all he sheweth whereof hee shoulde beare witnesse namely of his resurrection Which is not so to be vnderstanded as though the Apostles should preach of nothing else but Christs resurrection but he thought hereby to expresse the chiefe article wherin al the other be contayned yea which plainely teacheth whereto all the other are to be referred For verilye the preaching of his death is of necessitie included and ioyned to the resurrection For how shall he teach that Christ is risen from death which first teacheth not that he died But if any man will teach that Christ dyed he must first speake of that nature of Christ in the which he was able to dye He must teache therefore that the sonne of God which is of one euerlastingnesse substance with the father at the tyme appoynted tooke mans nature in the virgins wombe in the which after many and diuers troubles of this life at length he suffred bitter death vpon the aultar of the Crosse. Therefore he that will be a Preacher and witnesse of the resurrection of Iesus Christ must omitte none of the things that went before the same But there is another cause also why Peter would make mention of the resurrection For this is the ende accomplishment of our redemption as Paule sheweth at large in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the .xv. Chapter For sinne is the sting power of death whervnto all men were subiect But that death is ouercome and vanquished the resurrection of Christ doth manifestly declare Wherefore sinne also by meanes whereof death had power ouer vs by the meryte of the same Christ must needes be taken awaye And if the guylt of sinne be taken awaye death spoyled and vnarmed then who seeth not how the Serpents heade is all to crushed and the tyranny of the Deuill vtterly subdued In deede he rageth yet and maketh an horrible adooe but Christian mindes are not afraide of his terrors For how shoulde he be able to hurt vs who hauing the dartes of sinne and death taken from him is all naked and of no force But this Christ hath taken away whyle he purged the sinnes of the worlde vppon the aultare of the Crosse and by his glorious resurrection hath killed the force of death Therefore syth Peter will haue him which must be taken into the number of the Apostles to be a witnesse of Christes resurrection he appoynteth him the same office that the residue had to whome it was sayde Go yee into all the worlde and preache the kingdome of God vnto all creatures Whosoeuer beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued In the meane season they that in these dayes will be called and taken for successors of the Apostles are admonished of their dutie For although no man can require of them to be such witnesses as sawe Christes resurrection yet their office is truly and boldly to beare witnesse of Christ and of all those things that he aswell did as suffred for vs that all men may vnderstande howe the redemption and saluation of mankinde is contayned in Christ onely For whosoeuer will be taken for Apostolykes being puft vp onely with the bare name thereof and neyther can nor will preache they are not the right successors of the Apostles but foolishe Pastors such as are described in Zachary the .xj. Chapter And on them that sentence of Paule may truly be spoken Woe vnto mee if I preach not It is our partes to acknowledge the goodnesse of God which woulde haue his sonne to dye for our sinnes and to ryse agayne for our iustification and hath also gyuen vs most faythfull witnesses of Christes most profitable resurrection Let vs therefore beleeue their testimonye that being borne agayne of the seede of the immortall worde wee maye be made the heyres of God and coheyres with Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour glorye and power for euer Amen The ninth Homelie THEN they appoynted two Ioseph which is called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias And when they prayed they sayde Thou Lorde which knowest the hearts of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen that he may take the roume of this ministration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell that he might go to his owne place And they gaue forth their lottes and the lotte fell on Matthias and hee was counted with the eleuen Apostles AS the Church hath great neede of Ministers of the Worde by whose meane it may be instructed and confirmed in the knowledge of God and mysteries of the true fayth so it behooueth that the same be duely truely chosen and ordayned that all men may perceyue they be chosen and appoynted of god Which thing was the cause that in the election of a newe Apostle to be put in the roume of Iudas the primitiue Church proceeded with so great circumspection deliberation And the holy ghost would haue all this hystory diligently described for that a sure rule and president might be left to them that came after whereby to order the election of their Ministers The first thing herein to be obserued is that S. Peter referreth all the matter to the congregation to be discussed by their whole consent and counsell We are taught hereby that nothing ought to be appointed or decreed in the Church by any one mans priuate authoritie For where the Church is as Paule sayth Gods building and Gods husbandry yea the housholde and familye of God. No man must take vpon him so much authoritie as to thinke he hath power giuen him to prescrybe any thing of his owne heade And although the rashnesse of some go so farre yet he shall little profite amongst the true sheepe of Christ which vse to harken and follow the voyce of Christ onely But let vs returne to the narration of the hystory begoon by Luke who hauing recited Peters oration now rehearseth the election of the new Apostle which we must diligently expende in euerye poynt First he sheweth that two be openly named and set in the sight of the whole congregation Then with godly and deuout prayer they commit the election it selfe vnto God whose will and pleasure they seeke to enquire by religious lottes Then they appoynted twoo sayth he Ioseph which was called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias Although the order howe this was done is not expressed yet it is likely it was done by common consent of all the congregation For where Peter referred the matter to the whole Church he coulde not pretermit the iudgement of the Church It seemeth therefore euerye mans sentence was asked and that they named all those to the Church whom they thought meetest for the office of an Apostle And here the Church at length agreed that eyther Ioseph or Matthy should be chosen to that roume as men who excelled the others in all kinde of vertues And both of them vndoubtedlye was such that whether had had the place the lot coulde not seeme
declareth the office of Christ calling him a Prophete Howbeit Moyses was not ignorant that Christ should be both a King and the Redeemer of mankinde and denyeth it not in this place but maketh mention of his office which for his purpose and matter in hand was chiefly to be required Prophetes whether they shewe of things to come or else by the worde of God admonish men of things present are the interpreters and openers of Gods will. But bicause Christ shoulde be a Priest in the Church of God for euer he must not abstayne from teaching which is the chiefe poynt required in a Priest as maye be seene Malachie 2. Wherfore also in another place he is described in the person of a Prophete or preacher as in Esay 61. Which place he himselfe expoundeth of himselfe in the sinagoge at Nazareth And he is not declared to be such an one in the olde Testament only but God hath set him forth also being here on earth by a very solemne and open authorisement to be the vniuersall and vndoubted teacher of all the worlde Whereas vpon mount Thabor before most credible witnesses both of the deade and of the liuing that is to saye before Moyses and Elias Peter Iames and Iohn he pronounced that notable saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And Christ himselfe followed the office of teaching with great studie and diligence and openly confesseth that he was sent for that cause Therefore it is not without a cause that Moyses and Peter calleth him a Prophet And we are taught by this place that it is not sufficient if we confesse Christ to be our sauiour and Redeemer vnlesse we acknowledge him to be a teacher sent of God and doe that dutie to him that schollers owe to a faythfull and trustie schoolemaister Thou shalt moreouer consider howe we ought to reuerence the ministerie whereby the Gospell is preached For whereby can it more singularly be commended than by the example of the sonne of God who both himselfe was a minister on the earth and appoynted the ministerie to be alwaye in his Church wherevnto Paule hauing a respect sayth that wee be messengers in the roume of Christ and preache vnto the worlde the worde of attonement Which woulde God both the hearers and ministers woulde alwaye remember least the one sort thinke to contemptuously of the ministerie and the other through their naughtynesse make it to be laughed at Thirdly is declared what maner a Prophete Christ should be to saye like vnto Moyses Which is not so to be taken as though we shoulde acknowledge in Christ nothing of more excellencie than in Moyses whereas Moyses was but a meere man and a sinner and Christ was both God and man the author of our saluation But this similitude or comparison must be referred to the office of a Prophete and figure of Christ which Moyses bare wherein many things both pleasant and profitable come to be considered First Paule testifieth of Moyses that he had rather to suffer sorrowe and affliction with the people of God than to be taken for Pharao his Nephewe and enioye the treasures and delightes of Egypt The same affection we see in Christ who being in the shape of God humbled and abased himselfe and taking on him the shape of a seruaunt chose rather to be afflicted with vs and to die for vs than to see vs any longer in misery Furthermore as Moyses was of his brethren moste vnworthilye refused so when Christ came amongst his owne his owne receyued him not and before Pylate they denyed him saying wee haue no king but Caesar. Yea and nowe a dayes also he is most vnworthily reiected of manye to whome he offreth himselfe and in himselfe eternall life and saluation through the Gospell Thirdly as Moyses deliuered the people of God from the cruell tyrannie of Pharao brought them out of Egypt and drowned them in the surges of the read sea so the sonne of God hath deliuered mankinde from the power of the deuill and brusting the bondes of sinne and death hath slayne Satan the spirituall Pharao with all his preparation engines and armor through the merite of his bloude Fourthly as Moyses lyke a faithfull shepehearde ledde the people of Israell safely through the vnknowne wayes of the wildernesse so Iesus Christ is that faythfull shepeherde that goeth before his sheepe and leadeth vs safelye through the deserte of this worlde being full of all kinde of daungers by the light of his worde and guiding of his spirite Fifthly as Moyses gaue Manna to the people being an hungred and gat springes of water out of the rocke for them being a a thirst so Iesus Christ feedeth our soules vnto life euerlasting by the merite of his flesh hath opened in his side a most plentifull fountaine of saluation by the which only al thirsty drouthes of the soule are quenched See Iohn 6.4.7.19 Sixthly as Moyses was the interpretor of Gods worde to the people when they were not able to abide the maiestie of God speaking to them so where none of vs hath seene God nor can see him as long as we be clothed with this mortall fleshe the sonne of God which is in the bosome of his father hath declared vnto vs whatsoeuer behooueth vs to knowe of God and prooueth by that argument that he taketh vs for his friendes bicause he hath hid none of these things from vs which he heard of his father Seuenthly as all the weyghtie causes which coulde not be discussed by the ordinarie Iudges vsed to be referred and brought vnto Moyses and he receyuing sentence from the mouth of the Lorde declared it and that was taken for vndoubted and ought not to be countermaunded as may be seene Exod. 18. and .33 Leuit. 24. Numer 15. c. so whatsoeeuer things eyther in the mysteries of faith and kingdome of heauen or in the conuersation of our whole lyfe passe the capacitie of our reason it behooueth they be referred to Christ onely and we must stand to his sentence so that we must subdue all our vnderstanding to the obedience of fayth which Paule testifieth is the end and scope of the Gospell Eightly as Moyses alwaye made intercession so God for the people as oft as they sinned and did it so faythfullye that for their sakes he desired to be wyped out of the booke of God So Christ when the sentence of damnation hoong ouer all our heades made intreatie for vs and woulde become accursed for vs to deliuer vs from the curse The same also being made a mediatour betweene God and man maketh alwayes intercession for vs to the father And as manye as feele they haue deserued Gods wrathe through their sinnes must vse him for their aduocate and spokesman vnto god Many other things might be alleaged in the which it is manifest Christ was like vnto Moyses or rather an absolute and perfite accomplisher of
by hys example pacience and obedience in bearing the Crosse as he admonisheth vs oft tymes in the Gospell And Peter wryteth thus to the same purpose Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steppes which did no sinne neyther was there any guyle founde in his mouth which when he was reuyled reuyled not agayne when he suffred he threatened not Howbeit the Prophete ioyneth vnto the death of Christ the victorie which he gate by hys death saying Bicause of hys humblenesse he was not esteemed By the name of humblenesse is vnderstanded the state of the crosse and of death whereby it appeareth that he was outwardly humbled or brought downe This is therefore the meaning of his wordes where he seemed altogyther oppressed and destitute of helpe God of his iust iudgement reuenged hys cause and declared he was the Conquerour of death and of Satan although he seemed conquered Thys agreeth with the first promise where it is sayde the Serpent shoulde sting Christ in the heele but that Christ should treade vpon his heade The same did Dauid prophecie should come to passe where he sayth He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift vp his head For where by the merite of his death he purged our sinne and tooke it away he also spoyled and disarmed death which by reason of sinne had power vpon vs Shortly after being rysen from death he openly declared that death and the Deuil had no power vpon him wherefore he most gloriously tryumphed ouer all his enimies And thys is that glory which he desyreth hys father so often to gyue hym The consideration hereof is verie necessarie For it serueth for the confirmation of our fayth that we be not offended neyther at Christs crosse nor our owne For as Christ by the Crosse entred into the glorie of his father and dyed and was raysed agayne from death for our sake to declare he was a Lord and sauiour as well of the quick as of the dead so we by death ouercome and whether we lyue or dye we be the Lords And as God reuenged Christes cause although he seemed altogyther oppressed so he vseth to defende and preserue the memorie of them that be hys that their godlynesse who now are punished by shamefull deathes as wicked men malefactours may be knowne to them that come after them Wherevnto are to be referred the examples as well of the Prophets as the Apostles Moreouer after victory followeth a kingdome to the which he attrybuteth an euerlastingnesse and vnspeakeable power saying But who shall declare his generation Thys worde generation according to the vsage of the Hebrues is taken as well for the age of a man as for his posteritie Both these declare the contynuall enduring of his kingdome For the Angell testifyeth that his kingdome is euerlasting where he sayth vnto Mary Of his kingdome shall be none ende Likewise Christes posteritie is euerlasting For they which by him are made the children of God shall neuer fayle And as there shall be alwayes vpon the earth such as he shall acknowledge for the sonnes of God and coheyres with him so they being taken out of this worlde shall liue and reigne for euer with him For this is the effect and summe of his last will which before his death he would haue his father to ratifie Father I will that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with me where I am that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen mee Touching them both the holy ghost teacheth vs by the Prophete saying The seede of Dauid shall endure for euer and his seate is like as the Sunne before me He shall stand fast for euermore as the Moone and as the faythfull witnesse in heauen And this is that thing wherein Christes kingdome differeth from all the kingdomes of the worlde For they all shall perishe neyther remayneth any of those auncient and riche Monarchies and they which remayne and flourishe this day doe euidently portend their ruine and decay Hereof may two things be gathered the knowledge whereof is very profitable First the perpetuitie or euerlasting continuance of Christes church which being assaulted from the beginning of the worlde endureth yet vntill this present day and shall endure euen vntill the ende of the worlde as he hath promised By which argument we may comfort our selues against al the assaultes of Tyrannes Next the certaintie of eternall life dependeth hereon without the which it is most vaine that is written of fayth and religion as Paule disputing of the resurrection from death hath taught For if Christes posteritie be ineffable and therefore eternall then must there bee an other life after this to say an heauenly and an eternall And so it remayneth both firme and stable that Paule sayth that neyther life nor death can seperate vs from the loue of God. But bicause the things be of most importaunce and weight which he speaketh of Christes victorie and Kingdome he repeateth the cause of them againe which is For his life is taken from the earth What can be more absurde if we consider the iudgement of the fleshe He sayde Christ should be a conquerour and raigne for euer And he alleageth the cause of his victorie and kingdome to be for that his life shoulde be made away vppon the earth But we haue declared before that this thing agreeth with the first promise And Paule is a most faythfull Interpretour of this place where he sayth Iesus Christ when he was in the shape of God thought it no robberie to be equall with god Neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the shape of a seruaunt and becamelyke vnto men and was found in his apparell as a man hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse. Wherfore God hath also exalted him ▪ and giuen him a name which is aboue all names that in the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and that all tongues shoulde confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde vnto the prayse of God the father These things serue for our consolation that we be not offended at death For as it behooued Christ should be taken from the earth to obteyne the victorie and a kingdome in heauen so is it impossible that we shall lyue and reigne in heauen vnlesse we also chaunge this present life for the eternall For as Paule sayth This corruptible bodie must put on incorruptiblenesse and this mortal◠must put on immortalitie And to be short such is the reason of our societie with 〈◊〉 that we can enter into life none other way than by death whereby he entered Wherevpon the Apostle sayth If we dye with him we shall liue with him ▪ If we suffer with hym we shall also raigne with him For God will haue vs like to his
of God suffred themselues to be seduced with the lying Oracles of the deuill that they whome it became to haue worshipped God onely worshipped woode and stone and did abhominable sacrifice vnto Deuils And for bicause fewe acknowledged the great tyrannie of the deuill God suffred also that many were corporallye possessed of him and raged aswell agaynst themselues as agaynst others as we may learne in the hystorie of the Gospell But for all these maladies Iesus Christ is gyuen to be our Phisition who according to the promyse made in the beginning shoulde breake the Serpents heade and as the Apostle sayeth destroye the workes of the Deuill This thing he abundantly declareth he was both able and willing to doe whyle by his worde he healeth them whych were scourged with the horrible whippes of sicknesses while he draue forth of men deuils and vncleane spirites and would not suffer them which before seemed Lordes ouer all thinges once to hysse Heereto are to be referred whatsoeuer myracles of lyke sort the Euangelistes write whereby is declared vnto vs that that strong man is come which hath entred the Deuils house that is to saye the worlde hath bounde him and taken awaye all his armor harnesse as Christ teacheth vs in the Gospell Peter testifyeth that all these things were done by the power of God to aunswere the Scribes which sayde that he cast forth Deuils by the helpe of Belzebub There are examples in hystories which declare that the kingdome of the Deuill is destroyed by the power of christ For it is euident that all Oracles ceassed and kept silence when Christ died And Constantinus wryteth that when Dioclesian reygned the Deuill complayned out of Apollos caue or denne that the Christians whome he called iust did let that he could not gyue true Oracles as before he vsed Howbeit we shall a little hereafter see more euident proofes of Christes victorie agaynst the Deuill where Peter disputeth of his death and resurrection In the meane whyle it becommeth vs to remember our dutie which is that being taken from the power of darkenesse into the kingdome of the sonne of God we defende our libertie and fight continually agaynst Satan our common enimye that we be not at any time founde vnthankefull to Iesus Christ our deliuerer to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxvj. Homelie AND wee are witnesse of all thinges which hee did in the lande of the Iewes and at Ierusalem whome they slewe and hanged on tree Him God raysed vp the thirde day and shewed him openly not to all the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God for the same intent which did eate and drinke with him after he arose from death And hee commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testifie that it is hee which was ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quicke and deade To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoeuer beleeueth in hm shall receyue remission of sinnes THe Apostle Peter hath taught Cornelius the Centurion being appoynted therevnto of God in such wyse that he hath also set out before all men a generall and most absolute doctrine of saluation For he preacheth vnto him Iesus Christ the onely sauiour of mankinde in whome all the Scripture testifyeth that all the meane of our saluation is conteyned And hereof in the discourse before â—oâ—e he sayd two things First that God annoynted him that is ordeyned him to be the King and Priest of his people Wherevpon we gather that all those which appoynt to themselues any other mediatours or patrones of saluation doe sinne agaynst the eternall purpose of god Next he teacheth howe diligently and faythfully Iesus Christ vsed himselfe in his office For he sayeth he went about and of his exceeding liberalitie offred the benefite of saluation to them that sought it not And this was the ende and purpose of all his doyng to bring all those that were oppressed of the deuill into the kingdome and liberty of the sonnes of god which deliuery he declared and shewed by myracles thorowe the which he most faythfully releeued those that were vexed and troubled as well wyth incurable diseases as wyth rage of deuils by the wholesome helpe and power of his worde Now vnto these things Peter in thys place addeth that which perfyteth and maketh vp the doctrine of saluation For first he declareth the order and maner that Christ vsed in the redeeming of mankynde then he sheweth what vtilitye and profite commeth to vs thereby Therefore this place is worthye to be considered of vs verye diligently Before he declareth the order and maner of mannes redemption he confirmeth his doctrine by witnesses saying And wee are witnesses of all the thinges which he did in the lande of the Iewes and at Hierusalem And it ought to seeme no absurde or straunge thing to any man that Peter so boldlye produceth himselfe among his fellowes as witnesses of his sayinges For we haue already oftentimes hearde howe Christ appoynted them to that charge and a little hereafter it shall be declared that they were chosen of God to beare witnesse of Iesus Christ and of those things that he did concerning our saluation These things teach vs howe grieuously they offende which disdayne to beleeue the Gospell For where the narration of the thyngs that Christ did is not bare and emptye but hath the testimonie of God it easily appeareth that this contumely or reproch must needes redounde vnto God as hath bene otherwhere at large declared Howbeit as concerning the maner of our redemption which we sayde is chiefly intreated of in this place there are three thinges sayde of Christ in the which all those thinges are contayned that was needefull to be done in this behalfe Among which the first is the death of Christ the which he toucheth but briefly bicause it was well knowne He saith he was by the Iewes hanged on a tree and killed He maketh mention of a tree not so muche bicause he would expresse his cruell and horrible kinde of death as to put the hearers in remembraunce of the mistery of that sacrifice that Christ offred when he dyed for our sinnes For it appeareth that sacrifices were woont to be offered and burned vpon bundels of woode And thus doth Peter himself see me to interpretate this place where as in the second chapiter of his first epistle he writeth that Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that is purged them by the sacrifice of his body vpon the altare of the crosse Christ teacheth vs the very same where he sayth that he will giue his flesh for the lyfe of the world which it is playne he did no where but on the crosse Esaias the Prophete is a copious expositor of these things who sayth Chap. liij He was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse For the chastisement of our peace was layde vpon him and with
