer sodeinly lost both his Empyre and his lyfe when he begun once to set on Christ whom he vsed in scorne to call Galileyan We haue like examples in our dayes which we ought diligently to consider that we be not offended at the power and force of Christes enimies For he is stronger and of more power that is on our side And they shall in all ages feele the yron scepter of Christ that will not be ruled by his wholesome rede and discipline Thirdly it behooueth vs to search out the causes of this deuised persecution whereof Luke toucheth the one after a darke sort but the other he declareth plainely First he sayth that Herode stretched out his handes to vexe certaine of the congregation And bicause he maketh mention of the Church which in poyntes of religion had deuided themselues from the residue of the Iewes it seemeth that Agrippa was incensed against them as authors of schisme For tyrants can away with no likelyhoode of schisme be it neuer so little among their subiects not for that they delight so much in peace but for that they feare their state which they know standeth in great hazard through schisme and discention Which is the cause that though they be voyde of all religion yet they seeke to haue in their Realmes an vniforme consent in religion For the craftie men well knowe that there is nothing of more efficacie to deuyde the mindes of men than diuersitie and vnlikenesse of religion There be examples of both these in the Scriptures Ieroboam to the intent that the tenne Trybes ouer whome he had gotten to be King shoulde not be reconciled agayne to the house of Dauid deuised newe maners of religion And Antiochus bicause he woulde stablishe his Empyre commaunded one forme of religion to be vsed ouer all his Prouinces In the meane season we haue to note diligently howe the onely worshippers of truth most commonly are counted for schismatykes where as yet there are none other people more ledde with the desire of true vnitie and whereas there springeth no ranker encrease of sects than of superstition Among the Iewes were the sects of Phariseys Sadduceys Essenes and others of like heare And yet Agrippa layd hands on none of these Only the Church of Christ as the mother of deuision suffreth persecution We haue seene the like euen in our dayes For who is ignorant of the innumerable most diuers sectes of Monkes wherby Christendome now many ages hath bene deuided But which of the Popes or Emperors or kings hath called them schismatikes although they both professed a diuers name and also diffred from other men in apparell rytes and other ceremonies Yea such were defended by the Popes authoritie and made of Kinges priuie counsayles But assoone as the right fayth set forth by the sincere doctrine of the Gospel put vp hir head by and by were hearde euerywhere the horrible names of Heretikes sectaries and schismatikes For where truth only most strongly ouerthroweth the kingdome of Satan he cannot abyde that they which haue heretofore liued in darknesse and yeelded them to his gouernement should imbrace hir In the meane while they crie out and say peace and tranquilitie is disturbed and can suffer any thing in their Realmes rather than the peace of Christ. The other cause which more prouoked Herode raging of his owne selfe Luke plainely expresseth where he sayeth Seeing that it pleased the Iewes he tooke Peter also â–ª This new king therfore thought to picke a thank of the Iewes who he knew of nature could not awaye with seruitude and yet bare great hatred vnto Christes religion In this example are the condicions of tyrants trimly declared whose propertie it is to establishe their tyrannie with the bloude of harmelesse menne For the bloude of the poore is not deare in their sight as the Prophete testifyeth of the good King. But they playe for mennes heads as it were at the dyce if they thinke any gayne lyke to come by their deathes So we reade that Augustus sometime purchased Antonius fauour with Cicero his heade And Pylate bicause he woulde gratifye Herodes Antipas sent Christ vnto him and to get the good will of the people of Iewes adiudged him to dye on the crosse whose innocencie he had tryed by many argumentes by this meanes purposing to winne their good willes agayne whome he had many wayes grieuouslye offended And there want not lyke examples in these days For they which persecute the doctrine of Christ and his Disciples to haue the friendship of the Popes Byshops doe rightly imitate Agrippa And that that we reade L. Flamineus did sometyme beheadding a certayne man for his Concubines sake and pleasure the same nowe a dayes among Princes is a common thing for the whoore of Babylons sake not onely to behead and burne but also to make horible warres agaynst the professours of Christian doctrine Here let it comfort vs that wee haue God the reuenger of our cause who as he destroyed the Iewes burning in deadly hatred against Christ so hath he after horrible sortes reuenged their vnrighteousnesse which went about to redeeme the good will of a wicked Nacion with the bloude of his saints They shall fynde the lyke iudgement that at this day dare persecute Christ for this most wicked worldes sake We shall haue more commoditie to speake of these thinges in the ende of the Chapter where Luke reporteth the horrible ende of Herode Fourthly is declared what this great king attempted