of a long and werisome iourney vnles he be also brought in danger of his life by those which lay in waite for him Let all the seruants of Christe set this mirrour before their eyes that they may neuer faint through the wearisomnes of straits Notwithstanding when Paul doth iourney another way that he may auoid their laying in wait he sheweth that we must haue regard of our life so farre foorth that wee throw not our selues headlong into the midst of dāgers And those who accompanie him giue no smal testimonie of their godlines and we see how precious his life was to the faithful when as a great many beeyng chosen out of diuers countries to be his companions do for his sake take a hard sharp iourney not without great charges Luke saith that Paul tarried at Philippos so long as the daies of vnleauened bread did last bicause he had at that time better opportunitie offered to teach And for as much as it was vnknown as yet that the law was disanulled it stoode him vpō to beware least by neglecting the feast day he shuld be thought among the rude to be a contemner of God Though for mine owne part I thinke that he sought principally opportunity to teache because the Iewes were then more attentiue to learne 7 And vpon one day of the Sabbothes when the disciples were come together to breake bread Paul disputed with them being about to take his iourney on the morrow and he prolonged his speech vntil midnight 8 And there were manie lightes in an vpper chamber where they were gathered together 9 And a certaine young man named Eutichus sitting in a window being fallen into a deepe sleepe as Paul disputed long time being more ouercome with sleep he fel down from the third loft downward and was taken vp dead 10 And when Paul came downe he fel vpon him imbracing him said Be not yee troubled for his soule is in him 11 And when he was gone vp and had broken bread and had eaten hauing had long conference vntill it was day he departed 12 And they brought the boy aliue and were not a litle comforted 13 But when we had taken ship we loosed to Asson thence to receiue Paule for so had he appointed being about to goe by land 7 And in one day Either doth he meane the first day of the week which was next after the Sabboth or els some certaine Sabboth Which latter thing may seeme to me more probable for this cause because that daye was more fit for an assēbly according to custome But seeing it is no new matter for the Euangelists to put one insteed of the first Mat. 26.1 Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1 according to the custome of the Hebrew tongue it shal very wel agree that on the morrow after the Sabboth they came together Furthermore it were too cold to expoūd this of any day For to what end is there mentioned of the Sabboth saue only that he may note the opportunity choise of the time Also it is a likely matter that Paul waited for the sabboth that the day before his departure he might the more easily gather al the disciples into one place And the zeale of them al is woorth the noting in that it was no trouble to Paul to teach vntil midnight though he were ready to take his iourney neyther were the rest weary of learning For he had no other cause to continue his speech so long saue onely the desire and attentiuenes of his auditory To breake bread Though breaking of bread doth sometimes signifie among the Hebrewes a domestical banquet yet do I expound the same of the holie supper in this place being moued with two reasons For seeing we may easily gather by that which foloweth that ther was no smal multitude gathered together there it is vnlikely that there could any supper be prepared in a priuate house Again Luke wil afterward declare that Paul tooke bread not at supper time but after midnight Herevnto is added that that he saith not that he tooke meate that he might eate but that he might onlie tast Therefore I thinke thus that they had appointed a solemn day for the celebrating of the holy supper of the Lord among themselues which might be commodious for them all And to the end Paul might remedy after a sort the silence of longer absence he continueth his speech longer then he did commonly vse to doe That which I spake of the great number of men is gathered thence because there were many lights in the vpper chamber which was not done for anie pompe or ostentation but only for necessities sake For when there is no need it is ambition vanitie which maketh men bestow cost Furthermore it was meet that all the whole place should shyne with lights least that holy company might be suspected of some wickednes or dishonestie adde also another coniecture if the chamber had bin emptye those which were present would not haue suffered Eutichus to sit vpō a window For it had bin filthy licenciousnes in despising the heauēly doctrin to depart aside into a widow seing ther was room inough elswhere 9 When he was faln into a deep sleep I see no cause why some interpreters shuld so sore sharply condēn the drousines of the yong mā that they should say that he was punished for his sluggishnes by death For what maruell is it if seeing the nighte was so farre spent hauing striuen so long with sleepe he yeelded at length And whereas against his will and otherwise then he hoped for hee was taken and ouercome with deepe sleepe we may guesse by this that he did not settle himselfe to sleepe To seeke out a fit place wherein to sleep had bin a signe of sluggishnes but to be ouercome with sleep sitting at a window what other thing is it but without fault to yeelde to nature As if a man shoulde faint through hunger or too much wearisomnes Those who being drowned in earthly cares come vnto the word lothsomly those who being ful of meate and wine are thereby brought on sleepe those who are vigilant ynough in other matters but heare the woord as though they did not passe for it shal be iustly condemned for drousines but Luke doth in plaine words acquit Eutichus when he saith that he fel downe being ouercome with deepe sleepe after midnight Moreouer the Lord meāt not only by the sleep but also by the death of this yong man to awake stir vp the faith of his that they might more ioyfully receiue Paul his doctrine might keep it deeply rooted in their minds It was in deed at the first no small temptation but such as might haue shaken euen a most constant man full sore for who woulde haue thought that Christ had bin chiefe gouernor in that company wherein a miserable mā through a fal became dead Who would not rather haue thought this to be a signe of Gods curse But the Lord by
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
word Way is no where taken for the doctrine of the Lawe without some addition But I doe not interpret it of the Law but of those sectes whereof no strangers were ignorant No man did doubt but that the Pharisies did hold the immortalitie of the soule Therefore seing it was a thing so common no maruel if Felix doe acquit Paul Furthermore it were hard to take Way for the knowledge of the fact And I see not howe this can hange togither that the Gouernour doth confesse that Lysias was more expert in the Law than he But his innocencie is made more famous euident by this because a profane man did streightway giue such a preiudice thereof that hee did suffer him to be visited and holpen by his friends being as it were exempted from the order of prisoners Also we gather by this that Paul his companions and the residue of the Church had not forsaken him For to what end had it bin to grant libertie to his friends and acquaintance to haue accesse vnto him vnlesse they had bin present had shewed themselues to be carefull for him and had bin desirous to do their dutie Therefore let vs learne by this example that so long as we may and are able we must not defraud the martyrs of Christ of any manner of comfort whiles they labour for the Gospel 25 Felix with his wife Drusilla We said somewhat alreadie concerning the couetousnesse and corruptions of Felix Nowe as touching his wife Drusilla the readers must vnderstand that she was daughter to Agrippa the elder of whose filthie death Luke spake before Chapt. 12. Chap. 12.23 Shee was betrothed to Epiphanis the sonne of Antiochus But for as much as the yonge man woulde not take on him the rites which the Iewes did vse which he promised to doe her brother Agrippa the younger of whom mention shall bee made in the next Chapter after the death of his father gaue her to wife to Azizus king of the Emesenes from whose company she was enticed by the flattery of Felix For Felix being taken with her singular bewtie did perswade one Simon a Iewe-borne in Cyprus to perswade and allure her to make a newe match Therefore it came to passe that this voluptuous woman hauing broken promise with her former husbande did marrie with an vncircumcised man contrarie to the Law But though she had polluted her selfe with prophane wedlock yet we may easily coniect by this place that shee had not quite abandoned that feeling of religion which she had of a childe For Felix would neither haue desired to heare Paul neither woulde he haue vouchsafed to speake to him vnlesse it had beene for his wiues sake Luke doth not expresse thus much but in that he nameth Drusilla we may well gather that Paul was called for her sake that he might dispute of the gospel Though such reuolts be rather tickled with curiosity than moued with a sincere desire to learne He heard him touching the faith This confession of Paul doth witnesse that hee did not spare to speake of Christ before because he was afraid or because hee would escape the trouble of the crosse but because it was not yet time to speake Seeing hee was cited vnto the iudgement seate to aunswere for himselfe it stoode him vppon to aunswere concerning the crimes which were obiected to him that hee might afterward frankly and freely professe the faith of Christ Therefore when he nowe seeth the gate set open and opportunitie offered for speaking he is not affraide to offende the Gouernour neither is hee terrified with daunger that hee doeth craftilie make as if hee were not a Christian Therefore wee see that hee was as well furnished with inuincible constancie as with wisedome and iudgement neither did hee euer of set purpose suppresse the light of the Gospell but did onely make choice of the time Nowe the wonderfull counsell of God is woorth the noting in this place who will haue the Gospell offered sometimes to the reprobate not that they may profite thereby but rather that they may bee made inexcusable It had bin better for Felix and Drusilla neuer to haue heard any thing concerning Christ because they did not escape without punishment for refusing the grace of saluation which was offered to them or for neglecting the same with loathsomnesse Furthermore wee must note this that certaine by reason of that seede of godlinesse which is in them ingendred do desire to heare the Gospel preached which so sone as they haue heard they doe by and by either loath or else they cannot suffer it Neuerthelesse the preaching of the Gospel what successe so euer it haue is a good and sweete sauour to God whether it quicken or kill men 2. Cor. 2.15 26 And as he disputed Felix hoped that he should take some delight in Pauls sermon as men who are desirous of new things doe willinglie feede their eares with subtile disputations also hee meant to satisfie his wiues desire without his owne trouble now he is enforced to feele that force of the worde of God whereof he neuer thought which driueth away all his delightes Paule out of bondes disputeth of the iudgement of God hee which had power to put him to death or to saue his life is afraid and quaiketh as if he stoode before his owne iudge neither doth he finde any other comfort but to send him away out of his sight Let vs first learne by this what great force of the Spirite of God there was both in the heart and also in the tongue of Paul because he seeth that hee must speake in the name of Christ hee doeth not behaue himselfe like an vnderling but hee declareth the ambassage which was inioyned him with a grace as from on high and hauing forgotten that he was in bondes hee denounceth the heauenly iudgement in the person of Christ And nowe seing Felix his heart is so pricked with the voyce of a prisoner the maiestie of the Spirit doeth shew it selfe in that also which Christ extolleth when the Spirite shall come he shall iudge the worlde c. and that force of prophecying 1. Cor. 14.24 which the same Paule setteth forth elsewhere Also that is fulfilled which he saith in another place that The worde of God was not bounde with him which hee did not onely stoutly maintaine and affirme to bee true but which did effectually pearce into the heartes of men and that of such as were proude of their greatnesse as if it did lighten from heauen Againe wee must note that although the reprobate bee striken with the iudgement of God yet are they not renewed vnto repentance by that terrour alone Felix is touched in deed when he heareth that God shall be the iudge of the world yet hee flieth therewithall from his iudgement seat whereof he is afraide so that this is feigned sorrow which doeth not worke saluation Therefore repentance requireth such feare as may both engender a voluntarie hatred of sinne and
Iudas For it seemed a straunge thing that hee which was chosen by Christe vnto so excellent a function should so filthilie fall in the beginning of his course Peter remooueth this stone of stumbling when he saith that it was foretolde by the scripture WheÌ„ce we may gather an admonition very necessarie for dailie practise namely that wee ought to attribute this honour vnto the Prophesies of the scriptures that they are able to appease all such feare as wee conceiue of the sodaine euent of thinges For there is nothing which doeth more trouble vs then when we stay still in our owne sense and vnderstanding and prcure vnto our selues lets doubts which the Lord would be readie to cure if so be that we woulde hold fast this one thing that nothing is absurde which he hath foreseene appointed and foretolde that hee might make vs more strong Neither was Iudas therefore excusable because that which befell him was foretolde seeing that he fell away not being compelled by the Prophesie but onely by the malice of his owne heart The oration of Peter hath two parts For in the first place he putteth away the offence which godlie mindes might haue conceiued by reason of the fall of Iudas whence also he gathereth an exhortation that the rest may learne to feare God Secondly he celleth them that it remaineth that they choose an other into his place both which hee proueth by testimonie of Scripture Which the holy Ghost foretolde Such maner of speeches bring greater reuerence to the scriptures whiles wee are taught by them that Dauid and all the rest of the prophetes did speake only as they were directed by the holy Ghoste so that they them selues were not the authours of their prophesies but the Spirite which vsed their tongues as an instrument Wherefore seeing that our dulnesse is so great that wee ascribe lesse authoritie vnto the scriptures than wee ought wee must diligently note such manner of speaches acquaint our selues with them that we may oftentimes remember the authoritie of God to confirme our faith withall 17 Adopted It is worde for word Reckoned And he saith that he was one of the number that he might signifie vnto them that it was needfull that the emptie place shoulde bee filled to the ende that the number might coÌ„tinue whole And to this purpose serueth that which foloweth that hee had obteined a part in the ministerie For thereupon it doth folow that the body should be as it were lame if that part shuld be wanting Surely it was a thing which might make them greatly amased