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
libertie to lie that we might haue no certaine thing left vs after Christs ascension So that vnlesse this work of Luke were extant it might seeme that Christ being taken vp into heauen left no fruit of his death or resurrection vpon earth For all should haue vanished away with his bodie We should not know that Christ was so receiued into his celestiall glorie that neuertheles hee beareth rule in all the world we should not know that the Gospel was published by the Apostles and so came from them vnto vs though by the meanes of others we should not know that they were inspired by the holy Ghost least they should teach any thing but that which was diuine to the end our faith might be grounded onely vpon the vnfallible veritie of God Last of all we shoulde not knowe that that Prophesie of Esaias was fulfilled wherein he foretold that the law should come out of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem Seeing this booke proceeding no doubt from the spirite of God taketh from vs all doubting of these thinges wee must count the same as a great treasure as I haue said before not without cause and nowe againe confirme the same The Commentaries of M. Jo. Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles CHAP. I. 1 THe former speech truely haue we had ô Theophilus of al things which Iesus began to do and teach 2 Euen vntill that day wherein after he had giuen commaundement by the holie Ghost to the Apostles which he had chosen he was taken vp 1 THat he may passe ouer vnto those things which followed the ascension of Christ he briefly gathereth the sum of all those which before hee had handled in the former booke that he may annexe this thereunto And he briefly setteth downe this description of the historie of the Gospel that it is a narration of those thinges which Christ did said so long as he was conuersant vpon earth Furthermore whereas they interpret this commonlie that there was first in Christ puritie of life before such time as hee began to preach it maketh nothing vnto Luke his mind Truth it is that the manners of a good and godly teacher ought so to be framed that he speake first with his life then with his tongue otherwise he should differ nothing from a stage plaier Luk. 24.19 But Luke hath respect rather vnto that which he had said about the end of his Gospel namely that Christ was a prophet mightie in deed and word that is such a one as did excell no lesse in deeds than in words Although there be but small difference betwixt these two places For the mightines of works which is commēded there doth belong vnto his miracles but this To do doth reach further in my opinion namely that vnder the same are comprehended all the famous acts which were proper vnto his ministrie wherein his death resurrection are the chiefest For the office of the Messias did not onely consist in doctrine but it was also behoueful that he should make peace betweene God and man that he should be a redeemer of the people a restorer of the kingdome and an author of euerlasting felicitie Al these things I say as they were promised of the Messias so were they loked for at his hands Now we see that the sum of the Gospel consisteth of these two parts namely of the doctrin of Christ of his actes for as much as he did not onely bring vnto men that embassage which was giuen him in charge of his father but also performed al things that could be required of the Messias He began his kingdome he pacified God with his sacrifice he purged mans sins with his owne precious blood hee subdued death and the diuel he restored vs vnto true libertie he purchased righteousnes life for vs. And to the end that whatsoeuer he either did or said might be certaine he proued himself by miracles to be the sonne of God So that this worde to Doe is extended vnto his miracles also but it must not be restreined onely vnto the same Heere must we note that those which haue onely the bare knowledge of the history haue not the Gospel vnlesse the knowledge of the doctrine which maketh manifest the fruits of the Actes of Christ be adioyned thereunto For this is a holy knot which no man may dissolue Therefore whensoeuer mention is made of the doctrine of Christ let vs learne to adioyne thereunto his workes as seales whereby the truth therof is established and confirmed and the effect declared Furthermore that we may reape commoditie by his death and resurrection and also that miracles may haue their vse we must alwayes haue respect vnto him that speaketh For this is the true rule of Christianitie Of all things which he began I do not greatly mislike the interpretation which some giue of this place that Luke saide rather of all then all because it is possible in some measure to intreat of the workes and doctrin of Christ But to set downe the whole course that the narration may be perfect were a matter of great weight Like as Iohn doth declare that the world could not conteine the bookes Iohn 21.25 That is also to be noted that Luke saith that he began his historie at the beginning of the workes of Christ But so soon as he hath declared the natiuity of Christ he passeth ouer vnto the twelfth yeare of his age Luke 2.42 and after he had briefly spoken of his disputation had in the temple with the doctors passing ouer XVIII yeares without speaking any thing of them he entereth the iust narration of the workes of Christ It is therefore manifest that those workes and sayings onely which make any thing vnto the sum of our saluation are noted in this place For after that Christ came abroad into the world clothed with our flesh he liued priuatly at home vntil he was XXX yeeres of age at which time his Father put vpon him another manner of person God woulde haue him to leade the former part of his life obscurely to this ende that the knowledge of these things might be more excellent which do edifie our faith The former speech It seemed good to me to translate this on this wise because logon poiesdhai is the same with the Grecians which verba facere or to speak is with the Latins as Budaeus doth note And we must vnderstand the contrarietie of the second part which he taketh in hand that we may knowe that the Euangelist determined with himselfe afresh to write hauing new matter whereupon to write Euen vntill that day Therefore the ascention of Christ is the ende of the historie of the Gospel For hee hath ascended saith Paul that hee might fulfill all things Ephes 4.10 Our faith gathereth other fruite thereby but it shall be sufficient to note in this place that our redemption was fullie complete and finished then when Christ did ascend vnto his
and doe also looke for the promise let them knowe for a suretie that this is he and none other He vseth the worde house because God had separated that name and familie from all other people And he saith asphalos or for a suretie not only that they may repose their sure confidence and trust in Christe but that he may take away all occasion of doubting from those which doe oftentimes willingly doubt euen of matters which are certaine sure In the end of his oration he vpbraideth vnto them again that they did crucifie him that being touched with greater griefe of conscience they may desire remedie And nowe forasmuche as they knowe that Iesus is the annointed of the Lorde the gouernour of the church and the giuer of the holy ghost the accusation hath so much the more force For the putting of him to death was not onely full of crueltie and wickednesse but also a testimonie of outragious disloyaltie against God of sacrilege and vnthankefulnesse and finally of Apostacie But it was requisite that they shoulde bee so wounded least they should haue been slow to seeke for medicine And yet notwithstanding they did not crucifie him with their owne handes but this is more then sufficient to make them guilty in that they desired to haue him put to death And we also are accused by this same voice if we crucifie him in our selues Heb. 6.6 being alreadie glorified in heauen making a mocke of him as saith the Apostle Heb. 6. 37 And when they heard these things they were pricked in heart and said vnto Peter and to the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 38 Peter saide vnto them Repent and bee baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Spirite 39 For the promise appertaineth vnto you and vnto your children and vnto all which are farre off whomsoeuer the Lorde our God shall call 37 They were pricked in heart Luke doeth now declare the frute of the sermon to the ende we may know that the power of the holie ghost was not only shewed foorth in the diuersitie of tongues but also in their hearts which heard And he noteth a double frute first that they were touched with the feeling of sorrowe and secondly that they were obedient to Peter his counsell This is the beginning of Repentance this is the entrance vnto godlines to be sory for our sinnes and to be wounded with the feeling of our miseries For so long as mē are carelesse they can not take such heed vnto doctrine as they ought And for this cause the word of God is compared to a sword Iohn 15.16 Heb. 4.12 Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.3 because it doth mortifie our flesh that we may be offered to God for a sacrifice But there must bee added vnto this pricking in hart readinesse to obey Cain and Iudas were pricked in heart but despaire did keepe them backe from submitting themselues vnto GOD. For the minde beeing oppressed with horrour can do nothing els but flie from god And surelie when Dauid affirmeth that a contrite spirite and an humble heart is a sacrifice acceptable to God he speaketh of voluntarie pricking forasmuche as there is fretting and fuming mixed with the prickings of the wicked Therefore we must take a good hearte to vs lift vp our minde with this hope of saluation that we may be ready to addict giue ouer our selues vnto God to follow whatsoeuer he shall commaund We see many oftentimes pricked who notwithstanding do fret and murmure or els frowardly striue and struggle and so consequently goe furiously madde Yea this is the cause why they goe mad because they feele such prickings against their wil. Those men therefore are profitablie pricked alone who are willingly sorrowfull and doe also seeke some remedie at Gods handes 38 Peter said Hereby we see that those do neuer go away empty which ask at the mouth of the Lord do offer thēselues vnto him to be ruled and taught Mat. 7.7 for that promise must needes be true Knocke and it shal be opened vnto you Therfore whosoeuer shal be rightly prepared to learn the Lord will not suffer his godly desire to be in vaine for hee his a most faithfull master so that hee haue scholers which are apt to bee taught studious Wherfore there is no cause why he should fear least he suffer vs to be destitute of sound counsell if we be attentiue and readie to hear him and do not refuse to imbrace whatsoeuer we shall teach vs. And let vs suffer our selues to be gouerned by the counsell authoritie of those men whom he offreth vnto vs to teach vs. For this readie obedience cōmeth thence so sodainly in those which addict themselues vnto the apostles because they are perswaded that they are sent of God to shewe them the way of saluation Repent There is greater force in the Greeke word for it doth signifie the conuersion of the mind that the whole man may be renued made another mā Which thing must be diligently noted bicause this doctrine was miserablie corrupted in the time of Poperie for they translated the name of repentance almost vnto certain externall rites They babble somwhat in deed about the feigned contrition of the heart but they touche that part very sleightly they stand principallie vpon the externall exercises of the body which were little worth Yea though ther were in thē no corruption But they vrge nothing els in a manner but feigned trifles wherwith men are wearied in vain Wherfore let vs know that this is the true Repentance when a man is renued in the spirit of his mind as Paul teacheth Rom. 12. Neither need wee to doubt of this Rom. 12.1 but that Peter did preach plainly of the force nature of Repentance but Luke doth only touch the chief points and doth not reckon vp the wordes of the oration which he made We must therfore know thus much that Peter did at the first exhort the Iewes vnto repentance that done he lifted thē vp with hope of pardon For he promised thē forgiuenes of sins Which two things are the two parts of the gospel as we know full well And therfore when Christ will briefly teach what the doctrine of the Gospel doth cōtain he saith that that repentance remission of sinnes must bee preached in his name Furthermore because we are reconciled vnto god Luk. 24.47 only by the intercession of Christ his death neither are our sinnes otherwise purged done away saue only by his blood therfore Peter calleth vs back vnto him by name Hee putteth Baptisme in the fourth place as the seale whereby the promise of grace is confirmed Wherefore wee haue in these few words almost the whole summe of christianitie namelie how a man renouncing himself taking his fare well of the worlde may addict himself wholy to God Secondly
