reprehendeth the preposterours religion of the Iewes which gloried so much in their circumcision and were touched with no consideration of that healthfull couenaunt that was sealed and ratifyed by the merite of Christ. And this place teacheth vs also to iudge of sacraments and sacramentall loquâ—tions whereof certaine superstitious and contentious persons take occasion nowe a dayes of contynuall quarrelling forasmuch as they still vrge the letter and seeke for no deeper vnderstanding of the mysterie Steuen sayth that Abraham receyued the couenaunt of circumcision and he sayth it not of his owne heade but in respect of Gods worde which once sayde vnto Abraham This is my couenaunt which you shal obserue betweene me and you and your seede after you Let euerye manchilde among you be circumcised c. Which wordes if we vnderstande according to the letter then shall circumcision it selfe be called the couenaunt and vndoubtedly this thing deceyued manye in times past who thought they had serued God throughly when they were circumcised But the thing it selfe declareth it ought otherwise to be vnderstanded For first God requyred by his lawe and Prophetes the circumcision of the heart Then in Ieremie he sayth that they which were circumcised abode not in his couenaunt Beside this Abraham before he was circumcised had obteyned the thinges which God promysed in his couenaunt For before thys he obeyed God when he called him before this he receyued the promises by fayth and beliefe before this had God imputed his beliefe vnto him for righteousnesse and therefore he was grafted into Christ without whome neyther righteousnesse nor saluation can come vnto man Therefore circumcision is called the couenaunt by reason of the proporcion and agreement that is betweene the signes and the things signified in the sacraments and bicause God testifyeth by this seale that he acknowledge them for his confederates and heyres that truely fulfill and keepe the articles of his couenaunt And as by circumcision they were receyued into the societie of Gods people so the same confirmed their fayth in temptations which fayth God would haue vnderset and as it were shored vp with outwarde proppes bicause of the fleshes frayltie The lyke or same reason was of the sacrifices which were woont in the lawe to be called sinnes and expiation or clensing of sinnes But if a man would here vrge or strayne the letter he should heare the Apostle speak against it saying The bloud of Oxen Gotes can not take away sinne And we knowe that God by his Prophets reiecteth them as wicked and vncleane persons which daylie gaue him offerings and spared no cost nor labour Shall we thinke therefore that God mocked his people commending sacrifices by so goodly names No. But there was a certayne and true meaning of them that they signified Christ that true Lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde in whome whosoeuer then trusted vnfaynedly he was for his sake delyuered from all his sinnes And when any vsed to doe sacrifice wanting this fayth God had no more regarde to their sacrifices than if they had offered a Dogge or an Hogge as in Esay he testifieth And if we come to the sacraments of the new testament we shall finde the lyke reason in them also For the Apostle calleth baptisme the Lauer of newnesse or regeneration But alas how many shall we finde which after they are baptized shewe any tokens of a bodye renewed or regenerated And yet the holye ghost commendeth not baptisme with false praises but hath respect to the vse thereof namely bicause according to Gods institution it effectually and truely sealeth in the elect the inuocation and regeneration whereof Christ himselfe is the Author So in the mysticall supper the breade is called the body of Christ and the wine his bloude Wherevpon many gather that the true body and bloude of Christ is eaten and drunken reallye and substantially as well of the good as of the badde But we make Christ the Iudge of this controuersie and reason after thys sort vpon the selfe same wordes Whosoeuer eateth the fleshe of Christ and drinketh his bloude dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him But many that eate of the breade of the supper and drinke of the Cup neyther dwell in Christ nor haue Christ dwelling in them Ergo the body and bloud of Christ are not receyued really and substantially in the mysticall bread and wine nor bounde vnto these outwarde signes No man can denie but the Maior is of Christes making And daylie experience prooueth the Minor and would God it were not prooued by the examples of them which herein sufficiently shewe howe farre they be from Christ in that they bring an horrible schisme and diuision into the Church by their contention cruelly persecute the true worshippers of Iesus Christ. Who seeth not therefore that the words of the supper are to be vnderstanded sacramentally yea as the sacrifices in the olde tyme profited none but them which were endued wyth true fayth and brought Christ vnto them euen so by the supper shall we receyue no fruyte except we bring him by true fayth with vs and hauing our mindes lift vp aboue the heauens feede on him by fayth Which fayth whosoeuer wanteth are farre from Christ prophane and vnhallow the supper by their hypocrisie and therefore eate and drinke vnto themselues damnation These thinges for this ende we must consyder that we may learne it is a pernitious errour to be tyed and addicted vnto outwarde ceremonies and to seeke in them that that belongeth onely vnto Christ and through fayth onely is to be founde in him So therefore must we vse the sacraments that first we must acknowledge Gods goodnesse which doth vouchsafe to confirme our fayth by outward signes and ceremonies Then when we are mooued to vse and receyue them we must reare vp our minds to the thinges signified by them and chiefly we must perfourme those things which God prescribeth to vs by them Herevnto serueth Augustines rule which in his bookes of christian doctrine is vttered in these wordes The Lorde himselfe and the Apostolike doctrine hath delyuered vnto vs a certaine fewe of Sacraments in steade of many the same being verye easie to be done verie singuler and excellent in meaning and most pure and cleane in obseruation such as is the Sacrament of baptisme and the celebration of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde The things that euery man receyueth he being instructed or inspired knoweth wherevnto they are to be referred that he may reuerence them not with carnall seruitude but rather with spirituall libertie for as to follow the letter and to take the signes for the things which are signified by them is a token of seruyle weakenesse and infirmitie so to interpretate and expounde the signes vnprofitably is a token of wandring errour c. And surely it is a miserable seruitude of the minde to cleaue vnto outwarde thinges and not to be able to lyfte vp our
cryeth woe to thee that destroyest for thou shalt be destroyed Agayne woe be to him that buildeth the Citie with bloude wo be to him that heapeth vp other mennes goodes Wherevnto are to be referred the things which God in his lawe threateneth to the oppressours of wyddowes of fatherlesse and straungers See Exod. 22. In the consideration whereof woulde God they were more occupied that thynke nowe a dayes the greatest commendation of manhoode and safetie of a commmon weale standeth in waged warrefaring But it is not to be negligently ouerpassed howe God speaking of the ende of their deliuery sayth And after that they shall come foorth and serue me in this place This is a generall precept that they whome God hath delyuered must serue hym whereof we are also admonished Thys must specially be considered in our saluation We are deliuered out of the tyrannie of the deuill and from the horrible bondage of sinne by the singular benefite of God who hath vouchsafed to giue his sonne for vs Let vs therefore come forth of Egypt and casting away the desires of this wicked worlde let vs serue God in holynesse puritie innocencie fayth and loue vnfeyned touching which thinges see what is sayde euerywhere in the writings of the Apostles Rom. 6. Tit. 2. 3. 1. Thess. 4. c. The same must they doe that are deliuered out of any other distresses They that are recouered of sicknesses let them thinke that spoken vnto them that Christ sayth to the man healed of the palsie See thou sinne no more least a woorse thing come vnto thee Let them thinke likewise that are deliuered from pouertie hunger pestilence warres or whatsoeuer like calamyties In times past the sacrifices called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which God ordeyned to be offered to him for benefites receyued admonished vs hereof which also were vsed of the Gentyles although they were straungers from the true worship of god And to this ende did Christ institute his mysticall supper which the auncient fathers called Eucharistiam that is to say a giuing of thankes bicause they knewe it was ordeyned in the remembraunce of Christes death And their wickednesse is very worthy to be condemned which glorying in the benefite of redemption and feeling euery day the vengeaunce of God yet will not serue him but giue themselues wholy to serue sinne and the deuill Let that principally sticke in our remembrance that Steuen vrgeth so instaâ—tlye that is howe we be deliuered from the tyrannie of Satan and sinne by the benefite of Gods grace only and that therein nothing is to be attributed to our workes and other colde ceremonies Let vs therefore by fayth embrace this benefite and serue God our Sauiour in spirite and truth that with him we maye hereafter enioye the blisse of the heauenly Chanaan through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom bee prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlv. Homelie And he gaue him the couenaunt of Circumcision And he begatte Isaac and circumcised him the eyght daye And Isaac begat Iacob and Iacob the twelue Patriarches And the Patriarches hauing enuie at Ioseph solde him into Aegypt And God was with him and deliuered him out of al his aduersities and gaue him fauour and wisedome