that he whom Christ had extolled vnto so high dignitie should fall headlong into such destruction Which circumstance doeth increase the crueltie of the fact and teacheth the rest to take heed vnto themselues Neither is it to be doubted but that the disciples did remember Iudas with great griefe and sorrow But Peter doth here expresse by name the excellencie of his function that he might make them more attentiue more carefull to prouide a remedie 18 And he truly It seemeth vnto mee a thing like to bee true that this narration of the death of Iudas was put in by Luke therefore it seemed good to me to include it within a Parenthesis that it may be separated from Peter his Sermon For to what ende shoulde Peter heere reckon vp vnto the Disciples those thinges which they alreadie knew well enough Secondly it should haue been an absurd thing to haue spoken after this among them that the field which was bought with the money that was giuen to betray Christe was called of the Hebrewes in their owne mother tongue Acheldima But whereas some doe answere that Peter spoke this vnto the Galileans whose speech did disagree with the Iewish tongue it is but vaine and friuolous In very deede they did somewhat disagree in pronunciation yet not so much but that they did well vnderstand one another like as doe those of Paris and the men of Roan Furthermore howe coulde this bee a fit worde for Ierusalem where Peter made his sermon To what end should hee interprete in Greeke among the Hebrewes their owne mother tongue Therefore doth Luke of himself put in this sentence concerning the death of Iudas least Peter his woordes might seeme straunge through ignoraunce of that historie He possessed a field This word hath a double signification which in my opinion doth rather signifie in this place to possesse than to get yet beâ—â—e it skilleth little whether way wee reade it I leaue it indifferent And hee speaketh after this sort not because Iudas had the vse of the field or that he himself did buie it seeing it was bought after his death But Luke his meaning was that his buriall with the perpetuall note of ignominie was the reward which he had for his falshood wicked act Neither did hee so much sel Christ for thirtie pence as his Apostleship Hee enioyed not the money he only possessed the fielde Furthermore it came to passe through the marueilous prouidence of god that the verie common name of the fielde shoulde bee a note of infamie for the Priestes which had bought the innocent blood of the Traitor Hee sayeth that the Hebrewes did call it by that name in their tongue because hee himselfe was a Grecian borne And hee calleth that the Hebrewe tongue which the Iewes did vse after the captiuitie of Babylon namelie suche as was mixed of the Assyrians tongue and of the Chaldeans tongue It is written in the booke of Psalmes He taketh away by authoritie of scriptures all offence which might haue happened by reason of the falling away of Iudas Yet might this place seeme to bee greatlie wreasted First in that Dauid did not wishe that these things might befall any particular person but in the plurall number hee wisheth them vnto his enemies Secondly it seemeth that Peter doeth applie these thinges amisse vnto Iudas which were spoken of the enemies of Dauid I answere that Dauid doth there speake after this sort of him selfe that hee may describe the condition and state of Christe his kingdome In that Psalme I say is contained the common image of the whole church which is the bodie of the Sonne of God Therfore the things which are there set down must needes haue been fulfilled in the head which are indeed fulfilled as the Euangelists do testifie Now if any man obiect that those things which ther were spoken against the enemies of Dauid do not fitly agree vnto Iudas we may easily gather that they do so much the rather agree with him bicause Dauid doth not respect himselfe as being separated froÌ„ the body of the church but rather as he was one of the members of Christ and so taking vpon him his image he steppeth foorth in his name Whosoeuer shall marke that this singular person was attributed vnto Dauid that he should be a figure of Christe will not maruell if all these things be applied vnto him which were prefigured in Dauid
because Dauid his carkasse was corrupt in the graue It seemeth at the first blush to be but a light argument For a man might easily obiect That the word is not to be vrged forasmuch as Dauid meant nothing else saue onely to exempt himselfe from destruction Therefore howsoeuer corruption did touche him yet doth that no whit hinder but that he may easily say that he was safe from the danger thereof because he knew that the Lorde would deliuer him Yea it seemeth to be a repetition of the former sentence according to the common custome of the Hebrewe tongue Which if it be so the sense shal be plaine that God will not suffer him to be oppressed with death or that death should consume him And this interpretatiō is confirmed by that that where we read hell it is in Hebrewe Seol where we read corruption there it is Shachat Both these words do signifie the graue By this means Dauid should say twise that he shal be deliuered from death by the grace of God Finally he saith the same thing in this place which he saith Psa 49. God shall redeeme my soule from the hand of hell Psal 49.16 Like as on the other side when he speaketh of the reprobates he is wont to take going downe into the graue for destruction I aunswere brieflie that there is some greater thing expressed in this place than the common redemption or deliuerance of the godly Dauid in deede doeth promise that God wil be his eternall deliuerer as well in life as in death Neither hadde he been muche better for this to haue been once deliuered from one daunger vnlesse he had hoped that he should be safe euen vnto the end through Gods protection but he speaketh of such safetie as is not common And surely the wordes doe sound that he speaketh of some new singular priuiledge Admit I graunt that it is a repetitiō that ther is al one thing vttered in these two members Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell Thou shalt not suffer me to see corruption yet do I denie that it is simpy to bee vnderstood that God will deliuer his holie one from eternall destruction For freedome from corruption is promised by name Neither do I passe for this that Shachat doeth signifie the graue as Seol which is put in the former member For although I do not stand nor contend about the wordes yet must we respect the Etymologie Therefore for asmuch as the graue is called Shachat because it doeth corrupt mans bodye with rottennesse it is not to bee doubted but that Dauid meant to note that qualitie Therfore the place is not so much expressed by this word as the condition of rotting So that the sense is that God will not suffer him of whom the Psalme speaketh To rot or corrupt in the graue And forasmuch as Dauid was not free from this necessitie it followeth that the prophesie was neither truely nor perfectly fulfilled in him And that the Psalm ought altogether to be expoūded of Christe the thing it selfe doth proue Gen. 3.19 For seeing that Dauid was one of the sonnes of Adā he could not escape that vniuersal condition and estate of mankinde Dust thou art into dust thou shalt return the graue standeth opē I say for al the children of Adam that it may swallow thē vp consume them so that no man can exempt himself frō corruption So that beholdding our selues apart from Christ we see the graue prepared for vs which threatneth to vs corruption Wherfore if Dauid be separated from Christ that shal not belong to him which is here said that he shal be preserued from the graue Therfore when he boasteth that he shal be free frō the graue as touching corruption without all doubt he placeth himself in the body of Christ wherin death was ouercome the kingdom therof abolished But if Dauid do promise himself exempting from the graue in another respect saue only so far foorth as he is a member of Christ hereby it appeareth that this freedome must begin at Christe as at the head What man soeuer shal be of sound iudgement shall easily knowe that this is a good argument God did put al mankind vnder corruption Therefore Dauid inasmuch as he was of the number of men could not be free from the same Neither is it to be doubted but that the Iewes before whō this sermon was made forasmuch as without questiō that maxim was of force amongst thē that they were to hope for the restoring of thinges at the hands of Christe alone did the more readily stay themselues vppon the words of Peter because they saw that that could no otherwise be which the words do import vnlesse they should apply it to the Messias For they were not come to that point of impudencie at least those of whom mention is made heere that they durst cauil in matters which were euident For god had then offered vnto his disciples those which were godly hearers and apt to bee taught They sought the Messias in the olde Testament They knew that Dauid was a figure of him There was amongest them some religion and reuerence of the scriptures then But nowe the impudencie of all the whole nation almost is desperate Howesoeuer they be vrged they wrench themselues out one way or other Where ther is no way to escape yet they break through Althogh they be ouercome yet wil they not yeld Neither is it to be douted but that this their shameles frowardnes is a punishment for their vngodlines But let vs return vnto Peter his sermon Seing that Dauid doth not only affirm that God also shal be his deliuerer but doth expresse a singular way means namelie that he shal not be subiect to the corruptiō of the graue Peter doth for good causes gather that that doth not properly appertain vnto him for that his body was corrupt in the graue And now because this had byn somwhat hard to be spoken among the Iewes he mollifieth the hardnes with a circūlocutiō For he doth not flatlie denie in one worde that that was fulfilled in deed in Dauid but doth only by the way signifie so much vnto thē because he lyeth consumed in the graue after the common custom of other men And Dauid did so prophesie of Christ that he did both apply this consolatiō vnto himself priuately also extend the same vnto the whole body of the church For that which is sound perfect in the head is spread abroad being afterward powred out into al the mēbers Neither is it to be denied but that Dauid spake of himself in this place yet only so far foorth as he beheld himself in Christ as in the mirrour of life First he hath respect vnto Christe after that he turneth his eies toward himself other the faithful So that we haue a generall doctrin prescribed vnto vs in this place concerning the nature of faith the spiritual ioy of conscience the
hope of eternall deliuerance I saw We must hold this principle if we will haue God present with vs we must set him before our eies that before he do appear for the prospect of faith pearceth farre further than vnto the present experience Therfore faith hath this propertie to set god alwaies before it as a guide in all dangers cōfused matters For there is nothing that doth so much hold vs vp as when we know that God is present with vs as the opinion of his absence doth often cast vs down at length quite discourage vs. Dauid addeth That he tooke not heed in vain vnto the directiō of God He is saith he at my right hand whereby he doth signifie that we need not to fear least we be deceiued whē as we set him before vs as present for we shal alwaies feel his help most readie Faith in hoping for the help of God ought to preuent ouergoe al experience whatsoeuer is perceiued by the sense but so soone as it shall giue this glorie to God that it doeth beholde him in his worde although he be absent and so consequently inuisible it shall be ouercome with the effect of the thing For the measure of faith is not able to comprehend the infinite greatnesse of the power goodnes of God He draweth a similitude frō those which when they will vnderprop the weak or strengthen the fearefull do ioine thēselues vnto their side Not to be moued is not to be thrown down frō their degree but to remain firme in their estate like as also Psal 46 Psal 46.6 God is in the midst of it therfore shall it not be moued For although it come to passe sometimes that the godly bee sore shaken yet because they come to thēselues again they are said to cotinue firme Therefore there is no cause why they should be afraid of falling who are vpholdē by the help of God Like as on the other side those which place their strength any where els saue only in God they shall be like to fall at euery blast of wind but at any mean wind of temptation they shall fall to the ground For this my hart reioyced Ioy of the soul gladnes of the tonge quietnes of al the whole body do ensu vpō sure hope cōfidence for vnles mē be quite past feeling they must needes bee carefull and sorrowfull and so consequently miserably tormented so long as they feele themselues destitute of the helpe of God But that sure trust which we repose in God doth not only deliuer vs from carefulnesse but doth also replenishe our hearts with wonderfull ioy and gladnesse That is the ioy which Christ promised to his disciples should be full in them and which hee testified could not bee taken from them Ioh. 16.22 and 17.13 Iohn 16. 17. He expresseth the greatnesse of the ioy when he saith That it cannot be kept in but that it will break foorth into the gladnes of the tonge Cabod doth signifie in deed glory but it is taken in that place as in many other for the Tongue And so the Grecians haue truly trāslated the same The rest of the flesh doth signifie the quietnes of the whole man which we haue through the protection of God Neither is this any let because the faithful are continuallie out of quiet and tremble for as in the middest of sorrowes they do neuertheles reioyce so there are no troubles so great that can break thē of their rest If any man obiect that the peace of the faithfull doth consist in the spirite and that it is not of the flesh I answere that the faithfull doe rest in bodie not that they are free from troubles but because they beleeue that God careth for them wholie and that not only their soule shal be safe through his protection but their bodie also 27 Because thou shalt not leaue To leaue the soule in hell is to suffer the same to be oppressed with destruction There be two wordes vsed in this place both which doe signifie the graue amongest the Hebricians Because Shaal doth signifie to Require I suppose it is called Seol because death is insatiable whence also commeth that translation Hel hath enlarged her soule Again they set open their mouth like hel And because the latter Sahath is deriued and fet frō corruption or consumption that qualitie is to bee considered as Dauid meant to note the same Those thinges which are disputed in this place by diuers concerning the descending of Christe into hell are in my iudgement superfluous because they are farre from the intent and purpose of the Prophet For the word anima or soule doth not so much signifie the spirite being of an immortal essence as the life it self For when a man is dead and lieth in the graue the graue is said to rule ouer his life Whereas the Grecians translate it holie it is in Hebrew Chassith which doth properly signifie meek or gentle but Luke did not much regard this because it doth not much appertaine vnto the present purpose Furthermore gentlenesse and meeknes is so often commended in the faithfull because it behoueth them to imitate and resemble the nature of their Father 28 Thou hast made knowen He meaneth that he was restored frō death to life by the grace of God For in that hee was as it were a mā raised frō death to life 1. Cor. 15.20 1. Cor. 15.42 Psa 16.11 Psal 80.4 he acknowlegeth that it was a great good gift of God This was in such sort fulfilled in Christ that there wanted nothing vnto perfection As for the members they haue their measure Therefore Christ was far from corruption that he may be the first frutes of those which rise from death We shal folow him in our order at length but being first turned into dust That which foloweth that he was filled with gladnesse with the countenaunce of God agreeth with that Shew vs thy face and we shal be safe And againe The light of thy countenaunce is shewed vpon vs thou hast put gladnesse in my heart For it is only the pleasantnes of Gods countenance which doth not only make vs glad but also quicken vs againe when the same is turned away or troubled wee must needes faint 30 Therfore seeing he was a prophet He sheweth by two reasons that it is no maruell if Dauid doe speak of things that should come to passe long after his time the former is because hee was a prophet And wee knowe that things to come such as are remoued far from the knowledge of men are reuealed vnto the Prophetes Therefore it were wickednesse to measure their speeches according to the common manner and order which we vse in measuring the speeches of other mē forasmuch as they goe beyond the long courses of yeeres hauing the Spirite for their directer Whereuppon they are also called Seers because beeing placed as it were vpon an high tower they see those things