Iacob to the ende he may declare vnto the people that hee meaneth nothing lesse than to lead them away from the old and auncient worship of the true God which they had receiued of the Fathers Furthermore God hath giuen himselfe this title that he might disseuer and distinguish himself by some marke from Idols For wee doe not comprehend God in his essence which cannot be seen and which is infinite Therefore hee vseth such meanes as agree best with vs to bring vs to the knowledge of him The Turkes doe boast that they do worship God which is the Creator of heauen and earth but before they come at heauen they vanish away Therefore to the end God might keepe his people from vaine and erronious inuentions he kept them in his couenant Therfore when he calleth himselfe the God of Abraham Deut. 30.12 he did briefly teach that which Moses declareth more at large Say not Who shall ascend into heauen who shall goe downe into the depth Or who shall saile ouer the Seas The worde is nigh c. Furthermore as amongest the Iewes the name of the holy Fathers was in high estimation so Peter doth closely tel them that they were no better than other men without the only begotten sonne of God And at this day God will bee knowen by a more euident marke yet when as he calleth himselfe the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs now returne vnto Peter He saith that he bringeth in no new religion that he may draw away the people from the law and the Prophets For if he should attempt this God had forbidden them to heare him Deut. 13.3 1. Cor. 3.11 Deut. 13. Like as Paule teacheth that we must retaine one foundation in the spirituall building because so soone as we depart euen but a little from Christ there can nothing ensue but ruine And hereby also we may easilie discern in what sense he calleth God the god of the Fathers For neither doth he take this for a generall maxime that what manner worship soeuer the fathers had wee must continue the same as the Papists doe foolishly vaunt that they doe follow the manner of worshipping whiche was vsed amongest the fathers For Peter doth expresly reckon vppe Abraham Isaach and Iacob from whom true religion did proceed and by whom it was diuinely deliuered whereby hee doeth signifie vnto vs that we must not follow all fathers whereof manie did growe out of kinde and became altogether vnlike to the first fathers that this honor is due to the children of God alone and that others are to bee refused Eze. 20.18 Which thing the Prophets doe also beat in euerie where Walk not in the waies of your fathers c. Whom ye haue deliuered Hee mingleth with doctrine a most sharpe chiding according as the matter did require For it was vnpossible to bring them truly vnto God vnlesse they were first brought to the knowledge of their sinnes Neither doth he only lightly touch them but hee doeth very grauely shewe them the horriblenesse of that offence which they had committed To this ende tendeth that comparison that they deliuered him to be put to death whom Pilate would haue loosed And againe that pardoning a murtherer they put the prince of life to death that they did reiect the iust holy Men must bee so stricken that being brought to knowe their giltines they may earnestly flie vnto the remedie of pardon Such vehemencie and earnestnesse did Peter also vse in his first sermon He saith afterward that God raised him vppe Whereby they ought to know that in putting Christe to death they did striue against God Although Peter had respect vnto an higher thing to wit that their crueltie did no whit impayre the glory of Christ because God had neuerthelesse restored him to life When as he saith that he and his fellowes in office were witnesses of the resurrection his meaning is that they saw it with their eyes Luk. 24.48 Therefore this is referred not onely vnto the Apostolicall function but because they saw Christe with their eyes after that hee was risen from the dead Although I doe also graunt that this seconde thing is comprehended vnder these wordes Because it is likely that Peter doeth make mention of that function which was committed vnto him to the ende hee may purchase the greater authoritie 16 And in the faith of his name When as he saith In the faith of his name and His name and again The faith which is by him this repetition is a token of a feruent affection For because hee was wholie giuen to set foorth the glorie of Christe hee beateth in the same thing oftentimes Moreouer wee see that when Paule is occupied about the shewing and setting foorth of the grace of Christ he thinketh that he hath neuer spoken enough touching the same And surely such is the wicked nature of men that Christ cannot be so highly extolled so preached that his honour can remaine sounde vnto him Let vs therefore remember that Peter did vse such varietie and plentie of wordes to the ende he might stay vs in Christ As touching the phrase when as he saith his name in the faith of his name hath strengthened hee sheweth both the cause the maner The power of Christ had healed the Creeple but by faith When as he saith the faith which is by him by this worde hee signifieth vnto vs that our faith cannot arise vp vnto God vnlesse it bee grounded in Christ and so consequentlie that this our faith doth look vnto Christ and stay it selfe vpon him and so he sheweth that there can bee no right faith in God when we passe ouer this meane Furthermore as he said before that he and the other Apostles were witnesses of Christes life so he doth nowe declare that this life was manifestly proued vnto the Iewes by a signe or effect because they see the creeple healed in whom they hadde an excellent and euident token of the diuine power of Christ And when as in this last member he maketh faith the cause of this soundnesse hee layeth vnthankfulnesse to their charge by the way vnlesse they giue faith her due prayse And although faith may be referred as well vnto the man that was healed as vnto the Apostles yet we neede not to stand much about this matter because the power of the Gospel is set foorth by Synecdoche 17 And now brethren I knowe that through ignoraunce you did it as did also your rulers 18 And God hath fulfilled all thinges which hee had spoken by the mouth of his prophetes that Christe should suffer 19 Repent therefore and bee conuerted that your sinnes may be forgiuen 20 When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lorde and hee shall send him that was “ Or set before your eyes represented preached before Iesus Christe 21 Whom heauen must containe vntill the time that all thinges bee restored which he hath spoken by
the cause why God doth shewe an example of such sharpe punishment in Ananias Nowe let vs note euerie point by it selfe He laide it at the feete of the Apostles Loe what ambition doth Ananias is ashamed not to be accounted one of the best therefore although hee be greedie of monie yet to the ende he may purchase a name amongst men hee depriueth himselfe of some part of his riches In the meane while hee doeth not consider that hee lyeth and disceiueth in the sight of God and that God will punish this lye So it is that he honoreth the Apostles feete more than Gods eyes Wherefore wee must take good heede that when wee doe well wee doe not seeke to bee praised of the by standers and it is not without cause that Christ saieth that it is profitable for vs when wee giue our almes to haue the left hande ignorant of that which the right hand doth 3 And Peter saide Howe did Peter knowe Ananias his fraude and purloigning vndoubtedly by the reuelation of the Spirite Therefore Luke signifieth vnto vs that the Apostles did after a sort represent gods person and supplie his roome If the Spirite of God by the mouth of a mortall man do so sore vrge an hypocrite being otherwise painted with the beautifull colour of vertues how shall the reprobate abide the voice of god himself with the sound of the trūpet when they shal appear before his iudgement seat Furthermore Peter pointeth out the cruelnes and horriblenes of the offence by his question when he saith that Satan had filled the hart of Ananias For there is no man whose hart is not pricked with the prickes of Satan and all men are also many wayes tempted yea these temptations pearce into their minds but where Satan possesseth the hart he reigneth in the whole man hauing as it were expelled God This is a signe of a reprobate to be so addicted and giuen ouer to Satan that the Spirit of God hath no place That which followeth afterward concerning lying may haue a double sense either that he did falsely beare a shew of the Spirit or that he lyed against the Spirit And in deede it is word for word Mentiri Spiritum but forasmuch as the Greeke word Pseudesthai is ioyned with a double accusatiue case that doth better agree with the text I am rather of this minde that Ananias is reprehended because he did lie falsely to the holy Ghost Which he confirmeth shortly after when he vpbraideth this vnto him that he hath lyed vnto God and not vnto men Wherefore we must take great heed that hypocrisie reigne not in vs which hath this wickednes proper to it to goe about to disceiue God and as it were cornicum oculos configere to goe about to make blinde those which are most wise which cannot be without a disloyall and vnseemely mocke Wherfore it is not without cause that Peter saieth that where this commeth to passe the heart is possessed of Satan For who durst vnles he were void of reason so blaspheme God Therfore Peter asketh him as of some wōder because such blindnesse is horrible 4 Did it not remaining This amplifieth the offence because he sinned being enforced by no necessitie For seeing it is no iust or lawful excuse to haue been prouoked by some other meanes how much worse is it to run headlong vnto wickednesse willingly and as it were of set purpose to pull downe Gods vengeance We gather out of this that no man was enforced to sell his goods or landes For Peter saieth that Ananias had free libertie to keep both his land and his money because in the second member the field which was sold is takē for the price it self Therfore he should neuertheles haue been counted faithfull though he had kept that which was his owne Whereby it appeareth that they are mē destitute of their right wits who say that it is not lawful for the faithfull to haue any thing of their owne Thou hast not lied to men but to God Although the wordes be diuersly construed yet doe I not doubt but that this confirmeth the former sentence For hypocrites do so inwrappe themselues in so many shifts that they thinke they haue nothing to doe with God And Peter speaketh thus expresly because Ananias had deceiued the church Mat. 18.20 But he ought to haue considered that Where two or three bee gathered together in the name of Christ he is present there as the chief gouernour yea hee ought to haue behaued himselfe no other wise in that assemblie than if he should haue seene God with his eyes For seeing that God wil reigne in the Church if we giue him any reuerence wee must reuerence that rule and gouernement religiously which hee exerciseth by his woorde The Apostles were in deed men but not priuate men 1. Cor. 3.16 17. 