out of Paule we declared Christ blesseth vs as he is a priest For it was the Priestes office to blesse the people as Moyses teacheth Numer 6. Although there is great difference betweene them Christ for they were ministers only of the figure and shadowe Christ doth not only wishe vs good but also giueth it and in him God blesseth vs with all spirituall blessing as Paule teacheth Ephe. 1. But Peter addeth the maner also of this blessing saying whyle he turneth euery man from his wickednesse For where of sinnnes the curse springeth there can be no place for blessing afore sinne be taken awaye Nowe Christ taketh them awaye yea he hath long sithence clensed them by the merite of his death for which cause the Baptist calleth him the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde He taketh not sinne away fo◠one time only but conuerteth all them frō their sinnes that beleeue in him For where he giueth them his spirite they be regenerated and renewed by him so that they which before were giuen to the bondage of sinne doe cast of the yoake of sinne and liue vnto God and beginne to serue him in studie of innocencie and charitie Whereby we gather that they are greatly deceyued which imagine Christ to be a patrone of carnall libertie and saye that by preaching of him we plant carelesse lyfe in the mindes of men Certainlye Christ came into the worlde to destroye the workes of the deuill But among these workes sinne hath the chiefe place as there is none that can denie Nay rather if we will confesse the truth there can be in vs no true turning from sinne but such as Christ is author of through his spirite according to that saying of Ieremie Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Agayne Turne thou vs vnto thee O Lord and so shall we be turned Furthermore before we make an ende we haue to be obserued that the Iewes abounding in so many prerogatiues dignities as both here and else where are declared in the .ix. to the Romaines receiued no cōmodity by any of them all but were forsaken of God for that through stubborne incredulitie they contemned Christ and despised the preaching of the gospell whereof Paule intreateth at large Rom. 11. Therfore all externe things are but vaine except we embrace Christ with true fayth who onely conuerteth vs from sinnes purgeth our sinnes reconcileth vs to God and maketh vs inheritors of the kingdome of heauen This Christ hath Peter in his sermon taught them and sheweth them that in him the treasure of saluation is opened vnto them notwithstanding it might seeme they were fallen from saluation and the grace of god Let vs therfore thinke these things spoken also vnto vs and labour to become the true members of Christ and to be quickened with his spirite that hereafter we may raigne with him in heauen to whome be prayse honour glory and power for euer Amen The fourth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xxvj. Homelie AS they spake vnto the people the Priestes and the Rulers of the Temple and the Saduceys came vpon them taking it grieuously that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurrection from death And they laide handes vpon them and put them in holde vntill the next day for it was now euentyde Howbeit many of them which hearde the wordes beleeued and the number of the men was about fiue thousande HItherto Luke hath described the beginning and successe of the primitiue church There haue we seene what the doctrine of the Apostles was which they deliuered vnto the Church also what the studies and exercises of the primitiue Church were Nowe herevnto is most commodiously adioyned how the worlde receyued this doctrine where we shall see howe the very same thing fell out that Christ before that shewed his Apostles of For in Iohn he sayth The seruant is not greater than his Maister If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also If they haue kept my saying they will keepe yours Againe They shall deliuer you vp to the Councels and shall scourge you in their sinagoges And these things they whom God had hitherto kept safe from the furie of their enimies vntill the beginning of his Church myght be stablished and settled a little surer beginne nowe to finde true But nowe most fierce enimies sodenlye rushe in vppon them they take and cast them into prison they bring them to examination before the Counsayle and at length being vexed with long disceptation and reasoning they dismisse them with grieuous threates We must in all this narration marke this one thing chiefely aboue all other which shall serue much for our consolation and instruction that is not to be offended at the attempts of the wicked wherewith in these dayes they oppugne the doctrine of Christ and his Church For this worlde whose propertie it is to hate and persecute the light of the truth bicause it bewrayeth their naughtie doings vseth of olde thus for to doe Here it behooueth vs to be armed with the constancie of the primitiue Church that we leaue not our place when we are assaulted but that we wayte for an happie ende and successe of such temptation with a stronge and inuincible fayth which God graunteth vnto them whome he seeth tried and made the better vnder the crosse But bicause we shall haue occasion oftentimes to speake of these things let it suffice vs to haue touched this little hereof least we lose the marke whereto all these things must be directed Nowe we shall discusse euery part and circumstance of the things that Luke hath sayde He describeth who were the Apostles enimies and authors of their persecution what craftes and deceite they vsed what cloke they had for their wicked and vniust enterprise howe violently they layde handes on the Apostles and howe vaine their attempt was bicause through their furie the number of the faythfull were rather increased than diminished Among the enimies of the Apostles there are three kindes of men rehearced The first are Priestes whome by the circumstaunces we may easilye gather were the ringleaders and beginners of all this businesse Howbeit it had bene their partes rather to haue taken vppon them the defence of the truth and to haue preached Christ vnto the people of whome Moyses and the Prophetes bare witnesse After these followeth the Ruler of the Temple who by all likelyhoode was some Capitaine of the Romaine souldiors For where the Temple stoode in the most impregnable place of the Citie and was well fenced with munition I suppose the Romaynes gaue the Presidentes of Iurie a speciall charge thereof least the Iewes vnder colour of religion and holy assemblies shoulde mooue any insurrection or sedition And vndoubtedly the Capitaine of the Temple brought with him his garde or souldiors which alwayes attended on his seruice were at his commaundement There was a thirde kinde of men
beside these called Saduceyes who plainely scoffed at all religion For they denyed the resurrection of the bodye and whatsoeuer else is written of the mysteries of eternall life as may be seene Math. 22. and Actes 23. And it can not be that any syncere religion coulde be in them which durst denye these things without the which religion coulde not stande And if we expende the matter well it shall appeare that the same men came against the Apostles which were sent out to take Christ at mount Oliuete as Luke in his Gospell sheweth Let vs here marke who are alwayes like to be the greatest enimies of the Church and doctrine of Christ and authors of persecution Uerily the Priestes that is to say those which take vpon them the gouernance of doctrine and of the whole Church For as soone as they being ouercome with ambition and couetousnesse beginne to seeke priuate honour and chaunge religion into lucre which the storie of the Gospell abundantly declareth those Iewish doctors did Math. 7.23 Iohn 5. c. it can not be chosen but they will be the first to withstand the truth bicause they are the first that are reproued through the light of the truth Hereof we see it commeth to passe in all ages that these kinde of men haue procured most trouble agaynst the doctrine of truth The times that the Prophets liued in declare this to be true against whome the Bishops and Priestes made most a do The same Iohn the Baptist prooued true whose doctrine and Baptisme the Leuites sent from Ierusalem beganne first to reprehend And Christ had no sorer enimies than the Priestes through whose deuises he was taken condemned and nayled to the crosse The Apostles nowe finde the same to be their grieuousest enimies And those whom Pylate and the Romaine garrison hytherto suffred to preache Christ are disturbed by them whose fauour and defence they ought to haue had in setting forth the kingdome of christ Let vs remember this geare and not be troubled though we perceyue those against vs in these dayes which hitherto haue chalenged to themselues in the Church the name of learning and holynesse I meane the Popes with all the rable of Bishops and Monkes For where it is euident they are all ledde with couetousnesse and ambition and haue long since obscured the doctrine of truth with mannes traditions and haue made lucre of religion it cannot be but they must hate the light of the truth and wish the extinguishment thereof But let vs consider the craft which they vse in setting vppon the Apostles First they enter not into the Church alone and so laye hande vpon the Apostles For so all men woulde haue perceyued howe they had beene led with the desire of their priuate honor and lucre And it was a daungerous matter for them to prouoke the furie and rage of the people against them Wherefore they ioyne vnto them the ruler of the Temple who was authorised by publike order to see there shoulde be no businesse made in the Church and so they woulde seeme to haue a regard of publike tranquillitie where in deede they did it for none other purpose but to vse the ayde of the officer for the defence of their tyrannie Then ioyne they also vnto them the Saduceyes men voyde of all religion bicause they thought such meetest for their purpose For such men as these thinke it a poynt eyther of a foolishe or a seditious minde contrary to custome to alter any thing in religion Last of all they rushe in vpon them as they be in their sermon and that sodenly bicause they would feare the people withall Wherevpon we may thinke they had consulted hereof before and that they did nothing at aladuenture or without deliberation The like craft haue all they vsed against the truth which nowe these many yeares haue conspired against the same For Daniel attributeth to Antichrist the eyes of a man that is to say witte and wylinesse to foresee things And Christ sayth the children of this worlde are wyser in their kinde than the children of lyght And surelye if we well consider the hystories of the Bishops of Rome we shall see they haue vsed the lyke wylinesse these many yeares and that they haue then chiefely set forwarde their owne matters when they haue seemed to do nothing lesse and being bolstred vp by the secular powers haue clymed vp to such rule and tyrannie as nowe they exercise So Boniface the thirde made Phocas embrued with the heynous murther of Maurice his maister the Emperour to thintent that he againe might make him the supreme head of the Church So by the strength of the Lumbardes they draue the Emperors of Greece out of Italie and when the Lumbardes seemed to them more intollerable than the Greekes they vsed the Frenchmens ayde to subdue the Lumbardes Neyther made they Charles Emperor of the west Church where the Romaines had bene without an Emperour more than three hundred yeares for any other cause but to haue a Captaine or ruler of the Church whose ayde and helpe they might vse to defende their vsurped power ouer the Church and to brydle such as woulde speake against it They most plainely bewrayed their meaning when they conueyed the Empire to the Germaines and caused the Emperours to sweare homage and obedience to them and reserued the authoritie of confirming and crowning the Emperour to themselues least any other than such as woulde doe after their pleasure should ascende to such dignitie They shall confesse that I say the truth whosoeuer will reade the fourme of oth wherwith the Emperours are bounde and which they haue put among the Canons of their lawe and also the Canon of Boniface the eyght concerning maioritie and obedience For he speaking of two swordes that is of the ecclesiasticall and secular power doth expressely chalenge them both vnto the Bishops of Rome in these words Both are in the power of the Church namely the spirituall swoorde and the materiall But the one to bee exercised of the Church the other for the Church The one by the hande of the Priest the other by the hande of Princes and souldiours but at the becke and sufferaunce of the priest c. Let vs therefore acknowledge the truth of the olde President when we see Bishops fight against the truth with force of kinges Let vs marke the subtiltie of this beast which compasseth hir matters by strength of others Let vs consider hir continuall traueyâ—e in oppressing the truth and not iudge of them according to our leysinesse They wake when we soundly snort Let vs therfore awake likewise and according to Christes admonition beware of men Howbeit it might seeme a straunge and tyrannicall deede violently to carie men awaye without order of lawe Therefore Luke sheweth what their pretence was They tooke it grieuously sayth he that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurrection from the deade In these words he
The time is come that iudgement must begin at the house of god If it first beginne at vs what shall be the ende of them which beleeue not the gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodlye and the sinner appeare Woulde God these people woulde marke well these things which of our afflictions in these dayes the consideration whereof ought to serue for amendment of their life take occasion of great impietie and blasphemie Thirdly it is not to be neglected howe Christ delyuereth his Apostles from perill of death but yet suffereth them to be beaten with roddes By which example he teacheth vs to shake of carelesnesse from our mindes least hauing escaped some one daunger we suppose all things after to be safe and in quyet but we must rather thinke there remayneth for vs other conflicts wherevnto we must prepare and make readie our selfe For the which cause God euerie where exhorteth vs to watch and to pray And we want not examples that teach vs how vnhappie an ende commeth of carnall securitie and slouthfulnesse But let vs also see the other thing which they did otherwise than Gamaliel counsailed them These wicked Bishops the other sitting with them renewed the decree whereof mention was made in the chapter before going and commaunded the Apostles that from thenceforth they shoulde teache no more in the name of Iesus that is that they should not preache the Gospell This is a great argument of stubbornesse which is peculyar to the wicked For where in all other things they are tossed to and fro with diuers affections and are light and inconstant yet they remaine most firmly in the hatred of the truth and most earnestly vrge whatsoeuer thinges they thinke make for the ouerthrowe thereof But let vs diligently marke the tenour and fourme of their decree whereby they forbid them to speake in the name of Iesus Thus the name of Iesus Christ is hated of the wicked The worlde can after a sort abide the doctrine of penaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes For both in tymes passed the wise men of the Gentiles wrate many thinges touching repentaunce and pourging of sinnes and in these dayes the Papistes much intreate of both these poyntes and Articles And where as the thinges they say come out of the closet of humane reason they easily admyt and allowe them bicause they are wonte to be ledde with the reason of the fleshe But assoone as repentaunce and remission of sinnes is preached in the name of Christ according as he hath commaunded this doctrine the worlde cannot away with all bicause it is contrarie to the things which mans wisedome hath inuented in matters of religion and saluation wherein men commonly vse greatly to glorie For if Christ giue vs true repentaunce as Peter before hath taught vs and we be not authors thereof our selfe then the libertie of our will is fallen mans power is dashed and we haue no cause to glorie any more in our merites Yea that is founde true that Christ sayth without me you can doe nothing Likewise is that saying of Paule true It is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deede Againe what hast thou that thou hast not receyued And if thou hast receyued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receyued it Againe if we haue remission of sinnes in the name of Christ then is the glorie of our satisfactions quayled and the trust in our owne workes is found vaine ridiculous yea an impious and blasphemous Fayre or market of holy things the which couetous men that thinke gayne good religion haue brought in Further where the heynousnesse of sinne is such that it could no way be taken awaye but by Christes bloude onelye it easily appeareth howe earnestly and feruently we ought to labour that we fall not agayne from that holynesse and libertie into the which we be brought by the benefite of christ And here are opened the springs of christian discipline without the which the profession of a christian name serueth more to damnation than to saluation Yet men of their corrupt nature and disposition abhorre from all these things Whereby it commeth to passe that they can not paciently brooke and heare the doctrine of Iesus Christ. It is profitable to consider these things least the ignorant suspect the doctrine of the Gospell which we see the worlde so enuyeth and hateth Let vs passe from the wicked enimies of Christ to his elect vessels the Apostles and let vs see howe they here behaued themselues Of whome Luke telleth specially two things First that they went from the Counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs name sake The other is that they ceased not daily both in the temple and in euery house to teach and preach Iesus christ Of both which we haue the more diligently to intreate bicause they serue much to our comfort and instruction The Apostles reioyce that they are in reproch beaten with rods Let no man imagine the Stoikes indolency or want of affections in them or that they were so farre out of their wittes that they coulde not iudge betweene honor and shame For it is both euident they were men and also subiect to the affections that are in men and such as had diuers times defended their good name agaynst the sclaunders of the wicked They reioyce that for Christes name sake they were able to suffer shame Where we see two weightie causes of ioye concurring togither For first it is euident all men are sinners and that euen in the godlye remayne smatches of sinne whereby they manye times grieuously offende so that they deserue to be punished of god But such is the goodnesse and clemency of God that he sendeth such punishmentes vnder the name of Christ and for the truth which ought to be punishmentes for sinne Which is as if a Prince should deliuer a thiefe which had deserued hanging from shamefull death and woulde sette him in the fore fronte among the chiefe of his Court to fight for the libertie and safetie of his kingdome And it is verye lyke the Apostles had this consideration who could not as yet forget what they had commmitted partly by their fowle flying awaye and partly by their fowle deniall when Christ was taken And where their mindes hitherto might be in doubt nowe haue they an infallible argument of Christes reconciliation perceyuing that they are made partakers of his crosse and affliction Herevnto is to be ioyned another cause proceeding of Christes promises whereby he promiseth the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen to them which suffer persecution for righteousnesse his names sake For he sayth Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are you when men reuyle and persecute you and shall falsly say all maner of euill sayings against you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in
plainely testified that our saluation is conteyned in Iesus Christ alone he nowe beginneth by narration of the historie more at large to explicate and dilate the same and that in such sort that it maye easilye appeare howe all the thinges that belong to the redeeming of mankynde are performed by Christ. He beginneth his narration with the time and place shewing where and when Christ began to be knowne Also he citeth them for witnesses of the things which fame long before had bruted so farre abrode least any man might iudge the hystorie to be vncertaine or doubtfull you sayth he know that word which was published ouer all Iurie and beganne in Galiley after the baptisme which Iohn preached It is not without a cause that he maketh mention of the place forasmuch as Esay sometime prophecied that Christ shoulde beginne to preach in Galiley as Mathew also hath noted in his .iiij. Chapter and Esay 9. And it seemeth he alleageth the time for none other cause saying this preaching beganne after the baptisme of Iohn bicause the Prophetes foreshewed that he shoulde be the first Minister of the new Testament and the forerunner of the promised Sauiour For that those things belong vnto him which are reade in Esay 40. of a voyce crying in the wildernesse and in Malachie of Elias appeareth by the writinges of the Euangelistes and by the testimonie of Christ himselfe in Mathewe the .xj. Chapter more manifest than needeth long demonstration They are therfore by this place confuted which denye that Iohn ought to be accounted among the Ministers of the Gospell Whereas it is playne that he bare witnesse of Christ and sent his Disciples of fayth and good zeale vnto Christ. And prepared all the people aswell by his doctrine as by baptisme to embrace and receyue Christ which office of his his father Zacharie by inspiration of the holy spirit acknowledged in him assoone as he was borne We haue here rather to marke diligentlye that the businesse of Christ Iesus and his Gospell beganne by Iohn whose dutie it was to prepare their mindes that shoulde be the Disciples of Christ by the doctrine of repentance and baptisme For this waye Christ thought good to declare that hee woulde haue no man to seeke howe to lyue licentiouslye and fleshly vnder the pretence of him which thing it is euident both many did in tymes past and many doe the same in these dayes also and euen those which glorye in the name of the Gospell For the which cause Christ himselfe thought good to beginne his teaching with repentance and bade the Apostles afterward to beginne with the same Math. 4. and .10 Luc. 24. And they are not to be hearde which seperate the doctrine of repentance from the Gospell wheras without repentaunce we cannot be partakers of the saluation which is in christ And yet for all this we attribute not saluation to mannes merite or righteousnesse bicause we are commaunded to preach repentance in the name of christ And Peter before Act. 5. hath taught vs that God the father hath appoynted Christ to be the author and giuer thereof vnto vs In the meane season they are reprooued also which slaunderously say that we open gappes to the fleshe whereby to sinne by preaching of the Gospell whereas these men for none other cause more hate and persecute the Gospell than for that it grieuously accuseth and inueyeth agaynst their open wickednesse and the cloked hypocrisie of a great many Furthermore it behooueth vs to marke how the Apostle speaketh of the ministery of Iohn For he sayeth he preached Baptisme He ioyneth preaching with Baptisme to declare he was a minister both of doctrine and the sacrament For as by Baptisme he admonished men that they were purged made cleane so expounding the misteries therof by words he taught vs that purification is to be had in Christ only that worthy fruits of repentance are required of them that are purified Wherby it appeareth it is necessary that teaching be ioined with the sacraments forasmuch as without it the mysteries of the sacraments cannot be vnderstanded So God in the beginning commaunded that the meanyng of the feast of Passeouer should be declared vnto the children And we see that the sermons of the prophets are chiefly busied in declaring the misteries of the sacrifices and ceremonies of the lawe while they most grieuously reprehende them which carefully obserued the sacrifices neglecting in the meane season the duties of life by them signified And Christ a little before he departed from his Disciples cōmaunded them not only to baptize but chiefly commended vnto them the preachyng of the Gospell Which thing Paule so diligently obserued that he confesseth how he preached euerywhere but baptized verye fewe These thinges serue to confute them which tying grace to the outwarde signes thinke the vse of them alone sufficient vnto saluation and vse no doctrine wherby to declare the vse of them yea they vse a straunge tounge in the administration of them But how absurde a thing this ought to be iudged Paule sheweth at large in the first to the Corinthians and .xiiij. chapter Hauing nowe declared the beginning of the Gospell he sheweth that Iesus Christ is the author thereof to the ende he woulde notifie vnto vs what and what maner of one we ought to beleeue he is He expressely calleth him Iesus of Nazareth for that we should acknowledge it is he whom by reason of the basenesse of his countrie and bicause of his poore and lowly conuersation outwardly all men contemned Him he testifyeth that God annoynted teaching by these wordes that he is the Sauiour of mankinde which God had long before ordeyned For he maketh mention of annoynting bicause of the olde figure For of olde time the Priests and Kinges of Israel vsed to be annoynted who it is manifest were figures of the Sauiour promised And it was a receyued opinion that the promised Sauiour was called by the name of the Messias or Christ that is to saye annoynted bicause this denomination did declare his Priesthoode and kingdome and all the whole order of our redemption wherevpon the Disciples being asked in the gospell whome they sayde Iesus was they confessed he was Christ that annoynted of god Moreouer least some man might think him to be of no more excellency than other Priests and Kings who by reason of their outward annointing were called by the same name Peter teacheth that he was annoynted wyth the holy ghost and with power alluding no doubt to that verse of Dauid who prophecying of the kingdome of that promysed Sauiour sayth God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Thus he calleth the holy ghost by whose guyding the sonne of God became man and so administred his kingdome and Priesthoode that there is perceyued no griefe or sorowe therein but all kinde of pleasauntnesse and delyght For so he interpreteth the same in the Prophet saying The spirite
at Lyddias house and them they exhort to be stedfast in the fayth and comfort them very effectually Moreouer Paule wryteth an Epistle vnto them wherin we are taught how prosperously this cōgregation afterward came forward whose beginning seemed altogither vnprosperouse vntowarde Whereby it appeereth the course of the Gospell can be hyndered by no attemptes of the wicked Sometime the Ministers thereof are bounde but the worde of God can not be bounde Againe they that preach the same are thrust out and banished but the spirite of Christ cannot be banished but breatheth wheresoeuer it pleaseth yea when men holde their peace the stones will preach Christ. Let these thinges make vs constaunt in the fayth that hauing at length ouercome the worlde and Prince thereof we may liue and raigne in heauen wyth Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xvij. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxiij Homelie NOWE as they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica where was a great Synagoge of the Iewes and Paule as his maner was went in vnto them and three Sabboth dayes disputed wyth them by the scriptures opening and alleaging that Christ must haue suffred and rysen agayne from the death and this is Iesus Christ whome sayde he I preach vnto you And some of them beleeued and ioyned in companye with Paule and Silas also of the Grecians that feared God a great multitude and of the chiefe women not a fewe OUr Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Gospell of Luke sayth No manne which putteth hys hande to the plough and looketh backward is meete for the kingdome of heauen Which wordes doe admonishe vs that of all christians especially of the Ministers of the word is required an inuincible constancie of the minde whereby they maye go forwarde without feare against al traueyle and daunger and not be withdrawne by anye temptations to forsake the office committed to their credit Of which constancie is set out vnto vs a most worthy example in the Apostle Paule who from the fyrst daye he tooke in hande the seruice of Christ and the Gospell was in continuall labour and daunger and yet held on seeking daylie new occasion with great courage of minde to set forth the kingdome of christ And as he had done heretofore in other places the selfe same did he wyth incredible industrie among the Macedonians as this present hystorie declareth For being verie euill intreated at Philippi to the which place he was called by a vision yet he murmureth not against God nor doubteth not of his calling nor leaueth not of his duetie through feare but taketh his iourney directly thorowe Amphipolis and Apollonia and commeth to Thessalonica the chiefe Citie of all Macedonia where after he had spreade the lyght of the Gospell he getteth him to Berrhoea and from thence to Athens where he preacheth Christ among the most learned Phylosophers of the Gentiles and as it were vpon the open stage of all the worlde But to let passe all other thinges let vs see what was done at this tyme at Thessalonica First it is sayde he went through Amphipolis and Apollonia and there is no mention made that Paule preached in those Cities therfore it is lyke the holy Ghost offered him no occasion there to preache But when he came to Thessalonica he went into the Iewes Synagoge which was very notable and full of people and there by the space of three Sabboth dayes he taught them the gospell of Iesus christ And yet it might seeme a straunge thing that Paule woulde offer the doctrine of saluation agayne vnto the Iewes whose incurable malice he had so often tryed and whome he perceyued God had cast of by many euident arguments But he was mooued partly with the feruent desyre he had to set forth the kingdome of God and partly with the constant loue that he bare to his nation for whose sake otherwhyle he wished to be accursed And yet we must not thinke this to be any blinde affection for as much as the Lorde had long before prophecied that though the Iewes were cast off certaine remnauntes shoulde be saued And perhappes he might be mooued by the example of Elias who when he thought all the people had forsaken the God of Israell was tolde that there were yet seauen thousande which had neuer bowed their knees vnto Baal We are taught by this example of Paule that we must not ouer hastily cease from doing our duetie bicause of many mens ingratitude but rather as the Apostle otherwhere teacheth vs tollerate the euill wyth meekenesse instruct those that make resistaunce if at anye time God will giue them repentance to knowe the truth and that they may come to themselues againe out of the snare of the Deuill For where we be the seruauntes of God it becommeth vs to imitate his condition and propertie and not to be offended with the ingratitude of the worlde for as much as we knowe that we haue a rewarde layde vp with the Lorde which shall neuer fayle vs Therefore inexcusable is their waywardenesse which assoone as they perceyue they nothing profyte cease of from doing their duetie are not ledde with the example of God and of Christ which vsed such great lenitie and long sufferaunce towards the incurable malice of the Iewes euen from the fyrst beginning of that nation It is also worthy the obseruation to see howe Paule keepeth the religion of the Sabbothes and goeth into the Synagoges to preach there following the example of Christ who dyd nothing in secret but taught abroade openly In the meane season we see this was an olde vsage amonge the people of God for the godly to come vnto the Church for whose sake we reade holy dayes and holy places were in times past ordeyned of god It is necessarie that we obserue the same both for doctrine sake which can no waye more commodiously be taught and also bicause of externe religion which ought to be openly exercised that the profession of true fayth fayle not For the which cause Christ adourned the congregation and Church comming with hys example and commended it with a notable promise and this is the cause that Paule in his fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians is so diligently occupied in gyuing preceptes for the well ordering of them Wherfore their frowardnesse must needes be detested which deryde and scoffe at the publike assemblies of christians plainely testifying that they are ledde with no care of wholesome doctrine or sincere religion But what doth Paule in the Synagoge of the Iewes euen the same that we heare he vsed to doe in many places For he taught out of the scriptures declaring howe it was necessarie that Christ shoulde die and rise againe from the dead and that this was the same Christ whom he preached Here must we diligently marke all these pointes bicause they fullye conteyne the whole trade of the
the exchaungers of money Next vnto these are Kinges Princes and all the great trayne of noble menne in this worlde For superstition is gainefull vnto them also bicause vnder the pretence hereof they prouide for numbers of their children and the defence of their dignitie whyle by their authoritie they thrust them into Bishopprickes Abbacies and Cardynalshippes which perhaps otherwyse should be set to Marchaunts trade or to get their lyuing with their hands which seemeth to them the heynousest matter in the worlde Nowe both these sortes togyther helpe the inferior sort of the commons which lyue eyther by Monkes and priestes or by these nobles For these commons being of a seruile nature and disposition and fearing to dye for famishment are soone perswaded to anye thing by these Demetrij Adde vnto all these such as eyther desire and seeke to lyue lycentiously or else such as follow their pleasures and gaines by mischieuous meanes as are vsurers whoremongers drunkardes hyred Souldyours and all such other lyke For these people bicause their workes be naught would not be reprooued and therefore they wishe the lyght of the gospell which bewrayeth their dooings at once extinguished These I say are the begynners of sedition against the gospell as no man can denye which will dyligently viewe the vsage of our dayes But chiefely Demetrius oration is to be considered the proposition and state whereof is that Paule ought not to be suffered which by his doctrine draweth men from the olde religion He confyrmeth his proposition wyth three reasons or arguments which vse to be of great force in the kinde deliberatiue The fyrst is taken of commoditie or profyte wherevnto the hungryer and poorer sorte haue alwayes a specyall regarde you knowe sayth he that by this craft we haue aduauntage What remayneth then but that you must perishe for hunger if you suffer your occupation to be ouerthrowne by Paules doctrine The second reason he borroweth of necessitie you see and heare that not onely at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia thys Paule hath perswaded c. Therfore this matter can be driuen of or borne with no longer but it is needefull with speede to prouyde a remedie The thirde argument he fetcheth of honestie saying Not onely this our craft commeth into perill to be set at naught but also the Temple of the great Goddesse Diana should be despised and hir magnificence destroyed whome all Asia and the worlde worshyppeth As though he should say O companions what infamie shall we purchase vnto our selues if we suffer that religion to decay amongst vs which hath bene so many ages of so great authoritie in all the worlde Also in this oration appeare the craftes and vsages of the wicked who incensed and led with the desyre of priuate lucre onely wyll yet be counted for the defenders of religion Such an one doth the holye-ghost describe Caiaphas to be Iohn 11. Such are the talkes of the Monkes in these dayes and of all those which vpholde and maintaine Poperie amongst whome a man shall scarce fynde one so plaine as this Demetrius which doth not dissemble but that his chiefest respect was for hys priuate gaine and aduauntage Let vs learne to suspect these clamoures and to marke better wherevnto they tende It appeareth also in this place with what arguments most times the wicked vse to defende their superstition Uerily with the consent of the vnlearned multitude with the authoritie of kings and princes with the pompe and shewe of outwarde holynesse with contynuaunce of tyme but chiefely with the pretence of priuate gaine and aduauntage These things are common nowe a dayes if a man would marke the talke of our aduersaries But it is a foule fault for christians to vse the argumentes of the heathen in matters of religion which ought to be iudged and determyned by scripture onely Fynally by Demetrius owne saying may be gathered what force and power the gospell is of For he confesseth that by Paules teaching in two yeares space that famous temple was brought in daunger which all Asia was in buylding about the space of two hundred and twentie yeares as we declared erewhyle and which the barbarous people spared in the Persian warres where they set fyre on all other churches He complayneth also that all mennes mindes for the most part were turned from worshipping of Diana But it is euident this coulde be done by no mannes power or authoritie We are also taught that men haue then profyted well in the Gospell when their mindes are wholy turned from superstition and Idolatrie For as long as they hang in suspence hereof it is certaine their mindes are not lightened with the truth Let vs therefore examine our selues after this rule and casting awaye all superstition turne with feruent fayth to Iesus Christ our Lorde to whom be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxxix Homelie WHEN they hearde these sayinges they were full of wrath and cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And all the Citie was on a rore and they rushed into the common hall with one assent and caught Gaius and Aristarchus men of Macedonia Paules companions When Paule woulde haue entred in vnto the people the Disciples suffred him not But certayne of the chiefe of Asia which were his friendes sent vnto him desiring him that he woulde not preace into the common hall Some therefore cryed one thing and some another and the congregation was all out of quiet the more part knewe not wherefore they were come togither Some of the company drewe forth Alexander the Iewes thrusting hym forwardes But Alexander beckened with the hande and would haue gyuen the people an aunswere When they knewe that he was a Iewe there arose a showte almost for the space of two houres of all men crying great is Diana of the Ephesians THe Euaungelist Luke by the instinct of the holye Ghost setteth out in thys booke not onely the persecutions layde vppon the Apostles by Magistrates and order of lawe but also the raging seditions of the furious commons amongst which this deserueth to be counted the chiefe which was begonne by Demetrius agaynst Paule at Ephesus The vse of this and all other lyke serueth for two causes speciallye First they serue for the instruction of the Ministers that they be not offended with the tumultes of the seditious commons as at anye straunge and rare thing nor leaue not their duetie vndone for feare of them But rather they must consider that the Church in thys worlde is as it were a Barke or vessell tossed to and fro with wynde and tyde whose Pylate Christ seemeth sometime to be on sleepe as the storie of the gospell declareth Math. 4. Let them also remember that it can not scarcely be chosen but seditions must be bycause there are euerye where so many which can not brooke the doctrine of the gospell for that it maketh eyther agaynst their gaine dignitie or licentious lyuing And our sauyour Christ prophecied
notable and is the oftenest cyted and alleaged of any other in the new Testament For all the Euangelists make mention heereof Mathew in the thirtenth Marke in the fourth Luke in the eyght and Iohn in the twelfth Chapiters And Paule repeateth the same in the tenth Chapiter to the Romanes Therfore we muste not thinke the consideration thereof superstuous For it conteyneth in it three thynges greatly belonging to vs also Fyrst the sinne of the Iewes is described in that they wittingly and willingly are blinde and despise the knowen light of the truthe like vnto men that hauing their perfecte sighte and hearing make yet as if they were blinde and deafe And that these were such the Gospell in many places teacheth vs Would to God these onely in times paste had bene suche and that we had not euery where the lyke in our dayes also who beeing conuinced euen by the testimonie of their conscience fayne yet as though they could not vnderstande the mysterie of the fayth Yet here appeareth the brightnesse of Goddes woorde which is so greate that it mightily pierceth both the eyes and eares of men For that worde which God hath set oute vnto vs as a Candle is not darke and obscure Therefore all the darkenesse is of man a grosse and wilfull darkenesse as the thinges following declare Secondly the Prophet describeth the cause of this euill namely an hart waxed grosse So calleth he the mynd which is indurate or hardned with naughtie affections so that it can be moued with no admonitions or exhortations of men All suche dooings as thys Chryste expresseth in the Parable of a mariage and Gestes bydden to the mariage wherein some hadde maryed a wyfe some hadde bought Oxen some other farmes whereabout they beeing occupied refused to come vnto the mariage Heereby are vnderstanded suche men as beeing addicted to the flesh and to earthly thinges neglecte and despise thinges heauenly Such e it appeareth the chiefe of the Iewes were who had a greater regarde to their honour and aduauntage than vnto Chryst and the kingdome of heauen and nowe a dayes there can scarse bee shewed any other cause of the Gospelles contempte than for that menne studie euery where to heape vp ryches and to fulfyll the pleasures of the fleshe so that they hadde rather lacke Chryste than forsake these their desires Thus it appeareth that all they which perishe in their incredulitie are inexcusable For The lyghte is come into the worlde and menne haue loued darkenesse more than it c. And Paule sayth that a tyme should come when menne shoulde not suffer the doctrine of truthe but shoulde gette them selues false teachers whiche shoulde speake thinges agreable to their fantasie and affections It is euidente that this also hathe bene these many yeres fulfylled according to the Letter and at thys day is so fulfylled that a man shall fynde a greate many whiche shall confesse that in the Gospell is taughte the true doctrine of Fayth and Religion and yet wyll preferre the Popishe Religion before it both bicause it betteâ— lyketh the fleshe and also for that it is more acceptable to the worlde To speake nothing in the meane season of them which openly and with great clamour testifie that they will neither heare nor suffer those that shall teach better or holesomer doctrine Howebeit the Prophete pronounceth the punishement that these men deserue which is bothe manyfolde and horrible For firste they are not conuerted that they may be healed Therefore all hope of saluation is taken from them For where there is none other way of saluation than to turne vnto God and to be at one with him it can not be but that all they that disdayne the worde of God wherby they are called vnto this holesome conuersion and wherby the right way therto is taught them must vtterly fall from saluation Wherefore it muste needes be that they must perish in their sinnes as Chryste threatneth the Priestes of the Iewes Then the next is that this saluation is translated and caried vnto other This god often threatneth vnto the Iewes therby to mollifie their stony confidence For where they were once adopted of God and became his peculiars they thought it was impossible that they shoulde fall from their dignitie Yea they persuaded them selues that the kingdome of God muste fall if God should forsake them Paule therfore teacheth them that this affiance of theirs is most vayne bicause God could easily translate his kingdome whole sound in all parts vnto the Gentiles And this he affirmed not of his owne head but as hauing a respecte vnto the Oracles of God wherby it was long agone prephesied that it shuld so come to passe Herevnto belong the things read in Deut. 32. They haue angred me with that which is no God and prouoked me with their vanities And I also will prouoke them with those which are no people I will anger them with a foolishe Nation c. See also what is sayde in Oseas to this purpose And Christ sayth also expressely The kingdome of God shall bee taken from you and giuen to a Nation which shall bring foorth the fruites thereof Nowe howe this came to passe and was verified the whole order of this Booke abundauntly declareth And Paule in the tenth and eleuenth to the Romanes more at large sheweth And least any man shoulde thinke the iudgement of God stayeth heere wee muste also marke that an horrible destruction bothe of the Citie and whole Nation followed as Chryste threatâ—eâ— assoone as the doctrine of the Gospell was taken from them and caryeâ— vnto the Gentyles These thinges are worthy to be diligently and continually obserued that we also may learne heereby what to hope for if we follow the Iewes and become vnkinde vnto God and wickedly wrastle agaynst the doctrine of the Gospell as they did For God is constante in his iudgements and the nation that doth the like he vseth to punish with like iudgements Ierem. 5. And there is no cause why wee should thinke that the Gospell and kingdome of Chryste shall fayle though we be forsaken which persuasion as we sayde erewhyle deceiued the Iewes For God is able of stones to rayse vp children vnto Abraham And there be diuerse coniectures which portende or shewe that the Empire is lyke to returne into the East and that the West shal be in seruitude agayne aâ—cording to the opinion of Lactantius Whiche thing if it come to passe we shall see the kingdome of Chryst greatly increase among the Turkes and perhaps among the Iewes also Touching which thing Paule in the eleuenth Chapter to the Romanes seemeth to prophesie some things not altogither obscurely But let vs returne vnto Paules hearers â–ª which Luke sayth â–ª wente out hauing begonne a great contention among themselues while some helde on in striuing against the doctrine of truth and other some â–ª labored to maintayne the same And here that sentence of Chryst is
daily 583. Aduersaries to Gods doctrine who were in tymes passed 4. Whereof wee shoulde take comfort in aduersitie 807 How we should vse the promises of God in aduersitie 809. Wee must confirme our fayth in aduersitie ibidem A ante E. The deliuery out of Egypt was a figure of oure saluation in Christ. Pag. 298.314 Aeneas sicke of the palsey is healed Pag. 418. Acquitie in an Heathen Captayne Psal. 797. The Aethiopian is conuerted 376. The Aethiopian is described 377. The Aethiopian teacheth vs that saluation and all thing thervnto belonging commeth of the meere grace of God. 389. The Aethiopians are vnder the kingdome of God according to the Oracles of the Prophetes 376. A ante F. Afflictions remayne for them that ioyne them to the church 325. Afflictions what good they doe vnto the godly 101. Afflictions ought to be an argument of ioy and comfort 271. Afflictions are ouercome wyth constaunt fayth 328 Affliction and aduersitie are not alwayes tokens that God is angrie ibidem Afflictions of the godly and wicked are not all of one sort 102. Which waye afflictions maye bee auoyded ibidem God seeth the afflictions of hys people 328. What the ende of Gods afflictions is 151. The causes of afflictions 269. The godlye haue warning of their afflictions 744. The afflictions of the godlye must offend no man as straunge 263. The afflicted God assisteth 308. Wee must doe good to the afflicted Pag. 809. A ante G. Agabus telleth Paule he shoulde bee put in bandes 766. Agrippa and Bernice 840. Agrippa is skilfull in the Iewes affayres 847. Agrippa is a figure of such as in this worlde choake the seede of Gods worde with cares 867. A ante L. Alexandria Schoole 697. Almesse is a woorke of mercy 427. What this worde almesse conteyneth in it 419. A ante M. Ambition is a pernitious thinge Pag. 24. Ambition in the Church is moste pesâ—ilent 370. and. 371. Ambrose his constancie 358. A ante N. Anabaptistes 463. Anabaptistes confuted which thinke it vnlawfull to come in our Churches or companie 241. Anabaptists are lyke to the Essenes Pag. 803. Anabaptists keepe a perillous coyle whyle they racke things belonging to straungers and those of full age vnto christians children keeping them from baptisme 385. Anabaptistes are barbarous people despysing the knowledge of tongues in a Mynister of the Church 83. The Anabaptists confuse and seditious comminitiâ— of goodes is improued and confuted 147. Anabaptistes dote in going about to condemne the baptisme of infants Pag. 367. The Anabaptistes errour which say it is not meete that a Christian should possesse anye thing of hys owne 143. The Anabaptists errour in the disordred coÌ„munity of their goods 225. The Anabaptistes disorder saying it is vnmeete for a christian to were a weapon 432. Anabaptistes are reprooued of obstinacie for that they wil yeelde no account of their fayth before the magistrates 829. The Anabaptistes temeritie forsaking such Churches as seeme to haue any imperfection in them 275 The Anabaptistes madnesse will not suffer the chyldren of the christians to bee receyued into the Church Pag. 185. and 135. Ananias and Sapphira tempted the spirite of the Lorde 236. Ananias and Sapphiras consent in sinne deserued to be punished 237. Ananias is a figure of such as robbe God of his honor 230. Ananias is a figure of false Christians 229. Ananias lyed vnto the holye ghost Pag. 221. Ananias is kylled by the worde of of Gods iudgement pronounced Pag. 233. Howe great the sinne of Ananias was 229. What the holye ghost iudgeth of Ananias sinne 230. Ananias punishment 232. Ananias is called to ordeyne Paule an Apostle 399. Ananias fearefully findeth delayes agaynst the expresse commaundement of God. 401. Ananias is encouraged of God. ibideÌ„ Ananias calleth Paule brother 405 Ananias layeth hys handes vppon Saule ibidem Ananias commended of Paule for hys godlynesse 399. Ananias obedience 404. Ananias boldenesse 405. Ananias discription 788. Ananias oration vnto Paule 789. Ananias called paynted walle of Paule 800. An Aungell of GOD is sent vnto Paule 878. Aungell of God calleth Moses 325. Aungels Ministery 494. and 495 Angels are seruauntes and keepers of the elect 246. Aungels appearings 38. Aungels haue holpen men in visible wise 36. Aungels Ministery is an argument of Gods goodnesse 428. Aungels ministerie howâ— excellent it is 376. Antichrist sitteth in the Church of God. 282. Antichristes spirite is in them that preache not Christ. 403. Antioche Church referre their controuersie to the Apostles 588. Antioch Church commended 508. Antichristian Prelates pride 256. A ante P. Apparitions of spirits or soules 541. Apostleship whence it hath authoritie 71. The Apostles doctrine must bee referred to the holy ghost 20. The Apostles storie must be ioyned with the Gospell and for what cause 9. Apostles are ordeyned of God. 58. The Apostles doctrine must bee beleeued bycause it is inspired of God. 9. The dignitie and authoritie of the Apostles doctrine 8. The summe of the Apostles doctrine 407. Who must be appoynted to the office of an Apostle 63. The profite that commeth of the ordinaunce and calling of the Apostles 58. The profite of studying the Apostles 711. The Apostles receyue commaundementes of Christ. 9. The Apostles after they had receyued the holye ghost spake wyth straunge and diuers languages 82 The Apostles are accused of sedition and seducing of the people 633. The Apostles after their afflictions returne with more boldnesse to do their office 579. The Apostles had their authoritie of hym that sent them 71 Apostles whypped and cast in pryson 634. The Apostles after their whypping prayse God and praye vnto hym Pag. 636. How the Apostles were chosen 66 The Apostles are Christes witnesses and what the duetie of an Apostle is 30. The Apostles preach to the people of Cyprus 200. The Apostles refuse to obeye the counselles decree and for what cause 209. and 210. The Apostles dyd all thing by the guyding and authoritie of the spyrite 620. The Apostles are sette at libertie for feare of the people 212. The Apostles are the Preachers of Gods truth 78. The Apostles teache in the Sinagoge at Iconium 560. The Apostles commende the Churches vnto the Lorde 585. The Apostles preach the gospel constantly 251. The Apostles beyng delyuered out of prison are commaunded to execute their office 246. The Apostles exhort vs to perseueraunce 581. The Apostles boldely wythstande the Iewes attempts 550. The Apostles flye from Iconium and preach in an other place 563. The Apostles reioyce in slaunders and reproches and why 270. The Apostles by their gestures repell godly worship 570. The Apostles retourne to Ierusalem 42. The Apostles what they doe beyng gathered togyther at Ierusalem Pag. 47. The Apostles excommunicate incurable persons 551. The Apostles preache in the houses of the faythfull 272. The Apostles are called afore the Counsell 197. The Apostles purge them selfe of disobedience new doctrine and sedition 258. The Apostles go into Pisidia 519. The Apostles continue in prayers at Ierusalem and in vnanimitie