the lyfe he that beleeueth in mee though he were dead yet shall hee lyue and euery one that lyueth and beleeueth in mee shall not dye for euer What needeth many woordes There is none other cause of our beliefe in Christ but for that God promiseth vs euery where in him the life both of body and soule But who would beleeue to finde life in him which was not able to restore him selfe to lyfe againe Therefore least wee beyng offended at Christes death should doubte in his promises he was reuiued againe the thyrde day after his death and being raysed againe in his true body declared that he had power and authoritie to rayse againe our bodies likewise For he that beyng truely dead and buried touchyng his manhoode coulde rayse himself againe shall he not now much more being aliue and in his kingdome be able to restore our bodies from death to lyfe againe Hereunto belonge other promises of Christ prouyng his resurrection For he sayth Where I am there shall my mynister be And in an other place I will come againe and take you to my selfe that where I am there may you be also Againe Father those that thou hast gyuen to mee I will that where I am they shall be with mee that they may see my glory And what else could these fayre promises declare vnto vs but death vnlesse Christ being risen againe from death liued nowe in Heauen For thus we must of necessitie conclude where Christ is there must also his ministers be which beleeue in him but Christ being dead and buried remayned in death Ergo his ministers also remayne in death Now Christes resurrection doth moste stronglye confute this so desperate an argument and teacheth vs to reason agaynst the threates of death and terrour of Hell on this sorte Where Christ is there must also his mynisters be But Christ is risen from death ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father Ergo The mynisters of Christ shall ryse from death and shall with Christ theyr king raigne in Heauen for euer Which thinges if the faithfull deepely consider in theyr mindes they shall straight way being boldened with this confidence be able to triumph ouer death and all theyr enimies and say with Paule the Apostle Death where is thy stinge Hell where is thy victory If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs For they are fully perswaded that neyther death nor lyfe can seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde Besides this death which is the reward and punishment of sinne could by no other meanes be conquered but by his resurrection For as longe as death helde them that were departed thys life hir power strength could neuer seeme subdued And it behooued that death should be subdued to set mankinde at libertie and to deliuer him from sinne For who could be certayne of remission of his sinnes and reconciliation with God the father as long as death raigned which God in his wrath appointed for the punishment of sinne It was therefore necessary that Iesus Christ should take away the yoke of sinne and rise againe from death that it might appeare howe death was subdued that sinne the sting of death was taken away and saluation restored to mankinde againe Therefore it was not without a cause that Christ thought it good to haue the truth of his Resurrection with so euident argumentes to be confirmed This is the chiefe cause that the auncient Prophetes mooued with the spirite of Christ prophecied the same aswell otherwheres as in the Psalme xvj and in Esay liij is to be seene Surely wee learne that this was the chiefe hope and greatest article of confession and beliefe wherby the true Catholikes woorshippers of God were alwaies knowne tried as may appeare by thexample of Iob. For when he was accused by his importunate friendes of breach of faith and religion he prooued him selfe this way onely to be faultlesse for that he firmely beleeued the roote and foundation of religion I know saith he that my redeemer lyueth and that I shall ryse out of the earth in the last day and shall be couered agayne with my skinne and shall see God in my fleshe and I my selfe shall beholde him not with other but with the same eyes This hope is layde vp for me in my bosome â–ª This place teacheth vs what wee should iudge of those mockers which Hystories mention to haue bene in all Ages and the Apostles foreshewed should raigne in the later age And now a dayes we may euery where here the prophane and wicked voices of such as thinke themselues iolly companions and pleasantly conceyted when they can with scurrilitie scoffe and deride that which we holde and beleeue of the last commyng of Christ and of the resurrection of the bodye But they can by no argument more euidently prooue themselues voyde of all religion than by this For in this Article all the pointes of our beliefe and religion so agree that who so denieth this taketh away at once all the beliefe and mysteries of mans saluation Wee gather this sense out of Paules woordes which writyng against such among the Corinthians as denied the resurrection amongst other thinges saith If Christ be preached how that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead If there be no rysing againe of the dead then is Christ not rysen againe If Christ be not rysen againe then our preachyng is in vayne and your fayth is also in vaine and you remayne in your sinnes Therfore they that are fallen a sleepe in Christ are perished If in this lyfe onely wee beleeue on Christ then are wee of all men most miserable c. Therefore such wicked scoffers must be put away from vs and haue no place permitted to them in well ordered common weales For what will they leaue vnassayde which will go about so boldely to ouerthrowe the foundation of our health and as it were with one blowe cut of the heade of all faith and religion as much as in them lieth Let vs learne to haue a right thought and cogitation of the resurrection that the same may serue both to gouerne our life and to comfort vs For this is a most effectuall preseruatiue against the intisements of flesh the world oftentimes to call to remembrance set before our eyes the shew and counterfaite of the last iudgement set out to vs in the scripture Againe there can happen no greater comfort to man than while he is in this body to thinke of the ioyes of heauen which he shall enioy in the resurrection of the dead Notwithstanding he is now depressed with infinite greefes cares and sorrowes Uerily Paule exhorteth the Christians one to comforte an other with such things as are written in Scripture touching this article It remaineth that we speake of that other thing
also is a remedy agaynst the slaunder of the crosse but rather it is to be referred to the order of our redemption and saluation which he purposeth to intreate of But bicause he speaketh of the resurrection in the processe following we will now be the shorter Among other things it is chiefely to be considered that hauing described the person of Christ omitting many other things he maketh mention onely of his death and resurrection The cause was for that in these twoo the whole summe of our saluation is conteyned For by his death he pourged the trespasse of our sinne which otherwyse coulde not haue bene pourged By his resurrection he ouercame death which was the punishment of sinne and subdued the forte thereof according to the saying of the Prophete alleaged by Paule Death is swallowed vp in victorie Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory The same thing Peter seemeth to meane in this place where he sayth that the sorowes of death were loosed by Christes resurrection bicause it was impossible that he shoulde be holden of it Neyther of the dolors of the body which followe death can it be expounded syth yet we feele them to be most bytter But the powers of death are loosed and the terrors taken away wherewith in times past it tormented mens mindes For it vsed sinne as a sting the punishment wherof God appoynted this death and therfore it must needes be terrible seeing it was the punishment of sinne And albeit Christ hath taken sinne away yet death remayneth whereby we passe out of thys life and worlde but by the merite of Christ it is made the doore of lyfe and therefore it can no more feare them that beleeue as Christ sayth He that heareth my worde and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting lyfe and shall not come into damnation but is scaped from death vnto lyfe Therfore sayth the Apostle in another place that Christ through death subdued him that had Lordship ouer death Which coulde not haue bene sayde vnlesse he had risen againe after death Therefore these twoo must alwayes be ioyned togither which thing Paule doth diligentlye obserue where he sayth Christ was deliuered for our sinnes and raysed agayne for our iustification Agayne This is the worde of faith which we preach If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde and beleeue in thy heart that God raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Where he maketh mention onely of the resurrection but he therein includeth death also bicause a resurrection without death can not be imagined Let vs therefore learne to know Iesus Christ who being verye God from euerlasting became man for our sake cleansed our sinnes by his death ouercame the sorrowes and strength of death by his glorious resurrection and being ascended into heauen maketh intercession for vs To him be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xv. Homelie FOR Dauid sayth of him afore hande I sawe God alwayes before mee for he is on my right hande that I shoulde not be mooued Therfore did my heart reioyce and my tongue was glad Moreouer also my flesh shall rest in hope bicause thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neyther wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Thou hast shewed mee the wayes of lyfe thou shalt make me full of ioy with thy countenance THe Apostle Peter in our yesterdayes Sermon declared the chiefe articles of our Christian faith shewing vs how Iesus Christe was very God and man how he suffred death for vs and rose againe from the deade The ende and vse of all whiche is to teache vs to acknowledge him to be the redeemer of mankinde that was promised Howbeit the article of resurrection for many causes might seeme very incredible among the Iewes For besides that it seemeth doubtfull to mans reason there was no small number of Saduceys which flatly denied it And the souldiours being bribed of the Priestes with money had bruted a false rumour how the disciples of Christ had stolne his bodye out of the graue Yea and Christ himselfe after his resurrection did not shewe himselfe to all the people as before he vsed but was conuersant onely with his disciples Therefore it was necessarye that this article shoulde be both more plainly declared and with more sounde arguments confirmed especially for that the Apostles fayth was had in suspition of all men Wherfore Peter flyeth to the authoritie of Dauid the most notable king and Prophete among the Iewes by the testimony of whom taken out of the .xvj. psalme he prooueth that the resurrection of Christ ought to seeme neyther straunge nor incredible forasmuch as the same came to passe according to the counsell and ordinance of God and was also long before prophecied by the Oracles of the Prhphets And bicause Peter afterward confirmeth the authoritie of this testimony and sheweth that it appertayneth only vnto Christ it should be superfluous nowe to tarie long in proofe of the same For the authority of so great an Apostle ought to suffice vs which the Iewes their selues to whome these things were spoken were not able to refell Let vs rather marke that Dauid so speaketh this in the person of Christ that he himselfe also taketh comfort thereof which comfort belongeth also to all them that woorship Christ bicause the things spoken of the heade must after a sorte belong also vnto the members We must therfore diligentlye consider this place which most absolutely comprehendeth in it all the reason of true religion with the most wholesome fruites of so holy a studie amongst which the resurrection of the bodies is mentioned which the holy Prophet declareth diligently and at large He expresseth in one verse the whole summe of all godlynesse and holy life where he sayth Afore hande I sawe God alwayes before mee For he is on my right hande that I should not be mooued Here are two things sayd First he telleth what he doth then wherefore he so doth Touching the first he sayth Aforehande I sawe God alwayes before me Or as it is in the Hebrue I set God in my sight or before mine eyes Therfore Christ followed this rule of lyfe to set the Lorde alwayes before his eyes and to thinke he liued alwayes in his sight This to doe as it ought to be twoo things are most worthy to be obserued The one is the study endeuour of obedience For we vse to saye they set God before their eyes which haue regarde to his preceptes and being stirred vp with an holye feare of God study to please him from whom they know nothing is hid Concerning this study of obedience God himselfe speaketh where he commaundeth Abraham to walke before him or in his sight The other is fayth whereby in aduersitie we looke onely to God and seeke for helpe succour and deliuery from him onely Hereof Dauid in an other place speaketh saying Beholde euen as
them in question he aunswereth them by another testimony saying For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he sayth The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole This argument consisteth of two pointes First Dauid ascended not into heauen Ergo these thinges ought not to be vnderstanded of Dauid He denieth that Dauid is ascended into heauen not bicause he thinketh him to be reckoned in the number of the damned but speaketh of his bodye which as was beforesayd was consumed into dust and earth Touching the soule this saying of Christ standeth in force He that beleeueth in mee hath lyfe euerlasting and shall not come into iudgement but is passed from death vnto life The other argument standeth vppon the testimonye of Dauid who sheweth that these things ought not to be vnderstanded of himselfe but of Christ which shoulde be borne of his stocke For in the Psalme Cx. he sayeth The Lorde sayde to my Lorde c. which place is so cleere and so vndenyable that Christ thought good to vse it against the Scribes In the meane season we are taught by Peters example that the Scriptures ought to be expounded by conference of other places least standing rashly vpon some one place we gainesay many other which thing is the cause of many errors in the Church It is to be marked how vnto Christes ascention into heauen he ioyneth the sending of the holy ghost This doth he very prudently and in order For hereby he teacheth vs that though Iesus Christ haue taken his body out of this worlde yet ought he not to be contemned For he hath not for all that cast of the care of the Church but by his spirite is present with the same by the which spirit he woorketh more effectually in the mindes of those that be his than before he did when he was conuersaunt with vs in body wherefore he sayth vnto the Disciples that it is expedient for vs that he leaue the worlde and go vnto the father For so place shoulde be giuen to the holy ghost which we coulde not haue so long as we did sticke to his bodily presence And surely after that Christ had giuen his bodye vpon the aultare of the Crosse for the life of the worlde and had by the raysing vp thereof againe ouercome death there was no more for his body here to doe vpon earth It remayned therefore that by his glorious ascention he should open the gates of heauen which our sinne had shut against vs and should become a pledge for vs in heauen whereby we might be assured of the inheritance possession of heauen Therfore Christ caried his body into heauen and set it on the right hand of his father hath sent vnto vs being here on the earth to vse Tertullians terme his holy ghost to be his vicare or substitute By the operatioÌ„ of him he regenerateth vs through the immortall seede of the word of God to be the sonnes of god By him he teacheth vs and comforteth vs The same is the earnest or gage of our saluation Through the encouragement we crie Abba father By him it commeth to passe that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him All which things sithens Christ worketh in vs most effectuallye by his spirite there is no cause we shoulde complaine of the absence of his body which is resident in heauen for our healthes sake And they that require the presence of his bodye and desire to haue it shewed on earth seeme to me little mindefull of the admonitions which are read in the .xxiiij. of Mathew Also Peter describeth the kingdome of Christ with the wordes of Dauid which it behooueth vs oftentimes diligentlye to consider The first point herein is how he sayth Christ is exalted by the right hande of God and ascended into heauen Therfore his kingdome is heauenly not of this worlde as himselfe confessed before Pylate In deede all power is giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth but not to rule after the maner of Princes in this worlde in whose reignes must needes fall out vncertaine and vnstable entercourse of matters bicause they labour to obtayne kingdomes by the vncertaine and vaine power of the flesh We are also taught that we must not seeke for worldly goodes in the kingdome of Christ suche as are riches honors pleasures friendship of the worlde and others of like sort They are eternall and celestiall goodes which God the father hath giuen vs in christ Therefore we ought altogither to be busied in studying for them Then he teacheth vs that Christ sitteth at the right hande of God by the which phrase of speach both a certaine place is appointed of beatitude and blisse and also an equall power of kingdome or empire with God the father For the father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his handes He also commaundeth all men to honour the sonne euen as they honour the father Wherevnto also this worde sitting belongeth whereby is expressed the maiestie of Christ in his reigne and the sure and vnmooueable power of his kingdome Last of all he sayth that all his enimies shall be subdued and become his footestoole Christ is therfore a victorious king and an inuincible vanquisher of his enimies Satan is the capitaine and standerdbearer of them all who was threatened with death long sithens by the first promyse of saluation that was made in Christ when God sayd The seede of the woman shall treade downe the serpentes heade And Christ teacheth vs that he is alreadye iudged and cast out In like maner it is as playne that sinne is ouercome For God sayth Paule sent his sonne and hath condemned sinne by sinne that is to say by the sacrifice of his sonne offred vpon the aultar of the crosse for sinne he hath put awaye the guilt or trespasse of sinne and hath taken awaye the power and force thereof that it shall hereafter not hurt vs But sinne being put away it is euident that death also must be vanquished which fought against vs by none other weapon than the sting of sinne Therefore all the power of hell is truelye subdued by Christ. He also ouercommeth the world and tyraunts with all the â—able of the reprobate For we reade that it hath bene long since decreed by the father that they that will not be gouerned by the wholesome worde of his sonne shall be brused and broken to poulder with his rod of yron Neither want there examples of dayes longe passed and nowe present which teache vs what notable victories and triumphes Christ atchieueth of the enimies of his Church Let vs learne therfore to acknowledge this king and not to feare this worlde which when it rageth most is nearest to destruction and is able to doe nothing against them whome Christ taketh charge of against whome the gates of hell are not able to preuayle
forth with the charge giuen him of god The seconde is that he sayth he spake with the Aungell which both appeared to him before and afterwarde was familiarly conuersant with him when he appoynted him to be Gods interpreter to the people We declared before out of Paule that thys Aungell was christ Wherefore Moses dignitie is here declared to be such as wherein he excelled all the Prophetes of all ages For thus we reade God sayde If there be a Prophet of the Lordes among you I will be knowne of him in a vision and will speake vnto him in sleepe My seruaunt Moses is not so which is faythfull in all my house Vnto him will I speake mouth to mouth These things Steuen calleth to their remembraunce to make them vnderstande howe great the authoritie of Moses and the Oracles which God gaue by him ought to haue bene both with the fathers in time passed and ought nowe also to be with them And to that ende he afterwarde addeth This man receiued the worde of lyfe to giue vnto vs. And it is not without a cause that he calleth the lawe the word of lyfe For so he purgeth himselfe from all cryme of contemning the lawe and setteth forth in one word the effect of the lawe For truly the lawe is a liuely worde or the worde of lyfe although otherwheres Paule calleth it the strength of sinne and ministerie or working of death For it teacheth vs the rule howe to liue holily and promiseth lyfe to all them that fulfill the same Next it leadeth men vnto Christ in whome all the meane of saluation yea and very life it selfe is conteyned For the which cause Paule resembleth it to a schoolemayster And Moses sayth he had set lyfe before the Iewes â–ª bicause he had shewed them in the lawe the true way howe to attayne vnto lyfe And these things it becoÌ„meth vs to acknowledge in the lawe if we will rightly iudge therof But if we compare the corruption of our nature with it it may worthily be called the strength of sinne ministery of death For it bewraieth sinne which otherwise lurketh in vs vnknowne and witnesseth that we haue deserued death Furthermore it teacheth vs that we are so weake that we are not able to fulfill the righteousnesse therof nor of our owne power and merites to escape the wrath of God. But of these things Paule entreateth at large We ought well to marke howe he sayth that Moses deliuered not to the Israelytes the deuyses of his owne brayne but the worde of lyfe which he receyued of god Which thing it appeareth he perfourmed with such diligence that without the certaine and expresse word of God he neuer durst institute or decree any thing in doubtfull matters as we may see in the case of the blasphemer and of the man that brake the Sabboth daye and of those which being polluted with touching of dead coarses myght not come to the passeouer feast with the congregation And that that Moses obserued that same the Prophetes and Apostles in time past were commaunded also to obserue that they should teach nothing of their owne head vnder colour of Gods name but shoulde diligently set forth the worde of God speaking in the scriptures So God putteth his wordes into Hieremies mouth and commaundeth Ezechiel to take the worde at his mouth that he should shew vnto the people And the Apostles are commaunded to teache all Nations the things which before they had learned of christ If they which bragge of their succeeding the Apostles had with like diligence obserued the same we shoulde haue in the Church more true godlynesse and fayth and lesse errour and superstition And if we consider Moses the Prophetes and Apostles we shall finde the boldenesse of the Popes of Rome to be detestable which arrogate to themselues power to make new lawes and newe Articles of faith through whose licentious lust it is come to passe that the yoke of the christians is more grieuous burthenous than the yoke of the Iewes Secondly it is to be obserued how Steuen testifieth that the law was not giuen to the fathers liuing onely in Moses time but also vnto their posteritie yea he includeth himselfe and all others that had nowe professed Christ in the number to whome it was giuen By which place the errour of them is manifestly confuted which thinke the things done by Moses and the Prophetes according to Gods appoyntment belong only vnto the fathers Howbeit it is euident that God is euerlasting and vnchaungeable And therefore his will must needes be alwayes one vnchaungeable And it maketh no matter though manye thinges be abrogated which sometime were appoynted for the olde fathers For they ought to haue remayned but vntill a time of correction and to be resemblaunces and shadowes of those things the verity whereof was to be fulfilled in Christ. And in those things consisted not the worshipping of God which ought to be spirituall bicause God is a spirit In the meane time the true points of faith religion which were first declared in the beginning of the world and more fully afterward set forth by Moses and the Prophetes remayne safe and sounde wherevnto the Prophete had a respect saying The worde of the Lorde endureth for euer And Christ sayth the worlde shall peryshe but one tytle of the lawe shall not perishe Let no man therfore beguyle himselfe through any false hope as though the thinges deliuered to the fathers in time past were not also spoken to vs seeing our fayth lyfe and all our deedes must be tryed and examined according to the rule of the olde lawe But let vs returne vnto Steuen whiche setteth agaynst the publication of the lawe the ingratitude and naughtynesse of the fathers vniustly reiecting Moses and the lawe And although he myght haue recyted diuers other naughty deedes of theirs yet bringeth he but the sinne of Idolatrie onely whereby it appeareth plainely of howe small authoritie Gods law was with them when contrary to his commaundement they durst make an ymage of God and appoynt newe kyndes of worshipping him whereas not many dayes before they had heard the terrible 〈◊〉 of his diuine maiestie The storie is in Exodus the xxxiâ— â—ha Steuenâ— â—arke and ende herein is to prooue that the fathers were alwayes 〈◊〉 of Moses â–ª and that they present trimly trode in the steppes of their frowardnesse â–ª therefore as the fathers in olde time were saued by grace onely so there was none other hope of saluation for them than such as was founded vppon the grace of god It shall profite vs diligently to consider these fewe wordes wherein this heynous disobedience is comprehended bicause they cunningly paynt out vnto vs the begynninges and proceedinges of Idolatrye First declaring the fountayne of all this euill he sayth that the fathers would not obey the liuely worde of Gods lawe but in their heart returned into Egypt And by the
bloudie impietie What neede we to speake of the goodes and reuenues of Monasteryes whereof a great part as appeareth was gathered togither by Simonicall sleightes of such persons as vsed to sell all thinges in Religion For it is as cleere as the day light that these goodes are so vnhappie that commonly they are a stumbling stone to them whome the Gospell hath shined vpon while they are more earnestly busied in getting them into their handes than in setting foorth of Christs glorie So vnhappie vnprosperous is this mischieuous simonie And that that is here sayde of these goodes may iustly be vnderstanded and verified of all goodes vniustly gotten of the which this is the propertie that they procure vnto the owners of them the horrible malediction and cursse of god For the saying of the Lorde is well knowne Wo to him that hourdeth vp the things that be none of his In the seconde part of his Oration Peter exhorteth him to repentance whereby he plainly putteth him in comfort of pardon For to what ende should one repent or conuert which should thinke his doing therein vnprofitable Here it appeareth what the ende and marke of all reprehensions in the Congregation ought to be truely that men might turne from their sinnes and be reconciled vnto God which marke vnlesse it be obserued the libertie of rebuke and reprehension shall nothing differ from euill speaking or rayling Wherefore least Simon shoulde suspect Peters wordes hereof he addeth Repent of this thy wickednesse and pray God that the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee He mencioneth his thought that the heynousnesse of his fault might appeare the more the cogitation wherof ought to be farre from a christen mannes minde And here by the way we learne that men sinne not onely in deedes but also by thoughts and desires For where men ought to be giuen vnto God both in bodie and soule it deserueth to be called sinne if we swarue neuer so little from the obedience of god Herevnto belong the things which Christ speaketh in Mathew the fift Chapter touching the exposition of the lawe Furthermore for that he would pearce Simons minde the deeper whome he perceyued to be grieuously tempted by the deuill he toucheth the fountaynes rootes of sinne thereby shewing that he hath neede earnestly to repent Wherevnto this is to be referred which hee sayde in a maner doubtingly If happily the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee But nowe he addeth For I perceyue that thou art full of bitter gall and wrapped in iniquitie In the first member or part he alludeth to that saying of Moses where the Israelites are commaunded to beware of themselues least there be among them some roote that beareth gall and wormewood He noteth the inwarde malice or corruption of the minde which causeth whatsoeuer men doe to be bitter and vnpleasaunt before god For as the true worshipper of God out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth out that is good so the vngodly bring nothing but that that is wicked out of the euill treasure of their hart such as in deede Christ sayth polluteth men And by this wrapping or binding is expressed the state of them which being intangled in the snares of sinne cannot vntwine themselues without much a doe and feruent zeale of repentance He teacheth vs that Simon is in such a condition or case that he shoulde thinke a colde and superfluous shewe of repentaunce as not sufficient This place teacheth vs whether sinners ought to be sent verily vnto God with whome vnlesse they be made at one there can be no hope of their saluation Therefore we see in the Prophetes this one thing still repeated that the people should conuert and returne vnto God from whom by sinne they had strayed But for the more commodious doing hereof it behooueth to obserue two things both which Peter prescribeth vnto Simon The first is the woorke of repentance which as we haue elsewhere taught comprehendeth acknowledging of our sinne contricion of heart and amendment of our whole lyfe The other consisteth in godly prayers wherby we aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes bicause the same is a free gift and commeth not through any merites of our workes But Christ alone worketh them both who by his spirite both regenerateth the beleeuing and by the merite of his death washeth away our sinnes reconcyleth the father vnto vs againe Therefore all the order of our saluation consisteth in fayth whereby we take holde of him Therefore aboue all things it behooueth to vrge or require fayth not a deade fayth such as Hypocrites bragge of but a liuely and effectuall power of the spirite whereby it commeth to passe that we both liue in Christ and he by his spirite worketh in vs For this onely grace of God certifyeth the wauering conscience of man and vseth to bring forth in vs most plentifull fruites of true Godlinesse Nowe how did Simon take this graue and wholesome expostulation His wordes declare that he was striken in conscience and mynde For he sayth Praye yee for me vnto the Lorde that none of these things which you haue spoken fall on me It seemeth he commendeth himselfe to the prayers of the congregation but it is a manifest argument of distrust that he sayeth nothing of himselfe but thinketh he may be holpen onely with the prayers of other But in vaine are the prayers of others vnlesse we returne our selues vnto the Lorde This the places of the Prophets teache vs where we are forbidden to pray for them that are wicked and will not repent See Iere. 7.14.15 Ezech. 14. Therefore the errour of them is peeuishe and noysome which think they may be relieued with the hyred prayers of Monkes and Priestes where they themselues holde on in their wickednesse and where the prayers they murmure in a straunge tongue are many tymes not vnderstanded of the Monkes that mumble them We knowe that the prayers of the faythfull are effectuall whereby they commende vnto God the traueyles and burthens of their brethren seeing that Paule desireth to be relieued by them But these prayers take place for them whose selues are mindefull of their duetie and with constant fayth watch for their owne saluation Let vs therefore be mindefull of these thinges and praye earnestly that we be not blinded with the affections of ambition and couetousnesse and so lose our saluation but that we may serue God in sinceritie of heart and attaine vnto saluation in Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .lx. Homelie AND they whenâ—they had testified and preached the worde of God returned towarde Ierusalem and preached the Gospell in many Cities of the Samaritanes The Aungell of the Lorde spake vnto Philip saying Arise and go towarde the South vnto the way that goeth downe from Ierusalem vnto the Citie of Gaza which is in the Desert And he arose and went on And beholde a man