and did against the Church of christ And there are two wicked deedes of his declared wherby he hath purchased himselfe a perpetuall ignominie and blot of name First is his beheading of Iames the brother of Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist He was one of the chiefe among the Apostles For him and Iohn his brother and Peter did Christ vse more familiarly than the other when hee tooke him as a witnesse of the myracle of Iairus daughter raysed agayne and woulde haue him a beholder of his glorification He was for his feruent zeale of godlynesse and vehemencie of speach called the sonne of thunder Yet God by his secret iudgement suffreth one of the chiefe of the number of the Apostles to be killed and such a worshipper of Christ to become a praye to a moste cruell tyraunt By which example is euidently declared that tribulations and shamefull deaths are not arguments of Gods wrath as the wicked vse to say which thinke it an
nor hath any faith Therefore this Iayler doth well to declare his faith by workes of charitie which it becommeth vs also busily to apply if we will not be taken and called vaine professours of the faith Fourthly he reioyceth with all his housholde bicause he beleeued in God and knewe he nowe belonged vnto the Church of Christ in whome onely the treasures of saluation are layde vp And yet as we erewhyle declared he was in great daunger thereby For if the Iudges mindes had notbene sodainely altered which alteration he yet wist not of he had dyed for it insomuch as he had let those loose whome the Iudge had commaunded to be laide in yrons But as faith maketh all men obedient vnto God so it ouercommeth all labours and daungers and suffereth not the feeling of heauenly ioye which the spirite of Christ inspyreth to be ouercome with any temptations Therefore Paule wryting to these faythfull of the Phylippians byddeth them alwaies to reioyce and be glad Moreouer if a man would lay togither all things saide hitherto of this Iayler it shall appeare that fayth is not ydle nor can not be seperated from good workes For what good workes are here lacking He recompenseth the iniuries made before vnto the Apostles He obeyeth God duely with present daunger of his lyfe declaring hereby howe readie he ment afterwarde to be in all other thinges Hee receyued the sacramentes duelie as he ought to doe For where he receyued baptisme streight way it is not like he absteyned from the Lordes supper seing he was conuersaunt with the faithfull Furthermore he was carefull for the saluation of his familie and caused them also to be brought vnto Christ and vnto the congregation also he exerciseth charitie and benefycence liberally and euen in the middle of daungers ioyeth altogither in spirituall gladnesse And yet the Apostles being asked the true waye of saluation appointed him but faith onely in Iesus Christ. And this faith brought forth streight way such excellent fruites as we haue heard Wherevnto yet we must not attribute the glorie of saluation bicause he coulde haue done none of them vnlesse by faith he had beene graffed in Christ and quickned with his spirite Here fyrst are they confuted that saye the doctrine of faith is an enimie vnto good workes seing such increase of good workes springeth of none other thing so much as of faith And next they also which vnder a false pretence of the Gospell seeke the vnbrydelled licentiousnesse of the fleshe and to sinne without check Howbeit after the hystory of the keeper of the Prison ended Luke commeth vnto the officers of Philippi and declareth howe the Apostles were delyuered by their commaundement and authoritie For Gods workes are perfyte and beguyle not mens mindes with vaine hope and expectation of his helpe and succour In the meane season yet God marueylously tosseth the Apostles that one maye see he vseth the wicked to fulfyll his pleasure euen against their wyll But let vs discusse all things in order that we may receyue the more comfort and instruction thereby By the breake of daye came Sergeaunts from the Magistrates commaunding the Apostles to be let loose and it shall appeare afterward by Paules words that this was a secret dimission they went about meaning also to sende them out of the Citie But howsoeuer they were dimissed it is plaine that these Iudges did acknowledge both the innocencie of the Apostles and also their owne vnrighteousnesse which they vsed against them But whether it was the meane whyle of the night that caused them to consider so much or the earthquake that strake them in such feare that they durst not holde on in their tyrannie it is vncertaine But assuredly such sodaine chaunge of minde did aboundantly declare both their rashnesse and vnrighteousnesse Yet go they about marueylous craftily to hyde the heynousnesse they had commytted and whereof they were ashamed For therefore woulde they haue the Apostles priuily to be set at libertie to lay all the fault in them as though they mistrusting their cause had broke open the dores and fledde out of Prison Thus the wicked vse with craftes and colours to seeke to seeme righteous being ashamed of their naughtinesse but meaning no earnest repentaunce which causeth them to their further shame to heape freshe offences and sinnes vpon the olde Therefore this place teacheth vs fyrst what the repentaunce of the wicked is for the most part