ante O. Doctrine of the Apostles 139. Doctrine is tyed to no place 899. Doctrine deuised by the holye ghost must be taught in the church 20. Doctrine of Christ maye be learned out of the Prophets 383. Doctrine of the gospell succeedeth most luckily among the enymies thereof 553. Doctrine of faith is not against good workes 640. Doctrine is the chiefe thyng in the church 280. Doctrine of Paule accused 773. Doctrine of Paule out of the scripture 648. Doctrine Apostolike which is true Pag. 407. Doctrine of truth can neuer bee so wisely modestly preached but the world wyll seke to reprochit 289. Doctrine Apostolike hath Christ hir author 8. Doctrine apostolike whence it springeth 900. Doctrine of Christ whereto it serueth 7. Doctrine of Christ begynning and ende 63. Doctrine is chiefely to bee cared for in the Church 139. Doctrine how Paule vsed it 648. Doctrine taught of the Apostles is true 3. Doctrine of Christ contemned bringeth punishment 547. Doctrines that deface the merite of Christ are pernitious 248. Doctours of the Church called pillers 345. Doctours who be 508. Doctrine Apostolike disturbed by the Professours 407. Doctrine of Christ planteth not licentious lyfe 530. Doinges of mâ—n must be examined after the rule of Gods worde  Domitian a persecutor of the Church kylled by his owne men 300. D ante R. Dronkennesse whereof it beginneth and what euill is in it 92. D ante V. Dutie of christian men in persecutitions 491. Duetie of them whome Christ hath lyghtened 790. Duetie both of Iewes and Gentiles is to seeke the Lorde 601. Duetie of christians what it is 180. Duetie of seruauntes 437. Dust shaken of 557. E. E ante D. EDucation and good bringing vp of children howe profitable it is 617. E ante F. Effect of the Apostles sermon 569. Effect of Gods promisses 846 Effect of Peters sermon 129. Effect of the Apostles counsell 137. Effect of the Apostles doctrine 561. Effect of persecution and banishement 557. Effect of Gods worde in the elect and their duâ—tie 555. E ante L. Election or choosing is from euerlasting 554. Election gratuitie or free the fountayne of all goodnesse 525. Electing of Ministers vnorderlye what hurt it doth 70. Election lawfull getteth Ministers authoritie ibidem Election lawfull confirmeth Ministers in their office ibidem Electing Ministers in the Church asketh heede and dyligence 281. Election is not hyndred through our sinnes 681. Electing must be made openly in the sight of the church 66. Election and Predestination are certaine 687. Election what the ende and marke thereof is 29. Election of Ministers must be vsed as in the primitiue church 68. The elected bee nâ—t free from coÌ„mon calamities 420. The elect acknowledge and receyue the worde of God. 548. The elect easilye knowe the worde of God. 555. The elect what their disposition is Pag. 138. The elect are chosen out of all sortes of men 509. The elect God tryeth diuers wayes and delyuereth them when they looke least for it 805. Electing of Ministers in the Primitiue Church 66. Eloquence a gyft of the holy ghost Pag. 698. Elymas the Sorcerer contendeth with Paule 514. Elimas contention wyth Paule how it ended 517. Enemies of the truth must be boldly reprehended 516. Enemies of the truth what weapons they vse 833. Enemies of the truth what craftes they vse 192.245 Enemies of the Apostles who 191. Enemies of Christ and hys gospell who ibidem Enemies of Christ depriued of all helpe and dignitie 60.61 Christes professed enimies must bee fledde 136. Enemies of Christ howe they shall be punished 59. Enemies of Christ are the persecutors of hys church 393. Enemies of Paule set at debate among themselues by God. 805. Enemies greatest to the truth are Priestes 191.244 Enemies of the truth and of the Ministers who 244. 819. Enemies of the truth are giuen vp into a reprobate sense 287 The attemptes of Christes enemies are vaine 242 The attemptes of the enemies of Christ. 218. Enemies of Christe fight againste God and yet execute his counsell Pag. 218.219 What ende Christes enemies haue in their enterprises 262. Enemies of Christ conspired what their propertie is 268 The enemies of Christes enterprises are folish 251. The enemies of Christes enterprises easely disappointed as appeareth by examples 394 The enemies of the Churches enterprises are nothing but mere conceipte and opinion 856. The enemies of Christ destruction Pag. 59. The craftes of the enemies of the truth 192.245 The enemies of the truthes enterprises defeated and the godly defended Pag. 246. The enemies of the truthes impudencie 833.834 The enemies of the truth how they must be delt with 199. E ante P Ephesus estate and condicion 704. Epicures 26. Epicures opinions 660. Epicurious lyfe shal raigne toward the later tymes 661.662 Epistle of Captaine Lysias and the parts therof 814. E ante R. Errours manifest and knowne must not be denyed 408. Errour of the Apostles what comoditie it hath 25.26 Errour of a carnall kingdome imagined by the Israelites appeareth by scripture to be olde 27. Errours rooted are hard to be pulled vp ibidem E ante S Essenes secte what it was 803. E ante V Euangelists sincere how they may be discerned from false ibidem His Baptisme dilygenly described Pag. 384.387 Eunuch complayneth not of Philips departure 387. Eunuche is zelous although ignoraÌ„t in many things 382.383 E ante X Examples speciall make no rule generall 143. Examples of Auncestours excuse not errours 673. Example of godly persons preserued by the Lord. 233. Excecation and blyndenes of the wicked is incurable 252. Execution or accomplishing the message sent to the Church at Antioch Pag. 610. Execution of Lawes is the lyfe of them 618. Examinacion of Ministers necessary to be had in the church 15 Example of a christian boldnes 90. Example of an effectuouse power working of the holy ghost ibidem Exercise of the Apostles 611. Exhortacions necessary to styrre vp the people 521. Exorcistes or Coniurers in the church Pag. 712. Exorcistes of the Papistes 713. Externe or outwarde religion 640. F ante A FAce of god what is ment by it 120. To be gathered to the fathers what it is 541. Fathers alwaies contemned Moses Pag. 321.366 The vaine braggers in younger and later fathers 164. Fathers neuer obedient to gods commaundements 343. Fathers in the beginning pleased god by fayth onely without the lawe ceremonies 292. Fathers which are to be followed in religion 162. Affiaunce in Fathers beaten downe by Steuen 350 Fathers examples how they are to be followed 292. False Apostles make their hearers vncertain of saluation 606. False Prophets seeke the frendship of great estates 515. False teachers muste bee noted by name and set out in theyr colours Pag. 516.137 Faultes coÌ„mitted by other men cannot excuse vs. 519 False witnesses brought againste Steuen 287 False teachers and their societie must be auoyded 137. False Apostles are nicked 606. False prophets seke nothing but how to turne men from the fayth 137. Fame of those the
neuer forsaketh his seruauntes in daunger 349 God hath a rare of those that are his Pag. 834 God tryeth the faythe and pacience of his people 297 God aydeth his seruaunts when they are afflicted 308 Goddes singuler goodnes towardes men 151 Gods knowledge where it muste be sought 665 Gods counsell and vsage letting hys enemyes many tymes runne so farre that it might seeme they had theyr purpose 392 Goddes counselles cannot bee hindred 266 God described of his Omnipotencie Pag. 320 God giueth vs whatsoeuer goodnes is in vs. 308 God alone is the auctour of miracles 161 GODS wonderfull goodnesse Pag. 495.561 Gods goodnes toward synners that repent 761 Gods singuler goodnes speakinge frendly to his enemies 790 Gods goodnes takinge Paule his cruell enemyâ— into fauour againe Pag. 359 Gods iudgements must not be to far waded in 672 Gods vsage in punishing the wycked 207 Gods proper woork is to saue men Pag. 319 Gods wonderfull power against the wicked 212 Gods power in delyuering his people 643 Gods power is inuincible 816 Gods power in defeating his enemies deuises 318 Gods prouidence how it ought to comfort vs in daungers 315 Gods prouidence preserueth the godly in daunger 557 Gods prouidence stretcheth to all aages 315 Gods seruauntes are not ignoraunt of the Lords will. 542 GOD can easely delyuer his people out of daunger and make theyr enemies theyr defendours Pag. 261 God must not bee prescribed in any thing 35 God must be let alone with the successe of all our doings 583 How much we bee bounde to God. Pag. 904 God onely must be worshipped and honoured 891 Gods for defendours and patrones Pag. 668 Goddes can not bee made by men Pag. ibidem New Goddes 343 God Maozim 666 God Remphan 342 GOD'S right hande what it is Pag. 35 Gods right hand 126 God deferreth his helpe but taketh it not vtterly away 497 Godhead of Christ abolisheth not his manhode 39 Godhead and manhod of Christ and the vse thereof 107 Godlynes of the people of Berrhea Pag. 657 Godlynes commended 613 Who are truly godly 789 Godly morne at Paules departure Pag. 758 Godly and religious who be 87.88 Godly men muste defende and delyuer Ministers of the woorde Pag. 411 Godly men are not bounde by pacience to yeld to the vngodlyes pleasure 841 Godly liue not without glorye Pag. 758 Godly yelde vnto reason 471 Godlyes estate 493 Godly haue imperfections 101 Godly are feared with the presence of Goddes maiestie 426.427 Godlyes sayinges 269 God directeth the tribulations of the godly to his glory 841 God alwaye ioyneth with them that take part with the godlye in their daungers 731 Godly being circumuented with false iudgementes maye seeke meanes to escape so it maye bee done without preiudice of the truth 805 Goodes of monasteries wherevnto they ought to serue 372.373 Good can wee none do except we bee drawne of God. 320. Gospelles excellencie of Doctryne Pag. 247 Gospels ende in Preaching 674 Gospels course hindred by Simon Magus 363 Gospell is called the grace of God. Pag. 549 Gospell no cause of publyke miserye and calamitie 363 Gospell in what persones it bringeth foorth worthy frute 88 Gospell first preached to the Iewes Pag. 532 Gospell no cause of dissension or lycensiouse lyuing 76 Gospell can not bee Preached without contradiction 661 Gospell neuer Preached in vayne Pag. 649 Gospell teacheth vs our saluatioÌ„ perfitly 7 Gospell howe it is the kingdome of God. 870 Gospell can not bee preached without tribulation 403 Gospell or preaching of Christe called the wonderfull woorkes of God by the Apostles 85.86 Gospell is called the woorde of lyfe of grace of reconciliacion and is beautified wyth dyuerse other names in the Scriptures c. Pag. 247.248 Gospels course is most prosperous Pag. 763 Gospels worthinesse 277 Gospell why it is euill spoken of Pag. 194 Gospelles dygnitie and efficacie c. Pag. 461 Gospell is set furth in the myddle of tribulacions 553 Gospell is no new Doctryne 852 Gospell howe it ought to be preached Pag. 408 Gospelles ende and vse 860 Gospells ende is the obedience of fayth 297.298 Gospelles happie successe 283 Gospelles enemyes reiected by gods iust iudgement 427 Gospells greatest prayse what is Pag. 367 Gospell beginneth in Iohn 450 Gospell begynneth with the rebuking of sinne â—08 Gospell preached is a stombling stone vnto men 89 Gospel preached and confirmed with myracles by the Apostles of Christ Pag. 149 Gospelles preaching what it comprehendeth in it 184 The right trade of the Gospell preaching 900 Gospelles case or estate 900.901 The summe of the gospell 864 Gospell witnessed by the holy ghoste â–ª and by the Apostles 264 Gospell truely described 413 Gospell called a light and a sworde in what sence 129 Gospelles vse and effecte 79 Gospell must haue threates mixed emong 546 Gospell despisers fall from grace Pag. 336 Gospell gaynesaying howe wicked a thing it is 31 Gospell teacheth not libertie of the fleshe 78 G ante R Grace is gyuen vs in Chryst Iesu. Pag. 543 Grace of god is not tyed to Sacraments 463 Grace of god to miserable sinners Pag. 43 Grace of god and merite of workes cannot stande togyther 596 Grace or thankes gyuing is taught 895. Grace or thankesgyuing for goddes bountie and liberalitie Pag. 114. and 115 Gratitude or thankfulnes 653 Gratitude or kyndnes of Lydia to the Apostles 626 Gratitude or kyndnes of Christians Pag. 205 Gratitude in the people of Malta Pag. 892 Gratitude or kyndnes in Pharao Pag. 311 Greekes make a muttering bycause their Widowes were not releeued wyth the Almes of the Churche Pag. 275 H ante A HArtes must be purified 595 and .596 Hatred of goddes worde how farre it proceedeth 768 Hatred of truth is very bitter 819 Who haue the Lorde before theyr eyes 113.114 Who haue after the meaning of scripture  H ante E Hearers of Paule 841.842 Hearers of diuers kindes 548 Hearers of all nations 87 Hearers of Christes doctrine who bee meetest 88 Hearers of Goddes woorde who Pag. 378 Hebrewes what they vnderstande by this worde Inferi or hell 117 Herisie beginners sinne against the order of nature 667 Heretike who is and who is not Pag. 823 Heretiks how they must be confuted Pag. 826 Henoches fayth-what it was 853 Herordes Agrippa beginneth a persecution 488 Herod desireth to be worshippped as God. 505 Herode molesteth them that border vpon him 503 Herode howe hee was affected at Gods miracle ibidem Herode howe hee persecuted the Church 490 Herodes destruction 505 H ante I Hierusalem why it serued to so godly a purpose beeing so wicked and neere destruction 17 Hierusalem an ensample howe true Gods promises be 17 Hieeusalem in glory and power excelled all other cities 16 Hierusalems sinne and destruction Pag. ibidem At Hierusalem the Apostles receyued the holy Ghost ibidem At Hierusalem beginneth the preaching of the Gospell ibidem Histories of the Bible settâ— out the contemplacion of the inuincible God. 1 The ende of the historie of the Apostles 919 Historie of the olde
to his Apostles goyng out of this worlde he vndoubtedly beholdeth them still and will not suffer any of them to be taken out of his hande In the meane while this also serueth for our purpose that he that gaue commaundements when he went forth declareth thereby plainely that he will one day come agayne Let vs therefore prepare our selues against his commyng beyng alwayes mindefull of the woordes of Christ where he sayth Let your loynes be gyrded aboute and your lightes brennyng and yee your selues like vnto men that wayte for theyr Lorde when he will returne from the weddyng that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediatly happy are those sâ—ruaunts whom the Lorde when he commeth shall finde wakyng c. But before wee ende our Sermon some thinges remayne to be discussed which commend vnto vs the dignitie and authoritie of the Apostles doctrine The first is that he sayth they were chosen of Christ He speaketh of a speciall choyse and election whereby they were taken not onely into the number of them that shoulde be saued but were also appoynted for such an ende and vse that they should be Preachers of the grace conferred by Christ and as Paule sayth Stewardes of the mysteries of God. Furthermore he saith they receyued commaundementes of Christ. For as Princes make for their Ambassadours letters of commission which wee call instructions in the which not onely is contayned the remembrance of thinges they haue to doe but also the credite and authoritie they be put in euen so Iesus Christ would instruct his Ambassadours with commaundementes that it might appeare what they had to doe But bicause many consider Christ but as he were man onely and perceyue nothing in the Apostles passing the condition of common persones therefore Luke addeth that these commaundementes were giuen by the holy Ghost If wee would lay all these thinges togither it should appeare that they were no humane but diuine affayres that were committed to the Apostles It shall appeare also that theyr doctrine is to be referred to Christ as to the Auctor thereof For they are Christes messengers as Paule sayth And they are commended with the testimonie of Christ saying He that receyueth whom so euer I sende receyueth me Againe He that receyueth you receyueth mee and he that receyueth mee receyueth him that sent mee It is our partes therefore Brethren to iudge well of the office and doctrine of the Apostles and thankefully to acknowledge the vnspeakeable benefite of God giuen vs by theyr preachyng and to imbrace it with true faith For so shall it come to passe that wee being borne againe of the immortall seede of his diuine Woorde shall leade a life woorthy the children of God and beyng deliuered out of the horrible tempestes of this worlde shall liue for euer in Heauen with the Sonne of God Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour to whom all prayse honour glory and power are dewe for euer Amen The seconde Homelie TO whom also he shewed himselfe aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appearing vnto them fortie dayes and speaking of the kingdome of God. WHyle Luke in writyng the Actes of the Apostles goeth aboute to ioyne that discourse with the story of the Gospell as I tolde you yesterday he doth it not at al-aduentures but admonished and instructed by the holy Ghost who meaneth thereby to teache vs some excellent pointe of learnyng For hereby it appeareth that the story of the Apostles should by no meanes be seuered from the story of the Gospell and that whatsoeuer the Apostles did in setting forth the Gospell and kingdome of Iesus Christ is aswell to be referred to Christ as the Auctor of it as the thinges he did in his owne person while he was here on earth For it is plaine that the Apostles did nothing of theyr owne head and power but were mooued and inspired thereto as Christes chosen instruments by his holy spirite This thing the woordes of Christ teach vs saying It is not you that speake but the spyrit of my Father that speaketh in you And in an other place he promiseth his holy spirite to instruct them with all truth and to giue them counsell what to doe Wherevnto Paule had a respect saying vnto the Corinthians Seeke you experience of Christ that speaketh in mee The knowledge hereof is not in vaine bicause it serueth both for our learning and consolation For by these testimonies wee are taught that wee may safely beleeue the doctrine and writinges of the Apostles not onely bicause they are the Ambassadours of Iesus Christ for wee see that Ambassadours sometime doe their message falsely but also for that they be instructed with his spirite and as he inspyreth and directeth them doe their office It is no small consolation that wee know Christ hath a care of his Church For he that departing from vs in his bodie left vs Apostles by whose mynistery his Church might be gathered togither hee distributing the giftes of his holy spyrite in all Ages giueth vnto his Church some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepheardes and Teachers to the edifiyng of the Saintes to the woorke and mynistration euen to the edifiyng of the body of Christ c. But bicause Luke in yesterdaies Sermon made mention of Christs Ascention into Heauen he taketh occasion thereby to intreate of the last thing that Christ did a little before his Ascention bicause it serueth well to the purpose of his discourse or story And in this place he speaketh of two thinges wherof Christ intreated with his Disciples The one is a diligent proofe of his Resurrection the other an instruction touchyng the Kingdome of god Of both which we will speake asmuch as the Lord shall put in our mindes And touching the proofe of his Resurrection he vseth but fewe woordes but they very pithie For the same Iesus saith hee which before hee suffered did and taught many things vpon the earth the very same after he had suffered was dead shewed himself aliue againe to his Disciples euen the very self same person none other neither in any other body but euen in the selfe same in the which he suffered Neither shewed he himself to them as it were by chaunce but prooued by many arguments infallible demoÌ„strations that he was truely risen againe in the very same body wherein he liued while he was here vpon the earth And here Luke speaketh of those things which he more largely in the Gospel describeth that Christ did after his Resurrection And amongst those things first are his apparitions as when he appeared to Mary Magdalene in the Garden by the Sepulchre like a gardener where shee knewe him And a little whyle after meetyng other women also commyng from the graue hee saluteth them and biddeth them shewe his brethren and namely Peter howe he was rysen againe Againe he falleth in company with
them whose labour and loyaltie afterwards shined very bright in the setting forth of the kingdome of saluation and to whome they owe immortall thankes whosoeuer through their doctrine haue attayned to knowe Christ. But our meaning is that men should learne to knowe the inclination of our corrupt nature and flesh which is the first steppe vp to holesome and true wisedome And to that ende the Scripture vseth oftentimes to remember the horrible falles of most holy men that in them might appeare howe easie it is for vs to fall into sinne and damnation vnlesse we were holden vp by the faythfull and continuall care and leading of Gods holy spirite For what shall he hope more of himselfe which beholdeth the adultery and cruell murther of Dauid a man after Gods owne minde the multitude of Wiues that Salomon the wisest of all kings had being to much wedded to his Wiues the foule fall of Peter and here the great error of all the Apostles gathered togither we must needes confesse that we are not able of our selues so much as to thinke one good thought much lesse to doe well but that all our sufficiency to doe well commeth of God who worketh in vs both the will and the deede according to his good will. Furthermore it appeareth by this example of the Apostles with what minde they imbrace Christ and his doctrine which are not led by his holye spirite For as these men little minding Christes heauenly kingdome looke after an earthly kingdome and in the same conceyue great hope of riches power glorye and pleasures so you shall see diuers likewyse affected in these dayes when the merite of Christ and the libertie gotten vs by him is preached which looking onely vppon the goodes of the worlde seeke vnder the pretext of Christ honors riches outward peace and such like in the meane whyle little regarding the heauenly and euerlasting goodes which Christ hath purchased vs through the merite of his bloudshedding To say nothing in the meane season of those filthy hogges of Epicures herde who professing a Christian faith doe yet nothing else but followe licentious sinfulnesse casting aside all discipline and care ofholy lyfe Surely euen they which in these dayes goe for the best men vnder the faire pretence of peace and concorde swarue many times from the simplicitie of faith and both say and doe many things for fauour and pleasure of men which are most contrary to Christs commaundements As though the friendship of this world might stande with the true worship of Christ and were not rather as Iames sayth enmitie before god This is the strong poyson of fayth and religion whiche though it lye hidde manye times vnder a fayre shewe and colour yet at the length it bursteth forth with the horrible losse of saluation and offence of a great many for of this roote spring these tymetakers which are to soone ripe whome the Lorde in Mathew likeneth to the stony grounde For as this grounde receyueth in deede the seede and causeth it soone to spring but cannot bring it to rypenesse for lacke of moysture to defende it against the parching heate of the sunne so these men when they perceiue any hope of priuate commoditie by the Gospell they will seeme marueylous fauourers of the same they will haue Christ still in their mouth and will crake that they are ready to fight with any man in the defence of Christes glorye But if that hope deceyue them and otherwise than they hoped the crosse come and banishment pouertie and daunger on euery side appeare then as though they had espide a Snake they leape backe and laying away all their faith and counterfeiting of faith they spare not to say they were wickedly deceyued and so degenerate into open enimies of the truth being a little before stoute defenders of the same Least therfore the lyke might happen in vs it behooueth vs to haue a right opinion of Christ and his doctrine Let vs seeke in him heauenly goodes which serue to eternall saluation As long as we lyue here let vs looke for the crosse and all kinde of afflictions So shall it come to passe that neyther we shall be deceyued of our hope in heauen neyther be offended with the crosse and tribulations which wee so long before prepared our selues paciently to suffer Yet is there one other vtilitie of the Apostles errour Their example teacheth vs how difficult and laborious a thing it is to pull out of mens mindes olde growne errours wherein their selues haue lyued and bene confirmed by open example of others For as was declared a little before this errour of the Iewes touching the earthly kingdome of their Messias was an olde and common errour in taking awaye of the which Iesus Christ traueyled more than almost in any one thing else For as often as the Apostles deceyued by this errour stroue for the supremacie so often Christ admonisheth them of humilitie and sheweth them that his kingdome is of a farre other fashion See the .xviij. .xx. of Mathew and Luke the .xxij. Neither fell it out to reason of this matter so few times as one after his resurrection For where this erronious opinion gaue occasion of offence to the twoo Disciples going to Emaus and they lamented that he was crucified and deade whome they hoped shoulde haue bene the Redeemer of Israel Christ aunswered O ye fooles and slowe of heart to beleeue all the thinges that are written in the Prophets Was it not needefull that Christ should suffer all these things and so enter into his glorie Furthermore Luke sayde before that Christ was conuersant fourtye dayes with his Disciples and reasoned with them concerning the kingdome of God and all the mysteries of his kingdome Whence commeth it therfore that an opinion so often and so strongly confuted shoulde againe be reuiued Surely of none other cause than of the disposition of our corrupt nature which as it easily drinketh in error so it always holdeth fast the same And as the Ethnicke Poet sayth Driue Nature forth with a forke yet will shee returne againe So the Israelites in times paste vsed to the Idolatrie of the Egyptians fell to the worshipping of a calfe notwithstanding they had heard the terrible maiestie of God renounceing and forbidding all vse of Images not manye dayes before Hereof came that long retayned superstition of hill aultars in the bookes of Kings which the most godly kinges could not wholy abolish And woulde God there were not examples in these dayes that plainly prooue that we say to be true This consideration therefore serueth partly for vs to learne how needefull it is in all reformations cleane to roote and rippe vp all things whatsoeuer haue neuer so small occasion of error and partly to cause vs to be the lesse oâ—fended with them which continually fight against olde superstitions knowing by the example of all ages that there can in this matter be no diligence to much nor no endeuour
things which can not be attayned too nor perceyued by mans reason it becommeth vs with Paule to marueyle with godly confession of our ignorance and to crie out O the depth of the riches and of the wisedome of God how vnsearchable be his iudgementes and his wayes vnfindeable for who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who hath bene a counsell with him or who hath first giuen to him and it shall be giuen to him againe For of him and by him and in him c. Nowe let vs see the other part of Christes aunswere wherein he repeateth such thinges of his kingdome as serue for this present purpose Hee so handleth this matter as I sayde before that he both marueylously comforteth the Disciples and admonisheth them of their dutie For he sayth You shall receyue power when the holy ghost shall come vpon you and you shall be witnesses to me not only in Hierusalem but in all Iurie and Samarie and vnto the worldes ende First he repeateth the promyse of the holy ghost wherwith he comforteth the Disciples and describeth the state of his kingdome I woulde not sayth he haue you abashed where you heare you are appointed to the setting forth of my kingdome among the Gentyles For this thing will not bee compassed by mans strength which I perceyue in you to be very small and little regarded Here needeth heauenlye and diuine strength from aboue which I haue often promised you shal not want and now againe I promise you the same For the holy ghost shall come vpon you which shall giue you courage and strength that shall make you able to fulfill your office We are here admonished that Christes kingdome as hee confessed before Pylate is not of this worlde or earthly but spirituall neyther consisteth in the power honour glory triumphes riches and pleasures of this world but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holye ghost Wherevpon we gather further that it is not set foorth and defended with carnall weapons and strength of Princes of this worlde but with preaching of the worde wherwith the spirite of God worketh effectuously in the harts of men This teacheth the wordes of Paule where he sayth Though we walke in the fleshe yet warre we not after the flesh For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty in God to cast downe strong holdes wherewith we ouerthrowe counsayles and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God bring into captiuity all imagination to the obedience of Christ. c. Therfore they labour in vaine which go about by mans counsell leagues fight fauour and amitie of Princes and such lyke meanes to set vp the kingdome of god For Christes kingdome is in the mindes of men which by no mans strength can be forced but with the power and operation of the holye ghost It becommeth both Kings and Princes to be the nurses and maintayners of the Church as Esay sayth but they shall neuer with outwarde power and strength set forth the kingdome of christ And the examples of all ages plainely teach vs that whatsoeuer man went about by his counsell and strength that way to bring it to passe neuer happily succeeded Moreouer he expressely teacheth what the Apostles haue to doe in their office in this kingdome You shall be my witnesses sayth hee This shall bee your kingdome your office your dignitie to beare witnesse of my doctrine life myracles passion death buriall resurrection from death and ascention into heauen and briefly of all the things which I haue done and suffred for mans saluation Neyther shall you expounde the hystorie of things by mee done onelye but declare the ende and vse of them that all nations maye acknowledge mee their onelye teacher sauiour and redeemer Christ thought good in this place to vse this worde witnesse as also in Iohn the .xv. to admonish as well the Apostles as the hearers of their dutie For the Apostles and their successors learne by the dutie of a witnesse how to preache the Gospell of Iesus christ In a witnesse the looue of truth is chiefly required and a lying witnesse God hateth Againe it is the part of a witnesse to speake nothing but that he knoweth which he hath so certainly seene and heard that he doubteth nothing of the truth of them Further he must haue no corrupt affections least of hatred feare or fauour he put to hyde or conceale any thing but plainly confesse the thing he knoweth Such witnesses we reade that the Apostles were For whatsoeuer they heard Christ teach or sawe him doe they truely preached it neyther feared they the threates of their enimies as appeareth in all hystories Neyther confirmed they their witnesse of Christ with words onely but with their life with death and with their bloud It becommeth the Ministers of the worde to imitate their truth and constancy who if for fauour of man or feare of daunger they chaunge or at least dissemble any thing in the quarrell of Christ they pollute themselues with an horrible crime and are in daunger of Christes sentence Whosoeuer is ashamed of me in this naughty and adulterous world him will I also be ashamed of when I come wirh the holy angels in the glory of my father Againe the hearers of the Apostles and Apostolicall doctrine are here admonished what an heynous offence it is not to beleeue the holye gospell or to gainesay it For it is not a simple preaching of Christ or an hystoricall and bare narration but a testimonie which the Apostles as sworne witnesses brought into the worlde by the very sonne of God gaue not only before the common people but also before the Bishoppes and Priestes Kinges and their Counsell But he that in the lawe giueth no credite to sworne witnesses and openly denieth their testimony bringeth himselfe in daunger of lyfe What shall we saye then of those â–ª which feare not to speake against the Apostles being Christes witnesses For they accuse not only the Apostles of lying but also Christ himselfe as much as in them lyeth yea they woulde cause God the father to be suspected as though he would bring forth false witnesses and obtaine his sonnes cause with suborned witnesses This sawe that beloued Disciple of Christ when he sayth If we receyue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnesse of God which he bare of his sonne He that beleeueth the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe He that beleeueth not God maketh him a lyer bicause hee beleeueth not the witnesse that God beareth of his sonne c. These things if we consider brethren we shall finde the chiefe cause of the euils of these daies For where we take it for a ieast and pastime to call in question and doubt the things written by the Apostles of Iesus Christ yea many wickedly deny them and persecute that testimony of Iesus Christ with fire and sworde
much laboure and industrie is required euen from our childhood to learne diuers tongues We see that men growen in yeres are scarse able to learne any one tongue and the perfect vse thereof But the Apostles men of ripe yeres and well striken in age beyng idiotes and vnlearned which had spent their childhood and youth not in the studie of learning but in handy occupasions euen in a moment became notable and excellent in the knowledge and vse not of one tongue or two but of all tongues at once Who here acknowledgeth not the euident worke of God Who reuerenceth not the operation of the holy ghost For what coulde the industrie or dexteritie of mans wyt haue done in so short a tyme Neither was this myracle superfluous as seruing only for bare and vayne ostentation as the thinges done by Iuglers are but very profitable and necessarie for the Apostles in discharging of their dutie and office For where Iesus Christe had appoynted them to be teachers of all the worlde that through their ministerie the doctrine of the Gospell might be published among all nations it was necessarie they shoulde be vnderstanded of all nations But howe coulde all men vnderstande them if they coulde haue vsed but their owne tongue onely in euery place Yea I thinke they founde no greater lacke hitherto in their office than that they perceyued themselues destitute of so necessarie a knowledge of tongues And so great was the incommoditie of the diuersitie of tongues which the bolde enterprise of mans pryde as Moses sheweth brought in that by meanes hereof it seemed the most wholsome doctrine of the Gospell was hyndred and the passage thereof into diuers nations stopped But God in one sounde taketh away all this impediment and stoppell and the Apostles euen in the first comming of the spirite feele them selues eased of that difficultie which was thought woulde much haue hurt them Hereof may be learned a common and generall comfort that none walking in the vocation of God dispayre of his helpe fauour God vseth to cast many thinges in the wayes of such which seeme to be impedimentes wherby they can not go through with their charge and calling But God meaneth not so much to hinder them as to trye their faith and patience Therefore it behooueth vs with constant faith and good courage to set on the thinges that passe mans strength and we shall finde God true and faithfull in the things that seeme impossible to vs to be brought to passe So neither banishment nor stuttyng tongue coulde let Moyses from bringyng Israell out of Egypt Yea when the red sea was in their way and stopped their passage whyle they followed Gods callyng it was taken out of their way and dryed vp I passe ouer infinite examples of lyke sort which are to be seene euery where aswell in holy as prophane hystories Whosoeuer therfore are appoynted teachers or magistrates to gouerne the people let them remember these thinges take vnto them good courage of minde Let priuate men also be mindefull of them and go forwarde with like constancie in their vocation For God wyll finishe the worke he hath begunne in vs so that we repent vs not of the labour that must be taken for his sake Let vs also marke in this place howe Christ Iesus which chose ydiotes and vnlearned men to be Apostles woulde not giue them license to preach abrode in the worlde tyll he had made them perfect and learned in all thinges parteyning to the office of preachyng For they which a litle before vnderstoode none but the Syrian tongue and not that neither so perfectly but by the pronuntiation as appeared in Peter they were taken for Galileans they nowe come foorth furnished with the knowledge of all tongues Besides thexact vnderstanding of the olde Testament which the same spirite taught them as appeareth by their sermons This condemneth the insolent barbarousnesse of the Anabaptistes that step from the Plough and Cart vnprepared into the Pulpet and then thinke themselues very Apostolike felowes when beyng destitute of all good learnyng and manners they can contemne all kinde of knowledge and peruerte the whole order of the Church But so farre are they from beyng defended by the Apostles example that rather the aucthoritie thereof sendeth them to learne the things that are needefull for a minister of the worde Paule certes would haue the Rectour of the Churche to be instructed with habilitie and sufficiencie to teache and requireth in him not the bare knowledge of the Articles of faith and saluation only but such a knowledge as wherby he may be able to confute the aduersarie Therefore he commaundeth Timothie whom he witnesseth was brought vp of a childe in the studie of the scripture to be diligent in readyng We confesse in deede there is no neede of all those tongues now which the Apostles by myracle vnderstoode nor it becommeth vs not to require the same of God who if he had neede of newe Apostles coulde both easily finde them and also furnishe them with meete giftes But we require chiefly the knowledge of those tongues without the which the bookes of holy scripture can not commodiously and sufficiently be declared I meane the Hebrue and the Greke tongues the one hauyng the olde Testament written in it and the other the newe Testament published by the Apostles And Paule in a certayne place saith that the chiefe vse of tongues is in the interpretation of the holy scripture Which thinges whosoeuer lacketh he shall neuer attayne to the certayne knowledge of holy scripture For whyle they depende vpon other mens interpretations they become lyke vnto those that see with other mens eyes heare with other mens eares and go with other mens feete There is needefull to the vnderstanding of these tongues the knowledge of hystories and specially the science of vtteraunce which whosoeuer lacketh certes I will say he shall doe very little good in the ministerie of the Church But bicause all these thinges are not bestowed vpon men myraculously and that that we reade chaunced here to the Apostles happeneth to fewe others therfore our industrie our labor and continuance in studie is requisite where we may both perceyue howe necessarie Schooles and Uniuersities are and also howe needefull it is to haue teachers to trayne vp youth for the ministerie of the worde And I thinke there is none ignoraunt what a speciall care was had alwaye of schooles amongst the people of god For herevnto is to be referred all the things written of the children of the Prophetes and of the Colledges wherof the holy Prophets Samuel and Elizeus had the rule and gouernaunce with great care and diligence And in the Prophete we reade howe they are greeuously reprehended which went about with dissolute manners and conuersation to corrupt the younge men appoynted for the ministerie of the Church Truely the godly Princes in tymes passed perceyued of what profite it was for the settyng foorth and
fewe to Hierusalem euen this day that the holy ghost is giuen to the Apostles that among the first they might be wonne vnto Christ by the preachyng of the Apostles as about the ende of this Chapter we shall heare Nowe these men are astonied and woonder at the great myracle of God which they see shewed in the Apostles and they extoll it with many wordes leauyng out nothyng that maketh to the settyng foorth of the same For they both confesse the Apostles are Galileans and they beare witnesse they heare euery one their owne proper phrase of speache and they also recken vp the nations whose tongues they heare them vse Yet they stande not styll in this bashement but goyng further they seeke the ende and vse of this matter saying What meaneth this We are taught by the example of these men who are meete hearers of the doctrine of the Gospell and in whom this doctrine bryngeth foorth worthy fruites They are such which beyng not wholly destitute of religion doe humbly marueyle at the myracles of God and sticke not onely in the outwarde contemplation of them but earnestly thinke of the ende and vse of them God suffereth not these mens studyes to be frustrate whose pleasure it is that men shoulde come to the knowledge of truth And we reade that Salomon sayde If thou seekest after wisdome as after money thou shalt finde hir And Christ saith Seeke and you shall finde Now after these men follow another sort of men whom Christ calleth by the name of Dogges and Swine and the scripture in other places calleth them scorners and mockers For Luke saith there were aswel that mocked the Apostles as those that woondred at them saying These men are full of newe wine The example of these men is set foorth to shewe vs howe farre the wickednesse of such runneth as haue once purposed to persecute the truth For they become incurable and can be reclaymed with no maner of wordes or deedes For with what myracle wyll they be mooued whom this myracle can not mooue which was the greatest that euer was wrought amongst men But they are so farre from being mooued therwith that they take occasion rather to reproche and blaspheme it and they attribute it to the detestable vice of drunkennesse which of force they perceyue to be the workyng of the holy ghost There are diuers examples of this sort apparaunt which serue all to this ende to teache vs that we be not offended with the vniust iudgements of this worlde concernyng the truth For this is alway seene that the doctrine of the Gospell is to some the sauour of lyfe vnto life and to other some the sauour of death vnto death And Paule teacheth vs that Christ crucyfied is a stumblyng block vnto the Iewes and foolishnesse vnto the Greekes Therfore let vs leaue such to the iudgement of God and let vs frame our selues to the doctrine of the Gospell that it beyng quickened in our heartes by the woorkyng of the holy ghost may bryng foorth worthy fruites by the which we may be knowne to be true beleeuers and may enioy the euerlastyng promises of the Gospell in Iesus Christe to whome be blessyng honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .xij. Homelie BVT Peter stepped foorth with the eleuen and lyft vp his voyce and sayde Ye men of Iewry and all ye that dwell at Hierusalem be this knowne vnto you and with your eares heare my words For these men are not drunken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thirde houre of the day But this is that which was spoken by the prophete Ioel. And it shal be in the last dayes saith God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my handmaydes I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecie WHen Iesus Christ the sonne of God was newely borne into the worlde and was brought by Marie his mother into the Churche accordyng to the appoyntment of Moyses lawe the holy and reuerende olde father Simeon by inspiration of the holy ghost amonge other thynges sayde Beholde this chylde is set to be the fall and vprisyng agayne of many in Israel and for a signe which is spoken agaynst Howbeit that which is spoken of Iesus Christ may be vnderstanded of the Gospell of Christ preached by the Apostles For although the doctrine therof be playne and simple and sheweth also the true way howe to attayne to saluation Yet shall men alwayes haue diuers iudgementes touchyng the same and there shall be no small number of such as shall openly speake agaynst it This dyd Esay the prophete see long agoe who vtteryng a prophecie of Christe and his doctrine begynneth after this sort Who hath giuen credence to our preaching or to whom is the arme of the Lord knowne The Lorde declareth the cause of all this matter where he saith this world can not abyde the lyght bicause the workes therof are euyll The scriptures also set foorth many lyke examples the ende and warnyng of all which is that we shoulde not be offended when the lyke happen in these dayes Among which this example that the Apostles prooued the first day they receiued the holy ghost and went about to administer their office is very notable For where they were indued with a singuler myracle such as the lyke had neuer beene hard of tyll this day which was the vnderstandyng of all languages and preached Iesus Christe in diuers tongues by reason of their hearers of diuers nations by and by the vnconstant people were deuided into sundry and diuers opinions For the more godly sort woondered at the worke of God and diligently searched after the meanyng thereof The wicked scorners accused them of drunkennesse So true it is that Paule saith that Christe seemeth foolishnesse to the wise of this worlde But bicause we spake hereof in the last Sermon let vs haste to the explication of this present place where the fayth and courage of the Apostles is more cleerely and euidently to be seene For they are so litle mooued or feared with the wicked slaunders of men that Peter rather taketh occasion hereof to speak vnto them and with a fruitfull sermon winneth many of them vnto Christ. Before we go about to expounde Peters Sermon let vs consyder what is sayde of hym and the other Apostles Peter sayth hee standyng with the eleuen lyft vp his voyce They stoode therefore without feare and thought neither to flye nor leaue their charge although they were so vniustly iudged And yet there seemed no small cause of feare and desperation For what shoulde they thinke they coulde preuayle in wordes with them whose wicked and frowarde mindes so great a myracle as euer was wrought could not mollifie and mooue But they stoode vnfeared and not onely remayne and tary by it but also begyn to set
foorth Gods quarrell and cause with great boldenesse Therefore by their example we may see howe effectuall the operation of the holy ghost is For they which not long before vsed handy craftes and occupations being rude and vnlearned men are nowe able to abyde the sight of such a multitude and the diuers clamours of so vnruly a sort with constant courage And those whom before euery lyght occasion made so afrayde that they durst not professe the name of Christ before a fewe of rascall segons do nowe defend his quarrell most stoutly before a great assembly gathered togither of euery nation and degree neither lacke they for the handes of tormentours to make them confesse the truth but offer themselues freely to defende the same Learne hereof howe we must trye and prooue whether the spirite of Christ raigne in vs yea or no. For vnlesse this zeale and stoute courage to defende Christ and his truth be seene in vs We shall in vayne boast of his spirite And yet nowe a dayes amongst those that most bragge of his spirite it is thought a commendable thyng for a man to stop his eares at the horrible blasphemies of wicked men vttered agaynst Christ and the truth of his Gospell as if they were but Sirenes songes The Apostles shewe themselues in this place to be farre other maner of men amongst whome Peter mooued but with a very lyght taunt or quip as it myght seeme begynneth with bolde speache to defende Christes cause and the Gospels Further it is not lyghtly to be passed ouer howe Peter is saide to stande with the eleuen This is an euident argument of equalitie which the Apostles diligently conserued among themselues For where Christ put them all but in one office which they now hauyng receyued the holy ghost better vnderstoode then before all that most vayne contention about superioritie wherewith before they were enflamed is vtterly quenched Therfore Peter sytteth in no throne alone by hym selfe the other standyng about him as his seruauntes and garde He is not separated from the other but ioyned togither with them and sheweth euidently that he is but one of their number And although he alone make the oration yet he defendeth not his owne cause but the common case of them all so that herein Peter myght seeme rather the minister of the residue than the prince and chiefe of them Away therfore with them that by Peters example challenge a supremacie to themselues in the Churche and are puffed vp with pride of the Persians Christ gaue his Apostles example of humilitie which to followe it becommeth all Christian men much more them whome he hath appoynted to be Sheepeheardes of his Churche Hereunto is to be referred that place of Paule which vsing great obtestations vrgeth this one thyng that they that will be accompted the ministers of Christ must seeke after vnanimitie and for humilitie which is the mother thereof Let nothyng be done saith he through contention or vayne glorie but in meekenesse of mynde â—et euery man esteeme another better than himselfe Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man on the thinges that are other mens Let the same mynde be in you that was also in Christ Iesu. See the place to the Philippians the seconde Chapter But let vs consyder Peters sermon in which the effect and power of the holy ghost shall more clearely appeare The begynnyng hereof is neither affectate nor ambicious For the doctrine of the truth is simple and hath no neede to be commended with vaynnesse of wordes forasmuch as it commendeth it selfe sufficiently in that it teacheth vs most playnely the way of saluation Wherefore Peter only callyng vpon the men whome he purposeth to speake vnto saith Yee men of Iurie and all yee that dwell at Hierusalem be this knowne vnto you and with your eares heare my wordes He vseth the name of Iewes to admonishe them both of their auncient glorie and of their duetie For God in tymes passed had chosen them and made them Iehudim that is Confessours by whom he woulde be celebrated and worshipped Wherevpon in some place it is sayde God is knowne in Iurie For the same cause he maketh mention of Hierusalem which is often times called the holy citie to shewe them that they ought to be mooued euen with the holynesse of the place to listen diligently to the thinges which appertayne to the glorie of God and to their owne saluation For he is not content to be hearde onely by the way as of men that are otherwyse occupied but diligently and wyll haue it layde vp in their myndes His oration consisteth of two partes The first aunswereth the slaunder of the wicked scoffers which accuse them of drunkennesse a thyng which first of all behooued to be put away bicause their sayings should haue bene of no aucthoritie or credite yf they had bene taken for drunkardes and blowboldes The other part preacheth Iesus Christe and comprehendeth all the order of mans saluation We are taught by example of the first that it is lawfull to make aunswere vnto slaunders and to defende the honestie of our name and fame agaynst slaunderers and detractours For as Salomon saith A good name and honest report is to be preferred before much riches It behooueth them specially which are in the ministerie to haue a regard thereof bicause the slaunders whereby their name and estimation is impayred doeth not so much touch their owne persons as God himselfe to whose contempt they specially tend which was the cause that the Apostle would haue a Bishop to haue the commendation of those that be abrode also How much more ought he to take heede that he be not contemned of those he hath the charge of But bicause the naughtinesse of many goeth so farre that they are not ashamed to charge the holy Ministers of God with false crymes for that they may the more easily make the doctrine of truth to be hated and suspected therefore excusations and purgations of themselues be both necessarie and lawfull For we reade that Christ manye tymes vsed them thereby to bring his doctrine out of contempt And Paule not so fewe tymes as one plentifully and copiously disputeth against his aduersaries touching his Apostleshippe his calling and truth which he vsed in the same bicause he sawe he coulde not be contemned but his preaching of the Gospell also must grow out of regarde in the mindes of very many Therefore Peter beginneth his oraâ—â—on very well with purging of the crime thereby to bring the Apostles out of all suspicion Neyther are they to be regarded which in such case require sufferance For Christian pacience letteth not but that we may defende Christ and his truth to the vttermost And they that be of this opinion to thinke all the slaunders that are ioyned with contempt of the Gospell ought to be passed ouer as though we heare them not deserue neyther the name of pacient nor modest men but are to