of the Lorde God is vpon mee for the Lorde hath annoynted mâ—e and sent me to preach good tydings vnto the poore that I might bynde vp the wounded hearts that I might preach deliueraunce to the captiue and open the pryson to them that are bounde to restore sight vnto the blinde and to declare the acceptable yeare of the Lorde He is sayde to be annoynted aboue hys fellowes bicause God hath not giuen vnto him his spirite by measure but so abundantly that we all receyue of his fulnesse For he came downe vpon him in the visible forme of a Doue when he was baptised of Iohn so that Iohn thereby knewe that he was that Sauiour that God did declare and manifest vnto mankinde See Iohn the first Chap. There be also other argumentes which prooue he passed all other annoynted of the olde Testament whether they were Kings or Priests For although they were called Christes or annointed yet had none of them power so to annoynt their subiectes that they coulde call them after their annointing Christians that is annoynted But this the sonne of God hath perfourmed who hath annoynted vs and made vs Kings and Priestes to God his father Also none of the annoynted in the olde Testament was worthye of diuine honour and worship None other hath reformed the whole worlde None hath bene had in such estimation amonge his scholers that after his Maisters death he coulde finde in his heart to die for his maisters namesake Moreouer no mannes kingdome or priesthoode hath endured from euer vnto this day And bicause they were mortall men they had neede of Uicares and successors to administer the office wherevnto they were called But the sonne of God being made the administrator of the euerlasting kingdome hath receyued all power in heauen and in earth And bicause he is present with hys Church he hath neede neyther of Uicar nor Successor The same is a king for euer after the order of Melchisedech For hee blesseth vs with all spirituall benediction He teacheth vs by the outwarde worde and inspiration of his holy spirite and he giueth vnto his Church some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Pastours and Teachers The same hath with one offering that is to say with the price of his body and bloud purged the sinnes of all the world and hath made perfite for euer them that are sanctified Furthermore being gone vp into heauen he maketh intercession for vs and is a faythfull Bishop for vs in all those things that are to be done for vs with God. Therefore it is truly sayde of Peter that he is the annoynted of God that is to saye appoynted to be the King and Priest of his people Whervpon we gather that all they sinne agaynst the eternall decree of God which make to themselues any other patrones of saluation any other Sauiours of their soules any other Priestes or intercessours For in so doing they robbe the sonne of God of his honor which he constantly affirmeth in the Prophete he will giue to none other Agayne bicause it is manifest that he is annointed of God we must beleeue that his power is inuincible and that they neede not feare the force of the worlde or of hell which acknowledge this king But bicause we haue otherwheres intreated of this argument lette these fewe things for this tyme suffise Furthermore least any man might thinke that Iesus the sonne of God is delyted with a bare name and tytle after the maner of men Peter declareth that he hath and doth faithfully performe the office of a king and priest At this present he premyseth certayne generalities declaring his benefites tâ—â—arde vs meaning hereafter to intreate of the maner of our redemption as the Sermon following shall declare And first he sayeth he went about doyng good vnto all men This is the dutie of a faithfull king and Priest not onely to helpe them with ayde and counsell that seeke for it at his hande but also diligently to prouide and looke about who haue neede of a tutor and benefactor This the Euangelistes teache vs that Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath most faithfully performed For as for our saluation sake he came into the worlde so he caried the doctrine of saluation and myracles wherwith he confirmed the same ouer all Iury Galiley and remayned no long whyle anywhere but plainly confessed that he must preache to all men euerywhere And he did not onelye curteously receyue them that came to him but also friendly inuited and called to hym all that laboured and were heauy laden promising all them that would come vnto hym reast and refreshing And that which it appeareth he dyd in tymes passed the same he doth also at this daye while he spreadeth the preachyng of his Gospell wyde ouer that it enricheth lyke a shower of raine now one nation now an other with the seede of his heauenly word so that not without a cause it may be sayd now adayes also he goeth vp and downe bestowing his benefites on euery man For he faithfully teacheth them that be in errour he bringeth the deceyued and wandring Pilgrimes into the way he friendly correcteth the corrupted with vice he gently comforteth the afflicted consciences and with his righteousnesse and satisfaction defendeth them that are feared with the rigor of Gods iudgement Therefore great and hydeous is the ingratitude of them which abhorre such a benefactour as cruell and vnmercifull and vse to seeke helpe and counsell at others Yet is their iniquitie more horrible which wickedly reiect his word and will not witsafe to heare it and so cast from them that saluation which they ought to seeke and embrace with open armes and all kinde of diligence Both these vices are to common in our dayes the indignitie wherof if we woulde diligently expende we shoulde lesse marueyle at the causes of so many euils as on euery side compasse vs. The other benefite of Iesus Christ is sayth he that all they that were oppressed of the Deuill were healed by him This appertayneth peculiarlye to the office of a King whereof also mention is made Psal. 72. He shall kepe the simple folke by their right defende the children of the poore and punish the wrong dooer c. But bicause Christ was the author of our spirituall redemption Peter maketh mention of a spirituall Tyrant to saye of the Deuill who after he had made our first parentes guiltie of transgression by them brought in all kinde of calamitie and death it selfe into the world and by the permission of God so oppressed all mankinde wyth his exceeding tyrannie that he is thereof called the Prince of the worlde For he brought to passe by sinne that they whom God had created vnto lyfe fell into death that they whome God aboue all other Creatures had endued with reason sinned agaynst the lawe of nature that they which ought wholy to haue depended on the worde
his stripes are we healed We haue all gone astraye like sheepe euery one hath turned his owne way But the Lorde hath heaped togither vpon hm the iniquitie of vs all c. All this pertayned vnto the Priesthoode of Christ whome it behooued after thys sort as Paule sayth to enter into heauen not by the bloude of Oxen and Gotes but by his owne bloude and offring vp himselfe to put sinne to flight and to take awaye the sinnes of manye And of him it behooued our redemption should take beginning forasmuch as God being angry with vs bicause of our sinnes it was not lawfull for vs to come before his presence And this is that profitable consideration of Christes death if we thinke vpon the sacrifice of his body which he offred for our sinnes In the meane season let vs not thinke it in vayne that where Peter might haue made mention of his death only he sayth also he was sâ—ayne of the Iewes For herein he accuseth the great vnkindnesse of his Nation especially seeing a little before he had made so diligent a mention of Christes benefites Let vs therefore consider the continuall ingratitude of the worlde that we offende not in woondering at the afflictions and persecutions of the godly wherewith the doctrine of the Gospell is assaulted The seconde thing in the order of our redemption is the glorious resurrection of Christ of the which Peter entreateth the more diligentlye bicause it is the chiefe foundation of our religion For these sayings of Paule are well knowne If Christ bee not risen agayne our preaching is in vayne and your fayth is in vayne You bee yet in your sinnes and they are perished which are fallen a slepe in Christ. For that we might be sure of our saluation it was needefull that death which hitherto had power ouer vs by reason of sinne shoulde be vanquished and ouercome Which if it shoulde haue held Christ as fast as other men then no man could haue had any hope that his saluation had bene obteyned Wherefore as Christ before that had declared himselfe to be the Lord both of life and death by raysing agayne Lazarus and certayne others euen so when he had suffered death himselfe and had bene buryed the thirde daye lyke a valiaunt Conquerour hee burst in peeces the bandes of death and breaking open the gates of hell returned into lyfe agayne And this was an euident and infallible argument that both sinne and death was vanquished And for bicause the Iewes did denye and cauill at the resurrection of Christ and to that ende as Mathew sayth had brybed the souldiers with mony therefore Peter constantly nowe defendeth the same God sayth he raysed Iesus the third daye and shewed him openly not to all the people For they were vnworthy to whome Christ whome they deadly hated shoulde so familierly declare himselfe but vnto vs witnesses chosen of God before for the same intent which did eate and drinke with him after he arose from death And whereas he might haue alledged diuers other arguments of his true resurrection he is content with that whereby Christ himselfe declared chiefely the truth thereof that is howe he did once or twyse eate such meate as the disciples offered him in their sight This is a great gentlenesse and goodnesse of Christ who to confirme vs in his resurrection whose dulnesse he was well acquaynted with woulde abase himselfe so lowe as to eate meate also whereof his glorified body had no neede bicause no man hereafter should doubt but that he was risen agayne in the same true and naturall bodye which he went in vppon the earth before Whereby their improbitie and wickednesse is the greater which yet cease not scoffingly to deride the resurrection of the deade who bicause they are lyke vnto the Iewes shall also be iudged vnworthy to haue saluation by Christes resurrection Furthermore although Iesus Christ the sonne of God by his death and resurrection wherin may also be included his ascention into heauen hath accomplished our whole redemption and saluation and therewithall hath purged our sinne and taken awaye all the power of hell yet Peter ioyneth a thirde thing herevnto that is to say his last comming when he shall returne to iudge the quicke and the deade For in this article he declareth a very euident argument of Christes diuinitie of his kingdome For as it is the office of a king to giue iudgemeÌ„t euen so Christ by this argument proueth his godhead bicause he testifyeth that all iudgement is giuen him of his father The consideration of this article is very profytable necessary For if a man consider the course of thinges in this world he shall happen vpon many thinges which may perswade him that Iesus Christ taketh no care for this world For we see the true worshippers of Christ vexed with diuers afflictions to be in neede to toyle and traueile and to be in subiection to the wicked Agayne the wicked enioy all kinde of prosperitie and vse crueltie toward others without comptrolment Which thing of what force it is to kyll fayth the examples of the Prophetes declare whome we reade haue bene sometyme so mooued that they haue thought they haue had iust occasion to complayne of god And surely who should acknowledge Christ to be a king if he consider somtymes the vncertayne vnworthy varietie and alteracion of worldly things But here let vs remember that our king and reuenger Iesus Christ sleepeth not and that there shall be one day a daye of generall iudgement in which they that are aliue as wel as they that are dead must come before the iudgement seate of Christ to receiue in their bodies according as they haue done whether it he good or badde For as Paule teacheth vs when the Archangell soundeth the Trompe the dead shall rise agayne and they that be then alyue shall be chaunged in a moment And Peter confesseth that the Apostles were straightly commaunded to preache this article He commaunded vs sayth he that we shoulde preach vnto the people and testifie that it is he that was ordeyned of God to be the iudge both of the quicke and of the deade For to let passe that which was sayde erewhyle of the diuinitie and kingdome of Christ the consideration of this article serueth much both for the instruction of lyfe and comfort of the godlye For whereas we see diuers for this cause chieflye entysed to sinne bicause they haue perswaded themselues that death maketh an ende of all thinges and that there is no iudgement after this lyfe or else thinke lyttle thereof it can not be but a moste sharpe spurre vnto all vertue if a man consider how he shall once be called to iudgement before Christ how he shall there giue an account of all his sayings and doings Surely the thinking hereof doth most effectuously keepe vnder the affections of wanton fleshe and entycements of the worlde Agayne there can be no
Apostle nowe maketh mention of them after he had begunne to speake of the resurrection But here are certaine thinges diligently to be obserued before we go from this place First we preach sayth he the promise made vnto the fathers Ergo the Apostles are Authors of no newe and straunge doctrine but teache that waye of saluation which was once promysed by God vnto the fathers For this cause Christ alleageth the testimonies of Moses and of the Prophets And Peter heretofore sayde that all the Prophets bare wytnesse of christ By these is prooued the worthinesse of our fayth the certaintie of our saluation gotten by Christ. Moreouer here appeareth the difference betweene vs and the fathers of the olde Testament That saluation was promised vnto them which is perfourmed to vs in christ They also looked for the fulfylling of that which we beleeue is fulfylled Furthermore they had certaine figures and tokens of their redemption to come whereby to exercise and feede their faith But God hath prepared for vs sacramentes and seales of our redemption and saluation which are accomplished and finished To conclude our eyes see and our eares heare that which the holye fathers in times past greatly desyred to see and heare As these things confirme our fayth so they ought to stirre vp our mindes to be thankfull that we seeme not ingratefull to despise the saluation giuen vs the hope and expectation whereof kept the fathers in times passed in all kinde of dutifulnesse in the middle of all their aduersities Furthermore the truth and infallible trust of Gods promises may herein be seene For he so perfourmeth the promises made to the fathers vnto their children that he rather would haue his sonne lyue poorely and not regarded in this world and at length to suffer shameful death than to breake his promise Where also other circumstaunces are to be considered of vs all which it appeareth to agree with the promises of God the Oracles of the Prophets For at the tyme promysed the sonne of God came to take fleshe vpon him when nowe the fourth Monarchie flourished and when the Scepter was taken from Iuda He was also borne of a woman hys mother yet remayning a Uirgin The place where he was borne was Bethleem foreshewed by the oracle of the Prophet The myracles wrought by him were such as Esay sayde should be done in his kingdome cap. 53. As touching his death and passion resurrection ascention what needeth to speake seeing that in them is fulfilled according to the letter all the things which are red Psal. 22.41.68 Is. 53.63 Of the effect of these thinges which God sometime promised by his Prophetes we spake before It is truely therefore sayde of Paule that God hath perfourmed whatsoeuer thinges were in times past promised to the fathers Here ought we to fet argumentes of consolation in our temptations that we doubt not of Gods promise in perfourming of his helpe and fauour who we heare hath so faythfully perfourmed those things which coulde not be perfourmed but by hys sonne sent into the worlde and into the darkenesse of death But let vs returne vnto Paule which confirmeth by the Oracles of the Prophets that which he spake of Christ with so great authoritie Amongst which the chiefe place is attributed to Dauid who in the fyrst Psalme which nowe a dayes is counted the seconde he sayth prophecied of christ And he bringeth one verse of the Psalme onely yet so as he calleth to their remembrance the whole Psalme which though some go about to expounde of Dauid yet in deede it contayneth a manifest prophecie of the kingdome of Christ forasmuch as diuers things therein can by no meanes be applied vnto Dauid For the Prophete by suggestion of the spirite sheweth that Christ shall haue many and cruel enimies desirous to ouerthrow his kingdome and to pull downe all his authoritie but their enterprises shall be in vaine bicause Christ shall ouercome them all The cause of all which he alleageth to be Gods decree saying Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentyles for thine enheritance Paule expoundeth this place of Christes resurrection bicause that hereby God openly declared him to be his sonne euen when his wicked enimies chiefly conspired against him For not long before he hearde those blasphemous wordes If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse If he be the king of Israel let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleeue him c. Yea being compassed about with the cruell terrors of death he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And shortly after he was so closed in his graue that Pylate the Romane President in the Emperours name and authoritie sealed the graue stone with his ring set souldiours to watch it that he shoulde not ryse agayne who would then haue thought he had bene the sonne of God vpon whome the wicked had such authority But euen the same daye God begate him that is to say declared him to be his sonne whome yet otherwise he begate from euerlasting and yet nowe seemeth he to forsake him cast him of For when his wicked enimies sayd If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse he would not haue him come downe but did that that was more in raysing him vppe againe from death so that by their owne wordes he condemned them for wicked and shewed in deede that Iesus Christ is his sonne We haue furthermore to consider that the holy ghost prooueth the kingdome of Christ and his diuine maiestie chiefly by his resurrection For Paule in another place speaking of Christ sayth who was declared to be the sonne of God with power according to the spirit that sanctifieth in that that he rose againe from death For when death was ouercome it appeared vnto all men that the Deuill also which was the Lorde of death was ouercome which victorie was not a worke of mannes power but of Gods maiestie This thing must also be extended vnto Christes members For where both he that sanctifyeth and he that is sanctifyed are all one our glory also which is due to the children of God shall appeare at length in our resurrection We crie now also Abba father and carye the pledge of saluation in our heartes which is the holye ghost and be euen now the children of God but yet it appeareth not what we shall be But we knowe that when Christ appeareth at the later daye wee shall be like vnto him This is the cause that Christ calleth that day the regeneration Math. 19. not bicause we are then fyrst made the children of God but for that they that seeme in this worlde to be forsaken of God enuyed shall at that day be declared to be the children of God See Wisedome 5 Let vs herewith comfort our selfe in aduersitie against the vniust iudgement that
the worlde hath of vs and casting away the desire of earthly glory lette vs aspire to the glory to come which is heauenly Secondly he produceth Esay by whome God speaking amongst other things of the benefytes that he woulde giue vs in Christ sayth I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Furthermore Paule folowing the common translation of the Greekes expoundeth this word mercy by this word holy not vnaptly bicause he meaneth Christ vpon whom only depend all the promises of God made in times past to Dauid and to the fathers This therfore is the sense I wil giue vnto you that holy one that is to say that sauiour which I sometime promised vnto Dauid and in whome he put all his hope trust He applyeth the whole place to the resurrection of Christ taking his argument of the perpetuity of the couenant as though he should say God made an euerlasting couenant with Dauid and promised that the same should remayne for euer vnto his posteritie And it is certaine that that couenant is grounded vpon Christ whome the Scriptures euerywhere call the sonne of Dauid Ergo Christ also must be eternall and immortall For the couenant coulde not be eternall vnlesse he also were eternall and incorruptible in whome the same is made and which is the onely mediator thereof It followeth therefore that it was necessary that Christ shoulde rise againe from the deade and being raysed agayne shoulde after that suffer no more corruption Here by the waye it is to be obserued howe Christ must die but once And then it followeth that he must be but once offered for sinne forasmuch as without shedding of bloude there is no forgiuenesse of sinne See howe copiously Paule handleth this matter Heb. 9. and .10 Whereby the sacrifyce of the Masse is so ouerthrowne that it is marueyle howe there shoulde be any among Christians so voyde of shame that can go about to stablish and defende it The thirde testimonie he alleageth out of the .xvj. Psalme which we see Peter also vsed in his fyrst sermon at Ierusalem and euen in the same sorte and wise Also he prooueth that that place cannot be vnderstanded of Dauid but onely of christ For thus he reasoneth Dauid sayeth Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption But it is manifest that Dauid fynished the course of his lyfe after the maner of other men and after he had ended his lyfe fell on sleepe and mouldred to dust Therfore Dauid speaketh not of himselfe but of Christ which he knewe should be borne of his stocke For before he suffered corruption he rose againe the thirde day in his glorious body So Paule in fewe words comprehendeth all the mysteries of Christ and sheweth that it is he of whome the Prophetes euerywhere haue spoken Furthermore before we make an ende lette vs obserue the phrase of speach where he sayth that Dauid after he had serued his age or time This thing teacheth vs both our dutie and condicion and state admonishing vs that mutuall charitie is required of vs as long as we liue in this worlde but after we are taken out of this lyfe that we are quitte of all duties towardes all men and that from thenceforth there is no more required at our handes Ergo the deade haue nothing to doe with the liuing so that it is truly sayde of the saintes in the Prophete Abraham knoweth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs. By this inuocation and intercession to saintes is confuted whose felicitie cannot be perfyte if they shoulde be troubled with our miseries and aduersitie Also the appearing of spirites and soules are reprooued wherby they that forged and inuented the fyre of Purgatory haue hitherto gotten great gayne Then also Paule so describeth the death of Dauid that by the same may be seene the state of euery one of vs in death For fyrst he sayeth he fell on sleepe by the will of god Then our death hangeth not vpon the vncertaine hazardes of fortune or vpon the will of man but vpon Gods counsayle and determination who as he hath the heares of our heades numbred so hath he also the number of our dayes And this one thing is sufficient to comfort vs against the daungers and terrors of death That done he sayth he fell on sleepe Christ also calleth death sleepe bicause we being ridde of all the sorowes and griefes of lyfe by death rest from our labours in hope of the resurrection to come Thirdly he sayth hee was layde vnto his fathers which kinde of speach in the Scripture is vsed very often and teacheth vs that there are certain places appointed for the soules of the deade wherof Christ also maketh mention in the Parable of the rich glutton and Lazarus For the soules of the godly are layde with the blessed whose resting place the scripture sometime calleth the bosome of Abraham Contrarywise the soules of the wicked and of as many as haue put men in feare in the lande of the liuing go vnto hell Last of all Dauid sawe corruption For this is the immutable sentence of God that we which tooke our beginning of dust shoulde be turned into dust agayne and so is it requisite for the order of our saluation For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility this mortall must put on immortality bicause flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of heauen Therfore we haue a great hope in our corruption which we knowe is the beginning of our regeneration and resurrection to come And that this was the onely hope of the Saintes Iobes wordes in his .xix. Chapter manifestly declare Let vs therefore comfort our selfe with the same and not feare death seeing that we shall be made like vnto Iesus Christ the sonne of God to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxiij Homelie BE it knowne vnto you therefore ye men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that by him all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which you coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moses Beware therefore least that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophetes Beholde you despysers and woonder and perishe ye For I doe a worke in your dayes which you shall not beleeue though a man declare it you AFter the Apostle Paule had diligentlye and plainely declared that Iesus Christ was the very sonne of God and that sauiour that was once promised vnto mankinde and had also remooued out of the way all those impedimentes that might hinder the Iewes from the embracing of Christ nowe at length he concludeth his sermon which consisteth in two pointes For fyrst he sheweth what benefytes are giuen vs in Christ meaning thereby to enflame the mindes of his hearers with the desire of true fayth Next he layeth the horrible iudgement of God before their eyes in that he
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
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