in the sight of Pharao king of Aegypt and he made him ruler ouer Aegypt and all his housholde THe godly Martyr Steuen was accused of impietie agaynst God the lawe the holy place and all the lawes ceremoniall His aduersaries tooke occasion to accuse him for that he taught meÌ„ that these outward thinges were abrogated by Christ and that they could not be iustified by them but that iustification and saluation came by fayth onely in Iesus Christ and that the ceremonies serued for none other vse but to signifie the way of saluation which is conteyned in Christ and to bring men vnto him Wherefore it behooued him to vse a kinde of earnest and graue defence before them whith stoode altogither vpon ceremonies He so handleth therefore and frameth his defence that he prooueth by the matter it selfe he is cleere from all impietie For he diligently rehearseth whatsoeuer God did to the fathers in time passed partly to declare that he acknowledged and kept the auncient beliefe of the fathers and partlye for that the Iewes shoulde vnderstande howe the fathers in time past were iustified by faith only without any ceremonies Wherevpon euery man may easily gather that there is no cause or let why men nowe a dayes also shoulde not be saued without the ceremonies of the Leuiticall lawe by fayth in Christ and that therfore they are not to be accused of impietie which holde and affirme that they are abrogated And beginning with Abraham he diligently setteth out his fayth in following the mercifull calling of God without anye his desertes before going to th ende he might stirre vp the Iewes to follow his steppes But bicause the holy martyr of Christ was not ignoraunt that the Iewes did principally glorye in their Circumcision and in the fathers agaynst the grace of God giuen them in Christ he continueth on in his Oration begunne bicause he woulde wype them cleane from both these gloryinges Of circumcision he briefely intreateth saying And he gaue him the couenaunt of circumcision and he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eyght day He confesseth that circumcision was instituted of God but whyle he ioyneth it with the things going before he thereby putteth it away in that he sheweth it was giuen vnto Abraham after all those things which hitherto had bene recyted For after he was called out of Chaldea and had declared his beliefe openly by many and notable signes and was by his faith and beliefe iustified God gaue him the testament of circumcision that is to say he made a Couenaunt with him which was sealed as it were and confirmed with circumcision Whervpon it followeth that he was not iustified by circumcision but that his circumcision was a seale of the righteousnesse which he had alreadie gotten by fayth Which argument Paule also vsed in his fourth chapter to the Romaines And as Abraham receyued the institution of circumcision simply and plainly as the Lord did appoynt it so he plainely obserued and commended the same to his posteritie For he circumcised Isaac the eyght day according to Gods institution without adding of any other superstitious ryte which thing none that is godly doubteth but that Isaac also did to Iacob his sonne and he agayne to hys twelue children which were the Patriarches of the people of Israell And the holy Ghost would haue fewe things nowe almost remembred touching thys matter that it might thereby appeare howe the holy father s stacke not in these outwarde things but rather had a regarde vnto Gods testament and couenaunt wherein was contayned the promise of saluation than to the outwarde ceremonie The things we reade in the .xvij. of Genesis make for the better vnderstanding hereof In the meane season Steuen plainely
onely to him Therfore it frameth it selfe to his lore and desireth nothing so much as to be seene of all men whereas it knoweth it hath to reioyce in none but Christ alone These thinges reprooue the sluggysh mindes of the men of our dayes which are ashamed of Christ and saye that fayth maye be dissembled if there be lyke to ensue any daunger by the confession thereof Howbeit there were manye thinges which myght haue feared the Aethiop from being baptized for as much as he knewe that both Queene Candace and all the people of hir Countrie were farre from the knowledge of Christ which thing threatened him manifest perill both of his estate and goodes But his mynde incensed with the liuely fayth of Christ ouercommeth and bursteth through all impediments in whose hart vndoubtedly was written by the suggestion of the holy ghost that saying of Christ whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduouterous sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his father with the holy Aungels Moreouer this also is one other propertie of fayth that although the Eunuch thinketh he hath obteyned in Christ all the treasures of Gods grace and the infallibe certaintie of saluation yet for all that he iudgeth not the vse of baptisme to be vnprofitable or superfluous For fayth knoweth that Christ hath ordeyned nothing vnprofitably or in vayne bycause it knoweth that he is the eternall wisedome of God the father in whome are hidden all the treasures of knowledge It knoweth also that the corruption of our fleshe hath neede of many thinges and that it scarsely can be compelled with many prouocations to take the way of saluation Wherby it appeareth that they are voyde aswell of the knowledge of Christ as of themselfe that vse to despyse and reiect the sacramentes For although by fayth in Christ we attayne to whatsoeuer thinges are necessary to our saluation yet bicause of the inclination of our flesh it is profitable that Gods benefites shoulde be confirmed with outwarde seales and that by them we shoulde be admonished of our dutie whereof oftentymes we are forgetfull But Luke bringeth forth the other person of this act that is to say Philip which by and by obeyed not the Eunuch least he shoulde seeme to haue yeelded vnto him bicause of his dignitie or humanitie but he requireth of him first the confession of a true fayth saying If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou mayest He hath therefore a respect to hys fayth and will haue it voyde of all guyle and dissimulation By which example we are taught that the sacraments ought not to be prophaned that is to saye to be giuen to the faythlesse For where they be the badges and cognizaunces of the Church of Christ it becommeth not them to weare them that are straungers fro the church bicause such for the more part are dogges and hogges before whome Christ forbiddeth vs to whoorle pearles And if we consider the commaundement of Christ it shall appeare that the Apostles first ought to teach and then they that beleeued their doctrine shoulde be baptised For he sayth Teach ye all Nations baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost c. Yet let no man thinke we support or maintayne the madnesse of the Anabaptistes For they erre and keepe a pernitious coyle whyle they drawe that to the infants of Christians and rashly keepe them from baptisme which is onely to be obserued in straungers from religion and those that are of a full age For we affirme that such as â—e straungers from the church of christ as were sometime the Iewes and Gentyles and as are at this daye the Iewes and Turkes and other such lyke ought not to be baptised vnlesse we wyll to grossely pollute baptisme vntill they haue made profession of their fayth But the reason of infantes borne of Christians is of a farre other sort and case For these are accounted among the children or houshold of the church by reason of the lawe of couenant They be holy and Christ commaundeth them to be brought vnto him It is also manifest that they please God bicause their Aungels alwaies see the face of the father And although our capacitie cannot conceyue their state and condicion yet Christ testifyeth they haue fayth And that they haue the holy ghost both the examples of Iohn the Baptist and others do teach vs Wherfore to denye baptisme vnto them is no small impietie and a point of boldenesse more than monstrous Howbeit bicause we haue intreated hereof in other places let thys little suffice for this present Further let vs see the confession that the Eunuch made which in marueylous breuitie comprehendeth thinges of most importaunce I beleeue sayth he that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God. This confession is much like to that that Peter made in the name of all the Apostles He attributeth vnto Christ whatsoeuer is spoken of him in holy scripture Yea if the matter be narrowly marked it comprehendeth all the articles of our fayth or Creede Apostolicall For he acknowledgeth him to be God no doubt that God which the Scriptures say was Creator of heauen and earth He confesseth no such God as the Iewes and Turkes doe but such an one as hath a sonne borne of himselfe coeternall and consubstantiall with him He beleeueth that this sonne was incarnated as may be gathered of the thinges which he red in Esay Further he beleeueth that the sonne of God is Christ that is to say annoynted wherein he vnderstandeth his kingdome and Priesthoode Unto the Priesthood belongeth all the passion of Christ where he offered the sacrifice of his bodie and bloud for the sinnes of the whole worlde In the name of Kingdome is conteyned his glorious resurrection whereby he ouercame death also his ascention whereby as by a most gorgeous tryumph he entered into heauen and is sitting on the right hand of the father which declareth him to be a most mightie king to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth and which shall come againe to giue iudgement and sentence vpon all fleshe But he that confesseth Christ to be a King must needes also confesse that he hath a Church wherein he reigneth and gouerneth This Church is the Communion or felowship of all Saintes to whome Christ hath committed his inestimable treasures to say â–ª the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and felowship of eternall lyfe These mysteries I say this short confession of the Eunuch comprehendeth Whereby we are taught what an one we also should acknowledge and confesse Christ to be It is well to be considered howe confession of mouth is ioyned with fayth of minde For we haue before this declared â–ª howe these two must of necessitie be coupled togither and Paule expressely teacheth the same where he sayth This is