6.19 because God had put them in his steede Furthermore we must note that he saith that he lieth to God who doeth lie to the holy Ghost For the diuinitie of the holy ghost is manifestly proued by this forme of speech In like sort Paul saith Yee are the Temples of God because his Spirite dwelleth in you 1. Cor. the third Chapt. 2. Cor. 2.16 5 When Ananias heard these thinges The death of Ananias doeth in deede declare and proue the force of the word which Paul doth highly extoll to wit that it is the sauour of death vnto death to those which perish 2. Cor. 2. He speaketh in deede of the spirituall death of the soule but there was a visible signe in the bodie of Ananias of that punishment which cannot bee seene with the eies of men Hee was not slaine with sword by force nor hand but was striken deade with the onely hearing of the voice When we heare this let the threatnings of the Gospel terrifie vs and humble vs in time least we also feele the like effect For that which is spoken of Christ Esaie 11.4 He shall slea the wicked with the breath of his mouth doth not only appertaine to the heade of the wicked but also to euery member For those which refuse the saluation offered in his word it must needs be deadly to them which was naturally wholsome But and if any man doe thinke it an absurd thing that the Apostle did punish Ananias bodily First I answere that this was an extraordinarie thing secondly that this was one of the gifts of the Spirit as it appeareth by the 12. 1. Cor. 12.10 Chapter of the first to the Corinthians After which sort we shall afterward see Elimas the sorcerer striken with blindnesse by Paul Therefore Peter did nothing which was impertinent to his function Actes 13.8 when hee did in time shoote that dart which the holy Ghost had giuen him And whereas some thinke that this was too cruell a punishment this commeth to passe because weighing Ananias his sinne in their owne and not in Gods ballance they count that but
a light offence which was a most great and grieuous crime being full of such hainos offences as I haue alreadie declared Othersome doe thinke that this was nothing so because they see many hypocrites escape scotfree daily which do no lesse mocke God than did Ananias yea because they themselues being most grosse contemners of God are yet notwithstanding vnpunished for their wickednesse But as God hath powred out visible graces vppon his Church in the beginning to the ende we may know that hee will be present with vs by the secrete power of his spirite yea hee shewed that openly by externall signes which wee feele inwardly by the experiment of faith so hee declared by the visible punishment of two howe horrible a iudgement remaineth for all hypocrites which shall mocke God and his Church And there came great feare This was the Lordes purpose by punishing one to make the rest afraide that they might reuerently beware of all hypocrisie And that which Luke saieth that they feared doeth appertaine vnto vs also For God meant to giue all ages a lesson at that time that they may learne to deale syncerely and vprightly with him In the meane season the punishment of this wicked person ought to haue encouraged the godlie heereafter to consecrate their goods more freely to God and the poore because they might gather howe precious almes was in the sight of God seeing the profaning thereof was so punished 7 And there was passed about the space of three houres when his wife came in ignorant of that which was done 8 And Peter said vnto her Tell me solde yee the fielde for so much shee answered Surely for so much 9 And Peter said vnto her What is this that yee are agreed togither to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Behold the feete of those which haue buried thy husband are at the doore which shall carry thee out 10 And immediatly she fell downe at his feete and gaue vp the ghost Furthermore when the yonge men came in they found her deade and when they had caried her out they buried her beside her husband 11 And there came great feare vpon all the Church and vpon all which hearde these things 7 That punishment wherewith the Lord punished Sapphira conteineth no newe thing saue onely that the example was the more confirmed thereby And it came to passe by the certaine prouidence of God that the Church shoulde see apart the obstinate wickednes and trecherous mind of them both Seeing their faults were alike they might hau◠ben known togither but this was more fit and profitable for the church that they might seuerally bewray their owne wickednes Neither was Sapphira prouoked by the sight of her husband to dissemble as it falleth out oftentimes that the fault could be ascribed to shamefastnes but of her owne accord and being pricked forward by no other meanes shee seemeth to be no better than her husband Moreouer their wickednesse in lying was like for as much as shee may see by Peter his interrogation that that their guile was found out 8 Tell me We see that God doeth not by and by punish her but first he trieth the matter throughly least he should send vengeance vpon any saue the obstinate those which will not be pardoned For although Sapphira did know that the matter was hidden she ought to haue bene striken with this question of Peter no otherwise than if she had ben cited to appeare before the iudgement seat of God She hath a time granted her to repent yea this is as it were a pleasant inuiting vnto repentance But shee in holding on so carelesly doeth declare that shee was vncureable because shee is touched with no feare of God And heereby are wee taught to labour diligently to bring sinners into the way For the spirite of God keepeth this moderation but when as stubbernnesse and the stubberne contempt of God is added vnto the offence it is now high time to punish Therefore those men are too arrogant who are displeased with the immoderate rigour of God It is rather our duetie to consider how we shall in time to come stande before the iudgement seat of God Although this is too much to despise his holie power maiestie if we will haue him mocked freely without any punishment Moreouer so many circūstances which before I haue gathered do sufficiently proue that Ananias and Sapphira were not worthie of one death only For first of all hypocrisie is of it self very abhominable to God secondly whereas they are determined to lie vnto God this ariseth of great contempt in that they do not reuerēce fear Christ being the chief gouernor of those amongst whom they were it is vngodlines ioyned with impudencie because so they can escape shame and reproch amongst men before whom they were determined to vaunt brag they passe not to denie their manifest wickednesse vnto God Whereas they do stubbernly denie their offence this doth as it were make vp the heape and measure And whereas innumerable hypocrites do no lesse mocke God and the church daylie who notwithstanding are not punished with death I haue alreadie shewed why this ought to seeme to bee no inconuenient thing For as much as God is the only iudge of the world it belongeth to him to punish euery man at his pleasure when how it seemeth good to him Wherefore wee may not prescribe vnto him a certaine meane maner of punishmēt But the greatnes of the spiritual iudgement which is as yet hid hath been set before vs in the bodily punishment of two as in a mirrour For if we consider what it is to be cast into eternall fire we shall not iudge that this is the greatest euill and punishment of all to fal downe dead before men Looke the tenth chapter of the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10.5 9 To tempt the spirit He vttereth the same thing in other words which he had said before to wit that they did mock god vnreuerently and contemptiblie But he saide that they tempted the Spirite because they had cunningly packt their fraud as if the Spirite of God were not the knower of the harts For it was a point of too great carelesnes seing the one made the other priuy to their wickednes to make their match between themselues hauing as it were excluded God For the scripture saith that God is tempted either when his power is taken from him or the knowledge of all thinges is denied him Furthermore he meaneth that Spirit which gouerned the Church by the Apostles For when Christe sayeth When the Spirite commeth he shal iudge the world he noteth no other kind of authority than that which he exerciseth by the ministerie of the church 11 And there came feare Hee saith againe that the punishment of one was a lesson for all But he plainely expresseth in this place a double feare He saith that the church feared because the faithfull doe neuer so perfectly fear God but that
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