Doubtlesse a counterfeyte repentaunce and such as reuerence and feare of men onely wringeth out of them not repenting in the meane season from the heart nor nothing mindefull of amendement Thus we reade Saule repented when he earnestly required Samuel not to depart from him least his authoritie and estimation should vtterly haue quayled before the Elders and the people That this is a vaine and vnprofytable repentaunce appeareth euen by this for that in the meane season they hate the worde of God woorse than a Tode bicause the light thereof discloseth their wickednesse Let euery man therefore so learne to acknowledge his offences that he may also be sorrowfull for the same and not seeke to hyde them wyth the shaming of other but rather let them publishe them to the amendment of other and to the setting forth of Gods glorie whereof the scripture giueth vs examples in Dauid and Paule Also this place teacheth vs how easilye wicked officers can quit themselues of great heynous offences For what could this men haue done more wickedly and vnworthy their calling than to beate innocent persons without hearing their cause at the â—ry and clamour of the commons and being all gore bloude and their sores not washed to cast them into a darke dungeon And nowe they thinke it is ynnough if they put them not to death with more shame but conuey them priuily out of the Citie And here is no worde of amends making This is a common thing in these dayes especially in their causes whome the world hateth bicause of their sinceritie in truth and religion yea they thinke they deserue great commendation of modestie and equitie if they doe but depriue such Christians of honours and goodes and banishe them their countrie But let officers consider that they are placed of God in such degree of power and honour Let them also remember that iudgement belongeth vnto god Furthermore let them often remember that they shall one day also come before Christ to be iudged where they shall giue an accompt of all their iudgementes And therefore according to the admonition of the Prophete let them holde the bloud of their subiectes deare in their sight Furthermore here appeareth the inuincible power of God whereby he is able to take and deliuer his beloued out of the handes of the wicked although they persist in their wickeddesse For they repent not of their naughtinesse and thinke of no amendment as we sayde euen nowe yea they vndoubtedly wished the Apostles of
which the Scripture euery where teacheth are clensed purged by the onely bloud of Chryste But bycause that washing which is made by the bloud of Chryst is outwardly shadowed and expressed by Baptisme it commeth to passe that by reason of suche phrase of Scripture synnes are sayde to bee washed away by baptisme And bycause Paule shoulde not thinke it a straunge or harde kynde of saying he addeth thereto by calling on the name of the Lorde For by these words he is sent vnto Chryst which being taken hold of and called vpon by faith bestoweth such gifts of saluation vpon vs as the sacraments vse to figure and shadow out vnto vs And as we must in vsing of the Sacraments haue a respecte vnto Chryste if wee will haue them to profite vs so agayne wee are taught that they muste not be condemned nor thought superfluous by any meanes For God hath ordeined nothing without gret coÌ„sideration whose intent is not to haue his church ouercharged or clogged by any means Therfore Philip baptised the Eunuch also after he had confessed his fayth And Peter thought it good to baptise Cornelius houshold wheÌ„ they had receiued the holy ghost Yea Paul whoÌ„ the holy ghost secretly coÌ„mendeth is here earnestly moued to receiue baptisme These examples reproue the despisers of SacrameÌ„ts which while they will seeme too spiritual do wickedly set light the ordinances of God. Buâ— chiefly wee haue to marke Paule to followe hys example and in Religion not to deale rashly or vnconstantly but beeing rightly instructed in the truth to labour diligently to keepe and holde fast the same For so by labours and perils we shall come to the inheritaunce of eternal life which God the father of mercy hath appoynted vs from euerlasting in his sonne Iâ—sus Chryste to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxlv. Homelie ANd it fortuned when I was come agayne to Hierusalem and prayed in the Temple I was in a traunce and sawe him saying vnto mee make haste and get thee quickely out of Hierusalem for they will not receyue thy witnesse that thou bearest of mee And I sayde Lorde they know that I prisoned and bet in euery Synagoge them that beleeued on thee And when the bloud of thy witnesse Steuen was shedde I also stoode by and consented vnto his death and kept the rayment of them that slue him And he sayde vnto me departe for I will sende thee a farre hence vnto the Gentiles They gaue him audience vnto this worde and then lifte vp their voyces and sayde away with suche a fellowe from the earth For it is not reason that he should lyue PAule the Apostle as hath nowe oftentimes bene declared goeth about in this diligent and long discourse of his dooings to put away the wrongful suspitions and reproches wherewith hys enimies burthened him There were two thinges chiefly which incensed the mindes of the people agaynst him namely his turning from the Iewes religion vnto the fayth of Chryst and