diuerse thinges Therefore resolue these wordes thus They coulde not resist the wisedome which the Spirite of God gaue him For Luke meant to expresse that they fought not on both sides as men but that the enimies of the Gospell were therefore discouraged ouercome because they did striue against the spirit of God which spake by the mouth of Stephen And forasmuch as Christ hath promised the same Spirite to all his seruants let vs onely defende the truth faithfully and let vs craue a mouth and wisedome of him and we shall be sufficiently furnished to speake so that neither the wit neither yet the babling of our aduersaries shall bee able to make vs ashamed So the Spirit was as effectuall in our time in the mouth of the Martyrs which were burnt and it vttereth the like force nowe daily that though they were ignorant men neuer trained vp in any schooles yet did they make the chiefe diuines which maintained poperie no lesse astonished with their voice onely than if it had thundered and lightened 11 Then they suborned men which said We haue heard this man speak blasphemous words against Moses and God 12 And they mooued the people and the Elders and the Scribes And inuading him they tooke him and brought him into the Councell 13 And they brought forth false witnesses which said This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous words against this holy place and the Law 14 For wee haue hearde him say that this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall chaunge the ordinances which Moses hath giuen vs. 15 And when all which sate in the Councell had beholden him they saw his face as it had bene the face of an Angell 12 Being ouercome with the power of the Spirite they giue ouer disputing but they prepare false witnesses that with false and slaunderous reports they may oppresse him Whereby it appeareth that they did striue with an euill conscience For what can bee more vnmeete than in their cause to leane vnto lies Admit hee were a wicked man and guiltie yet hee must not haue false witnesse borne against him But hypocrites which shrowde themselues vnder zeale doe careleslie graunt themselues leaue to doe that Wee see how the Papistes at this day corrupt manifest places of Scripture and that wittingly whiles that they will falsely wrest testimonies against vs. I confesse in deede that they offend for the most part through ignorance Yet can we finde none of them which doeth not graunt himselfe libertie to corrupt both the sense and also the woordes of the Scripture that they may bring our doctrine into contempt yea they slaunder vs monstrously euen in the Pulpit If you aske these Rabbines Whether it bee lawfull to slaunder a man or no they will denie that it is lawfull generally but when they come vnto vs good zeale doth excuse them because they thinke that nothing is vnlawfull which may burthen vs or our cause Therefore they flatter themselues in lying falsehoode and dogged impudencie Such hypocrisie did also blinde them of whom Luke speaketh in this place which vsed false witnesse to put Stephen to death For when Sathan reigneth hee doeth not onely pricke forwarde the reprobate vnto crueltie but also blinde their eies so that they thinke that they may doe whatsoeuer they will We are especially taught by this example how daungerous the colour of good zeale is vnlesse it be gouerned by the Spirit of God for it breaketh out alwayes into furious madnesse and in the meane season it is a marueilous visure to couer all manner of wickednesse 14 We haue heard It shall full well appeare by Stephens defense that hee neuer spake any thing touching Moses or the Temple without reuerence And yet notwithstanding this was not laide to his charge for nothing For hee had taught the abrogating of the Lawe But they are false witnesses in this and suborned to lie because they corrupt purposely those thinges which were well and godlilie spoken So Christ was enforced to cleare himselfe that hee came not to destroie the Lawe but to fulfill the Lawe because when hee had preached of abrogating the Ceremonies the wicked wrested this vnto an other purpose as if he meant to abolish and take away the whole Lawe Furthermore they wrested that wickedlie vnto the Temple of Ierusalem which hee spake of his bodie What was it not obiected to Paule that hee taught That euil is to bee done that good may come thereof Therefore there is no cause why wee shoulde woonder at this day that that is so falsely misconstrued which wee teach godlily well and profitablie Yea wee must rather perswade our selues thus that the doctrine of the Gospel can neuer be handled so warilie and moderately but that it shall be subiect to false accusations For Sathan who is the father of lying doeth alwayes bestirre himselfe in his office Againe because there be manie thinges which are contrarie to the reason of the flesh men are enclined to nothing more than to admit false reportes which corrupt the true and syncere sense of doctrine This malice of Sathan and the sleights ought to make vs more warie and more circumspect that no preposterous thing or any thing that is vnproperly spoken escape vs wherewith they may be armed to fight against vs. For we must carefullie cut off from the wicked that occasion whereat they snatch And if wee see that doctrine which is by vs well and godlily deliuered corrupted deformed and torne in peeces with false reportes wee must not repent that we haue begunne neither yet is there any cause why we shoulde be more slacke hereafter For it is not meete that wee should be free from the poysoned and venemous bytings of Sathan which the son of God himselfe coulde not escape In the meane season it is our parte and duetie to dash and put away those lies wherewith the truth of God is burdened like as we see Christ free the doctrine of the Gospel from vniust infamie Onely let vs so prepare our selues that such indignitie and vnhonest dealing may not hinder vs in our course Because wee teach that men are so corrupt that they are altogither slaues vnto sinne and wicked lustes the enimies doe thereuppon inferre this false accusation that wee denie that men sinne willingly but that they are enforced thereunto by some other meanes so that they are not in the faulte neither beare any blame yea they say farther that we quench altogither all desire to doe well Because wee denie that the workes of holy men are for their owne worthinesse meritorious because they haue alwayes some faulte or imperfection in them they cauill that wee put no difference betweene the good and the euill Because wee say that mans righteousnesse consisteth in the grace of God alone and that godly soules can finde rest no where else saue onely in the death of Christ they obiect that by this meanes wee graunt libertie to the flesh to doe what so euer it will that
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