which by reason of great distaunce are hidden from other men Another reason is because Christ was promised to him peculiarly This maxime was so common amongest the Iewes that they had euer now and then the sonne of Dauid in their mouth so often as there was any mention made of Christ They bee no such arguments I confesse as doe necessarilie proue that this prophesie is to be expounded of Christ neither was that Peter his intent and purpose but first he meant to preuent the contrarie obiection whence Dauid had such skill to foretell a thing which was vnknowen Therefore he saieth That hee knewe Christe both by propheticall reuelation and also by a singular promise Furthermore this principle was of greate force amongst the better minded sort which Paule setteth downe Rom. 10.4 that Christ is the ende of the lawe No man therefore did doubt of this but that this was the marke whereat all the Prophetes did ayme to lead the Godlie vnto Christe as it were by the hande Therefore what notable or extraordinarie thing soeuer they did vtter the Iewes were commonlie perswaded that it did agree with Christe Furthermore wee must note that Peter doeth reason soundely when hee gathereth that Dauid was not ignoraunt of that which was the chiefest point of all reuelations Hee had sworne with an oth God sware not only to the ende he might make Dauid beleue his promise but also that the thing promised might be had in greater estimation And to this end in my iudgement it is here repeated that the Iewes may think with thēselues of what great weight the promise was which God did make so notable so famous The same admonition is profitable for vs also For we neede not to doubt of this but that the Lorde meant to set foorth the excellencie of the couenant by putting in a solemne othe In the meane season this is also a fit remedie for the infirmitie of our faith that the sacred name of God is set foorth vnto vs that his wordes may carrie the greater credite These wordes according to the fleshe do declare that there was some more noble thing in Christe than the fleshe Therefore Christe did so come of the seed of Dauid as he was man that he doth neuerthelesse retaine his diuinitie and so the distinction betweene the two natures is plainely expressed when as Christ is called the sonne of God according to his eternall essence in like sort as he is called the seed of Dauid according to the fleshe 32 This Iesus hath God raised vp whereof we all are witnesses 33 Hee beeing therefore exalted by the right hand of God and hauing receiued the promise of the holy Ghost of the Father he hath now shed foorth that which ye now see and heare 34 For Dauid is not ascended into heauen But he saith The Lord said vnto my Lord Sit at my right hande 35 Vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a suretie that God hath made this Iesus Lorde and the same Christ whom yee haue crucified 32 This Iesus After that he hath proued by the testimonie of Dauid that it was most requisite that Christ should rise again he saith that hee and the rest of his fellowes were suche witnesses as sawe him with their eies after his resurrection For this texte will not suffer this worde raised vp to be drawne vnto any other sense Whereupon it followeth that that was fulfilled in Iesus of Nazareth which Dauid did foreshew concerning Christ After that he intreateth of the frute or effect For it was requisite for him to declare that first that Christ is aliue Otherwise it had been an absurd and incredible thing that he should bee the authour of so great a myracle Notwithstanding he doth therwithall teach vs that he did not rise for his own sake alone but that he might make the whole church partaker of his life hauing powred out the Spirite 33 Hee beeing therefore exalted by the right hande of God The righte hande is taken in this place for the hande or power in like sort it is taken euerie where in the scripture For this is his drifte to declare that it was a wonderfull work of God in that he hath exalted his Christ whom men thought to be quite destroyed by death vnto so great glorie The promise of the Spirit for the Spirite which was promised For he had oftentimes before promised the Spirite to his Apostles Therefore Peter doth signifie that Christe had obteined power of God the Father to fulfill the same And he maketh mention of the promise in plaine wordes to the ende the Iewes may knowe that this came not to passe sodainlye but that the wordes of the prophet were nowe verified which went long time before the thing it selfe Furthermore whereas it is saide That he obteined it of the father it is to be applyed to the person of the Mediatour For both these are trulie saide That Christ sent the Spirite from him selfe and from the Father He sent him from himselfe because hee is eternall God From the Father because in as much as hee is man hee receiueth that of the Father which he giueth vs. And Peter speaketh wisely according to the capacitie of the ignorant least any man shuld moue a question out of season concerning the power of Christ And surely forasmuche as it is the office of Christ to direct vs vnto his Father this is a most apt forme of speaking for the vse of godlinesse that Christe being placed as it were in the middest betweene God and vs doth deliuer vnto vs with his owne hande those giftes which he hath receiued at the handes of his Father Furthermore we must note this order that hee sayeth that the Spirite was sent by Christe after that he was exalted This agreeth with those sentences The Spirite was not yet giuen because Christe was not yet glorified And againe Vnlesse I goe hence the Spirite will not come Ioh. 7.39 Ioh. 16.7 Not because the Spirite began then first to be giuen wherewith the holie Fathers were endued since the beginning of the worlde but because God did deferre this more plentifull abundaunce of grace vntil suche time as he had placed Christe in his princely seate which is signified by this worde poured out as we saw a little before For by this meanes the force and frute of Christe his death and resurrection is sealed and wee doe also thereby knowe that wee haue lost nothing by Christe his departing out of the worlde because though hee bee absent in bodie yet is hee present with vs after a better sort to wit by the grace of his holie Spirite 34 For doubtlesse Dauid Although they might easily gather by the very effect which they sawe with their eyes that the principalitie was graunted and giuen to Christe yet to the ende his glory may carrie the greater credite hee prooueth by Dauid his testimonie that it was so appointed in
reuerently to be receiued This is therfore the thing which Peter aimeth at to bring them to heare Christ willinglie as the master whō God hath appointed to teach them But here ariseth a question which hath in it great difficultie too wit in that Peter applieth that vnto the person of Christ which Moses spake generally of the prophets For althogh he make mention of a prophet in the singular number yet the text doth plainley declare that he speaketh not of one alone but that this worde is put indefinitely For after that Moses had forbiddē the people to giue them selues vnto the superstitions of the Gentiles by turning aside vnto enchaunters soothsayers he sheweth them therwithall a remedie whereby they may auoid all vanitie to wit if they depend wholie vpon the word of God alone By this meanes he promiseth that God will be carefull at all times to sende them prophets that they may teach thē aright As if he should say God will neuer suffer you to be destitute of prophets of whom you may learn whatsoeuer shal be profitable for you to know And Moses saith expresly of thy brethren to the end the Iewes may know that the oracles of God are to bee sought and fet no where els seeing that God had appointed vnto them teachers of the kinred of Abraham Hee addeth further like vnto me that they may know that they were not to heare God onely at one time or by the mouth of one man but as God proceedeth to teache vs by diuers ministers throughout the cōtinuall course of times so must we hold on in the obedience of the word Nowe the Iewes were wont to reuerence Moses therefore he will haue them to giue like honour to the prophets I know that many would faine restraine it vnto Christe They catch at this word Deut. 18.15 whereas Moses doth testifie that the prophet shal be like vnto him wheras notwithstanding it is written that ther arose none like vnto Moses I confesse that there is in both places the same note of likenes yet in a diuers sense For in the second place the likenes or equalitie is expressed as it doth plainly appeare They catch also at another thing that the prophet shal far excel Moses of whō he beareth witnes as a crier or harrold But this is neuer a whit stronger because Moses goeth about to bring to passe that the word of God may be beleeued by whomsoeuer it be brought Therefore ther is no cause why we should set our selues to be laughed to scorn by the Iews by wresting the words of Moses violētly as if he spake of Christ alone in this place Yet must wee see whether Peter doth cite the testimonie fitlie whose authoritie ought to serue for a sound reason I say that in Peter his speech there is nothing which is not most conuenient For he saw that which all men ought to graunt that this testimonie doth so appertain vnto the other Prophets that yet notwithstāding it doeth chiefly commend Christ not only because that he is the prince and chiefe of all the Prophets but because all other former prophesies were directed toward him and because God did at length speake absolutely by his mouth For God spake in diuers maners at sundrie times in times past vnto our fathers by the Prophetes he added the conclusion at length in the last dayes in his only begotten sonne Therefore it came to passe that they wanted prophets for a certaine yeeres before his comming Heb. 1.1.2 Malac. 4.4 Mat. 11.13 Iohn 4.25 which thing is plainly gathered out of the wordes of Malachie who after that he hath commaunded the people to be mindfull of the law he passeth ouer by by vnto Iohn Baptist vnto Christ as if he should say that the prophesies are now ended vntill the last reuelation come according to that The law and the prophets prophesied vntill Iohn after that the kingdom of God is preached And that was so common amongest the people that the woman of Samaria could say according to the common fame and opinion We know that the Messias shall come who will teach vs all things Therefore we know that after the returne of the people all the prophets ceased to the end they might bee made more attentiue to heare Christe by that silence or intermission of reuelations Therefore Peter did not wrest this place or abuse the same through ignorance but he tooke that doctrine which all men had receiued for a principle that god had promised to teach his people at the first by his prophets as by means but at lēgth principally by Christ at whose hands they were to hope for the perfect manifestation laying open of al things And to this purpose serueth that excellent testimony or commendation wherewith his father setteth him foorth Heare him Mat. 17.5 23 Euerie soule Here by a most greeuous punishment against the rebellious the authority of al the prophets but most of al of Christ is established And that for good causes For seeing there is nothing that God doth account more precious than his worde it cannot be that he should suffer the same to be freely contēned Therfore if any man despised the lawe of Moses he was adiudged to die the death And hereunto Moses had respect when he said He shal be put away frō among the people For God had adopted the stock and kinred of Abraham vnto himself vpon this condition that this might bee sufficient for them vnto the chiefest felicitie to be reckoned in that number as it is said in the Psalme Blessed is the people whose god is the Lord. And in another place Blessed is the nation whom the Lorde hath chosen to be his inheritaunce Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he pronounceth that he shall be blotted out of the booke of life whosoeuer shall refuse to heare Christ For he is not worthie to be accounted one of the church whosoeuer he be that refuseth to haue him to be his master by whō alone God doth teach vs by whom he will haue vs to heare himself and he cutteth himselfe away from the bodie whosoeuer he be that refuseth to be vnder the head 24 And all When as he saith that all the prophetes doe with one consent send their scholers vnto Christe that appeareth more plainely hereby which I said that the commendation of the Gospel is contained vnder that testimony of Moses and so consequently that the conclusion of prophecies is principally noted Againe this maketh much for the certaintie of the Gospel that al the prophets for a long time do yet notwithstanding so temper their forme of teaching with one consent that they doe testifie all together that men ought to hope for a certaine better and more perfect thing Therfore whosoeuer will beleeue Moses and the prophets he must needs submit himself vnto the doctrine of Christ Ioh. 5.47 without which all that is lame and vnperfect which they taught 25 You
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