as we may see in Daniel 7. .12 And Christ diligently describeth the same Math. 24.25 Iohn 5. He would also the Apostles shoulde be admonished hereof in this place bicause the remembraunce thereof serueth much both for our instruction and comfort For if according to the saying of the sonne of Syrach the remembrance of death bridleth the desire of sinne How much more shall it be restrayned if wee consider in our minde the ymage and counterfaite of the last iudgement where we all shall stande before the iudgement seate of Christ to receyue euery one of vs according as he hath done in this body whether it be good or bad What shall it then profite a man to haue gayned all the worlde if he shall lose his soule Agayne there commeth to vs by remembring of that daye marueylous consolation For hee that shall come to be a reuenger of all euill and a punisher of the wicked shall appeare the Redeemer of his people whom he shall make partakers of his kingdome and table glorifying them both in bodye and soule Wherefore speaking of the signes that shall go before the latter daye he sayth When these things beginne to come to passe lift vp your heades for your redemption draweth neare And Iob speaking of Christ comming to the iudgement saith I knowe that my Redeemer liueth c. It behooued therfore that the Apostles shoulde be admonished hereof that being boldened with this hope they might passe and ouercome the present daungers and grieuous troubles that were to come In the meane time let vs thinke that it is our dutie often to thinke vpon the same whereby we may both represse the naughtye desires of the fleshe and haue a good courage in the middest of daungers and distresse and so happily finishing the race of this lyfe may liue for euer with Iesu Christ our Lorde to whom be blessing honour glory and power for euer Amen The sixt Homelie THEN returned they vnto Hierusalem from the mount that is called Oliuete which is from Hierusalem a Sabboth daies iourney And when they were come in they went vp into a Parlour where abode both Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrew Philip and Thomas Barthilmewe and Mathewe Iames the sonne of Alphaeus and Simon Zelotes and Iudas the brother of Iames. These all continued with one accorde in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Iesus and with his brethren ALthough our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath taken his bodye from earth into heauen by his glorious ascention yet may we not thinke that he therefore hath cast aside the care of our saluation For it cannot be that that good shepeheard can forget them whome he did vouchsafe to redeeme with the price of his bloude This appeareth aswell by manye other arguments as specially by this that happened in his ascention as wee saw erewhile For whyle the Apostles abashed with his sodeyne departure stoode looking vp into heauen not knowing what to doe he sendeth his Aungels by whose ministerye they are not onely instructed concerning his ascention but also they heare a marueylous comfort touching his comming againe Which comfort we see was effectuous by that which fell out therof For Luke goeth on with his hystorie and sheweth what the Apostles did after Christ was taken from them we will speake of eche of these things in order to th ende the more learning instruction and consolation maye come vnto vs therby First of all they returne againe into the Citie For after they had worshipped as Luke sayth they returned againe to Hierusalem and being gathered togither in the vpper storye of the house which was appointed them to be in they waited for the spirite promised of God the father and Iesus Christ. It was from Mount Oliuete whence Christ ascended into heauen into the Citie a Sabboth dayes iourney which after the authoritie of Hierome is counted a two myles Here in these thinges we haue a singular example of the obedience of faith which it becommeth vs well to followe For the Apostles go agayne into the Citie not of their owne head and counsayle but as the Lord commaunded them which as wee perceyued in the beginning of this booke charged them not to depart from Hierusalem nor to seperate themselues one from another before they had receyued from heauen the holye ghost And yet there were diuers thinges that might haue perswaded them the contrary Amongst which the feare of present daunger and hostile entrappinges of the Iewes seemeth not to be eyther lightest or least And who coulde thinke to be safe in such a Citie as had bene vsed to slaye the Prophetes and whose handes were yet embrued with the bloude of the sonne of god Againe the small commodiousnesse and vnhandsomnesse of the place might haue turned the mindes of diuers awaye For in one house yea in a peece of one house as may be gathered by that that followeth about an hundred and twentie persons dwelled togither which coulde not be without great trouble as any wise man maye vnderstande Beside yet a more grieuous temptation cloked with the pretext of fayth and religion that is to saye that they knewe the holy ghost for whose cause they shoulde tarie in the Citie was tyed to no one place but as Christ sayth breatheth wheresoeuer it will. So that they might thinke it not onely in vayne but also a foolishnesse to wayte in such a daungerous place for the sending of the holye ghost which might as well be giuen them in another place as there And surely it is lyke that diuers such thoughts arose in them seeing there is no man ignorant how many things they that be in feare vse to cast in their mindes But they ouercome all these things with the fayth onely that they gaue to Christes wordes and despising all aswell perill as counsell of mans reason they purpose to obey the commaundements of christ Neither wanteth that holy obedience a most happy successe For they be both safe in that bloudy Citie and they also not many dayes after receiue the holye ghost as Christ had promysed Of this example we ought to make a generall lawe and rule that is to saye that we must walke in the vocation of God and in whatsoeuer his commaundements obediently and that wee suffer not our selues for any reasons that the fleshe can make to be pulled from our dutie For whereas our God is holye and a most louing father to mankinde he commaundeth nothing but that which is both holye and healthfull for vs For all his iudgementes are righteousnesse and truth and as Paule sayth this is the purpose and ende of Gods will that all men should be saued And bicause he is omnipotent he defendeth and maintayneth them that walke in his vocation and keepe his commaundementes and suffreth no hurt to happen vnto them The holy worshippers of God are sometimes tempted bicause it is necessary their fayth
and his horrible ende as though these things happened by hazarde or that the sonne of God betrapped by a wicked man had not bene able to haue escaped his crafts and deceytes I would not also that any should so take these matters as though the falshoode of so wicked a man should derogate any thing from our order and holy function which we are in by Christes appoyntment For it seemed good vnto God that these things should so come to passe whose counsayle and purpose it was that his belooued sonne shoulde be betrayed by one of his entire Disciples And he woulde not haue vs ignorant hereof For it is knowne what is read in the Psalme 41. which Christ himselfe repeated in his last supper saying He that eate breade with me hath layde great wayte for mee Nowe I tell you before it come to passe that when it is done you may beleue that I am he Wherfore cast your eyes vpon Gods prouidence reuerence his goodnesse and truth and let not the thinges offende you that are done by his determination and iust permission Yet let no man so vnderstande these things as though Peter went about to excuse Iudas heynous offence and to laye all the faulte thereof in god For that is not the meaning of the diuine prouidence which gouerneth all thing that we shoulde make God the Autor of our sinne bicause whatsoeuer men doe that is naught they doe it not to fulfill Gods purpose but to satisfie the cogitations and desires of their owne wicked will. It is playne in deede that it was Gods determination that his sonne Iesus Christ shoulde be betrayed through the craft of his Disciple and should come into the hands of his enimies and being condemned to death should be nayled to the crosse where he shoulde purge the sinne of the worlde by the Sacrifice of hys bodye But if a man consider Iudas the worker of this treason he in so mischieuous a deede had nothing lesse before his eyes than Gods purpose and the redemption of mankinde but being blinded and wounded with couetousnesse first polluteth himselfe with theft as Iohn sayth afterward with treason The same reason is to be made of Annas Cayphas Pylate all those other whom the Gospell testifieth to haue bene seekers executioners of Christs death The bookes of the holy Scripture are full of examples of the lyke kynde whereby we are aduertised howe grieuously men sinne in committing those things which God in deede will haue done but yet they doe them being mooued thereto through the blinde and inordinate affections of corrupt nature I praye you who is so dull headed to thinke that Ioseph came into Egipt without the speciall counsell of Gods prouidence whereas we reade that God aduertised Abraham himselfe long before of the going downe of his posteritie into Egypt who lykewise acknowledgeth not the marueylous wisedome of God in all this businesse which gouerneth al things most prudently and profitably Shall we therfore excuse Iosephs brethren which being mooued with enuye solde awaye their brother that deserued better of them yea we will expounde all thys businesse by Iosephes owne wordes yee thought euill agaynst me but God turned it to good to bring to passe as it is this daye and to saue much people alyue Yea we haue dayly experience of lyke occurrences and examples For who will saye the theefe killeth the wayfaring man without the prouidence of God considering we knowe that the dayes of our life and the heares of our heade are numbred before God But bicause the murtherer committeth such an heynous offence being mooued with wicked affection therfore is he in all the fault and shal iustly be punished for the same Let no man therfore seeke excuse for his wickednesse in Gods prouidence nor make God the Autor of his sinne but by the consideration hereof let vs seeke comfort whereby to arme and strengthen our selues against the horrible chaunces of this life And that Peter had a respect hereto it is euident by hys words wherein followe other things to be considered And first we are taught by a notable example of what efficacye and strength godlye prayers be For Luke shewed vs aboue that the Apostles continued with one consent in prayers wherby what was brought to passe is now perceyued For Peter which a little before was ignorant of the right maner of Christes kingdome and among the reast had put forth a foolishe question touching the very time of restoring the same by and by beginneth to preach of the Scriptures which he alledgeth most aptly and expoundeth most syncerely So true it is that the Apostle sayth If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of him that giueth that is of God and it shall be giuen him Further we are taught by the example of Peter that nothing ought to be appointed in the Church without the authoritie of the Scripture For as in well ordred common weales there are certaine lawes yea rather an authentike Code of lawes from the which no man of his owne heade hath authoritie to take anything or to put to any thing or else to appoynt anye thing in the common weale beside the prescript thereof euen so Christ hath deliuered to his Church the bookes of the olde and new Testament wherein are contayned the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and the lawes of eternall lyfe Therefore out of them must be taken all counsell and the Argumentes of all the sermons that are to be made in the congregation Neyther is there any man of such roume and ordering that must thinke he hath power to ordayne or appoynt any thing contrarye to the same This booke in the beginning was deliuered to the Kings not to th end they should thinke they had iurisdiction ouer the same but for that they should drawe forth of the same good lawes whereby to rule the people well And the Prophets were bounde by this commaundement to take their sermons from Gods mouth Which thing we can interprete to be none other but the Scriptures bicause by these as by a certaine mouth God reuealeth vnto vs the mysteries of his will. And Christ himselfe oftentimes preacheth forth of the scriptures and disdayneth not to turne the holye bookes and to expounde certaine places of them vnto the people An example wherof he shewed in the schoole at Nazareth Therfore Peter following the example of his mayster taketh the beginning of his sermon out of the Scriptures whome woulde God they woulde imitate which highly glorying in the succession of Peter dare yet thrust into the Church diuers thinges repugnaunt to the Scriptures onely vpon mans authoritie Furthermore Peter adourneth the scriptures with an excellent prayse where he sayth the holy ghost is Autor of them which woulde vtter these thinges by the mouth of Dauid The same he confesseth in another place where he sayth that the Prophetes were inspired with the spirite of Christ and
them when he sayth that he shall be saued that calleth vpon the name of the Lord. Where we may note a double consolation First it is an vniuersall promise which promiseth saluation to all them that call vpon the name of the lord Ergo here is a doore of saluation opened to all men from entring into which we are not kept backe neyther by pouerty nor infamy of the world â—â—yther by diseases nor cruell torments neyther by sexe nor age neyther by difference of nation or kindred Nay we cannot be put by neyther by sinne nor death bicause in Christ we haue expiation of all our sinnes and he hath ouercome death and the gates of hell Furthermore saluation is absolutely promised so that we see they haue all things necessary to saluation that call vpon the name of the Lorde Wherevpon we gather that they which feele no taste nor comfort of saluation by their prayers call not vpon the name of the Lorde that is they are destitute of faith in Christe which fayth will not suffer our prayers to be made in vaine And this is the only way of saluation which the holy scriptures teach vs euerywhere And Peter thought to make mention hereof in this place to thintent the Iewes might vnderstand how they could none other wayes be deliuered from the imminent daungers and the horrible iudgement of God but by casting away all trust in their owne workes and righteousnesse and turning vnto the throne of grace by the fayth that is in Iesus Christe The same must we also in these dayes marke and consider Whatsoeuer troubles or calamities the Lorde or his Apostles foretolde shoulde happen in the later dayes they vrge and assault vs on euerye side The wysest and greatest men consult in euery place how to get a waye and remedye to bee saued And the vnhappy successe of things in these dayes teache vs howe vayne all counsayles be that proceede of mans deuyse Let vs therefore holde this waye which as it is the most simplest and playnest and deliuereth vs from many cares and troubles so is it infallible and certaine bicause it stayeth and resteth vpon the promise of God which no force of the worlde can ouerturne Wherfore let vs acknowledge our sinnes and in them let vs seeke the causes of the euils which we suffer Let vs vse the acknowledging of our sinne to beate downe the affiaunce in our owne righteousnesse And then turning vnto God let vs call vppon his holye name who surely will heare vs and deliuer vs for his names sake in Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xiiij. Homelie YE men of Israell heare these wordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you with myracles woonders and signes which God did by him in the middest of you as yee your selues knowe him haue you taken by the handes of vnrighteous persons after hee was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God and haue crucified and slaine him whom God hath raysed vp and loosed the sorowes of death bycause it was impossible that he shoulde be holden of it WE haue hearde the first part of Peters Sermon alreadye wherein he cleareth the Apostles from the crime of drunkennesse and teacheth how they were endued with the holy ghost He vseth in the place of demonstration the testimony of the Prophet Ioël which he so rehearseth that therewith he declareth the horrible punishmentes remayning for the contemners of the Gospell and teacheth the onely way of remedye and escape to be the fayth in Iesus Christe which things bicause they were sufficient to feare them that were not altogither incurable the Apostle passeth to the other parte where he preacheth Christ whome of late we sayde was the chiefe marke that the Apostles shotte at in all their doctrine And least his preaching might be in vayne he so proposeth the matter that he stirreth vp their mindes with the conscience of their sinnes to the ende that being feared therwith they might with the more feruent fayth and greedinesse embrace Iesus Christ in whom they heard saluation was preached And his chiefe studye is to be short and playne least any man might thinke the knowledge of Christ and the way of saluation contayned therein to be lyke the dreames of the Philosophers which neyther can be explicated in infinite volumes nor be discussed by any disputations nor fully be comprehended of anye man For he compriseth the chiefe articles of our fayth in fewe woordes which whosoeuer vnderstandeth he hath both attayned to the knowledge of Christ and to all the waye of saluation For first he descrybeth the person of Christ and teacheth vs what he is and howe we should knowe him Secondly he intreateth of the passion and death of christ Thirdly he declareth his resurrection Of these three we meane to saye so much as his spirite shall giue vs grace In speaking of Christes person he handleth all things prudently and circumspectly least they that were as yet weake might take occasion of offence For when he had gotten them to be attent by a short kinde of exhortation he bringeth them by little and little to the knowledge of Christ saying Iesus of Nazareth a man approoued of God amongest you by myracles signes and woonders which God wrought by him in the middest of you as ye your selues know â–ª c. In the which words he pronounceth of Christ two things First that he was a man for he calleth him one of Nazareth which name he had of Nazareth a Citie of Galiley where he was brought vp as appeareth by the storie of the Gospel But bicause this seemed not sure and strong ynough he calleth him Virum that is to say a man which name agreeth to none but him that is a very man in deede And Christ is truly called a man bicause as Paule saith he taketh on him no Angels nature or other heuenly essence but the sede of Abraham Furthermore least any man might take him for some common person he maketh a difference betweene him and other adding approoued of God amongest you with myracles c. And although he purposed to teache the diuinitie of Christ yet he prudently as yet dissembleth the name of God which would haue seemed very straunge in the eares of the Iewes He woulde haue them by his deedes to learne that he was very God whome hitherto they thought to be onely but a rascall and common person It is as much as if he should saye I preach vnto you Iesus of Nazareth which many of you iudge to be but a man only But you ought to consider that God hath openly shewed in him many declarations of a diuine nature the ende of all which was to commend him vnto you and to teache you that he was that long wayted for sauiour of mankinde which in tyme past he promised you And the workes of Christ whereof God commended him he adorneth with three titles First he calleth
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
them vnto creatures and thinke their causes must be relieued by intercession of Saintes In which doyng they plainly testifie that they are voyde of the knowledge of Christe forasmuch as they are ignoraunt of his office and of the causes for the which he being God from euerlasting would take verye manhoode into the vnitie of his person He surely sayth in the Gospell No man commeth to the father but by me And Paule as he acknowledgeth one God so he testifieth that there is but one mediatour betweene God and man that is Iesus Christ. But bicause we shall otherwheres haue occasion to speake more largely of these things let these fewe suffice for this present And let vs take it for a great comfort that we see his Godheade whome we reioyce in as our sauiour and redeemer and after whose name we be called Christians prooued by so many argumentes Let vs now returne to Peters sermon and to the explication thereof Secondarilye he setteth forth the passion and death of Christ in suche sort that he laboureth to bring them in feare considering howe heynous a matter they had committed For he sayth This Iesus haue you taken by the handes of vnrighteous persons after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God and haue crucyfied and slayne him Three things are here affirmed concerning the death of christ First he accuseth all the people of so horrible a murther You sayth he haue crucified him and slayne him Yet Peter was not ignoraunt that the souldiours hong him on the crosse with their owne handes And yet truly doth he lay this crime to all the peoples charge bicause they did not only consent to his death but also required with importunate and sedicious clamour to haue him crucified and with their importunacie ouercame Pylate which long withstoode them as the Euangelists teach vs. By this example of Peter we are taught howe to beginne the preaching of the Gospell verily with the rebuking of sinne the which must be detected published and accused For except men acknowledge their sinnes they will not care much for Christ so long as they thinke they haue no great neede of him For it fareth in this matter as in the diseases of the bodye They that eyther perceyue not their sickenesse or else go about to hide it care not for Phisicke neyther will they receyue the Phisition though he offer himselfe So whosoeuer feele no conscience of their sinnes or thinke their sinnes may be dissembled or purged by their owne satisfactions they neyther seeke Christ greatly themselues nor worthily receyue him shewing himselfe to them in his Gospell but standing rather vpon the affiance of their owne righteousnesse feare not to withstande him Whereof we haue manye examples in the Phariseys For the which cause Christ professeth he is the Phisition of those that be sicke and that he came not to saue the righteous but to call sinners to repentance And speaking of the holy ghost amongst his properties he first reckeneth that he shall reprooue the worlde of sinne Agayne when he commendeth the preaching of the Gospell to his Apostles he will first haue repentance to be taught next after which he will haue remission of sinnes to be ioyned Therefore Peter doth not without a cause proceede in this order that speaking of the death of Christ he first prooueth his hearers to be guiltie and to be the auctors thereof And so were it necessary to haue Christes death preached in these dayes that all men myght vnderstande the sonne of God dyed for their sinnes and that they were the auctors thereof For thus it shall come to passe that men shall learne to be sorye in their heart for their sinnes and shall embrace the saluation offered them in Christe with the more feruencye of fayth But least Peter might seeme to accuse the Comminaltie only he addeth another thing whereby the heades and chiefe are accused to be the ringleaders of so heynous a deede For you sayeth he haue taken him by the handes of vnrighteous and slayne him But who are those wicked and vnrighteous The first among them is Iudas sometime a disciple of Christ and an Apostle but afterward a capitayne to them that tooke Iesus The next to him are the high Bishops with all the Colledge of Scribes and Priestes who brybed Iudas with money and hyred him to doe so outragious a mischiefe In the same number may Pylate be reckoned which sitting in iudgement as Lieutenant to the Emperour pronounced sentence of death vpon him And Herode is not altogither faultlesse who when he myght haue set him at libertie being sent vnto him thought it better when he had mocked him to sende him backe agayne All these Peter comprehendeth vnder the name of vnrighteous whose power and authoritie was greatest in the Citie of Hierusalem Howe daungerous a matter it was thus to saye he shall easily perceyue that diligentlye considereth the state and degree of these persons It is an heynous offence to saye the sentence of the Iudge condemning the guiltie is vniust and vnrighteous Yet Peter boldly sayth so in a most populous Citie where the remembraunce of Christ whome he so highly commendeth was yet very freshe Here therefore as in a glasse we maye beholde howe stoute and bolde defenders of Christ the holy ghoste maketh them whome he doth vouchsafe to inspire with his spirite We are also taught what libertie and freedome of speach ought to be in the ministers of the worde to accuse publike offences and how little they are to be regarded who require I can not tell what maner of modestie in the ministers For we neede not thus to extenuate sinne which otherwyse of it selfe as Dauid sayeth vseth to flatter vs Nor wee must haue no respect of persons seeing the person or the auctor can not excuse sinne yea howe much more of authoritie the offender is so much more hurtfull is the offence Besides the minister is a publike person to whose office and charge it is manifest all men are subiect For Christ hath made him a stewarde of his housholde wherein are riche poore Nobles and Commons Magistrates and subiects And that the Lord saith to Hieremie is spoken to all ministers Beholde this daye doe I make thee a strong fensed towne an yron piller and a brasen wall against the whole lande against the kings and mighty men of Iuda against the priests and people of the lande Therefore whosoeuer haue taken vppon them the office of teaching in the Church let them regarde no reasons of the worlde nor of the flesh wherby to be made afrayde but let them rather followe the examples of Iesus Christ the Prophetes and the Apostles all which it is plaine vsed the like libertie in reprehending of sinne that Peter vseth in this place And whereas the things he spake of Christes death myght giue occasion of much offence as though he had bene oppressed by the
of the resurrection he more fully setteth forth the same going on speaking still vnder the person of christ For he saith Bicause thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neyther wilt thou suffer thine holye one to see corruption Thou hast shewed me the wayes of lyfe thou shalt make me full of ioy with thy countenance There be in these words diuers things which are to be vnderstāded of Christ only as Peter teacheth in the things folowing Yet bicause the certaintie of our resurrection dependeth vpon Christes resurrection whome Paule for that cause calleth the first fruites of them that sleepe the fruites and effects of all those things that came to passe in Christs resurrection appertaine also to vs Therefore it shall be profitable for vs diligentlye to consider the things here sayde For as they set forth the resurrection of Christ so they teach vs wherein to hope and paint out the order and maner of our resurrection with that true felicitie which followeth the same First he sayth Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell The Hebrues take this worde Inferi which we englishe hell sometime for the sepulchre or graue sometime for the deade and buried in which sense the brethren of Ioseph saye Thy seruauntes shall bring the graye heade of our father with sorow ad infernum siue inferos that is to say to the graue The sense therfore of Christes words is that the soule of Christ should not tary long separated from the bodye in the place where the soules of the blessed be but should returne shortly to the body againe Manye haue vnderstoode these wordes of the discention of Christ into hell which we professe among the articles of our faith whose iudgement me thinketh ought not altogither to be reiected Great disputation hereabout hath bene kept among the auncient writers And in our dayes haue certaine phreneticke persons starte forth which haue sayde that the soule of Christ hath suffered in hell the tormentes of the damned But Christe himselfe confuteth them whiche a little before he died sayde vnto the theefe This daye thou shalt be with mee in Paradyse Besides being ready to giue vp the ghost hee sendeth not his soule to hell but commendeth it into the handes of his father Furthermore it is manifest that he offered himselfe vpon the aultar of the Crosse for the sinnes of all the worlde and did there fully accomplish the businesse of our saluation so that he truely sayde It is done or finished Therefore it must not be suffred that any shall say Christes soule suffered any thing after it departed out of his body It was heauy and sadde and felt the terrours of death at mount Oliuete as he himselfe confesseth It seemed also to haue felt the angrye countenaunce and wrath of his father in punishing sinne when he sayde vpon the crosse My God my God why haste thou forsaken me But bicause his death and passion was sufficient to purge our sinnes it is a very absurde and vnchristian point to adde anye thing else thereto Therefore Christes descending into hell may plainely be vnderstanded if we saye eyther that he truely died or that the merite of his death extended vnto them also which died before him from the beginning of the worlde as Peter in another place seemeth to meane saying that Christ preached vnto the deade which were in prison This serued bothe to the greater comfort of those which beleeued the promises made of him and increased the paines and sorrowes of the reprobate which wickedlye contemned them In the meane season the vtilitie and profit of the things here spoken is deriued vnto vs also For as Christes soule was not forsaken so our soules be in the protection and hande of God and shall retourne to our bodies againe in the later day Secondly therefore he addeth Neyther wilt-thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption This after a sort perteyneth to the exposition of the first member In the meane season as he spake of the soule so he sheweth what shall become of the body He sayth it shall not see corruption whiche afterwarde at large he declareth to be vnderstanded of Christes body onlye And surely it is plaine that all our bodies are subiect to corruption for the saying of God must of necessitie be fulfilled Thou art dust and into dust thou shalt returne againe Neyther doth the arte and industrie of man any thing preuayle going about to conserue the bodies of great men with sweete odours spicery and perfumes But Christes bodye bicause it was raysed againe the thirde daye coulde not see corruption much lesse be corrupted but rose againe a glorious body and voyde of all corruption Here is the resurrection of our bodies proued For although our bodies corrupt moulder to dust yet by the power of Christ when the last day commeth they shall be restored againe as we haue heretofore declared For our mortall bodies as Paule sayth must become lyke vnto Christes glorified bodye Neyther shall it be impossible for him to raise our bodies from the dust which made man at the beginning of claye yea all this great frame of the worlde of nothing They maye here also be confuted which saye Christes body in the resurrection was vanished awaye and had not the true properties of a body such as is to be felt and handled to be conteyned in a place to moue from place to place c. For if he sawe no corruption howe coulde he lose those things without the which a verye body cannot consist Thirdly he sayth Thou hast shewed mee the wayes of life that is thou hast brought me into life And he speaketh of the heauenlye and eternall life which only is worthye so to be called Ergo life euerlasting followeth after resurrection which life euen as Christ had so shall we haue the same in him This is well to be obserued where it is sayde the waye of life is shewed to christ Adam by sinne deserued death and the doore of Paradise after he was driuen out God fensed and garded with a sworde of fire least he shoulde returne thither and eate of the tree of life God signified hereby that men of their owne strength and power could not enter into life But in Christ the waye of life was set open againe that euen as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and through sinne death so by Christ only righteousnesse and life shoulde be restored againe Therefore the Apostle speaking of Christ sayth that the life appeared to vs. And Christ euerye where is called the breade of life the light and the waye of lyfe and the resurrection and the lyfe This commoditie therefore which the resurrection of Christ hath gotten vs is verye singular bicause we shall be raysed to an heauenly and an eternall life not to an earthly and mortall such as we nowe liue which may be trulyer called a death than a life The meane hereto