hope of eternall deliuerance I saw We must hold this principle if we will haue God present with vs we must set him before our eies that before he do appear for the prospect of faith pearceth farre further than vnto the present experience Therfore faith hath this propertie to set god alwaies before it as a guide in all dangers cōfused matters For there is nothing that doth so much hold vs vp as when we know that God is present with vs as the opinion of his absence doth often cast vs down at length quite discourage vs. Dauid addeth That he tooke not heed in vain vnto the directiō of God He is saith he at my right hand whereby he doth signifie that we need not to fear least we be deceiued whē as we set him before vs as present for we shal alwaies feel his help most readie Faith in hoping for the help of God ought to preuent ouergoe al experience whatsoeuer is perceiued by the sense but so soone as it shall giue this glorie to God that it doeth beholde him in his worde although he be absent and so consequently inuisible it shall be ouercome with the effect of the thing For the measure of faith is not able to comprehend the infinite greatnesse of the power goodnes of God He draweth a similitude frō those which when they will vnderprop the weak or strengthen the fearefull do ioine thēselues vnto their side Not to be moued is not to be thrown down frō their degree but to remain firme in their estate like as also Psal 46 Psal 46.6 God is in the midst of it therfore shall it not be moued For although it come to passe sometimes that the godly bee sore shaken yet because they come to thēselues again they are said to cotinue firme Therefore there is no cause why they should be afraid of falling who are vpholdē by the help of God Like as on the other side those which place their strength any where els saue only in God they shall be like to fall at euery blast of wind but at any mean wind of temptation they shall fall to the ground For this my hart reioyced Ioy of the soul gladnes of the tonge quietnes of al the whole body do ensu vpō sure hope cōfidence for vnles mē be quite past feeling they must needes bee carefull and sorrowfull and so consequently miserably tormented so long as they feele themselues destitute of the helpe of God But that sure trust which we repose in God doth not only deliuer vs from carefulnesse but doth also replenishe our hearts with wonderfull ioy and gladnesse That is the ioy which Christ promised to his disciples should be full in them and which hee testified could not bee taken from them Ioh. 16.22 and 17.13 Iohn 16. 17. He expresseth the greatnesse of the ioy when he saith That it cannot be kept in but that it will break foorth into the gladnes of the tonge Cabod doth signifie in deed glory but it is taken in that place as in many other for the Tongue And so the Grecians haue truly trāslated the same The rest of the flesh doth signifie the quietnes of the whole man which we haue through the protection of God Neither is this any let because the faithful are continuallie out of quiet and tremble for as in the middest of sorrowes they do neuertheles reioyce so there are no troubles so great that can break thē of their rest If any man obiect that the peace of the faithfull doth consist in the spirite and that it is not of the flesh I answere that the faithfull doe rest in bodie not that they are free from troubles but because they beleeue that God careth for them wholie and that not only their soule shal be safe through his protection but their bodie also 27 Because thou shalt not leaue To leaue the soule in hell is to suffer the same to be oppressed with destruction There be two wordes vsed in this place both which doe signifie the graue amongest the Hebricians Because Shaal doth signifie to Require I suppose it is called Seol because death is insatiable whence also commeth that translation Hel hath enlarged her soule Again they set open their mouth like hel And because the latter Sahath is deriued and fet frō corruption or consumption that qualitie is to bee considered as Dauid meant to note the same Those thinges which are disputed in this place by diuers concerning the descending of Christe into hell are in my iudgement superfluous because they are farre from the intent and purpose of the Prophet For the word anima or soule doth not so much signifie the spirite being of an immortal essence as the life it self For when a man is dead and lieth in the graue the graue is said to rule ouer his life Whereas the Grecians translate it holie it is in Hebrew Chassith which doth properly signifie meek or gentle but Luke did not much regard this because it doth not much appertaine vnto the present purpose Furthermore gentlenesse and meeknes is so often commended in the faithfull because it behoueth them to imitate and resemble the nature of their Father 28 Thou hast made knowen He meaneth that he was restored frō death to life by the grace of God For in that hee was as it were a mā raised frō death to life 1. Cor. 15.20 1. Cor. 15.42 Psa 16.11 Psal 80.4 he acknowlegeth that it was a great good gift of God This was in such sort fulfilled in Christ that there wanted nothing vnto perfection As for the members they haue their measure Therefore Christ was far from corruption that he may be the first frutes of those which rise from death We shal folow him in our order at length but being first turned into dust That which foloweth that he was filled with gladnesse with the countenaunce of God agreeth with that Shew vs thy face and we shal be safe And againe The light of thy countenaunce is shewed vpon vs thou hast put gladnesse in my heart For it is only the pleasantnes of Gods countenance which doth not only make vs glad but also quicken vs againe when the same is turned away or troubled wee must needes faint 30 Therfore seeing he was a prophet He sheweth by two reasons that it is no maruell if Dauid doe speak of things that should come to passe long after his time the former is because hee was a prophet And wee knowe that things to come such as are remoued far from the knowledge of men are reuealed vnto the Prophetes Therefore it were wickednesse to measure their speeches according to the common manner and order which we vse in measuring the speeches of other mē forasmuch as they goe beyond the long courses of yeeres hauing the Spirite for their directer Whereuppon they are also called Seers because beeing placed as it were vpon an high tower they see those things
reuerently to be receiued This is therfore the thing which Peter aimeth at to bring them to heare Christ willinglie as the master whō God hath appointed to teach them But here ariseth a question which hath in it great difficultie too wit in that Peter applieth that vnto the person of Christ which Moses spake generally of the prophets For althogh he make mention of a prophet in the singular number yet the text doth plainley declare that he speaketh not of one alone but that this worde is put indefinitely For after that Moses had forbiddē the people to giue them selues vnto the superstitions of the Gentiles by turning aside vnto enchaunters soothsayers he sheweth them therwithall a remedie whereby they may auoid all vanitie to wit if they depend wholie vpon the word of God alone By this meanes he promiseth that God will be carefull at all times to sende them prophets that they may teach thē aright As if he should say God will neuer suffer you to be destitute of prophets of whom you may learn whatsoeuer shal be profitable for you to know And Moses saith expresly of thy brethren to the end the Iewes may know that the oracles of God are to bee sought and fet no where els seeing that God had appointed vnto them teachers of the kinred of Abraham Hee addeth further like vnto me that they may know that they were not to heare God onely at one time or by the mouth of one man but as God proceedeth to teache vs by diuers ministers throughout the cōtinuall course of times so must we hold on in the obedience of the word Nowe the Iewes were wont to reuerence Moses therefore he will haue them to giue like honour