Apostle nowe maketh mention of them after he had begunne to speake of the resurrection But here are certaine thinges diligently to be obserued before we go from this place First we preach sayth he the promise made vnto the fathers Ergo the Apostles are Authors of no newe and straunge doctrine but teache that waye of saluation which was once promysed by God vnto the fathers For this cause Christ alleageth the testimonies of Moses and of the Prophets And Peter heretofore sayde that all the Prophets bare wytnesse of christ By these is prooued the worthinesse of our fayth the certaintie of our saluation gotten by Christ. Moreouer here appeareth the difference betweene vs and the fathers of the olde Testament That saluation was promised vnto them which is perfourmed to vs in christ They also looked for the fulfylling of that which we beleeue is fulfylled Furthermore they had certaine figures and tokens of their redemption to come whereby to exercise and feede their faith But God hath prepared for vs sacramentes and seales of our redemption and saluation which are accomplished and finished To conclude our eyes see and our eares heare that which the holye fathers in times past greatly desyred to see and heare As these things confirme our fayth so they ought to stirre vp our mindes to be thankfull that we seeme not ingratefull to despise the saluation giuen vs the hope and expectation whereof kept the fathers in times passed in all kinde of dutifulnesse in the middle of all their aduersities Furthermore the truth and infallible trust of Gods promises may herein be seene For he so perfourmeth the promises made to the fathers vnto their children that he rather would haue his sonne lyue poorely and not regarded in this world and at length to suffer shameful death than to breake his promise Where also other circumstaunces are to be considered of vs all which it appeareth to agree with the promises of God the Oracles of the Prophets For at the tyme promysed the sonne of God came to take fleshe vpon him when nowe the fourth Monarchie flourished and when the Scepter was taken from Iuda He was also borne of a woman hys mother yet remayning a Uirgin The place where he was borne was Bethleem foreshewed by the oracle of the Prophet The myracles wrought by him were such as Esay sayde should be done in his kingdome cap. 53. As touching his death and passion resurrection ascention what needeth to speake seeing that in them is fulfilled according to the letter all the things which are red Psal. 22.41.68 Is. 53.63 Of the effect of these thinges which God sometime promised by his Prophetes we spake before It is truely therefore sayde of Paule that God hath perfourmed whatsoeuer thinges were in times past promised to the fathers Here ought we to fet argumentes of consolation in our temptations that we doubt not of Gods promise in perfourming of his helpe and fauour who we heare hath so faythfully perfourmed those things which coulde not be perfourmed but by hys sonne sent into the worlde and into the darkenesse of death But let vs returne vnto Paule which confirmeth by the Oracles of the Prophets that which he spake of Christ with so great authoritie Amongst which the chiefe place is attributed to Dauid who in the fyrst Psalme which nowe a dayes is counted the seconde he sayth prophecied of christ And he bringeth one verse of the Psalme onely yet so as he calleth to their remembrance the whole Psalme which though some go about to expounde of Dauid yet in deede it contayneth a manifest prophecie of the kingdome of Christ forasmuch as diuers things therein can by no meanes be applied vnto Dauid For the Prophete by suggestion of the spirite sheweth that Christ shall haue many and cruel enimies desirous to ouerthrow his kingdome and to pull downe all his authoritie but their enterprises shall be in vaine bicause Christ shall ouercome them all The cause of all which he alleageth to be Gods decree saying Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentyles for thine enheritance Paule expoundeth this place of Christes resurrection bicause that hereby God openly declared him to be his sonne euen when his wicked enimies chiefly conspired against him For not long before he hearde those blasphemous wordes If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse If he be the king of Israel let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleeue him c. Yea being compassed about with the cruell terrors of death he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And shortly after he was so closed in his graue that Pylate the Romane President in the Emperours name and authoritie sealed the graue stone with his ring set souldiours to watch it that he shoulde not ryse agayne who would then haue thought he had bene the sonne of God vpon whome the wicked had such authority But euen the same daye God begate him that is to say declared him to be his sonne whome yet otherwise he begate from euerlasting and yet nowe seemeth he to forsake him cast him of For when his wicked enimies sayd If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse he would not haue him come downe but did that that was more in raysing him vppe againe from death so that by their owne wordes he condemned them for wicked and shewed in deede that Iesus Christ is his sonne We haue furthermore to consider that the holy ghost prooueth the kingdome of Christ and his diuine maiestie chiefly by his resurrection For Paule in another place speaking of Christ sayth who was declared to be the sonne of God with power according to the spirit that sanctifieth in that that he rose againe from death For when death was ouercome it appeared vnto all men that the Deuill also which was the Lorde of death was ouercome which victorie was not a worke of mannes power but of Gods maiestie This thing must also be extended vnto Christes members For where both he that sanctifyeth and he that is sanctifyed are all one our glory also which is due to the children of God shall appeare at length in our resurrection We crie now also Abba father and carye the pledge of saluation in our heartes which is the holye ghost and be euen now the children of God but yet it appeareth not what we shall be But we knowe that when Christ appeareth at the later daye wee shall be like vnto him This is the cause that Christ calleth that day the regeneration Math. 19. not bicause we are then fyrst made the children of God but for that they that seeme in this worlde to be forsaken of God enuyed shall at that day be declared to be the children of God See Wisedome 5 Let vs herewith comfort our selfe in aduersitie against the vniust iudgement that
Apostles burst into all the worlde which this vehement blast here did foresignifie and in despite of the worlde and Prince of the worlde the doctrine of the gospell was published throughout all Nations Let these thinges comfort vs against the vayne enterprises of the worlde and Tyrannes which studie to stop the course of the gospell For Christe lyueth styll which from hygh derideth the counselles of them and whose spirite bloweth where he wil and is not ruled at mens pleasure Thirdly there appeare clouen tongues as it were of fire which when they were settled vpon the heades of eche of them they were all fylled with the holy ghoste Wee sayde the wynde was a token or signe of the holye ghoste But here commeth a visible signe also of the presence of the spirite that there myght be no doubt at all thereof For this is the maner and trade of God to declare by outwarde tokens the inwarde and spirituall giftes which are conceyued by fayth only and haue their beyng in the mynde The which by reason of the proportion and infallible truth of God wherof they are signes and seales vse to be called after the names of the things that they signifie By this meanes it commeth to passe that Luke reasonyng of the tongues which sate vpon the Apostles heades so speaketh of them as though the spirite him selfe had syt on their heades But it is euident that these tongues were neither essentially the holy ghost nor yet had the holy ghost included in them For who wyll say the substaunce of the holy ghost is of fire except any man list to dote with the Persians which worshipped the fire as a god Who also wyll thinke the holy ghost whiche pierceth through all thinges and whom the scripture teacheth to be euery where present can be inclosed in so small a thyng as a tongue Besydes Luke saith not that the holy ghost sate on their heades but that their mindes were fylled with the holy ghost And the holy ghost shoulde in vayne syt vpon our crownes onlesse he entred into our mindes shewed foorth his power and efficacie Therfore the tongues were tokens of the presence of the holy spirite neither coulde the name of holy ghoste for any other cause be applyed to them than by reason of proportion and similitude that is betweene them as euen nowe was sayde Furthermore as in all other signes whiche God accustometh to vse there is perceaued to be a great lykenesse with the thinges that they signified so here also the presence of the spirite coulde by no other signe haue bene more euidently and properly expressed The lykenesse of tongues was most agreable with the Apostles office whom God had appoynted to be preachers The diuision of the same tongues represented the gift which they chiefly had neede of bicause they must beare witnesse of Christe in all Countries and be vnderstanded of all men And the element of fire signified that the voyce of the Apostles shoulde be effectuous through the workyng of the spirite For by this the spirite as by a bright brenning fire consumeth all the thinges in vs that are carnall and earthly By the same the spirite kindleth the myndes of men with the loue of heauenly thinges that leauing all earthly thinges behinde them they may aspire to the onely eternall goodes of the heauenly kingdome