vs. And the sonne himselfe bindeth his promise to vs by an othe as often as he repeateth that verilye I saye vnto you so much vsed in the Gospell These things serue much for our comfort and instruction we are taught to make much of Christ and not to despyse the saluation which commeth by his merite and is offered vs by preaching of the Gospell as he commaunded In time passed as Paule sayth they which had transgressed the lawe of Moyses dyed without mercye vnder twoo or three witnesses How much sorer shall he be punished which treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God and counteth the bloude of the newe Testament as an vnholy thing c. And Iohn the Apostle admonisheth vs earnestly hereof saying if wee receyue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater which he testified of his sonne He that beleueth in the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe He that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer bicause he beleeued not the recorde that God gaue of his sonne c. But what can be more horrible than to accuse God of a lye which is both eternall truth and also may so easily reuenge the contempt of himselfe Furthermore these things comfort vs asmuch in the conflict of temptations Satan many times goeth about to call the certaintie of our saluation into doubt But if we consider howe the same is sealed and confirmed as it were by an othe our fayth can not wauer For God is true and his worde endureth for euer But Peter returneth to Christ and prooueth that in him whatsoeuer things Dauid before times prophecied of the Messias are fulfilled The end of all his sayings is that men shoulde vnderstande howe Iesus of Nazareth was the sauiour of the worlde that was promised And of a manye of things which he might haue alledged he speaketh only of the resurrection and ascention bicause these two sufficed his purpose and serued chiefely for the present cause and controuersie which rose by sending of the holy ghost We shall speake of eche of them in order He reherseth the article of the resurrection to prooue Christ to be the sauior promised which argumēt Paule vseth also Of Peters words we may frame this argument Dauid a great while sithens prophecied of the Messias that neither his soule should long abide with the other soules of them that were departed nor that his bodye should suffer corruption bicause God woulde rayse him from death But this prophecie is fulfilled in Iesus of Nazareth Ergo it is manifest that Iesus of Nazareth is the Messias and sauiour Touching the Maior there is no doubt Therefore Peter laboureth in proouing the Minor the veritie whereof he confirmeth by the common testimonye of the Apostles of this thing sayth he wee bee all witnesses Neyther might these witnesses in whome there were such euident tokens of the holy ghost and of Gods working be easily reiected or contemned of men in their right wittes The Apostles vse oftentimes to prooue Christ to be our sauiour by his resurrection bicause Satan through death which happened by reason of sinne had the rule and Lordship ouer vs Neyther coulde we safely acknowledge Christ to be our sauiour except we were certaine that he had subdued the force of death In the meane season we must diligently consider the loyaltie and trustynesse of Peter and the other Apostles The Lorde chose them to be his witnesses as we sayde in the first Chapter They therefore perfourme the dutie of witnesses faithfully and boldly without all feare of any perill For in the citie of Ierusalem before a great assembly of people they testifie that Iesus is risen againe from the deade by the power of God yet was there a farre other rumor spred abrode in that citie For the souldiers as is declared in the last of Mathew being bribed with money by the Priests bare witnesse that the Disciples by night had stollen the body of Iesus awaye What a daungerous matter it was openly to gainesay these men euerye one may easily iudge seeing they had the authoritie of the Priests and of Pylate the Romaine President to defende them But the Apostles by faith in Christ ouercame all feare of daunger and left all men an example to follow which haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ committed vnto them The other argument whereby he prooueth Iesus to be the Messias promised he taketh of Christes ascention And this argument it seemeth hee vseth chiefely bicause of them which might thinke it a ridiculous matter to preach him to be a sauiour which coulde be seene no where amongst men Which also is the error of thē in these dayes who thinke him not a sauiour vnlesse he will shew himselfe bodily vnto them But Peter speaketh on this maner He being exalted by the right hande of God and hauing receyued of the father the promise of the holy ghost hath shed foorth this gift which you see and heare This saying seemeth the obscurer bicause for the breuitie thereof it cannot be perceyued wherevnto it is to be referred But the obscuritie is easily put awaye if we ioyne therewith the Oracle which Dauid vttered touching Christes ascention For of this Oracle and those thinges that Peter sayth we may frame an whole argument after this sort Dauid prophecied that Christ shoulde not only rise againe from the deade but also taught vs that he shoulde ascende into heauen For so he sayth Thou art gone vp on high thou hast led captiuitie captiue and hast giuen giftes vnto men This thing as also the other before is fulfilled in christ For he after he was risen againe being exalted by the mighty right hande of God ascended vp into heauen we looking on and poured vppon vs the spirite which he obteyned of God the father which spirit hath wrought in vs these giftes of tongues which you doe see and heare Therefore it is manifest that this is the Messias Further no man must be offended for that he saith Christ receyued the spirite of his father as though he were not of lyke power with the father For Peter speaketh this of Christs humanity wherin Christ confesseth that his father is greater than he Although in an other place againe he saith his father and he bee both one that is to say in respect of his diuinitie And Christ himselfe very trimly looseth this knot speaking of the sending of the holy ghost in this wise He shall glorifie me for he shall receyue of mine and shall shewe vnto you All thinges whatsoeuer the father hath are mine Therefore sayde I vnto you that he shall take of mine and shew vnto you c. When the comforter is come whom I will sende vnto you from the father euen the spirite of truth which proceedeth of the father hee shall testifie of me c. But least any man might suppose that the things spoken of Christes ascention were to be vnderstanded of Dauid or would call
vse whereof is to learne vs to knowe the order of the Apostolike Church and wherein the same is in these dayes decayed to restore and reforme it thereafter againe They continued sayth he in the Apostles doctri ne and fellowship and in breaking of breade and in prayers He rehearseth foure things of euery which we haue something to say In the first place the Apostles doctrine what that was it shall otherwheres appeare It was Christes commaundement that they should teache all Nations those things that they had before learned of him He commaunded them to preach repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name In the which articles it is plaine the knowledge of the whole law and of Gods will and all the maner of our saluation is contayned A taste of this doctrine we sawe in Peters sermon gone before And their writings abundantly declare that they obserued this forme of doctrine in all places Therefore the faithfull of the primitiue Church abode in that order and trade of doctrine which we see at this daye comprehended in the bookes of the Apostles and in these is no mention made of any mans traditions and inuentions Luke placeth doctrine first bicause by teaching the Church is gathered togither and by the same as Paule declareth commeth fayth and all the beleeuing are borne againe of the immortall and eternal word touching which point see Rom. 10. 1. Pet. 1 c. Here we learne that the chiefe care in the Church ought to be for doctrine For where through it as was sayde euen nowe we be gathered into the vnitie of fayth it cannot be chosen but they must fowly and miserably be scattered that admit diuers and vncertaine doctrines Those be diuers and vncertaine which de pend and consist of the will of man Wherefore it behooueth vs to holde and retaine the Apostolike doctrine which they learned at Christes mouth and which they being illuminated with the holye ghost taught to all Nations vppon the earth This doctrine is both certaine plaine perâ—iâ—e and autentike so that it needeth neyther mannes inuention nor authoritie eyther to commende or confirme it Iohn speaking of this doctrine sayth Let that which you hearde from the beginning remayne in you And Paule will not haue himselfe beleeued no nor an aungell comming from heauen if hee dare to preach anye other Gospell or waye of saluation than the Apostles haue taught This reprooueth the vnconstant wethercockes of these dayes who haue a delight to dally with doctrine and religion and dare euery daye alter and chaunge it at their pleasure and for priuate lueres sake as wee reade Ieroboam vsed to doe As though the vse of religion and doctrine were to none other ende but to keepe men in awe as it were with vayne buggebeggers Here are they also reprooued which like children suffer themselues to be ledde with euery blast of doctrine contrary to the precept of Paule For the chiefe marke of those that be faithfull and true Christians is a faithfull and constaunt keeping of the Apostles doctrine Whosoeuer rashly forsaketh this doctrine he must needes confesse that he knoweth not at all what the Church of Christ is Secondly he sayeth that they continued in communicating he vnderstandeth the beneficence and liberalitie they vsed towarde the poore according to that saying of the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not He ioyneth this next vnto doctrine bicause that by it as was euen nowe sayde we are vnited vnto Christ our heade as members of one bodye Therefore they that be in this wise vnited togither must count eche others aduersitie and prosperitie as their owne wherevnto it seemeth Christ had a respect where he shewed that loue was the cognisaunce and badge of his Disciples And this is a singuler and worthy prayse of beneficence to haue the next place vnto doctrine among the exercises of the Church Whereby we may easily perceiue what to thinke of them who are touched with no pitie of their needy brethren but snorting in wealth themselues care not though all other want so they may enioye the riches and delights of this world But bicause we meane hereof to speake more hereafter let this little for this time suffice Thirdly he reciteth breaking of breade by the which he vnderstandeth the mysticall supper of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ. He vseth this name for that in the supper the breade is publikely and solemnely broken partly to set forth the memorie of the Lordes death and partly to put vs in minde that we were the causers of the death of Iesus Christ seeing it was necessary he shoulde suffer and die for our sinnes He maketh mention onely of the supper not for that he barreth baptisme out of the Church but bicause he had spoken thereof before where he sayde they were baptised And he speaketh of those which were alredy receiued into the Church not of their children and those that shoulde afterwarde professe Christ wherof we gather that baptisme ought not to be yterated bicause it is sufficient to be once receyued into the Church of Christ. Another reason why he spake of the supper was bicause Christ ordeyned it to be a solemne memoriall and remembrance of his death which for this cause ought to bee the oftner celebrated Marke here in the meane while the simplicitie of the primitiue Church which being contented with the rites and sacraments deliuered by the Lord neither durst deuise any new ne yet set forth the olde with any newe ceremonies for feare of prescribing christ And although Luke expresse not the rytes and order of the mysticall supper as they vsed it yet there is no doubt but they had a respect to Christes institution bicause Paule afterwarde confesseth that he deliuered vnto the faithfull that order which he receyued of the Lorde and reuoketh them which had swarued from the same to the obseruation and keeping thereof These things ought they to haue marked which glorying in the name of the Gospell are so bolde as to chaunge and alter the maner of the Lords supper ordeyned by Christ himselfe For to saye nothing of the lightes the riot in vestiments the pieuishe gesturing and infinite such like which they perhaps of a good zeale thought to commende the authoritie of the supper the more with this me thinketh can not be pardoned that they haue taken from the supper the breaking of bread whyles they make the peeces of the misticall bread rounde before they come to the supper and put them whole into the mouthes of the receyuers If they take away this breaking what will they leaue vs wherby to remember the death of Christ or to admonish vs of our sinnes and of repentance considering the breaking of breade was of such authoritie in the primitiue Church that vnder that name they comprehended the whole supper of the Lorde Therefore we must holde fast the auncient simplicitie which if any man dislyke certes he to boldly
in vaine will he be mooued with other argumentes Here we haue to consider the state of the later daye which Peter expresseth in two wordes First he calleth it a daye of refreshing by a figure called Synecdoche This perteineth only to the godly which then shall feele refreshing and be deliuered from all griefe and sorrowe Then shall God wype away all teares from their eyes And there shall be no more death neyther sorrow neyther crying c. Then also shall they be enriched with those goodes which neyther eye hath seene nor eare hearde nor can be comprehended by any reason of man. Then as many as liued in the worlde and suffered all kinde of griefes in the flesh paciently shall as Iobe sayth see God in their flesh For the which cause Christ biddeth vs lift vp our heades when we see the signes going before the later daye for then our redemption draweth neare For the sight of Christ our Iudge can not be terrible to the godlye forasmuch as they vnderstand that he is their Sauiour and aduocate And this is that great benefit that we haue by faith and none otherwaies For faith only maketh vs bolde and sure of saluation at the comming of christ Then shall they finde no helpe in riches in honors nor friendship of the world which while they liued on earth despised this fayth in christ Therfore it behooueth vs to be armed with this hope against all the temptations of this worlde when we be in aduersitie and so shall we neuer be remooued from the waye of saluation Then he calleth it a day of restitution for then shall there be a restitution of al things a perfite and immutable state of creatures Which many looke for in vaine as long as they liue in this world For this world is full of confusion and breedeth new troubles euery day wherwith the kingdome of Christ sometime hath bene so assaulted that it might seeme vtterly to haue quayled But in the later day this kingdome shall be so set vp as the Prophetes haue prophecied For when all the power of our aduersaries shall be brought vnder Christes feete there shall be nothing more to trouble the faithfull and then shall be that ioyfull and peaceable state of all thinges that the Prophetes many times make mention of At that daye shall the bodies be restored againe howsoeuer they haue perished For the sea shall giue vp hir deade and so shall death and hell There shall be restored a ioyfull and blessed condicion of the worlde And this engine and frame of the world that now groneth vnder the burthen of corruption shal be deliuered and made such as it was before it was accursed for the sinne of man For there shall bee newe heauens and a newe earth wherein righteousnesse shall dwell Euery man shall receyue in his bodye according as he hath done whether it be well or euill Yea and Christ himselfe when he hath put downe all rule and all things be subdued vnto him shall be subiect vnto him that put all things vnder him and shal deliuer vp the kingdome to God the father that God may be all in all To conclude then shal be such a restitution of all things as we can now neyther vtter by woordes nor comprehende by reason for nowe our knowledge is vnperfite and our propheciyng vnperfite but when that which is perfite is come then that which is vnperfite shall be done awaye Nowe we see in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then shall wee see face to face In the meane while the consideration hereof serueth to our instruction that we being borne vp with the hope ofthis restitution may paciently suffer whatsoeuer aduersitie and miserie and so order our conuersation oflife by fayth in Christ that that great daye of the Lord may bring vnto vs also comfort and refreshing among other that be godly And so many it seemeth a marueyle that the Lord deferreth his comming so long And perhaps the Iewes might mooue some question hereof For where we measure God after the propertie of our flesh we cannot choose but marueyle at Gods tariaunce and deferring of iudgement But Peter aunswereth such questions where he sayth that Christ must remaine in the heauens or reigne in heauen vntill all things be restored and fulfilled that the Prophetes haue prophecied He hath on the earth fulfilled the affaires of our redemption But there remained as yet certaine things to be done long before decreed by God and foreshewed For it behooued the Gospell shoulde be preached in all the world and that the Gentiles should be brought into the fellowship of the Church as all the Prophetes by one consent testifie There remayned the mysterie of Antichrist through whose tyrannie it was needefull the Church shoulde be tried and the number of Christes martyrs fulfilled Christ therefore hath giuen a place to these things by his going into heauen hauing receyued all power in heauen and in earth Let no man therefore thinke he is vnmindefull eyther of vs or of his dutie bicause he deferreth his comming and daye of iudgement For he knoweth what he hath to doe in all thinges Let it comfort vs that we knowe he reigneth in heauen There let vs seeke him with mindes lift vp by faith without any care ofhis corporall presence in earth vntill that great daye come when like a lightning he shall appeare vnto vs sodenly Woulde to God they would diligently examine Peters wordes which now a dayes bicause they woulde ratifie a bodily presence of Christ in the earth saye that his humaine nature by reason of the coniunction it hath with the godly is so extended and so pierceth through all places that it cannot be circumscribed or conteyned neyther within time nor place Let them therfore looke what aunswere to make to Peter who appointeth to him both a time and a place Yea he affirmeth it is so appoynted of God that he should be taken into heauen and shoulde sit there vntill that last day came when he shall returne to be a iudge and to bestowe fully vpon the godlye the restitution long agone promised I knowe they iumble heauen and earth togither and by this worde heauen vnderstande the heauenlye glorye and conuersation that he is in here on earth But as this glose cannot be prooued by scripture so was it vtterly vnknowne to the learned antiquitie and therefore it needeth no great confutation Therefore leauing their quiddities let vs learne of this thirde part of the sermon that in our sinnes we despaire not of Gods grace but through repentance and true faith let vs returne vnto God and so let vs prepare our selues that that daye on vs also may shine happie and ioyfull when Iesus Christ shall come to deliuer those that be his and to condemne the wicked to whome be praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxiiij. Homelie Moyses truly sayde vnto the fathers
which should be borne of his stocke There are manye other more euident than this vttered by Dauid such as appeare Psalm 2.22.89.119 c. Of Esaye what neede we to speake which hath written so playne an hystorie of all the thinges which Christ shoulde doe that as S. Ierome sayth he deserueth in many places to be taken for an Euangelist rather than a Prophete The lyke is to be affirmed of all the other Prophetes whose sayings if we should rehearce worde by worde we might sooner finde howe to beginne than to make an ende Let it suffyce to tell you that there is no so small a thing in Christ but the same may be proued by the oracles of the olde Testament wherevpon we also gather that the bookes of the olde Testament ought not to be condemned as certaine phanaticall persons affirme which crye they belong onelye to the Iewes They sinne agaynst the industrie and goodnesse of God which thought good all maner of wayes to confirme our saluation Therefore let vs marke here both the certaintie of the doctrine of the Gospell and Christian faith and also the antiquitie therof for if we ioyne vnto the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophetes the figures of the lawe and the auncient promises made long before to the Patriarches a man shall easily perceyue that there was neuer anye kinde of doctrine or religion confirmed and set forth with so many testimonies The first standeth vpon the promise which was made in Paradise to our first parents concerning the seede of the woman which shoulde treade downe the serpents heade Therefore great is the folly or rashnesse of them to speake no worse which eyther openly dare gainesay the doctrine of the Gospell or else seeke other counselles by authoritie whereof to determine and rule our fayth and religion For what doe these men else but reprooue God which spake by Moyses and the Prophetes of lying or at leastwise call his truth in doubt Besides they foolishly require the authoritie of men whereas we ought not to beleeue an Angell teaching the contrary Therfore letting them go let vs embrace Christ whome one vniforme consent of Scripture setteth out to vs in whome only all righteousnesse sanctification truth and saluation is conteyned To him be prayse honour glory and power for euer Amen The .xxv. Homelie Ye are the children of the prophetes and of the couenant which God made vnto our fathers saying to Abraham Euen in thy seede shall all the kinreds of the earth bee blessed First when God had raysed vp his sonne Iesus vnto you he sent him to blesse you that euery one of you shoulde turne from his wickednesse THe Apostle Peter so sheweth the Iewes the way and meane vnto saluation that therewith also he remooueth all impedimentes which myght lette them from taking that waye where we had two things chiefely to consider The first was the preposterous obseruance of Moyses and their auncestries religion For they feared if they embraced Christ they shoulde offende agaynst the lawe and religion which God gaue vnto their forefathers He teacheth them therefore that therein is no daunger bicause both Moyses and the Prophetes directed and sent men vnto christ But that they rather offended against Moyses which disdayned to receiue Christ whereas Moyses long before appointed that such as they were shoulde be punished by death There was yet one other stoppe which was the conscience of that sinne which they had committed agaynst christ For where they had wickedly denied him as Peter before tolde them they sawe it was meete and conuenient that Christ also should denye and forsake them and not regarde or accept their repentaunce And they coulde not be ignorant howe God by his Prophete reiecteth the prayers of such as woulde holde vp handes vnto him embrued with bloude Wherefore Peter in this place remedyeth this inconuenience and prooueth by strong argumentes that Iesus Christ appertayneth to them also and will not put them backe if they will turne vnto him with all their hearts which is the principall state and subiect of this place wherwith also he concludeth his sermon with very good successe Before we enter into Peters wordes we haue an example in him to marke which teacheth vs the right trade howe to preach the Gospell That consisteth herein to make all men vnderstand how the promises of the gospell appertaine vnto them For vnlesse they be hereof assured they neither can make great account of them ne yet surely trust vnto them Which thing is the cause that Paule is so diligent in proouing the vocation of the Gentyles For in vaine shoulde the Gospell haue bene preached to them except they had knowne that the saluation purchased by Christ had aswell belonged to them as to the Iewes For this cause all the promises of the Gospell are vniuersall and may be applied to all men which with true fayth will embrace them Come vnto me sayth Christ all ye that labour and are heauie laden c. So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for vs to th ende that all that beleeue in him shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting And in another place he sayth that he prayeth for all them that shoulde beleeue in him through the preaching of the Apostles Wherevnto also is to be referred that that Iohn sayth that is howe all they which are sinners haue Christ for their aduocate bicause hee hath giuen himselfe an attonement for the sinnes of all the worlde And Paule oftentimes in the businesse of saluation excludeth all respect of persons and testifieth that all they that beleue in Christ haue saluation giuen them of God in him See Rom. 10. Galat. 3. Colos. 3. Ministers must so minde and remember these things that they must debarre no man from the vniuersall promises of God but must so deuide and order the word of the Gospell that no man may doubt of the certaintie of his saluation but maye vnderstande that the merite of Christ belongeth to them all indifferently Now after these premisses let vs come to Peters saying which with three arguments most strongly confirmeth the Iewes fayth First he admonisheth them of their auncient dignitie and of their elders saying you be the children of the Prophetes that is to say you come of that people or nation of whome the Prophetes came Or rather you be the children of the Patriarches who it is euident were most notable Prophetes as by whome the promises of saluation were declared first vnto mankind For the which cause the holy ghost long agone called them Prophetes Hereof Peter gathereth that without doubt the promises long before reuealed by the Prophetes appertaine to the nation of the Iewes if so be they will receyue them and imitate the fayth of their progenitors For Peter in this place doth attribute nothing here to carnall generation which is of no effect in those that degenerate and waxe wicked as those graue expostulations of