vse whereof is to learne vs to knowe the order of the Apostolike Church and wherein the same is in these dayes decayed to restore and reforme it thereafter againe They continued sayth he in the Apostles doctri ne and fellowship and in breaking of breade and in prayers He rehearseth foure things of euery which we haue something to say In the first place the Apostles doctrine what that was it shall otherwheres appeare It was Christes commaundement that they should teache all Nations those things that they had before learned of him He commaunded them to preach repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name In the which articles it is plaine the knowledge of the whole law and of Gods will and all the maner of our saluation is contayned A taste of this doctrine we sawe in Peters sermon gone before And their writings abundantly declare that they obserued this forme of doctrine in all places Therefore the faithfull of the primitiue Church abode in that order and trade of doctrine which we see at this daye comprehended in the bookes of the Apostles and in these is no mention made of any mans traditions and inuentions Luke placeth doctrine first bicause by teaching the Church is gathered togither and by the same as Paule declareth commeth fayth and all the beleeuing are borne againe of the immortall and eternal word touching which point see Rom. 10. 1. Pet. 1 c. Here we learne that the chiefe care in the Church ought to be for doctrine For where through it as was sayde euen nowe we be gathered into the vnitie of fayth it cannot be chosen but they must fowly and miserably be scattered that admit diuers and vncertaine doctrines Those be diuers and vncertaine which de pend and consist of the will of man Wherefore it behooueth vs to holde and retaine the Apostolike doctrine which they learned at Christes mouth and which they being illuminated with the holye ghost taught to all Nations vppon the earth This doctrine is both certaine plaine perâ—iâ—e and autentike so that it needeth neyther mannes inuention nor authoritie eyther to commende or confirme it Iohn speaking of this doctrine sayth Let that which you hearde from the beginning remayne in you And Paule will not haue himselfe beleeued no nor an aungell comming from heauen if hee dare to preach anye other Gospell or waye of saluation than the Apostles haue taught This reprooueth the vnconstant wethercockes of these dayes who haue a delight to dally with doctrine and religion and dare euery daye alter and chaunge it at their pleasure and for priuate lueres sake as wee reade Ieroboam vsed to doe As though the vse of religion and doctrine were to none other ende but to keepe men in awe as it were with vayne buggebeggers Here are they also reprooued which like children suffer themselues to be ledde with euery blast of doctrine contrary to the precept of Paule For the chiefe marke of those that be faithfull and true Christians is a faithfull and constaunt keeping of the Apostles doctrine Whosoeuer rashly forsaketh this doctrine he must needes confesse that he knoweth not at all what the Church of Christ is Secondly he sayeth that they continued in communicating he vnderstandeth the beneficence and liberalitie they vsed towarde the poore according to that saying of the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not He ioyneth this next vnto doctrine bicause that by it as was euen nowe sayde we are vnited vnto Christ our heade as members of one bodye Therefore they that be in this wise vnited togither must count eche others aduersitie and prosperitie as their owne wherevnto it seemeth Christ had a respect where he shewed that loue was the cognisaunce and badge of his Disciples And this is a singuler and worthy prayse of beneficence to haue the next place vnto doctrine among the exercises of the Church Whereby we may easily perceiue what to thinke of them who are touched with no pitie of their needy brethren but snorting in wealth themselues care not though all other want so they may enioye the riches and delights of this world But bicause we meane hereof to speake more hereafter let this little for this time suffice Thirdly he reciteth breaking of breade by the which he vnderstandeth the mysticall supper of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ. He vseth this name for that in the supper the breade is publikely and solemnely broken partly to set forth the memorie of the Lordes death and partly to put vs in minde that we were the causers of the death of Iesus Christ seeing it was necessary he shoulde suffer and die for our sinnes He maketh mention onely of the supper not for that he barreth baptisme out of the Church but bicause he had spoken thereof before where he sayde they were baptised And he speaketh of those which were alredy receiued into the Church not of their children and those that shoulde afterwarde professe Christ wherof we gather that baptisme ought not to be yterated bicause it is sufficient to be once receyued into the Church of Christ. Another reason why he spake of the supper was bicause Christ ordeyned it to be a solemne memoriall and remembrance of his death which for this cause ought to bee the oftner celebrated Marke here in the meane while the simplicitie of the primitiue Church which being contented with the rites and sacraments deliuered by the Lord neither durst deuise any new ne yet set forth the olde with any newe ceremonies for feare of prescribing christ And although Luke expresse not the rytes and order of the mysticall supper as they vsed it yet there is no doubt but they had a respect to Christes institution bicause Paule afterwarde confesseth that he deliuered vnto the faithfull that order which he receyued of the Lorde and reuoketh them which had swarued from the same to the obseruation and keeping thereof These things ought they to haue marked which glorying in the name of the Gospell are so bolde as to chaunge and alter the maner of the Lords supper ordeyned by Christ himselfe For to saye nothing of the lightes the riot in vestiments the pieuishe gesturing and infinite such like which they perhaps of a good zeale thought to commende the authoritie of the supper the more with this me thinketh can not be pardoned that they haue taken from the supper the breaking of bread whyles they make the peeces of the misticall bread rounde before they come to the supper and put them whole into the mouthes of the receyuers If they take away this breaking what will they leaue vs wherby to remember the death of Christ or to admonish vs of our sinnes and of repentance considering the breaking of breade was of such authoritie in the primitiue Church that vnder that name they comprehended the whole supper of the Lorde Therefore we must holde fast the auncient simplicitie which if any man dislyke certes he to boldly
cannot shut vp the bowels of pitie Ouer and besides this the first beleeuers were to be envred by this voluntarye contribution to take the more paciently the losse of their goodes which shortly after should ensue when persecution arose seeing they had learned before to bestow them on others and were contented themselues to liue with a little Therefore this place ministreth no example of confusion whereby these phrenetike disturbers of common weales may be mainteyned but only a certayne liberalitie towardes the poore is in this place commended which God would haue alwayes to flourish in his Church We know what God sayth Deuter. 15. Let there be no begger at all amongst you Yet God was not ignorant there woulde be alwayes that shoulde be pinched with penurie But that the same shoulde runne vagarant about as publike spectacles of pouertie and beggerie is most contrary to the nature of charitie whervnto all Gods people are bounde And there are diuers other lawes of God extant whereby an order is declared howe the poore may be commodiouslye prouided for that they neede not go begging from doore to doore Hereof it commeth to passe that the Prophetes in euery place commend the poore vnto vs And Christ doth vouchsafe so to commende the care and helpe that ought to be taken for them that he testifyeth he will in the later daye reward them that haue done good to the poore for his sake euen as though they had done it to himselfe which order and institution was of such force and authoritie with the Apostles that they were not ashamed to make prouision for the poore Yea when Paule and Barnabas had declared the trade of their ministerie to Iohn Peter and Iames they thought good to admonish them of this one thing that they shoulde not neglect the poore whome they knewe Christ had so diligently commended vnto them Besides that Paule exhorteth the Corinthians that they shoulde not onely see for the prouision of their owne poore but also where they were very rich they shoulde helpe the needye brethren at Ierusalem which were verye poore And surely it is euident that our predecessors had a great care herof if we consider the donations and foundations both of Princes and priuate men which with greater liberalitie had giuen their goodes to the Church to the ende that both puritie of doctrine myght be preserued and the poore and needy relieued and helped But in these dayes religion is growne into such contempt that they are very fewe and scant which will giue ought of their owne but euery where there are ynough which wil rape and reue and prodigally waste that which others haue giuen They shall one daye prooue that Christ is a reuenger which will not contemne the crye of his poore and will most seuerely reuenge the spoyle and waste of his Church And it is to be feared least they shall leaue them to the wicked enimies of the Churche and fayth to be rifled bicause they disdaine to bestowe them on their euen Christians the brethren of Christ. But let vs returne to Luke which describeth the publyke and holy assembly of the Church where he sayth they continued euery day in the temple with one accorde Then they came oftentimes togither in the temple not for that they would be at the Iewes sacrifices which they knew were abolished through the bloude of Christ but bicause of the concourse of the people that they might teach and winne the more vnto christ By this example we are taught to seeke occasion on euery side to set forth the kingdome of Christ and for this cause the people ought oftentimes to meete togither that there may be the greater number to heare the worde of god For where the faithfull are gouerned by the light of the truth they cannot be ashamed thereof and seeke not darckenesse and corners as they doe whose workes be euill Uerily we reade that Christ taught alwayes openly and thereby excused himselfe both when he was taken and afterwarde also before Caïphas And Paule the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the .xj. and .xiiij. Chap. diligently describeth the publike assemblies and holy meetinges which he woulde neuer haue done if he had not vnderstoode they had bene of much force to the setting forth of Gods true religion Two thinges are ascribed to the primitiue Church continuance togither and vnanimitie of mindes which are needefull at all times but specially in assemblies and Churche meetinges For where God as it hath otherwheare bene sayde hath commended them by a singuler promise such an earnest studie and perseuerance in keeping the same is meete for Christians Againe where these assemblies are made both for doctrine sake for publike prayers and vse of the sacramentes vnanimitie for this purpose is chiefly requisite With this it becommeth Ministers of the word to be ioyned togither least they be authors of partaking and sectes suche as we knowe were once in the Church of Corinth but let them with one accord vrge set forth the doctrine of truth labor to bring Disciples vnto Christ as he commaunded in the .xxviij. chap. of Mathew That vnanimitie in praiers is of great weight before god appeereth hereby bicause mutuall loue is euery where commaunded and Christ earnestly desireth of his father that all the beleeuing may be one as he and his father are one The same reason may be made also of the sacramentes For where they seale vnto vs the benefites of Christ and are tokens and pledges of the fellowship and vnitie which we haue in Christ by the vsing wherof we are taken into one body with Christ it cannot be that they can vse them duly which are at enmitie amongest themselues These things ought well to haue bene considered in these dayes where there is great faulte committed on all sides For they that glorye in the doctrine of the Gospell and haue enioyed the same a long whyle waxe slacke for the most part and are quite voyde of perseuerance as though they had attayned already to perfection and had now no more to doe They are deuided into diuers and sundry sectes and one of them excōmunicateth another So that it must needes come to passe that Paule sayth If you byte and deuoure one another take heede least you be likewise consumed one of another And it is no marueyle that the Gospell doth no better succeede and go forwarde considering those men are neither feruent in perseuerance nor ioyned togither in vnanimitie in whome the same of all other is chiefely required Let who so will reade Eusebius preface vpon the eyght booke of the Ecclesiasticall hystorie and he shall finde a most liuely description of these times and what we may looke for Unto these Luke ioyneth the trade of lyfe that these first Christians liued in priuately among themselues And they brake breade sayth he from house to house and did eate their meate togither with singlenesse
regarded For that duiers signes and woonders aswell true as false be wrought amongest men we are taught by the holye Scriptures They are called true myracles when that thing is truly done that is sayd to be done and which beareth witnesse to the doctrine of truth such as were sometimes the myraculous workes of the Apostles done by Christes institution They are called false which deceyue vs by some lying shew as Charmers and Iuglers vse or which call men from God and from the faith and doctrine of the truth Such as sometimes Iannes and Iambres shewed before Pharao And such as are ascribed to Antichrist and to the deceyuers in the later dayes And God suffreth them otherwhiles to be done in the sight of his people that in the elect he may trye the constancie of their faith as Moses testifyeth Deut. 13. and in the reprobate he maye exercise the seueritie of his iudgement bicause through the efficacie of errour as Paule sayeth they are seduced which woulde not admit the loue of the truth Therefore myracles are neu er so to be taken that we must cleaâ—e onelye to them or to their doctrine that worke them but we must examine them after the rule of Gods worde that in those which beare witnesse to the truth and teach vs to trust in god we may acknowledge God to be the author and reiect all other as false by whose baytes Satan vseth to lye in wayte against our faith and saluation If this thing be not obserued we shall through our owne default be deceyued not onely by false myracles but also by true whereof God is the author whyle we heeding the persons regarde not the ende wherfore they are done Whereof this place giueth vs an euident example and another hereafter is written of the people of Lystra which tooke occasion to commit ydolatrie of a myracle done by Paule as in his place shall appeare But let vs consider Peter which of the peoples amazednesse taketh occasion to preach Thinke you he abuseth the ignoraunce and errour of the people Goeth he about by this meane to get himselfe and his fellowes authoritie which he might easily haue done No verily Naye he beginneth to preach Christ and defendeth his honour and glorye There are fower members or principall pointes of his sermon First he correcteth the ignorance of the people sheweth them that there is nothing here done through â—he power and vertue or holynesse of men Secondly he declareth God to be the author of the myracle who hath wrought the same by his sonne where he also admonisheth them of their heynous offence committed against the sonne of god Thirdly he requireth of them repentaunce Last of all bicause the Christian religion did seeme to repugne with Moses and the Prophets he teacheth them that they did set forth Christ and that they must of necessitie beleeue Christ vnlesse they will seeme grieuouslye to offende against Moses and the Prophetes And therewithall he also teacheth that Christ which was promised to the fathers belonged also to them least they should be drowned in dispaire through the conscience of their sinnes But at this present we will speake but of the first part onely purposing to intreate of the reast in theiâ— place and time First he goeth about to remooue ignorance and error out of their minds This is the right and most commodious waye of teaching the truth For mans propertie and condicion is like to the earth whereof he was made The earth yeeldeth thornes and bryers of it owne accorde neyther bringeth it forth good seede with any increase vnlesse it be diligently clensed and ridde of them So the minde of man corrupt with originall sinne bringeth forth errors of it selfe â–ª which except they be strongly repulsed it neyther can suffer the doctrine of truth nor receyue any fruite or commoditie thereby Wherefore the Lorde commaundeth the Prophete to breake downe and roote vp before he builde or set And Peter is not colde in this behalfe as though he â—hunned honour for ciuilitie and modestie sake as ambicious folke vse which hunt for glorye euen then when they feyne to be contemners thereof But framing his talke by an interrogatiue point maketh it the more vehement saying Ye men of Israell why marueyle yee at this or why looke you so on vs as though by our owne power and strength wee had made this man to go These wordes sauour of some reprehension I pray you sayth he what cause hath mooued you to conceyue such abashment of this myracle wheras not long sithens many such were wrought by Christ howe commeth it to passe you remember not them And then it should easily appeare who is the author of this Surely in vaine you looke vpon vs yea your errour is so great that it may not be winked at For our power or holinesse hath herein done nothing But it is anothers woorke who must haue all the prayse of that is done Let vs obserue in this place the modestye and truth of the Apostles whereby they so challenge vnto Christ all honor and glorie that they reserue nothing to themselfe of that is due to him This is the propertie of all the Saintes For they acknowledge Christes voyce saying by the Prophete I am the Lorde this is my name And my glorye will I giue to none other There are examples of this endeuour not only in this place but also otherwheares The Baptist when hee was asked whether hee were Messias the sauiour he giueth all that prayse to Christ onely whose forerunner onely he confesseth himselfe to be The same before his Disciples which of a carnall zeale enuied Christ testifyed that Christ was the bridegroome of the Church to whome all men must be brought and sheweth that all power and glorye was giuen vnto him from God the father and sendeth his Disciples vnto him And Paule had rather to be stoned than he woulde receyue any godly honor when they of Lystra offred it him of their owne free motion and will. Of this minde it is plaine also the Angels are For where Iohn being rauished with the excellencie of reuelations would haue worshipped an Aungell he sayde vnto him See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant and of thy brethren the Prophetes and of them which keepe the wordes of the prophecie of this booke Worship thou God. Wherevpon Augustine in his .xlix. Epistle disputing of the honour due to God only writeth of the Aungels whom he calleth the spirituall creatures on this wise Howe much more godly it is and in subiection to God so muche lesse it doth vouchsafe it selfe of such honour as it knoweth belongeth but to God. And a little afterwarde comparing the euill aungels who sayth he ioy and are delighted in the errors of men with the good he addeth wherefore euen as wicked pryde whether it bee of men â–ª or of Spirites commaundeth or desireth these diuine honours to be
men counsel how they should be saued he must beginne alwayes with these twoo things For vnlesse we acknowledge our sinnes and be sory for them we shall neuer thinke of anye amendement and reconciliation with god But bicause the wicked sometime acknowledge their sinne and be sorie for them as we see Iudas did he addeth an other worde namely that they must conuert The conuersion or turning must be vnto that thing from which by sinne they departed before But that we depart from God by sinne is more manifest than needeth any great proofe of wordes Therefore it is sayde in the Scriptures that sinners doe forsake the wayes of god Therefore we must turne vnto God by repentance And we conuert vnto God partly by amending our life and partly by faith in Iesus Christ. The one maketh vs to ceasse from sinne whereby we prouoked the wrath of God the other indueth vs with the righteousnesse of Christ and maketh vs able to stande in his sight For the doctrine of the Gospell teacheth vs that God the father is reconcyled vnto vs by christ Of faith springeth the inuocation of God and whatsoeuer other fruites vse to growe of repentance Therefore Peter sheweth the same waye of saluation here that he did before which we must thinke belongeth no lesse to vs than to the Iewes We are the shorter in this place bicause the things that might here be spoken are sayd before where he may see more hereof that listeth Unto this precept or counsell he addeth a promise to mooue them the more He promiseth them forgiuenesse of sinnes wherof it is credible they were chiefely carefull But marke the maner of speach which he for great cause and consideration vseth Conuert sayth he that your sinnes maye bee done away He doth not attribute vnto them any glorie of merite or desert as though by workes of penaunce they might put awaye their sinnes or make satisfactioÌ„ for them But teacheth them how they must be done away by another that is to saye by God against whome we sinne and by sinne become debters vnto him For it is a Metaphore or translation taken from Creditors or lenders who only haue power and authoritie to wype debtes out of their bookes of reckening when eyther they are satisfyed by their debters or else themselues of fauour and goodnesse will remitte and forgiue all the debt And all they which sinne become debters vnto God according to that saying of Dauid I haue sinned against thee O Lorde And verily whatsoeuer is coÌ„mitted against the will of the Lord is sinne Therfore vnlesse God wype out the â—â—btes of our sinnes there can none other deliuer vs from them The wysest both of the Iewes and Gentiles haue herein consented and agreed For albeit the Gentiles attributed muche to their superstitions yet they confessed they were in vaine vnlesse some peculiar fauor of God were ioyned with them Among the Iewes the Phariseyes attributed much to their works yet we read that they themselues confessed openly that God onely had power to forgiue sinnes He forgiueth them or putteth them awaye not bicause it is in our power to purge them and to make satisfaction for them for before him no fleshe is iustified and all our righteousnesses be as an olde worne and ragged clothe which can neyther couer vs nor keepe vs warme but for that Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath pourged them vppon the aultar of the crosse by the merite of his death and by the price of his bloude hath cancelled all that that hath made vs guiltie of death before god The Lord in the same sense vseth this translation of doing awaye or wyping out in Esay the Prophete cap. 43. and .44 And Christ declareth all the maner hereof by a feate Parable in the .xviij. of Mathew Peter therefore admonisheth the Iewes hereof to th ende they might vnderstande that their sinnes were nowe all done awaye so that they would with all their heart embrace Iesus Christ by whose merite they were put away Nowe that which is sayde to them we must thinke spoken also to vs who aboue all thinges must haue this care that in our repentance we haue our eyes fast fixed vppon the onelye forgiuenesse of our sinnes that through to wicked and ouer bolde a confidence we chalenge not to our selues or to the merites of our workes that benefite which commeth of the only grace of God obtayned by the meryte of Christ. Furthermore as there is nothing more wholesome and necessary for man than repentaunce and turning vnto God wherevnto Peter in this place counselleth vs so the fleshe will credit and beleeue anye thing more easily than this For such is the corruption of our nature that we delight in sinne and are so proude that we are ashamed to confesse our fault and to amende it Therefore the Apostle vrgeth them standing wauering and in doubt with most strong argumentes agreeable to this purpose He setteth before their eyes the remembraunce of the later daye and the glorious comming of Christ our Iudge His talke or phrase herein is somewhat defectiue not full but may in this wise be easily supplied It is not in vaine that I require you to repent and to turne vnto god For the same shall be profitable and necessary for you that you maye hereafter be able to stande sure when the time of refreshinge which we shall haue of the Lordes sight commeth and when he shall sende the same Iesus Christ which was before preached whome the heauens must receyue vntill the time that all things be restored againe Out of the which wordes we may gather two argumentes The one is taken of the time the sense whereof is thus This forme of the worlde shall not alway endure neyther that trade of men and other creatures that we now see For there shall come a daye of refreshing and restoring of all things when both the godly shall be deliuered and restitution required of the wicked c. Therfore as your saluation is deare vnto you so applie you busily that that day may bring vnto you refreshing and saluation and not feare and tormentes The other argument he taketh of the Iudges person â–ª God will sende this Iesus Christ of whome we now speake to be a Iudge before whose iudgement seate all men must stande that there they may receyue in their bodies according to all their doings whether they be good or badde Is it not therefore necessarye that you shoulde get the fauour of this Iudge before he come to punishe you for your offences It seemeth that a thirde argument also maye be gathered of these wordes in that he sayth he whome he now preached shall come to be a Iudge For so he taketh from them all pretence of ignorance that they shoulde not thinke theyr former ignorance shoulde excuse them in the daye of iudgement And of such weyght are the thinges here spoken that if the consideration of them can not mooue any man certes
which should be borne of his stocke There are manye other more euident than this vttered by Dauid such as appeare Psalm 2.22.89.119 c. Of Esaye what neede we to speake which hath written so playne an hystorie of all the thinges which Christ shoulde doe that as S. Ierome sayth he deserueth in many places to be taken for an Euangelist rather than a Prophete The lyke is to be affirmed of all the other Prophetes whose sayings if we should rehearce worde by worde we might sooner finde howe to beginne than to make an ende Let it suffyce to tell you that there is no so small a thing in Christ but the same may be proued by the oracles of the olde Testament wherevpon we also gather that the bookes of the olde Testament ought not to be condemned as certaine phanaticall persons affirme which crye they belong onelye to the Iewes They sinne agaynst the industrie and goodnesse of God which thought good all maner of wayes to confirme our saluation Therefore let vs marke here both the certaintie of the doctrine of the Gospell and Christian faith and also the antiquitie therof for if we ioyne vnto the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophetes the figures of the lawe and the auncient promises made long before to the Patriarches a man shall easily perceyue that there was neuer anye kinde of doctrine or religion confirmed and set forth with so many testimonies The first standeth vpon the promise which was made in Paradise to our first parents concerning the seede of the woman which shoulde treade downe the serpents heade Therefore great is the folly or rashnesse of them to speake no worse which eyther openly dare gainesay the doctrine of the Gospell or else seeke other counselles by authoritie whereof to determine and rule our fayth and religion For what doe these men else but reprooue God which spake by Moyses and the Prophetes of lying or at leastwise call his truth in doubt Besides they foolishly require the authoritie of men whereas we ought not to beleeue an Angell teaching the contrary Therfore letting them go let vs embrace Christ whome one vniforme consent of Scripture setteth out to vs in whome only all righteousnesse sanctification truth and saluation is conteyned To him be prayse honour glory and power for euer Amen The .xxv. Homelie Ye are the children of the prophetes and of the couenant which God made vnto our fathers saying to Abraham Euen in thy seede shall all the kinreds of the earth bee blessed First when God had raysed vp his sonne Iesus vnto you he sent him to blesse you that euery one of you shoulde turne from his wickednesse THe Apostle Peter so sheweth the Iewes the way and meane vnto saluation that therewith also he remooueth all impedimentes which myght lette them from taking that waye where we had two things chiefely to consider The first was the preposterous obseruance of Moyses and their auncestries religion For they feared if they embraced Christ they shoulde offende agaynst the lawe and religion which God gaue vnto their forefathers He teacheth them therefore that therein is no daunger bicause both Moyses and the Prophetes directed and sent men vnto christ But that they rather offended against Moyses which disdayned to receiue Christ whereas Moyses long before appointed that such as they were shoulde be punished by death There was yet one other stoppe which was the conscience of that sinne which they had committed agaynst christ For where they had wickedly denied him as Peter before tolde them they sawe it was meete and conuenient that Christ also should denye and forsake them and not regarde or accept their repentaunce And they coulde not be ignorant howe God by his Prophete reiecteth the prayers of such as woulde holde vp handes vnto him embrued with bloude Wherefore Peter in this place remedyeth this inconuenience and prooueth by strong argumentes that Iesus Christ appertayneth to them also and will not put them backe if they will turne vnto him with all their hearts which is the principall state and subiect of this place wherwith also he concludeth his sermon with very good successe Before we enter into Peters wordes we haue an example in him to marke which teacheth vs the right trade howe to preach the Gospell That consisteth herein to make all men vnderstand how the promises of the gospell appertaine vnto them For vnlesse they be hereof assured they neither can make great account of them ne yet surely trust vnto them Which thing is the cause that Paule is so diligent in proouing the vocation of the Gentyles For in vaine shoulde the Gospell haue bene preached to them except they had knowne that the saluation purchased by Christ had aswell belonged to them as to the Iewes For this cause all the promises of the Gospell are vniuersall and may be applied to all men which with true fayth will embrace them Come vnto me sayth Christ all ye that labour and are heauie laden c. So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for vs to th ende that all that beleeue in him shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting And in another place he sayth that he prayeth for all them that shoulde beleeue in him through the preaching of the Apostles Wherevnto also is to be referred that that Iohn sayth that is howe all they which are sinners haue Christ for their aduocate bicause hee hath giuen himselfe an attonement for the sinnes of all the worlde And Paule oftentimes in the businesse of saluation excludeth all respect of persons and testifieth that all they that beleue in Christ haue saluation giuen them of God in him See Rom. 10. Galat. 3. Colos. 3. Ministers must so minde and remember these things that they must debarre no man from the vniuersall promises of God but must so deuide and order the word of the Gospell that no man may doubt of the certaintie of his saluation but maye vnderstande that the merite of Christ belongeth to them all indifferently Now after these premisses let vs come to Peters saying which with three arguments most strongly confirmeth the Iewes fayth First he admonisheth them of their auncient dignitie and of their elders saying you be the children of the Prophetes that is to say you come of that people or nation of whome the Prophetes came Or rather you be the children of the Patriarches who it is euident were most notable Prophetes as by whome the promises of saluation were declared first vnto mankind For the which cause the holy ghost long agone called them Prophetes Hereof Peter gathereth that without doubt the promises long before reuealed by the Prophetes appertaine to the nation of the Iewes if so be they will receyue them and imitate the fayth of their progenitors For Peter in this place doth attribute nothing here to carnall generation which is of no effect in those that degenerate and waxe wicked as those graue expostulations of
man might iudge them rather kindled and enflamed with the threats of their enimies than made afrayde Whereof more shall be sayde in the next Sermon We are taught by this example that God neglecteth not the praiers of the godlye but that his eyes be fixed vpon the iust and his eares open vnto their prayers Let vs follow the example of the primitiue Church in these dayes where most cruell enimies euerywhere conspire togither against the truth and turning our selues vnto God by prayer let vs commit our whole cause vnto him let vs beseech him of increase of fayth and the holye ghost that we be not ouercome with any daungers or terrors but that after we haue happily ended the course of our life we may be receyued into his heauenly kingdome there to liue with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxxj. Homelie AND they spake the worde of God boldly And the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule Neyther sayd any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common And with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lord iesu And great grace was with them all Neyther was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessours of lands or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and layde it downe at the Apostles feete And distribution was made vnto euery man according as he had neede And Ioses which was called of the Apostles Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation being a Leuite and of the countrie of Cyprus hauing lande solde it and layde the price downe at the Apostles feete AS Luke the Euangelist hath diligently described the first persecution that was raysed against the Apostles so reporteth he as diligentlye what the faithfull did during the time of these whurly burleys The ende of all which is that we should learne what to doe in like case First and foremost they gaue themselues vnto prayers which they powred out before God with one feruent accorde of minde To God likewise must we resort in our aduersities and not to the vaine helpe of the fleshe And we must aske of him not such things as serue the carelesnesse and ydlenesse of the fleshe but such as concerne the setting forth of Christs kingdome Now let vs see the other exercises of the primitiue Church wherby it shall appeare that they intermitted nothing that belonged to their dutie First Luke speaketh of the Apostles and all those who had the office of teaching committed to them He sayth they preached the worde of God with confidence that is boldly and freely whervnto a little after is added with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lorde Iesu. They accomplished therefore that which they protested they woulde doe contrarie to the decree of the counsayle Luke maketh mention only of the resurrection not for that they only preached the same only but bicause thereby Christ perfited and fulfilled the businesse of our redemption and saluation and for that we shoulde not thinke the Apostles yeelded anye thing to the Saduceyes which then were in greatest authoritie And it is not without a cause that Luke maketh mention of doctrine first of all other things for therevnto a principall care must always be had For where we are regenerate by doctrine and by the same the Church is gathered togither without the same the Church cannot stande in hir full strength and vigour Neyther was it without the prompting of the holy ghost that Salomon in tune past sayde When prophecying fayleth the people go to hauock And that this was truly sayde the examples of all ages abundantly testifye Wherefore as before he sayde the Church continued in the preaching and doctrine of the Apostles so now also he testifieth the Apostles are most mindefull and earnest in their office By which examples Ministers are admonished that they must not suffer the libertie of preaching to be taken from them through feare of persecution and threatning of enimies nor when daunger approcheth cease not to feede Christes sheepe with the word of doctrine and comfort For that is the propertie of hyrelings as Christ sayth and not of those which are readie to lay downe their liues according to the example of Christ for the sheepe committed to their charge But bicause men are much faultie herein it shall be profitable diligently to discusse this example that hereby Ministers may learne what appertaineth to them to doe And first bold libertie of teaching and vnfearefull affiance of minde is attributed to the Apostles Which is necessary for all ministers as it is plaine bicause there will be alwayes some that woulde haue them brydled and musseled For Christ witnesseth that the worlde cannot abide the light of the truth The same worlde cannot abide to be aduertised and reprehended So that there were in the olde time which durst say vnto the Prophetes Prophecie not to vs Looke not out right things for vs but speake faire wordes vnto vs looke out errours get you out of this waye depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. And Paule sayeth there shall be in the later dayes which shall not abide the worde of truth but hauing the ytch in their eares shal get them an heape of teachers which shall bring doctrine agreeable to their corrupt affections And we see it is euerywhere true that he prophecied Here therfore is required an Apostolike liberty bolde affiance of preaching whereby Bishoppes in the Church may applie their office in season and out of season that they maye encourage others of whom there is yet some hope remayning and deliuer their owne soules that the bloude of them that perishe be not required at their handes Furthermore it is sayd they chiefely inculcated the article of resurrection aboue all other And in deede this was the principall and chiefe article wherewith the chiefe of the Iewes were most offended For through this article they were conuinced partly of putting Christ vniustly to death and partly the Saduceyes coulde not suffer the same to be preached as who denied the resurrection Yet notwithstanding the Apostles boldly and stoutly preached the same so that it maye appeare they had a great care of the same This example teacheth vs that those articles are chiefely to be vrged which the aduersaries vse most to impugne For all things in the ministerie of the worde must be directed to edification and profite And the next care must be that the thing which is edified or builded must not fall downe againe But he shall performe none of these prosperously which most constantly resisteth not when the truth of doctrine is assaulted with the craft tiranny of the enimies and is moste in hazarde They that are set to defende Cities and Castelles vse
bicause Christ greatly hindered and empayred their gayne and honor But Gods spirite bloweth where it pleaseth neyther must we dispayre of any mans health bycause of his profession and trade of lyfe Further where he was a Cypriote he so looued the faythfull of Ierusalem that on them onely he woulde bestowe or shew thys liberalitie For he vnderstoode without doubt that in Christ all difference of nations was abolished as otherwheres the Scripture teacheth And his so great liberalitie wanted not a singuler commoditie For his vertue is enrolled in perpetuall memorie and the Apostles thought good to call hym Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation For he deserued to haue so singuler a name which by his liberalitie gaue so singuler comfort to so many In the meane season we be taught what names they deserue which defraude the poore of Christ by raping and reauing the Church goodes and as much as in them is let and hinder the religion and doctrine of christ These be in verie deede the children of disturbance and perdition whose iudgement steepeth not as the example of Ananias following will teache vs Let vs marke the exercises of the primitiue Church and gyue our selues to the lyke in thys most troublesome worlde where Sathan euerywhere raiseth vp persecutours against the doctrine of truth Let the preachers be armed with a bold liberty of teaching the word and let them remember they are the seruants of God whome no authoritie of man ought to mooue Let them which professe the name of Christ be at vnitie togither in christ Let them labour to shewe their vnitie and concorde by workes of liberalitie and specially by helping of the poore These be the markes of Christians and these be the strongest weapons and defences of Christians For by these they be knowne to be the Disciples of Iesus Christ who is able easily to defende them against all the assaultes of the worlde and shall at length delyuer them from all perill and daunger and bring them to his celestiall kingdome to him be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The fift chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xxxij. Homelie A Certaine man named Ananias with Sapphiâ—a his wife solde a possession and kept awaye part of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certayne part and layde it downe at the Apostles feete But Peter sayde Ananias how is it that Sathan hath filled thine hart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost and keepe awaye part of the price of the lande Pertayned it not to thee onely and after it was solde was it not in thine owne power why hast thou conceyued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto god When Ananias hearde these wordes hee fell downe and gaue vp the ghost And great feare came on all them that heard these things And the yong men rose vp and put him apart and caried him out and buried him THe Euangelist Luke hath declared what exercises and studies the primitiue Church was giuen vnto in the most perillous time of persecution We haue there seene all things belonging to a perfite and most absolute forme and order of a Churche For the Apostles taught the worde of God boldly and trulye The people as meete was receyued the same as their vnanimitie concorde and earnest loue abundantly declared But the holy ghost was not ignoraunt that there would be alwayes phrenetike and troublesome men which herof would take occasion rashly to condemne all Churches wherein all things were not answereable to the perfection of the primitiue Church Wherfore he would haue the historie of Ananias and Sapphira to folow which teacheth vs that Satan had in this holy society his bondmen whose dissimulation at last burst forth and appeared Wherefore nothing is in all poynts sounde and perfite And they are not to be regarded which condemne whole congregations bicause of a few of dissembling merchauntes or voluptuous liuers that are founde in the same considering we reade of Iudas among the Disciples of Christ and that he testifieth that as well badde as good be drawen by preaching of the Gospell Before we beginne the historie we must marke that as Iudas tooke occasion of his sinne by the goodes of the Church so Ananias stumbling at the same stone begunne the first disturbance in the Church The holy ghost thought good to admonishe vs by these examples that the managing of ecclesiasticall goods is a perillous matter â–ª and that they manifestly put their saluation in hazarde that offende therein Therefore whosoeuer glorye in the name of Christ and his Gospell let them diligently take heede to themselues But if they would weigh this one thing they woulde neuer lyke hungrye Cormoraunts runne so greedily to the administring of them The historie hath in it two partes The first declareth what became of Ananias and next what of Sapphira his wife But for the better vnderstanding of the first part we will first consider Ananias facte then Peters iudgement touching the same last of all the punishment which God layde vpon him Ananias deede is tolde with great simplicitie least we shoulde thinke the Apostles leaned any thing to their affections A certain man named Ananias with Sapphira his wife solde a possession and kept awaye part of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certaine part and layde it downe at the Apostles feete Here is principally to be enquired what that fault was which the Lorde a little while after punished with sodeine death For after the iudgement of the fleshe here is no fault made but we may thinke Ananias rather worthie of prayse and rewarde For to sell his lande it was no fault bicause it was lawfull for him so to doe both by Gods law and mans And of any craft or collusion vsed in the bargaine and sale here is no mention Neyther hath the Lorde forbidden vs to reserue part of our owne goodes for our necessities bicause Paule sayeth they be worse than Infidels which looke not to their owne families And he teacheth vs that wee must not so giue almes that our liberalitie be occasion to others of ease and to our selues of want and distresse Furthermore it seemeth he is verye beneficiall to the Church of Christ that giueth but the halfe the third or fourth part of his goodes to the vse thereof Also Christ testifyeth that he shall be rewarded that giueth but a cup of colde water to any of his Disciples in his name Therefore we must consider the minde of Ananias which we maye gather in the other part of the historie by the wordes of Sapphira and so we shall see wherein he offended to saye in hypocrisie and counterfeyting of fayth and loue wherwith he went about to deceyue as well God as the congregation For the ambicious man sawe what prayse and glorye Ioses the Leuite had gotten through his liberalitie Wherefore he being desirous also to
serue to commende and set forth the Gospell and sende men vnto Christ whom vaine superstition hath hitherto entangled in trifles of no profite Furthermore we may more firmely reason of Peters wordes which we heard in the thirde chapter There is more regarde with God of vertue and godlynesse than is of garmentes or of all mannes bodye yea the vertue and godlynesse of the Saints auayled nothing to the working of myracles Therfore much lesse ought they to be ascribed to their garmentes or to their bones We will adde to this argument how in an other place it is sayd that power went from Christ himselfe not from his cote But superstition will quickly fall if we consider the ende and marke wherto all myracles are to be referred and directed which is of two sortes First it behooued that by them the doctrine of the Apostles shoulde be confirmed as Christ himselfe teacheth Wherevpon we gather that he is to be beleeued and that nowe a dayes we neede no newe myracles For if the Ministers preache the doctrine of the Apostles that doctrine hath long sithence bene prooued and confirmed by miracles And if they teach a doctrine not agreable with that they ought not to be receyued though they worke neuer so many myracles forasmuch as myracles are permitted to false and Antichristian teachers to th ende the fayth of the elect maye appeare the more manifest and euident See Deuter. 13. Math. 24.2 Thess. 2. The other ende and vse of myracles is to teach the knowledge of Iesus Christ in whose name they were wrought by the Apostles and Apostolike men Diuers diseased with sicknesses and infirmities are in Christes name healed and with them some Demoniackes whome the naughtie spirite of Satan did haunt Therefore let vs acknowledge Iesus Christ to be hee which as sayeth the Prophete hath borne our diseases and infirmities and he that healeth not onely our bodies but also our soules For we being borne againe of his spirite and word receiue fresh strength so that we are able to do all things through his comfort He only deliuereth vs from the tyranny of Satan For he therfore came into the world as Iohn saith to destroy the workes of the Deuill And the first promise of saluation teacheth vs that through his power and merite the serpentes heade must be troden downe Which to be done alredy himselfe partly teacheth in the gospell and partly the myracles wrought in his name abundantly testifie And Luke sayth they were all healed in the name of Christ that were brought vnto the Apostles to be healed Wherevpon we gather that he is an vniuersall Sauiour who as he calleth all men vnto him that labour and are laden euen so he excludeth none that come vnto him He adioyneth to the Apostles myracles the publike exercise of the whole Church where he sayth they all continued with one accorde in Salomons porch Which is to be vnderstanded of their holy assemblies as appeareth by the ende of the seconde Chapter where there is mention made of houses in which they brake breade The Euangelist by this place meaneth none other thing but that the faythfull had a speciall care to come vnto the Church and there to be vnited togither not so much in bodies as in myndes by fayth and charitie Wherein they shewe vs an example of christian stoutnesse and constancie who being not ignorant of the threates and decrees of the Counsell woulde not yet for all that refrayne from commyng among the congregation Howbeit it woulde haue sufficed mannes wisedome to haue kept their fayth in their myndes and to haue commoned of Christ with their faythfull brethren wythin their priuate houses And now a dayes many excuse their dastardlynesse by these reasons wherby they account the confession of Christ amongest indifferent thinges and suffer Princes by their decrees and lawes to wring and wrest it from them yea it is thought a poynt of prudencie in tyme of daunger to dissemble our fayth to intermit comming to the Church and all Sacraments eyther vtterly not to meddle with articles in controuersie or else to make a shypmans hose of them or else wholye to denye the fayth But what yll ende the successes of this wisedome hath the Church findeth not without great griefe and the destruction of manye They doe muche better which haue learned of Christs wordes that confession can not be seperated from faith For with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse but with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation And it is Christes saying Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and my wordes in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Aungels Let vs consider that it is not without a cause that mention is so often made of comming to the Church For hereof we gather that the Church can by no meanes stande wythout these assemblies both bicause of publike prayers which Christ hath commended to vs not without a peculiar promyse and also to preuent false teachers whose propertie Paule wryteth is to go into houses and to bring into bondage women laden with sinne and all such as lye open to their craftynesse And that no man shoulde take occasion to trouble or breake so necessary an order Christ himselfe neuer shunned comming to the Church but taught therein openly and by that argument prooueth that he ought to be taken neyther for schismatike nor false teacher And for this cause it seemeth that the first beleeuers abhorred not the Iewes temple bicause they had no more commodious place in all the Citie The Anabaptistes are confuted by this example a fanaticall broode and kinde of seditious people which thinke it vnlawfull to come within our Churches and in our congregation and haue a great warynesse that they be not polluted with them where notwithstanding it seemeth to them but a trifle to make a schisme in the Church of Christ which is the most horrible and detestable crime that is But let vs returne to the discipline and exercises of the primitiue Church amongst which in the thirde place is conteined a certaine maiestie that made the enimies afrayde of them and all the people to reuerence them For Luke sayth Of other durst no man ioyne himselfe vnto them But the people magnified them Which is to be vnderstanded of those which were not vtterâ—y godlesse and voyde of all religion and yet were ledde with the carke and cares of the worlde and the fleshe For when they had seene the horrible and vnhappie ende of Ananias and Sapphira they were afrayde to ioine themselues to the company of those that punished hypocrisie so seuerely their consciences well knowing their owne imperfection Therfore the societie and company of the Church was from thence forth the purer into the which perhaps at the first many such as Ananias was had craftily crept in yet these men
