his glory Certain it is that hee was not so quickly framed by Ananias his industrie but that so soone as hee had learned the first priciples by mans mouth he was extolled by God vnto higher things afterward He comprehendeth the summe of his preaching briefly when hee saieth That Christ was the sonne of God In the same sense he saith shortly after That he was Christ And vnderstand thus much that when Paul intreated out of the Law and the Prophets of the true office of the Messias he taught also that al whatsoeuer was promised of and was to be hoped for at the handes of the Messias was reuealed and giuen in Christ For the words signifie thus much when he saith that he preached that Christ is the sonne of God That was vndoubtedly a principle amongst the Iewes that there shoulde a redeemer come from God who shoulde restore all things to an happie estate Paul teacheth that Iesus of Nazareth is hee which he cannot do vnlesse he shake off those grosse errours which he had conceiued of the earthly kingdome of the Messias Certaine it is that Paule declared how Christ was promised in the Lawe and to what end but because all tended to this end that hee might prooue that the sonne of Mary was he of whom the Law and the Prophets bare witnes therefore Luke is content with this one word onely 21 They were all amased This is added that wee may knowe that the power of God was acknowledged For seeing that the zeale of Paul against the Gospel was openly knowne they saw no other cause of such a sodaine chaunge but the hand of God And therefore this is also one fruite of the myracle that they all wonder at him being made a newe man so sodainly so that his doctrine doth the more moue their minds Whereas they say that hee raged horriblie with great crueltie and that he came of late to Damascus that he might proceed in his purpose these circumstances serue to augment the myracle Wee must also note the phrase those which call vpon this name which witnesseth that the godly did so professe the name of Christ that they placed all their hope of saluation in him according to that These men put their trust in chariots and others in horses but we will call vpon the name of the Lord. Finally whatsoeuer the scripture commaundeth concerning calling vpon the name of God it agreeth to the person of Christ 22 And Saul waxed stronger Luke doeth not onely in this place commend the bold zeale of Paule in confessing the faith of Christ but also he telleth vs that he vsed strong reasons to conuince the Iewes He waxed strong saith he that is he gat the victorie in disputation his confession did carrie with it great force and efficacie because being furnished with testimonies of Scripture and such other helpes of the holy Ghost he did as it were tread all his aduersaries vnder his feete For the word confounded which Luke vseth doth signifie That for as much as Paul did vrge them out of measure they were so striken that they coulde not tell where they were The manner of the confounding is expressed because Paul proued that Iesus was Christ For the sense is this that euen when the Iewes were most desirous to resist they were ouercome confounded So that Paul tried by experience that that was most true which he himselfe affirmeth that the Scripture is profitable to conuince Also he performed that which he required elsewhere of a Bishop and teacher for hee was armed with the word of God to maintaine the trueth And Luke setteth down two things that Paul so gate the victory in disputing 2. Tim. 3.16 Titus 1.7 that he ouerthrew the Iewes and yet their stubbernesse was not broken and tamed that they yeelded to the trueth because their consciences rage neuerthelesse inwardly and being throwne downe from their false opinion they doe not submit themselues to Christ Whence had Paule this victorie saue onely because the Scripture was his sworde Therefore so often as Heretikes stande vp to resist the true faith so often as wicked men endeuour to ouerthrowe all godlinesse so often as the vngodly doe obstinately resist let vs remember that wee must fet armour hence Because the papists finde no weapons in Scripture yea because they see that it maketh quite against them they flie vnto this miserable fortresse That they must not dispute with heretikes And that there can no certaine thing be set downe out of Scripture But if Satan himselfe be vanquished with the sword of the worde why