With this the holy ghost warmeth men that are benummed with sinne and maketh them meete and nimble to all good workes and to doe all thinges in Christe And this feruencie and fierie zeale is the proper marke of them which are led with the spirite of Christ Which spirit who so euer feeleth to be quenched in him let him ceasse to glorie in the spirit I coulde here rehearse diuers other effects of Christes spirite but that there is more commodious place to speake therof in the sermon folowyng where it shall be declared what the spirite wrought in the Apostles Let vs acknowledge the truth and goodnesse of Christ wherby he would thus prouide for his Church And let vs prepare our selues after the ensample of the Apostles that we also may be endued with the spirite of Christe and enflamed with the holye loue of God that being founde stoute in the duties of Christian life we may be taken for the true children of God and Coheyres of Iesus Christ to whom be blessing honour glorie and power for euer Amen The eleuenth Homelie AND they began to speake with other tongues euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce There were dwellyng at Hierusalem Iewes deuout men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When this was noysed about the multitude came togither and were astonied bicause that euery man hearde them speake with his owne language They wondred all and marueyled saying among themselues Beholde are not all these which speake of Galiley And howe heare we euery man his owne tongue wherin we were borne Parthyans and Medes and Elamytes and the inhabiters of Mesopotamia and of Iurie and of Capadocia of Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphylia of Egypt and of the parties of Lybia which is beside Syren and straungers of Rome Iewes and Proselytes Greekes and Arabyans we haue hearde them speake in our owne tongues the great workes of god They were all amazed and wondred saying one to another what meaneth this Other mocked saying These men are full of newe wine ALthough the promises of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe were first made to the Apostles and may seeme to belong to them onely Yet is it manyfest that the same are generall and to be extended to all them that doe beleue For as the Apostles bicause of their imperfection and other faultes had neede of the holy ghost and without the helpe of him could not discharge the office committed to them euen so we haue neede of the same spirite bicause if we be destitute of him we can neither order our life christianly nor holde the certainty of faith against the temptations of Satan Therfore the consideration of this present hystorie no man ought to thinke either vnprofitable or superfluous which both strongly mainteyneth the aucthoritie of the Apostolike doctrine also instructeth vs many other wayes For it teacheth vs howe we shoulde prepare our selues to receiue the spirite how we should iudge the spirites As touching the first was spokē yesterday The other may be learned by this presēt place For Luke goeth on in the discription of the hystory declareth the effectes of the holy ghost which he wrought aswel in the Apostles as in their hearers And beginnyng with the Apostles hee attributeth two thinges vnto them which they receyued by the operation of the holy ghost The first is that by and by after they had receyued the holy ghost they began to speake with straunge diuers tongues This is so great wonderful a myracle as I know not whether euer there happened a greater amongst men For who is ignoraunt how
by an euerlasting Testament that I may be God vnto thee and vnto thy seede after thee c. Whereof we gather that the infants of those that beleeue whome we cannot exclude from the name of seede are as well contayned within the couenant of saluation as are the elders and fathers For the obiection of those that say the wordes of God are only to be vnderstanded of that posteritie of Abraham which when it was of age was able to professe their fayth is nor ought to be of no authoritie For it is euident that Isaac and Iacob were included in the couenant before they were borne as maye be seene Genes 17.25 Rom. 9. And Paule doubteth not to call those children holye which haue but one parent faithfull and a beleeuer Christ also plainly teacheth vs that the kingdome of God belongeth vnto children Here the Papistes and Anabaptistes errors are confuted whereof the one deny saluation and the fruition of God to children that die without baptisme and the other keepe children from baptisme whome Christ commaundeth to be brought vnto him Then next declaring the promise of saluation he maketh mention also of Gods vocation and calling least any man might thinke the children of God were eyther borne of the fleshe or of the merite of their owne free will and strength for the children of the fleshe bee not the children of God but the children of the promise And it is not in mannes will or cunning but in the mercy of God. Saluation is set before vs in Iesus Christ and as the parable of the Gospell saith the time of mariage approcheth and all things are ready But it is needefull that men shoulde be called and bidden that they may come vnto the feast Therfore God sendeth forth the preachers of of his Gospell whose voyce is gone throughout the worlde many yeares since Howbeit bicause they can doe nothing in the mindes of men it is needefull they shoulde be drawne by God and by the operation of his spirite according to that saying of Christ No man commeth vnto mee except my father drawe him And God according to his free and holy will worketh and the winde bloweth where it will. By the which it is manifest that our saluation dependeth vpon the meere fauour of God which calleth whome he will draweth whome he will and maketh them like to the ymage of his sonne In the meane season it is our dutie being called to aunswere being drawne not to pull backe and being subiect to the Gospell through the obedience of fayth to make sure our vocation and election as the Apostle teacheth This maye suffice for this time touching Peters counsayle of saluation who sheweth them what waye to take whose consciences are feared with the consideration of their sinnes The residue behind remaining shal be intreated of in the next sermon Let vs folow the holy ghosts counsell which spake by the mouth of Peter Let vs repent vs truely let vs seeke whatsoeuer things belong to our saluation in Christ let vs giue our selues wholy to him and freely professe him Let vs not breake our promise made to him in baptisme but let vs liue a life worthye the name of Christ and then we shall liue hereafter with him in heauen to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xviij. Homelie AND with many other wordes bare he witnesse and exhorted them saying saue your selfe from this vntowarde generation Then they that gladly receyued his preaching were baptized and the same daye there were added vnto them about three thousande soules And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowshippe and in breaking of breade and in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule And many woonders and signes were shewed by the Apostles THe Apostle Peter so ordred his fyrst Sermon of the Gospell that he earnestlye vpbrayded his hearers with the grieuous and heynous offence that they committed against the sonne of god But after they were ouercome with the conscience of their sinne and sought counsayle howe to be saued he gaue them both friendly and faithfull counsayle shewing them that way of saluation that all men in these dayes that are desirous to be saued must likewise take For he prescribed them to repent and sendeth them to Christ to be consecrated to him by externe and publike baptisme that in his name they might obtayne remission of their sinnes and the gift of the holy ghost But bicause there were a greaâ— many whose authoritie might pull them from the way of saluation or at the leastwise greatly hinder them he warneth them also of those persons which is the first thing in this sermon wherevnto afterwarde Luke ioyneth the effect and fruite that followed of the Apostles counsayle with an elegant president of the auncient and primitiue Church all which are very worthy to be diligently considered Of Peter thus sayth the Euangelist with many other woordes bare hee witnesse and exhorted them saying Saue your selues from this vntowarde generation The admonition going before might haue seemed sufficient and verily it comprehendeth all the order of true saluation But bicause it might seeme an harde and weightie matter to forsake and cast away the auncient religion of their forefathers and to embrace a new hauing the example of many against them it was necessary to vse other admonitions wherein he sheweth that Peter vsed great earnestnesse and passing vehemency For he did not simply monishe them only but also vsed many obtestations and exhortations And this was the summe and ende of them all To saue themselues from that vntowarde generation By this worde sauing he admonished them that their saluation is in perill which they coulde not attaine to except they woulde seperate themselues from such as they were First let vs see of whome he speaketh For although it might seeme he spake of the whole nation of the Iewes which was guiltie of Christes bloudshed and was polluted with the greatest crime that coulde be yet chiefelye was this name due to the Priestes and Scribes who as it is euident were the chiefe authors of all the calamities that were amonge that people They were puft vp with the pryde of their gorgeous and holy titles and styles For besides that they chalenged the common name of the children of Abraham they thought also they only had the knowledge of the lawe and they were taken of euery man as guides of the blinde lightes to them that walked in darkenesse instructors of the vnwise and teachers of the vnlearned as appeareth by Paules wordes But Peter with great plainnesse calleth them a naughtie peruerse and vntowarde generation following the example of Iohn Baptist and Christ who before that had greeted them by the same names For Iohn called them the generation of vipers And Christ plainely called them a naughtye and adulterous generation Let no man impute this to euill speaking or rayling a thing farre vnfit and vnseemely for the holy