is it seene in thys present Booke where in the report of the Apostles actes and description of the primitiue Church Luke alwayes ioyneth these two thinges togyther that is to say the successe of Christes kingdome and the furious rage of the vngodly against the same These thinges serue to the ende that we should neyther be offended at the Crosse and aduersitie whereof Christ so often tymes hath gyuen vs warning neyther hope for anye contynuall peace and tranquillitie of the Church in thys worlde but that we should euen then prepare our selues to the crosse when the Church seemeth to be most in safetie Wherevnto thys present hystorie is chiefely to be referred For Luke a little before setteth forth vnto vs a flowrishing state of the Church shewing vs what aâ—thoritie it grewe in and how it increased day by day in so much that the Citie of Ierusalem was nowe to little to conteyne the kingdome of Christ bicause it began to be caryed abroad among straunge Nations But among these so many and prosperous proceedings there foloweth a grieuous persecution and great daunger bicause Christ gaue his enimies such power that they layde handes on the Apostles and put them in prison thinking also to put them vnto death Yet these things serue more to comfort vs than to feare vs bicause the Lorde so presently helped the Apostles being in daunger for the glorie of his name But that we maye receaue the more vtilitie and profite hereby first we must consider the enimies of Christ and the Apostles Then howe the Lorde did elude and frustrate their enterprise And last of all we will declare what the Apostles did after they were delyuered from the perill they were in Luke wryteth diligently of the enimies and persecutours of the church and of their enterprises For he sayth the high priest rose vp agaynst the Apostles and not he alone but all his complyces and fellowes and they that were his nearest friendes and familiars and these sayth he were of the Sadduceyes secte that we may perceaue what corruption raigned nowe among the Iewes when they were supreame heades of the Church to whome the resurrection of the dead which is the chiefe article of our fayth and religion seemed but a game and pastime as we haue often tymes declared And surely if they had not bene vtterly voyde of all religion eyther the sinceritie of the Apostles doctrine or the reuerente maiestie of the congregation or the wonderfull worthynesse of myracles and so great concursse of all sortes of people to the kingdome of Christ might haue mooued them lesse to haue raged But Luke declareth also what incensed them For he sayth they were full of zeale that is enuie and indignation For they could not abyde them to be had in prise and estimation by whose doctrine theyr honor and aduauntage was defaced Yet is it no doubt but they made the zeale of God and the publike commoditie of all the people to be the pretence of their priuate affections as we reade Caiaphas and his complyces did before Wherevnto came this zeale so farre that they layde hands on the Apostles and commaunded them to the common gayle as breakers of publike peace and open malefactours These things must be applyed to our times also bicause it is manifest al things are written for our sakes that we may haue enstruction and comfort thereby First this example teacheth vs who are alwayes like to be the greatest persecutors of Christes truth Truely they which glorie in the tytle of Priesthoode and will be taken for the chiefe heades of the Church and ought chiefely to maintaine and preach the truth But as soone as vnder pretence of Religion they beginne to seeke their owne gayne and lucre then can they neyther beleue themselues nor yet suffer the light of the truth whose brightnesse discloseth their naughtinesse and deceit And such for the most parte are these Sadduceis yea the Hogges of Epicures hearde For vnlesse they thought the thinges written in Scripture touching Heauen and Hell the immortalitie of the soules and the resurrection of the deade more vaine than fables they woulde neuer neyther so wickedly corrupte the scriptures with their traditions nor yet so impudently turne relygion into priuate lucre and aduantage Therefore Christ and the Apostles shewe vs how Antichrists place and Sea should be euen in the very church that we might perceyue from whence most daunger were to be looked for and feared And if we well marke these tymes it shall appeare they onely haue bene the enimies of the doctrine of the Gospell and kingdome of Christ which heretofore haue bene thought to be the chiefe heades of the Church For it is euident that the matters attempted by Princes and Kings were done for their sakes and by their procurement and instigation This thing offendeth many in these daies and make them thinke that the doctrine in our Churches is not the truth bycause the Popes and Byshoppes are enimies thereto But great folly it is to be offended with that which hath bene the most vsuall and common thing since the worlde beganne as other wher 's hath bene declared But we must as diligently consider wyth what craft and weapons these men fight Where first is to be noted howe egregiouslye they can counterfaite the zeale of God whose glorie they lament to be troden vnder foote and his Church to be so daungerously deuided But this is but a corrupt zeale as we see in Caiaphas to whome the confession of truth which Christ vttered seemed blasphemous and intollerable So nothing seemeth so impious and intollerable to these our heades as that that tasteth of the truth of the Gospell and is repugnant to their proude tyrannye and aduauntage And it appeareth euen by this place that we ought to haue no better iudgement of the zeale of our enimies bicause that as the Bishops of the Iewes coulde beare with the madde errours of the Saduceyes so they woulde helpe to bring downe Christ so these men can beare with the wicked sale and marte of holye things condemned by the Popes owne Canons with the scorcing of Gods doctrine with horrible periurye whoredome and all kinde of vnbridled lyuing so that those things that pertaine to their vaineglory and aduauntage might be left alone vntouched But to graunt them that in deede they haue a zeale to the glory of God yet can they not be excused but are lyke vnto the Iewes which as Paule sayth had a zeale of God but yet were voyde of all knowledge and truth For GOD will not haue vs followe our owne zeale but his woorde which for this cause he hath witsafed to reueale to all ages to the intent no man should followe the suggestions of the fleshe and wisedome of man But what maner of zeale these men had may be iudged by the successe of the thing For they that were Stewardes of the worde of God and ought with argumentes of Scripture to haue
their moodes who iudged the Apostles to be put to death But before wee declare Gamaliel his wordes we haue to consider howe easie a thing it is for God to deliuer his people from daunger seeing he can raise vp for them defenders euen from among their enimies by the counsell and authoritie of one man can confounde the enterprises attempts of a great many For as euen now was sayd no kinde of men were more bent against Christ and his doctrine than the Phariseyes who had a good whyle before this pronounced sentence of excōmunication against all those that professed christ And yet of this Colledge also was Nicodemus who before this defended Christes quarell Now commeth Gamaliel out of the same Colledge whose meanes it pleaseth the Lorde to vse for the deliuerie of the Apostles And this one man without any armour or weapon only by prudent counsayle dasheth all the deuise of the whole counsayle There are other examples of lyke sort which teach vs to take a generall doctrine consolation hereof Herevnto apertayneth it that Ruben only who also hated Ioseph in his hart yet afterwarde saued him from present death To this maye we adde also howe the Philistines deliuered Dauid being inclosed on euerye side wyth Saules souldiors What shall we speake of Moyses the Capitaine of the people of Israel whome the daughter of cruell Pharao saued from drowning in the riuer Nilus But it woulde be very long if we shoulde tarie in all the examples which might be brought It behooueth vs rather to obserue the vse of them which is that we be not feared with the attempts of men which the Lord can forthwith bring to naught to whose seruice we all are bound Which one thing if men as well in generall as particulerly woulde thin ke on they woulde by no meanes suffer themselues to be pulled from fulfilling their vocation Let vs marke Gamaliel his counsayle full of wisedome in deede yet such as wherein a man may perceyue diuers things wanting which declare hee was not yet fully instructed in the truth Yet it pleased the Lorde to vse his helpe and it is to be thought that he afterward grewe to more godlynesse His saying consisteth in three poyntes First he vseth a pretie preface wherby he apeaseth the furious and exhorteth them to do nothing rashly or vnaduisedly Take heede to your selues sayth he concerning these men what you intende to doe As though he shoulde saye I heare that you determine they shall suffer death But I feare your deuyse is to headie and therefore to daungerous I woulde therefore haue some diligent and sober deliberation taken that in our wrath we commit not that which afterwarde wee may repent This is a most profitable and in all ages necessary admonition that in our anger we doe or appoynt nothing For the auncient wryters sayde anger was an euill counsayler as the which is a very phrenesie for the whyle And what goodnesse or equitie maye a man hope for of a madde man wherefore Iames most truly sayth The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God. And would God the authoritie of this sentence were as much in these dayes as we reade it was among the Ethnickes It is sayde of Augustus that he thought the companye of Athenodorus the Philosopher very necessary for him bicause vpon his departure from him he admonished him that he shoulde decree or appoynt nothing to be done in his anger before he had first recyted the Alphabet or names of the .xxiiij. letters For the wyseman vnderstoode that wrath by leysure woulde coole and abate And as notable is it that another of the Philosophers said to his seruant that had offended him Thou shouldest be beaten if I were not angry But now a dayes among Christians many thinke that men in their anger may doe what they list and they go about vnder the cloke of anger to excuse most heynous offences And in deede if God had made vs Beares or Lyons their excuse might take some place But forasmuch as we be men who ought to be ruled with the bridle of reason and word of God we shall be inexcusable as many as let our selues be caried and ruled with the lust of our affections But chiefely men of authoritie and Iudges must be myndefull hereof least they being caried awaye with wrath swarue from equitie and righteousnesse Gamaliel his saying also is worthye to be diligently considered Take heede to your selues c. Why the Apostles case was in question and their lyfe in daunger But the wise man and diligent obseruer of Gods law perceiued that Iudges commonly were more in daunger through giuing false iudgement than they that were accused For what thing can chaunce vnto them more acceptable than death that chaunge this mortall lyfe for an immortall But these Iudges prouoke the wrath of God against them which sitteth in the middest of them as is written Psal. 82. and will not suffer their boldnesse to go vnreuenged which vnder the pretence of godly iudgement exercise vnrighteousnesse Therfore whosoeuer beare office let them thinke this sayd vnto them and take heede to themselues that being blinded with affections they stray not from the tracke of righteousnesse In the seconde part of his Oration he intermedleth examples out of the which a little after he draweth the arguments of his sentence He first alledgeth examples very prudently and so telleth them that at the first it appeareth not what he will conclude thereof least eyther they shoulde not harken to his saying or without expending of it reiect it Out of a great many he chooseth two specially which as they were to all men knowne so were they able most to mooue their minds the one was of Theudas the other of Iudas of Galiley Iosephus also maketh mētion of them but touching the order of the storie he much dissenteth from Luke bicause he writeth Iudas was many yeares before Theudas whome yet Gamaliel openly testifieth to haue risen long before him But the authoritie of an holy writer must be of more credite with vs than Iosephus who it is euident was deceiued in many other things also whose writings might easily be corrupted and peruerted In the histories there is no difficultie and Gamaliel his purpose is to teach none other thing thereby but that none hitherto went vnpunished that tooke vpon them the name and office of the Messias but that they with all their sect perished which vnder this pretence went about to seeke their owne profite and aduauncement whereof afterwarde he gathereth that the lyke woulde come to passe by the sect of the Christians if Christ had bene a fraudulent and deceytfull worker and that therefore they ought to abyde the iudgement of god c. We haue to obserue in the rehearsal of these examples what shal become of them which wil not embrace Iesus Christ the true Messias For such men commonly as are authors and beginners of
haue diminished but vtterly to be extinguished was meruaylously increased and that in Ierusalem where the power and authoritie of the enimies was greatest Furthermore not onely the commons and those of the lay fee but nowe also the priestes beginne to submit themselues to the obedience of fayth and to professe Christ. These thinges haue in them marueylous consolation if they be diligently considered For they teach vs by what armor and weapons Christes church is most profitablie enlarged and conserued Uerily not with the counsailes of fleshly wisedome or mens deuises but with puritie of doctrine and holye discipline whereof this ought to be the ende that all outwarde things may aunswere to the doctrine of Christ and that such errours as happen may diligently be corrected And the ende and marke of all togither must be the glorie of God and the saluation of many When these things be diligently obserued the wiser sort which before were feared with noueltie beginne to giue eare to the doctrine and credite it And no doubt but there would be in these daies better successe in church affayres if we in this behalfe were not vtterly deafe For as though the bare profession of a christian name were sufficient to saluation we stay ydlely in the same and are mooued neyther with publike corruption of maners and manifest errours nor with the iust complaints of the godly earnestly to amende the things that ought to be amended Therfore through our negligence and securitie it commeth to passe that the gospell in these daies goeth no better forward Againe we are taught by an euydent example howe vaine and forcelesse the enterprises of the wicked are against the kingdome of christ For the more they rage the more it spreadeth and nowe the christian fayth findeth place among the priestes which fayth before was thought vnmeete to be suffered in the common people The like thing happened while Christ was yet vpon the earth when Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathaea beleeued in him whome all the residue of that order wyshed out of his life Yea whyle Nero by cruell proclamations thundred against the Church yet were there founde in his owne Court which professed Christ as Paule to the Philippians wytnesseth This is also a singuler token of the goodnesse and mercy of God that he doth vouchsafe to illuminate with the knowledge of hys truth a many of that number that had shed Christes bloud and were taken to be the chiefe procurers of his death Who shall henceforth dispayre in his sinnes when we see these men haue founde forgiuenesse Let vs rather hearken to Christ which doth of his owne accorde offer to synners remission and peace and did vouchsafe to pray for them that crucified him And yet this example serueth not onely for our consolation but also for our instruction that we also with like facilitie and readinesse must pardon them that doe vs iniurye For so it shall come to passe that we hauing the true spirite of the children of God giuen vnto vs and being deliuered from all the debt of our trespasses shall come to the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome with Iesu Christ the onely begotten sonne of God to whome be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlij. Homelie AND Steuen full of fayth and power did great wonders and myracles among the people Then there arose certaine of the Synagoges which is called the Synagoge of the Libertines and Cyrenites and of Alexandria and of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Steuen And they coulde not resist the wisedome and the spirite which spake Then sent they in men which saide we haue heard hym speake blasphemous wordes against Moses and against god And they mooued the people and the elders and the Scribes and came vpon him and caught him and brought him to the counsell brought forth false wytnesse which sayde Thys man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous wordes against this holy place and the lawe for we heard him say This Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall chaunge the ordinaunces which Moses gaue vs And all that sate in the counsell looked stedfastly vppon hym and sawe his face as it had beene the face of an Aungell FOr as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ is entred into the kingdome and glory of God his father by the bitter death of the crosse the same lotte must all they abyde that desyre to lyue godly and to be partakers with him of the heauenly kingdome And forbicause we are offended with nothing more than the crosse God would haue vs instructed and confirmed not onely with precepts but also with the example of the primitiue church that we should not be offended with persecution and aduersitie as at any straunge and vnwonted thing for as much as we see in times passed prosperous successes amōg horrible persecutions mixed the church for al that stil increasing An example wherof the story that we presently haue in hand shall shewe vs if it be compared with the things that went next before For Luke hath declared vnto vs the most prosperous proceedings of the gospell and how not only the common people but also many of the priestes beganne to beleeue it So that the church affayres seemed nowe to haue bene in quyet and safetie seing it was defended by so many and such singuler Patrones But beholde a newe conflict beginneth more horrible and perillous than any yet before was in the which Steuen by whose side the whole church of Christ was foyned at was constrayned to defende Christes quarrell not onely by wordes but also by stowte protestation of his fayth and by his bloude The vse of the hystorie is chiefely in thys poynt that we must not be offended though grieuous tumults sodainely arise when all things seeme hushte and when they whome we hoped to haue our faythfullest defendours eyther are not able or wylling to helpe vs For God suffereth it so to come to passe to take from vs the trust in carnall helpes and for that we shoulde learne in deede that Christes kingdome is not enlarged neyther by hoste of men nor by force but by the spirite of the Lorde But bicause diuers other things are here concurrent which make both for our instruction and consolation the whole hystorie with all the circumstaunces is diligently described of Luke First beginning with the discription of the person he sheweth who Steuen was and of what calling Then he descrybeth his enimies and their attempts agaynst him Thirdely he declareth howe Steuen behaued himselfe in this concertation and his glorious martyrdome Nowe will we speake of the thinges that belong to the treatise of this present place Luke in the beginning shewed how Steuen was the first in the number of the Deacons Nowe he addeth the things making for this present historie And first he sayth he was full of fayth doing vs to vnderstande that he was syncere and no bragger or counterfaiter of the fayth but endued with true fayth and feruent
and clamor with vniust force wyth stones swordes firebrandes and whatsoeuer other instrumentes of the power of darckenesse With these we reade the Prophetes were in tymes past assaulted With such they disputed agaynst christ And the hystorie following will shewe howe they vsed the same agaynst the Apostles But bicause Christ hath many times giuen vs warning of these thinges we must not be offended at the same Let vs therefore be so prepared that they light not vpon vs vnawares and vnlooked for It is worthy of great obseruation and heede that whyle they rage most in violence and wrong yet they seeme to obserue a kinde of lawe and equitie For bicause they had accused him of blasphemie agaynst God and false doctrine therefore they gyue him the punishment appoynted of God for blasphemers and seducers And the witnesses as is prescribed in the law threwe the first stones at him which to doe with the more ease they put of their apparel and deliuer it vnto Saule to keepe who after he was conuerted vnto Christ was called Paule Therefore here wanteth nothing belonging to the forme of lawe And Steuen myght seeme iustly to haue suffered and according to the lawe But that is not alwayes lawfully done which hath a shewe of lawe and we must deepely wey the causes of punishments or else we shall grieuouslye erre in our iudgement In the meane season marke howe God sometime suffreth the wicked with whose rage he will haue his people exercised to fyll vp the measure of their wickednesse And by example of the witnesses we are taught howe farre impietie proceedeth if it be not stopped at the beginning They sinned in bearing of false wytnesse being neyther ignoraunt of the lawe of God neyther of the punishment appoynted for false wytnesses And they are not afrayde that Salomon sayth the Lorde hateth and vtterly abhorreth a false witnesse They are not yet contented to haue committed so horrible a fault but they go further and embrue their handes with innocent bloude where also they were not ignorant of that that is written in the lawe touching murtherers So true it is that Salomon sayth when the wicked are once ouer their shooes there is no hoe with them Let vs therefore feare the entycing beginnings of sinne least whyle they instill into vs an hatred to the worde of God we sticking fast in the toughe myer thereof be at length wholye swallowed vp of the great gulfe of vngodlynesse The things sayde of Saule who as it is written consented to the death of the holye man and receyued great pleasure therein make a waye and preparation to the hystorie following and for the setting forth of the glory of god But of these things more shall be sayde in their place It remayneth that we declare howe Steuen behaued himselfe when he was put to this cruell death where three thinges are tolde of him First he called vpon the Lorde which thing we beleeue he continually vsed to doe And it is expressed that he prayed in three wordes Lorde Iesu receyue my spirite These wordes haue in them the confession of a true fayth and an argument and token of a great and strong beliefe For being on euery side beset with the terrors of death yet he acknowledgeth and confesseth that Christ is his Sauiour folowing the example of the theefe crucified with Christ. Further he beleeueth that the soules dye not in death but passe to the state of a better life yea he knoweth that euen in death through fayth in Christ men fynde lyfe This is a great prayse of fayth that euen then it is inuincible and comforteth vs when all other helpes fayle Also Steuens example teacheth vs to whome to commende our soules when we be at the poynt of death Not to Saintes as the superstitious vse but vnto Christ our Lorde who as he hath redeemed them with the pryce of his bloude so by his resurrection he hath ouercome death and by his ascention into heauen hath prepared for vs a place in the which we shall be gathered vnto him Secondarily Steuen sheweth a token of charitie which can not be seperated from fayth For folowing the example and commaundement of Christ he prayeth for his enimies that God woulde not punishe them for their sinne as they deserued This reprooueth the wickednesse of his enimies which put him to death as an enimie of the common weale which witnesseth by his last wysh he made that no man was more desirous of all mennes welfare than he But this is the state of the vngodly in this worlde the chiefe cause of whose infelicitie is this that they neyther can knowe their benefactors nor beware of the most daungerous enimies of the publike weale Let vs learne to extende our charitie euen to the ingratefull and with godly prayers commende them to God which moste grieuously offende agaynst vs And let vs not suffer our selues to be feared with the wickednesse of men forasmuch as Gods iudgements be vnknown to vs and God lightly vseth not to reueale vnto euery man who they be that are incurable amongest men as we reade he did sometime vnto Ieremie 7.14.15 cap. Let vs also be stirred vppe with the effect of this prayer which the conuersion of Saule alone prooueth was not fruitelesse Last of all is sayd that Steuen hauing thus spoken fell on sleepe whom yet his enimies hoped now with his doctrine to haue now bene cleane dispatched out of the way The scripture oftentimes vseth this word slepe speaking of the death of the godly For so is the condicion propertie of death set forth Death is the resolution or dissolution of man consisting of soule and body In this death the soule neyther dyeth nor sleepeth but passeth into lyfe euerlasting as Christ sayth Iohn 5. Wherevpon death hath aptly bene called a passing into heauen The body is sayde to sleepe bicause it is layde in the earth as it were to sleepe out of the which in the latter daye it shall be raysed vp by Christ that it may also enioye the blysse of heauenly lyfe There are euerywhere testimonies of Scripture concerning these things and occasion shall serue oftentimes to intreate of the same Wherefore we nowe meane to be briefe Let vs set Steuen before vs to imitate that when we shall depart this lyfe our soules being gone before to the dwellings of the blessed and happy we being at the last gloriously raysed vp also in body may attayne to the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The eyght chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lvj. Homelie AT that tyme there was a great persecution agaynst the congregation which was at Hierusalem and they were all scattered abrode throughout the regions of Iurie and Samarie except the Apostles But deuout men dressed Steuen and made great lamentation ouer him As for Saule he made hauocke of the
in extreeme necessitie so we by and by faint and giue ouer if God doe not graunt our peticions at the first being verie little mindefull of our state who being seruauntes ought paciently to abyde our Lordes leysure and not imperiously to appoynt him But let vs consider Ananias which being ouercome with feare of daunger putteth of the expresse and euident commaundement of the Lorde For he sayth Lorde I haue hearde of this man by many howe great euill he hath done to thy saintes at Hierusalem and here hee hath power from the highe priestes to binde all that call vpon thy name He alleageth the testimonie of others least he might seeme to feare in vaine But it is a ridiculous matter to stande more vpon the testimonie of man than vpon the worde of god It is also ridiculous to rehearse Saules doings of others mouthes before the Lorde as though he had hitherto beene ignoraunt of them But herevnto feare a naughtie and foolish Counsaylor vseth to bring vs if we once take him to consult with in discussing of Gods commaundements Yet it appeareth by this example that it taketh hold many times euen of holy men and faythfull worshippers of God. With this feare we reade Abraham was so ouercome that he denyed Sara to be his wife Moses striken with lyke feare can scarcely be induced to take vpon him the conduct and leading of the people of Israel Elias the Prophete tasted of this feare when after the slaughter of Baals Priestes he wiâ—t not whither to flie for feare of Iesabell the Queenes manaces and threats Ionas also deceyued through feare promised himself more safetie among the flouds of the sea and barbarous shipmen than in the ayde and vocation of the lord Here might also be brought forth the examples of others both Prophetes and Apostles But this is mans infirmitie for the which no man is rashely to be condemned bicause we see many tokens hereof appeared in Christ also when the howre of his death drewe nigh We must take heede that we be not so ouercome herewith that we leaue the charge inioyned vs of the lord But rather hauing a respect to the prouidence of God committe our selues wholy to the will of God as Christ teacheth his Apostles Wherevnto also are to be referred the general promises of Gods helpe which promise them that walke in his vocation sure and certaine ayde and succour And herewith I beleeue Ananias also was confirmed who although at the first seemed somewhat timerous yet he yeeldeth to God being instant vpon him and the seconde tyme of commaunding he faythfully obeyeth him It is a singuler consolation wherewith the Lorde comforteth Ananias wauering and fearefull minde Go sayth he for he is a chosen vessell vnto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles and kinges and children of Israell For I will shewe him howe great thinges he must suffer for my names sake It seemeth there are two reasons alleaged wherefore Ananias ought not to feare and both of them are taken of Paules person First he sayth he is not a Tyranne and persecutor as he was heretofore but of the number of the elect hereafter should be a most valiant and faithfull defender of Christes name Then that there is so little feare to be had of any persecution to be made by Paul that rather he had to suffer many things for the name of Christ. These wordes contayne a singuler and worthie prayse of Paule which we ought diligently to consider both for that the excellencie of Gods goodnesse may the better be knowne and also that we may vnderstande howe great authoritie Paules doctrine is of First he is called after an Hebrue phrase the vessell of election that is to say a chosen picked or culled instrument For the Hebrues by this name vessell vnderstande all kinde of instruments vtensiles or implements And they vse the Genitiue case of the Substantiue for the Adiectiue Men are called the vesselles or instrumentes of God bicause God executeth hys iudgementes by them So Paule otherwheres calleth the elect the vessels of glorie and mercie and againe the reprobates the vessels of wrath And Senacherib by the same reason is called the rodde of Gods furie Christ calleth Paule a chosen vessell bicause he executed many thinges by him yea most wholesome workes in setting forth the Gospell and the fayth In the meane season this word vessell or instrument teacheth vs to remember our state and condition that if we haue any thing in vs that is excellent wee should not thinke it to be ours but learne to giue all the prayse and glorie vnto God who hath vouchsafed to vse their helpe The reprobates and such as want the knowledge of God vnderstande not this therefore they attribute to their owne power and witte whatsoeuer is of any excellencie in them But howe much such doing displeaseth the Lorde Senacherib the Assirian and Nabuchodonosor the Babilonian aboundauntly testifie Paule much better weighed these thinges which plainely confesseth that he is by the grace of God whatsoeuer he is The same teacheth all Ministers that they must arrogate nothing to themselues or to others but that they remember all effect and successe of Ministerie commeth of the Lorde which giueth the increase The consideration hereof serueth very much to make men humble in heart and minde For it maketh them to take heede that they exceede not in pride or securitie and so become the vessels and instruments of wrath Secondlye Christ declareth the ende and vse of this instrument and sheweth that Paule is appoynted to beare his name that is to aduaunce and extoll his name before the Gentyles and Kings and people of Israel He vnderstandeth the preaching of the Gospell whereby Christes name vseth to be extolled and celebrated when repentaunce and remission of sinnes is preached in him Here all Ministers are admonyshed of their duetie To them it belongeth to beare the name of Christ that is to preache him to be a Sauiour King and Priest and to declare that all thinges that appertayne to our saluation are in him So Paule sayth he knoweth nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified The same sayth he reioyceth onely in the crosse of christ The same name did Peter cary where he sayde there was none other name vnder heauen giuen vnto manne in which he coulde be saued Wherby we gather that they be not the ministers of Christ but ledde with the spirite of Antichrist that declare any other name wherein repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached See concerning these men 1. Iohn 4. Let Ministers remember also that they must not cary this name into corners but before Nations Kings and Iewes For although we be not all Apostles yet it appertayneth to all Ministers not to be ashamed of Christ but to speake of the testimonies of the Lorde as Dauid sayth before Kings and Princes being readye to giue an account of our fayth
Parable of Talents which is written Math. 25. to this place In the other part he teacheth him what he shoulde doe The chiefe poynt of the commaundement is that he should sende for Simon Peter who shoulde teache and instruct him what to doe And this is an euident argument of the goodnesse of God that he putteth Peter rather than Cornelius to payne to take the iourney For thus he vseth to offer vnto vs grace and saluation when we seeke not for it not bicause he woulde fauour the sloth of our fleshe but for that by his diligence he woulde enflame vs to the like diligence in seeking for our saluation and his glory We haue an example hereof in our first parentes who bicause they woulde not first seeke God and call vpon him were sought for and called of him Furthermore thys place maketh for the setting forth of the outwarde worde and Ecclesiasticall ministerye For as before he sent Paule to Ananias so nowe he appoynteth Peter to be Cornelius teacher whome he myght haue instructed by ministery of the Aungell For it is euident that none commeth vnto Christ but such as the father draweth and fayth is the gift of God but yet the order of God abideth inuiolable that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God. As many therefore as disdayne to heare the worde of God at the mouth of man declare thereby that they be vnworthye of the kingdome of God bicause they contemne his ordinaunce and desire the order of saluation by him instituted to be destroyed Let vs also vse the doctrine of the Apostles that we being therby instructed may doe those thinges which be acceptable vnto God and may obtayne saluation through Iesus Christ our only Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxj. Homelie AND when the Aungell which spake vnto him was departed he called two of his housholde seruantes and a deuout souldier of them that wayted on him and tolde them all the matter and sent them to Ioppa On the morowe as they went on their iourney and drewe nigh vnto the citie Peter went vp vpon the top of the house to praye about the sixt houre And when he waxed an hungred he woulde haue eaten But whyle they made ready he fell into a traunce and sawe heauen opened and a certayne vessell come downe vnto him as it had bene a great sheete knit at the fower corners and was let downe to the earth wherein were all maner of fowerfooted beasts of the earth and vermin and wormes and foules of the ayre And there came a voyce to him Ryse Peter kill and eate But Peter sayde not so Lorde For I haue neuer eaten thing that is common or vncleane And the voyce spake vnto him AS GOD in electing the people of the Iewes vsed his singuler fauour and goodnesse the which Moses and the Prophetes euerywhere sette forth so when he cast them of and tooke the Gentyles into their place he declared a singuler example of his wrath and iustice which thing it behooueth vs the more diligently to consider bicause Paule deduceth a generall doctrine therof shewing that no man shall escape vnpunished which contemneth the mercie and goodnesse of God considering that God hath vsed so great seueritie in lopping of the naturall braunches But bicause this seemed to the Iewes a thing vnmeete to be sayde or to be beleeued insomuch that the Apostles for a good space were not resolued in that poynt and the Gentyles also had no little doubt thereof in consideration of the lyfe which they had led aforetymes it was therefore requisite that there shoulde be some notable entry and beginning hereof Therefore is Cornelius the Centurion chosen euen from among the number and vocation of warriers that the mercy of God might appeare the more plaine and manifest He is aduertised by an Aungell sent from heauen to call Peter vnto him by the which argument onely it did euidently appeare that all thinges in this businesse came to passe by Gods working Yet shall the same appeare in the things following more fully and euidently and for the declaration hereof this present place maketh not a little which sheweth the faythfull obedience of Cornelius being thus admonished by the Aungell and also teacheth vs how Peter was aduertised by a vision from heauen that he should not refuse to go preach the Gospell to Cornelius Luke is verye diligent in describing of Cornelius obedience bicause it giueth vs an euident testimonie of his fayth which shall appeare the more playne and manifest if we expende howe many impediments there were to haue kept him from beleeuing and obeying the Aungels words It was a daungerous matter for him to chaunge religion whose dutie it was chiefly to see that no tumults or businesse shoulde be made in Syria through the chaunge or alteration of any thing And there was no helpe or ayde for him in man wherby he myght hope to defende himselfe agaynst the power of the Emperor of Rome Moreouer it was to be suspected that in a Tanners house there shoulde be any which coulde teach a man the waye to lyfe and saluation For who would looke for such a teacher out of such a schoole Who woulde not also suspect him that as it were laye lurking in such an obscure corner But fayth onely ouercommeth all these things which to obey Cornelius had long before submitted himselfe And this example may worthily be ioyned to those which Paule repeateth Heb. 11. We are taught that we must not for any daungers be feared or drawen from the doctrine of truth nor suspect the fayth any maner of way for any slender or base appearance outwardly but let vs followe Cornelius and without all delaye fulfill the commaundements of god For he by and by called vnto him two of his seruants and a deuout souldier and sendeth them to Ioppa to bryng Peter vnto him Where appeareth a singuler commoditie whych Cornelius had by the godly ordering of his familie For nowe hath he faythfull seruaunts to whome he may safely commit a businesse of such credit and importance An example whereof Moses sheweth vs in Abraham and his seruant But their case is farre otherwise which so neglect their familie as though their instruction appertayned nothing vnto them For where they will not bring them vp in their dutie to God they be for the most part vntrustie and vnfaythfull to them as who through their negligence was void of religion This Nero the tyrant founde true who as the Hystoriographers wryte complayned that he had neuer a faythfull friende no not at the last houre of his death For why shoulde he finde them trustye whome he wickedly had armed and set agaynst God and his Christ Hereof ought all men in authoritie to learne a generall doctrine to vse them that belong vnto them to the true religion and worshipping of god For it cannot bee that they will be faythfull to their
of God suffred themselues to be seduced with the lying Oracles of the deuill that they whome it became to haue worshipped God onely worshipped woode and stone and did abhominable sacrifice vnto Deuils And for bicause fewe acknowledged the great tyrannie of the deuill God suffred also that many were corporallye possessed of him and raged aswell agaynst themselues as agaynst others as we may learne in the hystorie of the Gospell But for all these maladies Iesus Christ is gyuen to be our Phisition who according to the promyse made in the beginning shoulde breake the Serpents heade and as the Apostle sayeth destroye the workes of the Deuill This thing he abundantly declareth he was both able and willing to doe whyle by his worde he healeth them whych were scourged with the horrible whippes of sicknesses while he draue forth of men deuils and vncleane spirites and would not suffer them which before seemed Lordes ouer all thinges once to hysse Heereto are to be referred whatsoeuer myracles of lyke sort the Euangelistes write whereby is declared vnto vs that that strong man is come which hath entred the Deuils house that is to saye the worlde hath bounde him and taken awaye all his armor harnesse as Christ teacheth vs in the Gospell Peter testifyeth that all these things were done by the power of God to aunswere the Scribes which sayde that he cast forth Deuils by the helpe of Belzebub There are examples in hystories which declare that the kingdome of the Deuill is destroyed by the power of christ For it is euident that all Oracles ceassed and kept silence when Christ died And Constantinus wryteth that when Dioclesian reygned the Deuill complayned out of Apollos caue or denne that the Christians whome he called iust did let that he could not gyue true Oracles as before he vsed Howbeit we shall a little hereafter see more euident proofes of Christes victorie agaynst the Deuill where Peter disputeth of his death and resurrection In the meane whyle it becommeth vs to remember our dutie which is that being taken from the power of darkenesse into the kingdome of the sonne of God we defende our libertie and fight continually agaynst Satan our common enimye that we be not at any time founde vnthankefull to Iesus Christ our deliuerer to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxvj. Homelie AND wee are witnesse of all thinges which hee did in the lande of the Iewes and at Ierusalem whome they slewe and hanged on tree Him God raysed vp the thirde day and shewed him openly not to all the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God for the same intent which did eate and drinke with him after he arose from death And hee commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testifie that it is hee which was ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quicke and deade To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoeuer beleeueth in hm shall receyue remission of sinnes THe Apostle Peter hath taught Cornelius the Centurion being appoynted therevnto of God in such wyse that he hath also set out before all men a generall and most absolute doctrine of saluation For he preacheth vnto him Iesus Christ the onely sauiour of mankinde in whome all the Scripture testifyeth that all the meane of our saluation is conteyned And hereof in the discourse before â—oâ—e he sayd two things First that God annoynted him that is ordeyned him to be the King and Priest of his people Wherevpon we gather that all those which appoynt to themselues any other mediatours or patrones of saluation doe sinne agaynst the eternall purpose of god Next he teacheth howe diligently and faythfully Iesus Christ vsed himselfe in his office For he sayeth he went about and of his exceeding liberalitie offred the benefite of saluation to them that sought it not And this was the ende and purpose of all his doyng to bring all those that were oppressed of the deuill into the kingdome and liberty of the sonnes of god which deliuery he declared and shewed by myracles thorowe the which he most faythfully releeued those that were vexed and troubled as well wyth incurable diseases as wyth rage of deuils by the wholesome helpe and power of his worde Now vnto these things Peter in thys place addeth that which perfyteth and maketh vp the doctrine of saluation For first he declareth the order and maner that Christ vsed in the redeeming of mankynde then he sheweth what vtilitye and profite commeth to vs thereby Therefore this place is worthye to be considered of vs verye diligently Before he declareth the order and maner of mannes redemption he confirmeth his doctrine by witnesses saying And wee are witnesses of all the thinges which he did in the lande of the Iewes and at Hierusalem And it ought to seeme no absurde or straunge thing to any man that Peter so boldlye produceth himselfe among his fellowes as witnesses of his sayinges For we haue already oftentimes hearde howe Christ appoynted them to that charge and a little hereafter it shall be declared that they were chosen of God to beare witnesse of Iesus Christ and of those things that he did concerning our saluation These things teach vs howe grieuously they offende which disdayne to beleeue the Gospell For where the narration of the thyngs that Christ did is not bare and emptye but hath the testimonie of God it easily appeareth that this contumely or reproch must needes redounde vnto God as hath bene otherwhere at large declared Howbeit as concerning the maner of our redemption which we sayde is chiefly intreated of in this place there are three thinges sayde of Christ in the which all those thinges are contayned that was needefull to be done in this behalfe Among which the first is the death of Christ the which he toucheth but briefly bicause it was well knowne He saith he was by the Iewes hanged on a tree and killed He maketh mention of a tree not so muche bicause he would expresse his cruell and horrible kinde of death as to put the hearers in remembraunce of the mistery of that sacrifice that Christ offred when he dyed for our sinnes For it appeareth that sacrifices were woont to be offered and burned vpon bundels of woode And thus doth Peter himself see me to interpretate this place where as in the second chapiter of his first epistle he writeth that Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that is purged them by the sacrifice of his body vpon the altare of the crosse Christ teacheth vs the very same where he sayth that he will giue his flesh for the lyfe of the world which it is playne he did no where but on the crosse Esaias the Prophete is a copious expositor of these things who sayth Chap. liij He was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse For the chastisement of our peace was layde vpon him and with
detest the vnworthy vnprosperous state of the people of Rome For he declared his corrupt nature many wayes First he wan the good will of the souldiers with mony wherby he came to be Emperour during which time he so vsed himselfe that he had much more care of his belly and that vnder his belly than he had of the Empyre as who would neuer rise from banquetting as long as his paunche woulde holde and till he had well whittled himselfe alwayes burning in insatiable desire and lust after women And it is not lyke that such a Prince coulde delight in other Nobles and Counsaylers than such as were like to himselfe what publike corruption of maners was in all degrees at that time maye easilye be coniectured by the writers of those dayes and by the continuall sermons of Iohn of Christ and his Apostles concerning repentaunce whereof there had bene no such neede if all had not bene naught And for an accomplishment of all vice there was the contempt and hatred of God and his worde For where God had sent his sonne into the worlde and by him had appoynted to reconcyle mankind againe vnto himselfe and had euerywhere published the healthfull worde of grace a great many were bolde not onely to contemne and hate it but also moste cruellye to persecute it insomuch that euen among the Iewes which gloryed in the name of God aboue all other Nations the worde of God coulde not be brooked Is it then any marueyle if God denyed the fruits of the earth to this drunken and corrupt world despising the wholesome foode of the heauenly worde and woulde tame and bring vnder with famine those that woulde so rage agaynst his Christ verily the Hystoriographers testifye that by reason of continuall drowthes and scarcitie of victuals reygning aswell euerywhere as at Rome Claudius Caesar was once in daunger of his lyfe hardly escaping but that the people being wearye of that dearth had lyke to haue stoned him Such examples as these teach vs what the cause of publike calamities is verily publike vyces and contempt of Gods worde And this cause God alleageth both in the lawe and in the Prophetes And they are here confuted which say these things growe of the doctrine of the Gospell For although the godly also feele and taste of these afflictions yet are they in farre other case than the vntowarde worlde is For they acknowledge the chastysement and discipline of God the father they ouercome aduersitie by fayth and pacience and bicause they can rightly vse aduersitie to the amendement of their lyfe it commeth to passe for the more part that they are most prosperously deliuered frō all aduersity by the mercifull hande of god For God is faythfull and will not suffer his people to be tempted aboue their strength And the thinges following will teach vs howe faithfullye the Lorde prouided for his Church in those dayes And that that we reade came to passe in the yeares after following is not much vnlyke herevnto For Eusebius writeth that in the reygne of Maximinus who did cruellye persecute the Christians God sent forth such dearth of victuals that the rich men welthy died openly in the streetes and that they which not long before had caused the Christians to be deuoured of wylde beastes to satiate their cruell eyes with their miserable death were openly eaten vp and deuoured of Dogges And while they miserably perished the Christians had not onely sufficient to liue by but also charitably relieued a great many readye to sterue for hunger These thinges woulde be considered of vs nowe a dayes where one Claudius alone reigneth not but drunkennesse beareth swinge in euery place and so little preuayleth godly admonition that men rather ioyne vnto their dissolutenesse of lyfe most wicked contempt and deadly hatred of Gods worde And surely there want not also in these dayes examples of Gods iudgements but we want both eyes and eares to perceyue that which might serue to our saluation See Esay ▪ 5. Eccles. 10. Amos. 6. Math. 24. But let vs see howe God prouided for his Church in this daungerous time of calamitie He raysed vp Prophetes and some of them he sent from Ierusalem to Antioche to lighten the late sproong Church of the Gentyles with the gift of prophecie Among these one Agabus stirred vp by the instinct of the holy ghost gaue the Christians warning of this famine to ensue and was the cause that they made prouision aswell for themselues as other Here we haue to consider the fatherly goodnesse of God who being prouoked through our sinnes to sende punishment yet vseth first to admonishe vs of the same both for that all men might see that nothing commeth to passe in this lyfe by chaunce and that also when wee are admonished we might conuert and be saued The which thing he hath so constantly obserued euer since the beginning of the worlde that the Prophete Amos durst saye the Lorde God doth no maner of thing but he telleth his secretes before vnto his seruants the Prophetes This appeareth in the men of the first age to whom God sent Noah the preacher of righteousnesse and graunted them an hundred yeares space to repent in before he woulde sende the floude to destroy them He sent Lot also to the Sodomytes by whose doctrine and example of lyfe they might be prouoked to amendement By Ioseph he warned the Egyptians of the dearth to come whereby he succoured the lyfe of a great manye He afterwarde prouoked them by Moyses not onely by wordes but also by horrible woonders to doe their dutie What needeth it to speake of the captiuitie of Babilon which it is manifest was foreshewed by the Prophetes many yeares or euer it came And Christ did not only foretell the last destruction of the Iewes but also Iosephus declareth that they were warned therof by many woonders And though God should neuer call sinners backe by any aduertisements yet are there generall warnings confirmed with innumerable examples of Gods iudgements which are sufficient to teach vs what all they maye trust too that rashlye transgresse the lawes of God and dare without repentance liue dissolutely See Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Ierem. 5. Let vs I beseech you acknowledge this goodnesse of the Lorde in these dayes least whyle we despyse his faythfull admonitions he punishe vs the more grieuously But before wee passe from this place this also is to bee considered that Agabus is sayde by the spirite to signifye this dearth to come For here is declared the maner and order howe the Prophetes in those dayes vsed to prophecie least any might thinke they coniectured by the Planets or else were giuen to the study of other vnlawfull sciences For the holy ghost was the author of their prophecying as the Lorde before had promised by Ioel. And Paule reckoneth prophecying among the gifts of the holy ghost Therfore the example of Agabus nothing defendeth the deceyuers of our dayes