to the prophets I know that many would faine restraine it vnto Christe They catch at this word Deut. 18.15 whereas Moses doth testifie that the prophet shal be like vnto him wheras notwithstanding it is written that ther arose none like vnto Moses I confesse that there is in both places the same note of likenes yet in a diuers sense For in the second place the likenes or equalitie is expressed as it doth plainly appeare They catch also at another thing that the prophet shal far excel Moses of whō he beareth witnes as a crier or harrold But this is neuer a whit stronger because Moses goeth about to bring to passe that the word of God may be beleeued by whomsoeuer it be brought Therefore ther is no cause why we should set our selues to be laughed to scorn by the Iews by wresting the words of Moses violētly as if he spake of Christ alone in this place Yet must wee see whether Peter doth cite the testimonie fitlie whose authoritie ought to serue for a sound reason I say that in Peter his speech there is nothing which is not most conuenient For he saw that which all men ought to graunt that this testimonie doth so appertain vnto the other Prophets that yet notwithstāding it doeth chiefly commend Christ not only because that he is the prince and chiefe of all the Prophets but because all other former prophesies were directed toward him and because God did at length speake absolutely by his mouth For God spake in diuers maners at sundrie times in times past vnto our fathers by the Prophetes he added the conclusion at length in the last dayes in his only begotten sonne Therefore it came to passe that they wanted prophets for a certaine yeeres before his comming Heb. 1.1.2 Malac. 4.4 Mat. 11.13 Iohn 4.25 which thing is plainly gathered out of the wordes of Malachie who after that he hath commaunded the people to be mindfull of the law he passeth ouer by by vnto Iohn Baptist vnto Christ as if he should say that the prophesies are now ended vntill the last reuelation come according to that The law and the prophets prophesied vntill Iohn after that the kingdom of God is preached And that was so common amongest the people that the woman of Samaria could say according to the common fame and opinion We know that the Messias shall come who will teach vs all things Therefore we know that after the returne of the people all the prophets ceased to the end they might bee made more attentiue to heare Christe by that silence or intermission of reuelations Therefore Peter did not wrest this place or abuse the same through ignorance but he tooke that doctrine which all men had receiued for a principle that god had promised to teach his people at the first by his prophets as by means but at lēgth principally by Christ at whose hands they were to hope for the perfect manifestation laying open of al things And to this purpose serueth that excellent testimony or commendation wherewith his father setteth him foorth Heare him Mat. 17.5 23 Euerie soule Here by a most greeuous punishment against the rebellious the authority of al the prophets but most of al of Christ is established And that for good causes For seeing there is nothing that God doth account more precious than his worde it cannot be that he should suffer the same to be freely contēned Therfore if any man despised the lawe of Moses he was adiudged to die the death And hereunto Moses had respect when he said He shal be put away frō among the people For God had adopted the stock and kinred of Abraham vnto himself vpon this condition that this might bee sufficient for them vnto the chiefest felicitie to be reckoned in that number as it is said in the Psalme Blessed is the people whose god is the Lord. And in another place Blessed is the nation whom the Lorde hath chosen to be his inheritaunce Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he pronounceth that he shall be blotted out of the booke of life whosoeuer shall refuse to heare Christ For he is not worthie to be accounted one of the church whosoeuer he be that refuseth to haue him to be his master by whō alone God doth teach vs by whom he will haue vs to heare himself and he cutteth himselfe away from the bodie whosoeuer he be that refuseth to be vnder the head 24 And all When as he saith that all the prophetes doe with one consent send their scholers vnto Christe that appeareth more plainely hereby which I said that the commendation of the Gospel is contained vnder that testimony of Moses and so consequently that the conclusion of prophecies is principally noted Againe this maketh much for the certaintie of the Gospel that al the prophets for a long time do yet notwithstanding so temper their forme of teaching with one consent that they doe testifie all together that men ought to hope for a certaine better and more perfect thing Therfore whosoeuer will beleeue Moses and the prophets he must needs submit himself vnto the doctrine of Christ Ioh. 5.47 without which all that is lame and vnperfect which they taught 25 You
Satan and men seeing faith is vnderpropped and supported with the eternall truth of God although heauen fal our saluation is safe which hath God to be the author and keeper thereof because God doeth defende the kingdome of Christ it can neuer bee ouerthrowne with any violence because the doctrine of the Gospel is grounded in God howsoeuer men resist or shake the same yet shall it neuerthelesse continue firme Againe although the wicked attempt whatsoeuer they can and seeke al meanes to destroy the church although they furiously striue against Christ and his Church so much as they are able yet they shall not preuaile because it is the propertie of God to bring the counsels of men to naught and by this meanes doeth he punish their rashnesse We see that both members are well applied to faith But in the meane season there is no cause why the seruauntes of Christ should be lesse diligent in maintaining the truth why they should suffer the Church to decay through their fault why they shoulde carelesly winke at their wickednesse who endeuor to turne all thinges topsie turuie 36 There arose one Theudas If we credit Iosephus Gamaliel altereth in this place the true course of the historie For hee reporteth that Iudas Gaulanites who was borne in Gamala at such time as Quirinius or Cyrenius was Proconsull did raise a tumult with his adherentes because they woulde not haue their goods taxed and that Theudas at such time as Cuspius Fadus was Procuratour did boast that hee was a Prophet of God And Fadus was sent into Iudea by Claudius Caesar The former hystorie is recorded in the eighteenth booke of Antiquities and the other in the twentith But I thinke that when Luke saith After him was there one Iudas he meant not to note the course of time as if he were the latter but forasmuch as Gamaliel brought in two like examples he might put the one in place of the other without hauing respect of time Therefore the worde post is as much as Moreouer or besides Furthermore euen these examples wherewith Gamaliel confirmeth his opinion doe not sufficiently agree with the present cause For because they did not by and by resist Iudas that sedition which he had raised was the occasion of many murthers and at length he was vanquished with hand and weapon Theudas also had done farre more hurt vnlesse he had beene put to flight in time by Cuspius Fadus But Gamaliel hath respect vnto this alone that men haue vnlucky successe when as they auance themselues vnaduisedly and that commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God But because the Priestes refuse to harken when God giueth them good coūsel they are worthy to be made amased by mā with friuilous reasons wauering hither thither through foolish perplexitie Furthermore if wee cast the time wee shall finde that it was twelue yeeres at least after the death of Christ before the Apostles were beaten For vnto the fiue yeeres which remained of the gouernement of Tyberius we must adde three and one halfe which Caligula reigned Fadus was not sent by Claudius into Iudea before the second or thirde yeere of his reigne Gamaliel rehearseth not the act within a day or two after Therefore that space of time is complete whereof I spake Wherefore the constancie of the Apostles was the more excellent who though they bee so euill rewarded for those longe paines which they had endured yet are they not discouraged neither doe they cease to holde on as they had begunne That he was some great man Some bookes haue Saying that hee was some bodie yet both carrie one sense For he boasted that he was such a Prophet that hee coulde drie vp Iordan that those which were with him might goe ouer drie foote Neuerthelesse we see howe farre Gamaliel is from true knowledge who compareth the holy Ministers of Christ vnto seducers and robbers although hee mitigateth his words afterwarde and inclining towarde the better part leaueth it indifferent whether they haue taken this matter in hande hauing God for their authour or noe Yet hee speaketh doubtfullie because hee prouideth onely for quietnesse all enquirie being set a parte This is onelie to bee allowed in his speech that hee feareth the wicked from wicked boldnesse because there is nothing more to be feared than to striue against God 40 And they obeyed him And when they had called the Apostles hauing beaten them they commaunded them that they shoulde not speake in the name of Iesus and they let them goe 41 Therefore they went reioycing from the face of the councell because they were counted worthy to suffer reproch for his name 42 And they did not cease daily in the Temple and in euery house to teach and preach Christ Iesus 40 Hauing beaten them they commaunded He saieth that Gamaliel his counsel was allowed yet the Apostles are beaten and forbidden to preach Hereby wee gather how great the rage of the enimies was who being now pacified or at least mitigated doe yet notwithstanding rage immoderatlie And it appeareth also what euill successe those doubtfull counsels haue wherein men alone are respected and the trueth of God set aside Gamaliel obteineth thus much that the liues of the Apostles may be saued but in the meane season the sonne of God is blasphemed slaundered in their person The truth of the Gospel is buried in eternall silence so much as in the enimies lyeth God surely doth by this meanes wonderfully spread abroad his worde yet that counsel ceaseth not to be euill Which we must note for this cause because most men at this day doe thinke that they doe not a little obey God if they saue the liues of those men which come in hazard for the doctrine of the Gospel or somewhat appease the enimies who are otherwise bloodie in the meane season they are not afraide to driue them vnto the wicked deniall of Christ the confessing of whom is farre more precious in the sight of God then the life of all men But what could they doe who casting away all care of godlinesse go about to redeeme Gods fauour with the dutie of courtesie 41 Then they went reioycing Wee must not thinke that the Apostles were so senselesse but that they felt some shame and did also lament when they felt the punishment for they had not quite put of nature but when they considered the cause then ioy gat the vpper hande So the faithfull must bee two manner of wayes affectioned so often as they suffer persecution for the Gospel they must bee touched with the bitternesse of punishmentes yet so that they ouercome this sorrowe with spirituall ioy For they shoulde haue chaunged their minde and striken saile by and by vnlesse they had beene strengthened and encouraged by that ioie And it is not to be doubted but that euen death was sweet and pleasant to Peter on this fashion which notwithstanding the Lord doth testifie shal be bitter vnto him Let vs therefore learne that
the vse of the lawe may no longer remaine When as wee maintaine the honour of Christ which they bestowe as it pleaseth them heere and there after that they haue rent it in a thousande peeces like a pray they feigne that wee are enimies to the Saintes They falsely report that wee seeke the licentiousnesse of the flesh in steede of the libertie of the spirite Whiles that wee indeuour to restore the supper of the Lorde vnto his pure and lawfull vse they crie out impudently that wee ouerthrowe and destroy the same Others also which take away all thinges as did the Academikes because that doth not please them which we teach concerning the secret predestination of God and that out of the scriptures lay to our charge dispitefullie that wee make God a tyraunt which taketh pleasure in putting innocent men to death seeing that hee hath alreadie adiudged those vnto eternall death which are as yet vnborne and other such thinges can bee saide on this behalfe 2. Cor. 2.16 whereas notwithstanding they are sufficientlie conuict that wee thinke reuerently of God and that wee speake no otherwise than hee teacheth with his owne mouth It is an harde matter to endure such enuie yet must wee not therefore cease of to defende a good cause For the trueth of God is precious in his sight and it ought also to bee precious vnto vs although it bee vnto the reprobate the sauour of death vnto death But nowe I returne vnto Stephen his accusation the principall pointe whereof is this that hee blasphemed God and Moses They doe for good considerations make the iniurie common to God and to Moses because Moses had nothing in his doctrine which was his owne or separated from God They prooue this because hee spake blasphemously against the temple and the Lawe Furthermore they make this the blasphemie because hee saide that the comming of Christ had made an ende of the Temple and the Ceremonies It is not credible that Stephen spake thus as they report but they maliciously wrest those thinges which were spoken well and godlily that they may colour their false accusation But although they had chaunged nothing in the wordes yet Stephen was so farre from doing anie iniurie to the Lawe and the Temple that hee coulde no way better and more truely praise the same The Iewes did suppose that the Temple was quite dishonoured vnlesse the shadowish estate thereof shoulde endure for euer that the Lawe of Moses was frustrate and nothing woorth vnlesse the Ceremonies shoulde bee continuallie in force But the excellencie of the Temple and the profite of the Ceremonies consist rather in this whiles that they are referred vnto Christ as vnto their principall patterne Therefore howsoeuer the accusation hath some colour yet is it vniust and wicked And although the fact come in question that is whether the matter bee so as the aduersaries lay to his charge notwithstanding the state is properlie of qualitie For they accuse Stephen because hee taught that the forme of the worshippe of God which was then vsed should bee chaunged and they interprete this to bee blasphemie against God and Moses Therefore the controuersie is rather concerning right as they say than the fact it selfe