shall it not bee able to put heretikes to flight not that they will submit themselues or make an ende of murmuring but because they shall lie ouercome in themselues And if so be it wee couet to escape this trouble let vs raise no tumults against God but let vs with a quiet and meeke spirit receiue that peace which the Scripture offereth vs. 23 When many dayes were fulfilled He saith that many dayes were expired that we may know that Paul had some space of time granted him wherein he might doe good For although the Iewes did resist him euen from the first day yet the Lord did not suffer the course which hee had begunne well to be broken off so soone so he doth with his wonderfull counsell hinder the purposes of the enimies stay their indeuours restraine their malice and madnesse whiles that he furthereth the Gospel and also we see what the hatred of the truth doth For when the wicked see that they are vnable to resist they are carried headlong vnto bloodie furie They would gladly contemne the word of God if they coulde but because they are enforced whether they will or no to feele the force thereof they runne headlong like furious beasts with blinde violence The vnaduised and rash heate of zeale will alwayes almost breake out into such crueltie vnlesse men suffer themselues to bee ruled by the worde of God This is assuredly horrible blindnesse For why are they so madde saue onely because their wounded conscience doth vexe them But God doth by this meanes punish their hypocrisie who doe therefore hate sounde religion because being friends of darknesse they flie the light Furthermore wee see howe sweetly these preposterous zealous fellowes graunt themselues libertie to doe whatsoeuer them lusteth when Satan hath once pricked them forward to persecute the trueth For they feare not to take counsell vnder colour of zeale to put a man to death which they knowe is meere wickednesse as at this day the Papists thinke that they may do whatsoeuer they will so they can quench the doctrine of the Gospel they rage not only with sworde but they goe about by laying in waite by trecherie and by most execrable meanes to destroy vs. We must first beware that that do not befall vs that wee intangle not our selues in the defense of euill causes secondly that we handle those causes wel which we know are good But
Helpe They crie out as if they were in extreame danger and they call vpon all men to helpe them as if all religion were in hazard Whereby we see with what furious hatred they were inflamed against Paul onely because in shewing that the full and perfite truth is found in Christ he taught that the figures of the Law had an end Now whereas they conceiue a false opinion hauing seene Trophymus they do more bewray by this headlong lightnes how venemous they be They accuse Paul of sacrilege Why because he brought into the Temple a man which was vncircumcised But they laid a most cruell crime to the charge of an innocent through a false opinion Thus the boldnesse of those men vseth commonly to bee preposterous who are carried away with an opinion conceiued before But let vs learne by such examples to beware of the distemperature of affections and not to let light preiudices haue the raine least we runne headlong vpon the innocent being carried with blind force 30 And the Citie was moued Wee see in this place the vanitie of the common people which count Paul a condemned man before euer they heare him Whereas the citie is moued about godlines it is no maruell but this is a point of peruerse zeale and mad rashnes in that they set themselues against Paule before they knowe his matter For in this corruption of nature frowardnes is ioined with foolishnes so that those will readily of their owne accord make haste to maintaine an euil cause who can hardly be moued with many exhortations to do well This is a hard case that the whole world should be armed against vs at a sodaine through the perswasion of a fewe but seeing it pleaseth the Lorde it should bee so let euery one of vs prepare himselfe by this and such like examples to suffer all manner assaults and to beare and abide albrunts 31 And as they sought to kill him it was told the captaine of the band that all Ierusalem was on an vprore 32 Who tooke with him streightway soldiars and vnder captaines and ranne downe vnto them But they when they saw the chiefe captaine and the soldiars left smiting