that in preaching the Gospell of saluation vnto the vncircumcised Gentiles he seemed to match them with the Iewes For by these things they gathered that he was the very enimie of the people of God a prophane and wicked contemner of the lawe and of the Leuiticall seruice To the first poynt he hath hitherto answered alleaging still this one thing that he had done nothing rashly or of his owne head but all things according to Gods commaundement and calling So teaching vs by his example what wee also haue to doo in altering or defending our religion And now he proceedeth to the seconde poynte alleaging the same argument declaring that he was called foorth of God to preach vnto the Gentiles and neuerthelesse yet ceassed not to loue his Countreymen which thing shall moste playnely appeare by all the partes of that Hystorie which he here rehearseth For first he sayth he returned to Ierusalem verily to bestowe hys labour vpon them of whom he was borne and of whom he was brought vp and instructed For he maketh mentioÌ„ of this iourney for none other cause but to proue and declare that the faulte was not in him that he preached not the message of saluation vnto his own nation Furthermore we declared before out of the ninth chap. of his Epistle to the Galathians that this iorney of his was in the fourth yere after he was conuerted Wherefore to let passe the supputation of the time let vs consider the example of Paule which teacheth Ministers that although they be detters vnto al men yet ought they to haue a speciall care of their owne countrey and nation For this is the lawe of nature that we be bounde vnto those aboue others amongst whom we haue bene borne and brought vp from our childhoode This rule Chryst obserued also when he offered the doctrine of saluation euen at the beginning to those of Nazareth whose vnkindnesse yet he was not ignoraunt of And that that is sayd vnto the Ministers the same must all men obserue most to esteme their own natiue soyle countrey Wherin it behoueth them to folow Moses which chose rather to forsake the riches and delytes of the Court than his brethren oppressed with tyrannie Let thâ—m here learne their wickednesse which are growen to such impudencie that they can find in their heart to sel the libertie of their countrey lawes and priuileges and all other things so they may get any priuate gayne and aduauntage thereby But let vs returne vnto Paule who after he was come againe into the Citie went into the Temple to pray And of the Temple he maketh mention partly bicause none should say he lay lurking in a corner partely to put away the suspition of polluting the Temple which opinion he knewe many had of him What he desired in his praier may easily be gathered out of the tenth to the Romanes where he saith he praied oftentimes for the Iewes that they might obteine saluatioÌ„ And that this was the very end of his prayer we shal playnly see by the communication folowing which he had with Chryst touching the Iewes Agayne Ministers are here admonished of their duetie that is with continuall prayers to helpe procure anâ— further the saluation of the people For as the rule of faith charitie wherby they are bound to the flock committed vnto them commaundeth the same so necessitie also requireth it bicause it is euident that their labours are but in vayne onlesse God giue the encrease This the auncient Prophets likewise sawe in whose writings are extant many prayers for the people This must Magistrates also obserue forasmuche as they are able to do dothing without the ayde and assistance of God by whose spirit it is nedeful that they be ruled and led They haue also to imitate the examples of Moses Dauid Salomon Ezechias beside infinite others Now at length Paule expoundeth the Oracle wherby he was coÌ„maunded to go vnto the Gentiles He saith he was in
O King I sawe in the way a light from heauen aboue the brightnesse of the sunne shine rounde about me and them which iorneyed with me When we were all fallen to the earth I hearde a voyce speaking vnto me and saying in the Hebrue tong Saule Saule why persecutest thou mee It is harde for thee to kicke agaynst the pricke And I sayde who arte thou Lorde And he sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest THe Apostle Paule declared yesterday the state of the whole controuersie betweene him the Iewes teaching vs that the contention was about no trifle but about the whole meane of our saluatioÌ„ where he also proued that he neither beleeued nor taught any thing but that which God had promised the fathers in times passed and wherin the onely hope of the Church of Israel had in al ages consisted Where we learne that the fayth of Chryst was the onely and moste aunciente meane thorough which all the fathers in tymes passed were saued Furthermore bycause Paule in the beginning of his narration sayde he was a Pharisie he returneth handsomely to his intermitted narration agayne and declareth the hystorie of his conuersion the onely scope anâ—ende whereof is to put away the accusation of leuitie declaring that he was called by God yea inforced agaynst his will. But to the ende his narration might haue the more weight and authoritie he declareth first how he was affected towards the Christian fayth and that in suche diligent â—orte that he omitteth none of the things that he enterprised agaynst