in this hee doth according to his common custome For he testifieth euery where in the scriptures that the angels are ministers of his goodnes towards vs. Neither is that a vaine speculation For this is a profitable help for our infirmitie that wee knowe that not only god doth care for vs but also that the heauenly spirits do watch for our saftie Againe this was no small pledge of Gods loue towards vs that the creatures of al other most noble are appointed to haue regarde of our saftie The angel openeth the prison in the night because he wold not worke the myracle when the wicked might see him although hee would haue the same being wrought knowen by the euent it selfe 20 Speak in the Temple This is the end of their deliueraunce that they imploy themselues stoutly in preaching the Gospell and prouoke their enemies couragiously vntill they die valiantly For they were put to death at length when the hand of God ceased after that they had finished their course But now the Lord openeth the prison for them that they may be at libertie to fulfill their function That is worth the marking because we see many men who after they haue escaped out of persecution doe afterward keepe silence as if they had done their dutie towarde God and were no more to be troubled othersome also doe scape away by denying Christ But the Lorde doth deliuer his children not to the end they may cease off from the course which they haue begun but rather that they may be the more zealous afterward the apostles might haue obiected It is better to keepe silence for a time for as much as wee cannot speak one word without daunger We are now apprehended for one only sermon how much more shall the furie of our enemies bee inflamed heereafter if they shall see vs make no end of speaking But because they knew that they were to liue and to die to the Lord they doe not refuse to doe that which the Lord commanded So we must alwaies mark what fūction the Lord inioyneth vs. There will many things meete vs oftentimes which may discourage vs vnlesse being content with the commandement of God alone wee doe our duetie committing the successe to him The words of this life A singular commendation of the Gospell Rom. 1.17 that it is a liuely doctrine bringing saluation vnto men For the righteousnesse of God is reuealed vnto vs in it and in it Christ offereth himselfe vnto vs with the sacrifice of his death with the Spirite of regeneration with the earnest of our adoption And this is spoken expresly to the Apostles to the ende they may the more couragiously enter all manner cumbates for the Gospell forasmuch as they heare that they are ministers of eternal saluation The demonstratiue is added for the more certaintie as if the angel did point out life with his finger as assuredly wee need not to seek the same far when we haue the worde in our mouth in our hart vnles peraduenture some man had rather take it by hypallage the wordes of this life for these wordes which I do not reiect yet that former sense me thinks is better For it was a new reuelation of Christe wherein they had life present 21 And when the chief priest came The chiefe Priest calleth all the councell together now least if giuing the honour to his owne sect he omit others be not able to beare the burthen Therfore he is enforced by feare to cal the multitude together notwithstanding they obserue diligently and straitly the forme of law The elders are called who did gouerne that nothing may be done but according to the sentence and authoritie of the councel Who would not haue hoped for a moderate end seeing they began thus And surely they pretende what colour they can least they seeme to oppresse the truth violently and tyrannously But when they heare that the Apostles teache in the temple howesoeuer they know that they came not out by deceit of man but myraculouslye yet they hold on still in their purpose where appeareth togeather with the vngodlines of behauiour contempt of God horrible furie want of reason Therefore the beautifull colours of right and equitie do neuer so couer hypocrites but that they do at length bewray their wickednes They must needes certainly gather by all circumstaunces that it is the work of God that the prison was opened yet they do not dout openly to rage against god These things are also meet for our time We know how proudly the Papists boast of that maxime of theirs That lawfull councels must be obeied because they represent the church Moreouer they call those lawfull councels and they will haue them so accounted wherein nothing is wanting touching the externall fourme And such a councell was this whereof Luke speaketh in this place and yet notwithstanding we know that it was gathered to put out the name of Christe For although the priestes did then creep in vnto honor by subtiltie or by inordinate sute to winne the fauour of men or by other wicked policies or whether they burst in vnto the same by bribery or murther yet the dignitie of the priesthood did continue as yet vntill Christe was reuealed There was in the assembly of the elders a representing of the Churche but whereas the truth of God is not sought all outwarde appearance is nothing els but a meere visure Therefore it is in vaine for the Papistes to couer their abhominations with the shadowe of this buckler Because it is not sufficient for those to bee gathered together who are rulers of the Churche vnlesse they doe this in the name of Christ Otherwise for as muche as it is an vsuall policie of Satan to transfourme himselfe into an angell of light we will graunt him as fit a couert vnder the title of the Church as he can wish He brought them without violence 2. Cor. 11.14 Wee haue spoken somewhat before of the captaine of the Temple For I doe not thinke that it was lawfull for the Iewes to set and appoint whome they would to rule the temple but that the President of the Prouince did appoint one to haue the gouernment of the temple And hee saieth that they were brought without violence that is that they were not drawen violently least any tumult shoulde arise So that whereas they neither feare nor reuerence God they are afraide of men The Apostles also doe shew their modestie in that that whereas they are garded with a great number of men yet doe they suffer themselues to be led away by the officers least they shoulde be authours of any tumult 27 And when they had brought them they set them before the councel and the chief priest asked them 28 Saying Did not we in commaunding commaund you that you shoulde not teach in this name◠And beholde yee haue filled Ierusalem with your doctrine and you will bring the blood of this man vpon vs. 28 The chiefe
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
he offer himself in sacrifice to purge mens sinnes that hee bee punished with the hand of God that he goe downe euen vnto the very hell that hee may exalt vs vnto heauen hauing deliuered vs from destruction In sum this place teacheth plainely how men are reconciled to God howe they obtaine righteousnesse how they come to the kingdome of God being deliuered from the tyrannie of Satan and loosed from the yoke of sinne to be briefe whence they must fet all partes of their saluation Notwithstanding I will only expound those things which Luke here citeth and there be in deed two members in the former hee teacheth that Christe to the end he may redeem the church must needes be so broken that he appeare like to a man which is cast downe past hope Secondly hee affirmeth that his death shal giue life that there shal a singular triumph issue out of great despayre Wheras he compareth Christe to a lambe which suffereth it selfe to be led to be slaine and to a sheepe which offereth herself meekely to be shorne his meaning is that the sacrifice of Christe shal be voluntarie And surely this was the way to appease Gods wrath in that he shewed himselfe obedient Hee spake in deede before Pilate but not to saue his life Iohn 18.34.36 but rather that hee might willingly offer himselfe to die as hee was appointed by the Father and so might bring that punishment vpon himself which was prepared for vs. Therfore the prophet teacheth both things that Christ must needs haue suffred that he might purchase life for vs and that hee was to suffer death willingly that he might blot out the stubbornnesse of men by his obedience And hence must we gather an exhortation vnto godlines as Peter doeth but that doctrine of faith which I haue already touched is former in order 33 In his humilitie his iudgement The Eunuche had either the Greeke volume or els Luke did set downe the reading which was then vsed as he vseth to doe The prophet saith that Christe was exalted out of sorrow and iudgement by which wordes he signifieth a wonderfull victorie which immediately ensued his casting downe For if he had been oppressed with death there could nothing haue beene hoped for at his handes Therefore to the end the Prophet may establish our faith in Christe after that he had described him to be striken with the hand of God and to be subiect to be slaine he putteth vpon him a new person now to wit that he commeth vp out of the depth of death as a conqueror our of the very hell being the authour of eternal life I know in deed that this place is diuersly expounded some there bee which vnderstande by this that he was carried from the prison to the crosse other some there bee who thinke that to be taken away doth signifie as much as to be brought to nought And indeed the signification of the Hebrew word Lacham is doubtfull as is also the signification of the Greeke worde Airesthai But he which shall throughly weigh the Text shall agree with mee in that which I haue said that he passeth now from that dolefull and vnseemely sight which he had set before our eies vnto the new beginning of vnlooked for glory Therefore the Greeke interpretation differeth not much from the words of the prophet in the summe of the matter For Christs iudgement was exalted in his humilitie or casting down because at such time as he might seeme to be cast down and oppressed the father maintained his cause After this sort iudgement shall be taken in this place as in many other for right But it signifieth condemnation in the Hebrew text For the Prophet saith that after that Christ shall bee brought into great straites and shal be like vnto a condemned and lost man he shal be lifted vp by the hand of the Father Therfore the meaning of the words is that Christ must first haue suffered death before the Father shoulde exalt him vnto the glory of his kingdom Which doctrine must be translated vnto the whole bodie of the church because all the godly ought wonderfully to be lifted vp with the hand of God that they be not swallowed vppe of death But when God appeareth to bee the reuenger of his he doth not only restore them to life but also getteth to them excellent triumphes of many deathes as Christ did triumph most gloriously vpon the crosse wherof the apostle maketh mention in the second chapter to the Collossians His generation After that the prophet hath set forth the victorious death of Christe he addeth now that his victorie shall not last onely for a small time but shall goe beyonde all number of yeeres For the exclamation of the prophet importeth as much as if he should deny that the perpetuitie of Christs kingdom can be expressed by the tongue of men But interpreters haue wrested this place miserably Whereas the olde writers haue indeuoured hereby to proue the eternal generation of the worde of God against Arrius it is too far dissenting from the prophetes mind Chrysostome his exposition is neuer a whit truer who referreth it vnto the humane generation Neither doe they vnderstand the prophet his meaning which suppose that he inueigheth against the men of that age Othersome thinke better who take it to be spoken of the Churche saue onely that they are deceiued in the worde generation which they think doth signifie a posteritie or issue But the worde dor which the prophet vseth signifieth amongst the Hebrewes an age or the continuance of mans life Therefore vndoubtedly this is the prophets meaning that Christ his life shall endure for euer when as he shall bee once deliuered by his fathers grace from death although this life which is without end appertaineth vnto the whole body of the church because Christ rose not that he may liue for himselfe but for vs. Therefore he extolleth now in the members the frute and effect of that victorie which he placed in the head Wherefore euery one of the faithfull may conceiue sure hope of eternal life out of this place secondly the perpetuitie of the church is rather auouched in the person of Christ Because his life is taken from the earth This is to looke too to be a verie absurd reason that Christ doth reigne with such renowme in heauen and earth because he was cut off For who can beleeue that death is the cause of life But this was done by the wonderfull counsel of God that hell should be a ladder whereby Christ should ascend into heauen that reproch shuld be vnto him a passage into life that the ioyfull brightnes of saluation should appeare out of the horror and darknes of the crosse that blessed immortalitie shuld flow from the deep pit of death Because he humbled himselfe therefore the Father exalted him Phil. 2.10 that euery knee may bow before him c. Now must we bethinke our selues what fellowship we
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
in them his image whence riseth that second respect For God doth not finde man bare and naked then and voide of all grace but he knoweth his own work in him yea himself Therfore God accepteth the faithful because they liue godlily and iustly And we doe not denie that God accepteth the good works of the saints but this is another question Whether man preuent the grace of God with his merits or no and insinuate himselfe into his loue or whether he be beloued at the beginning freely and without respect of workes forasmuch as he is worthy of nothing else but of hatred Furthermore forasmuch as man left to his owne nature can bring nothing but matter of hatred he must needs cōfesse that hee is freely beloued whereupon it followeth that God is to himself the cause that he loueth vs and that he is prouoked with his own mercy and not with our merits Secondly we must note that although the faithful please God after regeneration with goods works their respect of works yet that is not done with the merit of works For the cleannes of works is neuer so exact that they can please God without pardon yea forasmuch as they haue alwaies some corruption mixed with them they are worthy to be refused Therfore the worthines of the works doth not cause them to be had in estimation but faith which borroweth that of Christ which is wanting in works 36 Cōcerning the matter Because the greek text is abrupt some think that the Accusatiue case is put in steede of the Nominatiue that the sense is this This is the word which God hath sent vnto the children of Israel Othersome refer it vnto the word ye know which followeth afterward they think that there was another word added to make the sentence more pleasant For Luke putteth logon in the former place and afterward rema But forasmuch as it is comō familiar amongst the grecians to vnderstand the prepositions this sense which I haue set down seemeth to me more agreable though if the harshnes of the speech can be any better mittigated I wil willingly yeeld Therfore I take this member to be a preface which appertaineth vnto this worthy worke of God which he shewed amongst the children of Israel preaching peace by Christ that done there is added a narration at length in the cōclusion of his speech Peter sheweth to what end Christ was sent into the world Furthermore he beginneth with this commemoration not without cause That God sent his word vnto the children of Israel And Speech is put for Thing in the Hebrew phrase The eternall couenant which God had made with that people was at that time famous There was nothing more cōmonly knowne amongst the Iewes than that there was a redeemer promised in times past to the fathers who should restore things which were decaied vnto a florishing and blessed estate This did those also know who were familiarly conuersant with the Iewes Therefore to the ende Peter may purchase greater credit he saith that he wil speak of no new or vnknown thing but of the restoring of the Church which did depend vppon the eternall couenant of God and which was nowe manifestly shewed and almost in euery mans mouth Preaching peace Peter teacheth here what maner rumour thing that was which was spread abroad to wit such as that it did make peace I take peace in this place for the recōciling of men God which notwithstanding hath in it the perfit saluation of the church