forasmuch as he was full of the holy Ghoste he looked vp stedfastly into heauen and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God 56 And he said Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hande of God And they cryed with a lowde voyce and stopped their eares 57 And with one accord they ran vpon him 58 And hauing cast him out of the citie they stoned him 54 When they heard The beginning of the action had in it some colour of iudgement but at length the Iudges can not bridle their furie First they interrupt him with murmuring and noise now they break out into enuious and deadly cryings least they should heare any one worde Afterwarde they hale the holy man out of the citie that they may put him to death And Luke expresseth properly what force Satan hath to driue forward the aduersaries of the word When he saith that they burst asunder inwardly he noteth that they were not only angrie but they were also striken with madnesse Which furie breaketh out into the gnashing of the teeth as a violent fire into flame The reprobate who are at Satan his commaundement must needs be thus moued with the hearing of the word of God this is the state of the Gospell it driueth hypocrites into madnesse who might seeme before to be modest as if a drunken man which is desirous of sleepe be sodainly awaked Luke 2.35 Therefore Simeon assigneth this to Christ as proper to him to diclose the thoughts of many heartes Yet notwithstanding this ought not to bee ascribed to the doctrine of saluation whose end is rather this to frame mens minds to obey god after that it hath subdued them But so soone as Satan hath possessed their mindes if they bee vrged their vngodlinesse will breake out Therfore this is an accidentarie euil yet we are taught by these examples that we must not looke that the worde of God shoulde drawe all men vnto a sound mind Which doctrine is very requisite for vs vnto constancie Those which are teachers cannot do their dutie as they ought but they must set thēselues against the contemners of God And forasmuch as there are alwayes some wicked men which set light by the maiestie of God they must euer now and then haue recourse vnto this vehemencie of Steuen For they may not winke when Gods honour is taken from him And what shal be the end therof Their vngodlines shal be the more incensed so that we shall seeme to powre oyle into the fire as they say But whatsoeuer come of it yet must we not spare the wicked but wee must keepe them downe mightilie although they could powre out all the furies of hel And it is certaine that those which will flatter the wicked doe not respect the frute but are faint hearted through feare of daunger But as for vs howsoeuer we haue no such successe as we could wish let vs know that courage in defending the doctrine of godlinesse is a sweet smelling sacrifice to God 55 For asmuch as he was full We cannot almost expresse into what straites the seruant of Christ was brought when hee saw himselfe beset rounde with raging enemies the goodnesse of his cause was oppressed partly with false accusations and malice partly with violence and outragious outcries he was inuironned with sterne countenaunces on euery side he himselfe was hailed vnto a cruell and horrible kinde of death he could espie succour and ease no where Therfore being thus destitute of mans helpe he turneth him selfe to warde God We must first note this that Steuen did looke vnto God who is the iudge of life and death turning his eyes from beholding the world when he was brought into extreeme despaire of all thinges whiles that there is nothing but death before his eyes That done we must also adde this that his expectation was not in vaine because Christ appeared to him by and by Although Luke doth signifie that he was now armed with such power of the Spirit as could not be ouercome so that nothing could hinder him frō beholding the heauens Therefore Steuen looketh vp toward heauen that he may gather courage by beholding Christ that dying he may triūphe gloriously hauing ouercom death But as for vs it is no maruel if Christ doe not shew himself to vs because we are so set tyed vpon the earth Hereby it cōmeth to passe that our harts faile vs at euery light rumor of danger and euen at the falling of a leafe And that for good causes for where is our strength but in Christ But we passe ouer the heauens as if we had no helpe any where els saue only in the world Furthermore this vice can be redressed by no other meanes then if God lift vs vp by his Spirit being naturally set vpon the earth Therefore Luke assigneth this cause why Steuē loked vp stedfastly toward heauē because he was full of the spirite We must also ascend into heauen hauing this spirite to be our directer and guid so often as we are oppressed with troubles And surely vntill such time as he illuminate vs our eyes are not so quicke of sight that they can come vnto heauen Yea the eyes of the fleshe are so dull that they cannot ascend into heauen Hee saw the glory of God Luke signifieth as I haue said that Christ appeared foorthwith to Steuen so soone as he lifted vp his eyes towards heauen But he telleth vs before that he had other eyes giuen him than the fleshly eyes seeing that with the same he flieth vp vnto the glory of God Whence we must gather a generall comfort that God will be no lesse present with vs if forsaking the worlde all our senses striue to come to him not that he appeareth vnto vs by any externall vision as hee did to Steeuen but he will so reueale himselfe vnto vs within that wee may in deed feele his presence And this maner of seeing ought to be sufficient for vs when God doth not only by his power and grace declare that he is nigh at hand but doth also proue that hee dwelleth in vs. 56 Behold I see the heauens God ment not only priuately to prouide for his seruant but also to wring and torment his enemies as Steeuen doth couragiously triumph ouer them when he affirmeth plainely that he saw a myracle And here may a question be moued how the heauens were opened For mine owne part I think that there was nothing changed in the nature of the heauens but that Steeuen had new quicknesse of sight graunted him which pearced through all lets euen vnto the inuisible glory of the kingdome of heauen For admit we graunt that there was some diuision or parting made in heauen yet mans eye could neuer reach so farre Againe Steeuen alone did see the glory of God For that spectacle was not only hid frō the wicked who stoode in the same place but they were also so
whit excuse him And Luke will shortly after declare that he was sent by the high Priest to persecute the faithful Therfore he was no childe he might well be counted a man Why then is his youth mentioned That euery man may consider with him selfe what great hurt he might haue done in Gods Church vnlesse Christe hadde brideled him betimes And therin appeareth a most notable token both of Gods power and also of his grace in that he tamed a fierce and wilde beast in his chiefe furie euen in a moment and in that he extolled a miserable murtherer so highly who through his wickednesse was drowned almost in the deepe pit of hell 59 Calling on Because he had vttered wordes enough before men though in vaine he turneth himselfe now vnto God for good causes and armeth himselfe with prayer to suffer all thinges For although we haue need to run vnto Gods help euerie minute af an houre during our whole warfare yet we haue greatest need to call vpon God in the last conflict which is the hardest And Luke expresseth again how furious mad they were because their crueltie was not aswaged euen when they saw the seruāt of Christ praying humbly Furthermore here is set downe a prayer of Steeuen hauing two members In the former member where he commendeth his spirite to Christ he sheweth the constancie of his faith In the other where he prayeth for his enemies he testifieth his loue towarde men Forasmuch as the whole perfection of godlinesse consisteth vpon these two partes we haue in the death of Steeuen a rare example of a godly holy death It is to be thought that he vsed many mo words but the summe tendeth to this end Lord Iesu I haue alreadie said that this prayer was a witnesse of confidence and surely the couragiousnesse and valiauntnesse of Steeuen was great that when as he saw the stones flie about his eares wherewith he should be stoned by and by when as he heareth cruell curses and reproches against his head hee yet stayeth himselfe meekely vppon the grace of Christ In like sort the Lord wil haue his seruants to be brought to nought as it were sometimes to the end their saluation may bee the more wonderfull And let vs define this saluation not by the vnderstanding of our flesh but by faith Wee see how Steeuen leaneth not vnto the iudgement of the flesh but rather assuring himselfe euen in very destruction that he shal be saued he suffereth death with a quiet mind For vndoubtedly he was assured of this Col. 3.3 that our life is hid with Christe in God Therefore casting off all care of the bodie hee is content to commit his soule into the handes of Christe For hee coulde not pray thus from his heart vnlesse hauing forgotten this life he had cast of all care of the same Psal 31.6 It behoueth vs with Dauid to commit our soules into the handes of God daylie so long as we are in the worlde because we are inuironed with a thousand deaths that God may deliuer our life from all dangers but when we must die indeed and we are called thereunto we must flie vnto this prayer that Christe will receiue our spirite For hee commended his owne Spirite into the handes of his Father to this end that hee may keepe ours for euer This is an vnestimable comfort in that wee knowe our soules doe not wander vppe and downe when they flit out of our bodies but that Christ receiueth them that hee may keepe them faithfully if wee commend them into his handes This hope ought to encourage vs to suffer death patiently Yea whosoeuer commendeth his soule to Christ with an earnest affection of faith he must needes resigne himselfe wholy to his pleasure and will And this place doth plainelie testifie that the soule of man is no vaine blast which vanisheth away as some frantike fellowes imagine dotingly but that it is an Essentiall spirite which liueth after this life Furthermore wee are taught hereby that we call vpon Christ rightly and lawfully because all power is giuen him of the Father for this cause that all men may commit themselues to his tuition 60 Kneeling down he cried This is the other part of his prayer wherein he ioyneth the loue of men with faith in Christ and surely if we desire to be gathered to Christ for our saluation we must put on this affection Whereas Steeuen prayeth for his enemies and those most deadly and euen in the very instant whē their crueltie might prouoke him vnto desire of reuenge he declareth sufficiently what affection hee beareth toward all other men And we know that we are all commanded to do the same which Steuen did Mat. 5.93.94 but because there is nothing more hard than so to forgiue iniuries that we will wish wel to those who would haue vs vndone therfore we must alwaies set Steeuen before our eyes for an example He crieth in deed with a loud voice but he maketh shew of nothing before men which was not spoken sincerely and from the heart as God himselfe doth witnesse Yet he cryeth aloud that he may omit nothing which might serue to asswage the cueltie of the enemies The fruite appeared not foorthwith yet vndoubtedly he prayed not in vaine Paule is vnto vs a sufficient testimonie that this sinne was not laide to all their charges I will not say as Augustin that vnlesse Steeuen had praied the church should not haue had Paul for this is somwhat hard only I say this that whereas God pardoned Paul it appeareth thereby that Steeuen his prayer was not in vaine Here ariseth a question How Steeuen prayeth for those which he said of late did resist the holy ghost but this seemeth to be the sinne against the Spirit which shall neuer be forgiuen We may easily answere that that is pronounced generally of all which belōgeth to many euery where Therfore he called not the body of the people rebellious in such sort that he exempted none againe I haue declared before what manner of resisting hee condemned in that place for it followeth not by and by that they sin against the holy ghost who resist him for a time When he prayeth that God will not lay the sinne to their charge his meaning is that the guiltines may not remain in them And when hee had said thus hee fell on sleepe This was added that wee may knowe that these wordes were vttered euen when he was readie to yeeld vppe the Ghoste which is a token of wonderfull constancie also this word sleepe noteth a meeke kind of death Nowe because hee made this prayer when he was at the point of death hee was not moued with any hope of obtaining pardon to bee so careful to appease his enemies but only that they might repent When this worde sleepe is taken in the scripture for to die it must bee referred vnto the bodie least any man imagine foolishly with vnlearned men that the soules doe