of Paul 33 Then the chiefe captaine drew neere and tooke him and commanded him to be bounde with two chaines and hee asked what he was and what hee had done 34 And some cried one thing and some another among the people And when he could not know the truth by reason of the tumult he commanded him to be carried into the campe 35 And when he came to the staires it happened that he was carried of the soldiars because of the violence of the multitude 36 For the multitude of people followed crying Away with him 37 And when Paul began to be carried into the campe he saith to the captaine May I speake to thee who said canst thou speake Greeke 38 Art not thou that Egyptian which before these dayes madest an vprore and leddest into the wildernes fower thousand men which were murderers 39 And Paul saide I verely am a man which am a Iewe borne in Tharsus a citizen of no vile Citie of Cilicia But I beseech thee suffer me to speake to the people 40 And when he had giuen him leaue Paul standing vpon the staires beckoned with the hand vnto the people and when there was made great silence he spake in the Hebrew tongue saying 31 As they sought to kill him Assuredly the force of satan appeareth therein in that he driueth the people headlong into such rage that whē they haue shut the doares of the Temple being not content with meane punishment they conspire to put Paul to death Wee must thus thinke with our selues that Sathan doth pricke forward the enimies of godlinesse least their rage how cruell and troublesome so euer it be trouble vs. On the otherside appeareth the wonderfull goodnes of God when as he raiseth vp the chiefe captaine at a sodaine that hee may deliuer Paul from death He himselfe thought vpon no such thing but he came to appease the tumult which was raised among the people but the Lord sheweth a more euident token of his prouidence because Paul his life was deliuered from such present danger without mans counsell Thus doth he suffer the faithful not only to labor but to be almost oppressed that hee may deliuer them from death more wonderfully Luke calleth him the chiefe captaine of the band improperly seing euery chiefe captain was set ouer a thousand which doth also appeare by the text where he saith that the chiefe captaine tooke with him vndercaptaines 32 And when they saw the chiefe captaine Those whose furie neither the maiestie of God ne yet the reuerence of the temple could once stay begin to relent when they see a prophane man Wherby it appeareth that theye were set on fire rather with barbarous crueltie than zeale Nowe whereas the chiefe captaine bindeth Paul with chaines hee declareth thereby sufficiently that he came not to ease him The vnbeleeuers wold attribute this to fortune but the Spirit hath depainted out vnto vs the prouidence of God as in a table reigning amidst the confused vprores of men And though this be very hard that this holy minister of God is so shamefully handled yet the equitie of the chiefe captaine is to be commended if hee bee compared with the Iewes Hee bindeth him with chaines as if he were some euill doer or some wicked person yet doth he vouchsafe to heare him when he is bounde whom they did beat vnmercifully neither doeth hee determin to handle him hardly before he knew his cause Yea this was the best way to mitigate their cruelty because they thought that Paul should be punished immediatly 34 Some cried one thing and some another The madnesse of the raging people doth bewray it selfe on euery side They make horrible outcries whereof one is contrary to another Neuerthelesse they desire with one consent to haue him put to death who was conuict of no offence In the meane season we need not doubt but that they were blinded with a color of holy zeale but the truth of the cause wel known maketh mē truly zealous as it maketh them true martyrs of God but rage bewraieth diuellish madnes Whereas mention is made in this place of the campe or fortresse we must know that the soldiars which were placed to gard the City had a place which was trenched fortified on euerie side which they might defend as if it were a castle from which they might beat backe all assaultes if any sedition were raised For it had not been good for them to haue been dispearsed here and there in diuers Innes seeing the people were treacherous and the Citie troublesome And wee gather by this that the place was high because Luke saith that when they came to the steps Paul was carried of the soldiers And whether the soldiers did lift vp Paul on high that they might bring him safe to the station or campe