taught that the prayers of the godly are so accepted with God that many times his goodnesse farre exceedeth them by graunting more than they dare presume to aske For although these people made continuall intercession to him for Peter yet it appeareth by this place that they had no hope in his deliuery They knewe well ynough that nothing was impossible vnto god But they perceyued not why God woulde saue Peter seeing he suffred Iames to die so vnwoorthy a death Therfore I suppose they desired God in their prayers that Peter by his grace might be strengthned in the confession of the truth and that for Christes sake he might stoutely ouercome the terrors of death And beyonde all hope they see Peter by the helpe of God restored to them againe which was an infallible argument of Gods goodnesse whereby they were taught that God woulde not suffer his Church to be torne in sunder of Tyrantes seeing he so faythfully defended the Ministers thereof There are infynite examples of like kynde which euery one may euerywhere see that readeth eyther the Scriptures or other writers And if we woulde but a little diligentlyer marke the iudgements of God we should see the like fall out in our owne affayres Let vs learne therefore constantly to hope in the Lorde and to commit our matters and our selues vnto his care and prouidence The other thing to be here obserued is that they suppose it was Peters Aungell that appeared For the godly people acknowledged what is sayde in the Scriptures touching the defence and ayde of the Aungels For no man ought to thinke that they ymagined any superstition deuoyde of syncere religion For there are Oracles of Scripture whereby we are taught that God hath appoynted the Aungels to be the Tutors and Ministers of man as may be seene Psal. 54. and 91. And we haue examples whereby it is manifest they haue appeared in visible fourme Therefore they neyther in foolish sort nor wicked vttered these words at Peters sodeyne comming Yet are we not ignorant that hereof sprang the common error that the superstitious had of the two Aungels appointed to euery man which error wee reiect for good considerations bicause the Scripture defyneth not for certaine any thing touching the number of Aungels whether it is one two or three or whole armies of Aungels that defende one man as wee reade of Iacob and Helisaeus Much lesse thinke wee them to bee hearde which saye that the soules of those that bee deade walke vp and downe and appeare For that opinion repugneth against the doctrine of Christ and the veritie of our fayth whereby we are taught that the soules of the godlye passe from death vnto life and that the soules of the wicked are caryed into hell and can not returne from thence agayne See Christ reasoning of these poynts in Iohn 5. and Luc. 16. Let it be sufficient for vs that the Aungels are the Ministers of God which vseth them at his pleasure for the safegarde of his elect and let vs acknowledge the worthynesse and dignitie of man which ought to be no small prouocation for vs vnto godlynesse Nowe is it time to turne agayne vnto Peter He beckoneth with his hande vnto the brethren being partly surprised with ioye and partly wyth amazednesse to keepe silence and rehearseth all thing in order as it was done declaring that God was the onely worker of this benefite And further he warneth them to signify these things to the residue of the brethren but chiefly vnto Iames the sonne of Alphaeus which the olde writers affirme was Bishop of Ierusalem Of which commaundement it seemeth there was two causes For he woulde haue the glory of God hereby the more thankefully spredde abrode and his brethren whome he knew were sadde for his sake to be quitte of their cares Therefore Peter by his example teacheth vs that we must not hide the benefytes of God in vnthankfull and vnkinde harts For then Gods benefytes are best declared when others prouoked by our meanes learne to hope in God and to call vpon him in their distresse as their defender and reuenger Dauid being deliuered out of the handes of the Philistynes makethmention hereof in the beginning of the Psalme xxxiiij Further it is declared that Peter went to another place For he easilye perceyued that he should doe no good to remaine in Herodes kingdome And the present benefyte of his deliuery did sufficiently declare that God would not haue him dye vnder the hande of Herode but to execute his Apostleship otherwheres Therefore he vseth the counsell of Christ saying If they persecure you in one citie flye vnto another Here hast thou therfore what aunswere to make vnto those which woulde haue the Ministers of the worde put into the Woolues handes and say that they truly followe the Apostles when without hope of doing any good they suffer the wicked not onely to condemne their doctrine and the truth of Christ but also themselues But it easily appeareth what causeth these men thus to say They woulde haue all the Ministers of the Gospell gone at once that Antichristes superstition might be brought in agayne Wherefore wee must vse the wisedome of serpents against these men according as Christ hath commaunded vs that through our temerity rashnesse we do not indammage Christs quarrell Nowe remayneth the last part of this place whereby wee are taught how Herode was affected in minde at this worke and myracle of god And first after it was knowne that Peter had escaped his bandes and imprisonment there arose a great feare trouble among the souldiours For where they were well acquainted with the fierce nature of Herode they looked for no goodnesse at his hande And they were not beguiled For where Herode had appoynted to put Peter to death and vnderstoode afterwarde that he was escaped like one beside himselfe he commaundeth the keepers to bee racked insomuch that although he heard they were in no fault yet he commaūdeth them to be had to prison or else which is the liker to their deaths This is a very notable example whereby we are taught that the wicked waxe the woorse and not better by the iudgements of god For where they are so bolde to striue agaynst God through his iust iudgement they are so blinded and hardened that in the open light they are not able to see nor to submit themselfe vnder the mightie hande of god And there is no cause why we should hope for any better of the tyrants of these dayes which haue begun to make warre agaynst God maintaine the same with such deadly hatred Here appeareth also an example of Gods prouidence whereby Herodes craft is deluded while he heareth the worke of God sette forth by them whose helpe he accustomed to vse against god And that example is not vnlike herevnto where the souldiours appointed by the Priests to watch the sepulchre of Christ were the fyrst that published his
and false Prophet Who can saye that God had any care of this man whome he suffreth to be seduced with so many and diuers errours But that faythfull shepehearde Christ seeketh his lost sheepe in the mountaynes and valleyes yea and in the sea also and will not suffer them to be taken out of his hande This place therefore teacheth vs that we must not despaire to hastilye of any man except he manifestly proue himselfe to be of the number of the reprobate Moreouer Luke declareth in this Sergius the example of a good and a godly magistrate For both he is very desirous to learne the truth and also he ouerhastilye condemneth not the Ministers of a doctrine not heard before but calling them before him giueth them libertie freely to declare their doctrine The Princes of our dayes shoulde doe well to imitate this man whereof manye of them condemne the doctrine of truth before they knowe it and vse cruelly to punishe them whose fayth and religion they are vtterly ignoraunt of But let them remember they shall not be excused through ignorance considering it is their parts to do nothing of ignorance but diligently to search out and examine all causes These things being thus premised let vs nowe marke howe the contention beginneth where it plainly appeareth that the Apostles were the beginners hereof For where Sergius the Proconsull had sent for them to learne of them the worde of God it is like that they made no tariance but with all speede hasted to set forth the kingdome of god And here streyghtway commeth forth this Magitian and withstandeth them as they preach the worde For he quickly sawe that there was like to be no longer abiding for him with the Proconsull if he were once lightned with the knowledge of truth And although Luke declareth not after what sort he resisted the Apostles yet bicause he was a false Prophete and sorcerer it maye be easily gathered that he left no wayes vnassayde which might seeme to oppresse the truth And this Contender is diligentlye to be considered that by him we may learne to knowe all false Prophetes And fyrst marke his prowde name whereby he challengeth to himselfe a certaine Godheade For being called after his right name Elymas he woulde in the Syrian tongue be called Bariesu that is to saye the sonne of the Sauiour whereby we coniecture that he presumed to promise saluation to them that woulde follow his teaching He is therefore of the number of those that Christ prophecied shoulde come and challenge to them the maiestie of his name But it is the propertie of false Prophetes that if themselues vsurpe not the name of God yet they will haue their doctrine called after his name that vnder this pretence they might the easlyer beguile the simple Thus Zedechias speaking before Achab of the victorie that he shoulde get against the Syrians vseth that common beginning of the Prophetes Thus sayth the Lorde The same may we see in diuers others Yea there was yet neuer false Prophete but he went about to get him authoritie by colour of Gods name Moreouer this he doth according to the vsage of all false Prophetes he getteth him the friendship and familiaritie of the Proconsull and cleaueth fast vnto him as a most neare companion For deceyuers vse to get them the friendship of great estates both for that when they haue gotte them on their sides other by their example are the easlyer allured and also to purchase themselfe safetie by their authoritie For where they knowe they are destitute of the ayde of truth they must needes seeke for the arme and power of man whereby to defende themselfe So Baalam in time past notwithstanding he was admonished to the contrary by Oracle went about to get the friendship of Balac king of the Moaâ—ites And it is manifest that the Romaine Antichristes haue clymed to such power as they haue being ayded with the amitie and armor of Princes yea the deceyuers and hooded Iuglers are so neare and at hande about Princes that they can scarce let a fart but they must know it And this is the cause that such teachers frame their doctrine according to the delicate eares of their hearers least they shoulde offende them vpon whome they wholy depende This was Elymas onely scope and ende to turne the Proconsull from the fayth that he shoulde not beleeue that that Paule sayde And as all the Ministers of true doctrine consent herein to winne menne vnto God by fayth in Christ so all deceyuers agree herein to ouerthrowe the faith in Christ which being ouerthrowne the kingdome of God can take no place among menne For Satan knoweth that his force is most weakened by true fayth wherof there are examples euerywhere in the Euangelistes But let vs see howe Paule confuted this wicked enchaunter First Luke sayth he was full of the holy ghost wherby he meaneth that he was moued by the spirite somewhat aboue his ordinarie wont which thing he therfore declareth aforehande that we might thinke he did nothing of fleshly affection when we shall heare his heauy and intollerable weyght of wordes In the meane season we are admonished to fyght against the enimies of truth not with the blinde affection of fleshe but by the conduct and counsayle of the holy ghost whome vndoubtedly they shall fynde to bee their enimye be they neuer so well garded with worldly power Then he goeth on in his businesse fyxing his eies fast vpon Elymas which is an argument of a well meaning and vnfearefull minde And verily it becommeth vs boldly and constantly to resist Antichristians that they maye thinke men feare them not For why shoulde we feare them seeing he is greater that is on our side Why also shoulde they be the more encouraged through our cowardlynesse who already are turmoyled with the terrours of their naughtie conscience Thirdly he painteth him out egregiously in his colours and ioyneth a speciall weight and poyse vnto euery worde First ô full of all deceytfulnesse sayth he He accuseth him therefore of subtiltie and craft as one that sought praise and authoritie by sorcery and enchauntment Secondly he vpbraydeth him with naughtynesse of minde being readye to commit whatsoeuer wickednesse it were For what is more naughtye and wicked than vnder colour of Gods holy name to beguile men which is the chiefe commendation of false Prophetes and sorcerers For by this meanes they sette God at sixe and seauen as they saye who threatneth that he will not let the prophanation of his name go vnreuenged Thirdly he calleth him the chylde of the deuill to declare his impudencie who presumed to call himselfe the sonne of the Sauiour For that he was a childe of the Deuils both his insolent pride of minde and earnest studie of naughtinesse did abundantly declare Fourthly he calleth him the enimy of all righteousnesse and that well worthy forasmuch as he was Christes aduersarie without whome can be founde no righteousnesse that
and accustomed lecture of the lawe and Prophetes was ended the Rulers of the Sinagoge supposing them to be no common persons gaue them leaue to speake vnto the people For they send a message to them saying ye men and brethren if you haue any Sermon to exhort the people saye on And so Paule begonne a singular sermon of Iesus Christ and the whole mysterie of our saluation the beginning whereof God willing we shall heare to morowe At this time we haue certaine other thinges to consider of which we will speake in order First and foremost the Apostles spredde not the doctrine of saluation abrode in Tauernes among drunken blowbolles nor yet in corners and woodes among the rude and ignorant people but they come into a publike place and openly teach the Gospell This it appeareth they did after the example of Christ who vsed himselfe to go into the Sinagoges and to teach openly And when he was examined by Caiphas of his doctrine and Disciples as though he had bene an heretike he defendeth himselfe by this argument only that he taught openly in the Sinagoge and in the Church and was not afrayde to abide the iudgement of the whole people touching his doctrine Which examples serue to repoorue them which sowe newe opinions secretly among the people and flie and abhorre nothing so much as the light and iudgement of the congregation This one thing abundantlye prooueth that they are deceyuers seeing that truth desireth nothing so much as the light Where yet we do not condemne them which being compassed about with persecutions exercise the duties of godly religion in secret which thing we reade was done at Ierusalem by the faythfull in the house of Mary and otherwheres so that they be ready to giue an account of their fayth to as many as require the same and not like the Anabaptistes by stubborne silence and craftie dissimulation delude them that go about to trie their fayth and doctrine Then againe it is no superfluous notation of time where it is sayde they went into the sinagoge on the Sabboth dayes For hereby he teacheth vs that they diligently kept the religion of the Sabboth which day it is euident was dedicated vnto God at the beginning of the world was diligently commended by Moses vnto the Israelites For where we be busied with diuers occupations it was necessary that there should be one time appointed free from all cares and businesse wherein we shoulde giue our selues wholy both in body and soule to the honouring of god Therefore God appointed the seauenth daye to this exercise which he for this cause called his daye that when that daye commeth we should abstaine from all other businesses and exercises And he ordeyned it to be kept so holilye that he appointed death for the breakers thereof And in the Prophets this is reckoned for one of the most grieuous offences and causes of the captiuitie of Babilon that they did vnhallowe the Sabbothes of the Lorde For the which cause the sonne of God although he many times reprehended the superstitious keeping of them yet he diligently obserued those thinges wherein the worship of God consisted For on those days he entred into the Sinagoges and was present at their publike assemblies and prayers Moreouer hee taught and hearde others teach and also vsed diligently the deedes of liberalitie Which thing the Apostles remembring they thought good also to followe the example of their maister But now a dayes the matter is come to that passe that among Christians they may go for the best menne that breake the Sabbothes but with handy works toward the getting of their liuing whereas a great many prophane them with heynous wickednesse nor at any time doe men more sinne in pryde and arrogancie in drunkennesse concupiscence and ryot than on that day which ought to be bestowed wholy in the study of godly workes and eternall rest and quiet And notwithstanding these thinges are openly committed yet wee still seeke what should bee the causes of the miseries and wretchednesse of our dayes Howbeit where the religion of the Sabboth as touching the outward obseruation consisteth chiefly in the holy assemblyes which Moses calleth holye conuocations Luke declareth diligently what was done in this assembly First the Apostles sate downe no doubt among the residue that were there gathered togither This is the dutie of modestie and honestie wherof regard must alwaies be had euerywhere but chiefly in the Church that nothing be done out of order and dishonestly Then he maketh mention howe the lawe and the Prophetes were reade which was obserued among the Iewes of a common custome as we shall vnderstand a little after by Paules sermon and by the wordes of Iames in the .xv. Chapter For so Moses ordeyned by the commaundement of God which custome after their returne from Babylon Esdras restored againe as appeareth in Nehemias cap. 8. And Christ vsed none other custome when out of the place of Esay he taught the mysteries of our saluation in the Sinagoge at Nazareth These thinges teach vs that in the congregation the worde of God comprehended in the Scriptures ought to be intreated For this cause Paule commendeth vnto the Ministers of Churches the studie of holy scripture bicause none other voyce than such as speaketh in the scripture must be hearde in Gods house Therfore their errour is enormious and absurde in that Church which declare vnto the simple people most foolish trifles out of the Legendes of Saints or else vrge and exact mans traditions wherwith Christ himselfe out of the Prophete teacheth that all Gods religion is corrupted Which thing as it is in these dayes to much frequented â—o if at any time any place be left for the word of God it is vsed to be sayde or song commonlye in a straunge tongue so that no profyte can come to the people thereby But touching this matter see Paules iudgement 1. Cor. 14. Thirdlye this also is to be commended that none of them taketh vppon him to speake before he be lawfully requested For although of auncient custome the interpreters and Prophetes sate next to the Teachers yet none impudently intruded himselfe so that vndesired or without necessitie he woulde speake vnto the people Wherefore Paule and Barnabas also although they were sent by the holy ghost yet they thinke it not good to breake so profytable and auncient a custome of the Church Therefore the Anabaptistes disorder is not to be suffered which abuse the place of Paule 1. Cor. 14 â–ª saying that all men ought to haue leaue to speake in the Church For Paule in that place speaketh of those that had the gift of interpretation and prophecie and sate with the teachers as was euen nowe sayde But such as were no interpreters he commaundeth to keepe silence And he commaundeth all things to be done decently and in order Neyther lette any man obiect here vnto me what I thinke the Apostles woulde haue done if no
people through false accusations and by sedition to oppresse the truth But in the meane season they goe about with marueylous conueyance to put the godly in the fault wherof we haue examples in Achab the king and in the Iewes accusing Christ before Pylate It behooueth vs to marke these things that we nowe a dayes to quickly beleeue not those which say that common weales and publike peace is disturbed by preaching of the Gospell Secondly it is declared what maner of men the Apostles shewed themselues to be in this tumult They go on and yeelde not at the fyrst to the wicked but abiding a long space at Iconium doe the businesse of the Lorde with great trust and boldenesse And God assisteth them with his fauour and by myracles and signes giueth testimonie vnto the worde of grace that is to saye to the Gospell whereby the grace of God in Christ is preached vnto vs The example of the Apostles teacheth vs that they which will be Ministers of Christ must not yeeld ouer soone to the attemptes of the wicked although they see great trouble like to follow therof For we must admit nothing against the glory of God the rather to agree with the world which Christ calleth naughty adulterous and vntowarde and therefore teacheth it to be vnmeete that the true seruants of God shoulde haue so much regard thereof In the meane season this place sheweth vs what the vse of myracles is They be done by the handes of the Ministers God being the author of them not for that men shoulde attribute vnto the Ministers more than vnto men but that they shoulde be as seales for them that beleeue not and which haue not bene vsed to the worde of God. Christ our Lorde confesseth the same of his myracles And he teacheth vs that those which the Apostles shoulde doe shoulde serue for none other vse Here therefore are confuted two errours reigning euerywhere in our dayes The fyrst is the errour of them which requyre myracles of vs whereof there is no great neede among Christian people whose faith must stande vpon the worde of God and which confesse that the Apostles doctrine hath long since bene sufficientlye prooued by myracles The other is of the Papistes which alleage a number of most pieuish myracles against the manifest truth for their inuocation of Saints transubstantiation Purgatorie other such kinde of trifles Howbeit it behooued they shoulde fyrst haue prooued their opinions by the worde of God which thing seeing they cannot doe they ought to be taken for false and lying signes that are brought forth for the proofe of them such as Christ long agone prophecied Antichrist shoulde worke in the later dayes Thirdly it is declared howe farre this persecution went The whole multitude of the Citie was deuided sayth he and part helde with the Iewes and part with the Apostles This was not therefore a little trouble among a fewe of persons but all the whole Citie was deuided and take part one against another which thing is the greatest plague that can happen in a Citie Howbeit this is it that Christ sayde shoulde come to passe I came not to sende peace but a sworde For I came to set a man against his father and the daughter against hir mother and the daughter in lawe against hir mother in lawe and a mannes foes shall be they that are of his owne housholde Here yet must we remember what was sayde before of the vnbeleeuers which were the procurers of this persecution For Christ is not properly and truely anye authour of diuision forasmuch as in all places he commendeth peace vnto vs and commaundeth vs to loue our enimies But such is the malice of the wicked that the more they are vrged with the wholesome doctrine of Christ the more they raue and at length professe open enmitie which thing cannot be ended without sedition For as the vngodly will holde fast their vngodlynesse with tooth nayle so the godly must not forsake their standing wherin they are placed of God least they seeme to make more of the friendshippe of the worlde than of the glorye of Christ and the saluation of mennes soules For the which cause the Apostles shewe not themselues to be Neutrales in this contention although they were straungers whome Cicero forbiddeth to be curious in other mens common weales For where some are sayde to take part with them it easily appeareth that they also tooke a part Therefore they are little like vnto the Apostles which assoone as controuersies fall out in matters of religion thinke it an high poynt of wisedome to stande as neutrales and indifferentes Solon sayth he was no good Citizen which in a sedition woulde be of no syde And shall we call them Christians who when Christes glory is assaulted will sit like ydle gazers without all daunger and looke on Surely these men are those warmelinges neyther colde nor hote which Christ threateneth he will spewe out Fourthly the same ende commeth of this persecution which was before of that at Antioch For the enimies of Christ with the rulers and Magistrates rose vppe in such rage that the Apostles were in daunger to haue bene stoned Wherefore they following the counsayle and example of Christ fled from thence reseruing themselues for a more seasonable time And yet are they not to be blamed bicause they fled in a sedition raysed by their occasion For what shoulde they else doe seeing the matter tended to open violence Let vs diligently marke what they did after they were escaped For they gaue not themselues to fylthie ydlenesse but comming to Lystra and Derba spred the doctrine of the Gospell ouer all Lycaonia As therefore it is lawfull to flie when neyther the glory of Christ nor the saluation of the Church is in hazarde least by putting our selues in daunger rashlye we seeme to to tempt Christ so must we take heede that we followe not the counsayle of rascall feare and forsake the office that God hath called vs to Let vs therefore haue alwayes before our eyes the glory of God as the marke of all our deuises For so shall it come to passe that hauing passed all daungers we shall keepe both our fayth and soules in Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whome be all prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxvij Homelie AND there sate a certaine man at Lystra weake in his feete being a creple from his mothers wombe and neuer had walked The same hearde Paule preach which beholding him and perceyuing that he had faith to be whole sayde with a lowde voyce I saye to thee in the name of Iesus Christ stande vpright on thy feete And he start vp and walked And when the people saw what Paule had done they lift vp their voyces saying in the speach of Lycaonia Goddes are come downe to vs in the lykenesse of men And they called Barnabas Iupiter and Paule Mercurius bicause hee was the Preacher
poynt whereof is to acknowledge and worshippe him onely as our god And bicause they knewe he was a gelous God and a seuere reuenger of his honor they also must needes be zelously incensed when they see Gods glorye openly taken from him and giuen vnto other The lyke example we sawe before in Iohn and Peter the Apostles cap. 3. and .10 And it appeareth the Aungels are of the same minde iudgement as the faithfull messengers of god See the Apoc. 19 â–ª and .22 We learne by this place what we ought to thinke of them that dare arrogate and chalenge to themselues any godly honor such as we reade sometime Herodes Agrippa did Caligula Domitian Dioclesian â–ª and such like filthy men monsters of nature And now adayes we see the Bishops of Rome chalenge vnto them the title of holinesse the forgiuenesse of sinnes and absolute power to doe all things without checke insomuch that no man must reprehende them though they carie headlong with them into hell infynite heapes of mennes soules These kinde of men caâ— by no argument reprooue â–ª themselues more euidentlye to be destitute of Châ—â—stes spirite seeing the Apostles of Christ so abhorred such glory with the desire whereof these men are so rauished that for this glories sake they feare not onely to seduce the whole worlde with false doctrine but also to fâ—ll all places full with fyghting and warres Moreouer it appeareth by this example that they worshippe not the Saintes which vse to inuocate them and outwardly to worshippe them which thing God challengeth to himselfe alone â–ª For what else doe these men as much as in them lyeth but make them the vessels of Gods wrath ignominie which while they liued on earth bent all their endeuour and studie to haue God glorifyed For it is not to be thought that now they are in heauen they haue chaunged their opinion or that God hath chaunged his minde and will which in times past sayde by his Prophete I am the Lorde this is my name and my glory will I giue to none other Yet a more euident demonstration of all these things shall appeare in the Apostles Oration immediatly following euerye part whereof we shall pervse in order The proposition and summe of their oration is that neyther the Apostles nor anye other Creatures ought to be inuocated or worshipped but onely the true and liuing god Which thing where they might plainely haue pronounced it without any circumstance of wordes yet they thought good to expresse and set out their meaninges by an interrogation saying Sirs why doe you thus These thinges agree very well with the gestures which euen nowe were declared For in fewe wordes they plainly testifye that that worship wherein a number now a dayes thinketh the chiefe praise of godlynesse and religion consisteth is impious valawfull and abhominable And let no man obiect vnto me that the Apostles were offended with that Gentillike worship and names of counterfeyt Gods but woulde haue taken it in good part perhaps if they had honoured them in such sort as now a dayes they are honoured in the Popes kingdome For they simplye abhorre all kinde of worship saying that such honor belongeth to God onelye and alone This appeareth most euidently in the second part of the Oration which conteyneth the confyrmation of the Proposition fortifyed with two strong arguments The fyrst is taken of their owne person or nature where they say we are mortall men like vnto you as though they shoulde saye It is an absurde and foolishe part to honor and worship them as Goddes which are of the same nature that we our selues be and subiect to such infyrmities as we be For both we be sinners and by reason of sinne are subiect vnto all such troubles and miseries as fall out in this life The selfe same argument we hearde that Peter vsed before to Cornelius falling prostrate before hys feete which sayde vnto him Arise for I my selfe also am a man. And if this argument be well weyghed it shall appeare that all worshipping of Creatures is hereby ouerthrowne For if men be therefore vnworthy of diuine honor bicause they be men what shall we say of other creatures which are all inferior vnto man as which were created for mannes sake and vse to doe him seruice From which order the Aungels also must not be excluded forsomuch as they are spirites of administration sent out for the ministery of them which shall be heyres of saluation And we will not here admitte their cauillation which say that by this argument worshipping of Saints is not refelled bicause they are deliuered from all kinde of miseries and infyrmities and are made partakers of the heauenly glorye For to graunt them that by this argument nothing can be gathered against them yet are there infynite other places of Scripture that teach vs they ought no more to be inuocated nowe than when they liued here on earth For the holye men in the Prophete testifye that euen nowe they are ignorant in what state and condicion we be And this agreeth verye well with beatitude or blisse which they enioy not if they be faine eyther to behold or reuenge our miseries Furthermore there is a grounded and inuiolable principle of religion where we are taught that we must worship and honor one God onlye And if men neyther while they are liuing neyther when they are dead must haue any godly honor who can sufficiently laugh at their folly or rather bewayle it which turne and transforme these Saintes into the works of their owne handes that is to say into dumbe Images The other argument the Apostles fet from their office saying they came vnto them and preached the gospell to thintent that they should turne from these vanities begin to worship the liuing God which was the creator of heauen and earth the sea and all things contained in them And thus they plainely protest that they may not suffer any godly honour to be done vnto themselues without manifest impietie and offence vnto god For who will not take him for a trayterous ambassadour and worthy of all punishment which vnder the name and pretence of his king would aduaunce his owne cause and studie to establishe his owne tyrannie among them whome he ought to bring to his Princes obedience who would not thinke him a wicked caytife which woulde vnder the pretence of olde acquaintaunce and friendship bring another mans wife home to his owne house But it is euident that the Apostles and other Ministers of the worde are Christes Legates and Ambassadors and the Bridegroomes friendes and that it is their dutie to bring men to the obedience of faith and to marrye them to Christ whome he hath redeemed with the price of his bloude and made his vnspotted spouse Thus Iohn the Baptist reasoneth of his office with his Disciples and Paule in other places And therfore in this place he refuseth these honors offred him
greater number haue bene deceyued with false opinions of God haue not truely serued hym Only Noe with his familie which were but eyght persons followed an opinion of God religion contrary to al the world hath God to confyrme warrant of the same And the Patriarches a very fewe in number as bright starres shining in the dark fyrmament were scattred abroade among the vnbeleeuing Gentyles what shal we say of the people of Israel the peculyars of the Lord Read we not that they and their Byshops most fowly and wickedly erred when contrarie to the commaundement of God they enterprised to cast a Calfe as the Prophet saith turned the maiesty of their God into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth hay And to speake of Gods newe people doth not Christ call it a small flock and sayth he not they are fewe which go in at the narrowe gate vnto saluation yea Paule sayth that grieuous Wolues shall rise vp euen of those of the congregation which shall not spare the flock and he sayth also that Antichrist shall sit aloft in the temple of god Let them cease therefore to obiect vnto vs the consent of multitude and authoritie of the Church which resist the open veritie We require the worde of God and voyce of Christ which ought to be the onely touch and rule to iudge all controuersies in doctrine Furthermore least anye man should put God in faulte of the Gentyles ydolatrie and superstition the Apostles vse a preoccupation or preuention in the which they cleere God of all maner of fault For hee saye they hath alwayes borne wytnesse of himselfe his nature and pleasure and hath shewed his inuisible nature and essence vnto the worlde by hys visible workes And omytting those great and woonderfull works of God which passe mans capacitie and reache he rehearseth his daylie workes whereby he doth good vnto men that euen for this cause they were able to drawe any man to the diligent consideration of so soueraigne a god For who is so blynde or dull that he perceyueth not the seasonable tymes and the increase of victuals springing thereof who will say these things come to passe by chaunce that are knyt togyther so fast by order of nature that if any thing commeth beside the woonted course of nature it is thought a woonder And I pray you what an vnthankfulnesse is it not to acknowledge that God which alone prouydeth vs not of necessaries onely but also giueth vs aboundance of those things that are delectable and pleasaunt Or what excuse of ignoraunce can they alleage for themselues which as often as they take their meate are admonished of Gods liberallitie towards vs In this place there is a profytable doctrine and for the beating downe of the superstitious curiositie of some persons verie necessarie that is to say who is the author of the influences of heauen and the increase and yeelde of the earth The Apostles say of God the Creator that he gyueth vs rayne from heauen and fruitefull seasons replenishing vs with foode and gladnesse Herevnto agreeth the scripture in euery place Dauyd diligently accounteth the same among the other workes of God saying He couereth the heauen with clowdes and prepareth rayne for the earth and maketh the grasse to growe vpon the mountaynes He giueth fodder vnto the cattell and feedeth the yong Rauens that call vpon him He gyueth snowe lyke wooll and scattereth the hoare frost lyke ashes he casteth forth his yse like morsels He sendeth out hys word melteth them he bloweth with his winde and the waters flowe Againe He watreth the hylles from aboue the earth is filled with the fruit of his workes He bringeth forth grasse for the cattle and herbe for the vse of men that he may bring foode out of the earth c. I omyt infynite other testimonies which might be brought But God moderateth all these thinges according to hys iust will and pleasure whyle he sendeth plenteous encrease to them that walke in hys lawe and scarcitie and barrennesse to the disobedyent whereof we haue euydent examples Here the Astrologers are confuted who attrybuting these thinges to the position and placeing of the Planets reuoke and bring in agayne the prophane names of Gods and almost all kinde of gentilitie The superstitious are here also reprooued which make the saints authors hereof which aske rayne seasonable weather of them hauing Masses and seruice appoynted for that ende and purpose Let both these sortes see what God sayth in Hoseas chap. 2. And let vs followe the Apostles doctrine â–ª and acknowledge one onely God to be the author and gouernour of all these things which is â—eyther bound to the course of Planets nor is not subiect to nature but according to hys good pleasure and iust iudgement moderateth and ordereth all things Nowe Luke declareth the effect of the Apostles sermon and sayth that they of Lystra coulde scarce be restrayned with all this weyght of wordes and sentences but that they woulde doe sacrifyce vnto them So frowarde and obstinate man is in retayning of superstition yet is the obstinacie of our time greater These men coulde with one Sermon be prohibited where nowe adayes there are numbers which with many yeares traueyle and daylie sermons can not be brought into the right way Let vs therfore pray vnto God the father that he will illuminate both them and vs with his holye spirite and bring vs to the true and wholesome knowledge of him and his sonne Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxix Homelie THYTHER came certaine Iewes from Antioch and Iconium which when they had obtayned the peoples consent and had stoned Paule drewe him out of the Citie supposing he had bene deade Howbeit as the Disciples stoode rounde about him he arose vp and came into the Citie And the next daye he departed with Barnabas to Derba And when they had preached to that Citie and had taught many they returned againe to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch and strengthned the Disciples soules againe and exhorted them to continue in the fayth affirming that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God. AS our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ laboureth incessantly to maintaine and defende the saluation of mankinde so Satan is altogither occupyed in ouerthrowing the kingdome of God and in pulling men from the waye of saluation Hereof in this hystorie haue we a most euident example For as the Apostles were preaching at Lystra fyrst Satan moued certaine superstitious persons to giue diuine honour vnto them and no doubt but this was the drift of that malicious enimie of mannes saluation to haue tripped the Apostles by tempting them with ambition wheras he had attempted Christ before with the same But his enterprise commeth not to passe For Paule and Barnabas perceyuing this craft of the Deuill and being enflamed with more zeale than before defended most
this example in the later Epistle to Timothy cap. 3. by these wordes Thou hast seene the experience of my doctrine fashion of liuing purpose fayth long suffring loue pacience persecutions and afflictions which came on mee at Antioch at Iconium and Lystra which persecutions I suffred paciently and from them all the Lorde deliuered me yea and all they that will liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Wherefore fyrst let vs laye this foundation in our minde that nothing can come vnto vs without the ordinance and pleasure of God who hath numbred euen the heares of our head Next let vs thinke he ordreth all things after his righteous and holy iudgement Thirdly let vs be fully perswaded that he will neuer cease to take care for vs but beareth a fatherly minde and affection to vs and that euen then he moste careth for vs when we seeme most in daunger of our enimies Therefore he will deliuer vs out of all daunger if he thinke it so meetest for our behoofe And if it seeme not so good vnto him which farre better knoweth our case and what is meete for vs than we our selues what be we I pray you to replye against him But hereof we shall haue occasion to say more about the ende of the sermon Nowe what did the Disciples whose minds were lightened with sounder knowledge of Christ in all thys businesse Did they denie their fayth and take part with the Gentyles or were they ashamed of Paule so being stoned and in shamefull wise haled through the Citie No truely But they gathered about him by likelyhoode of good will. For where they were not able to defende him against the open violence of the furious people they doe yet as much as in them lyeth And whome they thought to be deade him they stande about bewayling him and desirous to accomplishe the last dutie of buriall vnto the most valyaunt minister of Christ as we heard the faithfull at Ierusalem did before when Steuen was martyred And yet was this a daungerous enterprise if a man well consider the Iewes cankred hatred towardes Christ and the rage of the people not yet calmed by reason of the late disdayne conceyued But our Sauiour Christ fayleth not to further such godlye duetie For whome they lamented as deade hym dyd God in such woonderfull wise restore agayne that he by and by rose vp and went into the Citie We are taught by this example what duetie we owe vnto the faythfull ministers of Christ being in daunger for doing of their duetie First they that are able must faythfully helpe them being in distresse wherein many dueties are to be considered and fall out amongst which there is none so small that hath not his rewarde before God considering that he shall not lose his recompence that gyueth but a Cup of colde water vnto a Disciple of Christ. And if any denie them the succour they are able to giue them let them thinke that sayde vnto them that Mardocheus sometyme sayde vnto Queene Hester If thou holde thy peace at thys time then shall the Iewes haue helpe and delyueraunce some ootherwayes and thou and thy fathers house shall perishe Cap. 4. The seconde degree of duetie is that they that are not able to helpe them consent not vnto the counsell of the wicked enimies of Christ and by al meanes possible declare that they neuer consented vnto them The storie of the Gospell sheweth vs as example hereof in Ioseph of Arimathaea The thirde and last is that we comfort those whome other tyrannouslye afflict by all the meanes we are able and if we lacke abilitie yet to testifye by our teares howe we lament their state And let vs not be ashamed of them in whom we knowe Christ lyeth bounde is banished afflicted and put to sorrowe This did Iosephus most faythfully perfourme whyle he caused Christ to be honorably buried whome his aduersaries shamefully hong on crosse If we would nowe a dayes thus dutyfully vse our selues towardes the members of Christ we should see God would helpe and ayde vs beyonde our expectation For God will not suffer the indeauours of his beloued to be lost nor the kingdome of Christ his sonne to be shrowne downe by the enterprises of the wicked But let vs returne to the Apostles and see what they did after they had escaped these broyles of whom thus much is reported as followeth The next daye following Paule accompanyed with Barnabas went from Lystra and came vnto Derba where he preacheth the Gospell of Ieâ—us Christ bringeth many disciples vnto Christ. This is a notable and rare example of christian constancie and faythfull endeuour that by daunger being made the more bolde and feruent they returne againe vnto their office and duetie Hereby is reprooued the sluggishnesse of those slydebackes which after they haue bene once in daunger as though they had then done all their duetie can neuer be brought againe to suffer anye more for Christes sake Howbeit in deede they should rather haue considered that by reason God of late had so deliuered and helped them they should haue bene the more incouraged and bolde For hath God therefore set vs at libertie to the intent we should afterwarde stande ydle and looke on whyle others are in perill Nay but for this cause rather he maketh good his promise to the ende we should stande the more boldely in the defence of his name Paule remembring thys coulde not fynde in his heart to rest scarce one day togither and yet it might seeme he had deserued to haue his Quietus est This also is to be obserued that wheresoeuer Luke reasoneth of the Apostles doctrine he maketh mention of nothing but the gospell the Ministerie and preaching whereof Christ had committed vnto them This is a great argument of the fayth and credite which they vsed in the office commytted to their charge and also teacheth vs what ought to be preached in the Church For if the Apostles durst not take so much vpon them as to giue back starte from the commaundement of Christ and to infeoffe the Church with newe traditions Doubtlesse their boldnesse can not be excused which now a dayes impudently presume so to do vnder the name and pretence of the Apostles Moreouer the Apostles returne to the three Cities from whence they were expulsed that is to Antioche Iconium and Lystra to confirme and establishe those that they had woonne vnto Christ in the fayth For as in ordering of an house it is as much prayse to saue that is gotten as to get more vnto the same so in the Church of God we must haue a care not onely to gette more vnto it but also to take heede that none fall from their duetie and fayth through our negligence And as seede must not onely be throwne into the grounde but also be tended and cherished that thornes and bryers ouergrowe it not so that it perishe so the seede of Gods worde being once
sowne amongst men must still be cherished and watered For the parable of Christ is well knowne concerning our enimie which whyle we be a sleepe vseth to sowe Darnell and Coâ—cle Therfore they are much to blame which aâ—ter they haue preached the worde thinke they haue discharged their duetie whereas afterwarde their dyligence and industrie is more needefull than before that they which before began to heare and follow the voyce of Christ be not seduced and pulled back through Satans craft Also it is a notable example of christian loue and zeale that Paule and Barnabas returned to them againe who iniuriously and shamefully had intreated them dryuing them out of their Cities Let no man therefore be offended at the vnthankfulnesse of men nor thinke it is therefore lawfull for him to leaue of his duetie bicause his hearers for whose saluation he is so carefull lyke not of hym as he deserueth For why shoulde a man imitate him whome he thinketh worthy to be blamed Thou thinkest them worthy to be reprehended which doe not their duetie Why then sufferest thou thy selfe to doe woorse than they in not doing thy duetie Remember rather that thou art the seruaunt of God and therefore lookest for thy rewarde at his hande and not of this blockishe and ingratefull world whose propertie it is to requite those that doe them good with all euill The things that came to passe vnto Moses Dauid the prophets to Christ his Apostles aboundantly declare the same Yea the hystories of the Gentiles are full of these examples For here vnto are to be referred Aristides Themistocles Miltiades Cimon Camillus the Scipions the Catones Cicero and infynite others who where they were the deliuerers of their Countries from calamities whereby the vnkinde Citizens eyther shamefully banished their Countries or else vnworthily put to death and kylled But let vs diligentlye consyder what Paule and Barnabas did in the Cities wherevnto they returned Fyrst it is sayde they confirmed the myndes of the Discipels And yet is it the worke of God onely to rule the mindes of men to confyrme them and to mooue them after his owne pleasure Yet the Apostles confyrme them whose ministerie God did vouchsafe to vse to that purpose who where he worketh onely all things in all men yet for the most part he vseth his meanes and a certaine orderly proceeding Therfore euen as by preaching of the worde he illuminateth mens mindes with faith so by the same meanes he confyrmeth mens mindes in the faith And so must we thinke and consyder hereof least we attribute to the ministerie of menne that which is onely the worke of God or else make to light of the ministerie ordeyned of god For grieuous and detestable is the error of them which whyle they will seeme to defend the glorie of God contempne the order appointed of God despise the doctrine of hys worde shunne to â—oyne with the congregation neglect prayers and vnder the pretence of Gods holye name liue carelesly and wickedly Howbeit Luke declareth howe the Apostles confyrmed the mindes of the Disciples saying as followeth exhorting them to contynue in the faith Mens mindes therefore vse to be confyrmed with exhortations taken out of the worde of god Let vs also marke howe it is not sufficient for men once to beleeue in Christ but that they must also abyde and continue in the true fayth For except they so doe the later ende will be woorse than the beginning and they are not thought worthy of the kingdome of God which haue once layde their hande to the Plough and looke backe agayne Hereof came it to passe that Christ after his ascention rebuked the Church of Ephesus bicause she had lost hir former loue and feruent zeale of fayth but commended the Church at Thyatira bicause they increased euery daye more and more in faith and godlynesse Therefore it behooueth all congregations diligently to meditate all these thinges that they corrupt not the lawdable beginnings of fayth with fylthie falling awaye and negligence Also let all degrees and states of men learne hereby to take heede of their office this is a generall rule in all thinges that it is in vaine to beginne well except we continue on vnto the ende In the meane whyle this place teacheth vs that the doctrine of faith is certaine and inuiolable For it were no commendable thing to perseuere and continue in the fayth if there were any thing in the doctrine thereof to be amended or chaunged which thinge is to be obiected against them who whyle they dare not openly condempne the doctrine of the Apostles yet saye they there are diuers things added to it since as necessarie to be obserued as the things that they taught But if a man will compare those things with the doctrine of the Apostles he shall finde that the truth of the Apostles doctrine can not stande if such thinges be admytted Let vs learne therefore so to persist in the faith and doctrine of the Apostles that we admit nothing contrarie therevnto yea that we beleeue not an Aungell if he woulde nowe preache any newe or other gospell Moreouer they put away the offence of the Crosse which was a thing very needefull bicause mannes reason most times iudgeth of fayth according as things in time fall out And it is not vnlike but many mens mindes were marueylously tempted seeing the Apostles doctrine was euerywhere reiected and they still in daunger and trouble for the same But the Apostles in a briefe saying giue a most effectuall comfort to the weake in faith saying that by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen This saying hath in it two reasons very fytte to comfort vs The fyrst is that they say it must so be and can not be otherwise And common sense teaceth vs that we must take paciently and in good worth that that cannot be otherwise Thus they declare in what state of lyfe the godly haue to liue in this worlde which Christ also testifyeth is full of all maner of afflictions whereas he commaundeth vs euerye day to take vppe our Crosse and so to followe him And surely if a man will marke the course of this life hee shall see nothing free from euill and miserie For this lyfe floweth with all maner of molestations which spring of sinne such as are sickenesse labor care watching pouertie alteration of the world and infynite like by reason whereof our life is compared to a moste troublesome and perillous pilgrimage and continuall traueyle But beside these there are other afflictions which the worlde that cannot abyde the light hath in store for the godlye For hereof proceedeth it that the worlde hateth them that they are rayled on and put to shame that euery man doth them iniurye that they laye violent handes on them that they are imprisoned manacled and fettered that they are banished lose their goodes and suffer moste vyle and horrible deathes Thus is fulfylled