the Apostles did consider what particular thing their calling hadde to wit that they should keepe their standing seeing the wolues did inuade the sheepefolde The rigour of Tertullian and such like was too great who did deny indifferently that it is lawful to flie for fear of persecution August saith better who giueth leaue to flie in such sort that the churches beeing destitute of theyr Pastours bee not betrayed into the hands of the enemies This is surely the best moderation which beareth neither too muche with the flesh neither driueth those headlong to death who may lawefully saue their liues Let him that is disposed reade the 180. Ep. to Honoratus That I may returne to the Apostles if they had been scattered here and there with feare of persecution euen at the beginning all men might haue rightly called them hirelings How hurtfull and filthie had the forsaking of the place bin at the present time how greatly wold it haue discouraged the mindes of all men What great hurt should they haue done with their example among the posteritie It shall sometimes so fall out in deede that the pastour may also flie that is if they inuade him alone if the laying waste of the church be not feared if hee bee absent But and if both his flocke and hee haue to encounter with the aduersarie hee is a treacherous forsaker of his office if hee stande not stoutlye to it euen vntill the end Priuate persons haue greater libertie 2 They dressed Steeuen Luke sheweth that euen in the heat of persecution the godly were not so discouraged but beeing alwayes zealous they did those dueties which did belong to godlinesse Buriall seemeth to be a matter of small importance rather than they will foreslowe the same they bring themselues in no small hassarde of life And as the circumstance of time doth declare that they contemned death valiantly so againe wee gather thereby that they were carefull to doe this thing not without great and vrgent cause For this serued greatly to exercise their faith that the bodie of the holy martyr shoulde not bee left to the wilde beastes in whom Christe had triumphed nobly according to the glory of his Gospel Neither could they liue to Christ vnlesse they were readie to be gathered vnto Steeuen into the societie of death Therfore the care they had to burie the martyr was vnto them a meditation vnto inuincible constancie of professing the faith Therfore they sought not in a superfluous matter with an vnaduised zeale to prouoke their aduersaries Although that generall reason which ought alwayes and euerie where to be of force amongst the godly was vndoutedly of great weight with them For the rite of burying doth appertaine vnto the hope of the resurrection as it was ordeined by God since the beginning of the world to this end Wherefore this was alwayes counted cruell Barbarisme to suffer bodies to lie vnburied willingly Profane men did not know why they shuld count the right of buriall so holy but wee are not ignorant of the ende therof to wit that those which remaine aliue may know that the bodies are committed to the earth as to a prison vntil they be raised vp thence Whereby it appeareth that this duty is profitable rather for those which are aliue than for those which are deade Although it is also a point of our humanitie to giue due honour to those bodies to which wee knowe blessed immortalitie to be promised They made great lamentation Luke doth also commend their profession of godlinesse and faith in their lamentation For a dolefull and vnprosperous ende causeth men for the most part to forsake those causes wherein they were delighted before But on the other side these men declare by their mourning that they are no what terrified with the death of Stephen from standing stoutly in the approbation of their cause considering therewithal what great losse Gods church suffered by the death of one man And we must reiect that foolish Philosophie which willeth mē to be altogither blockish that they may be wise It must needs be that the Stoicks were void of cōmon sense who would haue a man to be with out all affection Certaine mad fellowes would gladly bring in the same dotings into the Church at this day and yet notwithstanding although they require an heart of yron of other men there is nothing softer or more effeminate than they They cannot abide that other men should shedde one teare if any thing fall out otherwise than they woulde wish they make no end of mourning God doth thus punish their arrogancy iestingly that I may so terme it seing that he setteth them to be laught at euen by boyes But let vs know that those affections which God hath giuen to mans nature are of themselues no more corrupt than the authour himselfe but that they are first to bee esteemed according to the cause secondly if they keepe a meane and moderation Surely that man which denieth that wee ought to reioice ouer the giftes of God is more like a blocke than a man therefore wee may no lesse lawfully sorrowe when they be taken away And least I passe the compasse of this present place Paule doeth not altogither forbidde men mourning when any of their friends is taken away by death but he would haue a difference betweene them and the vnbeleeuers because hope ought to bee to them a comfort and a remedie against vnpatience For the beginning of death causeth vs to sorrow for good causes but because we knowe that we haue life restored to vs in Christ we haue that which is sufficient to appease our sorrowe In like sort when wee are sorie that the Church is depriued of rare and excellent men there is good cause of sorrow onely we must seek such comfort as may correct excesse 3 But Saul Wee must note two thinges in this place howe greate the cruelty of the aduersaries was and howe wonderfull the goodnesse of God was who vouchsafed to make Paul a Pastour of so cruel a wolfe For that desire to lay wast the Church wherewith he was incensed did seeme to cut away all hope Therefore his conuersion was so much the more excellent afterward And it is not to bee doubted but that this punishment was laid vpon him by God after that he had conspired to put Stephen to death togither with the other wicked men that he shoulde be the ringleader of crueltie For God doeth oftentimes punish sinnes more sharply in the Elect than in the reprobate 4 And they were scattered abroad Luke declareth in this place also that it came to passe by the wonderful prouidence of God that the scattering abroad of the faithfull should bring many vnto the vnitie of faith thus doth the Lord vse to bring light out of darknes life out of death For the voice of the Gospel which was heard heretofore in one place onely doth now sound euerywhere in the meane season we are taught by this example that we must
it is to be thought that they laide wait for Paul priuily that done when they could do no good this way it is likely that they came to the gouernor of the citie and that then the gates were watched that they might by one meanes or other catch him For Paul saith that Aretas the kings gouernour commaundeth that which Luke attributeth in this place to the Iewes 25 The disciples hauing taken him by night There is a question moued here whether it were lawfull for the disciples to saue Paul thus or no and also whether it were lawful for Paul to escape danger by this means or no For the Lawes say that the walles of cities are holy and that the gates are holy Therefore hee ought rather to haue suffered death than to haue suffered a publike order to bee broken for his sake I answere that wee must consider why it is decreed by the Lawes that the walles shoulde not be violated to wit that the cities may not be laide open to murthers and robberies and that the citizens may be free from treason that reason ceaseth when the question is concerning the deliuerie of an innocent man Therefore it was no lesse lawfull for the faithfull to let downe Paul in a basket than it shal be lawfull for any priuate person to leape ouer a wall that he may auoide the sodaine inuasion of the enimie Cicero doeth handle this later member and he setteth downe very well that although the Law forbid a straunger to come neere the wall yet doth not he offende who shal go vp vpon the wall to saue the Citie because the lawes must alwayes bee inclined to equitie Therefore Paul is not to be blamed because he escaped by stealth seing he might do that without raising any tumult amongst the people Neuerthelesse we see how the Lord vseth to humble those that be his seeing that Paule is enforced to steale his life from the watchmen of the Citie if he will saue himselfe 2 Cor. 11.32 Therefore he reckoneth this example amongst his infirmities He was acquainted betime with the crosse with this first exercise 26 And when Saul was at Ierusalem hee assaied to ioyne himselfe to the Disciples and they were all afraid of him not beleeuing that he was a disciple 27 But when Barnabas had taken him he brought him to the Apostles and he tolde them how that he had seene the Lord in the waye and that he had spoken to him and howe hee had behaued himselfe boldlie at Damascus in the name of Iesus 28 And he was conuersant with them at Ierusalem And when he was imboldened in the name of the Lord Iesus 29 Hee spake and disputed with the Grecians And they went about to kill him 30 Which when the brethren knew they brought him to Cesarea and sent him to Tharsus 31 Then the Churches throughout al Iudea and Galilee Samaria had peace and they were edified and walked in the feare of the Lorde and were filled with the consolation of the holy Spirit 26 When Saul was These were yet hard entrances for Paul who was as yet but a fresh water soldier in that when hee had hardly escaped the hands of the enimies the disciples would not receiue him For he might haue seemed to haue beene so tost too and fro as it were in mockage that he could haue no resting place all his owne nation was set against him for Christes cause the Christians refuse him might hee not haue beene quite discouraged and out of hope as one expelled out of mens companie First what remaineth but that he fall away from the Church seing he is not receiued But when he remembreth the life which hee had led aforetime hee maruelleth not that they are afraid of him Therefore he doth patiently suffer the brethren to refuse his company seeing they had iust cause of feare This was true conuersion that whereas he raged horribly before he doth now valiantly suffer the stormes of persecutions in the meane season whē as he cannot be admitted into the companie of the godly he waiteth with a quiet mind vntill God reconcile them vnto him We must diligentlie note what he desireth to wit that he may be numbred amongst the disciples of Christ this can he not obtaine here is no ambition but he was to be instructed by this meanes to make more account euen of the lowest place amongst the disciples of Christ than of all masterships in corrupt and reuolted Synagogues And from this submission was he exalted vnto the highest degree of honour that he might be the principal doctour of the church euen vnto the end of the world But no man is fit to be a teacher in the Church saue onely he who willingly submitteth himselfe that hee may be a fellow disciple with other men 27 When Barnabas had taken him Whereas the disciples fled so fast from Paul that was peraduenture a point of too great fearefulnes and yet he speaketh of none of the common sort but of the Apostles themselues But he doth either extenuate or lighten their fault because they suspected him for iust causes whom they had founde and tryed to bee such a deadly enimie and it was to be feared least they should rashly indanger themselues if they should haue shewed themselues to bee so easie to intreat Therefore I thinke that they are not to be blamed for that feare which they conceiued for iust cause or that they deserue to be euen accused for the same For if they had beene called to giue an account of their faith they would haue prouoked not Paul onely but also all the furies of hell without feare Whence we gather that euery feare is not to be condemned but such as causeth vs to turne aside from our duty The narration which Luke addeth may be referred as wel vnto the person of Barnabas as of Paul yet I thinke rather that Paule declareth to the Apostles what had befallen him and yet the speech may bee well applyed to Barnabas especially when as mention is made of Paul his boldnes 28 Luke saieth afterward that Paul went in and out with the disciples which speech signifieth amongst the Hebrewes familiaritie as the inhabitants of Citties are said to go in and out at the gates of the cittie Therefore after that Paul was commended by the testimonie of Barnabas he began to be counted one of the flock that he might be throughly knowne to the church Luke saith againe that he delt boldly in the name of the Lord by which words he commendeth his stoutnes and courage in professing the Gospel For hee durst neuer haue whispered amidst so manie lets vnlesse he had beene endowed with rare constancie Neuerthelesse all men are taught what they ought to doe to wit euery man according to the measure of his faith For though all bee not Pauls yet the faith of Christ ought to engender in our minds so great boldnesse that we be not altogither dumbe when we haue neede to speake I