out of Paule we declared Christ blesseth vs as he is a priest For it was the Priestes office to blesse the people as Moyses teacheth Numer 6. Although there is great difference betweene them Christ for they were ministers only of the figure and shadowe Christ doth not only wishe vs good but also giueth it and in him God blesseth vs with all spirituall blessing as Paule teacheth Ephe. 1. But Peter addeth the maner also of this blessing saying whyle he turneth euery man from his wickednesse For where of sinnnes the curse springeth there can be no place for blessing afore sinne be taken awaye Nowe Christ taketh them awaye yea he hath long sithence clensed them by the merite of his death for which cause the Baptist calleth him the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde He taketh not sinne away fo◠one time only but conuerteth all them frō their sinnes that beleeue in him For where he giueth them his spirite they be regenerated and renewed by him so that they which before were giuen to the bondage of sinne doe cast of the yoake of sinne and liue vnto God and beginne to serue him in studie of innocencie and charitie Whereby we gather that they are greatly deceyued which imagine Christ to be a patrone of carnall libertie and saye that by preaching of him we plant carelesse lyfe in the mindes of men Certainlye Christ came into the worlde to destroye the workes of the deuill But among these workes sinne hath the chiefe place as there is none that can denie Nay rather if we will confesse the truth there can be in vs no true turning from sinne but such as Christ is author of through his spirite according to that saying of Ieremie Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Agayne Turne thou vs vnto thee O Lord and so shall we be turned Furthermore before we make an ende we haue to be obserued that the Iewes abounding in so many prerogatiues dignities as both here and else where are declared in the .ix. to the Romaines receiued no cōmodity by any of them all but were forsaken of God for that through stubborne incredulitie they contemned Christ and despised the preaching of the gospell whereof Paule intreateth at large Rom. 11. Therfore all externe things are but vaine except we embrace Christ with true fayth who onely conuerteth vs from sinnes purgeth our sinnes reconcileth vs to God and maketh vs inheritors of the kingdome of heauen This Christ hath Peter in his sermon taught them and sheweth them that in him the treasure of saluation is opened vnto them notwithstanding it might seeme they were fallen from saluation and the grace of god Let vs therfore thinke these things spoken also vnto vs and labour to become the true members of Christ and to be quickened with his spirite that hereafter we may raigne with him in heauen to whome be prayse honour glory and power for euer Amen The fourth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xxvj. Homelie AS they spake vnto the people the Priestes and the Rulers of the Temple and the Saduceys came vpon them taking it grieuously that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurrection from death And they laide handes vpon them and put them in holde vntill the next day for it was now euentyde Howbeit many of them which hearde the wordes beleeued and the number of the men was about fiue thousande HItherto Luke hath described the beginning and successe of the primitiue church There haue we seene what the doctrine of the Apostles was which they deliuered vnto the Church also what the studies and exercises of the primitiue Church were Nowe herevnto is most commodiously adioyned how the worlde receyued this doctrine where we shall see howe the very same thing fell out that Christ before that shewed his Apostles of For in Iohn he sayth The seruant is not greater than his Maister If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also If they haue kept my saying they will keepe yours Againe They shall deliuer you vp to the Councels and shall scourge you in their sinagoges And these things they whom God had hitherto kept safe from the furie of their enimies vntill the beginning of his Church myght be stablished and settled a little surer beginne nowe to finde true But nowe most fierce enimies sodenlye rushe in vppon them they take and cast them into prison they bring them to examination before the Counsayle and at length being vexed with long disceptation and reasoning they dismisse them with grieuous threates We must in all this narration marke this one thing chiefely aboue all other which shall serue much for our consolation and instruction that is not to be offended at the attempts of the wicked wherewith in these dayes they oppugne the doctrine of Christ and his Church For this worlde whose propertie it is to hate and persecute the light of the truth bicause it bewrayeth their naughtie doings vseth of olde thus for to doe Here it behooueth vs to be armed with the constancie of the primitiue Church that we leaue not our place when we are assaulted but that we wayte for an happie ende and successe of such temptation with a stronge and inuincible fayth which God graunteth vnto them whome he seeth tried and made the better vnder the crosse But bicause we shall haue occasion oftentimes to speake of these things let it suffice vs to haue touched this little hereof least we lose the marke whereto all these things must be directed Nowe we shall discusse euery part and circumstance of the things that Luke hath sayde He describeth who were the Apostles enimies and authors of their persecution what craftes and deceite they vsed what cloke they had for their wicked and vniust enterprise howe violently they layde handes on the Apostles and howe vaine their attempt was bicause through their furie the number of the faythfull were rather increased than diminished Among the enimies of the Apostles there are three kindes of men rehearced The first are Priestes whome by the circumstaunces we may easilye gather were the ringleaders and beginners of all this businesse Howbeit it had bene their partes rather to haue taken vppon them the defence of the truth and to haue preached Christ vnto the people of whome Moyses and the Prophetes bare witnesse After these followeth the Ruler of the Temple who by all likelyhoode was some Capitaine of the Romaine souldiors For where the Temple stoode in the most impregnable place of the Citie and was well fenced with munition I suppose the Romaynes gaue the Presidentes of Iurie a speciall charge thereof least the Iewes vnder colour of religion and holy assemblies shoulde mooue any insurrection or sedition And vndoubtedly the Capitaine of the Temple brought with him his garde or souldiors which alwayes attended on his seruice were at his commaundement There was a thirde kinde of men
shall any man take his sheepe out of hys hande And as the impious rage of the Priestes coulde not let God from exalting him with his right hande no more shall the wicked enterprises of Princes and the worlde in these dayes any maner of wayes hinder or empayre his kingdome and glory They shewe also the waye and meane howe Christ giueth saluation which all men must needes imbrace that are desyrous of their saluation This way or meane consisteth in two pointes to say repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes of both which it is written Christ is the onely author That repentaunce is a conuersion and turning of the whole man vnto God hath manye times already beene declared This conuersion vnto God is necessarie for all men bicause we all through sinne haue gone astray and daylie swarue from the waye of saluation But that this is no worke of mans power or strength we are taught not onely by the scriptures but also by daylie experience and no man can be conuerted except he be conuerted of god See Ieremie 31. Lamentations 5. This conuersion Christ onely worketh truely in vs while he makes vs newe men by the seede of his worde and by the spirite of regeneration illuminating vs with the knowledge of God and enduing vs with a new and holy will and gyuing vs strength to doe that which of our owne power we should neuer be able to doe They are here confuted which hearing repentaunce required by and by thinke the merite of their owne righteousnesse is confirmed and extoll the power of free will. But what glorie we in our owne wyll if Christ be the author of this conuersion in vs And what I praye you shall we merite by our repentaunce which are not able to repent except Christ by his spirite stirre vs vp and leade vs thereto But although a man be conuerted vnto God yet herein is not our saluation perfite and full For where we be sinners we haue neede also of forgiuenesse and satisfaction that nothing want to satisfie Gods iustice But where we sayde euen now that we coulde not conuert vnto God vnlesse we were regenerated by Christ much lesse can we satisfy for our sinnes And Christ teacheth vs that our sinnes be such a debt as we are not able to pay Wherefore as in the first part Christ succoureth our infirmitie so in this also he helpeth vs For by the merite of his death he both purgeth the debt of our sinne and maketh vs iust in the sight of God whyle he bestoweth on vs that beleeue in him his iustice For therfore he became sinne for vs that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse which before God is allowed And bicause both these things without the which no man can be saued come by the benefite of Christ onely we most strongly gather hereof that without Christ we haue no saluation which is the cause that he comprehending the summe of the gospell in fewe wordes teacheth that repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes must be preached in his name In the meane whyle we learne also how much they erre which vnder a pretence of Christ seeke to lyue lycentiously or thinke he is any cause or occasion of dissolute conuersation where as he is the verie onely author of true and healthfull repentaunce Furthermore they confirme their preaching of Christ by testimonies where they say And we be witnesses of these wordes and also the holy ghost whom God hath giuen to them that obey him And let no man thinke it rashlye and insolently done of the Apostles to alleage their owne testimonie before them of whome they were accused For where Christ appointed them witnesses of his dooings they might not refuse to doe their dutie in this behalfe And hereby their doctrine was greatly authorised which no man by any meanes ought to denie except he will accuse Christ of falsehoode But bicause the Apostles were not ignoraunt that their testimonie should be of little weight before the Priestes they adde an other testimonie also to witte the testimonie of the holy ghost which holy ghost God giueth vnto them which be obedient vnto christ And although all the beleeuing feele his testimonie within their mindes and by the same be assertayned of their saluation yet chiefely these wordes be to be vnderstanded of the giftes and operation of the holy spirite whereby he bare wytnesse in the primitiue Church to the doctrine of the gospell For by the power of the holy ghost it came to passe that the faythfull spake with newe tongues that they sodainely became newe men and that they wrought myracles which things as we neede not in these dayes for as much as the Apostles doctrine is sufficiently prooued so testimonie of the holy ghost ought to suffise vs whereby we feele our minds confirmed and through whose encouragement we crye Abba father But this is not negligently to be passed ouer where he sayth the holy ghost is gyuen vnto them that obey christ And yet it must needes be that they were endued before this with the holye ghost bycause without hym they neyther could beleeue nor obey But in them the gift es of the spirite were augmented and increased as Chryst sayth To euery one that hath shall be gyuen Whereof we gather agayne that they cannot haue the holye ghost which striue agaynst christ For he confesseth that the holy ghost is such a thing as the worlde can not receaue Hereby it appeareth why the operations and giftes of the holy ghost be so rare and seldome in these dayes for thys cause verily bicause there be so fewe that endeuour to obey Christ. It becommeth vs by these examples to be stirred vp to the holy obedyence of fayth that being indued with the holy spirite we may go forwarde in all goodnesse and atteyne to saluation in Iesus Christ to whome be honour prayse power and glory for euer Amen The .xxxviij. Homelie WHEN they heard that they claue a sunder and sought meanes to slay them Then stoode there vp one in the counsell a Pharisey named Gamaliel a Doctour of lawe had in reputation among all the people and commaunded the Apostles to go a side a little space sayde vnto them Ye men of Israel take heede to your selues what ye intende to doe for before these dayes rose vp one Theudas bosting himselfe to whom resorted a number of men about a foure hundred which was slayne And they all which beleeued him were scattered abroad After this man was there one Iudas of Galyley in the dayes of the tribute and drew away much people after him He also perished and all euen as manye as harkened to him were scattered abroad And nowe I say vnto you refrayne your selues from these men and let them alone For if this counsell or this woorke be of men it will come to naught But and if it be of God ye can not destroy it least happily ye be found to striue against God. THe
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
cryeth woe to thee that destroyest for thou shalt be destroyed Agayne woe be to him that buildeth the Citie with bloude wo be to him that heapeth vp other mennes goodes Wherevnto are to be referred the things which God in his lawe threateneth to the oppressours of wyddowes of fatherlesse and straungers See Exod. 22. In the consideration whereof woulde God they were more occupied that thynke nowe a dayes the greatest commendation of manhoode and safetie of a commmon weale standeth in waged warrefaring But it is not to be negligently ouerpassed howe God speaking of the ende of their deliuery sayth And after that they shall come foorth and serue me in this place This is a generall precept that they whome God hath delyuered must serue hym whereof we are also admonished Thys must specially be considered in our saluation We are deliuered out of the tyrannie of the deuill and from the horrible bondage of sinne by the singular benefite of God who hath vouchsafed to giue his sonne for vs Let vs therefore come forth of Egypt and casting away the desires of this wicked worlde let vs serue God in holynesse puritie innocencie fayth and loue vnfeyned touching which thinges see what is sayde euerywhere in the writings of the Apostles Rom. 6. Tit. 2. 3. 1. Thess. 4. c. The same must they doe that are deliuered out of any other distresses They that are recouered of sicknesses let them thinke that spoken vnto them that Christ sayth to the man healed of the palsie See thou sinne no more least a woorse thing come vnto thee Let them thinke likewise that are deliuered from pouertie hunger pestilence warres or whatsoeuer like calamyties In times past the sacrifices called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which God ordeyned to be offered to him for benefites receyued admonished vs hereof which also were vsed of the Gentyles although they were straungers from the true worship of god And to this ende did Christ institute his mysticall supper which the auncient fathers called Eucharistiam that is to say a giuing of thankes bicause they knewe it was ordeyned in the remembraunce of Christes death And their wickednesse is very worthy to be condemned which glorying in the benefite of redemption and feeling euery day the vengeaunce of God yet will not serue him but giue themselues wholy to serue sinne and the deuill Let that principally sticke in our remembrance that Steuen vrgeth so instaâ—tlye that is howe we be deliuered from the tyrannie of Satan and sinne by the benefite of Gods grace only and that therein nothing is to be attributed to our workes and other colde ceremonies Let vs therefore by fayth embrace this benefite and serue God our Sauiour in spirite and truth that with him we maye hereafter enioye the blisse of the heauenly Chanaan through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom bee prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlv. Homelie And he gaue him the couenaunt of Circumcision And he begatte Isaac and circumcised him the eyght daye And Isaac begat Iacob and Iacob the twelue Patriarches And the Patriarches hauing enuie at Ioseph solde him into Aegypt And God was with him and deliuered him out of al his aduersities and gaue him fauour and wisedome in the sight of Pharao king of Aegypt and he made him ruler ouer Aegypt and all his housholde THe godly Martyr Steuen was accused of impietie agaynst God the lawe the holy place and all the lawes ceremoniall His aduersaries tooke occasion to accuse him for that he taught meÌ„ that these outward thinges were abrogated by Christ and that they could not be iustified by them but that iustification and saluation came by fayth onely in Iesus Christ and that the ceremonies serued for none other vse but to signifie the way of saluation which is conteyned in Christ and to bring men vnto him Wherefore it behooued him to vse a kinde of earnest and graue defence before them whith stoode altogither vpon ceremonies He so handleth therefore and frameth his defence that he prooueth by the matter it selfe he is cleere from all impietie For he diligently rehearseth whatsoeuer God did to the fathers in time passed partly to declare that he acknowledged and kept the auncient beliefe of the fathers and partlye for that the Iewes shoulde vnderstande howe the fathers in time past were iustified by faith only without any ceremonies Wherevpon euery man may easily gather that there is no cause or let why men nowe a dayes also shoulde not be saued without the ceremonies of the Leuiticall lawe by fayth in Christ and that therfore they are not to be accused of impietie which holde and affirme that they are abrogated And beginning with Abraham he diligently setteth out his fayth in following the mercifull calling of God without anye his desertes before going to th ende he might stirre vp the Iewes to follow his steppes But bicause the holy martyr of Christ was not ignoraunt that the Iewes did principally glorye in their Circumcision and in the fathers agaynst the grace of God giuen them in Christ he continueth on in his Oration begunne bicause he woulde wype them cleane from both these gloryinges Of circumcision he briefely intreateth saying And he gaue him the couenaunt of circumcision and he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eyght day He confesseth that circumcision was instituted of God but whyle he ioyneth it with the things going before he thereby putteth it away in that he sheweth it was giuen vnto Abraham after all those things which hitherto had bene recyted For after he was called out of Chaldea and had declared his beliefe openly by many and notable signes and was by his faith and beliefe iustified God gaue him the testament of circumcision that is to say he made a Couenaunt with him which was sealed as it were and confirmed with circumcision Whervpon it followeth that he was not iustified by circumcision but that his circumcision was a seale of the righteousnesse which he had alreadie gotten by fayth Which argument Paule also vsed in his fourth chapter to the Romaines And as Abraham receyued the institution of circumcision simply and plainly as the Lord did appoynt it so he plainely obserued and commended the same to his posteritie For he circumcised Isaac the eyght day according to Gods institution without adding of any other superstitious ryte which thing none that is godly doubteth but that Isaac also did to Iacob his sonne and he agayne to hys twelue children which were the Patriarches of the people of Israell And the holy Ghost would haue fewe things nowe almost remembred touching thys matter that it might thereby appeare howe the holy father s stacke not in these outwarde things but rather had a regarde vnto Gods testament and couenaunt wherein was contayned the promise of saluation than to the outwarde ceremonie The things we reade in the .xvij. of Genesis make for the better vnderstanding hereof In the meane season Steuen plainely
of Iesus Christ his sonne who in times past hauing suffered all kinde of iniuries at our handes and yet dayly suffreth cannot yet forget his loue and liberalitie but acknowledgeth vs for hys brethren and doth good euen to them that haue deserued a thousand deaths and crosses Let vs imitate this condicion of God the father if we will be called and taken for his children Yet is there no cause why their sinnes shoulde not be reprooued and accused who we see haue done and doe many things out of square Nor we may not so pardon them who haue iniuried vs that through our to much bearing they become the worse but we must thinke this the chiefe poynt of charitie if we can by anye meane call them from sinne and destruction which as yet be voyde of godlynesse But let vs consider the seconde part of this place where Iacob and all his familie and kindred commeth downe into Egypt Here it appeereth none remayned in the countrie of Chanaan that were of the number of Goddes people but they were all outlawes and preserued there without any ceremonies or rytes of the law by the meere grace of god And it is not wythout a cause that Steuen so diligently reckoneth the number of soules For the consideration hereof setteth before our eyes the ineffable and inuincible power of God which was able within two hundred and tenne yeares to make so small a company so innumerable For as Moyses testifieth when they went out of Egypt there were mounstred .vj. hundred thousand three fiue hundred and fiftie fighting men of the Israelites With the which thing if we compare the tragicall attempts of Pharao which euery way went about to destroy and roote out this people it shall easily appeare that the promise of God made sometime to Abraham Genes 15. 17. coulde no wayes be hindered by any power or deuyse of man This ought to be obserued for the instruction and comfort of vs all that we feare not the threates and enterprises of the worlde seeing it appeareth the force thereof agaynst God is altogither vayne Let vs compare this to Christ and his Church God promised him a kingdome which he possesseth and shall for euer possesse despyte of his enimies He promised also that his Church shoulde be enlarged which thing we see is fulfilled although one Pharao alone hath not sought the ouerthrowe thereof Let euery body marke this in their temptations that they suffer not their fayth to be ouerthrowne seeing as Paule sayeth there is nothing that can seperate vs from the loue of God. In the later part of this diuision Steuen sheweth how the father 's died in Egypt and were afterwarde caryed to Sichem And Moyses wryteth plainely of Iacob that his corps was caryed into Chanaan And the Scripture lykewise sheweth that the Israelites brought Iosephes bones out of Egypt as he gaue commaundement Concerning the other Patriarches although Moyses write nothing yet it is credible that their bones were also brought by their posteritie bicause Steuen affirmeth it so boldly before them who he knewe were diligent markers of his wordes Furthermore that the writers haue erred in the name of Abraham it is more plaine than needeth long declaration See at the least what is written touching this field which Iacob bought of the sonnes of Hemor Genes 33. and Iosua 24. He sayth the Patriarches dyed in Egypt for that it may appeere they dyed in that religion which consisted in no ceremonies but in the onely fayth which embraced the promyses of god Wherof may be gathered that they were iustifyed and saued by fayth through the meere grace of God and not by the lawe ceremoniall In the meane season we are taught that the faithfull dye godlily in what place so euer it be and that they are not to be thought miserable which dye in exyle out of their countrie For where this life wheresoeuer it is ledde is but a Pilgrimage and our countrie or Citie is permanent and abyding in heauen he cannot dye in banishment which hauing ended the race of his pilgrimage is taken into the hauen of the heauenly countrie For the Aungell calleth them blessed which die in the Lorde And Christ testifieth that they which beleeue in him passe from death vnto lyfe Furthermore God is present euerywhere with his that are ready to die And in the later daye the earth the sea and all the parts of the world shall render agayne all those that euer they made awaye and consumed Therefore pieuishe and foolishe is the superstition of those which measure beatitude or blisse by holynesse of places and thinke it a great matter in what place a bodye is buried whereas it is playne that all the earth is the Lordes whose power and grace can be included and bounde to no place And let not these men obiect to mee the Patriarches which wylled their bones to be caried out of Egypt into the lande of Chanaan For they did not that to th ende to shewe they had any hope of saluation in the place of buriall but this was a worke of fayth which no feare of death coulde driue from them And for that they woulde testifie to all menne that they firmelye beleeued the promises of God which he had made vnto them touching their posteritie to be possessors and inhabiters of the land and would allure their ofspring to loue the same therfore they would there be buried so that euen at the poynt of death it may be sayde they had an hope and beliefe in the same And that good cause thus to doe appeereth by the condicions and behauiour of their posteritie who being deliuered out of Egypt by the singular myracles and woonders of God had yet an eye still vnto the same and despised the Countrie where their fathers were buried What woulde they therefore haue done if their fathers had appoynted their Sepulture in Egypt Therefore the example of these Patriarches nothing helpe their superstition which thinke so great an hope of mannes saluation and glory in the buriall place Let vs rather marke the poynt of thys diuision of Steuens whole oration and leauing the obseruation of ceremonies let vs keepe fast our hope and fayth that we may fitte with the holye Patriarches in the kingdome of heauen as Iesus Christ hath promised vs to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlvij. Homelie BVT when the tyme of the promise drewe nigh which God had sworne to Abraham the people grewe and multiplied in Aegypt till an other king arose which knewe not of Ioseph The same delt subtilly with our kynred and euyll intreated our fathers and made them cast out their yong chyldren that they should not remayne alyue The same tyme was Moyses borne and was acceptable vnto God and nourished vp in his fathers house three Moneths When he was cast out Pharaos daughter tooke him vp and brought him vp for hir owne sonne And Moses was learned in