doctrine Furthermore the state of the controuersie that these deceyuers helde is expressed For they called backe the Gentyles vnto Circumcision and Ceremonies of the lawe saying Except you be circumcised you cannot bee saued Which saying it is very like they confyrmed with many articles For they had the lawe of God who ordeyned Circumcision for a perpetuall signe of his couenant amongst the Israelites They had also the example of the Church at Ierusalem where the Apostles yeelded so farre to the weakenesse of the Iewes that they circumcised their infantes Moreouer where through Circumcision they were bounde to obserue the lawe according to that saying of Paule I testifye to euery man that is circumcised that hee is bounde to keepe the whole lawe This being taken awaye they cryed and sayde that the whole lawe was abrogated and a gate opened vnto all wickednesse Yet they confessed Christ notwithstanding and woulde seeme to be followers of the Gospell like goodlye blenders and compounders which thought the lawe might be mingled with the Gospell and the righteousnesse of workes with fayth This therefore was the whole state of the controuersie whether men were iustified through the grace of God by fayth onely in Christ or whether the righteousnesse of the lawe was necessarye vnto saluation And if a man will weygh and expende this matter well it shall appeare that this was the verye same controuersie which is betweene vs and the Papistes nowe in these dayes who professe Christ also but yet affirme that men are iustifyed and saued by their merites and good deedes sauing that in this poynt the Papists case is the weaker and worse for that they grounde not vppon the lawe of Moses once giuen by God but vppon mannes traditions which long sithence haue bene condemned by the sentence of god They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrines of men Therfore it is very necessary for vs to vnderstand this controuersie For if there be no place due vnto the workes of Gods lawe for vs to glory we be iustifyed by then doubtlesse be they very miserable and blinde which dare chalenge this praise vnto the colde obseruances of mannes traditions In the meane season mannes peruersenesse bewrayeth itselfe in this place which where God offreth saluation vnto vs freely contemneth the same and seeketh rather a sumptuous and laborious way of attayning therevnto Examples of this peruersitie appeare in all ages and the Lorde complayneth hereof in Esay 55. saying Wherefore laye you out your money vppon the thing that feedeth not and spende your labour about the thing that satisfieth you not Againe My people hath committed two euils they haue forsaken me the well of the water of life and digged them pits yea vile and broken pits that can holde no water And would God that he had not more occasion to make the like complaint euerywhere at this day Thirdly followeth the effect of false doctrine that these Iewish Christians brought in That was sedition and open schisme through the which Luke sayth the Church at Antioch which hitherto had bene moste quiet and as a common sanctuarie to all the godly was disturbed Therefore they that fall from the simple doctrine of the truth and bring new and false opinions into the Church these are disturbers of the Church By this name doth Paule here sette out these fellowes saying I marueyle that you are so soone turned from Christ that called you by grace vnto another Gospell which yet is none other but that there be some which trouble you And in other places he calleth them Dogges euill workers concision and the verye enimies of the crosse of Christ. I know we are charged by the Papists in these dayes to haue disturbed to disturbe the Church But if the truth of the Apostles doctrine be well marked it shal appeere we are most cleere from this crime the puritie of which doctrine bicause we endeuour to restore maketh vs in deede to disturbe the ydlenesse of them who vnder a false pretence of Christ his Church had a delight to disporte themselues both with the felles and fleshe of the miserable sheepe Furthermore the chiefe vse of this place is that we be not so offended with the discentions rising in our dayes by reason of religion that we therefore thinke all doctrine of fayth and religion to be doubtfull and vncertayne For it is euident that the doctrine of truth hath in all ages bene diuersly assaulted and that therefore diuers discentioâ—s haue risen by meanes thereof This God suffereth to come to passe by his iust iudgement and for the weale of our saluation For fyrst according to the saying of Paule there must needes bee sectes that they which are perfite may be knowne Agayne by this occasion it commeth to passe that the chiefe articles of our fayth and saluation are the more diligently and earnestly examined which vnlesse they were thus called in question woulde for the most part lye vnconsidered and buryed For God can so moderate mischiefes that they serue vnto the saluation of those that be his and to those that loue God all thing worketh to the best And this may we see in thys present controuersie as cleere as daye For hereby came it to passe that the meane of our iustifycation was intreated and discussed the more diligently by the Apostles and that the ceremonies of the lawe were the lesse regarded among the Iewes wherein yet a great many put much trust Euen so in our age the sacrifyce of the Masse was no way more ouerthrowne than by the controuersie which fell out about the supper of the Lorde Therfore their clamour is pieuishe and absurde which complaine and saye that by reason of such discentions religion is doubtfull and vncertaine For vnder this colour they go about to hyde and cloake their prophane and hollowe heartes Furthermore let vs consider what Paule and Barnabas and the faithfull of Antioch did in this disceptation As for Paule and Barnabas it is sayd that they had much contention and daylie disputation with these disturbers Therefore they were no dumbe Dogges which woulde suffer all kindes of doctrine to creepe into the Church but rather they earnestly withstoode these deceyuers so that the true faith was not ouerturned with their gloses Yet otherwheres Paule becommeth all things to all men and earnestly commaundeth those that be strong in faith pacientlye to beare with the weaker Why therefore sheweth he himselfe in this place to be so difficult and vntreatable Bicause it was a matter of more importance than coulde be dissembled For by this opinion the righteousnesse of fayth which we haue in Christ alone is ouerturned For they which by Circumcision make them selfe bonde vnto the law to them is Christ become vnprofitable and they which will be iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace Moreouer by thys meanes the Christian libertie was in hazarde which coulde be purchased with none other pryce
than wyth the bloude of Christ and they which were iustifyed by the fayth in Christ and enfrauncised with the libertie of the children of God were not subiect to the commaundement and intollerable yoke of the lawe as Peter hereafter will declare Besyde this the true vse of the lawe was peruerted which was to bring men as a tutor and gouernour vnto christ And these fellowes sent those that were graffed in Christ vnto the principles and beginnings of the lawe Moreouer it coulde not be chosen but the light of the Gospell shoulde haue bene obscured and darkened with the shadowes of the lawe Therefore Paule might not in any case haue borne with these deceyuers vnlesse he woulde haue bene counted an vntrustye Minister of christ By the which example we are taught that we must for concorde and vnities sake admit nothing that may any waye obscure the glory of Christ and simple confession of the fayth For that is a verye hurtfull concorde that is redeemed with the prophanation of the name of Christ and denying of the fayth For this saying of Christ standeth fyrme and strong he that loueth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me Againe whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of mee before this adulterous and naughty worlde him will I be ashamed of when I come in the glorye of my father Furthermore let vs hereof be perswaded that Christian menne can haue no peace without christ For if they will be true Christians in the world they shall haue afflictions and in Christ onely peace Howbeit they of Antioch that beleeued when they perceyued this contention euery day more and more to kindle they decree at length with one consent that Paule and Barnabas with certaine other Disciples shoulde go to Ierusalem to propounde this question vnto the Apostles and Elders there to be discussed And Paule easily yeeldeth vnto this decree not meaning to put the cause of truth to the iudgement of manne but for that he well knewe these deceyuers abused the name of the Apostles Therefore for the more commoditie of the vnlearned and simple people whose eyes they had dazeled with the brightnesse of Apostolike authoritie he easily admitted this counsaile as the most commodious and readyest waye that coulde be deuised And this hath bene the chiefe cause of all the Sinodes and Counsayles that heretofore haue bene gathered by godlye Kinges and Bishops For it was neuer the minde of those holy men that the cause of fayth and saluation shoulde be in subiection to mannes iudgement But where Heretikes vsed impudently to vaunt them of the consent of Apostolike doctrine and vniuersall Church vnto the vnlearned people the Catholikes thought good most commodiously to bridle them by Synodes and the publike testimonie of the Church to th ende that they shoulde not afterwarde be beleeued We haue diligently to consider the modestie that Paule here vseth For it is manifest he was endâ—ed with such constancie that he woulde not haue yeelded vnto the Apostles if they woulde haue pronounced any thing against the truth For he durst boldly reprehende Peter at Antioch and he teacheth vs that we ought not to beleeue an Aungell if he woulde preach any other Gospell Yet he despiseth not a meane and deuise of peace vttred by the godly brethren whereas he sawe the glorye of God coulde thereby no way be obscured and that the quiete of the weaker sorte might thereby be procured This modestie must be ioyned with constancie least whyle we will seeme constant we be founde obstinate and wayward For the spirit of Christ is tractable and maketh men which vse him as their counsayler desirous of his glory In the meane season their leuitie is not to be allowed which while they will seeme tractable and easie to be intreated be obedient to such counsayles they see doe quite deface and ouerthrow the veritie of faith and glorye of christ Furthermore this place teacheth vs which is the best waye to calme controuersies and contentions that rise about fayth and religion Some there be that thinke these matters might be taken vp and ended by mannes wisedome and pollicie if eche part woulde somewhat yeelde one to another as though men might daily in religion and Gods causes as in other worldly affaires Why rather doe we not resort vnto the Apostles to heare what they haue taught and appoynted whose doctrine is manifestly confyrmed with the testimonie of Christ himselfe For vnto them it is sayd He that heareth you heareth me c. And we know that Christ prayed for them which should beleeue in him according to their preaching Moreouer they were openly endued with the holy spirit which shewed manifest arguments of his presence and operation in them Wherefore we must earnestlye take heede that we swarue not one nayles breadth from their doctrine The Apostle Iohn teacheth vs the same where in his fyrst Epistle and seconde Chapter he sayeth Lette that remayne in you which you hearde from the beginning If that which you hearde from the beginning shall remaine in you you also shall continue in the father and in the sonne Paule also where he aduertiseth vs of such as presume to peruert the truth sayth But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned which also were committed vnto thee knowing of whome thou hast learned them and forasmuch as thou hast of a child knowne the holy scriptures which are able to make thee learned vnto saluation through the fayth which is in Christ Iesu. Therefore they are fowlye deceyued which by this example will obtrude vnto vs Counsayles as though religion ought by them to be ruled where it is euident these many yeres they haue bene such as haue had no signe or token of any Apostolike spirite in them And if they woulde heare the Prophetes and Apostles we would according to the example of Paule and Barnabas willingly go vp with them vnto the Apostles to heare what the spirite of God speaketh in them But if they will harken vnto men farewell they seeing we haue none other maister to harken vnto but Iesus Christ. But Luke also descrybeth Paules going to Ierusalem bicause there be diuers things therein worthy to be considered Amongst which the fyrst is howe Paule and Barnabas are brought on their waye by the congregation which appointed them worthy and faythfull companions to iourney wyth them Whereby it appeareth the congregation tooke their part and had no suspition in their doctrine and beliefe Let all congregations follow thys ensample that they leaue not the faythfull ministers of Christ destitute of helpe For what else doe they but susteyne open warre in the Churches quarrell and behoofe And surely their ingratitude is execrable which prouyde to stande out of Gunneshot when troubles arise about religion and will stande ydely gasing on as though the matter pertayned nothing vnto them but onely vnto the Ministers Then also to the ende their iourney should not be
be vnderstanded as concerning the hystory of Cornelius the Centurion which Peter alleageth to verie good purpose bicause the same before had bene called in question and argued on among the faythfull as we sawe in the eleuenth Chapter The summe of his argument is this God when he called and adopted Cornelius and his family from gentilitie vnto Christ and into the societie of his Churche did by that example set forth vnto vs a true and perfyte meane and way of attayning vnto saluation But he requyred nothing else of them but to heare the gospell of me and to beleeue it Ergo these two thinges are sufficient for man to be iustifyed by and to attaine vnto saluation that is to say to heare the gospell and by true fayth to imbrace Christ preached in the same And Peter gathereth most strongly of perticulers an vniuersall doctrine bicause God vseth one certaine and inuiolable rule in sauing of all men And it is not lyke that God would neglect that rule in sauing a prophane souldyour that was confyrmed in the bloude of his sonne But that his argument might beare the more weight he calleth them for wytnesses of the same thing you know sayth he how that a good whyle ago that is in the beginning of the Church God dyd choose or appoint amongst vs that the Gentyles by my mouth should heare the worde of the gospell and beleeue Upon the which wordes he might haue inferred why then doe you requyre circumcision and fulfylling of the law ouer and beside those things that seeme to God sufficient Or whence haue you authoritie to alter the order appoynted of God and to be so bolde as to adde or take anye thing from the same But he leaueth all this to them to gather Yet he ioyneth two things more hereto whereby he openeth this example Fyrst God sayth he which knoweth the hartes and is not deceyued with any outwarde appearaunce hath aboundantly prooued this waye that I haue nowe tolde you to be sufficient euen by his owne testimonie For assoone as men beleeued the gospell that was preached he sent vnto them the holy ghost as well as vnto vs Which spirite since this world and prophane men euen by Christs owne testimonie can not receyue it appeareth most euidently that God acknowledged these men for the members of his Church and for coinheritours with Christ although they were neyther circumcised nor had receyued any other ceremonie of the lawe Then pointing as it were with hys fynger to the maner of iustifycation and God sayth he put no difference betweene them and vs seing that with fayth he purifyed their hartes Before this in deede the Iewes were deuided from the Gentiles by the lawe but Christ hath broken downe the particion of the lawe and of two people hath made one Church and hath purifyed the Gentiles as well as the Iewes by fayth Hereto appertayneth that place of Paule And the wordes which he wryteth to the Romanes cap. 3. We holde therefore that a man is iustified by fayth without the workes of the lawe Is he the God of the Iewes onely ▪ Is he not also the God of the Gentiles yes euen of the Gentiles also for it is God onely that iustifyeth the circumcision that is of fayth and vncircumcision thorow fayth Furthermore Peter in one briefe sentence comprehendeth whatsoeuer may be sayde of our iustifycation Fyrst he confesseth that our hartes haue neede to be purifyed Man therefore must needes be a thing altogither polluted bicause the hart is the Fountaine out of which spring all our doings God himselfe beareth wytnesse hereof where he sayth the inuentions and deuises of man are naught euen from his childhood And this one thing is aboundantly sufficient to ouerthrowe all the righteousnesse of our workes as oftentimes we haue declared Then teacheth he howe purifycation is wrought by fayth bicause it taketh holde of Christ whome God hath ordeyned to be our iustifyer He cleanseth vs from our sinnes through the merite of his bloude He communicateth vnto vs his righteousnesse so that by reason of fayth whereby we be grafte in him we are taken for righteous in the sight of god Wherefore Paule declareth that he is made our righteousnesse of God Againe besides this he onely mortifyeth the reliques and dregges of our fleshe whiles he chaungeth and regenerateth vs by his worde and spirite gyuing vs power to bring forth fruites aunswerable to our profession Whervnto these words of his are to be referred Now are you cleane thorow the words which I haue spoken to you He that abydeth in me I in him bringeth forth much fruit But bicause we can haue no felowship with Christ but through fayth the scripture truly affirmeth that we be purifyed iustifyed by fayth which phrase of speech must not so be taken as though faith were a vertue through the merite wherof men were clensed frō their sinnes but bicause we therby take hold of Christ in whō all our righteousnesse consisteth Thirdly he maketh God the author of this purification Therfore he is the only author of our faith which Paule also testifyeth to be the gift of god And Christ sayth none commeth vnto him but whom the father draweth For where the naturall man perceyueth not the mysteries of the spirite we of our selues are not able once to thinke well we must needes be illuminated and drawne of God that fayth may take place in vs So all the glory of our iustification must returne vnto God and nothing must be lefte to mans power or merite This sawe Dauid long ago when he called vpon God to be forgiuen of his sinnes saying Washe me throughly from my wickednesse and clense me from my sinne Purge me with Isope and I shall be cleane washe me and I shall be whyter than snowe Delyuer me from bloud-guyltinesse ô God thou that art the God of my saluation And hereby maye we receyue great comfort to strengthen our faith in temptations For where our iustifycation and saluation dependeth vpon God it must needes be certaine and infallible Hereof proceede those sayings of Paule who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifyeth who is it that can condemne Such was the certainetie of this doctrine among the people of God in all ages that the Phariseys also could plainely confesse that God onely had power to forgiue sinnes Therefore we doe not without cause nowe a dayes bewayle the folly and pryde of those men which attribute this glorie eyther to their owne workes or else to most arrogant and impudent hypocrites Howe grieuously these men offende Peter sheweth in the second part of his oration which now we shal consider Nowe therefore sayth he why tempt you God to put vppon the Disciples neckes that yoke which neyther our fathers nor we were able to beare He teacheth by these weightye wordes that all our saluation is ouerthrowne and that such
Citie in the partes of Macedonia and a free Citie THE spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christe woulde that the iourneyes and voyages of the Apostles and specially those of Paule shoulde be diligently described bicause the same make not a little for our instruction For by them appeareth a great goodnesse of God which within so short a space of tyme did vouchsafe to lighten all the worlde with the doctrine of the gospell and saluation and to bring the prophane Gentyles when they were most corrupt to the knowledge fellowship of him It appeareth also by this hystorie by what meanes and weapons the kingdome of God vseth here on earth both to be enlarged and conserued Uerily by the preaching of the Gospell whereby in despyte of the worlde the spirite of God bloweth where it will as Christ otherwheres sayeth And where God doth vouchsafe to vse the ministerie of men herein he required of them earnest diligence and vigilant zeale Wherein we haue to imitate Paule of all others touching whose feruent zeale Luke reporteth manye things Whereof this is no simple argument and proofe that not contented to haue gayned many Congregations vnto Christ he goeth agayne to visite them and confyrmeth them by faithfull admonitions teaching vs that we must be carefull in the matter of our saluation bicause all men knowe the sleyghtes of Satan which laboureth to turne vs or euer we be ware out of the way of saluation Yet Paule so visiteth the congregations that he endeuoreth to gather and gayne newe companies vnto Christ of the which thing in this place Luke chiefely intreateth First it is sayde he went through Phrigia and Galacia And that there were newe congregations there erected the Epistle of Paule to the Galathians abundantly declareth conteyning in a compendious and perfyte abridgement all the whole summe of Euangelike doctrine In that iourney came to passe this one thing most marueylous of all other that they were forbidden by the holy ghost to preach the Gospell in Asia Under the name of Asia is comprehended that part which bordering on the sea westwarde conteyneth in the continent Acolia and Lydia aboue Ephesus and Smyrna and Ionia it selfe Which countries as they are most fruitfull and rich of all others so for this cause they were very vnhappye in that Christ would not at this time they should heare the doctrine of saluation Such was the case of Bythinia also into the which the same spirite of Christ woulde not suffer Paule to go neyther By which argument it easily appeareth that the Apostles wandered not about the worlde at their owne pleasure but did all things by the guiding and ordering of the spirite of GOD for we knowe that this holye spirite was promised and giuen vnto them by christ Beside that they had singuler reuelations when neede was whereof we had example before in Peter and Philip where the Ethiopian Eunuch and Cornelius the Centurion by their ministery should be conuerted This maketh for the commendation of the Apostles doctrine that we despyse it not as an humane thyng and to be little esteemed seeing it is manifest it was published among men by the euident working of the holy ghost But some men vse in this place to mooue a graue question why Paule was suffred in one place to teach and forbidden in another This question some men thinke is very commodiously soluted if all such doings be referred vnto Gods prescience or foreknowledge For they saye he foreseeth who be worthy to haue his word and to be saued and who be not But these kind of menne whyle they are carefull to defende the iustice of God for feare of making him the author of any sinne they make little of his grace measuring saluation by the worthynesse of menne which is impossible for them to doe vnlesse they will also stablishe the merite of man and the prowde affiaunce in mannes righteousnesse But howe friuolous and vayne a glose this is appeareth by this in that all men of themselues are vnworthye of saluation For as Paule testifyeth All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God and there is not a iust man no not one And there is none worthy to receyue the worde of saluation but such as God pleaseth to make worthy and meete For of our selues we are not once able to thinke good but all our worthynesse and abilitie to perceyue that that is good commeth of God. This saying of Christ is notable and well knowne to all menne No manne commeth to me but he whome the father draweth An example whereof we had in the .xiiij. Chapter where it is sayde they beleeued that were ordeyned vnto life euerlasting And in the next Sermon we shall haue the example of Lydia which therefore beleeued Paule bicause the Lord had opened hir hart It remayneth therefore that there can be none other cause alleaged of this doing but the franke and free election of God which embraceth by his mercye whome he pleaseth and whome againe he lyâ—â—eth their harts he hardeneth And yet no man must accuse God eyther of vnrighteousnesse or crueltie forasmuch as he is bound to man and so ordreth his iudgements that great learning commeth thereby vnto vs For in the elect he sheweth an example of his meere goodnesse and in the reprobate the seueritie of his iustice that we may learne to feare the one and to embrace and kisse the other Moreouer the vse of this doctrine serueth and is necessarye for many purposes For it marueylously comforteth vs in temptations bicause we knowe our saluation is not founded in our power or in the merite of our righteousnesse but in the grace of God and merite of christ For who can ouerthrow this righteousnesse or grace who shall seperate those from the loue of God whom he hath once embraced Or who shall be able to take one sheepe out of Christes hande seeing all power is giuen to him in heauen and in earth Whosoeuer teach that saluation dependeth vpon our worthinesse doe vtterlye infringe the force and strength of this consolation Besides this doctrine teacheth vs our dutie and to acknowledge the great goodnesse of God when we perceyue our selues more sought after and visited by the worde of God than others For as God attributeth not this vnto our merites but of his meere grace goeth about to saue vs so if any disdaine to acknowledge his goodnesse and shewe themselues vnkinde towardes him he sheweth the horrible seueritie of his iustice agaynst them We haue for example Corozaim Bethsaida Capernäum and the whole Nation of the Iewes which we reade God cast of for none other cause but for that they woulde not acknowledge the day of their visitation Examples of like seuertitie are those Cities which God did vouchsafe to illuminate by the ministerie of Paule more than other For we sâ—e they are at this day tyrannously oppressed by the Turkes bicause they shewed not themselues so thankfull vnto God as they ought
Lette vs I beseech you thinke hereof whome it hath pleased God these many yeares to let enioy the preaching of the Gospell and to let vs abounde in the quiet and peace thereof where a number beside feele great want therof and being famined would be glad of one little morsell of Euangelike consolation But let vs returne to Paule and his companions who though they be forbidden in one place to preach yet cease not from doing their duetie but passing through Misia come at length to Aeolis and to a Citie in the same Countrie called Troas earnestly seeking euerywhere occasion to preach And there Paule being admonished by oracle vnderstandeth he must go into Macedonia For there appeareth vnto him a Macedonian which vndoubtedly was nothing but an Aungell and desireth to haue his countrye holpen And here came diuers thinges very profytable for vs to consider First is the example of Paule whereby we are taught that we must not be slacke in doing our office and dutie although our enterprise succeede not at the fyrst or seconde attempt as we desire For we reade the like came to passe many times both to the Prophetes and the Apostles which followed their calling the more earnestlye the more impedimentes they perceyued were layde in their waye Let all men go forwarde after these mennes examples and God will assist their endeuours who vseth when he seeth time and place to giue occasion of onset and also prosperous successe Furthermore this place sheweth vs a singuler example of Gods goodnesse whereby it commeth to passe that God worketh our saluation when we least knowe or thinke of it For who among the Macedonians woulde you thinke thought eyther of Paule or of the waye of saluation who when he came had none but a fewe of women to followe him and heare him So by this meane is the saying of the Prophete fulfylled I am founde of them that sought me not and haue appeared to them that asked not after mee And that that Luke sayth came to passe here among them of Macedonia the same may be seene in all other that eyther haue attained or at this day do attayne vnto saluation For before this worlde was made Paule sayth we were elected in Christ. And our fyrst parent Adam when he was fallen in sinne and did not onely not seeke God but fled from him yet was he both sought of God and called and receyued the free promise of saluation Hereto appertayneth it that men in the Scriptures are compared vnto sâ—eepe which hauing once strayed from the flocke neuer returne vnlesse the shepeheard by his diligence fette them agayne But Christ is our shepehearde which vseth to seeke his sheepe in valleyes and mountaynes and when he hath founde him layeth him on his shoulder and bringeth him home And this care of God may not onely be perceyued in those thinges that concerne the saluation of our soules but also sheweth it selfe in the things seruing to the vse and maintenance of our bodies For as God feedeth our bodye bountifully in giuing vs a liuing out of the earth so hath he appoynted the Aungels to be our tutors and keepers which â—arie rounde about them that feare him and deliuer them But bicause we haue hereof intreated heretofore let this nowe suffyse Yet let vs marke the vse of his doctrine which consisteth chiefely in this poynt that we shoulde be thankefull vnto God and stryue in all kinde of aduersities to defende our calling by the inuincible hope and affiaunce of Gods ayde and succor Furthermore this example commendeth vnto vs the dignitie of the Gospell and the ministery thereof For fyrst this is a notable thing that Paule is called by an Aungell and by the Oracle of God to preache So Peter was admonished by a vision from heauen to preach vnto Cornelius and to the Gentyles and the spirite led Philip to teach the Aethiopian his saluation Therefore some menne doe very vainely to contemne the ministerie of man as a thing of small or none account and requyre to haue Aungels to teach them seeing Aungels sende vs vnto men to be taught Yea Paule will not haue vs to beleeue an Aungell if he teach anye thing disagreeing from the doctryne of the Apostles Also the wordes of the Aungell commende the dignitie of the Ministerie For he sayth Come into Macedonia and helpe vs. Yet is it in Gods power onely to helpe vs both in body and soule But bicause the worde of the Gospell is the power of saluation to all that beleeue it the Ministers thereof are therefore not without a cause sayd to helpe men and to saue them And for this cause Abdias prophecying of the kingdome of Christ calleth the Apostles Sauiours Therefore the temeritie and impietie of those which saye that the Gospell causeth troubles and disquietnesse is reprooued seeing it is euident that men cannot choose but perishe except they be called by the preaching of Christ into the way of saluation according to the saying of the Prophete The Nation and kingdome that serueth not thee shall perishe But what doth Paule when he heareth he is called of God into Macedonia to men vnknowne and into Europe another part of the worlde Doth he tryfle and make delayes bicause he was before once or twyse forbidden No yea he prepareth him to the voyage and frameth him altogither vnto Gods calling and at length with a strayght course commeth to Philippie a very notable Citie and state By which example we are taught that nothing is rashly to be taken in hand without Gods calling but when we are certaine thereof then wyth speede to doe that the Lorde commaundeth For he so little regardeth prolongers and delayers that he cannot abyde pretence of godlynesse if vnder colour therof we neglect our vocation as we are taught by the example of him which was not suffered to go burie his father after Christ had called him to the ministerye of the worde But this is the most commodious way to doe well if we haue a diligent regarde to the calling of God and followe the same faythfully and earnestly For they that trust their owne deuises and seeke after vanitie as Dauid sayth cannot choose but grieuouslye offende God graunt that we be all mindefull hereof and followe our vocation that after we haue on earth fulfylled our duetie we maye at length lyue in heauen with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cviij Homelie WE were in that Citie abiding certaine dayes and on the Sabboth dayes we went out of the Citie besides a riuer where men were wont to pray And we sate downe and spake vnto the women which resorted thither And a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the Citie of Thyaâ—ira which worshipped God gaue vs audience whose heart the Lorde opened that shee attended vnto the things that Paule spake When she was baptized and hir housholde she besought vs
saying If ye thinke that I beleeue on the Lorde come into my house and abyde there And she constreyned vs. THe Apostle Paule being called of God by the Aungell passed into Macedonia to preach the Gospell vnto the men of that countrie By which example is prooued partly the dignitie of the Gospell and partly that saluation that is giuen vs of meere fauour and grace is declared For if we consider the Macedonians they were in the same case and condicion that other Nations were which Paule otherwheres wryteth were subiect vnto the power of darkenesse were Idolaters were the seruants of sinne and therefore voyde of god Besides that God sendeth Paule now to teach them the waye of saluation when they once thinke not thereof But let vs see what he did at Philippi the chiefest citie of Macedonia Wee were sayth Luke in that Citie abyding certaine dayes The cause of this abode as maye be gathered by all circumstances was for that the Apostles sawe no oportunitie to preache which thing they chiefely wayted for Wherefore at length they sought the same out of the Citie For they went out of the Citie on the Sabboth day and preached the Gospell to certaine women nigh vnto a certaine Riuer whither they vsed of custome to resort vnto publike prayer This is a verye notable example teaching vs howe God vseth to trye and exercise the fayth and constancie of his seruantes For as it hath bene declared the Apostle was called by the Aungell as one speaking in the behalfe of all the countrie and desiring helpe Wherfore a man might haue hoped that the Macedonians should haue receyued Paule when he had come with all kinde of alacritie and declaration of ioy and that euery mans minde had bene prepared to receyue the light of the Gospell But this hope so deceyueth them that in a moste famous and populous Citie there is not one that giueth eare vnto them neyther can they espie any occasion to make a sermon notwithstanding they narrowly wayted for the same And without the Citie women only gaue eare vnto them and but one of them all that beleeued the worde one Lydia which was a straunger Who therefore woulde not thinke this calling of Paule to haue bene a mockery seeing no effect to followe of the same But God vseth to laye many stoppes in the way of them that walke in his calling whereby to hinder and pull them backe to prooue their fayth to trayne them vnto constancie and to teach them to wrastle and ouercome aduersitie So Moses being sent to deliuer the people fyndeth many impedimentes layde in his waye which seemed much repugnaunt to the will and appoyntment of god For the Aungell of the Lorde threatneth him with death bicause he neglected the Circumcising of his sonne and he fyndeth Pharao not onely set and bent against his requestes but also the children of Israel murmurre and rebell against him And when he was out of Egypt the sea laye in his way before him so that nature hir selfe seemed to fyght against him but his constancie of fayth and stedfast purpose to fulfyll the commaundementes of God ouercame all these aduersities So that cruell enimie Saule ryseth vp against Dauid being called and appointed to be king by whose tyrannie or euer he came to the kingdome he was expulsed his countrie And manye such like thinges came dayly to passe whereby God vseth to trye our faith But it is our dutie constantly to holde on and with sure hope to wayte for the assistance of God and so we shall fynde he will neyther fayle of his promises nor want to further our enterprises Furthermore we haue a marueylous example of conuersion set forth in Lydia which by reason of the manifold doctrine therof the Euangelist most diligently describeth with all the circumstances And beginning with the description of the person he sayth there was a woman to admonish vs of that seâ—e or kinde by the which sinne entred into the worlde By hir condicion and calling she was a seller of purple and exercised a kinde of merchandise seruing more to the maintenance of pompe and pride than vnto necessitie to saye nothing of couetousnesse craft and deceyte and such like vices as this kinde of people are commonly giuen vnto Besides she was a straunger borne at Thyatirae a Citie of Lydia These thinges are declared to the ende that we might knowe howe God vseth to despyse no state or degree of men but of al sorts fauoreth embraceth those that are desirous to conuert turne vnto him Infynite other examples of lyke kinde there are which teach vs the same For Christ in manye places reasoneth with harlots about their saluation In other places agayne he openeth the kingdome of heauen vnto Publicanes He disdeyned not the order of Phariseyes seeing he admitted Nicodemus to talke with him in the night season and mosâ—e friendly instructed him Yea he did lighten the Centurion which was appoynted to see him executed with the knowledge of him These places teach vs that we shoulde not despayre of Gods grace by reason of the trade or kynde of lyfe that we haue heretofore ledde For it is euident that the doore of saluation standeth open to euery man which vnfaynedly desireth it In this example also appeareth the counsell of God which of little beginnings promoteth the kingdome of his sonne For he appoynteth Lydia to be the fyrst fruites of that Church whose fayth afterwarde Paule thinketh he coulde neuer sufficiently commende So Christ chose out from among fyshers and Publicanes his chiefe Disciples And we must not thinke it is without a cause that Christes kingdome here on earth touching the outwarde sight is of no reputation and a despysed thing For hereof we may gather that it is not of this worlde nor that we must seeke the thinges of this worlde in the same It is also euident that they which desire to be partakers with Christ must not glory in the wisedome of the fleshe in Nobilitie in pompe and other such like things but only in the Lorde as Paule hath taught at large in the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians the fyrst Chap. Here hast thou what to aunswere those which rayle at the doctrine and fayth of the Gospell bicause none holde with the same but the Comminaltie and men of small or no reputation vsing the same argument that the Phariseyes and Scribes sometime vsed against their seruants which commended Christes doctrine Why rather harken they not what Christ sayth I thanke thee ô father bicause thou hast hidden these thinges from the wyse and prudent and hast shewed them vnto Babes Verilye father euen so was it thy good pleasure But after he had described the person of Lydia he declareth the order and maner of hir conuersion In the which fyrst she is sayd to be religious and to feare God as diuers other did both among the Iewes and Gentyles which yet were ignoraunt in the way of
that in Claudius dayes they were all driuen out of Rome and Italie And surelye it might seeme a grieuous attempt for Iewes defamed persons almost with all men to prescribe lawes vnto the Romanes the Lords seigniors of the whole world And this accusation was of such force and effect that all the people ranne vpon the Apostles as it had bene to the quenching of some great fyre begun Thou shalt in this place consider what the crafts of the enimies of the truth are We heard how they were incensed led with the desire of priuate lucre aduantage But bicause it was an vnhonest poynt to disturbe the whole citie for a fewes sake they make of a priuate case a publike with marueylous arte and craft so proceeding as though they tooke the publike weales cause in hande Thus we heare Caiaphas played the Rhetorician when he sayde vnto the Scribes consulting agaynst Christ It is expedient for vs that one man dye for the people and not all the Nation perishe And now a dayes nothing is so common a thing as to set a pretence of common weale vpon priuate affections when men desire the doctrine of truth to be banished This craft they haue learned of their Captaine the Deuill who we reade vsed the same trickes euen from the beginning For did he not this wayes entyce our fyrst parents to breake Gods commaundement so propose his matter as though he had sought no whitte for his owne auayle but was onely carefull for theirs When he begoonne also to dispute with Christ he seemed to go about to cause Christ to declare his Godheade vnto the worlde by some woonderfull and myraculous wise and not to holde the worlde anye longer in suspence and doubt what he was For to this ende were his sayings touching turning of stones into breade and casting himselfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple We haue euerywhere examples of such sleyghtes the chiefe ende whereof is to warne vs that we suffer not our selues to be circumuented and beguiled eyther with the craftes of the deuill himselfe or of his members This place also teacheth vs with what crimes commonly the truth is charged in this worlde Namely that she troubleth and disquieteth common weales and beguyleth the simple Commons with new and false religion Hereof commeth it to passe that the Ministers and teachers of the truth are counted for seditious fellowes seducers and beguilers The faythfull seruauntes of God Moses and Aaron are so called of Pharao the tyrant For thus he aunswereth them desiring him that the people myght be set at libertie You Moses and Aaron why pluck you the people away from their labour But the wicked Achab more bitterly vpbraydeth the Prophete Elias with the same saying Art not thou he that troublest Israel Yet is that more grieuous that Amasias the Priest layeth to Amos the Prophetes charge before king Ieroboam in these wordes Amos hath made a conspiracie against thee in the middest of the house of Israel and the lande cannot away with his sermons Yea the wicked Courtyers of Sedechias the king accuse Ieremie of treason and of flying to his enimies the Assirians saying he is the onely authour of all their miseries and destruction But this is no marueyle considering these were the poynts of accusation that were layde vnto Christes charge For the Priestes sayde vnto Pylate wee founde this man peruerting the whole Nation and forbidding to paye tribute vnto Caesar saying he was Christ a king Agayne If thou let him loose thou art not Caesars friend Whosoeuer maketh himselfe a king speaketh against Caesar. These are grieuous matters and argue the great impudencie of the worlde And yet they may seeme tollerable being compared with the things done in our dayes These thinges in times past did they saye which were the professed enimies of the Prophetes and Apostles and which knewe not that Christ was their sauiour But nowe adayes they that will be taken and counted for Christians which challenge vnto them the chiefe gouernaunce of the Church which professe themselues to be the nurses shepeheardes and defenders of the Church vse to persecute the ministers of Christ and his Gospell and call that a newe doctrine a seditious and a deceytfull which according to the scriptures of the olde and newe Testament sheweth that all our saluation is onely in Christ Iesus which teacheth vs the right vse of the sacraments innocencie and puritie of life the duties of charitie commaundeth vs to loue our enimies leaueth lawes and priuiledges free vnto Magistrates biddeth vs giue vnto Caesar that is Caesars and vnto God that belongeth vnto him which commendeth vnto vs principally the desire of peace and commaundeth vs asmuch as lyeth in vs to haue peace with all men Who may not therefore crie out ô maners ô tymes Let vs therfore acknowledge the blindenesse of this world and not esteeme their slaunders one myte whereby they go about to defame and bring in suspition the wholesome doctrine of the Gospell It remayneth for vs to consider what the iudgement of the Gouernour of Philippi was concerning this present cause But what saye I the iudgement whereas without all iudgement they raged like madde men against the Apostles Sreyghtways they tare and rent their garments as though there wanted Ministers of such mischiefe Then they commaunde them without hearing their aunswere and being guiltlesse to be beaten with roddes And when they had bene well scourged at length they cast them in prison commaunding that they shoulde be well watched as though they were worthye of more punishment than other malefactors Which thing was the cause that they were put in an inner prison and their feete thrust into the stockes But what more iniustice coulde Magistrates and men in office shewe He offendeth that doth but denie him leaue that is accused to excuse himselfe But these men besides beate straungers with roddes and when they haue beaten them thrust them in prison meaning afterwarde at leysure to heare their aunswere The cause of this rage was for that they suffered other that slaundered them to much to kindle their choler Therfore let them that sitte in iudgement flie this pestilent plague and remember that they haue two eares giuen them for this cause that one maye be kept open for the Plaintife and that other for the defendant Let them also remember that God is the President of iudgements to whome they also shall one day giue an account of their iudgements In the meane season we are admonished what the state of the godly is in this worlde Notorious malefactors maye liue in safetye but the godlye are hated and persecuted of all men and where they hurt none but doe good vnto all men they haue least thanke of all men in the worlde It was a singular benefite to deliuer the Damsell out of the thraldome of Satan But for their good turne they are punished with strypes and imprisonment as publike enimies of the Citie Hereof we haue euery
vnto him that it appeareth he scarce preuayled any where lesse than there For some of them rayled at his doctryne and clapped their handes at it other of curiositie frame and apply it to their affections In the meane season in so great a corruption of menne appeareth the woonderfull wysedome of God which coulde so well vse the naughty affection of most curious men For by this occasion it cōmeth to passe that Paule being brought out into Mars hys streete as into a publyke stage of the whole worlde preached the Gospell of Iesus Christ. The argument of hys Sermon was to bring the Athenians from superstition and Idolatry to the honor of the onely true God through Iesus christ First therefore he friendly reprooueth them and accuseth them of their ouermuch superstition After that he reasoneth of God and of the true religion nycking their foolishnesse which thought God coulde be worshipped in Images or in any other inuentions of man At length he commeth nearer vnto Christes cause Yet at this time we will intreate but of the fyrst part with some other poyntes annexed to the same His beginning is very briefe wherin he artifycially insinuateth hymselfe and comprehendeth both the proposition and summe of his sermon He calleth them men of Athens bicause they esteemed it to be a very honorable name as the Orations of Demosthenes and diuers others declare In the olde tyme they were ignorant of those ambitious tytles wherewith nowe a dayes prowde and vayne men reioyce to be made madde and drunken which thynke all glory standes in the beautie of such names Furthermore he insinuateth hymselfe very friendlye into their mindes least they myght be offended wyth the beginning of his talke and so refuse to heare him For he sayth I perceyue you are ouermuch giuen to superstition Your wisedome and policie is euerywhere commended but in religion you seeme not onely ouercurious but also vncertayne of all thing so that therein you seeme to haue least knowledge wherein you shoulde haue most And bicause no man should reprooue hym of lying he prooueth his saying by the publike superstition of a certayne aultar in that Citie What the sayde superstition was diuers haue gone about curiouslye to search The Greeke Scholes make mention of one Philippides whose hystory they shewe and say the inscription was thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say To the Gods of Asia and Europa and Aphrica to the vnknowne and straunge god Howbeit I suppose it was onely but such as is of Paule reported For he might haue bene suspected for a forger and false reporter if he had recyted the superscription wherein they reposed so great holynesse otherwyse than it was written But it behooueth vs chiefely to consider Paules intent and purpose whych was to prooue that the Athenians had no certayne religion wherevnto to stande but wandred vppe and downe in a maze of opinions and superstitions being not contented wyth the Gods of the Gentyles and of their owne country but also worshipping an vnknowne god And vndoubtedly the wyser sort were not a little mooued and touched with hys sayings And therefore wythout holding them longer in doubt he promyseth to teach them the knowledge of that true God whome as yet they knewe not It is very worthy to be considered howe the Athenians erred in religion aboue all other Nations being yet the wysest and best learned of all others For their Citie flowed in the most subtile professors of Philosophy whom as we erewhile sayd students from all partes almost of the worlde came to heare This example teacheth vs howe fowly they are deceyued which will not suffer youth to studie diuinitie before they are euen drunken in the Gentyles Philosophie and made vtterly vnapt to the obedience of the Gospell where notwithstanding no kinde of persons more profyte therein than those which abandon the pregnancie of their owne witte and submitte all their vnderstanding to the obedience of fayth Moreouer let vs marke in this place howe the Athenians are here chiefly accused of false religion bicause they worshippe an vnknowne god For hereby Paule prooueth that they haue nothing certaine in their religion Herby it appeareth that religion cannot stande without the true knowledge of god For not onely Paule but Christ also vseth the same argument agaynst the Samaritanes where as it were with one blowe he stryketh downe all their religions saying you worship you knowe not what For the whole Scripture teacheth vs that religion consisteth chiefely in true fayth and inuocation of god For without faith it is impossible for any body to please God or to come vnto him And God requyreth this worship chiefly of vs that in our troubles we shoulde aske helpe and deliuery of hym But vnlesse we be inspired with the knowledge of Christ we can neyther beleeue in God nor call vpon him which thing Paule teacheth by an elegant and feate gradation He that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde sayth he shall be safe But how shall they call vpon him in whome they beleeue not How shall they beleeue vnlesse they haue hearde c. Beside this they that knowe not God truly turne to the imaginations of their owne reason wherein it appeareth euidently there is no certaintie by this one argument that eyther they themselues dayly haue newe deuises or else embrace the deuises of other men according to that saying of Christ Whosoeuer drinketh of this water materiall and drawen by his owne strength shall thirst againe c. Examples to prooue the same are euerywhere extant For the same that we heare the Athenians did foolishly worshipping such a God as by their publike inscription they confessed they knewe not the same we reade hath come to passe vnto all men For thinke we the Gentyles woulde haue chaunged the glorye of the immortall God into the ymage of a mortall man or else into a brute beast if they had knowne him truly Woulde they euery daye haue receyued newe maners of honouring him borrowed of forren Nations Woulde they haue thought by acte of Parliament to haue confyrmed or disanulled their Gods and their religion as Tertullian in his Apology testifyeth the Romaynes did What a foolish saying of the shipmayster was that which bade Ionas call vpon his God if happily he would heare them seeing they had called on their other Gods hytherto altogither in vaine But that that was thought a foolishnesse in the Gentyles the same Elias vpbraydeth the Israelites with calling vpon Baal And God many times complayneth howe the people multiplied and encreased their Gods. And we can confesse that all these people offended in times passed And yet fewe acknowledge with their hart that the same hath many yeares bene done and is yet done in the Popes kingdome For what certaintie is in that religion where the Pope euery day maketh newe gods and Goddesses Where euery daye newe kindes of rytes and ceremonies are deuised Where the deade