loftines euen vnto the lowest degree And this vision was necessary for Ananias least through feare he should withdraw himselfe from that function which was enioyned him to wit to teach Paul For though he knowe that the Lorde calleth him yet he slydeth backe or at least he excuseth himselfe Therfore it was requisite that hee should haue some certaine testimonie of his calling that there should happie successe bee promised to his labour that he might take that in hand with a ioyfull valiaunt minde which the Lord commanded Furthermore as Christ animateth and confirmeth Ananias by appearing to him in the vision so he prepareth and maketh Paul readie for all thinges that hee may receiue Ananias reuerently as if he would receiue an angell comming frō heauen The Lord could haue sent Paule straightway vnto Ananias and haue shewed him his house but this was more fit for his confirmation because he knew the better that the Lorde had a care of him And also the Lorde setteth out his grace vnto vs that as he stopped Paul before so nowe he reacheth him his hande of his owne accord by his minister And in the meane season we are also taught by his example to be more readie and carefull to seeke out the lost sheepe In a vision This worde vision signifieth some sight which was set before the eyes to testifie gods presence For this is the vse of visions that the maiestie of the worde being well proued it may purchase credite amongst men Which kind of confirmation God vsed oftentimes toward the Prophetes as he saith that he speaketh to his seruaunts by a vision or by a dreame He hath in deed suffered Satan to deceiue the vnbeleeuers with false imaginations and visures But forasmuche as Satan his iuggling casts are of power only in darknes God doth lighten the minds of his children so that they assure thēselues that they need not to feare legierdemaine Therefore Ananias answereth Here am I Lord knowing in deed that it was God 11 For behold he praieth Luke sheweth that Paul gaue himself to praier those three dayes and peraduenture this was one cause why he fasted although it be certaine as I haue alreadie saide that hee suffered suche long hunger because he was after a sort depriued of sense as men which are in a traunce vse to be Christ doth assuredly speake of no short praier in this place but hee doeth rather shewe that Paule continued in this kinde of exercise vntyll hee shoulde bee more quiet in minde For besides other causes of terrour that voice mighte sound in his eares Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee And it is not to bee doubted but that the careful looking for of a perfect reuelation did maruellously trouble his minde but this was the reason why the Lorde caused him to wait three dayes that he might the more kindle in him an earnest desire to pray 12 He saw a man named Ananias It is vncertaine whither Luke do yet repete the words of Christ or hee adde this of his owne Those which take it in the person of Luke are mooued with some shew of absurditie because it is an vnlikely thing that Christ vsed these wordes Although this may be easily answered thus to wit that Christ confirmeth Ananias after this sort There is no cause why thou shouldest feare but that hee will receiue thee willingly forasmuch as he already knoweth thy shape by a vision I haue also told him thy name and whatsoeuer thou shalt do with him Yet may the reader choose whether he will 13 And Ananias answered Lord I haue heard of many of this man what hurt he hath done to thy seruants at Ierusalem 14 And heere he hath power from the Priests to binde all which call vppon thy name 15 And the Lord saide vnto him Goe because he is a chosen instrument to me to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name 13 Lord I haue heard In that Ananias obiecteth the daunger to the Lord he bewraieth his weaknesse of faith therein Therfore we see that the saints and seruants of God are afraid of death which thing keepeth them backe from doing their dutie yea it causeth them sometimes to stagger Ananias would gladly go to some other place but this is a point of a good man that he yeeldeth not so much to feare that he withdraweth himselfe from Christs obedience And therfore this