that bodies are committed to the ground as seedes vnto the earth which afterward shall be raysed vp with more glory Howbeit it is like the holy men had an other consideration For while they decently bury him that was condemned by the sentence of the counsell they manifestly reproue the vnrighteousnesse of their aduersaries giue an euident testimony of the fayth which Steuen had preached Furthermore they declare how they reuerenced him whō they saw was so singular an instrumēt of christ And they are not like vnto those which now adays vse to let slip the raynes of an impotent vnbridled tonge against the ministers of the word by whose free speach and doctrine they see their enimies are incensed and so seeke after the bloud of the faithfull ministers of Christ deride their cōstancy boldnesse whom they ought to reuerence honor In the meane time we learne by this example what we owe to the bodies of the deade that is to say honest and comely buriall forasmuch as Paule sayeth our bodies be the Temples of the holy ghost We must in our buryinges vse no pryde or superstition wherin diuers faultes are now adayes committed For there are some which puffed vp with vanitie doe so forgette their mortall estate that they will after death also be prowde while they fasten the armes cognizances of vayne glory about their Tumbs There are other again which labour by Diriges and sacrifices to do away the sinnes of the dead or else after a peculiar sorte of ceremonie vse to canonize them and make them saintes wherof the one is peeuish and without example the other derogatory and repugnaunt vnto Christes merite and doctrine which teacheth vs that those that beleeue passe from death vnto lyfe and haue neede of no new expiacions Moreouer they make great lamentation ouer Steuen And that is not against the rule of Paule whiche forbiddeth vs we shoulde not mourne as the heathen do For they lament not as vncertaine doubtfull of Steuens estate but for that they see the wicked to haue such power and the church depriued of so excellent a Minister which might yet haue done very much good in setting forth the kingdome of christ Neither are they to be blamed which cannot by and by forget their friendes like men voyde of all humanitie and common sense but are enforced to weepe forasmuch as God hath not made vs blockes and the scripture euery where condemneth those that be destitute of naturall affections On this sort we reade Abraham bewayled Sara his wife Ioseph with his brethren Iacob their father the people of Israell Aaron Moses and Samuel wyth godly dutie Yea Christe when he sawe the two sisters mourne wepte for his belooued Lazarus In deede a meane must be kept lest we may be thought either to enuy the dead their heauenly felicitie or else to stande in doubte or not firmely to beleeue the inheritaunce of the same Last of all Luke setteth vs out a singuler example of tiranny that Saule vsed against the church wherin first the great crueltie of the tyranne next the vayne successe of his purpose and intent is to be considered Of this Saule it was sayd before that he consented to the death of Steuen and kept their clothes that stoned him wherby is signified that he was guiltie of innocent bloude But now he can not be satisfied with the tirannye of an vniuersall persecution but deuiseth a peculier way and goeth about vtterly to pull vp the church as it were by the rootes And he setteth not on them alone which openly professed the faith but bursteth into priuate houses and draweth out not onelye men but women also whome the infirmitie and weakenesse of sexe defended and putteth them in prison in so muche that certaine writers thinke not vnwittily the Oracle of a Woolfe that shoulde come out of the tribe of Beniamin ought to be applied vnto this Saule For he was in deede a rauenyng Woolfe which yet at length when he was conuerted distributed the wholesome spoyles of Euangelicall preachyng almost ouer the whole world And the thinges which Luke here reporteth of him he himselfe oftentimes confesseth yea he lamenteth hym of the same verye often See Actes 26. 1. Cor. 15. Galath 1. The vse of them all is that we shoulde acknowledge the goodnesse of God whiche did vouchsafe to take into his fauour so great an enimy For as he himselfe interpreteth the matter On hym would Iesus Christ shewe all long pacience to declare an example vnto them which should beleeue on him vnto eternall lyfe But what preuayled Saules great enterprise Coulde he make hauocke of the church Nothing lesse Yea he was the cause that they beyng scattered hither and thither spred the word of saluation kingdome of Christ the further Thus God knewe how to set forth the glorye of his sonne euen by those wayes which seemed most to hinder it Whervnto also is to be referred how the euill spirites in the gospell euen against their will brought before Christe and threw to the ground those whom they thought they had all power ouer Therefore their feare is foolishe which suffer themselues to be discouraged with the attemptes of tyrannes In the meane while we are aduertised of our dutie that we be not ouercome with persecutions nor forsake not our dutie by and by Which thyng diuers doe in these dayes who hauing bene once or twise in daunger make holyday for euer after as though they had fully discharged their dutie toward Christ already But they of whom Luke here speaketh do better which being driuen out of Ierusalem are by their banishment made the bolder and preach Christ euerywhere being myndfull of that sentence which sayth they shall be saued not which begin well but which continue vnto the ende Let vs therfore follow their zeale that after we haue faithfully finished this race of life we may attaine to the garland of the heauenly reward through Iesus Christ to whom be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lvij. Homelie THEN came Phillip into a Citie of Samarie and preached Christ vnto them And the people gaue heede vnto those thinges which Phillippe spake with one accord hearing and seyng the myracles which he did For vncleane spirites crying with lowde voyce came oute of many that were possessed of them And manye taken with palseyes and many that halted were healed And there was great ioye in that Citie But there was a certaine man called Simon which before tyme in the same Citie vsed witchcraft and bewitched the people of Samarie saying that he was a man that coulde doe great things whome they regarded from the least to the greatest saying this man is the power of God which is called great And hym they set much by bicause that of long tyme he had bewitched them with sorceries ALthough the Kingdome of Christ and the church is alway assaulted and set on by the
the 〈◊〉 Which gift Paule numbreth amongst the chiefe Therefore they are 〈◊〉 pieuish which looke for reuelations from heauen and lyke Doltes wickedly despyse the ministerie of the Church Let vs followe the godlynesse of this Eunuch his modestie humilitie and feruent desire of saluation For so it shall come to passe that we also shall attayne to true saluation in Iesus Christ to whom be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxj. Homelie THE tenour of the Scripture which he read was this Hee was ledde as a sheepe to be slayne and lyke a Lambe dumbe before his shearer so opened he not his mouth Bicause of his humblenesse he was not esteemed But who shall declare his generation for his lyfe is taken from the earth The Chamberlane aunswered Philip and sayde I praye thee of whome speaketh the Prophete this of himselfe or of some other man Philip opened his mouth and beganne at the same scripture and preached vnto him Iesus THe Euangelist Luke diligently descrybeth the hystorie of the Aethiopian conuerted vnto Christ aswell for many other causes as for that it conteyneth an ensample of true conuersion whereby we are taught howe God dealeth with vs when he mindeth to receyue vs into the societie of saluation First Luke sheweth how God is the cause efficient of this conuersion who of his meere fauour sent Philip throughe whose ministerie the Eunuch of Aethiopia shoulde be conuerted The same God as he chose vs all before the foundations of the worlde were layde wythout any respecte had to our good workes so by his grace he ministreth vnto vs and giueth vs when we thinke nothing thereof all thinges belonging to our saluation Next Philip is an instrument of this conuersion whose helpe God here vseth according to his custome For where our infirmitie is not able to abyde the maiestie of God he ordeyneth that we shall be taught and ledde by the ministerie of men which is a speciall argument of Gods goodnesse towarde vs and therefore is euerywhere first accounted among the benefites of god The instrument that Philip vseth is the worde of God not such an ineffable and ymaginary worde as certayne Seraphicall and fanaticall smatterers in Diuinitie suppose but the verye same worde that is conteyned in the Scriptures For out of these must all sermons and the whole doctrine of saluation be taken neyther must wee looke for any newe kynde of doctrine vnhearde of vntill this day Amongst all these thinges the mynde of the Eunuch so well disposed to receyue the truth and doctrine of saluation is notable That he was studious of religion the long iourney that he tooke both full of traueyle and daunger doth abundantly declare His desire to learne his diligent reading of the Scripture and that he woulde â—ake vnto him a man vnknowne of whome hee hoped for a more full 〈…〉 prooueth All which things it is manifest he had through the 〈◊〉 of God bicause these thinges vse to appeere in no man vnlesse he 〈◊〉 with some singuler illumination of the spirite But let vs see what 〈◊〉 they doe whyle they are togither which Luke in this place describeth repeating worde by worde the place of Esaye which gaue occasion to Philip to reason with the Aethiop touching Christ and hys saluation This place is in the .liij. Chapter neyther is there any other place that more euidently comprehendeth the misteries of Iesus Christ so that Ierome not without a cause iudgeth the Prophete Esay worthie to be numbred rather among the Euangelistes than the Prophets In the meane while Gods prouidence is to bee considered which gouerneth mennes affayres and suffereth nothing by hazarde to come to passe whereof wee haue an euident argument bicause euen at the very same tyme that Philip beginneth to talke with the Aethiope Luke sayth he was reading of that verie place An Ethnick or Infidell would impute this thing vnto fortune or chaunce But we acknowledge the prouidence of God which doth not onely giue all things their successe but also ruleth all other thinges appertayning to the same For how should he neglect mens matters be they neuer so small which numbreth the heares of our heades feedeth the byrdes of the ayre and singulerly decketh the flowers of the fielde Furthermore touching the place of Esaye it comprehendeth in it the whole summe of our redemption For it declareth the mysterie of Christes death and the victorie whereby he is entered inâ—o the glorie of his father and hath gotten an immortall and euerlasting kingdome It shall be good to consider euery thing in the order as it is declared First he setteth forth the death of Christ in these wordes He was ledde as a sheepe to be slaine and like a lambe dumbe before his shearer so he opened not his mouth By these wordes he doth not onely set forth the pacience of Christ which as at many other tymes so in his passion and death appeared most perfite but also he teacheth that he tooke his death of his owne accord and willingly so that the counsaile or force of his enimies wrought not the same In deede the Scribes and Phariseys tooke counsaile agaynst him Iudas sought all meanes busily to betraye him The high Priestes in theyr counsaile pronounced him guiltie of death Pilate caused him after he was whipped to be nayled on the Crosse. But what could all these haue done if he would haue vttered or shewed the strength of his diuine power and maiestie Yea who pulled him downe from his fathers bosome to the earth By whose counsayle tooke he fleshe and manhoode in the Uirgines wombe Who gaue them strength to rise againe which were sent out agaynst him and fell to the grounde at one worde spoken of hym These thinges therefore teache vs that he dyed bicause it was his pleasure to die forasmuch as he came into the worlde for none other cause but for that he would giue his life for the life of the worlde Therefore where he was able most valiantly to haue resisted the enterprises of his enimies he would yet be led to his death like a sheepe and a lambe so that he would not seeme no not in worde to vtter any token of an vnpacient minde and vnwilling to die Herevnto appertayneth that that is sayde in the Gospell Therefore doth my father loue me bicause I put my life from me that I might take it againe No man taketh it fro me but I put it away of my selfe I haue power to put it from me and I haue power to take it againe And Paule expounding these sayings sayth He became obedient to his father euen to the death of the Crosse and tooke vpon him the shape of a man being in the shape of God. Now these thinges serue partly for our redemption and saluation and partlye for our instruction For thus it behooued that our sinne of disobedience should be done away which made vs subiect to eternall damnation Moreouer Christ taught vs
at large by narration Wherfore in all these things we will briefely touch those things only which serue for this present place First he plainely teacheth what this Christ is where he calleth hi m Lorde of all things This is an euident testimonie of his diuinitie For it is manifest that the rule of all things pertayneth vnto God alone bicause he alone is the creator of all things And it is playne that all thinges were made by that eternall worde and that all power is giuen him of the father He must needes therefore be true god And lette no man here obiect vnto vs this worde of giuing as though he were therfore the lesse bicause he receyueth of another For this is to be referred to the nature of manne which he tooke vpon him to the which in a certayne time appoynted God the father gaue that which Christ according to his Godheade had from euerlasting For thus he speaketh himselfe a little before he went to hys death Now glorifie me ô father with thine owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee ere the worlde was The Arrians are hereby confuted and the Seruetanes which nowe a dayes follow their steppes and the dignitie of Christian fayth is defended against the Iewes and Turkes which saye we glory and trust in one that is no more but a man. Then Peter toucheth by the waye the meane of our saluation where he sayth that that eternall worde of God Iesus Christ was sent from God the father For in this worde sent he comprehendeth all the mysterie of his incarnation euen as Paule also where he sayth when the fulnesse of tyme came God sent his sonne made of a woman c. In his incarnation are comprised whatsoeuer things Christ did or suffred in the flesh for our saluation sake of the which things we shall hereafter intreate Furthermore he sayth he was sent to the children of Israel not that he belonged to them alone but for that he tooke fleshe and was borne of them and shoulde first shewe himselfe to them vntill through their vnbeliefe he should be caryed vnto the gentiles Thou shalt obserue in these things that al these affaires of Christ which are preached in the gospell are not of man but of Gods ordering and appoyntment For this worde was sent from god And it is euident that this is the eternall decree of God that Iesus Christ should be the King and Priest of his people Psal. 2.110 Wherevpon we gather that men striue in vaine by their owne power against his Gospell which thing before this we hearde that Gamaliel sawe and is abundantly declared by the examples of all ages Last of all he commeth to the ende and marke of all this matter which is that peace shoulde be preached by Christ Iesus So Esaias cap. 52. speaking of the Preachers of the Gospell sayth O how bewtifull are the feete of the Ambassadour that bringeth the message from the mountayne and proclaymeth peace c. Peter maketh mention of preaching not for that Christ is the Minister therof only but bicause that peace wherof he is the author is offred to vs by preaching of the Gospell receiued by hearts of fayth He specially speaketh of that peace which is betweene god and vs by the meane of Iesus christ For before times by reason of our sinnes we were seperated from god reputed as his enimies And Paule writeth that the wrath of God was declared from heauen agaynst all vngodlynesse and vnrighteousnesse of men Therefore there was neede of a peacemaker and reconcyler which the scriptures declare God the father hath giuen vs euen Iesus christ For he hath taken vpon him our sinnes which were cause of the seperation betweene God and vs he hath purged them by the merite of his death and satisfied the rigour of Gods iustice And he being made ours by fayth doth clothe vs with his righteousnesse and doth defende and shielde vs that wee be able to abyde the iudgement seate of God who otherwyse had deserued by reason of our sinnes to be damned for euer Thus it commeth to passe that according to Paules doctrine we being iustified by fayth are at peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Thys the father himselfe confesseth when from heauen he sounded that ioyfull and comfortable voyce This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased And this is that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and which can by no maner of afflictions be disturbed bicause it maketh them seeme light and easie to them which vnderstande that God is become mercifull to them in Christ and that they are made the children of god This peace also breedeth ciuill brotherly concorde amongst men bicause that by meane of Christ all that respect of persons among the faythfull wherby mutuall concorde among men is chiefly broken is taken away And bicause it kindleth mens mindes wyth the fire of charitie it so graffeth in them the desire of peace that they hate no things more deadly than such as they knowe hinder it Great therefore and very execrable is the ingratitude and iniquitie of those men which exclame and crye out saying the preaching of the gospell is the disturbaunce of publyke peace and policie For thus they make Iesus Christ the Prince of true and euerlasting peace the author of those offences which they may thanke the wicked worlde of who therefore maketh tumultes and businesses agaynst Christ and his worde bicause they can not suffer the light thereof whereby their naughtie workes are reprooued Let vs acknowledge the goodnesse of God which doth vouchsafe to offer the doctrine of saluation vnto all men and let vs with true fayth embrace Iesus Christ the onely author of saluation and peace to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .lxxv. Homelie YOV I saye knowe that woorde which was published throughout all Iurie and beganne in Galiley after the baptisme which Iohn preached howe GOD annoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy ghost and with power Which Iesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the deuill For God was with him ALthough Peter made this Sermon at Caesarea in the house of Cornelius the Captayne yet the same apperteyneth to all men and is meete at this daye to be most diligently considered of vs For beside that manye thinges are gone before which teach vs that the spirit of God was the author hereof in this part Peter fully includeth the whole order of our iustification and saluation And hereof he admonished his hearers in the proposition as erewhile we sawe whereas he promised them to speake of the eternall worde of God which is Iesus Christ who being Lorde of all things and therefore very God did yet vouchsafe to come into the worlde to reconcyle mankinde vnto God the father and to be the author and preacher of that moste wholesome peace Now bicause by these wordes he
followed We are here taught that we must not alwayes cleaue to the iudgements and examples of notable men but rather trie and examine all things after the rule of the Scripture afore we imitate them For if they were so fowly deceyued which had the greatest dignitie among the people of God by his appointment what shall we hope of others They are also confuted which when we bring forth the worde of God bring vs the examples of Princes and great estates For the question is not what men doe but what is done according or contrarye to the worde of god Moreouer we are taught that the reading of the Scripture neuer so much preuayleth not if we well vnderstande not the meaning of the Scripture Moses the Prophets were read of ordinary among the Iewes in all their sinagoges But whereas they were deceyued in the affiance of their owne righteousnesse they knew not the ende of the lawe which was Iesus Christ and being ignorant thereof they fulfylled the Scriptures presumptuously putting him to death whom Moses the Prophets did prophecie should be their sauiour We see the same hath come to passe these many yeres in the papacie or Popedome The vnlearned Monkes and Priests reade and sing the holy scriptures Yet Christ whome the scriptures teach is despised of a great many and Antichrist is worshipped and glorifyed whome the scriptures with one consent warne vs to beware of And other cause of so fylthy an error is there none than for that men being puffed vp with a Iewishe affiance of their owne works are not able to see the righteousnesse of Christ while they go about to set vp their owne righteousnesse See Rom. 10. Secondly he alleageth the authoritie of Gods prouidence declaring that for this cause no manne ought to be offended at the death of Christ bicause he suffred nothing but that the Prophetes to whome the holye ghost long before reuealed the counsayles and ordinaunce of God prophecied he shoulde suffer Wherefore the Priestes when they vnderstoode not the scripture yet they fulfylled them in that they presumed to condemne and put Christ to death And it is no doubt but Paule in this place brought forth the oracles of the Scripture which are extant euerywhere touching Christes passion In that he sayth the Prophecies were fulfylled by the wicked enimies of Christ we learne that the very wicked also are the instruments of God by whome oftentimes he vseth to bring his ordinances and deuises to passe And yet they are not therfore to be excused bicause they doe that that God will haue to bâ— done For where they like Bedlems rage in impietie against God and go about to hinder and not to set forwarde his ordinances they are in the fault and God is to be praysed and glorifyed which can moderate and order their audacitie and boldenesse so well Also his inuincible power and infallible veritie appeareth in these examples For if hys deuises take effect through the meane of his very enimies also then must they needes stande fast for euer Therefore they whose infyrmitie is feared with the cruell deuises of the Princes of this worlde let them seeke comfort hereat But whereas it might notwithstanding be obiected that it was scarce credible that God would appoynt him to be our Sauiour who was made away by so slaunderous a death and such as was cursed euen by the lawe therefore in the thirde part he prooueth he was innocent and guiltlesse and sheweth that his kinde of death must not be so much considred as his cause when they founde by him sayth he no cause of death yet desired they Pylate to kill him These things might haue bene declared more at large as it is like Paule did bicause he spake vnto them which suspected all Christes doing Let it suffyse vs to holde fast the scope and ende of Paule that is howe no man ought to be offended at Christes death which he suffered being an innocent forasmuch as many times the holyest men of all vse to be put to death both vnworthily and vniustly Also the true vse of Christes innocencie must be well weyghed which consisteth in the purgation or clensing of our sinnes For if Christ had not bene free and cleere of all sinnes he coulde neuer haue bene able to haue satisfyed for our sinnes For howe can he make others cleane that is himselfe vncleane Or how shoulde one being indebted himselfe paye other mennes debtes Therefore it behooued Christ shoulde be innocent that we might knowe howe he who had deserued no death for his part suffred death for vs Esay maketh mention herof where he expoundeth the mysterie of our redemption cap. 53. And hereto belongeth that saying of Paule God made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes shoulde be the righteousnesse which before God is allowed And this is the chiefe cause why the Euangelistes be so earnest in setting forth the innocencie of christ Then if none ought to bee offended with Christes death bicause he suffred innocently by the same reason the vnworthy and vniust slaughters of the Saintes ought to offende no body whereby they are made partakers of Christes crosse to th ende to be glorifyed with him Fourthly least anye man shoulde thinke that Christ was ouercome by the force or power of his enimies and therefore shoulde deny that he were a sauiour or reuenger he teacheth that he receyued no losse or harme by the wicked enterprises of the Priestes They perfourmed all the thinges which were prophecyed of him while they killed him on the Crosse and pierced his side with a speare and at length tooke him down from the crosse and layd him in a sepulchre But for all this he was of neuer the lesse power or glory For God as he foreshewed raysed him vppe from death so that now he liueth for euer in a glorifyed body where they enuyed him this miserable and corruptible life But let it here offende no man that Christes buriall is permitted to his wicked enimies the honor whereof the Euangelistes ascribe to his faythfull disciples Ioseph and Nichodemus For Paule here speaketh howe they were not contented with his ordinary buriall but caused the grauestone to be sealed with Pylates signet and gotte souldiours to watch him and forceably to keepe him downe in his graue thinking that they of their owne power had killed him vpon the crosse and were ignorant that he layde downe his lyfe of his owne voluntary This diligent description of his buriall maketh for the more certaintie and truth of his resurrection For thus it appeareth there coulde be no frawde or deceyt in the matter and that it was a false rumour that the Priestes caused to be raysed by the souldiours being well bribed with money that his Disciples came and stole away his body In the meane season we may take a generall comfort hereof that the enimies of Christ fyght against him in vaine The same
Trogyllion The day following we came to Miletum For Paule had determined to saile ouer by Ephesus bicause he would not spend the time in Asia for he hasted if it were possible to keepe at Ierusalem the feaste of Pentecoste AFter that the Apostle Paule had accomplished at Ephesus all things that appertained to the establishment of the same Church theâ— went hee on with the voyage that hee had before purposed to make in the which hee visited the Churches of Macedonia and Greece and confirmed them in the true faithe Wee haue seene there notable argumentes of the Apostles faythe and diligence when as Paule lette for no laboure or daunger eyther to gette Churches or to preserue those that were gotten At length hee came to Troas where fell oute certaine peculiare things in the describing whereof Luke is very diligent And first hee setteth out an ensample of Ecclesiasticall assemblie and next a myracle that God would haue wrought in that place bothe for the commendation and setting forthe of Paules Ministerie and for diuers causes else Hee describeth this Churche assemblie with all the circumstaunces thereof very diligently And beginning with the time he saythe they came togither on a Sabboth day which day as yet was muche celebrated bicause of the auncient custome Afterward when the Church began more and more to increase the next day following the Sabothe was appoynted for Goddes seruice and in remembraunce of Christes resurrection it was called the Lordes day By this place we learne that suche dayes as God hathe appoynted for seruice or religion ought not to bee neglected of Christian menne For they are not onely needefull bicause of outwarde woorshippe but also inwarde which cheefely consisteth in the studie of Goddes woorde and in the diligent meditation of his benefites the bodie and minde for the time beeing cleane separated from all prophane matters whiche thyng was the cause that GOD commaunded the breakers of the Sabothe to bee punished with deathe And the breaking of the Saboth is accoâ—â—ted of the Prophetes amongest the moste haynous sinnes and causes of the Captiuitie of Babylon so that it was not without a cause that Nehemias thought it is duetie to see that day kept so holy when the people retourned from their captiuitie Whereunto appertaineth also the example of Christ who as he oftentimes vppon the saboth day went into the Sinagoges so he diuers times disputed diligently of the right vsing of that day to deliuer it both from superstition â–ª and also from contempte Then he sheweth also the place where this companie or assemblie mette This was a loft or chambre in the priuate house of some one of the faithfull who appointed it for the Churche or Congregation bicause the Christians for good cause abhorred the Temples of the Idolaters and they had no publike place permitted them by reason the Romane Presidentes bare rule in euery place which either were no fauourers of Christian religion or else were open enimies thereof He sayth there were diuers candles lighted in the chamber to putte away the darkenesse of the nighte and for auoyding the suspition of dishonestie Therefore it is a peeuishe erroure of them which of a foolishe imitation make that a seruice of God which in times past serued for necessitie and thinke that God which is the light euerlasting is woorshipped with candles of tallowe or waxe and for the defense of their inuention vse both this place and the example of Moses lawe For heere is plainely expressed the night time when it is needefull for candles to bee lighted And for the same cause afterwarde the Christians vsed candles in their assemblies bicause they coulde not meete togyther but in the morning before day by reason of the lying awayte of their ennimies as appeareth by the Epistles of Plinius Secundus and may be gathered oute of the Churche wryters The which cause being taken awaye it is but foolishnesse to helpe the day lighte with artificiall lightes It is euident there was a farre other meaning of the Candlesticke in Leuiticus For as all the ceremonies of that Priesthoode were figures of things that Christ shoulde perfourme and were ordained only till the time of correction so the candlesticke also was a figure of Christ which is the true and eternall lighte of the worlde and which by the ministerie of the Gospell lighteneth his Churche for the which cause the Apostles and they which are theyr true and lawful successoures are called the light of the world In the meane season wee learne that it is necessary to haue certaine places for the outwarde woorshipping and for the Congregation to meete in suche as in the olde Testament the Temple and Sinagoges were and suche as after the Apostles times when the Churche began somewhat to be at rest the Oratories that were builded were In these places all things must serue for honestie and for religion and nothing must be suffered that declareth any superstition too much riotous cost or prophane contempt Thirdly he sheweth the cause of this meeting which was as he writeth to breake bread He meaneth the holy supper of the Lorde which in times past they called breaking of bread bicause the bread was broken therein according to Christes institution bothe for that wee shoulde confesse oure selfe sinners and guiltie of the death of Christ and also for that we should vnderstand that the merite of Christ was dealt among vs and pertained indifferently vnto all beleeuers It is very worthy to be obserued howe our forefathers in the time of the Apostles vsed to order and celebrate this Supper Firste of all Paule maketh a sermon as the things following declare bicause the supper was ended after Eutychus was raised Therfore when the sermon was ended they went to the supper and that in the open sight of the assemblie in a place and time appoynted for Gods seruice and after none other fashion than was appointed by christ For that they obserued the same manner and rites in all pointes both the woorde breaking of breade and the example of Paule declareth which reuoked the Corinthians so carefully to that forme of supper that Christ ordained Thus is it euident that Christ also vsed to teach before the supper and did ordaine nothing tending more to superstition than religion Therefore let the Papistes regarde with what argumentes or examples they defend their Masse wherin there is no word of God taught al things are don in a straÌ„ge tong the people haue nothing to muse or think on but wearish and peeuish gestures and stage playes to say nothing in the meane while of the impairing of Chrystes sacrifice of the derogation of his merit and how the faith religion of Christ is ouerthrowne euen vnto the foundations But so ought they to be seduced which had leauer folow the imagination of their own braine than the institution of Christ. Moreouer the manner that Paule vsed in his preaching pertaineth to the description of the assembly of