Hebrew which Luke did turne into Greek that we might know that it was not like to the vertues of the holy women and that shee was debased in such a simple name For Dorcas signifieth a goat but the holines of her life did easily wipe away the blotte of a name not verie seemely 37 It hapned that she was sicke He saith in plaine words that shee was sicke that he may the more plainely expresse her death which followed To the same end he saith that the corps was washt and laid in an vpper chamber Therefore these circumstances serue to make the myracle to be beleeued Whereas they carry her not streight way to the graue but lay her in the vpper part of the house that they may keep her there we may thereby gather that they had some hope of recouering her life It is likely that the rite of washing whereof Luke maketh mention was most auncient And I doe not doubt but that it came from the holy fathers by cōtinual course of times as if it had bin deliuered from hand to hand that in death it selfe some visible image of the resurrection might comfort the minds of the godly and lift them vp vnto some good hope to wit seing the manifestation of eternall life was not so euident yea seing that Christ the pledge and substance of eternal life was not as yet reuealed it was requisite that both the obscuritie of doctrine and also the absense of Christ should be supplied by such helpes Therefore they washed the bodies of the deade that they might once stand before the iudgement seat of God being cleane Finally there was the same reason for washing the deade which was for the liuing the dayly washing put them in minde of this that no man can please God saue he who should be purged from his filthynes So in the rite of burying God would haue some signe extant whereby men might be admonished that they went polluted out of this life by reason of that filthines which they had gathered in the world Washing did no more help those which were dead than buriall but it was vsed to teach the liuing For because death hath some shew of destruction least it should extinguish the faith of the resurrection it was requisite that contrary shewes should bee set against it that they might represent life in death The Gentiles also tooke to thēselues this Ceremonie For which cause Ennius saith A good woman did wash and anoynt Tarquinius his corps But their imitation was but apish in this thing as in all other Ceremonies And Christians also haue taken to themselues this example vnaduisedly as if the obseruation of a figure vsed vnder the Lawe ought to continue alwayes For at the beginning of the Gospel although the necessitie were abolished yet the vse was lawfull vntill such time as it might growe out of vse in tract of time But the munkes do at this day no lesse imitate Iudaisme then did the Gentiles in times past without choise and iudgement For they wash corpses that they may bury Christ in shadowes which being buried with him in his graue ought neuer to haue bene vsed any more 38 The disciples which had hearde The washing of the corpes sheweth that the disciples knew not what would come to passe For by this means they make the corps readie to be buried Yet this is some token of hope that they lay her in an vpper Chamber and send to Peter Furthermore they murmur not against God neither do they crie out that it is an vnmeete thing but they humblie craue Gods help not that they wil make Thabita immortall but their onely desire is to haue her life prolonged for a time that she may yet profit the Church 39 And Peter arose and came with them whom when he was come they brought into the vpper chamber and all the wydowes stoode about her weeping and shewing the coates and garments which Dorcas made when shee was with them 40 And when they were all put out Peter kneeled downe and prayed and turning himselfe toward the coarse hee saide Thabita arise And she opened her eies and when she saw Peter she sate vp 41 And hee reached out his hande and lift her vp and when hee had called the saints and wydowes he restored her aliue 42 That was noised through all Ioppa and manie beleeued in the Lord. 43 And it happened that he staied many dayes at Ioppa with a certaine man named Simon a tanner 39 And Peter arose It is doubtfull whether the messangers declared to Peter the matter and cause why they fet him yet it is more like to be true that they requested him absolutely that he would come to work a myracle But there ariseth another question Whether hee knew Gods purpose or no. First if he should mistrust the successe hee shoulde goe with them vnaduisedly I answere Although he did not yet know what the Lord would doe yet can hee not be blamed for yeelding to the request of the brethren Also there were other reasons why hee shoulde come to wit to mitigate their sorrowe to strengthen them with godly exhortations least they shoulde faint being discouraged with the death of one woman to establish the Church which was as yet tender and but as it were an infant Lastly this one thing ought to haue beene sufficient for him because in refusing he shuld haue ben thought proudly to despise his brethren notwithstanding we must know this also that so often as the Lorde determined to worke some myracle by his Apostles he did alwayes direct them by the secreat motion of the Spirit I do not doubt but that although Peter were not yet certaine of the life of Thabita yet did he vndoubtedly perceiue that God was his guide and conducter in that iorney so that he addressed himselfe to go not vnaduisedly though being vncertaine of the euent All the widowes Luke expresseth in this place the causes for which Thabita was raised from death to wit because God pittied the poore and did at their desire restore the woman to life There were also other ends for seing she liueth two liues those vertues which Luke commended before are adorned in her person but the chiefe ende is that the glorie of Christ may bee set forth For God coulde haue kept her aliue longer neither doth he chaunge his purpose as being mooued with repentance when he doth restore her to life againe but because many of the disciples were weake and nouices who had neede of confirmation God declareth by the second life of Thabita that his Sonne is authour of life Therefore God did respect the poore and widowes in such sort that by releeuing their pouertie hee established in their mindes the faith of his Gospel For in this myracle hee gaue ample matter of profiting 40 When they were all put forth When as he taketh a time to pray he seemeth as yet to doubt what will be the ende When he healed Aeneas he brake out into these
the flocke The holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers By the verie woorde he putteth them in minde that they be placed as it were in a watche tower that they may watch for the common safetie of all men But Paul standeth principally vpon this that they were not appointed by men but the charge of the Church was committed vnto them by God For which cause they must be the more diligeÌ„t and careful because they must giue a straite account before that high seat of iudgement For the more excellent the dignitie of that Lord maister whom we serue is the more reuerence doe we giue him naturally and the reuerence it selfe doth sharpen our studie and diligence Moreouer though the Lord would haue ministers of the word choseÌ„ from â—he beginning by the voyces of men yet doth he alwaies challeÌ„ge the gouernment of the church to himselfe not onely to the end we may acknowledge him to be the only gouernour thereof but also know that the vncoÌ„parable treasure of saluatioÌ„ doth come from him alone For he is robbed of his glorie if we thinke that the gospel is brought vnto vs either by chance or by the wil of meÌ„ or their industry But this doth Paul attribute peculiarly to the spirit by whoÌ„ God doth gouern his church who is to euery man a secret witnes of his calling in his owne conscience Concerning the word Ouerseer or Bishop wee must briefly note this that Paul calleth al the elders of Ephesus by this name as wel one as other Whence we gather that according to the vse of the scripture Bishops differ nothing froÌ„ Elders But that it came to passe through vice corruption that those who were chief in euery citie began to be called Bishops I cal it corruption not because it is euil that some one man should be chiefe in euery colledge or company but because this boldnes is intollerable when men by wresting the names of the scripture vnto their custome doubt not to change the tongue of the holy ghost To gouerne the Church The Greeke worde Poiemainein doth signifie to feede But by a fitte similitude it is translated vnto euerie kinde of gouernment And wee haue saide that this is the thirde argument drawen from the excellencie of the function as the same Paul telleth Timotheus elswhere that he take heed see how he ought to behaue him selfe in the house of God which is the church of the liuing God the pillar ground of trueth As if he should say that there is no time to be idle in such a weightie calling that those are lesse excusable whoÌ„ God hath made stewards of his family the higher that degree of honor is vnlesse they be correspondent to so great dignity that is vnles they do their duty diligently Now if Bishops or ouerseers be made by the holy ghost to the end they may feede the church the Hierarchy of papistry is ridiculous wherin bishops being proud of their painted sheath vain title do not so much as once meddle with the function of teaching no not for fashions sake Which he hath purchased The 4. reasoÌ„ wherby Paul doth carefully pricke forward the pastors to do their duty diligeÌ„tly bicause the lord hath giueÌ„ no smal pledge of his loue toward the church in shedding his own blood for it Wherby it appeareth how precious it is to him surely ther is nothing which ought more