Chryst. For first of all he promiseth the cause saying I was sometime of the minde that mine aduersaries be For I was vtterly perswaded that I ought to do many things agaynst the name of Iesus Chryst. Whence sprang this persuasion verily of a blind and rash zeale of the fleshe which otherwheres he attributeth to all the Iewes Yet â—e maketh not mention hereof to extenuate or excuse his offence therby but to teache vs by his example how greatly men fall onlesse they order their dooings according to the worde of God. For in other places he confesseth that he was a moste haynous sinner and not worthy the name of an Apostle Whereby it appeareth howe muche more greeuously they offende which beeing led with no zeale of God or good intention of the mind as they call it but with their naughtie affections persecute Chryst and his worde In the meane season marke howe the enterprises of the enimies of the Church are but a meare opinion and vayne conceypt of a blinded minde which notwithstanding they seeme at first well to succede yet they neuer haue that ende they looke for For as the Psalmist sayth they trauayle with mischiefe and are conceiued with sorrowe and haue brought foorth vanitie and vngodlynesse This thing Paule confesseth after a sorte of him selfe teaching the hearers by his example what they may looke for if they beginne to take agaynst Chryst or holde on as they haue begonne For which way can they preuayle whose deuises and enterprises God scattereth abroade and laugheth at them out of heauen But least any man might thinke that Paule spake more bostingly than truely he rehearseth also his owne dooings in molesting and afflicting the Churche I put many of the Saincts in prison sayth he beeing aucthorised by the Priestes which authoritie they woulde neuer haue giuen me onlesse they had seene me earnestly bente to aduaunce and set forwarde their proceedings He calleth the Christians Sainctes bycause they were sanctified through the bloud and merite of Chryst. 1. Corinth 5. Also when they were kylled I pronounced sentence of death vppon them and gat the consent of others thervnto Beside this I compelled them when they had bene whipped in the Sinagoges and tormented all maner of wayes to blaspheme that is to say to deny Chryst and to recante those things which they had before spoken both well and godly Whereby it may be gathered that the Church of Chryst was neuer so well established but it had some chaffe also which winnowed with the Fâ—â—â—e of persecution fell away Finally bycause I would spare no kinde of madnesse I began to roue abroade into forren Cities also bycause I would leaue no place for the Christians to be safe in Herein we haue an euident Image both of the persecutours of Chryste and also of the state and condition wherein the godly and faythfull be in this world For commonly these men are enuied and hated of the Potentates of this worlde and chiefly of those which excell in name of Religion and supremacie of the Churche studying vnder this colour and pretence to seeke their priuate glory and gayne onely Then afterwardes these men haue fitte ministers for their mischeuous proceedings who to gratifie their maisters let no occasion escape or slippe whereby they may batter and assaulte the Churche and thereto they spare for no labour Heereof therefore proceede imprisonments condemnations all kindes of torments banishments slaughters blasphemies and infinite suche other things as these cruell Kernes vse to deuise agaynst the godly Whom in the meane season it behoueth to marke better what they do why they persecute the godly for the faythe 's sake Uerily they compell the weaklings to blaspheme whiles they deny their faith contrary to their conscience and confesse they haue erred through vnhappy vngodly feare For this thing Christ numbreth among the sinnes and blasphemie agaynst the holy Ghost Luke 12. And Paule expresly calleth the denying of the true fayth blasphemie whervnto he draue and enforced the faythfull Therefore what other thing remayneth for those persecutors but that horrible woe which Chryst threatneth vnto theÌ„ that giue occasion of offence For what more greeuous and daungerous offence can any man giue than that whereby men are compelled to sinne agaynst the holy Ghost They shal therefore feele the heauy hande of God who nowe a dayes thinke this but a trifling matter Moreouer as in Paules former enterprises there appeareth a portrature of a raging tyran so in the confession of the same may bee seene a very Christian mynde wholly enflamed with the desire of Gods glory For to what other ende dothe â–ª Paule rehearse these hys attemptes but for that he knewe they made to the setting foorth of the glory of God For heereby bothe the authoritie of his mynisterie was defended and the great mercy of God commended wherwith he embraced the greatest offendours that are yea euen his enimies also in Chryst Iesus Reade 1. Timo. 1. And this is the chiefe cause why the godly vse so often to confesse their sinnes as we see in Dauid and in diuerse others Therfore the ambition of those men is very dishonest who for the sauegarde of their owne glory will eyther neuer confesse their sinnes and greeuous errours or at least wise wonderfully extenuate and diminish the same Furthermore he setteth the story of his conuersion against his atteÌ„pts agaynst Chryst that by