is a signe of rare obedience that although through feare of death hee were somewhat slacke at the first yet hauing forgotten himselfe by and by he maketh great haste to goe whither Christ called him And yet notwithstanding he refuseth not flatly in these words to doe that which he is commaunded to do but vseth an excuse verie modestly Lord what meaneth this that thou sendest me to the hangman Therefore we may see a desire to obey mixed with feare 14 He hath power to binde We gather by these words that the fame of the persecution which Saule went about was spread farre and wide for which cause his conuersion was more famous Neuerthelesse the Lorde suffered the faithfull to bee euill intreated that the benefite of such sodain deliuerance might afterward be the more excellent We must mark that speech when he saith that the godly call vpon the name of Christ For whether you vnderstād it that in asmuch as they professed that they were Christs they reioyced therefore in him or that they vsed to flie to him for succour inuocation cannot be without sure confidence By both which the diuinitie of Christ is not onely proued but also if the second be receiued which seemeth to be more naturall wee are taught by the example of the faithfull to call vppon the name of Christ when hee is preached to vs. 15 Go because he is an elect instrument The commandement repeted the second time and also the promise of successe added taketh away all doubtfulnesse Therefore slouth shall want an excuse if it be neuer redressed after that many prickes be vsed like as we see that very manie who howsoeuer the Lorde cry vnto them continually doe not onely loyter during their whole life but doe also cherish their slothfulnes by al meanes possible If any man obiect that the Lord speaketh not at this day in a vision I answere that forasmuch as the Scripture is abundantly confirmed to vs we must heare God thence A vessel of election or as Erasmus translateth it an Elect instrumēt is taken for an excellent minister The word Instrument doth shew that mē can do nothing saue in asmuch as God vseth their industrie at his pleasure For if we be instruments he alone is the autor the force and power to doe is in his power alone And that which Christ speaketh in this place of Paul appertaineth to al mē both one and other Therefore how stoutlie soeuer euery man labor and how carefuly soeuer he behaue himself
of the Counsel of Laodicia touching the Election of Pastours 14. 23. A liuely patterne of a lawful Councel 15. 12. How vnhappily doubtful Counsels fal out 5. 4. What a vertue Curtesie is 23. 19. Too much credulity is to be fled 21. 17. Peter healeth the Creeple 3. 7. Crispus the ruler of the Synagogue was conuerted to the faith 18. 7. Curiosity ingrafted in men 1. 7. Curiosity springeth from idlenes and distrust 1. 8. Curiosity of the Apostles 1. 7. Curiosity ought to be auoided 1 7. 20. 10. 41. 17. 21. 30. and 19. 19. D How the Daies were diuided by the men of old into certain houres 2. 14. 3. 1. and 10. 3. and 12. 14. The great Day of the Lord comprehēdeth the whole kingdom of Christ 2. 18. To whom the Day of the Lord is ioyful and to be wished for 3. 20. Dauid a figure of Christ 1. 18 and 4. 11. 25. 13. 22. 33. The temporall and fraile kingdome of Dauid 2. 35. Why the Day of iudgement is called the time of refreshing 3. 20. The Day of the Saboattis for the Sabaoth 19. 12. The Deaconshippe subiect to sinister murmurings 6. 3. To what ende the Deacons were ordayned 6. 1. 3. How Deacons ought to be chosē 6. 3. Deacons are subiect to the Elders 11. 30. What manner Deacons were in Popery 6. 2. Feare of Death falleth euen vpon the Saints 9. 13. How farre foorth we must bewaile the Dead 8. 2. Why they did in times past washe the bodies of the Dead 9. 37. Decrees of the Apostles 16. 4. Demas a trecherous reuolt 8. 13. Demetrius the Authour of sedition against Paul 19. 23. Demosthenes his place 12. 20. Deniall of Christ howe daungerous 36. 10. Deniall of our selues is commanded 7. 3. and 14. 16. and 20. 28. Deniall of our selues followeth true faith 8. 18. Whence the deniall of the prouidence and of the free election of God doeth come 20. 26. The deuotion or vowe of those who had conspired to kill Paul 23. 12. Dexterity is the gift of God 7. 10. The inuention of the image of Diana 10. 35. Dionysius Areopagita 17. 34. The disciples for the faithful 6. 2. The office of the disciples 21. 