vehemeÌ„tly to vrge pastors to do their duty ioifully then if they consider that the price of the blood of Christ is committed to theÌ„ For herevpoÌ„ it foloweth that vnles they take pains faithfully in the church the lost soules are not only imputed to theÌ„ but they be also guilty of sacriledge bicause they haue profaned the holy blood of the sonne of God haue made the redeÌ„ption gotteÌ„ by him to bee of none effect so much as in them lieth And this is a most cruel offence if through our sluggishnes the death of Christ do not only become vile or base but the fruit therof be also abolished perish and it is said that god hath purchased the church to the end we may know that he wold haue it remaine wholly to himself because it is meet right that he possesse those whoÌ„ he hath redeemed Notwithstanding we must also remember that all mankind are the bondslaues of Satan vntil Christ set vs free from his tyranny gathering vs into the inheritance of his father But because the speech which Paul vseth seemeth to be somewhat hard we must see in what sense he saieth that God purchased the Church with his bloode For nothing is more absurd than to faigne or imagine God to be mortall or to haue a bodie But in this speech he commendeth the vnitie of person in Christ for because there be distinct natures in Christ the scripture doth sometimes recite that apart by it self which is proper to either But when it setteth god before vs made manifest in the flesh it doth not seperate the human nature from the godhead Notwithstanding because againe two natures are so vnited in Christ that they make one person that is vnproperlie translated somtimes vnto the one which doth truly and in deed belong to the other as in this place Paul doth attribute blood to God because the man Iesus Christ who shed his blood for vs was also God This manner of speaking is called of the olde writers communicatio idiomatum because the property of the one nature is applied to the other And I said that by this means is manifestly expressed one person of Christ least we imagine him to be double which Nestorius did in times past attempt and yet for all this we must not imagine a confusion of the two natures which Eutiches went about to bring in or which the Spanish dogge Seruetus hath at this time inuented who maketh the godhead of Christ nothing else but a forme or image of the humain nature which he dreameth to haue alwayes shined in God 29 For I know Paul doth now exhort the Ephesians to watch diligenly by the necessity which is a most sharp pricke For he saith that grieuous wolues are readie to inuade the sheepefold This is a thing alwayes incident to the Church to be hated of wolues Wherefore there is no time to sleepe But the moe and the more hurtfull those be who breake in the more watchful must the Pastors be For God doth somtimes release som part of trouble that the flocke may be fed quietly and peaceably and as when the weather is faire cleare the sheepe are fed more safely in the fields and there is more danger when the aire is cloudy darke so the Church of God hath somtimes some faire weather granted to it after that commeth a troublesome time which is more fit for the subtiltie of the wolues Therefore Paul doth meane that it standeth them vpon to be more watchful than they haue bin hitherto because greater dangers hang ouer their
him a prophet as of late he called the four daughters of Philip he signifieth that it was not a common but a peculiar gift Now we must see to what ende the persecutiō which was at hand was now again shewed by Agabus As concerning Paul he was sufficiently told alreadie Therefore I doe not doubt but that this confirmation was added for other mens sake bicause the Lord meant euery where to make knowen the bonds of his seruant partly that they might know that he entred the combat willingly partly that they might perceiue that he was appointed of god to be a chāpion to fight for the gospell It was surely a profitable example of inuincible constancie seeing that he offered himself willingly and wittingly to the violence of the aduersaries and no lesse profitable is it for vs at this day that his apostleship should be confirmed with this voluntarie no lesse constant giuing ouer of his life The man who oweth this girdle It was an vsuall thing among the prophets to represen◠those thinges which they spake by signes Ies 20.2 neither did they confirme their prophesies by vsing signes through their owne motion but at the commandement of the spirit Ier. 27.2 32.7 Ez. 12.5 as when Isaias is commaunded to goe barefoot Ieremie to put a yoke vpon his necke to sel the possession and to buy it Ezechiel to digge through the wall of his house priuily and in the same night to carry foorth burthens These and such like might seeme to the common sort to be toies but the same spirite who did apply signes to his woordes did inwardly touch the hearts of the godly as if they had bin brought to the very thing it selfe So this spectacle mentioned by Luke did no lesse mooue Paul his companions then if they had seene him bound in deed The false prophets did afterward assay to delude the simple by this pollicie as Satan is in a manner Gods ape and his ministers do enuie the seruauntes of God Zedechias made himselfe hornes wherewith he promised Syria should be pushed Ananias by breaking Ieremies yoke put the people in a vaine hope of deliueraunce GOD hath suffered the reprobate to bee deluded with such delusions that he might punish their vnbeleefe But forasmuch as there was in them no force of the Spirite their vanitie did no whit hurt the faithfull This is also worthie to be noted that Agabus doth not set before their eies a dumb spectacle but he coupleth therewith the worde whereby he may shew to the faithfull the vse and end of the ceremonie 12 Both we Bicause they had not al one reuelatiō it is no maruel if their iudgements were diuers For seeing these holy men knew that ther consisted much in the life or death of one man they would not haue him to come in danger rashly And their desire is worthie praise in that they desired to prouide for the common safetie of the church by keeping back Paul But on the otherside Paul his constancie deserueth so much the more praise when as he continueth so stedfast in the calling of god For he was not ignorant what great trouble he shuld suffer by reason of his bands But because he knoweth the will of God which was his only rule in taking counsell he maketh no account of all other thinges that hee may follow it And assuredly we must bee so subiect to the will and pleasure of God that no profit no kind of reason may remoue vs from obeying him When Paul doth reprehend the brethren because they afflict his hart with weeping he doth sufficiently declare that he was not hardened but that hee was brought vnto some feeling and suffering together with them Therefore the teares of the godly did wounde his heart but that softnesse did not turne him out of the way but that hee proceeded to follow God with a streight course Therfore we must vse such curtesie toward our brethren that the beck or will of God haue alwayes the vpper hand Now Paul doth againe declare by his answere that the seruants of Christe cannot be prepared to doe their dutie vnlesse they despice death and that none can euer bee well incouraged to liue to the Lord but those who will willingly lay downe their liues for the testimonie of the truth 14 We ceased saying If they had thought that he runne rashly vnto death they would not haue ceased so Therfore they yeeld least they resist the holy Spirit whereby they vnderstand that Paul is gouerned for that which they had hearde before by the mouth of Paul that hee was drawen as it were by the bands of the Spirit was quite out of their heads by reason of the sorow which they had cōceiued but whē they be taught againe that it was the will of God that it should be so they thinke it vnlawfull for them to resist any longer and with this bridle must al our affections be kept in that nothing bee so bitter or dolefull or harde which the wyll of God may not mittigate and mollifie For so often as anye thing which is harde or sharpe doeth fall out we giue God small honor vnlesse this cogitation preuaile with vs that we must obey him 15 And after these daies hauing taken vp our burthens we went vp to Ierusalem 16 And there came togeather with vs certaine of the Disciples from Cesarea bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus an old disciple with whom we should lodge 17 And when wee were come vnto Ierusalem the brethren receiued vs gladlie 18 And on the morrowe Paul went in with vs vnto Iames and all the Elders were present 19 Whom after we had saluted he told by order all things which God had done among the Gentiles by his ministerie 20 But when they had heard they glorified the Lord and said to him Thou seest brother how many thousand Iewes there be which beleeue and they all are earnest followers of the law 21 And it hath beene tolde them concerning thee that thou teachest all the Iewes which are amonge the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they muste not circumcise their children nor liue accordinge to the customes 22 What is it then The multitude must needes come together for they shall heare that thou art come 23 Therefore do this which we say to thee we haue foure men which haue a vow vpon them 24 Them take and purifie thy selfe with them and doe cost on them that they may shaue their heads and that all men may knowe that those thinges which they haue heard concerning thee are nothing but that thou thy self also walkest an keepest the law 25 And as concerning those which among the Gentiles haue beleeued we haue written decreeing that they obserue no such thing but that they keepe themselues from things offered to Idols and from blood and from that which is strangled and from fornication 15 When we had taken vp our burdens Paul his companions declare that when they went about to