For as horrible cōfusion as it were a huge lumpe do follow after that god is once estranged from vs so so soone as his fatherly fauour doth once appeare he gathereth his church togither true felicity ariseth Therfore this is Peter his meaning that god shewed himself merciful to his people in Christ that he receiued into fauor Abraham his children again whom he seemed to haue cast away for a time that he might establish among them a florishing estate And as he maketh God the author of this peace so he placeth Christ in the mids as the pledge therof that it may be certain holy He coupleth peace and preaching expresly togither because this is one way whereby the fruite of the reconciliation purchased by Christ commeth vnto vs. Ephes 2.17 In like sort after that Paul hath taught that Christ is our peace he addeth immediatly that hee came to preach peace vnto those who were nigh at hand and farre off 37 Ye know howe the word This sermon of Peter consisteth vppon two members principally for in the former he reciteth an historie secondly he discendeth vnto the fruit of the historie For seing that the comming of Christ into the world his death and resurrection are the matter of our saluation Christ cannot otherwise be set before vs to saluation than if we first know that hee hath put on our flesh that hee was in such sort conuersant amongst men that he proued himselfe by certaine testimonies to be the son of God that he was at length nailed vpon the crosse and raised vp from the deade by the power of God Againe least the knowledge of the historie be vnprofitable and colde we must also shewe the end why he came downe from his heauenly glorie into the worlde why he suffered such a death so reprochfull amongst men and accursed by the mouth of God The cause of his resurrection must bee shewed whence the effect and fruite of all these things is gathered to wit that Christ was humbled that he might restore vs vnto perfite blessednesse who were quite lost Isai 53.4 and also that hee put on brotherly loue togither with our flesh that by taking vpon him our infirmities hee vnburdened vs thereof that hee made satisfaction for our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death that he might purchase the fathers fauor for vs that when as he had gotten the victorie of death he purchased for vs eternall life that hee set heauen open for vs by his entrance into the same that all the power of the Spirit was powred out vpon him that he might enrich vs with his abundance This order of teaching doth Peter obserue when hee beginneth with the history of the gospel and afterward sheweth what we haue by Christ his descending into the earth by his death and resurrection First he saith that Iesus of Nazareth came abroade after Iohn his Baptisme For because Iohn was appointed to this end by the counsell of God that he might lift vp the mindes of the people to waite for Christ it was not meete that this point should be omitted Hee was counted an excellent Prophet of God therefore his authoritie was of great importance to make Christ to be beleeued especially amongst the ignorant and those which were but nouices We must note the phrase that Iohn preached Baptisme For Luke comprehendeth in deed vnder the worde Baptisme all the whole ministery of Iohn neuerthelesse hee sheweth that it
the world 2 They reasoned with him Obstinacie doeth for the most part accōpanie error This was now a fault hauing in it too grosse ignorance in that they did not quietly receiue the Gentiles into their bosom vnited to them by the same Spirite of faith But they doe not only leape backe but also contend with Peter contentiously and blame him for his fact which deserued great praise They heare that the gentiles haue embraced the word of God what letteth them then from imbracing them that they may be coupled together vnder the gouernment of one God For what more holy bond can there be then when al mē with one consent are coupled ioyned to God And why should not those grow together into one body who make the Messias of God their head But because they saw the externall forme of the law broken they thought that heauen and earth did goe together And note that although Luke saide before that the apostles and brethren had heard this fame yet he spake nothing of offence but he bringeth in now as it were a new sect of men which did contend with Peter The brethren saith he heard and there an ende it followeth When Peter was come to Ierusalem those which were of the circumcision did contend with him who were vndoubtedlie vnlike to the first againe these wordes peri tomes doe not simplie signifie the Iewes but those who were too much addicted to keepe the ceremonies of the lawe For there were none of Ierusalem in Christs flock at that time saue only those which were circumcised from whom then could he distinguish those men Lastly it seemeth to be a thing vnlike to be true that the Apostles and those which were moderate beeing of the number of the faithfull did attempt this cumbate For though they had been offended yet they might haue conferred with Peter priuately haue demanded some reason of his fact By these reasons am I moued to think that those are said to be of the circumcisiō who did make so great account of circumcision that they graunted no man a place in the kingdom of god vnlesse he took vpon him the profession of the law and being admitted into the church by this holy rite did put off vncleannesse 3 Vnto men being vncircumcised This was not forbidden by the lawe of God but it was a tradition which came from the fathers And yet not withstanding Peter doth not obiect that they dealt too hardly with him in this point and that he was not bound by the necessitie of mans lawe he omitteth all this defence and doth only answere that they came first vnto him that they were offered vnto him as it were by the hande of God And here we see the rare modestie of Peter because whereas trusting to the goodnesse of the cause he might haue iustly despiced vnskilfull men who did trouble him vniustly yet doth he mildely excuse himselfe as it becommeth brethren This was no small triall in that hee was vnworthilie accused because he had obeied God faithfully but because he knew that this lawe was inioyned the whole church that euery man be ready to giue an account of his doctrine and life so often as the matter requireth he remembred that he was one of the flocke hee doth not only suffer himselfe to bee ruled but submitteth himselfe willinglie to the iudgement of the church Doctrine in deede if it be of God is placed aboue the chaunce die of mans iudgement but because the Lord will haue prophesie iudged his seruants must not refuse this condition that they proue themselues to be such as they will be accounted But we shal see anone how farre the defence both of doctrine as also of facts ought to extend For this present we must know this that Peter doeth willingly answere for himselfe when his fact is reproued And if the pope of Rome be Peter his successour why is not he bound by the same lawe Admit we graunt that this submission was voluntarie yet why doth not the successour imitate suche an example of modestie shewed vnto him Although we need no long circumstance here for if that be true whiche the Popes spue out in their sacrilegious decrees Peter did treacherouslie betray and forsake the priuiledges of their seat and so hee betraied the sea of Rome For after that they haue made the Pope the iudge of all the whole world affirming that he is not subiect to mans iudgement after that they haue lifted him vp aboue the cloudes that being free frō giuing an account his will and pleasure may stande for a reason they make him foorthwith patrone of the Apostolike seate stoutlie to defend the priuiledges thereof Of what great sluggishnesse shall Peter then be condemned if hee did loose his right giuen him of God by yeelding so cowardly Why did not he at least obiect that that he was free from the lawes and exempt from the common sort But he vseth no such preface but entreth the cause without making any delay And let vs remember that there is nothing which hindereth vs from contemning that idoll safely seeing that vsurping such vnbrideled tyrannie he hath blotted himselfe out of the number of the Bishops And Peter beginning Because this narration is all one with that which we had in the chapter next going before and because it is repeated almost in the very same wordes if any thing need to be expounded let the Readers repayre thither The purpose of Peter and all the whole summe of his speech shall appeare by the conclusion Yet before I come thither we must briefly mark that he maketh the preaching of the Gospell the cause of saluation Thou shalt heare saith he wordes wherin thou maiest haue saluation not because saluation is included in mans voice but because God offering his sonne there vnto eternal life doth also cause vs to inioy him by faith This is assuredly wonderfull goodnesse of God who maketh men ministers of life who haue nothing but matter of death in themselues and which are not only subiect to death in themselues but are also deadly to others Neuerthelesse the filthie vnthankefulnesse of the worlde bewrayeth it selfe in this point which loething true and certaine saluation offered vnto it and forsaking it when it lyeth at the feete doth imagine diuers and vaine saluations in seeking which it had rather gape beeing hungrie then to bee filled with the grace of God which meeteth it and is present 16 I remembred the worde of the Lorde Wee haue sufficiently declared in the first chapter that when Christ vttered that sentence hee did not make a comparison between two baptismes Acts. 1.5 but that he intended to declare what difference there was betweene him and Iohn For as wee distinguish the signe from his truth so it is good to distinguish the minister from the authour least mortall man challenge that which is proper to God Man hath the signe in his hand it is Christ alone which washeth and regenerateth
but he thought that he saw a vision 10 And when they were past the first watche and the seconde they came to the yron gate which leadeth into the Citie which opened to them of it owne accord And when they were come out they passed through one streete and by and by the Angel departed from him 11 Then Peter returning to himselfe saide Nowe of a truth I knowe that the Lord hath sent his Angel and hath deliuered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the waiting of the people of the Iewes 6 When he was about to bring him forth It seemeth at the first blush that the Church praieth to small purpose for the day was now appointed wherein Peter should be put to death and he is within one night of death and yet the faithfull cease not to pray because they knowe that when the Lord doeth purpose to deliuer his hee taketh his time oftentimes in the last and farthest point of necessitie and that he hath in his hande diuerse wayes to deliuer Secondly we may thinke that they did not so much pray for Peters life as that the Lord would arme him with inuincible fortitude for the glory of the Gospel and that God would set the gospel of his son open to the reproches and slanders of the wicked That night he slept Al these circumstances do more set forth the wonderfull power of God for who would not haue thought that Peter was alreadie swallowed vp of death for though he drew breath as yet yet had he no chinch to creepe out at for as much as he was beset with many deathes Therefore whereas he escapeth from amidst deaths whereas hee goeth safely among the handes of his hangmen whereas the chaines are molten and are loosed whereas the yron gate openeth it selfe to him hereby it appeareth that it was a meere diuine kinde of deliuerance and it was profitable for Peter to bee thus taught by these signes that he might with more assurance forthwith declare vnto men the grace of God thus knowne Againe it appeareth by this straite keeping that Herod meant nothing lesse than to let Peter goe away aliue 7 A light shined It is to be thought that Peter alone sawe this light and that the soldiars did either sleepe so soundly or else were so amased that they neither felt nor perceiued any thing And there might be two causes why god would haue the light to shine either that Peter might haue the vse thereof and that the darkenesse might be no hindrance to him or that it might be to him a signe and token of the heauenly glorie For we reade oftentimes that the Angels appeared with glistering brightnesse euen when the Sun did shine Assuredly Peter might haue gathered by the strange light that God was present and also hee ought to haue made his profite thereof When as the Angell smiteth Peters side it appeereth hereby what a care God hath for his who watcheth ouer them when they sleepe and raiseth them when they are drousie And surely there were nothing more miserable than wee if the continuance of our prayers alone did keepe God in his watching ouer vs. For such is the infirmitie of our flesh that wee faint quaile we stand most of all in neede of his helpe when our mindes being drawne away do not seeke him Sleepe is a certaine image of death and doth chocke and drowne all the senses what should become of vs if God should then cease to haue respect to vs But forasmuch as when the faithfull goe to sleepe they commit their safetie to God it commeth to passe by this meanes that euen their sleepe doth call vpon God Whereas he saieth that immediatly after the Angel had said the word the chaines were losed we gather by this that there is power ynough in the commandement of God alone to remoue al maner lets when all waies seeme to be stopt on al sids so that if he intend to appease the motions and tumults of war although the whole world were appointed in armor their spears and swords shall forthwith fal out of their hands on the other side if he be determined to punish vs and our sinnes with war in a moment in the twinkling of an eye their minds which were before giuen to peace shal wax hot and they shall lay hand on their swords Whereas Luke setteth downe seuerally both the words of the Angel and also the course of the matter it serueth for the more certaintie of the historie that it may in euery respect appeare that Peter was deliuered by God 9 He knew not that it was true He did not think that it was a vaine or false visure as Satan doth oftentimes dilude men with iuglings but true is taken in this place for that which is done naturally and after the manner of men For we must note the contrarietie that is betweene the thing it selfe and the vision Furthermore though he thinke that it is a vision yet doth he willingly obey whereby his obedience is prooued whiles that being content with the commandement of the angel alone he doth not inquire nor reason what he must do but doth that which he is commanded to do 10 When they were past God was able to haue carried Peter away in the turning of an hand but he ouercommeth diuerse straits one after another that the glory of the miracle might be the greater So be created the world in sixe dayes Genes 1. not because he had any need of space of time but that he might the better stay vs in the meditating vppon his works for he applieth the manner of doing vnto our capacity and vnto the encrease of faith If Peter had at a sodain ben carried vnto the house where the brethren were assembled Exod. 20.11 then should one onely deliuerance haue ben acknowledged but now we see as it were with our eyes that he was deliuered more than ten times 11 Then Peter returning to himselfe It is word for word Being made in himselfe because being before astonied with a strange and vncredible thing he was as it were without himselfe But now at length as it were after a trance he knoweth that he is deliuered from death His words set downe by Luke containe a thanksgiuing For he extolleth with himselfe the benefit of God which he had tried and whereof he had tasted and he doth highly commend it with himselfe vntil he find some other witnesses He saith that the Angel was sent of God according to the common meaning of the godly who hold that the Angels are appointed to be ministers to be careful for and to take charge of their safetie For vnlesse he had bin thus perswaded he would not haue spoken of the Angel And yet he doth not commend the Angel as the autor of the graceâ— but he ascribeth al the whole praise of the worke to God alone Neither do the angels help vs to this end that they may deriue vnto themselues euen the