intercession those promisses are ratified whereof wee should haue no vtilitie at all vnlesse he were the maintainer and defender of the couenaunt But bicause as well the diuine power of Christ as also the office whereunto his father appoynted him appeareth most euidently in the resurrection of the deade as Paule other wheres declareth he omitteth nowe the other Articles and taketh him to entreate only thereof as a thing cheefely appertaining to this present controuersie For by this it appeared both that Iesus Christ which rose againe from the deade was the aucthor of life and saluation and also the error of the Saduces which vtterly denied the resurrection was confuted For it is very like that this secte at that time did muche preuaile with many men and that diuers of Paules hearers were infected with the same For onlesse we graunte this Paule may seeme too importunate which asketh in angrye wise why it should seeme incredible to them that he saide God should raise the deade againe And vndoubtedly Paule intreated of all these things more at large and confirmed them with testimonies of scriptures But Luke doth but touch certaine breefe notes of euery thing to giue vs an occasion the more to meditate thereof And surely this place which the breuitie thereof maketh obscure will be moste plaine if a man woulde draw out therof the propositions or arguments which Paule as it is euident more at large handled Wherof this shal be the first Our controuersie is touching the hope of the promisse made by God vnto the fathers and of the whole meane of our saluation The seconde I teache that this hope consisteth in Iesus Christe onely which they constantly denie The third I proue by the resurrectioÌ„ of him which declared that he was both the sonne of God and the aucthor of life that all the meane of our life and saluation consisteth in Christe The fourth neither ought the resurrection of Christ to seeme incredible to any man for as much as it is a moste easie thing vnto God in the end of the world to raise all the dead againe as all the scriptures declare he shall doe This seemeth to me to be the order of Paules oration and the summe of al those things which hitherto haue ben spoken which if we consider it shall be very easie to explicate euery thing more at large Also by the enumeration of certaine principall poyntes he thought he wold make his hearers attent bicause they should not thinke that he contended with the Iewes about a trifle as Festus before had said In the meane season we haue to consider certaine common places falling out in this matter And first of all we be taught what the faith hope of all the Sainctes and of the whole church of God hath bene in al ages Uerily euen such as hath depended vpon Christ the sonne of God which became man for our sake and which beleeueth that all faithe and saluation consisteth in him only For this dothe Paule in this place call the hope of the promisse made sometime vnto the fathers But the Catholike faithe saithe that all the promisses are confirmed in Christ as Paule himselfe euery where confesseth specially in the first Chapter of the second to the Corinthians and in the tenth Chapter of the first to the same Corinthians where he wryteth that the condition of the fathers of the olde Testament was allone with oures so that he attributeth to them oursacraments also which are baptisme and the supper eueÌ„ as other wheres he attributeth to vs the passeouer and spirituall circumcision Howbeit these things shall more euideÌ„tly appeare if we consider the promisses of God which he made sometimes vnto the fathers Among these fathers Adam is the first who when hee was thrust out of Paradise into this vale of misery had none other hope of saluation giuen him than that which is in Christ only For the seede of the woman was promised vnto him whose heele the serpent should lie in wait to sâ—ing although in vaine for as much as that seede shuld crush and tread down the serpents head But Christ alone may be called the seede of the woman which without any commixtion of mannes seede toke fleshe of the virgin Marie The Deuill that olde Serpent lay craftely in waite against his heele that is to say against his humane nature and by his instruments brought to passe that he was slaine vpon the Crosse but to his owne vtter hinderance and destruction For heereby it came to passe that Christ when he died trade downe the head of the Diuell that is vanquished his rule and tirannie by the merite of his deathe and vtterly disarmed him of his force and draue him out of his kingdome But seeing there is no doute but that Adam beleeued this promisse for as muche as he chaunged his wiues name and called hir Heuâ— as which should bring foorth them that should lyue it is euident that he dyd put his whole hope and trust in Iesus Chryst alone which was that promised seede of the woman Therefore Adam was a christian man and beleeued that he and his posteritie should be deliuered and saued from the tyrannie of the Diuell through the merite of Chryst onely Paule in the .11 chapter to the Hebrues proueth most euideÌ„tly that Abel Enoch Noe and the other fathers as many as before the floud plesed god were of the same fayth After the floud we haue chiefly to consider Abraham with whom it pleased God to renue his couenant whom the scriptures cal the father of all those that beleeue Moyses and Paule beare witnesse that he beleeued God and howe that beleefe and fayth was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse What he beleeued all men knowe verily that the promise of God which sayde that in his seede all nations should be blessed and saued should be confirmed And that this seede was Chryst bothe Paule in the third to the Galathians and Chryst him selfe witnesseth For Chryst sayth Abraham reioyced to see my day and he sawe it and was glad This is to be vnderstanded of the contemplation and sight of fayth onely Whervppon we gather that Abraham also was stayed vp by fayth onely in Chryst and at length saued Touching his ofspring and issue Isahac and Iacob what needeth it to speake seeing it is manyfest that the promises made vnto the father are so oftentimes repeated vnto them yea Iacob when he lay a dying preached to his children touching the sauiour that was promised and playnely expresseth his comming And if we consider Moses it shal appeare that he also had his respecte vnto Chryst onely He sendeth the people of Israell vnto him whereas he promiseth them a great Prophet which al men were bound to heare as we vnderstode before by the words of Stephen and Peter Moreouer that one Epistle to the Hebrues is sufficient to teach vs that all the Ceremonies of the lawe and the Leuiticall seruice were
housholde Psal. 55.41 c. Math. 10. The horrible end of Iudas Let Ministers wayte till they be orderly called Hiere 23. Roma 10. Galat. 2. Hebrues 5. Prophecies of Iudas punishment The prouydence of God doth not warrant wickednesse The punishmentes of Christs enimies Destruction Deuter. 28. Math. 27. Math. 23. Math. 24. Luke 19. Rome many tymes spoyled ryfled Rome taken seauen times within .139 yeares No dignitye or other preheminence caÌ„ delyuer vs from Gods iudgement Math. 25. 1. Samuel 2 Deuter. 28. Malach. 2. Peter exhorteth to appoint another in Iudas roume Math. 24. Howe wee should reade the scriptures Roma 15. 2. Timo. 3. What maner of men should be chosen into the ministery Luke 2. Mark. 6. Math. 3. Malach. 2. 1. Timo. 3. Titus 1. 1. Timo. 3. Luke 22. The office of Apostles and Ministers of the worde Marke 16. 1. Corin. 9. The choosing of Ministers must be done duly orderly 1. Cor. 3. Roma 1. 1. Timo. 3. Math. 24. Iohn 10. Let Ministers be chosen openlye before the coÌ„gregation 1. Timo. 3. Leuit. 8. Numer 30. Actes 6. 14. cap. The yeare of oure Lorde 1122. Looke the Chronicle of Vrspurgensis The choosing of Ministers must be ascribed to God alone Act. 13.14 1. Timo. 3. and .5 Titus 1. Math. 24. 1. Corin. 4. Hiere 1. Ezech. 3. and .33 Amos. 7. Amos. 3. Actes 4. 5. Galath 1. The lotte of Ministerie or Apostleshippe Math. 20. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Cor. 11.12 Iohn 13. 2. Cor. 5. Matthias is chosen by lottes Unlawfull lottes Geomantie is a kinde of profession consisting of circles and figures made on the ground Lawfull lottes Prouer. 18. Numer 33. Prouer. 16. Matthias is chosen Apostle and Barsâ—bas refused After what sort the Apostles receiued the holye Ghost Psalm 33. 1. Pet. 1. Luke 1. Math. 16. Iohn 6. Psalm 133. I The holye Ghost was sent at the feast of Pentecost Leuit. 23. Deut. 16. 1. Tim. 2. The Epistle to Ianuarye 119. 2. Corin. 3. Math. 5. Galat. 4. 2. Corin. 3. II The state and condition of the Apostles Howe men must prepare themselues to receiue the holy ghost Iohn 3. 2. Corin. 1.5 Ephes. 1. Psalm 50. Iohn 13. Psalm 51. Luke 11. The spirite of Christ is the Author of concord holinesse The maner how the holy ghost was sent Iohn 14. Math. 28. Suddenly a noyse came from heauen Psalm 27. Habac. 24. Galat. 1. A vehement winde filleth all the house Iohn 3 Psalm 2. Clouen tongues as they had ben of fire The gift of tongues The Apostles are not licensed to preache tyll they were well instructed 1. Tim. 3. Titus 1. 1. Cor. 14. Schooles Amoz 2. Ruffinus in the Eccles. historie the first booke and chapter The holye ghost chaungeth oure tongues and teacheth them Rom. 1. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. Iohn 14. 16. Esay 19. Against blasphemers and filthie talkers Math. 15. Math. 12. Psalm 34. Ephes. 4.5 Collos. 3. Psalm 141. The holye ghost maketh men bolde in the confession of Christ. Math. 10. Mark. 8. Rom. 10. Sozomenus in the Hystorie Tripeâ—tite â–ª the booke sixt and thirde Chapter Apoca. 3. The hearers of the Apostles were of all Nations Godly and religious hearers Esay 1.10 Rom. 10. Prouerb 2. Math. 7. Scoffers Dogges Hogges 2. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 1. Luke 2. Esay 53. Iohn 3. The effectual opâ—ration of the holy ghost The Apostlâ—s take themselues for equalles and felowes The argument of Petâ—rs sâ—rmon Psalm 76. Christians ought to put awaye slaunder and to defende their good name Prou. 22. 1. Tim. 3. Esay â— â—cclesi 10. The place of Ioel second Chapter The promise of the holye Ghost The gift of the holye Ghost is the greatest gift that GOD hath giuen vs. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 14. and .16 Rom. 8. Galath 4. Math. 7. Math. 6. After what sort and to whome the holy ghoste is giuen Galath 3. 2. Tim. 2. Iohn 10. The difference of the olde and new testament Exod. 19. Amoz 3. Psal. 76. and .147 Math. 8. Marc. 16. Actes 10. Isa. 54. Iohn 1. Math. 13. The effect of the holy ghost is câ—mmon to all beleeuers 1. Cor. 14. Esay 11. Hiere 31. Iohn 6. Esay 54. Which the great day of the Lord is The vse of the prophecies concerning the troubles of the later dayes Chiliastae were suche as imagined that Christe and they after the generall doome should reigne personally on earth 1000. yeres Psal. 110. Iohn 18. Iohn 16. Math. 24. Marck 13. Luke 21. The state of the later days shall be verye troublous Math. 24. The vse of woonders Amoz 3. The causes of the troublous estate of the later dayes The godlye also are cause of calamities Psal. 119. Luc. 12. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Cor. 11. The waye how to escape these calamities Rom. 10. Saluation consisteth in inuocation The maner of inuocatioÌ„ Iohn 1. Math. 3.17 Hebr. 4. Iohn 14. Iohn 4. The fruite of inuocation The person of Christ. Heb. 2. Luc. 6. Luc. 8. Math. 11. Iohn 5. Iohn 10. Iohn 15. Iohn 14. Christ is very God and man. Iohn 10. Isa. 11.9 Ierem. 23. Mich. 6. Zach. 13. The vse of Christes diuinitie and humanitie Heb. 4. Heb. 2. Iohn 14. 1. Tim. 2. The passion and death of Christ. The preaching of the Gospel must begin with reproouing of sinne Math. 9. Luc. 5. Iohn 16. Luc. 24. The boldenesse of Pâ—ter in rebuking sinne Psal. 36. Math. 24. Ierem. 1. Christ dyeth by the appointment of God. 1. Pet. 1. Esay 55. The prouidence of God hath both counsell and prescience in it Psal. 113. The vse of Gods prouidence Iohn 15. Math. 6. and .10 Prou. 25. The resurrection of Christ. Hose 13. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 5. Heb. 2. Rom. 4. Rom. 10. Rom. 8. Psal. 16. The summe of godlynesse and religion Gen. 17. Psal. 123. Phil. 2. Iohn 17. In his thirde bookâ— of Epistles the .xxv. Epistlâ— Gen. 39. Psal. 14.36 Psal. 94. Psal. 50. Esay 9. Psal. 27. Psal. 46. Psal. 62. Psal. 50. Psal. 91. 1. Cor. 10. Psal. 94. Isa. 40. The fruites of godlynesse Ioy of heart Iohn 16. 1. Thes. 5 Phil. 4. Prou. 1. Luc. 6. Rom. 5.8 Ioy of tonge Psal. 50. Psal. 22. Psal. 60. Hose 14. Chearefull death Phil. 1. Psal. 90. Iob. 5. Math. 22. Iohn 5. Iob. 19. 1. Thes. 4. The article of resurrection declared 1. Cor. 15. The descention of Christ into hell Luc. 23. Iohn 19. 1. Pet. 3.4 Sap. 3. The resurrection of the body Gene. 3. Phil. 3. Life euerlasting Gen. 3. Rom. 5. 1. Iohn 1. Iohn 6.14.1 â—1 Iohn 14. The state of the heauenly life is mâ—ste blissefull Apoc. 21. Math. 25. Iohn 17. Psal. 110. The ascention of Christ. Iohn 12. Iohn 14. Iohn 17. The face or countenance of God. Prou. 16. and â–ª 20. Math. 5. Psal. 80. The testimony of the .xvi. Psalme is prooued 1. Reg. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 24. 2. Sam. 7. Luc 1. Psal. 132. Psal. 110. The olde fathers were not vtterly
and order of Peters sermon The doctrine of saluation belongeth to the Gentyles also Ephes. 2. The holye men are ignoraunt of some things God regardeth no mans person Deut. 1. Exod. 23. Psal. 82. The studies and exercises of them that please God. Iohn 14. The proposition Christ is god Iohn 1.3 and .5 Iohn 17. Christ incarnate Galat. 4. Christ is the authour of peace betwene God and man. Rom. 1. Rom. 5. Math. 3.17 Iohn 3. When and where Christ began to bee knowne Iohn 1.3 The Gospell beganne to be preached by Iohn Doctrine must be ioyned vnto the sacraments 1. Cor. 1. Iesus is annoynted of God. 1. Sam. 2. Daniel 9. Psal. 94. Math. 16. Luke 9. Psal. 44. Esay 61. Iohn 1.3 See Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall hystorye lib. 1. cap. 1. Apoc. 1. Math. 28. Psal. 110 Ephes. 1. Ephe. 4. Heb. 9.10 Heb. 2.4 Esay 42. How Christ accomplyshed the office of a King priest Christ goeth about doing good Marc. 1. Luke 4. Math. 11. Esay 55. Christ healeth those that are oppressed of the Deuill 1. Iohn 3. Luke 11. See Eusebius in the lyfe of Constantine lib. 2. See also a lyke aunswere of the Deuill in the coniurers coÌ„spiring against Athanasius in Ruffinus .x. booke of the Eccles. history 33. ca The Apostles are witnesses of Christ. 1 The maner howe mankinde was redeemed i. Our sinnes are purged by the sacrifyce of Christ Iohn 6. Heb. 9.10 ij. Death is ouercome by the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ. 1. Cor. 15. Luke 24 Iohn 21. iii. Christ iudgeth both the quicke and the dead Iohn 5. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes. 4. Luke 21. Phil. 3. 1. Thes. 4. 2 How we be made partakers of christ and of saluation Remission of sinnes is in the name of Christ. Rom. 3. 2. Cor. 5. Iohn 14. Remission of sinnes is taken holde of by fayth Marc. 16. Math. 15. Math. 9. The Prophetes teach the iustification of fayth Gene. 15. Gene. 22. Iohn 8. Rom. 4. Esay 53. Ierem. 23. Math. 15. 1 Peters doctrine is confirmed by the sending of the holy ghost Gala. 3. The dignitie and efficacie of the gospel Rom. 1. 2. Cor. 3. Eusebius in the hystorie Ecclesiastical v. booke and vij chap. Looke â—raeneus his owne words in his second booke agaynst heresâ—es cap. 57. Rom. 8. The exercyses of the faythfull Hos. 14. Psa. 116. Psa. 69. 2 How the beholders were affected with the myracle of sending the holy ghost Euen in the faythfull sometime are errors to be founde 1. Cor. 11. Actes 1. 2. Tim. 4. Peter vnderstandeth the ende of the myracle The reason of baptisme Contemners of sacrameÌ„ts Anabaptists Marc. 10. Papistes Rom. 4. The order of saluation Ephes. 1. 3 Cornelius is an example of a kinde and thankful hearer Iohn 8. 1 Howe the Church iudgeth of Peters deede What it is to receyue the word of God. 1. Thes. 2. 1. Thes. 1. 1. Iohn 2. Peter is repreheâ—ded for his well doing No man can please all parties 1. Cor. 23. Prouer. 10. 1. Pet. 4. The apology or defence of Peter 1. Pet. 3. Galat. 1. Eusebius in the storye of the Church v. booke chap. 24.25 26. Distinct. 40. Cap. If the Pope c. i. The visâ—on of the sheete Ephes. 2. ij. The commaundement of God. iij. The appearing of the Aungell Psal. 107. 2. Cor. 5. Ierem. 44. iiij. The sending of the holy ghost How the brethren did accâ—pt Peters Apologie The godly yeelde vnto reason 2. Cor. 10. Rom. 1.16 We must reioyce in the saluation of other Rom. 9.10 How God giueth repentance 2. Cor. 5. Ezech. 18. 1. Reg. 21. Esay 1. Psal. 103. The spreading of Christes kingdom vnto the GeÌ„tyles The occasion of the spreading of the Church arose by reason of the persecution The Ministers be they neuer so godly doe sometime disagree 1. Cor. 11. Phaenicia Cyprus Antioch are illuminated with the Gospell 1. Cor. 1. Iesus Christ is the theme and argumeÌ„t of the Apostles doctrine The successe of the gospel 1 The good will of the Church at Ierusalem towarde the Church at Antioch 2 Of Barnabas Barnabas is a good man. Prou. 26. Barnabas reioyceth at other mennes profite Barnabas exhorteth to perseuerance Luke 9. 2. Tim. 4. Barnabas bringeth Paule to Antioch Iohn 5. Math. 9. 3 The successe of godly studye and zeale Manye are brought vnto the Lorde Luc. 8. Esay 55. Math. 16. Math. 23. Math. 28. The Disciples are callâ—d Christiâ—ns Esay 62. Apoc. 1. The vse of this name Christian. See Eusebius ecclesiasticall hystory first booke and first chap. 1 The dearth in the dayes of Claudius Amos. 3. Math. 6.10 1. Cor. 10. In the .ix. booke of the Ecclesiastical history viij ch 2 God prouideth for his Church by Prophetes Amos. 3. In his .vij. booke and .xij chap. of the warres of the Iewes The holye ghost is author of prophecie 3 What the Antiochians did before the dearth came Luc. 19. The Antiochianes prepare themselues to prouide for the poore 1. Cor. 9. The maneâ— of contributing to the poore 2. Cor. 9. Luc. 16. 2. Cor. 8. Marc. 12. 1 Persecution râ—geth in time of derth Gene. 12. Gene. 26. Gene. 37.39 Gene. 47. Math. 24. Luke 21. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Cor. 11. 2 Herodes Agrippa is author of thys persecuâ—ion A Tetrarchy is one part of a kingdome or prouince deuided in fower parts Psal. 2. c. 3 The causes of thys persecution i. Schisme 1. Reg. 13. 1. Mach. 1. ij. Desire to please the people Psal. 72. 4 What Herode did in persecuting the Church i. Iames is killed with the sworde Marc. 3. Math. 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 2. Tim. 2. ij. Peter is apprehâ—nded Luc. 22. 5 What the congregation did during the persecution â—eb 13. Roma 12. 1. Cor. 12. 1 The time when Peter was deliuered Esay 37. Marc. 4. 2 How Peter was affected in his minde being in prison Psalm 2. Phil. 4. Iohn 14. 3 The maner of his deliuery i. The ministerye of an Aungell 1. Cor. 11. ij. A lyght shyneth Iohn 8.12 iij. The Angell awaketh him Iohn 11. iiij. The impediments of deliuery are castly taken awaye Daniel 6. 1. Cor. 18. 4 what Peter doth after he is deliuered Luke 9. Psal. 50. Psal. 107. 2. Tim. 4. Psal. 34. Math. 10. 1 Peter desireth to be ioâ—ned 〈…〉 gaâ—e 2 The exercises of the Primitiue Church Plinie the yonger in his Epistle to Tâ—â—iane the Emperour See what the 〈◊〉 repoâ—â—â—â— of these assembles in Tertullians Apology cap. Leuit. 23. Math. 18. Tertullian in his Apology cap. 39. Luke 18. See Tertullian in his Apology ca. â—9 Esay 9. Amos. 4. 3 Howe the faythful weâ—e affected at Peters coÌ„ming Heb. 2. The prayers of the godlye are not in vaine The apparitions of aungels Gen. 28.32 2. Reg. 6. Peter will haue Gods benefite to be declared Peter prouydeth for himselfe by flying Math. 10. 4 Howe Herode tooke the myracle of God. Math. 28. Psalm 7. Psal. 105. Zach. 2. Herode is offended with those
that border vpon him The condicions of Tyrants The successe of the wicked is a preamble of ruine Ierem. 12. Prou 16. Psal. 37. Herode desâ—reth to be honoured as a God. The destruction of Herode Eusebius in the .2 booke of the Ecclesiasticall storie .x. chap. A disease which maye well be called the lowsie euill by reason of lyce which encrease so mightily that they deuour and eate vp the body 1. Pet. 5. The enlargement of Christes kingdome 1. Pet. 1. 1 The commendation of the Churche at Antioch Prophets Pastours Roma .. 10. 1. Cor. 4. Ephes. 4. Amos. 2. Manaen a noble man and a Courtyer Phil. 2. Heb. 11. 2 Paule and Barnabas are sent to the Gentyles Rom. 13. Heb. 1. The order of Ecclesiastical ministery Rom. 10. Heb. 5. 3 How Paule and Barnabas beginne to preach amoÌ„g the Gentyles Exod. 3.4 Math. 8. The Apostles preache vnto the Cypriotes Rom. 5. Math. 9.18 Luke 9. The Apostles preach the worde of God. They preach in the Synagoge of the Iewes Rom. 11. See Theodorete touching the prouidence of God in his x. Sermon Psal. 110. 1 The occasion of the coÌ„tention betweene Paule and Elymas the sorcerer Luke 15. Iohn 10. 2 The meeting togither of Paule and Elymas the sorcerer The condicions of false Prophetes Math. 24. Paule confuteth Elymas 1. Iohn 4. 3 The ende and successe of the contencion 2. Tim. 3. 1 Pamphilia is lightened with the gospell Rom. 15. 2 Iohn Mark fayleth in the ministerye of the Gospell 3 The Apostles go into Pisidia Iohn 16. Iohn 14. Math. 28. Psal. 27. Esay 40. 4 What the Apostles did in Antioch of Pisidia The truth must be preached openly Iohn 18. The Sabboth dayes must be kept holy Num. 15. The order of holy metings or assemblies Luke 4. Math. 15. Esay 29. 2. Tim. 3. The argument parâ—s of Paules sermon 1 The beginning of Paules sermon Rom. 12. Suetonius Tranquillus in the lyfe of Augustus chap. 53. 1. Iohn 5. 2 The narration 1 Free election or choyse Psa. 76.147 Iosua 24. Ephe. 1. Psal. 65. ij. The deliuery out of Egypt iij. The sufferance of God towarde sinners Psal. 103. iiij. The possession of the lande of promise Deut. 6. v. The ordinance of common weale and kingdom 1. Reg. 6. Genes 49. Hose 13. The translation of the kingdome of Iurie vnto Dauid Psal. 2. Esay 60. The prayse of Dauid 2. Sam. 7. 1. Sam. 15. Howe Dauid is sayde to haue fulfilled all the will of God. Psal. 19. 2. Sam. 15. 2. Sam. 16. 2. Sam. 24. The second part of the Sermon teaching howe Iesus is Christ. i. Iesus is borne of the seede of Dauid according to the promise Genes 3. 1. Iohn 4. ij. Iesus had a forerunner as was foreshewed iij. The testimony of Iohn Baptist coÌ„cerning Christ. Iosephus in his .xviij. booke of antiquities cap. and Eusebius Caesariens reporteth the same out of him in the first booke of his ecclesiasticall hystorie and xiij chap. The Gospell ought fyrst to be preached to the Iewes Math. 10. He aunswereth the slauÌ„der taken by the crosse Esay 2. i The priests were ignoraÌ„t of Christ and the scriptures Mala. 2. Iohn 5. 2. Cor. 3. ij. The Priestes fulfilled the scriptureâ— â–ª iij. Christ was put to the death of the crosse innocently 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 8. 2. Tim. 2. iiij. The Priestes enterprises coulde not hurt Christ. Iohn 10. The resurrection of Christ is prooued Luc. 10. 1. Cor. 15. 1 The testimonie of the Apostles coÌ„cerning christ and his resurrection 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 1. Iohn 14.8 Rom. 8. Luke 22. Iohn 17. 1. Cor. 15. The doctrine of the Apostles is not newe Iohn 5. Luc. 24. Math. 13. The truth of Gods promises Dani 2. Gene 49. Gene. 3. Esa. 7. Mich. 5. 2 The testimonies of the Prophets of Christ and his resurrection Psal. 2. The resurrection declareth the glory of the sonnes of God. Rom. 1. 1. Iohn 3. The place of Esay 55. Christ is but once onely offered The place of the .xvi. psal The state of the deade Esay 63. The consideratioÌ„ of death Math. 10. Apoc. 14. Luc. 16. Ezech. 32. Esay 14. 1. Cor. 15. The knowledge of christ is necessarye to the attainment of saluation Iohn 17. Luke 17. Iohn 8. Iacob 1. Remission of sinnes is giuen vs in Christ. i. All men are sinners Gene. 8. Psal. 51. Esay 64. ij. Sinns are forgiuen of grace fauor iij. Grace is giuen vs in Christ. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 5. Iohn 1. iiij. Christ is taken hold of by fayth Rom. 3. The law can not iustifye Esay 1. Psal. 50. Psal. 51. Hebr. 10. The vse of the lawe Galat. 3. Righteousnes of works is ouerthrowne Math. 15. Luke 17. 1. Cor. 2. Galat. 6. The conclusion of Paules sermon Vnto the Gospell must bee ioyned threates and declaration of punishments Math. 11. Luke 19. Mat. 23.24 Ezech. 3.33 Contempt of Gods worde worde is a most grieuous sinne Rom. 11. Reprobates cannot abide to heare the word of god Iohn 8.10 Psal. 58. The elect acknowledge the worde of God and receyue it A Proselyte was anye straunger or forreuer born that did conuert or turne vnto the Iewes religion Esay 1.10 Rom. 10. In religion perseuerance or holding on is needefull The Gospell is called the grace of God. Math. 10. Luke 10. The coÌ„tention of the Apostles with the Iewes Iohn 15. i. The occasion of the contention Phil. 1.2 Tim. 4. Iohn 4. ij. The cause of the contention Rom. 10. Num. 15. iij. The sleightes and weapons of the Iewes iiij. The Apostles stoutly and boldlye resist Titus 1. v. The Apostles excommunicate the incurable Math. 21. Math. 10. The place of Esay 4 9. touching the vocation of the Gentyles Iohn 1. Iohn 17. 1 The doctrine of the Gospell is set forth in the midst of troubles They that are ordeyned vnto life eternall beleeue 1. Cor. 2. Phil. 2. Iohn 3 6. Math. 16. Ephes. 1. 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 8. Iohn 10. Rom. 11. The effect of Gods worde in the elect and their duties Math. 5. Ephe. 4. 2. Pet. 1. The word of God is set forth through the enterprises of the aduersaries Luke 18. 2 PersecutioÌ„ raysed by the Iewes Women raysed against the Apostles 2. Tim. 3. Magistrates offended with the Apostles Math. 11. Banishment the effect of persecution 2. Tim. 2. Marc. 10. Luke 22. Iohn 12.14 and .17 Math. 25. 3 The end of the persecution The shaking off of oust Luke 9. The ende of persecution is ioyfull vnto the faythfull Iohn 16. Iconium 1 The Apostles teach in the sinagoge The constancie and fayth of the Apostles Ezech. 3. The loue of the Apostles toward their enimies Rom. 10.9 Luke 19. 1. Tim. 2. 2 The effect of the Apostles doctrine 3 The persecutioÌ„ against the Apostles i. The Iewes are authors of the persecution ij. The Apostles do boldlye resist the seditious Marc. 8. Iohn 5.10 Marc. 16. Math. 24. 2. Thes. 2. iij. All the citie is at diuision Math. 10.