that we be not afrayd with the power of our enimies when we see our selues to weake for them For this is not our fight but a battell taken in hande vnder Gods conduct who can most easilye subdue their force and attemptes Which thing Iohn teacheth vs when he sayth that he that is in vs is of more power than he that is in the worlde Last of all the faithfull expresse more euidently the effect and ende of these mischieuous attempts where they say They gathered themselues togyther to doe whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsaile determined before to be done Howbeit the wicked consult not nor meete not togither to put Gods will and purpose in execution but they declare vnto vs how they are able to doe nothing but that which God hath decreed to haue done and that then they most further Gods purpose when they most studie to hinder it This shall appeare to be manifest if we consider what the Priestes of the Iewes dyd They woulde keepe Christ oute of his kingdome Therefore they mooued the Romane Presidents and communaltie against him and sâ—ynted not vntill they sawe him vpon the Crosse dead and buried But what other did they in all these things but helpe Christ being the Sauiour of the worlde according to the eternall purpose of his Father to enter into his kingdome And by the consideration hereof the Apostles remooue out of the way that blocke whereat such stumble as thinke the wicked are able to ouercome Christ by power and force Here serueth the vse of Gods singuler prouidence to make men vnderstande that the enterprises of the wycked can go no further nor doe no more than God hath appoynted Here haue we to obserue that they acknowledge in Gods prouidence not onely his prescience and foreknowledge but also his stable decree and hande whereby he doth execute at his pleasure that which he hath decreed that himselfe may be all in all And yet the wicked are not therfore excused bicause they respect not the decree and will of God but followe their owne corrupt affections as we haue alreadie many times declared And although the primitiue Church doth truely beleeue and professe the same yet she prayeth and with feruent sute beseecheth God of his succour and ayde Therefore the doctrine that submitteth all things and the successe of them vnto God taketh not praying away For God will be prayed to and inuocated And for this cause the godly vse it the more ardently for that they knowe all thinges are gouerned by his appoyntment For they doe that which he commaundeth and they search not ouer curiously after his secret counselles but permit the successe of all things vnto him whome they knowe to be faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength and bringeth all things to an happy ende for all them that loue him Nowe let vs see the thirde part of this prayer which contayneth the peticions of those thinges which they perceyued then they had most neede of The first of them is And now Lorde beholde their threatnings By this worde beholde they meane iudgement and punishment and it is as much to saye as if they should desyre God to reuenge theyr cause For who had more right to reuenge him than he for as much as agaynst him this warre was made as they had prooued by the wordes of the Psalme Thys is the peculiar vsage of the godly that when they perceyue they are hyndered in their vocation or not able to make their parte good to appeale vnto the iudgement of God as we see Dauid oftentymes dyd when Saule persecuted hym yet shall we neuer doe it wyth more affyaunce than when the glory of God by the wycked is openly impeached Thus Ezechias layde the blasphemous letter of the king of Assyria open before the Lorde and beseecheth hym that he wyll defende hys quarrell And it is no doubt but he heareth them which be carefull for the glorie of his name seeing he so mercyfully heareth the pryuate quarrels of those that be hys But to the ende they woulde not seeme so to commyt thys matter vnto God as to withdrawe themselues out of all daunger they beseeche God also to gyue them such grace that they maye speake and declare his worde boldely which thing chiefely is to be vnderstanded of the Apostles and other Ministers of the worde who vnlesse they be boldened and guyded wyth the spirite of God may easily be made afrayde with the threats and assaultes of the worlde to intermyt their office Which thing Paule after hys manifolde traueyles in the ministerie acknowledged and therefore thought good to be holpen wyth the publike prayers of the congregations that he might speake the worde of God freely and with open mouth Yet is thys also to be referred to euery singuler christian and it behooueth to pray for euery particuler person that they may confesse Christ boldely and stowtely before thys naughtie and adulterous worlde It is necessarie that we vnderstand how this boldenesse is gyuen vs of god For so shall we be prouoked to pray oftentymes for the increase of fayth crying with the Apostles Lorde increase our fayth Thirdly they require that the power of working myracles may be increased bycause God hath appoynted them as certayne publike seales and testimonials to the Apostles doctrine And they desyre the same may be done by the name of Christ to declare that theyr care is onely for Christes glorie In thys place there shyneth a marueylous stoutenesse and most ardent zeale towardes Christ in the primitiue Church They perceyued a little before that the mindes of the Iewes were incensed with the doctrine and myracles of the Apostles yet desyre they that the Apostles may haue more boldenesse graunted them and their giftes of myracles to be increased so little place doe they gyue to their enimies furie though but for a season which yet the men in our dayes wyll doer who thinke that to be the best trade of teaching that most pleaseth the professed enymies of truth and seeke nothing but ydlenesse and the peace of the worlde being little or nothing carefull for the increase of Christes kingdome These men thinke the Ministers are to feruent and manye tymes also those that be scarce luke warme which seemeth to me is the chiefe cause that Christes kingdome is so little inlarged amongst vs. To conclude Luke sheweth what effect ensued of their praying For God heard their prayers which was declared both by a sensible signe that is to saye by the moouing of the house which signified the presence of God and also by most wholesome effectes For they were filled with the holye ghost that is to say they perceyued an effectuall comfort of the holye ghost and courage giuen them where before this the feare of daunger did somewhat dismay them And they to whome the ministerie of the Gospell was committed preached the same with great constancie so that a
bicause all things are written for our instruction we must applie the example of Abraham not onely to this present cause but also to our selues and there shall no little profite ensue vnto vs if we well consyder the calling of God and the fayth or obedience of Abraham In the calling of God whereby Abraham came out of Vr in Chaldaea into the land of Chanaan are two things principally to be considered The first is that he was called without any merite or desert of his before going For Iehosuah in his .xxiiij. Chapter testifieth that he dwelt among Idolaters and worshipped straunge Gods. Yea Epiphanius by report of auncient writers sayth that Thares Abrahams father was the first that made ymages of claye and that therfore he was punished of God with the death of Haran his sonne who was the first among the auncient fathers that of naturall death died before his father Neyther coulde he be commended bicause he was circumcised or was in the time of the Temple whereof the one was built many yeares after the other was a signe of the couenaunt made with him whereas the righteousnesse of fayth which he had alreadye attayned was sealed and confirmed The seconde is howe all this calling dependeth vpon the bare worde of god For he is commaunded to forsake his countrie and kindred and seeth nothing that might cause him to looke or hope for any better state or coÌ„dicion For God promised him neither trustier friendes nor fruitfuller countrie but speaking directly sayth Come into the lande which I shall shewe thee These things are worthy to be diligently obserued For first they teach vs that we are called to saluation and to the heauenly countrie whereof the lande of Chanaan was sometime a figure through the meere grace of God without respect of any our workes or deserts in this matter For what had we deserued seeing we were chosen in Christ before the world was made Or what can they bragge of that haue nothing but that they haue receyued And surely if we consider the disposition of our nature it shall appeare that we are no more mindefull of the heauenly Countrie before we be called and drawen than Abraham was of the land of Chanaan whose name he had not heard of yea when the Lord calleth vs we prooue the vntowarde nature of the fleshe stryueth agaynst Gods calling which we can neuer be able to ouercome except we be holpen by the effectuous drawing of the holye spirite Furthermore we are taught that our vocation which offereth vs saluation dependeth vpon the onely worde of God and therefore can not be taken holde of by fleshlye sense or mannes reason but by fayth onely which also is the gift of God For the naturall man perceyueth not the things belonging to the spirit of God. And God hath prepared such things for them that loue him as neyther eye hath seene nor eare hearde nor yet hath entred into the heart of man And here the power of fayth marueylously declareth it selfe which only taketh holde of the promises of God and most surely embraceth those things that farre exceede all sense and capacitie of mannes reason Therfore Paule calleth it a sure confidence of things which are hoped for and a certeyntie of things which are not seene These things ought well to be considered