may also present a man before God that he may willingly suffer himselfe to bee iudged by his worde And this is a token of true profiting when the sinner seeketh for medicine there from whence hee receiued his wounde Furthermore this place doth teach that men are then examined tried to the quick when their vices wherewith they are infected are brought to light and their consciences are called backe vnto the iudgement to come For when Paule disputeth of righteousnesse and temperance hee did rubbe Felix sore vppon the gall forasmuch as he was both a man giuen to filthie pleasure and also to dissolute riot and giuen ouer vnto iniquitie 27 Hoping that money Though Felix had throughly tried Pauls integritie so that hee was ashamed to take money of the Iewes for condemning him yet forasmuch as hee was a couetous man and a man giuen to corruptions he would not acquite him for nothing for this cause he doeth often call Paule that hee may with faire words put him in some hope of deliuerance For iudges which gape after money doe insinuate themselues thus when as they will make way for corruptions Whence we gather that it was but a vaine and transitorie feare wherewith Felix was taken when hee heard Paul dispute seing hope of gaine doeth compell him to call for him whom he was enforced with feare to send away Howe did Felix hope for some rewarde at the handes of a poore man and one that was destitute for that goulfe would not haue beene content with a small pray I doe not doubt but that as those who haue the Lawe and right to sell are wittie and can perceiue things when hee saw the Iewes did make such earnest suite to haue Paul put to death he smelled somwhat a farre off touching him to wit that hee was none of the common sort but such a man as was in great fauour with manie Wherefore he did not doubt but that many of his friends would willingly bestow cost to redeeme him 28 And when two yeares were expired Seeing Paul knew that the Iudge who did gape for gaine would be fauourable to him so sone as he should offer him money seing he had sufficient time to gather the same it is likely that hee did not onely beare with the Brethren but also detest such briberie wherewith the holinesse of ciuill order is shamefully polluted Nowe whereas gouernours vse to let lose such prisoners as they know are not guiltie when they goe from the prouince Felix tooke the contrarie way to winne fauour The Iewes had often complained of his filthie gaine of his extortion cruelty and vnrulie gouernement Claudius Cesar being wearied with so many complaints did call him out of Iudea To the end the Iewes may not spite him so sore he leaueth Paul bounde So that hee maketh the guiltlesse seruaunt of God as it were an offering for his euill deedes that hee may therewithall appease the Priests CHAP. XXV 1 THen when Festus was come into the prouince after three dayes he went vp to Ierusalem from the Citie of Cesarea 2 And the high Prists and the chiefe Iewes enformed him of Paul besought him 3 Desiring fauour against him that he would sende for him to Ierusalem laying await to kill him by the way 4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Cesarea that he himself would goe thither shortly 5 Therefore let them saith he which are able among you go downe with me and if there be any fault in this man let them accuse him 6 And after that he had staid more than tenne dayes among them he went down to Cesarea and on the morrow he sate downe in the iudgement seat and commanded Paul to be brought 7 Who being come those Iewes which came from Ierusalem stoode about him laying many and great crimes to Paule his charge which they coulde not proue 8 For as much as hee answered that hee had neither offended any thing against the Law of the Iewes neither against the Temple neither against Cesar 1 Then when Festus The seconde action is described in this place wherein Paul hath as hard a cumbate and is in no lesse daunger then in the first Seing he was left in bondes Festus might suspect that the cause was doubtfull and so gather an vniust preiudice But there was another thing which was cause of greater daunger Wee know that newe rulers because they will winne the fauour of those who are in the prouinces vse to grant them many thinges at their first comming so that it was to be thought that the death of Paul should be to Festus a fine meanes to winne fauour withall Therefore the faith of the holy man is assailed afresh with a newe triall as if the promise had beene vaine whereto hee had hitherto trusted but the grace of god doth so much the more plainly shewe it selfe in deliuering him because contrarie to all hope hee is deliuered out of the iawes of death The Iewes preuent the gouernour with their false accusations yet they doe not as yet seeke to haue him punished but they doe onely desire that hee may not bee brought into any forraine court to plead his cause They desire that ambitiously as a great benefite which was to looke to equal How is it then that they do not obtaine saue onely because God doth holde the minde of Festus so that he doth stoutly deny that which he was afterward readie to graunt And as the Lord did then holde his mind bound with the secreat bridle of his prouidence so when hee graunted him freedome of will he bounde his handes that hee could not execute that which hee would Let this confidence support vs in daungers and let it also stirre vs vp to call vppon God and let this make our mindes quiet and calme in that the Lord in stretching forth his hand and breaking such a strong conspiracie did shew an eternal example of his power in defending his 5 Those therefore It is in the Greek worde forwarde Those who are mightie or able yet he meaneth those who can conueniently Also wee may easily coniect that they did obiect the trouble and charges and besought the Gouernour that he would not make weary with a superfluous iourney so many of their chiefe men and also certaine which were verie aged bâ—t would rather which hee might easily doe commaund Paul to be brought by a fewe keepers Therefore least they complaine that he is burdenous vnto them hee vnloadeth them of this necessitie and giueth them leaue to choose out from among themselues such as they will In the meane season he doth sufficiently declare that he doth not beleeue their false reports and he professeth that he will bee an vpright iudge and will do nothing but according to the truth of the matter The next sentence also is diuersly read among the Grecians For some bookes haue the same which is in the olde interpreter But eight or tenne dayes If this reading like vs the
it a litle The old interpreter dealeth more plainely in a little Because translating it word for word he left it to the readers to iudge at their pleasure And surely it may fitly be referred vnto the time as if Agrippa had said Thou wilt make me a Christian streight way or in one moment If any man obiect that Paules answere doth not agree thereto we may quickly answere For seeing the speech was doubtfull Paul doth fitly apply that vnto the thing which was spoken of the time Therefore seing Agrippa did meane that he was almost made a Christian in a small time Paul addeth that he doth desire that as wel he as his companions might rise from small beginnings and profite more and more and yet I doe not mislike that that en oligo doth signifie as much as almost This answere doeth testifie with what zeale to spread abroad the glory of Christ this holy mans breast was enflamed when as hee doeth patiently suffer those bounds wherewith the Gouernour had bound him and doth desire that hee might escape the deadly snares of Satan to haue both him also his partners to be partakers with him of the same grace being in the meane season content with his troublesome and reprochfull condition We must note that he doth not wish it simplie but from God as it is he which draweth vs vnto his son because vnlesse he teach vs inwardly by his Spirit the outward doctrine shall alwayes wax cold Gal. 6.17 Except these bonds It is certaine that Paul his bonds were not so hard no yet did they cause him such sorrowe wherein hee did oftentimes reioyce which he doth mention for honours sake as being the badge of his ambassage but hee hath respect to those to whom hee wisheth faith without trouble or crosse For those who did not as yet beleue in Christ were farre from that affection to be readie to striue for the Gospel And surely it behooueth all the godly to haue this gentlenesse and meekenesse that they patiently beare their owne crosse and that they wish well to others and studie so much as in them lieth to ease them of all trouble and that they doe in no case enuie their quietnesse and myrth This courtesie is farre contrarie to the bitternesse of those who take comfort in wishing that other men were in their miserie 31 They spake togither In that Paul is acquitted by the iudgement of them all it turned to the great renowne of the Gospel And when Festus agreeth to the rest he condemneth himselfe seing he had brought Paul into such straites through his vniust dealing by bringing him in daunger of his life vnder colour of chaunging the place And though it seemeth that the appeale did hinder the holy man yet because this was the onely way to escape death he is content and doth not seeke to get out of that snare not onely because the matter was not euen nowe safe and sound Sup. 23.11 but because hee was admonished in the vision that hee was also called by God to Rome CHAP. XXVII 1 ANd after that it was decreed that we should saile into Italie they deliuered both Paul and also certaine other prisoners to a Centurion named Iulius of the bande of Augustus 2 And we entred into a ship of Adramythium purposing to saile by the coastes of Asia and we launched forth hauing Aristarchus of Macedonia a Thessalonian with vs. 3 And the next day we arriued at Sidon Iulius did courteously intreat Paul and suffered him to go to his friends that they might refresh him 4 And when we were gon thence we sailed hard by Cyprus because the windes were contrarie 5 And when we had sailed on the sea which is ouer against Cilicia and Pamphilia we came to Myra a Citie of Lycia 6 And when the Centurion had found there a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italie he put vs in it 7 And when we had sailed slowly manie dayes and were scarce come ouer against Cnidus because the wind did let vs we sailed hard by Creta beside Salmone 8 And with much adoe we sailed beyond it and came to a certaine place which is called the faire Hauens neere vnto which was the Citie of Lasea 1 Luke setteth downe Pauls voyage by sea most of all to this ende that wee may knowe that hee was brought to Rome wonderfully by the hand of God and that the glory of God did manie waies appeâ—re excellent in his doings and sayings euen in the very iourney which did more establish his Apostleship He is deliuered to be carried with other prisoners but the Lorde doth afterward put great difference betweene him and the euill doers who were in bonds as well as he Yea moreouer we shall see how the captaine doth lose him and let him be at libertie when the rest lie bound I know not what bande that was which Luke calleth the band of Augustus vnlesse peraduenture it be that which was commonly called the Pretors bande before the monarchie of the Cesars And Luke setteth downe in plaine words that they were put in a ship of Adramittium because they shoulde saile by the coast of Asia For Adramittium is a Cittie of Eolia I cannot tell out of what hauen they launched because they could not saile with a straight course to Sidon vnlesse the Mappes doe greatly deceiue mee Wee may well gesse that they were brought thither either because they coulde finde a shippe no where else or else because they were to take the other prisoners of whom mention is made out of that region And there continued with vs. Luke seemeth so to commende one mans constancie that he nippeth the rest For there were moe which did accompanie him to Ierusalem whereof we see two onely which remained with him But because it may be that the rest were letted with some iust causes or that Paule refused to haue them to minister vnto him I will say nothing either way Neither is it an vnmeete thing to say that Luke had some especiall reason for which he doth commend this man aboue the rest albeit he was but one of many Surely it is likely that hee was a rich man seing he was able to beare the charges whereat he was by the space of three yeares hauing left his house Sup. 17 1â— Sup. 20.4 For wee heard before that many of the chiefe families in Thessalonica did receiue Christ Luke saith for honours sake that Aristarchus and Secundus came with Paule into Asia Therefore let it suffice vs to hold that which is certaine and good to be knowne that there is set before vs an example of holy patience because Aristarchus is not wearied with any trouble but doth willingly take part with Paul in his trouble and after that he had beene in prison with him two yeares hee doth now crosse the seas that hee may likewise minister to him at Rome not without the reprochings of many besides the losse of his goods at home