that faithfully which was giuen him in charge that Christ alone might haue the preheminence Therfore he saith that how great soeuer he be yet he is nothing in respect of Christ For though God feruants haue their dignity yet being compared to Christ they must all be as nothing that he alone may excell as we see all starres vanish away that they may giue place to the brightnesse of the Sunne 26 Men and brethren Paul doth againe prick forward the Iewes to embrace Christ For this ought to haue raised no smal studie and attentiuenesse in their mindes when as they saw their saluation handled and that the message of saluation was appointed properly for them He calleth them children of Abraham not only for honours sake but that they may know that they be heires of eternall life and hee speaketh them so fayre that it might not greeue them to depart from the Scribes and priests whom they worshipped because they must needs receiue Christ Furthermore we must remember that which I saide before though the gate of the kingdome of heauen were set open to the Gentiles yet were not the Iewes throwne downe from their estate but were counted the first begotten in Gods familie Therfore is it that he saith that saluatioÌ„ was sent to them because they wer first in order yet because the carnall kinred was of it selfe of no great importance and the vngodlines of many brake out Paul speaketh specially vnto the true worshippers of God signifying that wordâ—s were but vaine vnlesse the feare of God reigne in their hearts which may receiue them and receiuing them may foster them Wee must note this title of the Gospel that it is called the worde of saluation Wherefore their hardnes must needs be great whom it doth not allure with the sweetnesse that is in it 2. Cor. 3.16 But though it be such naturally yet is it made accidentally the sauour of death vnto death to the reprobate 27 For those which dwelt in Ierusalem and their rulers seeing that they knewe him not neither the voices of the prophetes which are read euery Sabboth day when they had condemned him they fulfilled them 28 And when they had found no cause of death in him they desired Pilat that hee would crucifie him 29 And after that they had fulfilled all things which were written of him when they had taken him downe from the tree they put him in a tombe 30 But God raised him vp from the dead 31 Who appeared many dayes to those which went vp with him from Galilee to Ierusalem who are his witnesses to the people 27 He doth wisely and in due time preuent an offence which might haue been a great hinderance to their faith For Ierusalem was Gods sanctuarie the kinges seat the fountaine of truth and the light of all the whole worlde but Christ was put to death there Furthermore nothing could seeme more absurd to looke too then to receiue him who was cast out of the temple of God and to seeke the doctrine of saluation any where els then there whence God himselfe had testified it should come Moreouer by beleeuing in Christ they seemed to make a departure from the church And therfore this one obiectioÌ„ was stroÌ„g enough to refute al Paul his sermon why doest thou force vpon vs vnder colour of Gods couenant a man whom the principall part of the holy people condemned This obiection doth Paul answere least it hinder the course of the Gospel And not that only but he tuâ—neth it also to the contrarie part For seeing that the author of life was despiced reiected at Ierusalem Paul exhorteth the men of Antioch at least those who among them feared God that they receiue him so much the more ioyfully For this doth the casuall worde declare as if hee should haue saide seeing that Ierusalem knewe not her good it behoueth you to bee the more awaked and inflamed least the same vnthankfulnesse and frowardnesse bee founde in you But hee vseth another reason to remoue the offence to wit that their vngodlinesse was so farre from diminishing any whit of Christ his diuine excellencie that it ought rather to serue to proue establishe the same For whereby doth Christ better appeare then because all that was fulfilled in him which had been foretolde in the Lawe and prophetes Luk. 24.25.26 Furthermore what got the enemies of Christe saue only that in him shined the plaine truth of the scripture It must needes bee that Christ shoulde bee reiected of the chiefe for it was so foretolde The stone which the builders refused Psal 118.22 hath God made the head of the corner Christe must needes haue been condemned among the wicked that he might acquit vs before god it was expedient that sinnes should be laid vpon him that he might make satisfaction for the same that he should be offered vpon the crosse that the shadowish sacrifices of the law might cease For euen the scripture contained these things Isa 53. Dan. 9. Isai 53.4.5 Dan. 9.26 Therefore the more violently the captaines of the people sought to extinguishe Christ they did in very deed proue him to be Christe and the Lord did wonderfully deceiue them so that their obstinate impietie doeth more edifie the faith of the godly then destroy it Of the same sort are almost all offences which lead away weake and inconstant soules from Christ For if they would throughly ponder the whole processe of the worke of God there should be matter of confirmation where they faint Therefore it commeth to passe for the most part that we be troubled with offences stumbling blockes because whiles we behold those things which belong to Christe with poreblind eyes wee imagine that to bee blacke which is white And we see how far Paul is from dissimulation and how freely he professeth the truth of the matter that Christ was hated not only of the common sort but also of the chief chieftaines that he was not hissed at by a few but oppressed by the wicked conspiracie of al the people That was hard hateful at the first conflict but Paul opposeth a more strong engine that God vsed them against their willes as a touch stone whereby he might trie his sonne Seeing that the Gospel standeth in the same state at this day let vs not bee ashamed with Paul to confesse that the proude princes of the worlde and those who beare the greatest sway in the church are the deadly enemies of Christ seeing that doth rather turne to Christes prayse then reproch For by this meanes is the scripture fulfilled Seeing they knew him not Though deliberate malice did enforce the rulers to oppresse Christ yet doth Paul truly impute it to ignorance because otherwise they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 28. 2 Cor. 3.15 For the malice of the wicked is like to raging madnesse and in seeing it doth not see Vndoubtedly we ned not doubt of this
proude to demaunde a reason of God of his workes Furthermore this admonition is no lesse profitable for vs than for the men of that time The enimies of the Gospel when it beginneth to spring againe count it a great absurditie that God did suffer men to go astray so long vnder the apostacie of the Pope as if though there appeare no reason it were not as lawfull for him nowe to winke at mens ignorance as in times past And we must principally note to what end he saieth this to wit that the ignorance of former time may not hinder vs from obeying God without delay when he speaketh Most men thinke that they haue a faire colour for their errour so they haue their fathers to keepe them companie or so they get some patronage or defense by long custom yea they would willingly creepe out heere that they may not obey the word of God But Paul saieth that we must not set an excuse from our fathers ignorance when god speaketh vnto vs because though they be not giltlesse before God yet our sluggishnes is more intollerable if we be blind at noone day and lie as deafe or as if we were a sleepe when the trumpet of the Gospel doth sound Now he willeth all men In these wordes Paul teacheth that wee must giue eare to God so soone as he speaketh as it is written To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts For the stubbernes of those men is without excuse who forslow this opportunitie when God doeth gently call them vnto him Also we gather out of this place to what end the Gospel is preached Psal 95.7.8 Heb. 3.7.8 to wit that God may gather vs to himself from the former errours of our life Therefore so oft as the voice of the gospel doeth sounde in our eares let vs know that God doeth exhort vs vnto repentance We must also note that he attributeth to God the person of the speaker though he do it by man For otherwise the Gospel hath not so full authoritie as the heauenly truth deserueth saue onely when our faith doth looke vnto him who is the gouernor of the propheticall function and doth depend vpon his mouth 31 Because he hath appointed a day Hee maketh mention of the last iudgement that he may awake them out of their dreame For we knowe how hard a matter it is for men to denie themselues Therefore they must be violently enforced vnto repentance which cannot be done better then when they be cited to appeare before gods iudgement seat and that feareful iudgement is set before them which they may neither despice nor escape Therefore let vs remember that the doctrine of repentance doth than take place when mē who would naturally desire to flatter themselues are awaked with feare of Gods iudgement that none are fit teachers of the gospell but those who are the criers or apparitors of the highest iudge who bring those who are to come before the iudge to plead their cause denoūce the iudgmēt hanging ouer their heads euen as if it were in their owne hand Neither is this added in vaine in righteousnes or righteouslie For though all men in the word confesse that God is a iust iudge yet we see howe they for the most part pamper and flatter themselues for they will not suffer God to demaund an account farther than their knowledge and vnderstanding doth reach Therefore Paul his meaning is that men do profit themselues nothing by vain flatterie because they shal not preiudice gods iustice by this meanes which sheweth that all that is an abhomination before God which seemeth goodly in the sight of men because hee will not followe the decrees of men but that forme which himselfe hath appointed By the man whō he hath appointed It is not to be doubted but that Paule spake more largely concerning Christe that the Athenienses mighte knowe that he is the sonne of God by whom saluation was brought to the worlde and who had all power giuen him in heauen and earth Otherwise this speeche which we reade here shoulde haue had but small force to perswade But Luke thought it sufficient to gather the summe of the Sermon briefly Yet is it to bee thought that Paule spake firste concerning the grace of Christ and that he did first preach him to be the Redeemer of men before he made him a iudge But because Christ is oftentimes contemned when he offereth himselfe to be a Redeemer Paul denounceth that he will once sharpely punishe such wicked contempt because the whole world must be iudged by him The woorde orizein may be referred as well vnto the secrete counsel of God as vnto externall manifestation Yet because the former exposition is more common I doe willingly imbrace the same to wit that God by his eternall decree hath ordained his sonne to bee the iudge of the worlde that to the ende the reprobate who refuse to be ruled by Christ may learne that they striue but in vaine against the decree of GOD which cannot be broken But because nothing seemeth more strange to men then that God shal iudge in the person of man Paul addeth afterward that this dignity of Christ which were harde to bee beleeued was approued by his resurrection The will of God alone ought to be so reuerenced among vs that euery man for himselfe subscribe to his decrees without delay because the cloke and colour of ignoraunce vseth oftentimes to bee obiected therefore Paule saieth plainely that Christ was by his resurrection openly shewed to be the iudge of the worlde and that that was reuealed to the eyes of men which GOD had before determined with himselfe concerning him For that poynt of doctrine which Luke toucheth brieflie in fewe woordes was handeled by Paul at large Hee saide not onely in a woorde that Christ rose from death but hee did also intreate of the power of his resurrection as was meete For to what ende did Christe rise but that he might bee the first fruites of those which rise againe And to what ende shall wee rise againe 1. Cor. 15.23 but either to life or death Wherevppon it followeth that Christe by his resurrection is declared and prooued to bee the Iudge of the worlde 32 Some mocked By this we see how great the carelesnesse of men is whom neither the tribunall seate of God Cha. 26.23 nor the maiesty of the highest iudge doth make afraid We haue said that this is a most sharp prick wherewith mens mindes are pricked forward to feare GOD when his iudgement is set before their eies but there is such vnspeakeable hardnes in the contemners that they are not afraid to count that a fable or lie which is spoken cōcerning the giuing of an account of our life once Notwithstanding there is no cause why the ministers of the Gospell shoulde omit the preaching of the iudgement which is inioyned them Though the wicked doe laugh and mocke yet this doctrine which