of them who thinke the doctrine of the iustification of fayth so light a matter as though it appoynted to easie a waye vnto saluation and so mainteyned the securitie and licentiousnesse of the fleshe For how can that be iudged a light and easie matter that surmounteth and passeth all the powers of man Or shal we account it a matter of greater weyght before God that men doe of their owne power than that that cannot be done without the power of the holy ghost Let vs compare fayth with all the workes of all the Monkes that euer were and yet shall we finde more yea and perfiter workes among the Philosophers of the Gentyles but fayth shall we be able to shewe in none but in him that is borne agayne of the word of God through the holy spirite Therefore our saluation and iustification is iustly ascribed to the greatest and exellentest thing that any man liuing can haue vpon the earth Nowe the beliefe and obedience of Abraham following the calling of God is very woonderfull There were diuers thinges which myght haue lette and hindred hi m. For to let passe all other great is the force of our natiue soyle and countrie and draweth men as the Poet sayth with a great desire and lyking and still maketh them mindefull thereof And it is no small authoritie that kinsefolke and allyaunce be of whome we then most vehemently loue when we be ready to forgo them The age also and infirmitie of his father myght haue stayed him whereof he dyed before he came to the borders of the Countrie promised And it is also likely that Abraham was in great honor in his countrie such as he coulde not easily hope for in a forreyne lande among straungers But none of all these things coulde withholde that godly brest but that without delaye he woulde followe the vocation of God wythout any curious enquirie of the condicion and state of the Countrie This is that obedience of fayth so oftentimes commended of Paule and which he sayth is the ende of the lawe This doth Christ require of vs where he commaundeth vs to forsake father mother sister brother wife children and our selues if we will be his Disciples And the accomplishment hereof is so difficult a thing that it is vndoubtedly impossible for vs to performe it except we be regenerate and borne againe of the holy spirite as Christ teacheth disputing with Nichodemus Therefore let them that desire to be called Christians examine themselues after this rule least whyle they rashly bragge thereof they become lyke foolishe buylders who go about to set vp some great building before they haue cast the charges thereof Let this consideration awake vs incessantly to make our feruent prayers for the increase of fayth that after the losse of all these worldlye goodes we maye come to the inheritaunce of the heauenly Countrie with Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The .xliiij. Homelie AND he gaue him none inheritaunce therin no not so much as one foote and promised that he woulde giue it him to possesse and to his â—eede after whereas yet he had no sonne God sayde on this wyfe thy seede shall be a soiourner in a straunge land and they shall make them bonde and intreate them euill fower hundred yeares And the Nation whome they shall serue I will iudge sayth the Lorde And after that they shall come forth and serue me in this place BIcause Steuen was accused as a publike enimie of Gods glory and all religion by reason of his doctrine of abrogation of the lawe and ceremonies
discerned from others For as the sacraments be no vulgare or common tokens of Christes benefites and Gods grace so is there also no small vtilitie in them in that they separate the people of God from the worlde and knit them togither with the outwarde bande of Christian communion Which is the cause that where Peter before woulde haue the beleeuers to be baptized he by and by teacheth them also that they should saue themselues from that froward Nation And Paule by a like argument teacheth that it is not meete that they that haue bene partakers at the Lordes table should be also partakers at the sacrifices of Idolles Here by the way is the error of them reprooued which accompt the confession of fayth among thinges indifferent and suppose that the faythfull are to bee discerned from the world by none outwarde signe or marke Here also is the dotage of the Anabaptistes to be discussed who where they see in this and such like places fayth go before Baptisme would prooue hereby that the baptisme of children is condemned Howbeit this place maketh mention but such as were of full age which before were farre of and straungers from the people of God whome it should haue bene vnlawfull to haue receyued into the communion of the church and sacramentes without a confession of their faythe least they myght haue seemed to haue caste pearles vnto dogges and hogges But the matter is of a farre other sorte in infantes who being borne of Christian parentes doe manifestly appertaine to the kingdome of god For God in the couenaunt promiseth to be the God of our seede And Christ sayeth that the kyngdome of God belongeth vnto children and plainely testifieth that they haue fayth Yea Paule affirmeth that the children borne either of father or mother onely that is a christian are holy Now returneth Luke vnto Simon that we may vnderstand what he did when he perceyued the people fell from him and betooke themselues earnestly vnto christ First Luke sayth that he beleeued This me thinketh is not to be vnderstanded as though he counterfeyted altogither For it appeareth hys mynde was touched with some feeling of fayth in that he ioyned himselfe to Phillip as an inseparable companion and woondered in beholding the miracles and singuler giftes of the holy spirite Howbeit bicause he denied not himselfe and endeuoured not to forsake the flesh which is the true beginning of christendome his fayth was but temporall and for a season as Christ calleth it and therefore when the heate of persecution came it coulde not abide Here appeareth the great power of Iesus Christ which so easily taketh away the great impediment and hinderaunce that Simon was to the course of the Gospell and so subdueth this great Iuggeler so furnished with the sleightes of Satan that he which a little before had called himselfe the great power of God did now adhere and cleaue to Phillip being a straunger and one of small accompt or estimation Herevnto also belongeth it that otherwheres Christ driueth out Satan with little or no adoe so that it euidently appeareth he is the conqueror of Satan and most valiaunt reuenger of mankynde Further this is a singuler prayse of the Gospell through whose playne and simple preaching the subtile and crafty wisdome both of the world and of the Deuil is so scornefully confounded After this Simon is also baptized and becommeth a continuall companion of Philip. The chiefe cause whereof may seeme to be for that hee desired also to haue like power to worke such myracles as the thinges following declare Here we be taught that there shall be alway in the church false bretherne which shal either craftily counterfeyt the faith or else hauing it for a certaine space fall from it agayne For the Gospell is compared vnto a nette wherein are drawne vp as well naughty as good fishe Let no man therefore be offended if he perceyue himself at any tyme deceyued by such seeing that Christ had Iudas in hys company and Paule oftentymes complayneth hymselfe of false brethren Those men are ouer peeuish and vnpacient which being deceyued by one or two dispise therfore all other without difference and wyll not vouchsafe to take any other for a true christian and brother We are further taught by the example of Simon that the grace of God is not tyed to the sacramentes forasmuche as Simon receyued the signe of grace without the fruite And Paule although he confesse that the olde fathers receyued the same sacramentes that we doe yet sayth they pleased not God bicause they were voyde of fayth And it auayled not Iudas although he sate at the Lordes table and receyued the breade at Christes owne hande It is therfore fayth only which grafteth vs into Christ and maketh vs partakers of the giftes of God which are shadowed and represented to vs by the sacramentes Now forasmuch as we haue seene marueylous effects of the holy spirite flourishing in the Church of Ierusalem Luke teacheth vs that among the Samaritanes also the holy ghost shewed the like power and efficacy least any man myght thynke that the Church of the Gentyles was inferiour to the Iewes church He sayth these giftes were administred by the Apostles to the ende that the vnitie of the church might the more strongly fasten among the people which heretofore were of diuers myndes and at variaunce and discention For howe great a diuision of mindes was betweene the Iewes and the Samaritanes appeareth both in the fourth of Iohn otherwheres And the Iewes of a certayne prowde preiudice vsed to much to despise the people of Samary Therefore God thought good to vse the ministery of the Apostles herein that it might manifestly appeare there was but one fayth of Christ in all churches and that all the faythfull were quickened but with one spirite so that there was no difference of Nation in Christ. Luke sayth that Peter and Iohn were sent from Ierusalem who comming to Samaria prayde for them that had professed Christ that the holye ghost might be giuen vnto them also The cause of this doyng was for that the holy Ghost was as yet come vpon none of them but were only baptised in the name of christ Which place is not so to be vnderstanded as though the faythfull of the Samaritanes were hitherto vtterly voyde of the holy ghost For where they had fayth which is the gift and effect of the holy ghost and were through baptisme planted in Christ they coulde not be vtterly voyde of those benefites of Christ which by the holy Ghost are sealed in vs Which are the washing away of sinnes regeneration mortifying of the olde man adoption or taking into the children of god And the whole scripture testifieth that these thinges come none otherwise vnto vs than by the operation of the holy ghost And these are the common giftes of the holy ghost without the which no man can truly be called a christian Wherfore