3. Discipline is necessary in the churche 3. 1. Discord must be fled 15. 2. How hurtfull inwarde dscord is to the church 15. 1. Discord betweene Paul and Barnabas 15. 37. Discorde ariseth for the most parte of ambition 23. 9. The true way of disputation 17. 2. Howe the Diuell is the father of lyes 16. 16. The diuels are enforced to yeeld to the maiesty of the gospel 8. 7. The popish diuinity is an horrible Labyrinth 16. 31. The popysh dyuines were ouerthrowen with the onely voyce of the Martyrs 6. 9. Doctrine is as it were the soule of the church 2. 42. Doctrine without zeale is vnprofitable 18. 25. How the Iewes did handle doctrine in Paules time 13. 15. The doctryne of the Gospel is no new doctryne 3. 21. The authority immortality of foūd doctrine 7. 38. The sum of the doctrine of the apostles 8. 25. The sorowes of death 2. 24. Donatists were heretikes 10. 15. Dorcas which was also called Tabita 9. 36. The difference betweene Dreames visions 18. 9. What a filthy vice Drūkennes is 2. 14 Drusilla the wyfe of Felix and daughter of Agrippa the elder 24. 25. The men of the East are enclyned to lust 15. 19. E Ecclesiasticall assemblyes are profitable 3. 1. and 5. 12. VVhat a hard matter the Edyfiyng of the church is 18. 11. VVherein the edifying of the churche consisteth 20. 21. We must study to edifie 10. 24. 11. 24. 25. and 13. 15. and 15. 28. 16. 5. 20. 20 The Egyptians woorshipped an Oxe 7. 41. VVhat Elders there were in the Apostles tyme. 11. 30. and 20. 16. A vessel of Election put for an excellent minister 9. 15. Election is the cause of al good things 13. 17. Election goeth before faith 13. 48. There was a double Election of the children of Abraham 13. 33. Whence the denyall of free Election commeth 20. 26. The Elect alone do truely beleeue 13. 48. 16. 14. and 28. 25. 26. The difference between the Elect and the reprobate the faithfull and the vnfaithful the godly and the vngodly 3. 20. and 5. 11. and 9. 5. 6. 29. 12. 13. and 14. 22. and 17. 32. and 16. 16. 30. 33. Eloquence is the gyft of God 24. 1. VVee must not despise all Eloquence 18. 24. How farre Eloquence doth profite the Gospel Ibid. The Encratite heretikes 10. 15. Eneas his faith 9. 34. Ennius his place 9. 37. Enuy is condemned 11. 23. 24. The bookes which were openly burnt at Ephesus 19. 19. Epicures make semblaunce of faith 8. 15. Epicures dotings 17. 18. The difference betweene the Epicures and Sadduces 23. 8. The Errour of those which hold that the baptisme of Iohn and the baptisme of Christ were diuers 1. 5. The errour of the Iewes touching the kingdom of the Messias 1. 8. Stubbornnesse accompanieth Errour 11. 2. Errours once conceyued are not easily plucked out of mens mynds 10. 45. The old Errors are retayned in Popery the names alone being changed 28. 11. The sect of the Essenes 26. 4. The Euangelistes were in the middest between the Apostles and Doctors 21. 8. Ennica the mother of Timothie 16. 3. How the Eunuches faith was perfect 8. 37. The notable modesty of the Eunuches 8. 31. Eusebius his place 12. 17. and 15. 13. Eutiches an heretike 30. 28. Eutichus was raised from death when Paul praied 20. 10. An Example of dying godlily and holily in the death of Stephen 7. 59. Exhortations are very necessary 11. 23. 14. 20. and 19. 8. The popish Exorcists 19. 13. F True Faith 10. 43. and 11. 21. 16. 31. 33. Faith put for the woorde of God and the profession of Christianity 6. 7. Faith is the gift of God 15. 9. 16. 14. Faith commeth by hearing 8. 6. and 10. 5. and 14. 9. 17. Faith is the soule of the Church 23. 6. Faith is the sole foundation of godlynesse 24. 14. 25. 19. True faith doth wholly addict vs to God 10. 33. Faith is grounded in the woorde of God 13. 9. Faith alone doth iustifie 13. 39. Faith leaneth to the resurrection of Christ 1. 3. Faith dependeth vpon the election of God 13. 48. How faith doth purifie the heart 15. 9. Faith must not bee separate from the knowledge of Christ 10. 4. The Faith of the men of Antioche 11. 17. The intangled Faith of the Papistes 16. 31. The certainty of Faith 1. 4. The confirmation of faith is necessary 8. 25. and 17. 11. The externall confession of Faith is necessary 8. 36. The fruite of faith 8. 39. The foundation of the true Faith 24. 14. The encrease of Faith 8. 37. and 10. 48. The righteousnes of Faith 13. 38 The nature of Faith 27. 25. The obedience of Faith 10. 20. The office of Faith 15. 9.