For the question is Whether he be iniurious and wicked against God and Moses who saith that the visible Temple is an image of a more excellent sanctuarie wherein dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead and who teacheth that the shadowes of the Law are temporall This Iesus of Nazareth They speake thus of Christ disdainfully as if the remembrance of him were detestable Neuerthelesse it may be gathered out of their accusations that Stephen did in the abrogating of the Lawe set the bodie against the shadowes and the substance against the figures For if Ceremonies bee abolished by Christ their trueth is spirituall The Iewes which woulde haue them continue for euer did consider nothing in them but that which was grosse carnall earthlie and which might be seene with the eies Briefly if the vse of Ceremonies were continual they should bee fraile and shoulde vanish away because they should haue nothing but the only external shew so that they shoulde haue no soundnes Therefore this is their true perpetuitie when as they are abrogated by the comming of Christ because it followeth here vpon that the force and effect thereof doth consist in Christ Shall chaunge the ordinances It is out of all doubt that Stephen meant this of the ceremoniall part onely but because men are wont to be more addicted to externall pompe these men vnderstande that which was spoken as if Stephen would bring the whole lawe to nothing The principall precepts of the Lawe did in deede concerne the spirituall worship of God faith iustice and iudgement but because these men make more account of the external rites they call the rites which are commaunded concerning the sacrifices ordinances of Moses by excellencie This was bredde by the bone from the beginning of the worlde and it will neuer out of the flesh so long as it lasteth As at this day the Papistes acknowledge no worship of God saue onely in their visures Although they differ much from the Iewes because they follow nothing but the friuolous inuentions of men for the ordinances of God And when they had beheld Men doe commonly in places of iudgement turne their eies towarde the partie arreigned when as they looke for his defense Hee saieth that Stephen appeared like to an Angel This is not spoken of his natural face but rather of his present countenance For whereas the countenance of those which are areigned vseth commonly to be pale whereas they stammer in their speach and shew other signes of feare Luke teacheth that there was no such thing in Stephen but that there appeared rather in him a certaine maiestie For the scripture vseth sometimes to borrowe a similitude of Angels in this sense as 1. 1. Sam. 24.9 2. Sam. 14.17 2. Sam. 19.27 Sam. 24. 2.14 19. CHAP. VII 1 ANd the chiefe Priest said Are these things so 2 He answered Men brethren and fathers harken The God of glorie appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before hee dwelt in Charran 3 And he said vnto him Come out of my countrie and from amongst thy Kynred and come into the land which I will shew thee 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldees dwelt in Charran After that his father was dead God brought him thence into this lande wherein yee nowe dwell 1 There appeareth as yet some colour of equitie in the highest priest and in the councell and yet notwithstanding there is a most vniust preiudice in his wordes For he asketh him not what cause he had to teach thus neither doth he admit him vnto the defence of right which was notwithstanding the chief but he demandeth precisely whether Steeuen vttered these wordes whatsoeuer they were as the Papistes at this day will not demaund what
number of men yet were they not vnlike to a bush For the thicker the bush is and the more store of shrubbes it hath the more subiect is it to take fire that it may burn on euery side so the people of Israel were but a weake band and such as was laide open to all iniuries and this vnwarlike multitude being pressed downe euen with their owne weight hadde incensed the crueltie of Pharao onely with the prosperous successe of increasing Therefore the people being oppressed with cruell tyrannie is as it were a pile of woode set on fire at euery corner neither is there any thing which keepeth it from being consumed to ashes saue this because the Lord sitteth in the middest thereof And although the vndoubted fire of persecution did then burne yet because the Church of God is neuer free from afflictions in the world the continuall estate thereof is after a sort painted out in this place For what other thing are wee but fewell for fire And there flie abroad innumerable fire brands of Sathan continually which set on fire both our bodies and also our mindes but the Lord deliuereth defendeth vs by his wonderful and singular goodnes from being consumed Therefore the fire must needs burne that it may burne vs in this life but because the Lord dwelleth in the mids of vs he shall so preserue vs that afflictions shal do vs no harme as it is also said in the sixe and fourtith Psalme Psalm 46.6 31 He wondered at the vision Let vs know that God did vse thus to deale with our fathers that they might assuredly know his maiestie For hee meant to make a manifest distinctiō betwene the visions which he shewed and the iuggling casts of Satan And this certaintie is more necessarie For what credit should the Oracles of God otherwise carry wherein the couenant of eternall life is contained Therfore forasmuch as this a loue is the true stay of faith it must needs haue God to bee the authour therof that he may vndoubtedly declare that it is he that speaketh Again forasmuch as Satan walketh about continually doth by many strange shifts insinuate himself and hath so many wayes to deceiue and especially seing he doth pretend the name of God craftilie we must take great heed of his mocks We see how in times past hee deluded all nations and the Papists also For all the monsters of superstitions al the dotings of errors which were in times past and do as yet reigne in popery did proceede from dreames visions and false reuelations Yea furthermore euen the Anabaptists haue their illusions thence Therefore this is the onely remedie that God do distinguish by certaine markes those visions which he sheweth For then are we without dāger of erring whē he hath reuealed his maiestie vnto vs. For this cause was the minde of Moses striken with admiration and then afterward he draweth neere to consider after that he is come neerer the Lorde toucheth him with a more liuely feeling of his presence so that he is afraide For I confesse that ther is none of al these things which Satā cannot imitate yet falsely like an Ape And the Lord doth not only shew himself by such signes but helping our dulnes he doth also open our eyes that we may not be deceiued Againe the holy ghost doeth imprint in our minds certaine marks tokens of Gods presence that there may no doubt remain 32 I am the God of thy fathers Now we see to what end the vision was offered to Moses to wit that the word of God might haue his authoritie For bare visions should do but a little good vnlesse doctrine were ioyned therwithal And it is ioyned with them not as an inferior part but as the cause of al visions the end And whereas he calleth himselfe the God of Abraham Isaach and Iacob there is a double reason why hee calleth himselfe so As the maiestie of God is infinite if we will comprehend it it doth rather swallow vp our senses if we indeuor to