deepely imprint in their minds his exhortations For we know what great force the words and speeches of men haue which are vttered at their departure or death Also he wold haue them beware by this forwarning that they do not depend vpon his presence so their faith shuld faint through wearisomnes The doctrin of the Gospel is called the kingdome of God now again which doth begin the kingdome of god in this world by renewing men after the image of God vntill it be made perfect at length in the last resurrection 26 Wherefore I take you to record It is all one as if he had saide I call you to witnesse or I call you to beare witnesse before God and his Angels And this doth he not so much for his own cause as that he may prescribe vnto them their dutie with greater authoritie Furthermore this place containeth a briefe sum of teaching rightly and wel and it exhorteth the teachers theÌ„selues vehemently sharply that they be diligent in their function What order must Pastours than keepe in teaching First â—et them not esteeme at their pleasure what is profitable to be vttered and what to bee omitted but let them leaue that to God alone to be ordered at his pleasure So shal it come to passe that the inuentions of men shal haue none entrance into the Church of God Againe mortall man shall not be so bold as to mangle the scripture and to pull it in peeces that he may diminish this or that at his plesure that he may obscure some thing and suppresse many things but shal deliuer whatsoeuer is reuealed in the scripture though wisely and seasonablie for the edifying of the people yet plainly and without guile as becommeth a faithful true interpreter of God I said that wisedome must be vsed because we must alwaies haue respect vnto profit so there be no subtiltie vsed wherin many take too great delight when as they turne and wrest the word of God vnto their methods and forge to vs a certaine kinde of Philosophie mixed of the Gospel their own inuentions Namely because this mixture is more delectable Thence haue we freewill thence the deserts of works thence the deniall of the prouidence and free election of God And that which we said eueÌ„ now is to be noted that the counsel of god whereof Paul maketh mention is included in his word that it is to be sought no where else For many things are kept from vs in this life the perfect full manifestation whereof is deferred vntill that day wherein we shall see God as he is with new eyes face to face Therefore those do set forth the will of God who interpreat the scriptures faithfully out of them instruct the people in the faith in the feare of God and in all exercises of Godlines And as we said of late that those are condemned by this sentence 1. Cor. 13.12 who disputing philosophicallie least they should teach any thing which is remoued from the common sense of men and therefore odious do corrupt with their leauen the puritie of the scripture so both sharply and sore doth Paul thunder against them who for feare of the crosse and persecution do speake onely doubtfully and darkly I am cleane from the bloode I do not doubt but that he had respect vnto the place of Ezechiel Ezec. 3.18.20 where God denounceth that his prophet shall be guiltie of the blood of the wicked vnlesse he exhort them vnto repentance For vpon this condition doth he appoint pastors ouer his church that if any thing perish through their negligence an account may be required at their hands yea that vnlesse they shewe the way of saluation without guile and crookes the destruction of those who go astray may be imputed vnto them Those men must needs be wonderful dull whom such a sharp threatning cannot awake Wherfore the Epicurish impiety of the popish cleargie doth the more bewray it selfe where though they crake and bragge of their honorable titles yet they thinke no more vpon giuing of an account for so many soules which perish than if there sate no iudge in heauen neither is their vngodlines any whit lesse filthy before the whole world in that being giuen only to deuour sheepe they vsurpe the name of Pastours Furthermore the Lord sheweth how deare soules be to him seing that he doth so sharply punish the Pastours sluggishnes for their destruction but we see what small account many men make of their owne saluation for which euen God himself doth vouchsafe to be carefull 28 Therefore take heede to your selues and to all the flocke wherein t◠〈◊〉 ghost hath made you ouerseers to gouern the church of God which he hath purchased with his blood 29 For I know this that after my departure grieuous wolues wil enter in among you not sparing the flocke 30 And of your owne selues shall arise men speaking peruerse things that they may draw disciples after them 31 For which cause watch ye remembring that by the space of three yeres I ceassed not night and day to warne euery one of you with teares 32 And now brethren I commende you to God and to the worde of his grace who is able to build farther and to giue you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified 28 Take heede therefore He doth now apply his speech vnto them by many reasons sheweth that they must watch diligently and that he is not so careful but because necessity doth so require The first reason is because they be bound to the flocke ouer which they be set The second because they were called vnto this function not by mortall man but by the holie Ghost The third because it is no small honor to gouern the Church of God The fourth because the Lord did declare by an euident testimony what account he doth make of the church seing that he hath redeemed it with his blood As touching the first hee doth not onelie commaund them to take heed to the flocke but first to theÌ„selues For that man will neuer be carefull for the saluation of other men who will neglect his owne And in vaine shall that man pricke forward other to liue godlily who will himselfe shewe no desire of godlinesse Yea that man will not take paines with his flocke who forgetteth himselfe seing he is a part of the flock Therfore to the end they may be careful for the flocke to them committed Paul coÌ„mandeth warneth that euery one of them keep himself in the feare of God For by this meanes it shoulde come to passe that euery one should be as faithful towards his flocke as he ought For we said that Paul reasoneth from their calling that they be bound to take paines in the church of God whereof they haue the gouernment As if he should say that they may not do whatsoeuer they like best neither are they free after they be made pastours but they be bound publikely to al
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
so For if hee ought to beleeue Paul his wordes euery malefactour might by this shift haue escaped punishment But this was their manner of dealing hee which did say that he was a citizen of Rome vnlesse hee could bryng in some which knewe hym or proue it lawefullie hee was punished For it was death for any man to pretend the freedome of the citie falsly Wherefore the Centurion referreth the matter vnto the chiefe captaine as doubting thereof and he as wee haue said doth streightway examine the matter more throughly And though Luke doeth not expresse by what testimonies Paul did proue himselfe to bee a citizen of Rome yet vndoubtedly the chiefe captaine knewe the truth of the matter before he loosed him 28 With a great summe The chiefe captaine obiecteth this to refute him as if he shoulde say that the freedome of the citie is not so common and easily to be obtayned How can it be that thou beeing some base fellowe of the countrie of the Cilicians shouldest obtayne this honour for which I paid sweetly Whereas Paul maketh answeare that he was free borne who neuer saw the citie yea whose father it may be was neuer there there is no cause why this should trouble any man For those who are skilfull in the Romaine historie knowe that certayne were made free of the citie who dwelt in the prouinces if hauing deserued well of the common wealth or in warre or in other waighty affaires they did desire and craue this rewarde of the deputies so that it is no absurdity to say that he was borne a Citizen of Rome who discending by his ancetors of some prouince farre distant from Rome did neuer set foote in Italy Notwithstanding the question is howe this can hang together that the chiefe captaine was afraide because hee had bounde a Citizen of Rome and yet he did not loose him from his bondes vntill the morrowe It may be that he deferred it till the next daye least he shoulde shew some token of feare Notwithstanding I thinke that the chiefe captaine was afraide because Paul was bounde at his commaundement that he might be scourged because this was to do iniurie to the bodie of a Citizen of Rome and to breake the common liberty and that it was lawfull to put a Romane in prison CHAP. XXIII 1 ANd Paul beheld the Councel stedfastly and said Men brethren I haue serued God vntil this day in all good conscience 2 And the high Priest Ananias commanded those that stoode by him to smite him on the face 3 Then Paul saide to him God will smite thee thou painted wall And thou sittest iudging according to Lawe and transgressing the Lawe Commaundest thou me to be smitten 4 And those which stood by said Railest thou on Gods high priest 5 And Paul saide I wist not brethren that he was the high priest for it is written Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people 1 Looking earnestly Paul beginneth with the testimonie of a good cōscience that al the whole multitude may vnderstand that he is vniustly charged with such an hainous offence as if he had gone about to ouerthrow the woorshippe of God It may be indeed that a man may offend of ignorance who will not otherwise be a contemner either of God or of religion but Paul meant at the first only with this excuse to mollifie their netled mindes that he might the better be heard For it had byn in vaine for him to haue defended himselfe so long as that opinion did sticke in the mindes of the priests that he was a wicked reuolt Therefore before he enter the cause hee excuseth him selfe of that cryme not onely that he may purchase fauour by that desire which he had to liue godlily but also that he may preuent false accusations or at least that he may refute vniust preiudices which might haue made against him wherewith he saw the whole multitude infected and corrupted We know not what he meant to say besides Notwithstanding this preface teacheth that no man can rightly handle the doctrine of godlines vnlesse the feare of God reigne and beare the chief sway in him And now though hee giue not the priestes so honorable a title heere as hee did a little before when he stood vppon the steppes of the fortresse yet he calleth them brethren giuing them that honour not because they deserue it but that hee may testifie that hee is not the cause of the breache of friendship 2 And the chiefe priest Luke his narration seemeth not to agree with the vsuall history For Iosephus writeth thus concerning the high priests of that time that Quadratus deputie of Syria deposing Cumanus from the gouernment of Iudea commanded him to answere for himselfe before Caesar and sent Ananias the highest priest bound with him into whose place who was chosen he maketh no mentiō sauing that it is likely that Ionathas had the honour giuen him who as he reporteth was afterward slaine by the subtlety and trechery of Felix Deputie of Iudea wh succeeded Cumanus For when he had oftentimes told Felix part of his minde and he coulde not away with the constancie of the man he made a compact with one Doras that hee shoulde priuily conuey in murtherers to slea him Then as the same Iosephus doth witnesse King Agrippa made Ismael the sonne of Phebeus priest But when he was sent by the people to Rome about a certaine suite and was kepte there by Popea wife to Nero Agrippa putteth in his place one Iosephus whose name was Chabus the sonne of Simon But immediatly being also weary of him he appointeth Ananus the sonne of Ananus to be high priest Futhermore he saith that this last thing happened at suche time as after the death of Festus Albinus did succeede him And I see not why some call this Ananus Ananias That hath indeed some colour in that he is called a pharisie also in that it is said that he was bold and stout who wythout any lawfull authoritie caused Iames the Lords brother to be stoned But if we giue credaunce to Iosephus he coulde not bee that Ananias of whome mention is made in this place by Luke who was then made priest when manye yeeres were past and gone after that Felix departed out of the prouince I haue another coniecture in my head For there flourished during all that time one Ananias an high prieste who excepting the title of honour was almost chiefe in the order And because Iosephus leaueth some voyde time betweene Ananias and Ismael it may be that this manne had the roome of the highest priest in the meane time But though this were not so it appeareth out of Iosephus that Ananias who died when the Citie was besieged was in the reigne of Claudius Caesar and Nero equall in dignity with the chiefe priestes which were then Yea his authoritie is so highly extolled as if he had had the chiefe gouernement howsoeuer other men did beare the insignes
hate him seek his ouerthrow And he saith plainely that hee is appointed to bee a witnesse both to Iewes Gentiles least that turne to his reproch because he made the Gospell common to both alike For the Iewes had conceiued suche deadlie hatred against him for this cause because it greeued them that the Gentiles should bee made their fellowes And though they made a shew that this did proceed of zeale because they woulde not haue the couenant which God made with the posteritie of Abrahā profaned by beeing translated vnto straungers yet meere ambition did pricke them forward because they alone would bee excellent all other being vnderlings But in the person of one man all godlie teachers are encouraged to do their dutie that they be not hindred or kept back with the malice of men from offering the grace of God vnto miserable men though they be vnworthie 18 That thou maiest open their eyes Paul in taking to himselfe that which is proper to God doeth seeme to exalt himselfe too high For we knowe that it is the holy Ghost alone which doth lighten the eyes We know that Christ is the only redeemer which doth deliuer vs from the tyrannie of Satan We know that it is God alone who hauing put away our sinnes doth adopt vs vnto the inheritance of the Saints But this is a cōmon thing that God doth translate vnto his ministers that honor which is due to himselfe alone not that hee may take any thing from himselfe but that hee may commend that mightie working of his spirite which he doth shew foorth in them For he doth not send them to worke that they may bee dead instruments or as it were stage players but that hee may worke mightily by their hande But it dependeth vppon the secrete power of his Spirite that their preaching is effectuall who worketh all thinges in all men and which onelie gyueth the encrease Therefore teachers are sent not to vtter their wordes in vaine in the ayre or to beate the eares only with a vaine sounde but to bring liuely light to the blinde to fashion again mens hearts vnto the righteousnesse of God and to ratifie the grace of saluation whiche is gotten by the death of Christe But they doe none of all these saue onelie in as much as God worketh by them that their labour may not bee in vaine that all the prayse may bee his as the effect commeth from him And therefore we must note that so often as the scripture doeth extoll the externall ministerie so honourably we must not separate it from the Spirite which quickneth the same euen as the soule doth the body For it teacheth in other places how little mans industrie can doe of it selfe For they must plant and water but it is God alone which giueth the encrease But because many are hindered by their owne ignorance malice that they cannot reap such frute of the Gospel as they ought wee must note this description which setteth before our eyes briefly plentifully that incomparable treasure Therfore this is the drift of the Gospel that beeing deliuered from blindnesse of minde wee may bee made partakers of the heauenly light that beeing deliuered from the thraldome of Satan we may be turned to God that hauing free forgiuenesse of sinnes wee may be made partakers of the inheritaunce among the Saints Those which will rightly profite in the Gospel muste direct al their senses to this end for what good shal the continuall preaching thereof doe vs if we know not the true vse therof Also the way and meanes to attaine to saluation is described to vs All men boast that they be desirous of saluation but few consider how God will saue them Therfore this place wherin the means is pretily cōprehended is as it were a key to open the gate of heauen Furthermore wee must knowe that all mankinde is naturally depriued of those good thinges whiche Christ saith we haue by beleeuing his Gospell So that it followeth that al are blind because they be lightned by faith that al are the bōdslaues of Satā bicause they are set free by faith frō his tyrānie that all mē are the enemies of God and subiect to eternall death because they receiue remission of sinnes by faith So that nothing is more miserable then we if we be without Christ and without his faith Whereby it appeareth how little yea that nothing is left for the free will of mens merites As touching euery part this