the sonne of Marie was the Messias and Christ that is the sauiour of the worlde that was promysed by whose onely merite we are delyuered from the cursse of the lawe from sinne and from death Thus let Ministers prepare them away prudently that at length they may waxe feruent in setting forth Christ and maintayning his doctrine that they cloke not their fearefulnesse with the pretence of modestie Againe it appeareth that Christ is the chiefe marke and Butte of the Apostles doctrine whose wytnesses they were chosen to be Peter in the Sermons that are before gone hath taught vs that in hym onely is all our saluation conteyned Paule afterwarde wryting to the Corinthians confesseth that he knoweth nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucifyed Iohn sayeth that whatsoeuer is written by the Euaungelistes serueth to this ende that we shoulde beleeue that Iesus is Christ by beliefe attaine to lyfe euerlasting we must therefore be contented with the same For it is not lawfull for any man to chalenge to himselfe any more knowledge of saluation then the Apostles did which had Christ to their schoolemaister and his most faythfull spirite for their counseller Wherefore let vs all know Christ onely which is our king and only priest who dying for our sinnes and rysing againe for our iustifycation hath redeemed vs and made vs kings and priests to his father To him be praise honor power and glorie for euer Amen The Cxxj. Homely AND when they sayd contrary and blasphemed he shooke his rayment and sayde vnto them your bloud be vpon your owne heades from henceforth will I go blamelesse vnto the Gentyles And he departed thence and entred into the house of a certaine man called Iustus a worshipper of God whose house ioyned hard to the Synagoge Howbeit one Crispus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagoge beleeued on the Lorde with all his housholde and many of the Corinthians when they gaue audience beleeued and were baptised Then spake the Lorde to Paule in the nyght by a vision be not afrayd but speake for I am with thee and no man shall inuade thee that shall hurt thee for I haue much people in this Citie And he contynued there a yeare and sixe Moneths and taught them the worde of God. OUr Sauiour Iesus Christ many tymes testifyed that the chiefe cause whye he came into the worlde was to saue sinners The Apostles beyng mindefull hereof vsed to preache the doctrine of saluation vnto notable synners and to bring them into the felloship of Christ and his Church So behooued it to be in the begynning bicause none shoulde thinke Christes merite coulde be ouercome by any heynousnesse of our sinnes or should beginne to dispayre of their saluation in him This same may notably be seene in the conuersion of Corinthe For we heard erewhyle that it was a most naughtie and corrupt Citie Yet is Paule sent thither to delyuer them by the preaching of the Gospell from the brynke of destruction And fyrst according to his vsuall maner he offereth saluation vnto the Iewes who yet of all others had deserued that God should not regarde them Who therefore will despayre of Gods mercie who so earnestly sought the saluation of so hatefull a people Let vs here marke howe the incurable impietie of this people wrastled here also against the long suffering of God Christ our Sauiour ouercomming and triumphing in the myddle of thys sturre and businesse For it is written that the Iewes gaynesayde Paule plainely bearing witnesse vnto Christ and at length rayled at him and blasphemed his doctrine That this was their common vsage we haue nowe learned by many examples This wickednesse of theirs is horrible if we consider eyther what they were in tymes passed or expende the rage of euill speaking that they vse agaynst Christ yet to this daye For who woulde not feare the horror of Gods iustice seeing he perceyueth no Nation these manye hundreth yeares such miserable vessels of his wrath as they which sometime were called the fyrst begotten of God the chosen stocke and Priestly kingdome of God It is very worthy to be noted that they nowe at length contrarye and gaynesaye Paule when he moste plainely beginneth to beare witnesse vnto Christ where as before this they had hearde him intreate of the law and certayne other pointes certayne sabboth daies togither very willingly For this that was done at Corinth we see commeth to passe nowe a dayes euerywhere They are after a sort borne withall that can nicke manifest abuses and errors a farre of as many vsed to doe in the tyme of Papistry But assoone as Christ is vrged and his glory plainly and manifestly defended then become they starke madde which before seemed very modest The cause of this euill is for that without the preaching of Christ all other reprehensions are but colde and are of no more weyght than the taulkes of Philosophers who we may reade disputed with great shewe of learning touching the studies of vertue and the miserable condicion of vices But Christ entring into the hearts of men cutteth awaye euen to the quicke all corruption aswell of religion as of manners and liuing and therefore the consequences that necessarily followe of this doctrine seeme to the worlde intollerable For of this doctrine followeth vtterlye the fall of buying and selling of holynesse Hereby is the brightnesse of mannes righteousnesse cleane put out and all affiance in our owne merites quyte ouerthrowne The same reprooueth our corrupt maners and exacteth of vs no counterfeyte or pagiantlyke repentance but a syncere and perfyte such as neyther the corruption of our fleshe can abyde nor mannes power perfourme It seemeth tollerable ynough vnto the worlde to reprooue an adulterer a souldier an vsurer a drunkerde and to let him alone in the Church if he be purged with a friuolous satisfaction although he follow styll the same trade of lyfe But if a man thunder out the sentence of damnation agaynst him by the voyce of the Gospell and exclude him out of the kingdome of God bicause he will not repent this they thinke to be a thing intollerable This is an euident proofe of our corruption and that they are in deede the enimies of God that purposely runne on in sinne and will not be corrected by the worde of god For who will not thinke him to be the enimye of God who despyseth the sonne of God in comparison of his abhominable sinfulnesse Agayne let vs obserue the maner of speach that Luke vseth They spake agaynst him sayth he and blasphemed The fyrst degree of vngodlynesse is to speake against the worde of God. This bicause many doe of ignoraunce their error at the fyrst may be winked at But he that is so led with naughtye and euill affection to speake agaynst the truth reuealed being not contented with this fyrst degree or steppe they commonlye turne them vnto rayling What these raylings and slaunders were that the Iewes vsed agaynst Paule we may gather
blessing honor power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxxiij Homelie PAVLE after this taried there yet a good whyle then tooke his leaue of the brethren and sayled thence into Syria Priscilla and Aquila accompanying him And he shore his heade in Cenchreae for he had a vowe And hee came to Ephesus and left them there but he himselfe entred into the Synagoge and reasoned with the Iewes When they desired him to tary a longer time with them he consented not but bade them farewell saying I must needes at this feast that commeth bee in Ierusalem but I will returne againe vnto you if God will. And he departed from Ephesus and when he was come vnto Caesarea and ascended vp and saluted the congregation he departed vnto Antioch and when he had taried there a while he departed and went ouer all the countrie of Gallacia and Phrygia by order strengthning all the disciples AS Paule liued no where in greater teare and trembling than at Corinth so founde he God no where more readye to ayde and assist him than there For fyrst he promised him his helpe and fauor by a vision Next being apprehended by the Iewes and brought before the Lieuetenant he deliuered him in woonderfull wise although the matter came to strokes and Sosthenes was very euill intreated The vse of all these things as we erewhile sayde serueth for the comfort of the godly For God is able to deliuer them also in like sort and we ought not to doubt of his good will forasmuch as it is euident he is true of his worde therfore he cannot breake nor fayle of his promise But bicause we haue hereof sayd ynough in the last sermon following the order of the storye let vs sée what was done after the styrres raysed against Paule at Corinth The fyrst thing here in this place declared is howe Paule taryed at Corinth many dayes after these feares of perill and daunger The next when he had taken his leaue of the late erected Church how he tooke his iourney with Aquilas and Priscilla into Syria and vnto Ierusalem yet hauing fyrst shauen his heade at Cenchreae by reason of a vowe he had made Here Paules constancie and manlynesse is singulerly to be commended which boldly ouercommeth all dreade and feare and remayneth at Corinth among his cruell enimies hauing no hope eyther in Magistrate or other kynde of men verilye for the rude and weake Disciples sake which he sawe had neede of comforting least their beliefe being as yet but tender and greene shoulde dye as they say in the blade and fyrst sprooting Yea he doth the part of a good shepehearde which Christ sayeth flieth not when he seeth the Woolfe comming but ventureth his life for the safegarde of his sheepe There maye also a generall doctrine be taken hereof howe they that haue once assayde the ayde and helpe of God ought to holde on in their vocation the more boldly and constantly not as some preposterous wisemen vse thinke they are therefore set at libertie bicause they should thenceforth take no more paines and traueyle as though they had discharged all their dutie Also Aquila and Priscilla those godly cowple are as much to be marked and considered who hauing bene once or twise banished before doe yet once againe chaunge their dwelling and accompanye Paule both by sea and by land And how ieoperdous a thing this was to say nothing of their expences and traueyle may be gathered by this one thing for that the whole nation of the Iewes seemed to haue conspyred moste obstinately togither to destroye Paule Uerily Paule for this their companye and for other causes prayseth them as those that had hazarded their liues for hys sake In which doing as they at that time deserued great thankes of all congregations so they gate themselues an immortall glory of name which remayneth vnto this day and shall for euer See Rom. 16. By their examples we ought also to be prouoked to be bolde in Christes glorye for the Gospell and the Ministers thereof bicause there are extaunt generall promises which promise them a sure rewarde which giue but a cup of colde water to any one for Christes sake The same reason ought to cause vs to consider all other needye brethren also whome the Lorde hath so commended vnto vs that he will at the daye of iudgement take it as done to himselfe that hath bene bestowed on them And the opinion of those menne that thinke common weales are ouercharged with the multitude of banished persons is most detestable and vngodly whereas such commonlye procure the blessing of God vnto those places that they be in Lot onely restored the Sodomites being taken and ouercomme to their libertie agayne And if that Citie had had but tenne inhabitants like vnto Lot they had also bene deliuered out of that horrible destruction of fyre from heauen for their sakes I might rehearse diuers other like examples but that the time and Text requyreth vs to speake of other things This is a straunge thing and not hearde of in the bookes of the newe Testament that Paule for a vowes sake that he had made shaueth hys heade This place can be vnderstanded none otherwise than of the vowe of the Nazaraeans vnlesse we will say Paule was giuen to mannes traditions who in other places affirmeth and standeth in it that the faythfull ought not be burthened with the ceremonies of Gods lawe As touching the Nazarites Moses writeth at large in the booke of Numbers cap. 6. By the which place it easily appeareth that euery man was at libertie to vse what trade of lyfe he would after the time or date of his vowe was expyred and runne out For where we read that Samson and Samuel which from their mothers wombe were put apart for great and weighty affayres obserued the lawes of the Nazarites all their life long we must make no general rule or lawe thereof They as hauing inspiration and feeling of great religion in their mindes bound themselues of their owne accorde to the obseruation of this vowe to the intent that they woulde the more feruently apply Gods calling and seruice Wherefore they altogither abstained from wine bicause drunkennesse and religion can by no meanes stande togither And with wine they auoided also other pleasures which otherwise were lawfull Furthermore they came at no burials no not of their parentes and kinsefolke bicause no affection ought to pull away men truly addicted vnto God from him for Christ also sayth that the care of the dead pertayneth rather to them who had rather to dye in the worlde than with him to aspire to the societie of heauenly life Moreouer the Nazareans all the time of their vowe lette their heare growe thereby testifying that they were not at their owne appoyntment but bounde by a peculiar vow For Paule himselfe teacheth vs that the couering of the heade was a token of subiection where he commaundeth men to pray bareheaded but
women with their heades couered bicause the man is free but the woman vnder the mans power whome she ought to take for hir heade For the which cause when the time of the vowe was out the Nazareans were shauen in solemne wise to th end they might know they were restored to their former libertie againe It may seeme that Paule tooke this vowe vpon him bicause of the Iewes which thought him to be a prophane and wicked contemner of the lawe and therefore thought by this meane the sooner to winne them to hearken to the Gospell For he seemeth to confesse a like thing where he writeth he became a Iewe vnto the Iewes and to those that were vnder the lawe as one himselfe vnder the lawe Otherwise he was not ignorant of Christian libertie which he euerywhere writeth ought not to be broken for anye ceremonies sake See Colos. 2. Galat. 4. Therfore they doe most foolishly which abuse the example of Paule to the maintenance of Monkishe vowes For this vowe was instituted in the lawe of God which although in the death of Christ it is abolished with the ceremonies thereof yet for the auncient dignitie thereof and for the weakes sake it was not sodeinely to be made awaye and buried but by little and little But it is euident that Monkes vowes are founded vppon the traditions of men which ought to be of no authoritie in religion Againe the Nazareans vowed vnto God where the moste part of Monkishe vowes are made vnto Creatures Agayne the vowes of the Nazareans altered not the trade of lyfe neyther was the vnitie of the Church therby deuided But Monkish vowes as they take away all former trades of life so they bring into the Church many diuers sectes The Nazareans vowed such things as man was able to performe Monkes vowe chastity which the whole Scripture sayth is not giuen to euery man The Nazareans were grieuous or chargeable to none by reason of their vowe But Monkes whyle they vowe wilfull pouertie will be fedde like ydle paunchbellies of other mennes labors The Nazareans vowe forbade them not obedience to Magistrates Parentes and all other estates to whome we be bounde by nature Monkes vowes breake all obedience and bind them onely to their Abbots who owe obedience both to Parentes and Rulers Furthermore the Nazareans had no affiance in their owne merites For they both confessed themselues to be sinners when their vowe was ended and that God was the author of all goodnesse But Monkishe vowes moste of all other maintayne an affiance in mans righteousnesse and deseruings Wherfore if there were no other cause this one were sufficient to condemne them and put them away But to let passe this pumpe and sinke of superstition returne we vnto Paule which traueyling out of Achaia into Asia the lesser came to Ephesus where we haue to consider foure thinges in order First he goeth into the Synagoge and disputeth with the Iewes Agayne here appeareth the loue he bare to his countriemen whome for manye causes as we haue otherwheres declared he coulde not hate although he had once or twyse before shaken the dust of agaynst them This example of Paule teacheth vs that the wrath and iudgement of God shoulde so be set out vnto the wicked that if they conuert they may yet knowe there is hope left that God will be fauourable vnto them and pardon them For it is God that sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and lyue Wherefore we must vse all the diligence that we can to bring and winne people vnto the lord Secondlye the example of the Ephesians teacheth vs that the labor of the Saintes is not in vayne For where they are desirous to haue Paule remayne longer among them it appeareth euidently they had much profyted by him For it cannot be that they can delyght in the Ministers companye that haue not as yet tasted the fruite of the doctrine of the gospell Neyther can they be iudged for louers of the Gospell that vse to hate the Ministers thereof and little to regarde their labors and disdainefully to auoyde their companies Let vs agayne consider howe Paule refuseth to accomplishe a godly request For he sayth I must needs at this feast that commeth be at Ierusalem I pray you what neede vrged Paule so to be Shall we say it was for deuotion sake of the feast No. For he knewe well that holye dayes were abrogated among other ceremonies and there was no cause vrged him for the weake brethrens sake to go vp to Ierusalem bicause there were many Iewes in euery Citie drowned in Iewishe superstitions which notwithstanding went not thither Wherefore as in other places we haue reade howe Paule was guided by the holy ghost in all his doinges so it is lyke he was secretly mooued by the same spirite to take this voyage nowe in hande although the cause be not expressed nor yet declared what he did there more than saluted the congregation and brethren Surely Paules traueyle coulde not be in vayne in such a Citie wherevnto agaynst the feast repayred such a great multitude both of Iewes and Gentyles from among all nations For so euen at one time togither might the doctrine of the Gospell be scattred among many Nations It is to be marueyled why Paule is pulled so soone from them which seemed to be so ready to receyue profyte by the gospell and it may seeme an vncourteous and an vnloouing part to leaue them if we should herin leane vnto reason But Gods doings are to him knowne and certaine And the chiefe vse of such examples is for vs to learne to submit our willes and desires seeme they neuer so holy and good vnto the pleasure of god Fourthly let vs see howe Paule departed from Ephesus He biddeth them farewell which is a token of thankefulnesse and friendly good will. For their discourtesie is very vnhonest that depart from their hoste where they haue receyued benefytes without taking of leaue Moreouer he leaueth Aquilas with them that they should not seeme altogither destitute Furthermore he promiseth to returne to them againe by the leaue of god Whereby it manifestly appeareth that he bare them no euill will but was compelled and strayned for weighty considerations to leaue them Here we haue to imitate Paules religiousnesse which in a most godly cause presumeth nothing of his owne heade but vnderstanding that all endeuors and deuises depend vpon Gods prouidence referreth all things vnto his pleasure This sentence of Salomon is common manne purposeth but God disposeth What rashnesse then is this of men to attribute so much to themselues in prophane matters so to appoynt their doinges as though they woulde prescribe lawes vnto god See Iacob 4. Luc. 12. Paule being nowe departed from Ephesus commeth to Caesarea in Iury and from thence to Ierusalem when he had there greeted the congregation and dispatched the matters about the which he went he came to
we learne that there must be a certayne place for doctrine to be taught in and howe the same must not wythout some great cause be forsaken For this is a thing verye profytable for the maintenance of true doctrine and keeping vnder of false teachers which priuilye vse to creepe in and to beguyle the vnwarye For the which cause Christ himselfe vsed moste times to teache in the Temple and in the open Synagoges bicause he woulde not by his example defend them which without a cause refuse to come vnto the Church or else sowe false doctrine in corners both which the Anabaptistes in our dayes ouerboldly vse to doe Secondly is declared the trade that Paule vsed in teaching He spake freely and boldly dissembling nothing And fyrst he disputed confuting the errors of the Iewes wherewith they confounded and obscured the way of saluation being of it selfe playne and simple Next he exhorted and counselled them to yeelde vnto a truth This is the best order of teaching wherin these two thinges are necessary to be obserued fyrst that the aduersaries arguments be confuted and that by effectuall reasons they be vrged to take holde of the truth and earnestlye to followe it For as truth can haue no place as long as lyes and errors beare rule so fruitelesse and vayne shall the knowledge of truth be vnlesse men earnestly embrace hir and labour as it were to be transformed into hir Therefore Paule commaundeth the Minister of the worde not onely to teach but also to exhort rebuke and to be instant in season and out of season And Christ woulde haue those that were bidden to the wedding of the heauenly kingdome to be compelled to come in Therefore fylthye is the error of them which saye a bare and literall treatie of the Scripture is sufficient in the Church and will not suffer those things to be openly discussed in them that serue for the instruction of all parties as though our saluation stoode onely in a naked and empty contemplation of things Thirdlye Luke sheweth the matter and argument of Paules doctrine where he sayth he spake of the kingdome of God. For so are the affayres of our redemption and saluation called the administrator and executor wherof the Prophetes long since declared that the Messias shoulde be But of this Messias the Iewes had conceyued not onely false but also very carnall and grosse opinions by reason they misvnderstoode the Oracles of the Prophetes For they dreamed the kingdome of the Messias shoulde be here vppon earth and hoped to enioy a golden worlde vnder him such as had bene sometime vnder Salomon With the which error the Apostles also being beguyled promised themselues notable dignities and promotions as maye easily be gathered by their contentions And they among the Iewes also whose mindes were more of their saluation than of this earthly kingdome did rather thinke it consisted in wearishe ceremonies than in the merite of christ Therefore Paule diligently declared the veritie of the kingdome of God shewing that it was spirituall not earthly and that it consisted not in the vaine obseruation of Ceremonies but in the merite of Christ and in fayth whereby we be graffed into him This doctrine of Paule is to be had both in his Sermons which Luke hath described in this booke also in his Epistles so that there needeth no long rehearsall therof Let vs marke how the Scriptures call our redemption and saluation the kingdome of god For hereby the ende thereof is declared which is that Satan being vanquished and the worlde ouercome God might beare rule ouer vs as our king as we desire in our prayer saying Let thy kingdome come Wherefore they are false Christians that glorye in the name of Christ and yet let the Deuill rule in them who can haue no communion or fellowshippe with Iesus Christ. Neyther can they be Christians which are out of the kingdome of God bicause Christ came into the worlde for no cause but to restore his kingdome But howe can they be in the kingdome of God which suffer themselfe to be ruled by the Deuilles spirite and obey him in all thinges But bicause Christ can neuer be preached anye where so luckilye but manye reprobates shall ryse agaynst his doctrine hee declareth howe Paule dealt with them but yet so as he fyrst sheweth what they did They hardened their heartes agaynst Paules doctrine This is the propertie of the wicked the more they are vrged with the worde of God the more they harden their heartes not that Gods worde is in the fault but their owne selues For where they haue not in them the seede of the children of God they cannot knowe his voyce and worde and therefore the more mightily the holy ghost worketh to bring them to order the more fyercelye vse they to resist him Examples we haue euerywhere in Caine Pharao Saule Iudas and diuers other wherevnto woulde God we had not euerye day freshe examples ioyned After induration it followeth that they wyll neyther beleeue nor obey Therefore they cast away the worde of God as vayne and nothing pertayning vnto them Besides a woorse property than all this namely rayling and slaundering whereby they go about to bring Christes doctrine and religion in suspicion and enuy amongest the people For they follow the Deuils propertie desiring to haue many partners and fellowes of his perdition And by these steps doth impietie climbe vp vntill she be so high that she falleth into destruction What doth Paule with these persons First he departeth frō them least he should either more inflame them or giue occasion of vnprofytable contention and thys doth he according to Christs commaundement which bade vs we should not cast pearles before Dogges and Hogges and commaunded vs to shake the dust of our feete from vs against open obstinates Then next he seperated those disciples from them which had receyued the sounde doctrine doing the duetie of a faithfull shephearde whose chiefe care is that the sounde sheepe be not infected with the contagiousnesse of the diseased And yet Paule is not to be called a Schismatike for his so dooing although they bare the name of the church and people of God from whom Paule seuered his disciples Yea it is necessarie that the good should auoyde the familiaritie and companye of the vngodly bicause both they bycome heard hearted by the meanes and many times also partakers of the vngodlyes punishment See Apoc. 18. Thirdely Paule teacheth daylie in the schoole of one Tyrannus with what maner of thing it was and howe it came to be so called maketh no great matter but it is lyke it was a publike place and commodious to preache in Let vs rather consider Paules diligence which could by no vntowardnesse of the wicked be pulled from his duetie but the more he seeth them rage the more busily he holdeth on in teaching Let all that are in office eyther of the common weale or of the ministerie
followe this example And these were the exercises of the primitiue Churche which we reade was busily occupyed in the worde of God which thing nowe a dayes is lesse regarded of none than of those that will be called and accounted for the successors of the Apostles Furthermore let vs consider the profyte of the Apostles endeauor and traueyle which was manifolde First the worde of God is spredde ouer all Asia both among the Iewes and the Greekes For so it often commeth to passe that the fame of the gospell pierceth the mindes of those who haue not yet heard the Minister speake And the example of great and notable Cities maketh not a little for this purpose which the inhabitaunts neere about are easily allured to follow Next God himselfe worketh with Paule and by notable miracles beareth wytnesse to his doctrine For Handkerchers and Partelets brought to those that had not seene the Apostle draue away sicknesses and spirites Let no man yet ascribe diuine or godly power to the Handkerchefes or Partelets as they vse which haue thrust into the Church the superstitious worshipping of reliques For it is expressely declared in this place that God was the worker of the miracles and to Paule is nothing attributed more then the Ministerie And surely it were very ridiculous to attribute more vnto Paules Handkerchefes than to Christes cote at the touching whereof the woman diseased of the bloudy fluxe was healed not by the operation of the cote but by the vertue and power of Christ which he sayde went out from him See Marke 5. We must rather regarde the ende of those miracles which serued to set forth Paules doctrine as we haue elsewhere declared Here lyeth hid also a thirde vtilitie namely how the sicke are healed and the Demoniacks delyuered For by the gospell health of soule is taught and the Deuils kingdome destroyed bicause Iesus Christ is that blessed seede of the woman that was ordeyned to treade downe the Serpents head Let vs therefore imbrace him wyth true fayth and wholy be knyt to him that being delyuered from the tyrannye of the Deuill through his merite we may atteyne vnto true saluation and raigne with him hereafter in heauen to whom be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxvij Homely THEN certaine of the Vagabunde Iewes exorcistes tooke vpon them to call ouer them which had euill spirites the name of the Lorde Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesu whome Paule preacheth And there were seauen sonnes of one Sceua a Iewe and chiefe of the priestes which did so And the euill spirite aunswered and sayde Iesus I know and Paule I knowe but who are yee And the man in whome theeuill spirite was ranne on them and ouercame them and preuayled against them so that they fledde out of that house naked and wounded And this was knowne to all the Iewes and Greekes also which dwelt at Ephesus and feare came on them all and the name of the Lorde Iesus was magnifyed And many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes Many of them which vsed curious crafts brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and founde it fiftie thousande siluerings So mightily grewe the worde of God and preuayled WE heard yesterday howe God confyrmed Paules Apostleship and the authoritie of the doctrine of the gospell among the Ephesians by many and straunge miracles It followeth nowe howe he defended the same by an example of rare seueritie against them which went about by instigation of Satan to abuse the name of Christ which Paule preached to get gaine thereby and so to bring the authority of the gospell into suspition The chiefe vse of which hystorie is to make vs vnderstande that God hath a regarde of his seruaunts and that as many as go about to deface their authoritie or are so bolde to abuse the name of Christ at their lust and pleasure shall not go vnpunished But that we may receyue the more profyte hereby let vs consider all the partes of the hystorie in that order that Luke rehearseth them The fyrst conteyneth the description of the persons and declareth what they did They were of the Iewes and none of the basest sort but the sonnes of Sceua the chiefe priest Next they are called Exorcistes whereby it appeareth their profession was to get money by exorcismes and coniuring of spirites for the which cause they vsed to go from place to place These therefore seing the Apostle in the name of Christ so mightily to controll spirites and to worke such myracles as the lyke before had not bene seene inticed wyth a hope of greater profyte and auayle take vpon them a newe forme of coniuration and vse to intermeddle the name of Christ therein It shall be good to consider dyligently whereof these kinde of people fyrst sprang among the Iewes For although Moses appointed many and dyuers offices among the Leuites yet we see he maketh no mention any where of Exorcistes It was therefore the inuention of man therfore a deceyueable thing and contrary to the lawes of god It seemeth to haue taken begynning of an olde fable wherin it is reported that Salomon had inuented by inspiration of God the science of coniuring and exorcismes against spirites and all kinde of diseases So Satan woulde haue defaced the credite of the Prophetes myracles as though they also had bene wrought rather by magicall enchauntment then by peculiar operation of Gods power to confyrme their doctrine And at length hauing thus incensed them with a foolishe and an vngodlye emulation he beganne to tell them wonders of the vnspeakeable power of the name of God and taught them to make exorcismes whereby foolishe men set vp his kingdome and pulled away the mindes of a great many from the worshipping and calling vpon god There remayne to this day certaine tokens of this olde impietie in the fables of the Iewes which they haue deuised of their Schem Hamphoras and in phisick they vse many exorcismes which is euydent by little and little crept in among the christians also not without the great hinderaunce of true godlynesse Of this profession therefore were these seauen sonnes of Sceua the chiefe priest And this is no small argument of great corruption that the Byshops children gaue their studie to wicked and deuillishe deceytes and sought to enrich themselues by an arte which was plainely forbidden by the worde of god Further this example teacheth vs howe farre errour runneth assoone as men beginne to swarue from the worde of god For as it hapned among the Iewes so we see it hath also come to passe in Poperie For where they would not seeme to want any of the orders that were in the primitiue church they haue also ordeyned Exorcistes who though for the most part they bragged of a bare name only yet so farre hath the presumption of some of them gone that they haue taken vpon them to coniure the spirites
to go on in the religion receyued of your forefathers Since all these be things cleare and out of question it becommeth you to be quiet and to doe nothing vppon a heade and without aduise But the Towneclarke coulde not be ignoraunt that Paule by his doctrine impugned the worship of Diana But of a politike wit he dissembleth all these things thinking this sufficient to appease them to let them vnderstande howe they were vrged or compelled by no publike authoritie to forsake their olde religion And as we sayde erewhyle thys politike man seeketh onely how to bring downe this sedition at ones which he sawe beganne to growe so hote which thing he supposed to bringe to passe more commodiously by craftie dissembling of the matter than by open disputation which the seditious woulde haue little regarded Here we may not omit that he sayth the Image came downe from heauen For hereby it appeareth it was a cōmon opinion among the Ephesians that they thought Dianas Image was sent downe from heauen For after Satan had bewitched men with his iuglings so that they presumed to chaunge the glorye of the immortall God into the forme of Creatures then deceyued he them euerye day with newe fetches and deuises for the surer establishing of his kingdome Hereby he perswaded them that the Image of Pallas came downe from heauen that through hir protection they gate the victories which they had So was it thought that the shielde which the Romaynes vsed as the armes and scutchion of the Empyre in the reigne of Numa their king came downe from heauen Unto the which this that the Towne clarke sayth of the Image of Diana at Ephesus may worthily be ioyned But it had bene tollerable if the Deuill in times past with such sleyghts had deluded but the heathen onely so that we had not seene the like among Christians also For who knoweth not the fable of the Chappell at Lauretum myraculously conueyed ouer the sea Who is ignorant of the Chappelles that God himselfe and his Aungels haue dedicated There are to be seene diuers Images of the virgin mother which the Monkes most impudently affirme Luke painted where as the hystories declare he was a Phisition and no Painter Wherevnto are to be referred whatsoeuer myracles are tolde of Images in Monkes bookes whereof they say some remooued out of their place some coulde not be remooued some wepte some prophecied and other some had some notable properties or other By the which maye plainely be gathered what a ranke crop of errors vseth to spring of Images where they are once receyued and worshipped so that it was not without a cause that Lactantius sayde there could be no religion wheresoeuer any Image was Which also is the chiefe cause that all the Scripture is so diligent and earnest in oppugning them so that it is woonderfull how it commeth to passe that so many are founde to defende them seeing there are so many vnhappye Presidentes of superstition euerywhere in euery mannes eyes This being premised whereby he thought their moodie mindes were somewhat asswaged he plainly rebuketh them and accuseth them of great rashenesse in that he apprehended and layde handes on Caius and Aristarchus being straungers and knowing no cause why saying ye haue brought these men hyther which are neyther robbers of Churches nor yet despysers of your Goddesse So perhaps he might truly saye of them bicause they tooke not vpon them to teach But of Paule he shoulde not haue sayde true who earnestly inueyed against the worship and ydolatrie done to Diana as may easily be gathered by that he did at Athens And it is credible he would not haue suffred this defence of the Towneclarke if he had bene present For he being enflamed with the zeale of God thought any thing intollerable that made against the glory and honor of god In the meane whyle the Towne clarkes wordes declare what faultes for the most part are laide to the Ministers charge namely Sacriledge and blasphemie against God and the Saintes These things we heare commonly in our dayes neyther are we decked with any other names or tytles at their handes that are the professed enimies of the Gospell But if a man woulde throughly weygh the matter they are both false For they be Church robbers which eyther by stelth conuey away the goodes dedicated to God and to his Church or else violently inuade them and conuert them to prophane vses But who doth this more impudently than Popes Bishoppes Monkes Priestes and the other of this marke For to say nothing howe they prouide for their kinsfolke commonly of the Church goodes let vs consider their families and it shall appeare that the greatest part of the Church goodes is spent vpon Harlottes Dyce Horses Houndes and a lubberlyke sort of seruantes yea they disdaine vs for no cause so much as for that we labor by preaching of the gospell to restore the goodes to Christ and his Church againe For we defend not them which vnder a colour of the Gospell prouide and satisfye their auarice of the Church goodes Againe they are blasphemous against God and the Saintes which abuse the name of God and robbe the Saintes of their due honor It is as manifest as can be that they doe both these rather than we For they abuse the worde of God and the name of Christ to establishe their ydolatrie and tyrannie They giue vnto Creatures the honour due vnto god They accuse the faith and doctrine of the Saintes of heresie and vse both fyre and sworde against their bookes and them that follow them And in the meane season go about to defame vs of sacriledge and of blasphemie But oh the iniquitie of our times Among the Ephesians was founde an Heathen to defende the innocent And nowe adayes amongst the professors of Christ are scarce anye that will testifye the innocencie of Christes Ministers Let vs marke also howe the Towneclarke sayeth these men are no Church robbers nor blasphemers for surelye he woulde haue iudged them worthy of punishment if they had bene such For although the Gentyles sometime greatlye erred in the faith and in religion yet the lawe of nature was of great force amongst them which declared that robbers of Churches and blasphemers ought to be punished But nowe a dayes all things are so farre out of frame that the faythfull defenders of the Gospell are in more daunger than those which pollute the Church with manifest sacriledge and blasphemie But let vs consider the later part of this Oration where he prescrybeth a maner and fourme to be followed as well in priuate matters as publike saying But if Demetrius and the Craftes men with him haue anye matter agaynst any man the lawe is open and there are Rulers let them accuse one another Thus he accuseth them all of iniustice in that they make a publike case of a priuate and belonging vnto a fewe persons and endaunger themselues for another mannes cause Then adding
grace and fauor By this place are declared vnto vs the frutes that vse alwayes to followe the studie of the gospell For it bothe bringeth life vnto vs bicause the gospell is the power of saluation vnto all that beleeue in it and it recreateth the minde with sounde ioy while it teacheth vs that the Father is reconciled vnto vs through the Sonne Which ioye as it is full and perfite so no man is able to take it from vs. Furthermore the Euangelist returneth to the description of Paules voiage rehersing in order both the Cities and places which either they sailed by or else made abode in for any time The situation and standing of which places if any man desire to knowe he may peruse the tables and bookes of the Geographers From Troas vnto Asson Paule went on fote sending his companions afore by Barche For he ment either to visite the congregation as he went or to auoide the anoyance of sailing by Sea. Where yet his humanitie is to be praised that he would ease his felowes of trauaile and not abuse their industrie and good will. At length passing by Ephesus they come vnto Miletum or Malta wher he called the ministers of Asia vnto a Synode It is wrytten that he made great haste bicause he purposed to be at Ierusalē at Pentecost not after the vsage of the Iewes but bicause of the concursse of people which he thought should heare him preach to their great auaile and profite This place is very notable containing Paules trauailes and ieoperdies By the which we learne howe difficult a matter it is duely and truely to serue God who can abide none worse than idle and sluggish worshippers Thus we read Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses the Prophets and after them Christ were troubled and embrued with continuall laboures and perilles Therefore let vs also prepare our selues to labours and daungers that we be not troubled when they sodainly fall on vs This place teacheth vs also of what authoritie the gospell ought to be with vs which we know was set forth with such paines and trauaile and with the effusion of so much bloud For to this ende laboured all the Apostles and the Prophetes before them and the very sonne of God who testifieth that he came also to preach and set forth the gospell Therfore their slouthfulnesse is execrable which so easely let such a treasure be taken from them Their religion likewise is preposterous which alwayes hauing in their mouthes the Saintes and honouring of the Saintes doe in the meane season lothe the doctrine of the gospell for whose sake tyll the Saintes suffered suche paines abode so many daungers and at length shed their bloud Let vs therfore haue a true opinion of this treasure O brethren by the which only saluation is offered vs the aucthor wherof is Iesus Christ to whom be praise honoure power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxiij Homelie And from Miletus he sent Messengers to Ephesus called the elders of the congregation which when they were come to him he saide vnto them ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue bene with you at all seasons seruing the Lorde with all humblenesse of minde and with many teares and temptations which came to passe vnto me by the laying await of the Iewes bicause I would kepe backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but to shew you and teach you openly thorow out euery house witnessing both to the Ievves and also to the Greekes that the repentance that is towarde God and that faith which is toward our Lord Iesus THe holy Ghost by the holy wryter Luke moste diligently reporteth the Actes of the Apostles of Iesus Christ partly for that all ministers might haue a presidēt to follow and partly that all men might vnderstande of what aucthoritie the gospell ought to be with vs which they haue set forth with such great paines and trauailes And heereunto is this presente Acte of Paule the Apostle to be referred Who although he made great haste to Ierusalem and ment to spend no time in Asia yet he intermitted none of the things which belonged to the vtilitie of the Churches of Asia For he calleth before him at Miletus the Elders or Ministers of Ephesus and the Cities adioyning and in a general Coūcel concludeth with them things of much waight and importance By which example as the faith and industrie of Paule appeareth so we are taught that the conuocation of ministers with the common consent of all parties is very necessary for the determination of Ecclesiasticall matters This maketh for the maintenance of discipline in the Church to kepe vnder the ambition of prelates to conserue an vnitie in true doctrine and to beat downe heresies which many times vse to creepe in if ministers doe not faithfully sette to their helpes Heere therfore the error of those that would mingle the workes of the lawe with the faith in Christ was abolished by a general conuocation and the truthe defended by aucthoritie of the same Heereunto that moste godly and prudent Prince Constantine the great had a respecte when he vsed to cal the Synodes of Bishops togither against the which Licunus the publike ennimie of Christian religion did greatly resiste who by publike Proclamation as Eusebius wryteth forbade the pastoures of the churches to meete or assemble togither For the craftie subtile Foxe perceiued that by consent and vnitie of the Ministers the Churche and the confession of a true faith were cheefely established and that this consent was cheefely maintained by aucthoritie of Counsels And Antichrist as craftily hath pulled vnto him selfe all aucthoritie of Counsels to the end that he would not haue his tyrannie kepte vnder by Counsels lawfully assembled Also in the Ministers of Asia is declared a singuler example of modestie who although they were more in number yet refused not the appointment of Paule being but one who had preached Christ first in those quarters and whome by many arguments they had proued was a chosen instrument of christ For although the dignitie of all Ministers in the Church is alike and none ought to chalēge power or aucthoritie ouer other yet an order is necessary in the Churche which can neuer be kept and maintained except Ministers will obserue modestie and humilitie among themselues And Paule did not therefore call these Pastors of Asia before him bicause he chalenged any priuate aucthoritie or iurisdiction ouer them but bicause it was for the behoofe auaile of the whole church that they should haue warning of matters of importance wherein he thought not to be behinde for his parte bicause as he confesseth other wheres he knewe him selfe to be a debter bothe to the Iewes and to the Gentiles Furthermore let vs see Paules oration containing in it the causes of the calling of this Synode For it hath in it a vehement and pithie exhortation that for as muche as they
and voyde of excuse before God forasmuch as they which before had the charge of them are cleare from the bloud of them This ought to be obserued in the Churches of this age reformed by the word of god The reformatioÌ„ hereof was both laborious very dangerous What excuse then shall the light backsliders haue seeing that the very dust of the Ministers shall suffise to conuince theÌ„ as we haue otherwheres declared The like is nedeful to be obserued in the coÌ„mon weale In Heluetia we enioy a libertie redemed with the bloud of our Auncestrie Good lawes are made out of the doctrine of the Gospell a discipline of maners instituted with much labour paynes Then wo vnto vs wretches worthy of all punishmeÌ„t if either through cowardly fear or light demeanor or wickednesse we suffer these things to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ vs in which our publike weale coÌ„sisteth So the faythful industrie care of the parents maketh the children inexcusable if they bee not aunswerable vnto the same Finally it is all mens duetie well to remember this least whyle they flatter them selues they put the faulte in another whereof they are guyltie It is further worthy to bee obserued that Paule hath shewed them all the councell of God namely touching our redemption and saluation Wee knowe otherwyse that there are many thinges in the prouidence of God which it is not lawefull for vs to searche out neither can they be declared by tong suche as Paule testifieth he heard in the thirde heauen But he omitted none of the things whiche concerne our saluation bycause he hath declared the causes and reason thereof and also moste truely reported the dueties of them which are saued Whervpon agayne wee gather that the Apostles doctrine conteyned in the Scriptures is perfect and absolute in all poyntes Therfore the vanitie of them is very rashe which thruste the traditions of men into the Church whereof the greatest part playnly repugne agaynst the doctrine of the Apostles which teache vs that Chryste alone is our Sauiour For it can not be that the things so playnely repugnaunt amongest them selues can haue one selfe spirite of God to bee the author of them Laste of all thou shalte note that thoughe Paule shewed all the counsell of God vnto the Ephesians yet afterwarde he wrote an Epistle to them wherein he expounded the same vnto them agayne By this example wee are taughte what a care and consideration Ministers of the Churche muste haue of all mens saluation and howe lyttle Apostolyke they are which so easily neglecte the Churches In the meane season let vs learne to embrace with true fayth and obedience the councell of God reuealed to vs by the Apostles in Iesus Chryste that wee followyng the same may attayne vnto true saluation throughe Iesus Chryste our onely Lorde and Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxv. Homelie TAke hede therfore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke among whom the holy ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his bloud For I am sure of this that after my departure shall greeuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shal men arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them Therfore awake and remember that by the space of three yeres I ceased not to warne euery one of you night and day with teares And now brethren I coÌ„mend you to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to builde further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified SEing nothing is more deare and precious to God than the church which he hath purchased with the bloud of Christ it becommeth all men that will be compted for Gods seruauntes and frendes to studie for the preseâ—uation therof but cheefely this care belongeth to the Ministers of the woorde bicause God hath made them peculiar ouerseers of his Churche and will heereafter require an accompt of their stewardship For the which cause Paule the Apostle being ready to forsake Asia called to the Ministers of the Church and in open assembly before them discoursed diligently of al things which appertained to the administration of the charge committed vnto them And first he setteth before them his owne example and speaketh of his going away from them with a moste graue protestation that they might know how al the charge of the church hereafter lay on them only and therfore that they ought the more earnestly and zelously to laboure therein Moreouer after these premisses he commeth nearer admonishing them more plainely of their duetie alleaging moste pithie reasons the rather to prouoke them First propounding the summe of the matter in fewe wordes he saythe Take hede vnto your selues and to all the flocke By this worde attending or taking hede he commeÌ„deth to them an earnest studie that they should not think they had then done their duetie when they had but superficially seene vnto it but that they should know there was great neede of care and circumspection And he propoundeth two things wherein they had neede to be circumspect First he saith Take hede to your selues This he commaundeth them bicause they should not think their selues excepted or excused but that their health and wel doing was in hazard as well as other mennes And as it is scarce credible that they shall haue any earnest care of others saluation which neglect their owne so they which beeing set in high degree ought to view the life manners and conuersation of others can not be out of daunger For either they shal swarue at one side and runne into ruine being puffed vp with vaine glory or else they shal be drawne from doing their duetie by being offended with mennes vniuste iudgements of them Therfore it is not without a cause that he admonisheth them to take heede of them selues And heere it behoueth pastoures to haue a special care of two things The one is doctrine wherein they can not erre without manifest detriment That their doctrine therefore may be true let it be taken from the mouthe of God which speaketh vnto vs in the scriptures and distributing the same in prudeÌ„t maner let them vse it duely in time and place that al things may serue to edification Bicause this is a matter of no small importance the continuall studie and reading of holy scripture is needeful as the same Paule teacheth vs in an other place The other is conuersation of life which in Ministers behooueth to be well ordered and blamelesse least they destroy with their euill example that they builde vp by their doctrine and that by their meanes bothe doctrine and religion growe not in contempt as we read it came to passe sometimes vnder the children of Hely and the wicked Priests that returned from Babylon 1. Sam. 2. Malach. 1. and .2 And for the auoyding of these and such like things it is