ascend vnto it we vanish away Therefore he adorneth himselfe with titles vnder which we may comprehend him But we must marke that God maketh choise of such titles as that he may by them call vs backe vnto his word For he is called the God of Abraham Isaach and Iacob for this cause because he committed vnto them the doctrine of saluation that he might thereby be made knowne to the worlde But God had respect properly vnto the present circumstance when he spake to Moses on this wise For both this vision and the hope of the deliuerie of the people and the commandement which he was about to giue to Moses did depend vpon the couenant which he had made in times past with the fathers So that the suspition of noueltie is taken way and the minde of Moses is lifted vp to hope for redemption which was grounded in the olde promise Therefore this title is as much as if God had saide I which haue promised in times past to your fathers that I haue a care of your safetie which haue taken the kinred of Abraham to my tuition by a free couenant yea which haue appointed this time for an end of your bondage I appeare now vnto thee that I may performe that which I promised Like as at this day all the promises of God must leane be stayed vpon this foundation that they may be sure and certaine to vs that God hath adopted vs in Christ and hath promised that hee will bee our God and our father And Christ gathereth out of this place by good reason that the godly liue after they be deade Mat. 22.32 For if the whole man perish in death this were an vnfitte speech I am the God of Abraham Let vs suppose that there is no Rome shall not hee bee laught at which shal call himselfe Consul of Rome For this is requisite in Relation that the members be aunswerable betweene themselues There is also another reason to be considered that for as much as God hath in his hand both life and death without all doubt he preserueth those aliue whose father he will be and whom hee counteth his children Therefore though Abraham Isaach and Iacob died concerning the flesh yet doe they liue in spirite with God And Moses being afraide This might seeme to bee an absurde thing that a voyce full of consolation doeth rather terrifie Moses than make him glad but it was good for Moses to bee thus terrified with the presence of God that hee might frame himselfe vnto the greater reuerence Neither doeth the voice of God alone strike his minde but his maiestie whereof he saw a signe in the burning bush And what marueile is it if man bee afriade when hee feeth God And especiallie let vs remember that mens mindes are by this meanes prepared vnto feare reuerence as in Exod. xx Thou hast seen signes Exod. 20.22 thou hast heard the sound of the
discouered And this is a general way to establish doctine when men teach nothing but that which is commaunded them by God For what man dare make Moses inferiour to him who as the Spirit affirmeth ought onely to be beleeued for this cause because he faithfully vnfolded and deliuered the doctrine which he had receiued of God But some man may ask this question why he calleth the lawe a liuing speech For this title seemeth to disagree much with the words of Paul 1. Cori. 3.7 where hee saith that the lawe is the ministerie of death and that it worketh death and that it is the strength of sinne If you take liuely speech for that which is effectuall and cannot be made frustrate by the contempt of men there shal be no contrarietie but I interpret it as spoken actiuely for that which maketh to liue For seing that the Law is the perfite rule of godly and holy life and it sheweth the righteousnesse of God it is counted for good causes the doctrine of life and saluation And to this purpose serueth that solemne protestation of Moses when he calleth heauen and earth to witnesse that hee hath set before them the way of death and life In which sense the Lord himself complaineth Ezechiel 20 that his good Law is broken his good commandements wherof he had said He which shal do these things shall liue in them Therefore the Law hath life in it selfe Yet if any man had leiffer take liuing for that which is full of efficacie and strength I will not greatly stande in contention And whereas it is called the ministerie of death that is accidentall to it because of the corrupt nature of man For it doth not ingender sin but it findeth it in vs. It offereth life but wee which are altogither corrupt can haue nothing but death by it Therefore it is deadly in respect of men alone Though Stephen had respect vnto a farther thing in this place for he doeth not onely speake of the bare commaundementes but comprehendeth all Moses his doctrine wherein the free promises are included and so consequently Christ himselfe who is the onely life and health of men We must remember with what men Stephen had to doe They were such as were preposterously zelous of the law who stayed onely in the dead and deadly letter of the Lawe and in the meane season they raged against Stephen because he sought Christ in the Law who is in deede the soule thereof Therefore by touching thâ—â—eruerse ignorance glancingly he giueth them to vnderstande that there is some greater and some more excellent thing hidden in the Lawe than they haue hitherto knowne For as they were carnall content with an outward shew they sought no spiritual thing in it yea they would not so much as suffer the same to be shewed them That he might giue them to vs. This serueth to refute the false accusation wherewith he was falsely burthened For seeing he submitteth his necke to the yoke of the Lawe and professeth that hee is one of Moses his scholers hee is farre from discrediting him amongst others Yea rather hee turneth backe the fault which was laide to his charge vppon those which were the authours of the slaunder That was as it were a common reproch for all the people because the fathers woulde not obey the Lawe And therewithall hee telleth them that Moses was appointed to be a Prophet not onely for his time but that his authoritie might be in force with the posteritie euen when he was deade For it is not meete that the doctrine of God shoulde bee extinguished togither with the ministers or that it should bee taken away For what is more vnlikely than that that should dye whereby wee haue immortalitie So must wee thinke at this day as the Prophetes and Apostle spake vnto the men of their time right so did they write vnto vs and that the force of their doctrine is continuall because it hath rather God to bee the authour thereof than men In the meane season he teacheth that if any reiect the word appointed for them they reiect the counsell of God 39 They refused and were turned away Hee saith that the fathers reiected Moses and hee sheweth the cause also because they gaue themselues rather vnto the superstitions of Aegypt which was horrible and more than blind furie to desire the customes and ordinances of Aegypt where they had suffered such grieuous thinges of late Hee saieth that they were turned away into Aegypt in their heartes not that they desired to returne thither bodily but because they returned in mind vnto those corruptions which they ought not so much as to haue remembred without great detestation and hatred It is true in deede that the Iewes did once speake of returning but Stephen toucheth not that historie now Furthermore he doth rather expresse their stubbernesse when he saieth that they were turned away For after that they had taken the right way hauing