lightening is referred vnto the knowledge of God because all our quicknesse of sight is meere vanitie and thicke darkenesse vntill hee appeare vnto vs by his truth That reacheth farther which followeth afterwarde To bee turned from darknesse to light For that is when wee are renewed in the spirite of oure minde Therefore in my iudgement this member and that which followeth expresse both one thing to bee turned from the power of Satan vnto God For that renewing which Paul declareth more largely in the second chapter to the Ephesians is expressed in diuers formes of speech Remission of sins followeth next Ephe. 2.10 4.23 wherby God doth freely reconcile vs to himselfe so that we need not doubt but that god wil be fauourable mercifull to vs. At length the furnishing and filling of all thinges is put in the last place to wit the inheritance of eternall life Some doe reade it falsly in one text Among those who are sanctified by faith because this woord is extended vnto the whole period Therefore the meaning thereof is that by faith wee come vnto the possession of all those good thinges which are offered by the gospell And faith is properlye directed vnto Christ because all the parts of our saluation are included in him Neither doth the Gospel commaund vs to seeke the same any where els saue only in him 19 Whereuppon O king Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heauenly vision 20 But I preached first to those which are at Damascus and at Ierusalem and through euery region of Iudea and then to the Gentiles that they shoulde repent and bee turned vnto God doing woorkes which become those whiche repent 21 For this cause the Iewes hauing caught mee in the temple went about to kil mee 22 Therefore seeing I haue obtained helpe of God I stande vntill this present day testifying both to small and great saying none other things thē those which the prophets and Moses said should come to passe 23 Whether Christ should suffer whether he should be the first that should rise from the dead to shew light to the people and to the Gentiles 19 Hee declareth now briefly to what ende he rehearsed the historie of his conuersion to wit that Agrippa the rest might vnderstand that hee had God for his authour of all those thinges which the Iewes condemned of Sacrilege and apostacie Hee speaketh to Agrippa by name because he knew that Festus and the Romanes knew not what an heauenly vision meant
Now it appeareth that there is nothing in the very summe of his doctrine which dissenteth from the law and the prophetes Whereby the oracle doth winne greater credite whereby Paul was commanded to teach nothing but that which was agreeable to the scripture Conuersion or turning vnto God is ioyned with repentance not as some peculiar thing but that we may know what it is to repent Like as also on the contrary the corruption of men and their frowardenesse is nothing els but an estranging frō God And because repentance is an inward thing and placed in the affection of the heart Paul requireth in the second place such works as may make the same knowen according to that exhortation of Iohn the baptist Mat. 3.8 Bring foorth fruites meete for repentance Now forasmuch as the gospell calleth all those which are Christes vnto repentance it followeth that all men are naturally corrupt and that they haue neede to bee chaunged In like sort this place teacheth that these men do vnskilfully peruert the gospell which separate the grace of Christ from repentance 21 They went about to kill mee Hee complaineth in this place of the iniquitie of his aduersaries that it may thereby appeare that their cause and conscience were both euill For if Paul had offended they might haue gone to lawe with hym and euen there shoulde they haue stande in better state seeing they did farre passe him both in fauour and authoritie Therefore their madnesse doeth testifie that they are destitute of reason Whereas Paule saieth that hee was saued by the helpe of God it maketh for the confirmation of his doctrine For how is it that he reacheth out his hand to help him saue onely because he acknowledgeth his minister and because hee will defende the cause which hee alloweth Moreouer this ought to haue encouraged him to goe forwarde so much the more boldly in his office in that hee was thus holpen by God For it had been a point of an vnthankfull man to withdraw himselfe frō him which had holpen him By which example we be taught that so often as we be deliuered from danger the Lord doeth not therefore prolong our dayes that wee may afterwarde liue idlie but that we may doe our dutie cheerefully and bee readie to die euery houre to his glory who hath reserued vs to himselfe And yet Paul did not forget howe muche hee was indebted to the chiefe captaine but in this place hee commendeth the helpe of God that hee may shewe that it became him to spende all the rest of his course in his seruice by whome hee was deliuered though that came to passe and were doone through the industrye and by the hande of man Testifying both to small and great Wee haue saide els where that it is more to testifie than to teach as if there were some solemne contestation made betweene God and men that the Gospel may haue his maiestie And he saieth that hee is a witnesse both to great and small that king Agrippa may perceiue that this doth appertaine euen to him and that when the Gospell is offered euen to euery simple man that doeth no whit hinder but that it may ascend euen vnto the throne of Princes For Christ doth gather al mē into his bosom with one the same imbracing that those who lay before in the doung hill and are now extolled vnto so great honour may reioyce in his free goodnesse and that those who are placed in high degree of honour may willingly humble themselues and not grudge to haue some of the base and contemptible multitude for their brethren that they may bee made the children of God So in the first chapter to the Romanes Hee saith that he is indebted both to the fooles and to the wise least the Romanes should bee kept backe with the confidence which they might repose in their wisedome from submitting themselues to his doctrine By this let vs learne that it is not in the teachers wil to make choyse of his hearers and that they doe no lesse doe iniurie to God then defraude men of their right whosoeuer they be which restraine their labour vnto great men whom God doth ioyne with those which are small It were too cold to restrain this vnto ages Wherefore I doe not doubt but that Paule taketh away the exception which vseth to bee between the noble and vnnoble because he was neither afraide of the dignitie of the one neither did he loath the basenesse of the other but did shew himself a faithfull teacher to both alike Saying no other thing First this is woorth the noting that Paul to the ende hee may bring in fit and substantiall witnesses of his doctrine doeth not take the same from among men but hee citeth Moses and the Prophetes to whome the Lorde had gtaunted vndoubted authoritie And surely this is one principle to bee obserued when we wil teach soundly to vtter nothing but that which did proceed out of the mouth of God Secondly this is worth the noting that these were the principall pointes of the disputation which Luke doeth nowe touch that This was the proper office of Christ by his death to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde by his resurrection to purchase righteousnesse and life for men and that the fruite of his death and resurrection is common both to Iewes and Gentiles But forasmuch as there is no manifest and as they say literall testimonie extant in the Lawe concerning the death and resurrection of Christ vndoubtedly they had some doctrin deliuered by hand from the Fathers out of which they did learne to referre all figures vnto Christ And as the Prophets which did prophecie more plainly of Christ had their doctrin from that fountaine so they made the men of their time beleeue that they deliuered vnto them no new thing or which did dissent from Moses And now Paul did either not finish his apologie or else he gathered more euident testimonies of all those things wherein he professed Moses and the Prophets to be his authours The first of those which There were some other whose resurrection went before Christs in time namely if we admit that the saints of whom the Euangelists speake did come out of their graues before Christ Mat. 27.57 Gen. 5.24 2. King 2.11 1. Cor. 15.23 which may likwise be said of the taking vp of Enoch Elias But he calleth him in this place the First as in another place the first fruits of those which rise again Therefore this word doth rather note out the cause than the order of time because whē Christ did rise again he became the conqueror of death Lord of life that he might reigne for euer make those who are his partakers of blessed immortalitie Vnder this word light he comprehendeth whatsoeuer doeth pertaine vnto perfite felicitie as by darknesse is meant death and all manner of miserie And I do not doubt but that Paul alluded vnto the sayings of the Prophetes
brought to beleeue no not with many myracles so that this same prophesie of the prophet was fulfilled Ioh. 12.37 Therefore these foure agree in this that it came to passe by the iust iudgement of God that the reprobate in hearing should not heare and in seeing should not see Nowe Paul calleth to minde that which the prophete did testifie concerning the Iewes Rom. 11.5.7 least any man wonder at their blindnesse Furthermore in the Epistle to the Romanes hee mounteth higher shewing that this is the cause of blindnesse because God doth giue the light of faith only to the remnant whom he hath chosen freely And surely it is certaine that because the reprobate reiect the doctrine of saluation this commeth to passe through their owne malice and that therefore they them selues are to be blamed But this next cause doth not let but that the secrete electiō of god may distinguish between mē that those may beleue who are ordeined to life and that the other may remaine blockish I will not stand long about the wordes of the prophet because I haue expounded the same elswhere Neither did Paul curiously recite the woords which are in the prophet but did rather apply his woordes vnto his purpose Therefore he imputeth that making blinde which the prophet attributeth to the secrete iudgement of God to their malice For the prophet is commaunded to stop the eyes of his hearers and Paul in this place accuseth the vnbeleeuing of his time because they shut their own eyes Though he setteth downe both thinges distinctly that God is the authour of their blindnesse and that yet notwithstanding they shut their owne eyes and become blinde of their owne accorde as these two thinges doe very well agree together as we saide els where In the last memember where it is said Least they see with their eies or heare with their eares or vnderstand with their hearte God sheweth howe cleare his doctrine is to wit that it is sufficient to lighten all the senses vnlesse men doe maliciously darken them selues as Paul also teacheth in another place that his Gospel is plaine so that none can be blinde in the light thereof ◠Cor. 4.3 saue those who are ordayned to destruction whose eyes Satan hath blinded Least they be conuerted and I heale them By this we gather that the word of God is not set before all men that they may returne to soundnesse of minde but that the externall voice soundeth in the eares of manie without the effectual working of the Spirit only that they may be made inexcusable And here the pride of flesh doeth rashly murmure against God as we see many obiect that men are called in vaine yea absurdlie vnlesse it be in their power to obey for though we see no reason why god appeareth to the blinde and speaketh to the deafe yet his will alone which is the rule of all righteousnesse ought to bee to vs in steed of a thousand reasons In the conclusion wee must note the wholsome effect of the word of God namely the conuersion of men which is not onelie the beginning of health but also a certaine resurrection from death to life 28 Therefore be it Least the Iewes may afterward accuse him of reuolting because hee forsaketh the holy stock of Abraham and goeth to the prophane Gentiles he denounceth that which the Prophets did so often testifie that The saluation whereof they were the proper at least the principall heires should be translated vnto strangers Notwithstanding whereas he saith that saluation was sent to the Gentiles he meaneth in the second place to wit after that the Iewes had reiected it as we haue said before more at large Therefore the sense is that there is no cause why the Iewes should complaine Sup. 13.46 if the Gentiles be admitted into the void possession after that they haue forsaken it Neither doth he make faith common to all the Gentiles in generall when hee saieth that they shall heare For he had ful well tried that euen many of the Gentiles did wickedly resist God but he setteth so many of the Gentiles as beleeued against the vnbeleeuing Iewes Deut. 32.21 that he may prouoke them vnto iealousie as it is in the song of Moses In the meane season he signifieth that the doctrine which they refuse shall profit others 29 Hauing much reasoning No doubt the wicked were more netled because he cited the Prophesie against them for they are so farre from waxing meeke when they are reproued that they are more inflamed with fury This is the reason why they reasoned when they were gone out from Paul bicause the more part would not be quiet But seing there was such disputing it appeareth that some did so embrace those things which Paul had spoken that they doubted not to defend and stoutly to auouch that which they beleeued But it is in vaine for any man to obiect thereupon that the Gospell of Christ is the seede of contention which commeth vndoubtedly from mans pride and waywardnesse and assuredly if we will haue peace with God wee must striue against those which contemne him 30 He receiued al. The Apostle shewed an excellent example of constancie in that hee offered himselfe so willingly to all those which were desirous to heare him Surely hee was not ignorant what great hatred he did purchase and that this was his best way if by holding his peace hee might appease the hatred of his aduersaries For a man being desirous to prouide for himselfe alone woulde not haue done thus but because he remembred that he was no lesse the seruāt of Christ a preacher of the Gospell when he was in prison then if he had bin at libertie he thoght it was not lawfull for him to withdraw himselfe frō any which was readie to learn least he should foreslow the occasion which was offered him by God and therefore he did more regarde the holie calling of God then his owne life And that we may knowe that he did incurre daunger willingly Luke doth shortly after expressely commend his boldnes as if he shuld say that setting al feare aside he did faithfully obey the commandement of God neither was he terrified with any daunger but did proceed to take paines with whomsoeuer he met Preaching the kingdom of God He doth not seperate the kingdōe of God and those thinges which belong to Christ as diuers things but doth rather adde the second thing by way of exposition that we may know that the kingdome of God is grounded and contayned in the knowledge of the redēption purchased by Christ Therfore paul taught that men are strangers forrayners frō the kingdom of God vntil hauing their sins done away they be reconciled to God renewed into holines of life by the spirit and that the kingdome of God is then erected and doth then florish among them when Christ the mediatour doth ioyne them to the father hauing both their sinnes freely forgiuen them and being also