and promise For herevnto appertayneth it where they promise him the bullocks of their lips Dauid speaking hereof sayth what rewarde shall I giue vnto the Lorde for all the benefites that he hath done vnto me I will receyue the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lorde· I will paye my vowes nowe in the presence of all his people And he testifyeth that this shall please the Lorde better than a bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes These thinges teach vs what to thinke of the vnkinde and wicked raylers agaynst Gods worde who haue a pleasure with bitternesse of tongue to caâ—pe at it and saye it is the cause of all calamitie where it were their dutie to acknowledge and celebrate the grace of God for it Furthermore let vs see howe the beholders were affected with this myracle Amongst whome some were Iewes which accompanied Peter from Ioppeâ— Luke sayth that they were amazed seeing the gift of the holye ghost was poured vpon the Gentyles also For although they were not ignorant what came to passe vnto Peter yet the common error of the Iewes still bewitched them who thought all Nations vnholy and straungers from God but such as were circumcised and had receyued the other ceremonies of the Iewes lawe It is very notable that they which are of the faythfull are so deceyued For hereby it appeareth that euen to the godlye sometime the spottes of error cleaue and therefore all things that they doe must not be drawen to imitation Which thing it appeareth Paule obserued who biddeth the Corinthians to followe him as farre forth as they see him to follow Christ. For there is nothing so appropriate vnto man as to erre and be deceyued Nor nothing so difficult and laborious as to plucke vp olde rooted errors out of mennes mindes example whereof we haue seene in the Apostles still stumbling at the expectation and looking for of a carnall and earthly kingdome Therefore they are greatly deceyued which iudge continuall teaching and admonition to be superfluous and vnprofitable seeing that blindnesse and frowardnesse of mannes witte is such that he taketh occasion of stumbling at euery thing and hardlye can be brought into the waye againe Wherefore Paule was of a farre better iudgement when he commaunded Timothie to preach in season and out of season But to returne to the exposition of the hystory Peter hath a much better iudgement who of the premisses gathereth the ende of the myracle For where by an heauenly vision he was commaunded to go to Cornelius and to preach the Gospell vnto him and seeth nowe the gifte of the holy spirite giuen to them that heare and beleeue it he easilye acknowledgeth that the grace of the Gospell belongeth to the Gentyles also and that the vncircumcised also so that they beleeue in Christ ought to be receyued into the fellowship of the Church forasmuch as God doth vouchsafe to giue them his holy spirite For drawing an argument from the thing vnto the signe thereof he sayeth Can anye man forbidde water that these shoulde not be baptized which haue receyued the holye ghost as well as we Which is as much as if he shoulde saye As many as are the members of Christ must be receyued by baptisme into the fellowship of Christes Church But no man can doubt but these men are the members of Christ seeing they haue receyued the spirite of Christ as well as we Ergo it is reason they shoulde be baptized And forthwith he commaundeth them to be baptised in the name of the Lorde that is to saye to be consecrated to Christ the Lorde and numbred with his Church For Peters commaundement must not so much be vnderstanded of the fourme of baptisme as of the ende and vse thereof Of these things it is easie to gather all the meaning of baptisme Peter surely acknowledgeth baptisme to be the first sacrament of Gods people and Church whereby outwardly the benefites of regeneration and adoption and whatsoeuer else is giuen vs in Christ are sealed vnto vs and thereby as many as are partakers of them are admonished of their dutie Wherevpon we gather that as many as it appeareth are of the people of God haue neede thereof By these things are many errors confuted that we see haue crept in these many yeares about baptisme yet reigne euerywhere And first this place confuteth the vnholy deprauers of the Sacraments which thinke they are superfluous for them that beleeue and are regenerate by fayth Which kinde of men while they greatly extoll fayth and the grace of God doe wickedly contemne the wisedome of God and his ordinaunces Howbeit Peter sawe that Cornelius and his familie truly beleeued and that they were indued with the holy ghost and adopted into the number of the children of God and yet for all that he commaundeth them to be baptized bicause he would not seeme to contemne Christes commaundement For why shoulde he contemne the sacramentes of Christ which knewe that God in the olde Testament had made it death for them that contemned his sacraments Agayne this place confuteth the boldenesse of the Anabaptistes which vse to keepe the children of the Christians from their baptisme But Peter prooueth that they are to be baptized for none other cause but for that he sawe they were endued with the spirite of Christ and therefore were members of his Church Why then shoulde not infants be baptized by as good right who we knowe are borne members of the Church and who Christ testifyeth appertayne to the kingdome of God Moreouer the example of this place maketh agaynst the error of the Papistes which vse to tye the grace of God vnto Sacramentes and vse to bring it and put it in their sacraments by exorcismes and coniuring wheras it is euident that they are but the cognizances tokens of the grace that is giuen vs in christ And if thou well examine this place it shall appeare the same came to passe vnto Cornelius that somtime was to be seene in Abraham so that thou mayst see the sacraments of both the Testaments had all but one reason For Paule witnesseth that Abraham was iustifyed by fayth that he afterwarde receyued Circumcision which was a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth So we heare that Cornelius beleeued and was endued with the spirite of God which was an infallible argument of his regeneration and iustification and nowe at length commeth baptisme where by all these benefytes of God are sealed and confirmed Therefore it is euident that the grace of God is not tyed vnto baptisme neyther that it is by baptisme poured into vs as by a Pype or Conduite forasmuch as if we receyue the Sacramentes without fayth they be vtterlye superâ—luous yea wee knowe they indammage the contemners of them as maye be seene in the examples of Iudas the Traytour and Simon the Sorcerer Before we leaue this place it is good to
diuers tymes intreated these fewe wordes for this time may suffyse Let vs note well thys one thing that there is none other thing in scripture for fayth to take holde on but christ For hereof it is gathered that all they that seeke saluation out of Christ lacke fayth and are miserably molested with vncertayne opinions Yet bicause this doctryne was more briefe than a barbarous man and a Gentyle coulde at the fyrst vnderstande therefore the Apostles afterwarde open the same more at large For they preach the word of the Lorde that is the Gospell aswell to hym as to all his housholde the summe whereof is that we are iustifyed and saued by fayth through the merite of christ In the meane season we are taught that fayth is no rashlye conceyued or imaginatyue opinion but a full and perfyte knowledge of Iesus Christ which dependeth vpon the eternall worde of god Therefore fayth must be learned in his worde and nothing admitted that is not plainly expressed in the Gospell And whatsoeuer is contained therein that let vs embrace with stedfast fayth that we also by that meane maye be saued through our Lorde Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxij Homelie AND he tooke them the same houre of the nyght and washed their woundes and was baptised and all they of his housholde straight way And when he had brought them into his house he set meate before them and ioyed that he with all his housholde beleeued on god And when it was day the officers sent the Ministers saying Let those men go The keeper of the Prison tolde this saying to Paule The officers haue sent worde to lose you Now therefore get you hence and go in peace Then sayd Paule vnto them they haue beaten vs openly vncondemned for all that we are Romaynes and haue cast vs in Prison and nowe would they sende vs away priuily Nay verily but let them come themselues and fet vs out when the Ministers tolde these wordes vnto the officers they feared when they heard that they were Romanes they came and besought them and brought them out and desired them to depart out of the Citie And they went out of the Prison and entred into the house of Lydia and when they had seene the brethren they comforted them and departed AS the Euangelist Luke hath diligently descrybed the tyranny and vnrighteousnesse of the magistrate of Philippi vsed against the faythfull seruantes of Christ Paule and Silas so he reporteth as dyligently howe the keeper of the Prison a great dooer in the sayde wicked enterprise was conuerted vnto the faith of Iesus Christ. The ende of all which hystorie is partly to learne vs the true way howe to turne vnto God then what afterwardes we must do when we are turned vnto god And the fyrst point of this present place pertayneth vnto the later member wherein is declared what this keeper dyd after he had embrased christ This part therefore we wyll fyrst declare meaning afterwarde to speake of the Apostles delyuerie as much as God shall put in our mindes As touching the keeper of the Prison nowe conuerted vnto Christ foure things chiefely are affyrmed Fyrst in the same night he bringeth the Apostles out of Prison washeth their sores This he doth contrarie to the commaundement of the magistrate which badde they shoulde diligently and straightly be kept Yea euen he that knew the seueritie of the Iudges to be such that