God for their guid and gouernour they start aside sodainly as if a stubberne vnbroken horse not obeying his rider shoulde frowardly run backward 40 Make vs. Though the Iewes bee turned backe diuerse wayes yet Stephen maketh choise of one notable example aboue all the rest of their filthy and detestable trecherie to wit when they made themselues a Calfe that they might worship it in steede of God For there can no more filthy thing be inuented than this their vnthankfulnes They confesse that they were deliuered out of Aegypt neither do they denie that this was done by the grace of God and the ministery of Moses yet notwithstanding they reiect the author of so great goodnesse togither with the minister And vnder what colour They pretend that they cannot tell what is become of Moses But they know full well that he is in the mount They saw him with their eies when he went vp thither vntil such time as the Lorde tooke him vnto himselfe by compassing him about with a cloude Againe they know that Moses is absent for their healths sake who had promised that he would returne and bring vnto them the Lawe which God shoulde giue He badde them onely be quiet a while They raise madde vprores sodainely within a small time and without any cause yet to the ende they may couer their madnesse with the colour of some reason they will haue Gods present with them as if God had shewed vnto them no token of his presence hitherto but his glory did appeare daily in the cloud and piller of fire Therefore we see what haste they make to commit idolatrie through wicked contempt of god that I may in the meane season omitte to declare howe filthie and wicked their vnthankfulnes was in that they had so soone forgotten those myracles which they ought to haue remembred euen vntill the ende of the worlde Therefore by this one backsliding it appeareth sufficientlie what a stubberne and rebellious people they were Moreouer it was more expedient for
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
wordes without making any stoppe Aeneas Iesus Christ make thee whole But as the operation of the Spirite is not alwaies alike and the same it may be that though he knew the power of God yet he went forward vnto the myracle by degrees Yet it seemeth to be an absurde thing that he putteth all the Saintes out of the chamber for whom it had bene better to haue seene it with their eyes but because the Lorde had not as yet reuealed the time when and the manner how he would shew forth his power hee desireth to bee alone that he might the more fitly pray Also it might be that he knew some other reason which moued him to doe this which we know not It is recorded in the sacred history that Eliseus did the same 2. King 14.32 for hee being alone and not so much as the mother of the child with him doth stretch himselfe thrise vpon the dead corps For the Spirite of God hath his vehement motions which if any man wil square out according to the common vse of men or measure by the sense of the flesh he shal do wickedly and vniustly We must this think when as Peter as it were douting seeketh a by place he preuenteth superstition least any man should ascribe to his power the worke of God whereof he was onely a minister For he which withdrew himselfe from company and did pray so instantly did plainly confesse that the matter was not in his own hand Therfore whē Peter waiteth to know what pleaseth the Lord he cōfessed that he alone was the author of the worke Kneeling in time of praier is a token of humilitie which hath a double profite that all our members may be applied vnto the worship of God and that the externall exercise of the body may helpe the weakenesse of the mind But we must take heede so often as we kneele downe that the inwarde submission of the heart bee answerable to the ceremonie that it be not vaine and false Turning toward the corps This seemeth also to bee contrary to reason that hee speaketh vnto a corps without feeling But this speaking vnto the dead corps was one point of the vehemency whereunto the Spirit of God enforced Peter And if any man desire a reason this forme of speech doth more liuely expresse the power of God in raising the deade than if it should be said in the thirde person Let this body receiue life againe and liue Therefore when as Ezechiel doeth shadowe the deliuerance of the people vnder a figure of the resurrection O deade bones saith he heare the word of the Lord. And Christ saith The time shall come when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God Ezec. 37.4 Iohn 5.28 For this was in deed the voice of Christ which was vttered by the mouth of Peter and gaue breath to the body of Thabita The circūstances following serue to cōfirm the certainty of the myracle 41 Luke repeateth againe in the end that she was shewed openly to the disciples Whence we gather that she was raised againe rather for other mens sake than for her owne Brainsicke fellowes who dreame that the soule of man is onely a blast which vanisheth away vntill the day of the resurrection snatch at this place to proue their doting withall To what ende was it say they to call backe the soule of Thabita into the prison of the body where it shoulde suffer such misery if it were receiued into blessed rest As if it were not lawfull for God to haue respect of his glorie as well in death as in life and as if this were not the true felicitie of the godly to liue and die to him yea as if Christ were not to vs a vantage as well by lyuing as dying when wee dedicate our selues to him Therefore there shall no inconuenience follow if the Lord had greater respect to his owne glory Phil. 1.21 than to Thabita although as the commodity of the faithfull is alwayes annexed to the glory of God this turned to her greater good that she reuiued that she might be a more excellent instrument of Gods goodnes and power 42 And manie beleeued Now appeare manifold fruits of the myracle For God comforted the power a godly matron was restored to the Church in whose death it suffered great losse and many are called vnto the faith For although Peter were a minister of so great power yet he keepeth not the men in himselfe but doeth rather direct them vnto Christ 43 When as he saith that Peter dwelt with a tanner we may hereby gather of what manner men the Church of Ioppa did consist For if the chiefetaines of the Citie had beene conuerted to Christ some one of them would haue lodged Peter For it had bene too cruell a thing to suffer an Apostle of Christ to bee so despysed Therefore the Lorde did gather togither there as euery where a Church of the common sort of men that he might throwe downe the pride of the flesh and also thereby appeareth Peter his curtesie in that he vouchsafeth to lodge with a man of that calling Although it seemeth that he was rather a merchant of some good estimation than one of the basest sort of workemen for Luke will say afterward that ther were there some which ministred vnto Peter whereby it appeareth that he was well and honestly vsed CHAP. X. 1 AND there was a certaine man of Cesarea named Cornelius a captaine of the band which was called the Italian band 2 A deuout man and one that feared God with his whole houshold and one which gaue almes to all the people and which prayed to God continually 3 He saw plainly in a vision about the ninth houre of the day an angel of God comming in vnto him and saying to him Cornelius 4 And beholding and being afraid he said What is it Lorde Then he saide to him Thy prayers and thy almes are come vp into remembrance before God 5 And now send men to Ioppa and fet Simon which is called Peter 6 He lodgeth with Simon a Tanner whose house lyeth to the Sea he shal tel thee what thou must doe 1 Luke passeth ouer now vnto a worthie historie to wit that God vouchsafed to aduaunce a straunger and one vncircumcised vnto singular honour aboue all the Iewes because he doth both send his angel vnto him and for his sake bringeth Peter to Cesarea that he may instruct him in the Gospel But first of all Luke sheweth what maner person this Cornelius was for whose cause an angel descended from heauen and God spake to Peter in a vision He was a captaine of the Italian band A band did consist vpon a thousand footemen he which was chief captaine was called a Tribune or Marshal Againe euery hundreth had a captaine A legion had for the most part fiue bands That band was called the Italian bande because the Romanes did choose souldiers oftentimes from amongst those which dwelt in