man and redeemed the Churche with the price of his bloud Therefore the Church is deare vnto Christ and they are guiltie of the bloud of Christ that neglecte the Church and either abolishe the profite thereof themselfe or else suffer it to perishe and decay Marke howe the Churche belongeth to no one man but vnto God who hath redeemed and purged hir with his bloud and espoused hir vnto him selfe Therefore as no man may challenge vnto him selfe rule ouer the spouse of God so euery one that is a membre of the same must looke that they consecrate them selues to God onely and addicte not them selues to worship any creature that they be not punished for their execrable fornication Also this serueth for our consolation that it is impossible that God should neglecte them whome hee redeemed with so great a price Thinke that there is the like reason before God of all creatures For as euery man is created after the image of God so are they redeemed and purchased with the bloud of the sonne of god Shalt thou then go vnpunished if thou slaunder any of them do him wrong violently hurt him or contumeliously disdaine him or offend him in religion or conuersation of life Read the things wrytten of Paule Rom. 14. which make muche for this place and the .8 chapter of the first to the Corinthians The fourth reason is borowed of necessitie For he declareth that it is necessary that the church be diligently seene vnto bicause it was in great daunger of wolues or false teachers For althoughe the shepheard may sometimes be at leasure or take his sleepe when there is no suspition of daunger yet then is it no time of idlenesse nor sleepe when the Wolues begin to howle and to be seene comming in companies togither I am sure saith Paule that after my departure grieuous wolues shall enter in which shal not spare the flock yea of your owne selues shall men arise which shall miserably peruert the simple doctrine of truth labouring rather to gette to them selues schollers than to Christ whose glory they ought only to seke Paule knew that such should arise euen by peculiar reuelation of the holy spirite For otherwheres prophesying of false teachers he maketh the holy Ghost the aucthor of prophesie Howbeit let vs marke in this place the faithfull care of God in vsing to prouide for his Church The Church is as a flock or Kid in the midle of a sort of wolues But God so careth for hir that he giueth hir diligent warning not only of present dangers but also of daungers to come For there are Prophesies of Antichrist and Antichristian teachers Christ also reasoning of the later dayes so describeth these false Prophets that he must willingly and wittingly perish that beleeueth them The wrytings of the Apostles are full of the like aduertisements which for breuities sake I omit In the meane time we learne howe they dote which nowe a dayes would haue nothing but the bare doctrine of truthe taught but will not haue the Church admonished of present daungers and the Wolues to be reproued bicause they see that the exclamations of the shepherdes vexe make the Wolues the more fierce As thoughe it were possible to tame Wolues or if no man take them in hand to alter their nature and that the shepherds ought not rather to haue this marke before their eyes to teache the sheepe to beware of the Wolues How foolishly was it done of the Apostles to admonish vs of Wolues to come if no man now a dayes must finde fault with them that go abrode Secondarily let vs marke how he saith these Wolues shall come when he is gone For they are afraide while the faithfull Ministers are present and throughe their diligence and care they are kepte backe from breaking in among vs But bicause this vnkinde world commonly little esteemeth the diligence of such men God suffereth Wolues to burst into the whole flocke like wilde and vnbrideled horsses when the faithful Ministers are gone And we lacke not examples inough to proue the same Let vs learne therfore how much we haue to make of faithfull and diligent ouerseers as well of the Church as of the common weale the deathes and departures of whom be commonly tokens of great misfortunes and publike calamities to come Thirdly lette vs see the description of false teachers and what their trade is The Apostle calleth them Wolues after the example of Christ who it appeareth called them by the same name They are so called bicause of their naturall hatred against the flocke of Christ and also greedinesse for that insatiable and rauine of theirs to spoile and wurrie the Church He declareth also from whence these Wolues arise They shall arise sayth he from among your selues So sayth Iohn â—hey went out from vs c. And Paule sheweth vs Antichristes seate euen in the very Church 2. Thess. 2. It is profitable diligently to obserue the same that we be not offended with the falling away of some light persons considering we see such become sodenly the enimies of truth which a little before semed stout defenders of the same For what new or strange thing is this Seeing Iudas for a certaine space had a roume among the Apostles and Paule knew that from among them to whome he so carefully commended the Church wolues wold arise Also heereby is confuted the peeuish and dâ—ltish vaunts of the Bishops of Rome which they now adayes stand so much vpon For they think it is impossible that the bishops of that church shuld erre whose accompte of succession they can make from the times of the Apostles But to graunt them that Peter and Paule had once bene Bishops of Rome which yet they shall neuer be able to proue will they deny that their successoures may erre But Paules successoures among the Ephesians were these rauening Wolues of whome he biddeth them to beware But as the Papacie consisteth of nothing but visures shewes so must the maiestie therof ready shortly to fal downe be vpholden with counterfet and visured arguments Furthermore he toucheth their doctrine where he sayth they shall speake wâ—ested and peruerse things For the declaration of truthe is plaine and simple which false teachers with their gloses vse to peruert to make intricate and by so doing to make all things vncertaine Moreouer their ende is to draw disciples after them They deuide the Church therefore with sectes as Peter foretolde should come to passe But Histories declare that Paules warning was not in vaine For it is well knowne what swarmes of Heretickes most miserably disturbed the Church the whole world ouer And if a man would compare these things with our dayes it shall appeare that Paules admonition is as needefull in these dayes as euer it was For out of the Church euery day procede those greuous Wolues which nowe are growne to suche impudencie that they go about to couer them selues no longer in sheepe
were with me For he was a maker of Tentes by the which occupation we heard afore that he got his liuing at Corinth Heere in this place marke the modestie of the Apostles which had rather lose their righte than to be chargeable to any body Touching which thing more is to be seene in the latter Epistle to the Thesâ—alonians the thirde Chapter and in the second to the Corinthians the eleuenth Chapter The like example of modestie we haue also in Samuel who in an open and great assembly of al the people did reioyce in the like thing as Paule doth heere These examples teache vs with what spirite those men are ledde which eyther in the Church or in the common weale are onely carefull for their own commoditie and not contented with necessaries seke their pleasures and delites of the labors and sweat of those that are needie Furthermore he rendreth diligently the reason of his doing least his example might preiudice or hinder the publike right of other Ministers For it is manifest inoughe that Paule thought not that thing vnlawfull that Christ had ordained namely that they should liue of the gospell that serue the gospell nay he proueth most plentuously in other places that it is moste lawfull of all other things both by aucthoritie of scripture and also by lawe of nature Moreouer he confesseth that he receiued money of the Macedonians to the intent to serue the Corinthians of free coste Therefore Paule had a farre other meaning that was to beare with the weake and to teache all others that they should not make luker of religion and so bring religion in suspition but rather by their free ministerie and duetifull demeanor they should commend both them selues and their doctrine to be praised of all men Therfore certaine euill occupied persons in these dayes do most foolishly make a generall doctrine of Paules example in that they would set the Ministers of the word to plow and to harrowe and to keepe Hogges wherein it is manifest the Apostles heerein vsed their right freely and did as seemed good to them where there was no occasion of offence But if they say that Paul refrained to take his stipend at Ephesus Corinth bicause it was vnlawfull for him to require the same then I would haue them answere me with what equitie Paule toke stipend of the Philippians and other contribution of money when he preached to the Corinthians and not to them But if it was lawful for him to vse their liberalitie howe muche iustlier should hee haue done to haue taken a pension of them whom he daily preached vnto It is euideÌ„t therfore that Paule willingly remitted to them his right bicause hee would ther offend the weake nor giue the wicked occasion to slaunder him And as this modestie of Paule is to be commended so the ingratitude bothe of the Ephesians and Corinthians is to be worthily reprehended which suffered the Apostle to liue of the laboure of his handes seeing hee bestowed himselfe and his laboure all togither vpon them But for the more credite and authoritie of his example and for a generall rule to be taken therof he alleageth the saying of Chryst It is more blesâ—ed to giue than to receiue Howbeit the wordes of this sentence are not extant in the writings of the Euangelistes yet there are many lyke whereof this may easily be gathered bycause Chryst euery where exhorteth vs vnto charitie and will haue those that be his more ready to bestowe vpon others than to receiue Moreouer it appeareth sufficiently that all Chrystes words and deedes were not put in writing but out of a great many those that suffised abundauntly for the instruction of our fayth and saluation Wee muste yet see further the reason of this saying and not sticke at the barke that therefore it should seeme vnto vs more blessed to giue than to receyue bicause by giuing our money and goodes we should declare our liberalitie of minde to be praysed for it and to make other men bound vnto vs For these fleshly reasons sauour of vayne glory and of the smell of the kitchin wherewith we reade the very Ethnikes were enflamed to be liberall But Chryst commendeth and requireth liberalitie of Chrystians for farre other causes For firste it is more blessed to giue than to receiue bycause the faythfull that doo it are disposers or Stewards of the goodes that God hath committed vnto them For it is manyfest that God hath giuen to some men more goodes than to other some not without a cause but hath made some richer than other some to make roume and place for charitie and riche men be appoynted as patrons and tutors for the poore to helpe them with their liberalitie And howe can it be but he muste be iudged blessed which is faythfull in the office committed to him of God Agayne as Salomon sayth They which giue vnto the poore lende vnto the Lorde For he counteth whatsoeuer is bestowed on them to be giuen to him and he is both a faythfull and liberall rewarder Wherfore it can not be but he will keepe his promise where he allureth men vnto liberalitie as by these places it appeareth Blessed is the man that disperseth abroade and giueth to the poore His righteousnesse remayneth for euer and euer his horne shall be exalted with honour Psalm 112. Deale thy bread to the hungry and bring the poore wandring home into thy house When thou seest the naked couer him and hyde not thy face from thine owne fleshe Then shall thy light breake foorth as the morning and thy health flourishe right shortly thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lorde shall embrace thee Then if thou callest the Lorde shall heare thee if thou cryest he shall say heere I am Finally bicause we are in nothing so like vnto God as in dooing well we no maner of wayes â—ore resemble the nature and similitude of God than by helping of many For as God only is blissed of him selfe so is there no more certayn way of bilsse than to be most like vnto God which thing christian liberalitie chiefly performeth Wherefore although there be no recompence of benefites in this world yet in deede it is a much more blessed thing to giue than to receiue These things if we consider as we oughte it shall appeare howe farre the Monks religion is distant from Chrystes doctrine who set all blisse and felicitie in receyuing whyle they renounce all such things as fall lawfully to them by inheritaunce or other lawfull meanes and professe wilfull pouertie liuing of the labour of other men where they ought rather to minister to other men foode and rayment And so vnder a plausible pretence of wilfull pouertie they lyue carelesse in delightes beeing subiect to no misfortunes as other men be But let vs returne vnto Paule which endeth his Sermon made to the Cleargy with publike prayers For streightwayes he fell on his
to haue bene the Minister or Byshoppe of that Churche which Chryst had there And this is one of Gods rare iudgements that Paule shoulde nowe haue him to be his hoste whome before time he had caused to forsake Ierusalem and that which he there had Howebeit in Philippe Sainct Luke setteth out to vs a notable example of a sincere and an vnfayned Shepheard in fewe words comprising all that Paule requireth in a Bishop in the first to Timothe the third Chapiter and in the first to Titus For first he sayth he was an Euangelist he was therefore one meete and apte to teach which is the first and most necessarie qualitie of a Minister And the degree or office of the Euangelists was a meane betweene the Apostles and Pastours as may appeare by Paule For they made their abode in certayne places â–ª yet not beeing so tyed vnto them but that if necessitie so required they might repaire to places adioyning and further off Their name admonished them of their duetie and office which as touching doctrine was all one with the Apostles and Pastoures that is to say to preach the gospell and to enfourme men in the doctrine thereof For Chryst woulde not haue it free for the Apostles to teache what they listed but commaunded them to preache the Doctrine which he had taught them which onely in these dayes also ought to bee taught in the congregation Furthermore Philip had an house and substance able to suffise both his owne neede and also to harbour others in which thing Paule also requireth in a Minister For he receyueth Paule a great companie that come with him and entertayneth them curteously for a certayne dayes space which hee coulde not haue done without some costes and charges Therefore he was no begger or vagabunde such as many malapert Comptrollers of the Ecclesiasticall function would haue Ministers in these dayes to bee who are eyther bewitched with enuie or deceyued with ignorance not being able to make a difference betwene the Apostles and the Pastours And it is like he was very harborous which was able to entertaine Paule and his company so curteously which Paule had bene the cause of his exilement as we declared a little before Moreouer it is sayd he had Daughters Ergo a wife also vnlesse which were a wicked imagination we will say he was an Whooremonger which yet perhaps the maintainers of filthie single lyfe that Poperie hath brought into the Church would better like and beare with They are conuinced both by this and the example of other Apostles which Paule plainly confesseth caried their wiues aboute with them j. Corrinth ix The same Paule appointeth a Byshoppe or Minister to be the husband of one wife that is to say to be knit togither in lawfull wedlocke according to Gods first institution And it is a most vaine glose of them which thinke the ministerie is polluted by Matrimonie and the companie of a wife whereas it is euident it was instituted by God and is in it self holie and vndefiled Therfore Paule truly calleth it a doctrine of the Diuel that forbiddeth the vse of marriage bicause it is the propertie of the Diuel to call Gods institutions either vncleane vnprofitable or pernitious See the first to Timothâ— the fourth Chapter And the frutes of Popishe single life doe notably set forth the aucthor of this doctrine Whereas it is manifest that heereof vseth to spring many times whoredomes adulteries incests and that horrible vice of Sodomie Last of al is declared what qualiâ—ied persons Philips daughters were namely damosels indued with the gifte of Prophesying We know that this worde Prophesying signifieth many times the declaration of Gods worde and the holy scripture For so Paule saith that they that expound the scriptures in the Church refer and direct all their sayings and doings to the edification instruction and consolation of the Church doe Prophesie 1. Cor. 14. He calleth those women Prophetes that sit in the Church and heare the woord of God whome he commaundeth to sit couered on their heades in the Temple But whereas Lukes meaning was to declare that Philips daughters had rare and singular giftes this Prophesying is to be vnderstanded of a peculiare gift and vertue of the holy Ghost wherewith God had endowed them For what neede was it to haue noted that which al Christian women had indifferently learned and vnlearned euery age and sexe And I pray you who would haue iudged the children of so faithfull an Euangelist to haue bene other than desirous of Gods word But here is to be vnderstanded a singular gift of Prophesie wherwith God ment to adourne womankinde also in the time of Christ according to the Prophesie of Ioel that men might be the more attent to heare the word of God and that it might appeare that the merite of Christ appertained vnto women aswell as to them In the meane season it is manifest that Philip had a speciall care of the education and bringing vp of his children which according to Paules doctrine is a thing very necessary both for publike example sake and also for that it is scarce credible that he can well rule the congregation that is not able to gouerne his owne house And the example of Hely the priest declareth how God is offended with the Ministers of the Church which vse not to bridle the vntowardnesse and wantonnesse of their children seuerely Read the first of Samuel 2.3.4 Chapiters Moreouer while Paule abode with Philip a certaine Prophete whose name was Agabus came from Hierusalem or Iewrie which warned him againe of the enprisonment towards him and that not only by words but also by gestures and signes after the manner of the auncient Prophetes therby laying the thing as it were before his eyes For with Paules girdle he bindeth his owne handes and feete adding an exposition and declaration of his so doing saying the Iewes shall bind the man which oweth this girdle at Ierusalem on this wise God therfore would haue Paule oftentimes admonished heereof partly for that his faithe and constancie might appeare the more and partly for that we might learne by this example that present daungers be not alwayes sufficient causes for vs to â—â—ie bicause God foresheweth them sometimes not to the ende we should shunne and auoide them but to prepare vs to the vndertaking and suffering of them And heere is principally to be considered both what Paule and also his Companions did in this present and euident perill Whereof the one parte wepte and desired him with teares that hee would not goe vp to Ierusalem as may bee gathered by Paules woordes And surely they could not want reasons to persuade him heereunto For bothe he seemed to tempte God and also to hazarde not onely him selfe but also to neglect the welfare of the Churche whome by this meane he bereeued of his seruice and Ministerie But this is a zeale commendable in
obtained he vseth all the helps possible to helpe relieue his cause For he maketh a diligent and long discourse of al the things that he had done so that all the people might vnderstande his doing least he might seeme to haue done any thing of lightnesse of head or of rashnesse and boldnesse It shall be profitable to harken diligētly vnto the Apostle pleating in his chains and to consider all the partes of his oration First he comprehendeth his beginning and proposition in few wordes For he calleth them brethren and fathers wherein he goeth about to get their good will. It maketh also for the same purpose that he vseth the Hebrewe tong wherein he knewe they greatly delited Then he promiseth to excuse him selfe that they might vnderstand he was guiltlesse But his modestie is very worthy to be considered in that he doth vouchsafe to call them that were so many wayes his professed enimies and had so iniuried him brethren and fathers For he dothe it not either of flatterie or feare but partly for that he was of the same nation and partly for that he hoped in so great a multitude there woulde some be founde that were good or which would be conuerted and won by the doctrine of the word Therfore they are reproued by this example of Paule that condemne the lawfull and receiued stiles of honoure which the Apostle otherwheres commaundeth vs to vse where he biddeth vs to goe one before an other in honor Although we allow God such as through peuish flattery excede al measure while they goe not about so much to honor others as to profite thēselues In the meane season we are taught our dutie that for a fewes sake which haue don vs iniury we shuld not cōdemne the whole nation For what more greuous iniuries cā be deuised thā those which the Iewes did vnto Paule Yet he loueth them reuerently speaketh to thē He wisheth their health and saluation wold haue redemed it with the losse of his own Yea being yet sore of the late stripes blowes that they had giuen him being in bands he taketh them for his brethren fathers Let them wel trie them selues after this rule who being blinded with hastie anger for a trifeling iniurie done by some rascall parson vse to burthen whole nations with slāders wish al euil to them wheras it is not lawful for a christiā mā to reuēge him of his enimie What madnes is it therfore to charge a whole coūtry or nation for the naughtinesse of one persō But let vs return vnto Paul who after he had premised this brefe beginning cometh to the discourse of his doings not like a vaūter to bost of his vertues but bicause it was so requisite to his matter For first beginning with his natiuitie he putteth that wrōgful suspition out of the captaines hed that thought he was a captain of hopelosts Thē he maketh answer to the Iewes who partly wer offended at the alteration of their old religiō partly toke in il part his preaching the gospel among the Gentiles The sum end of his whole narratiō is to declare that he had don nothing of his own hed or autoritie but al thing according to gods cōmandement calling Howbeit he so proceedeth in his narration that he answereth all such obiections of ignorance contempt of religion or lightnesse as might be made against him for professing the faith of Christe taking vpon him the office of an Apostle Al which things we shall consider in order First ther are some which of ignorance wāt of vnderstāding are of no constācie in religion while for lack of knowledge they are caried about with euery blast of doctrine Therfore lest he shuld be thought to be any of this nūbre he beginneth with his bringing vp and education I was saith he brought vp in this citie at the fere of Gamaliel was diligently enformed in the law of the fathers It is not without a cause that he maketh mention both of the citie of Ierusalem of his teacher for in this citie was the most famous vniuersitie of al that nation his master amōg the lawyers and doctors was of gretest authoritie as we haue alredy herd ch v. Therfore it could not be that he that had bene brought vp frō his childhode in that citie in the middle of their sacrifices vnder such a mā could be rude and ignorāt in the scriptures religiō Moreouer Pauls exāple serueth trimly for al our enstructiōs who hauing to entreat of faith religion first of al putteth away suspition of ignorance vnskilfulnesse hereby teaching vs that no man ought to be ignorant in religion that their opinion is not to be allowed which affirme it is inough only to beleeue and will not suffer any diligent examination to be vsed in matters of religion For God will haue vs to be instructed frō our infācie as may be sene Ex. 14. De. 6. Ps. 78. And Abraham is praised for no cause so much as that he was so diligent in bringing vp his familie in the knowledge of Gods religion Here haue parents what to obserue who vnlesse they infuse religion into the tender mindes of their children shall neuer haue them tractable in their age For that wee proue by experience in graffes horsses dogges and other beasts the same we finde in the education of children But O great slouth vngodlinesse of vs which take such great paines in training of hounds and breaking of horsses and care so little how vnruly and vntowarde our children growe Furthermore it is a great token of modestie and loue in Paule that he would make such reuerend mention of Gamaliel his master whome yet he knew did erre in many poyntes and throughe whose teaching he learned that preposterous zeale of the lawe Yet he acknowledgeth himselfe beholding to him for as much as vnder him he had at least learned good literature Then howe much more bound are we vnto suche masters as beside learning teach vs godlinesse and the tracke of true saluation Heereunto referre the commaundement of God in the tables touching the honouring of our parents But to persist in the narration of Paule there are againe other some which of a certaine wicked contempt passe vnto other religions persuading them selues that men may be saued vnder any religion These men while they seeme to allow all religions they plainly ouerthrow all religion and imagine that God is some foolish ambitious body delighted with diuers kindes of players Therfore least any might thinke Paule to be one of this sort he sayth that he was zelous and feruent in the Iewes auncient religion I was feruent minded to Godwarde as you are all this daye Otherwheres he sayth he profited therein aboue all his fellowes Which example teacheth vs that a zeale is requisite in religion For althoughe Paule greeuously offended in his zeale yet is he not by and by to be
and wyckedlye abused their gifte of libertie they are nowe depriued thereof and constrayned to suffer suche presidentes as had neyther commendation of Nobilitie nor fame of vertue but were defamed and euill reported by reason of filthye luste and beastlye crueltie And where yet they woulde not amende for all these plagues at length they were vtterlye forsaken and shut out of the kingdome of god These thynges suche menne oughte diligentlye to consyder as nowe a dayes also abuse the prerogatiue of libertie and make of it an vnbrydeled licenciousnesse bothe of saying and doyng But returne we to Lysias the Captaynes letter whiche after he had superscribed it begynneth the narration with Paules greate commendation For he declareth that he was apprehended for no demerite or faulte that hee hadde done through the vnreasonablenesse and iniustice of the Iewes Next he sayth he is a Citizen or freeman of Rome At length hee testifieth he is an Innocent where he sayth he had done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment and that the Iewes had made this sturre and adoo agaynst him for no cause but for their lawe and religion sake This is a singuler commendation but we muste remember that these are the wordes of a Souldier and that he speaketh after the maner of the Romanes For where they desyred the vtter abolishment of the Iewes religion they cared not whether the presidents defended the same or not Therfore we see euery where that they litle regarded controuersies in religion But God commaundeth a farre other thyng whiche appointeth Magistrates to haue a speciall care of religion for it is not meete that they whom God of his goodnesse hath placed in such degree of dignitie should suffer the honour of God to be eyther neglected or defaced Yet the craft of the children of this worlde appeareth in the Captayne which so trimly dissembleth his errour committed in bynding and whipping a Citizen of Rome wryting now nothing but that that made for the getting of him praise and fauour Here is cheefly to be marked what a care God hath of his true seruauntes consydering he defendeth their innocencie by testimonie of their enimies Example hereof we nowe see euery day wheras they highly extoll and praise the Prophetes and Apostles which persecute their faith and doctrine with deadly hatred Why therfore feare we the slaunders of enimies or infamie of the worlde Nowe remaineth the latter part of the Epistle which consisteth of a certayne preoccupation or aunswere to an obiection that myght be made For lest Felix myght be offended for that an innocent person was not rather set at libertie than sent to hym with suche coste and charges He sheweth also the cause hereof he saith he did thus bycause of the waites that the Iewes laide for him which Paule shoulde neuer haue escaped if he had ben set at libertie Therfore it behoued in this wyse sayth he to prouide for the safetie of an innocent to see publique peace obserued Where againe the example of this Captayne putteth Magistrates in remembraunce of their duetie namely to take heede that no man suffer violence or iniurie because it is euident they are cheefly ordeyned to the ende that good men should not be oppressed through the insolencie and pleasure of other that are wicked Reade Psalm 72. Rom. 13. It foloweth what successe this matter had verilye a moste happye as God ordered it For the Souldiers faithfully fulfill the charge committed vnto them and bring Paule safely vnto Felix the President and he as though he had chaunged his nature becommeth curteous and easy to be spoken to and asketh him what cuntrey man he is Which when he knew he deferreth the hearing of his matter vntil the comming of his accusers For the lawe of nature teacheth vs that both partes ought to be hearde before sentence be giuen Let vs remember that all these thinges so happened according to Gods prouidence For it was his working that the Souldiers without grutching serued Paules turne that they were ready to defende him with perill of their lyfe that Felix accepteth him more curteously and frendly than his custome was and causeth hym to be kept in Herodes Iudgement Hall being an honest kynde of pryson The vse of these thinges is to teache vs that we must not passe much vpon the enterprises of men but studie onelye to please God which can mollifie barbarous mens heartes tame sauage and wylde maners and turne our enimies heartes to loue vs Let these thinges embolden vs with inuincible constancie of fayth to ouercome the tyrannie of the worlde and so to lyue hereafter eternally in heauen with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xxiiij. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Clij Homelie AFter fiue dayes Ananias the Highe priest descended with the Elders and with a certaine Oratour named Tertullus which enfourmed the Deputie against Paule And when Paule was called foorth Tertullus began to accuse him saying Seeing that wee liue in greate quietnesse by the meanes of thee and that many good things are done vntoo this Nation through thy prouidence that allowe we euer and in all places most noble Felix with all thankes Notwithstanding that I be not tedious vnto thee I pray thee that thou wouldest heare vs of thy curtesie a fewe wordes For we haue found this man a pestilent fellowe and a moouer of debate vnto all the Iewes in the worlde and a maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites which hath also enforced to pollute the Temple whome wee tooke and would haue iudged according to our lawe but the highe Captaine Lysias came vpon vs and with great violence tooke him away out of our handes commaunding his accusers to come vnto thee of whom thou mayest if thou wilte enquire knowe the certaintie of all these thinges whereof we accuse him The Iewes likewise affirmed saying that these thynges were euen so THe Euangelist Luke declareth in this Chapiter how Paule was handled before Felix the Presidente beinge sente to hym from the Captayne that was appoynted for the safegarde of Ierusalem as we haue heard before In the whiche Narration firste it is declared howe the hyghe Priest and Elders layde matter of death vnto Paules charge And albeit that Paule so declared and opened his cause that the Lord Presidente coulde fynde no matter of death agaynst hym yet he keepeth him in pryson two whole yeares together and bicause he woulde shewe the Iewes a pleasure leaueth him bounde in pryson still till Pontius Festus succeeded him in the office These thynges are declared to this ende that we may learne thereby what state the godly are lyke to be in alwayes in this worlde and howe the worlde continually hateth them forasmuch as we see the Iewes spare for no laboure or costes to bryng Paule beyng a most faithful preacher of gods word to his cōfusion But as Christ prophecied these things shold happē to his disciples euē so he
comparing of them togither it might appeare he became a Christian man not of any lightnesse or inconstancie of mind but euen beeing compelled through the power of god And herevnto chiefly is to be referred the diligent declaration of all the circumstances For he alleageth both the place and the tyme and Chrystes talke and his companions for witnesses bycause no man shoulde thinke that he had bene beguyled with any vayne apparition or distraction of minde But bycause we haue spoken otherwheres of conuerting vnto God and of the duetie of those that conuerte it shall not now neede to repeate the â—ame againe Let vs nowe marke the ende of all these things which was none other but the defending of his vocation Yet is it not in vayne that he so diligently reporteth the wordes of Chryste sharpely reprehending his temeritie For heereby he teacheth the hearers that if they withstande the doctrine of the Gospell they shal not haue to do with any mortal man but with the sonne of God which will punishe their bolde enterprise to their great losse and hinderaunce These thinges ought to serue for our comforte that we abiding constantly in the true fayth may cleaâ—e faste vnto God alone among all the broyles and enterprises of this worlde who hath promised to all those that worship him the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen in his sonne Iesus Chryst to whom be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clxiij Homelie BVt ryse and stande vp on thy feete For I haue appeared vnto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister and a witnesse both of those things which thou haste seene and of those thinges in the which I will appeare vnto thee deliuering thee from the people and from the Gentiles vnto whom I now sende thee to open their eyes that they may be turned from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by fayth that is towarde me BIcause Paule knew that the Iewes accused him principally of two poyntes namely for that he had forsaken the Iewes religion and turned to the fayth in Chryst and for that he had matched the Gentils with the Iewes by preching the Gospel among them therfore he diligently declareth the story of his conuersion bicause that alone was sufficieÌ„t to put away bothe the crimes Unto the first belong those things which haue hitherto ben said wherin he declareth that he chaÌ„ged not his religion vpon any light fantasie but whyle he was an enimie vnto Christ was compelled to yelde vnto Gods calling The seconde he will confute in this place where he rendreth a reason of his whole ministerie euen in the very wordes of Chryst which ministerie he sheweth was committed vnto him vpon this condition that he should preach the Gospell not only to the Iewes but also to the Gentiles But bycause these things belong aswell to our instruction as to the defence of Paule who may learne hereby both the reason of the ministerie ecclesiastical and also the whole meane of our saluation Therefore euery thing is to be considered in order The firste thing wee haue to note is howe Chryst commaunded Paule nowe friendly to arise and to stande vp on hys feete whome erewhyle he had horribly throwen downe as his enimie and persecutour But this thing happened not as wee haue other where 's heard before his heart was pulled downe and that he humbly enquired what the will of Chryst was and acknowledged him to be his Lorde Which thing yet he woulde neuer haue done but that he felt in his minde an effectuous working of the spirite of Chryst. This truelâ— is a notable example of Gods goodnesse which euen then euidently declareth it selfe when he seemeth to be angry For he will not alwayes be chiding with vs but forasmuche as he desireth to haue men saued he obserueth this scope and ende in his iudgements that he will haue men rather instructed to saluation than destroyed Neither will he draw foorth his whippes and scourges vntill he see he can not preuayle by his wordes Neither yet doth he beate vs for any other ende than to haue vs conuerte vnto him and to truste to be saued wherof we haue both testimonies and examples euery where in the scriptures wherewith we may confirme our wauering fayth in all troubles and aduersities But although it seeme a great thing for Chryste to giue his cruell enimie leaue to aryse yet is this greater and euen to be wondered at that he appoynteth him to the office of an Apostle which is the moste honorable and commendable function in the worlde Yea he sayth that he appeared to him to this ende to make him a minister and witnesse of all the thinges which he had bothe seene before and shoulde see heereafter Heere in two wordes he comprehendeth the whole office or duetie of Byshoppes of the Churche Firste he saythe that Paule shoulde bee a Minister not a Lorde and king So are the Apostles euery where called and suche as muste serue the whole Churche publikely in setting before them the foode of the soule and in taking care for the affayres of mannes saluation Reade Matthew the .20 and .24 Luke the .12 Herevnto it seemeth Paule had a respecte when he confessed he was a detter vnto all men to the Iewes and Gentiles to the learned and vnlearned Heereby is excluded the great desire of bearing rule agaynst the which Chryste oftentimes in the hearing of the Apostles entreated at large being not ignoraunt that many afterwardes would come which vnder the pretence of this ministerie would looke to reigne like tirauntes ouer the Church This done he sayth he should be a witnesse by the which name we reade the Apostles were called also in the first chapter Thus it liked him more playnly to set out the trade of the ministerie declaring also what things he should beare witnesse of verily euen of those which he had seene and which afterwarde he woulde reueale vnto him For Paule had seene and not seene onely but had also proued by experience that Christ liued and reigned and was an earnest defendour of his people Wherby it was easie for him to gather that he was the redeemer of mankinde and not onely a meere man but also suche a God as he knewe the Apostles preached that he was These therefore were the thinges that he should beare witnesse of By this place it appeareth as wee haue else where admonished For howe certayne and infallible a thing the doctrine of the Apostles ought to be taken seeing they which published the same were no runners about with pedlary wares but the very sworne witnesses of Iesus Chryst hauing their vocation confirmed with infinite miracles Therfore let al ministers remember they are witnesses and therfore must not preach new opinions at their owne pleasure but such things as they finde for certaintie in the holy
necessitie vrge vs we nede be carefull neither for time nor place Howbeit when we enioy peace and haue Christian magistrates then we must haue a regard vnto order which requireth bothe time and place Therefore the examples of the primitiue Churche doe nothing defende the furious clamoures of the Anabaptistes bicause necessitie in times passed compelled them in their assemblies to doe diuers things contrary to our vsage Secondly heere is declared the argumente of Paules sermon with the order of teaching that he vsed For he expounded the kingdome of God testifying and preaching vnto them Iesus Christe But by the kingdome of God we haue oftentimes said the Gospell is vnderstanded And hereof Paule coulde not very well intreate but he muste also confute the erroure of the Iewes which of the Prophesies wrongfully vnderstoode dreamed that the kingdome of their Messias should be worldly Wherfore they were to be taught that that kingdom was spiritual the beginning wherof in this world is the whole regeneration of man the newnesse of life the marke end therof eternal felicitie which is prepared for vs in heauen And bicause the Iewes knewe not the aucthor of this kingdome he did teache them that Iesus Christe was hee vnto whome according to the office of an Apostle he beareth witnesse plainely and also exhorted all men to receiue him Let vs heere obserue how the doctrine of the gospell is called the kingdome of God verely of the ende and effecte thereof For it offreth vnto vs bothe the kingdome of God and true felicitie and bringeth vs vnder the rule and gouernaunce of God while it subdueth all our reason and vnderstanding vnder the obedience of faithe Heere as many as glory in the name of the Gospell are warned of their duetie Let them remember that the kingdome of God is preached therein and therefore lette them haue a care that God may raigne in them that the kingdome of the Deuill may bee abolished which we knowe Christe came in the fleshe to destroy Againe the Ministers are admonished of the true trade and way of Preaching the Gospell vnto the which these three things are necessary First they muste declare and open the mysteries of this kingdome that the simpler sorte bee not seduced by false imaginations Then they muste beare witnesse of Iesus Christe that all men may vnderstand howe hee is the aucthoure of this kingdome and of true felicitie Finally they muste instantly exhorte and persuade men that they despise not the saluation offered in Christe Thirdly is declared the fountaine whence this doctrine springeth For Paule reasoneth of Christe oute of the lawe of Moses and the Prophetes prouing that in him were performed whatsoeuer things they foreshewed of the promised sauioure of mankinde Thus he folowed the example of Christ himselfe which vsed many times to bring testimonies out of them This place teacheth vs that no inuentions of man but the worde of God comprehended in the scriptures must be preached in the church For wher the church is the housholde of God it is not meete that any other woorde should be heard therein but the good mannes of the house Which is the cause that all the Prophets and the Apostles are bounde vnto this commaundement as wee haue elsewhere declared Therefore they are not a little to be blamed who either teache other Doctrine themselues or else heare and followe other seeing this is the true marke of the Churche to heare the voice of hir husbande onely See Psal. 45. Iohn 10. Moreouer let vs marke the consent bothe of the Olde and Newe testament least wee say as some brainsicke persons doe that the same belongeth nothing vnto vs and yet they bothe teache one selfe same Christe and one selfe same way of saluation and wee knowe nothing was fulfilled in the newe Testament but the same was promised in the olde Whereby it also appeareth that the faithe of Christe is of moste antiquitie and is the onely way and meane whereby all the electe from the beginning of the worlde haue beene saued But bicause wee haue oftentimes otherwheres intreated heereof it may suffise for this time to haue breefely poynted to these things as it were with the finger Fourthly Luke declareth howe long Paule preached Euen from the mornyng vntill the euening Whereuppon wee maye gather that they also disputed and that Paule aunsweared theyr argumentes For it is not lyke that they which were as yet vtterlye ignorant of Chryst woulde haue hearde Paule wyth suche pacyence but that they woulde sometime haue interrupted him in his saying In the meane season heere is expressed an ardent desire bothe in Paule and in the hearers whereof we had a like example before in the twentith chapter This reproueth the slothfulnesse of our dayes wherwith both diuerse Ministers of the word and hearers also are sicke and accrased who thinke all labour and time to muche that is spent at the sermons But one day shall come that hunger of the worde wherof we reade in the Prophet c. Fifthly the effect of so earnest and diligent a sermon is described For some beleeue and some beleeue not Yea a great disputation or contention riseth amongst them Here we see what case the gospel is in in this world For where Chryst is set vp as a marke or signe to be spoken agaynst it can not be that all men can receiue the Gospell with vniforme consent Let no man therefore be offended with the paucitie or fewnesse of beleeuers nor with the ranke croppe of controuersies in these dayes seeing we heare that in tymes passed when the sonne of God him selfe and the Apostles preached there were fewe that beleeued Let this also serue to comforte ministers when they see they haue little or nothing profited by their preaching For then let them call to their minds that saying of Chryste If they haue kept my worde they will keepe yours also But Paule seuerely rebuketh their stubbornesse and threatneth them with the horrible iudgement of God. For Chryste by his owne example teacheth vs to deale so with those whom the milde and holeseme preaching of the Gospell can not moue who many times rang in the eares of the Scribes and Phariseis greeuous manaces and that horrible wo. So Paule likewise bicause he would not seeme to yeelde in any thing to the affection of the fleshe alleageth a Propheticall oracle out of the vj. of Esai declaring that it was no rare or newe matter that they so stoutly resisted the Gospell For their fathers in times paste had done the lyke and God had fortolde that in the latter days when the kingdome of Chryst should be reuealed men should do the lyke also Thus he confirmeth those that were weake in the fayth whom the multitude and authoritie of the gainsayers might haue hindred and offended And herewith also he feareth other in that he sayth God had long agone ordeyned a punishement for them This place of Esai is very
Apostles doctrine For fyrst they shewe whence Paule fet his doctrine verily out of the wrytings of Moses and the Prophets which otherwheres he sayth were inspyred of God and in the which Christ witnesseth that the mysteries of eternall lyfe are conteyned Therefore out of the same also in these dayes must the doctrine taught in the congregation be taken Neyther must their impudencie be borne with which will not haue the controuersies of our dayes deuided by the Scriptures but alleage vnto vs the traditions and Canons as they call them of the Apostles and the fathers and the counsels as though they had left vs thinges of more imperfection and certaintie than the Apostles Further we are taught howe Paule handled the scriptures He opened them that is to saye by dyligent interpretation he picked out the true sense and meaning of them applyed the things therin conteyned to his present purpose Which he coulde no wayes more commodiouslye doe then by conference of places By this example of Paule is theyr errour confuted which saye it is sufficient to haue the scripture read ouer in the Church and wyll not suffer the same by exposition to be opened Therefore in these mennes iudgement Paule offended verie much yea Christ himselfe who as we may reade vsed the same order of teaching in the schoole at Nazareth But whosoeuer followeth the example of Christ can not offend And Paule doth much better which requireth such a teacher of the Church as can distribute and deale as it were the worde of truth iustly and duely and can apply it to the instruction and comfort of euery body Thirdely is declared the argument of Paules doctrine which conteyneth in it chiefely two poyntes setting them as it should seeme agaynst so many errours of the Iewes For fyrst they were offended at the crosse of Christ bicause they vnderstoode the oracles of the Prophetes according to the letter and ymagined that the kingdome of Christ should be temporall and looked for a Messias wythout a crosse Which errour may now a dayes also be perceyued in them which would haue the Gospell preached without the crosse and where they desyre to be saued by Christ will not suffer and be afflicted with him The other errour of the Iewes was that they denyed Iesus the sonne of Mary to be their Messias or Christ. Paule laboureth to put both these errours away going about to prooue by testimony of scriptures that God had from before the begynning of the world ordeyned this way for man to be saued by that is to say by the incarnation death and resurrection of his sonne Againe applying those things vnto Iesus the sonne of Marie which the Prophets in tymes past spake before of the Messias he euidently declareth that he ought to be acknowledged for the Messias and that none other ought to be looked for Nowe as Paule declared these things at large by testimonies of scriptures gathered out of all places so might they be by vs in ample wise prosecuted But bycause it appeareth easily by the sermons both of Paule and the other Apostles going before what places they for the most part vsed and they that vse to reade the scriptures fynde euerywhere such things as conteyne in them the knowledge of Christ we wyll of purpose be the shorter In the meane while we haue here two things to obserue Fyrst what ought to be preached in the Church Uerily euen Iesus Christ only whome Paule otherwheres confesseth onely that he knoweth and none other For where he alone is sufficient for vs in all things bicause he is giuen to vs of the father to be our Brydegrome Shephearde King and Priest head righteousnesse wisedome satisfaction sanctifycation and redemption he himselfe would haue men brought vnto him it is vnmeete to teach any thing not agreeable with him The seconde thinge is howe Christ should be preached To be euen such an one as the Scriptures declare him to be who dying for vs on the Aultar of the crosse purged our sinnes and by his glorious resurrection ouercame death who reigneth not in this worlde lyke vnto the kings here on earth but being taken vp into heauen comforteth vs by his spirite and through our afflictions and infyrmitie of the flesh triumpheth ouer all our aduersaries They that haue conceyued in their mindes Christ to be such an one can be offended at no worldly attempts but being voyde of care and merie laugh at all that the worlde goeth about against the Church Learne therefore hereby to iudge of the doctrine of these dayes and harken not vnto them which in the businesse of our saluation teach any more then Christ seing that Paule knewe him onely notwithstanding he was rapt vp into the thirde heauen Moreouer the successe declareth that Paules preaching was not in vaine For certaine of the Iewes beleeued yet but a fewe bicause nowe beganne the blindnesse of that nation Yet God keepeth and fulfylleth hys truth while he saueth certaine remnauntes out of the innumerable multitude And that they were vnfayned beleeuers appeareth by this that they openly ioyne themselues vnto Paule and Silas both for learning sake and also to protest openly their beliefe Yet a greater company of the Greekes beleeued whome he calleth religious bicause before this they had tasted a little of true religion which it is lyke they learned by being conuersaunt with the Iewes For although the incredulitie of that nation was past hope yet God would vse them being dispersed abroade in the worlde to bring the Gentyles from ydolatry vnto the worshipping of the true God and euerywhere to sowe certaine principles and grounds of pure religion touching the honouring and inuocating of one god With this company of the faithfull are numbred certaine noble and chiefe women that a manne maye see howe God hath a regarde of his elect in all states and degrees of persons This place teacheth vs that the Gospell is neuer preached in vaine as hath bene already oftentymes declared Here are also touched the dueties of them that truely beleeue ardent desyre of true doctrine and religion thankefulnesse towarde the teachers of saluation and playne and open profession of the true fayth For God will haue none of them to worship him that can dissemble and play on both handes God graunt that we also being illuminated with the light of true fayth may declare our fayth both in worde and deede and by the same maye come vnto the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen with the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxiiij Homelie BVT the Iewes which beleeued not had indignation and tooke vnto them euill men which were vagabondes and gathered a company and set all the Citie on an roare and made assault vpon the house of Iason and sought to bring them out to the people And when they founde them not they drewe Iason and certayne brethren vnto the heades of