he would euen now haue kylled hymselfe when he thought the prisoners were fledde bringeth them out of his owne accorde putting himselfe in manifest daunger of his lyfe This place teacheth vs that the chiefe and principall effect of fayth is to make men obedyent vnto God and bolde to put those thinges in execution that they know God alloweth and commaundeth although the worlde thinke neuer so much the contrarie For this is the saying and minde of all the faythfull as well as of Peter that we must obey God more than man. Therefore they are confuted by this example which nowe a dayes alleage the authoritie of Princes publyke lawes the friendship of the worlde and infynite such lyke agaynst the preceptes of God and being frozen with cowardely feare dare neuer attempt any thing in Christes quarrell and glorye Let vs rather followe this keeper of the Prison whome neyther authoritie of magistrate publike lawe breaking of Prison nor present daunger coulde so feare but that he durst bring them out of prison whome he knewe were vniustlye committed thyther and to vnworthily entreated After this he is by and by baptized and causeth all his housholde lykewise to be baptized For he had learned by the Gospell which the Apostles preached vnto him that it was an ordynance of Christ that all they which woulde beleeue in him shoulde be ioyned togither into one bodye of the Church by baptisme Wherefore he thinketh the sacrament instituted of Christ ought not to be neglected nor did not sophistically reason of the doctrine of fayth going before on this wise If faith onely in our sauiour Iesus Christ be sufficient vnto saluation as you erewhyle dyd teache whye require you nowe baptisme which must needes be superfluous and vnprofytable For they that truely beleeue in Christ will neuer despise the ordynaunces of Christ bicause they know that the sacramentes are not repugnaunt vnto faith but are rather certaine labelles and outwarde seales of Gods promises whereof we take holde by fayth In the meane season we haue to consyder the zealous fayth of this keeper wherewith he was so enflamed that he would haue his housholde also dedicated vnto God by baptisme An example wherof we had before also in Lyddia Which thing as it serueth to confute the Annabaptistes which of their owne head keepe the children of the faythfull from baptisme so it reprooueth the sloth and intollerable sluggishnesse of them which haue so little care for their familie that they regarde not to haue them consecrated vnto Christ and to hys Church by outwarde sacramentes thereby abundantlye declaring that they are not greatly carefull for the glory of God. Thirdly he prepareth meate for them at his house for that he knew they had in the Prison a verie slender supper or none at all This is a worke of christian liberalitie and loue which they that beleeue in Christ are neuer wythout For it is impossible to seperate fayth from the loue of god And he that truely loueth God can not neglect his neighbour whom he knoweth is made after the similitude of God and so esteemed of hym that he would haue him redeemed with the bloude of his sonne which was the cause that Paule sayth fayth worketh through loue Galat. 5. For althoughe there be many workes of fayth yet may they all for the most part be referred vnto charitie bicause through it the whole lawe is fulfylled And the Apostle Iohn teacheth vs that he that neglecteth his neighbour neyther looueth God
intercession those promisses are ratified whereof wee should haue no vtilitie at all vnlesse he were the maintainer and defender of the couenaunt But bicause as well the diuine power of Christ as also the office whereunto his father appoynted him appeareth most euidently in the resurrection of the deade as Paule other wheres declareth he omitteth nowe the other Articles and taketh him to entreate only thereof as a thing cheefely appertaining to this present controuersie For by this it appeared both that Iesus Christ which rose againe from the deade was the aucthor of life and saluation and also the error of the Saduces which vtterly denied the resurrection was confuted For it is very like that this secte at that time did muche preuaile with many men and that diuers of Paules hearers were infected with the same For onlesse we graunte this Paule may seeme too importunate which asketh in angrye wise why it should seeme incredible to them that he saide God should raise the deade againe And vndoubtedly Paule intreated of all these things more at large and confirmed them with testimonies of scriptures But Luke doth but touch certaine breefe notes of euery thing to giue vs an occasion the more to meditate thereof And surely this place which the breuitie thereof maketh obscure will be moste plaine if a man woulde draw out therof the propositions or arguments which Paule as it is euident more at large handled Wherof this shal be the first Our controuersie is touching the hope of the promisse made by God vnto the fathers and of the whole meane of our saluation The seconde I teache that this hope consisteth in Iesus Christe onely which they constantly denie The third I proue by the resurrectioÌ„ of him which declared that he was both the sonne of God and the aucthor of life that all the meane of our life and saluation consisteth in Christe The fourth neither ought the resurrection of Christ to seeme incredible to any man for as much as it is a moste easie thing vnto God in the end of the world to raise all the dead againe as all the scriptures declare he shall doe This seemeth to me to be the order of Paules oration and the summe of al those things which hitherto haue ben spoken which if we consider it shall be very easie to explicate euery thing more at large Also by the enumeration of certaine principall poyntes he thought he wold make his hearers attent bicause they should not thinke that he contended with the Iewes about a trifle as Festus before had said In the meane season we haue to consider certaine common places falling out in this matter And first of all we be taught what the faith hope of all the Sainctes and of the whole church of God hath bene in al ages Uerily euen such as hath depended vpon Christ the sonne of God which became man for our sake and which beleeueth that all faithe and saluation consisteth in him only For this dothe Paule in this place call the hope of the promisse made sometime vnto the fathers But the Catholike faithe saithe that all the promisses are confirmed in Christ as Paule himselfe euery where confesseth specially in the first Chapter of the second to the Corinthians and in the tenth Chapter of the first to the same Corinthians where he wryteth that the condition of the fathers of the olde Testament was allone with oures so that he attributeth to them oursacraments also which are baptisme and the supper eueÌ„ as other wheres he attributeth to vs the passeouer and spirituall circumcision Howbeit these things shall more euideÌ„tly appeare if we consider the promisses of God which he made sometimes vnto the fathers Among these fathers Adam is the first who when hee was thrust out of Paradise into this vale of misery had none other hope of saluation giuen him than that which is in Christ only For the seede of the woman was promised vnto him whose heele the serpent should lie in wait to sâ—ing although in vaine for as much as that seede shuld crush and tread down the serpents head But Christ alone may be called the seede of the woman which without any commixtion of mannes seede toke fleshe of the virgin Marie The Deuill that olde Serpent lay craftely in waite against his heele that is to say against his humane nature and by his instruments brought to passe that he was slaine vpon the Crosse but to his owne vtter hinderance and destruction For heereby it came to passe that Christ when he died trade downe the head of the Diuell that is vanquished his rule and tirannie by the merite of his deathe and vtterly disarmed him of his force and draue him out of his kingdome But seeing there is no doute but that Adam beleeued this promisse for as muche as he chaunged his wiues name and called hir Heuâ— as which should bring foorth them that should lyue it is euident that he dyd put his whole hope and trust in Iesus Chryst alone which was that promised seede of the woman Therefore Adam was a christian man and beleeued that he and his posteritie should be deliuered and saued from the tyrannie of the Diuell through the merite of Chryst onely Paule in the .11 chapter to the Hebrues proueth most euideÌ„tly that Abel Enoch Noe and the other fathers as many as before the floud plesed god were of the same fayth After the floud we haue chiefly to consider Abraham with whom it pleased God to renue his couenant whom the scriptures cal the father of all those that beleeue Moyses and Paule beare witnesse that he beleeued God and howe that beleefe and fayth was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse What he beleeued all men knowe verily that the promise of God which sayde that in his seede all nations should be blessed and saued should be confirmed And that this seede was Chryst bothe Paule in the third to the Galathians and Chryst him selfe witnesseth For Chryst sayth Abraham reioyced to see my day and he sawe it and was glad This is to be vnderstanded of the contemplation and sight of fayth onely Whervppon we gather that Abraham also was stayed vp by fayth onely in Chryst and at length saued Touching his ofspring and issue Isahac and Iacob what needeth it to speake seeing it is manyfest that the promises made vnto the father are so oftentimes repeated vnto them yea Iacob when he lay a dying preached to his children touching the sauiour that was promised and playnely expresseth his comming And if we consider Moses it shal appeare that he also had his respecte vnto Chryst onely He sendeth the people of Israell vnto him whereas he promiseth them a great Prophet which al men were bound to heare as we vnderstode before by the words of Stephen and Peter Moreouer that one Epistle to the Hebrues is sufficient to teach vs that all the Ceremonies of the lawe and the Leuiticall seruice were