they should neuer see him any more And it was very expedient that the patterne which was set before them by God of them to be followed shuld be alwayes before their eies that they should remember him when he was dead For we know how readily men degenerate from pure institution But thought hee deny that he doth know what shall befall him at Ierusalem yet because hee was taught by many prophecies that boÌ„ds were prepared for him there as if he were now readie to die he cutteth off shortly after the hope of his returne And yet for all this he is not contrarie to him selfe Hee speaketh doubtfully at the first of set purpose that hee maye soften that which was about to be more hard bitter yet he doth truly affirm that he knew not as yet the ends eueÌ„ts of things because he had no certain and special reuelation touching the whole processe bound in the spirit Some expound this that he was bound to the churches who had committed to him this function to carry almes Notwithstanding I doe rather thinke that hereby is meant the inward force and motion of the spirit not as thogh he were so inspired that he was out of his witte but because being certified of the will of God he did meekely follow the direction and instinct of the spirit euen of his owne accord Therefore this speech importeth as much as if he shoulde haue saide I cannot otherwise doe vnlesse I woulde be stubborne and rebellious against God who doth as it were draw me thither being bounde by his spirit For to the end he may excuse himself of rashnes he saith that the spirite is the authour guide of his iourney But woulde to God those brainsick men who boast that the spirit doth indite to theÌ„ those things which proceed from their own fantasie did know the spirit as familiarly as did Paul who doth notwithstanding not say that al his motions and instigations are of the spirit but declareth that that fel out in one thing as a singuler thing For men do oftentimes foolishly vnaduisedly take in hande those things which they put in practise afterwarde stoutly because they be ashamed of lightnes and vnstabilitie And he doth not only meane that he tooke in hand his iourney for a good cause which the spirit of god sheweth him but that it is altogether necessary for him because it is wickednes to resist Furthermore let vs learne by the example of the holy man not to kick against the spirit of the Lord but obedieÌ„tly to giue ouer our selues by him to be gouerned that he may rule vs at his pleasure after we be as it were bound to him For if the reprobate who are the boÌ„d slaues of SataÌ„ be carried not only willingly but also greedily through his motion how much more ought this voluntary bondage or seruice to be in the children of God 23 But that the holy ghost I do not vnderstand this of secret oracles but of those foretellings which he heard euery where of the Prophets And this speech hath greater dignity to set forth the prophecies then if the men theÌ„selues which spake were called cited to be witnesses For by this meanes the word of God hath his authoritie wheÌ„ we confesse that the spirit of God is the author therof though the ministers be meÌ„ Now for as much as the same spirit which foretelleth Paul of bonds tribulations doth also hold him fast bouÌ„d that he caÌ„not refuse to submit himself vnto him by this we learn that what dangers so euer hang ouer our heads we are not therby acquitted but that we must obey the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of god folow his calling In vain therfore do those meÌ„ flatter theÌ„ selues who wil do good so long as they be free from molestation may make discoÌ„modities damages and dangers of death sufficient excuses 24 I care not Al the godly must be so framed in their minds chiefly the ministers of the word that settiÌ„g al things apart they make hast to obey god The life is indeed a more excelleÌ„t gift theÌ„ that it ought to be neglected to wit seing we be therin created after the image of god to the end we may think vpoÌ„ that blessed immortality which is laid vp for vs in heaueÌ„ in which the lord doth now by diuers testimonies tokeÌ„s shew himself to be our father But because it is ordained to be vnto vs as a race we must alwaâ—â—sten vnto the marke ouercome all hinderances least any thing binder or stay vs in our course For it is a filthy thing for vs to be so holden with a blind desire to liue that we loose the causes of life for life it self this do the words of Paul expresse For he doeth not simplie set light by his life but he doth forget the respect thereof that he may finish his course that he may fulfil the ministery which he hath receiued of Christ as if he should say that he is not desirous to liue saue onely that he may satisfie the calling of God and that therefore it shall bee no griefe to him to loose his life so that hee may come by death vnto the goale of the function prescribed to him by God And we must note that which he saith with ioy for his meaning is that this is taken from the faithful by no sorrow or griefe but that they both liue and die to the Lord. For the ioy of a good coÌ„science is more deeply surely laid vp thaÌ„ that it can be takeÌ„ away by any externall troble or any sorrow of the flesh it triumpheth more ioyfully than that it can be oppressed Also we must note the definition of his course to wit that it is the ministery receiued of the Lord. Paul doth in deed speak of himself yet by his own example he teacheth that all those goe astray who haue not God to be the gouernour of their course Whereupon it followeth that his calling is vnto euery one of vs a rule of good life Neither can we be otherwise perswaded that the Lorde alloweth that which we doe vnlesse our life be framed ordered according to his wil which certainty is required especially in the ministers of the worde that they take nothing in hand vnlesse they haue Christ for their authour Neither is it to be doubted but that Paul in giuing his Apostleship this mark as he vseth to do very often doth confirm the credit thereof He calleth it the Gospel of the grace of God of the effect or end notwithstanding this is a title of rare commendation that by the gospel saluation the grace of god are brought vnto vs. For it is very expedient for vs to know that god is fouÌ„d ther to be merciful fauorable 25 And behold now I know He doeth now vtter that plainely which he had insinuated couertly And wee said that he did put them out of hope of his returne to the end he might more